General Conference Notes

President Monson: Donate to the missionary fund.
Elder Perry: Make sure that you worship on the Sabbath. The Sabbath day is for us to draw closer to God.
Elder Cook: Be a modern day heroic woman. Appeal to the Lord when I face difficult circumstances that my trails will be consecrated for my good.
Elder Eyring: We have covenanted to help those in need. Ask yourself each day what good you have done in the world today. Don't just feel sympathy for those who suffer. Act on your covenants. Gain surplus so that you can serve others by spending less than you make.

Make 72 hour backpacks

Elder Nelson: The world is crazy, but we have no need to fear. Do what is right. Keep the commandments. Pay tithing. The storm clouds may gather, but we will be joyful as we keep the commandments and walk uprightly. Fear not. The future is as bright as your faith. Covenants help us to face the future with faith.

Elder Oaks: Desire can be trained. Desire, labor, and faith work together. Am I prepared to have my eternal judge attach the desires of my heart to my eternal judgment? As we give priority to the most important things in life, we can readjust our desires. Adjust your desires so that you are on the track to become like Christ and find eternal joy. Always ask, "Where will this lead?"

Elder Ballard: Small and simple things turn into the major events and experiences of our lives. Do not overlook the gold flecks God sends because you are so busy becoming discouraged that you do not have large golden nuggets.

Comments

Confessions of an Unlikely Teacher

Most of the choices I have had to make in my life have been between right and wrong, or a selection of one option among many. I haven't often been required to make choices of elimination where I have two great things, but must sacrifice one in order to keep the other. When I made the decision to apply to BYU, it was an easy choice. I could choose any university I wanted, but that was the only one I had interest in. I had always wanted to go there. My best friends all wanted to go there. I applied early. I was accepted. It was great. I was anxious of course to know whether I would get in or not, but I never had to act on my back-up plans. My choice to go on a mission was a little more tricky, but still obvious. I had wanted to serve a mission from the time I was 15, and although other opportunities presented themselves along the way, like school and boys, when the time came, there wasn't much to think about. ...

Bearing Burdens

Insurance is really lame. I mean, it's awesome when you face a crisis, but most of the time it just really, really sucks. Especially if you are self-employed. We were notified that our premium would be going up (yet again) in January, and that our benefits would, of course, be going down. On a random, yet inspired stroke of circumstance, a friend recommended a program to us that replaces an insurance plan and allows people to help cover healthcare costs together. The mission of this group is to support Christ's teaching to "...bear...one another's burdens..." in a literal sense. I liked that idea. Mosiah taught the same principle to the people in the Americas nearly 200 years before Paul taught it to the Galatians . " And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people...

Steadfast & Immovable

Sister Beck is coming on Saturday to speak to our stake at the BYU-I center, so I thought I would start getting ready by reading some of the most recent Relief Society messages. I read a talk by Sister Silvia H. Allred called Steadfast & Immovable . I particularly appreciated these two quotes: "I know that each of us has a vital and essential role as a daughter of God. He has bestowed upon His daughters divine attributes for the purpose of forwarding His work. God has entrusted women with the sacred work of bearing and rearing children. No other work is more important. It is a holy calling. The noblest office for a woman is the sacred work of building eternal families , ideally in partnership with her husband." "We demonstrate our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior when we place our faith in Him, repent of our sins, and receive the saving ordinances required to enter God’s presence. These saving ordinances are symbols of the covenants we make. The coven...

Pearls & Perfection Pending