What I learned - How Can I understand?

 

 

"When we earnestly, heartily, firmly, and sincerely seek to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ and teach it to one another, these teachings may transform hearts".

 

Twice a year, we have a General Conference, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It is a time when we actually watch conference at home on the TV, or go to the church and watch it on the Satellite broadcast.  It is done over a two day period of time on Saturday and Sunday. 

The very first talk was titled, "How can I understand", and was given by Elder Ulisses S. Soares.

I loved this talk.  The takeaways for me, were pretty simple. 

 

"As recorded in the book of Acts, Philip the evangelist taught the gospel to a certain Ethiopian who was a eunuch in charge of all the treasures belonging to the queen of Ethiopia.¹ While returning from worshipping in Jerusalem, he read the book of Isaiah. Compelled by the Spirit, Philip came closer to him and said, “Understandest thou what thou readest?

“And [the eunuch] said, How can I, except some man should guide me? …

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”

 

The talk was simply about teaching us to focus on Jesus.  To talk about Him, study Him and preach about Him.  To learn of Him and accept His invitation to us to "Come and See". 

I find that it can be so easy to get lost in the everyday problems of the world, that I don't take the time I should to study Jesus.  I want to become more like Him, but I need to find out more of what He is like to do that. 

May we all follow the council to Come and see!!

 

Lessons for the Weary - Conference 2018 - Am I a Child of God

 

Romans 8: 16 -  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God

 

Am I a Child of God

by Elder Brian Taylor

 

President Boyd K. Packer’s words are plain and precious: “You are a child of God. He is the father of your spirit. Spiritually, you are of noble birth, the offspring of the King of Heaven. Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it. However many generations in your mortal ancestry, no matter what race or people you represent, the pedigree of your spirit can be written on a single line. You are a child of God!”

“When you … see our Father,” Brigham Young described, “you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted, and he will receive you into his arms, and you will be ready to fall into his embrace and kiss him.”

 

This talk reached out to my heart and reminded me that no matter what you DNA says, you are identified as a Son or Daughter of God.  You have worth in His eyes, and He loves you.

 

The one who seeks to confuse us, wants our identities to be confused also.  He wants us to embrace our differences and to allow them to divide us, not bring us together.  You have only to look around you at the world today and you can see the evidence of confusion and anger.  You can see that we are challenged always in a world that doesn't want to acknowledge our spiritual identity. 

 

I invite each of us to seek God and His Beloved Son. “Nowhere,” President Nelson directed, “are those truths taught more clearly and powerfully than in the Book of Mormon.”²⁷ Open its pages and learn that God does “all things for [our] welfare and happiness”;²⁸ that He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness”;²⁹ and that “all are alike unto [Him].”³⁰ When you feel hurt, lost, scared, upset, sad, hungry, or hopelessly abandoned in life’s extremities³¹—open the Book of Mormon, and you will come to know that “[God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so].”³²

Coming to know our Father changes everything, especially our hearts, as His gentle Spirit confirms our true identity and great worth in His sight.³³ God walks with us along the covenant path as we seek Him through prayerful pleadings, scriptural searchings, and obedient strivings.

 

The message of this talk to me is so clear.  We need to turn our hearts to Him, to seek to know Him, to know how very much we are loved by Him.  His hands are reaching toward each one of us.  It is up to you and me if we will reach out to take those hands, and the comfort and hope that they offer.  We are truly children of God. 

 

Lessons for the Weary- Conference 2018

 

Precious Gifts from God

by President M. Russell Ballard

 

 

How I love conference every six months.  I find myself enjoying it more and more the older that I get.  I find myself focusing on the words and how they apply to me.  This talk was wonderful.  He brought up so many good points.  I love taking the chance to review his words.  

“For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

If we have faith as small as a mustard seed, the Lord can help us remove the mountains of discouragement and doubt in the tasks ahead of us as we serve with God’s children, including family members, Church members, and those who are not yet members of the Church.

Brothers and sisters, life can be filled with faith, joy, happiness, hope, and love when we exercise the smallest amount of real faith in Christ—even a mustard seed of faith.

 

I also loved how he talked about technology and how we spend so much time with it.  How it has good things about it, but also there are bad.  It can be addicting and influence people to never have a real conversation with each other.  Everything is online.  Everything is posted.  Everything is there waiting for someone to find it.  I love how he counseled us to unplug so that we may find the time to hear the still small voice. 

I also enjoyed reading about service.  How important that is for us and how Peter tells us in the scriptures tell us that Jesus, "went about doing much good". 

What a wonderful tribute to our Savior.  His ministry was one not only of teaching, but of serving others. 

Perhaps the words that mean the most to me, are simply,

In our discipleship, we have many demands, concerns, and assignments. However, some activities must always be at the heart of our Church membership. “Wherefore,” the Lord commands, “be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

 

May we all be responsible for serving those who need us most. 

 

What I learned - His daily guiding hand

His Daily Guiding Hand
April 2017 General Conference By M. Joseph BroughSecond Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

 

 

"Heavenly Father knows what you and I need

better than anyone else".

 

 

 

This talk was comforting to me. 

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained: “Our Father in Heaven knows His children’s needs better than anyone else. It is His work and glory to help us at every turn, giving us marvelous temporal and spiritual resources to help us on our path to return to Him.”

Listen to those words: Heavenly Father knows what you and I need better than anyone else. As a result, He has developed a personal care package suited to each one of us. It has many components. It includes His Son and the Atonement, the Holy Ghost, commandments, scriptures, prayer, prophets, apostles, parents, grandparents, local Church leaders, and many others—all to help us return to live with Him someday.

I love the idea of a care package from a loving Heavenly Father.  Something is included in it that we will all need.  I am trying to teach someone about this care package and answer their questions about the gospel as they struggle with a fledgling testimony.  What a beautiful thought, that Heavenly Father has given us something that is unique and just for us.  That He knows and loves us individually. 

He talks about the commandments being part of this care package.  That they are there to protect us from harm.  Most of the troubles that I have seen in my life, come from at least a partial failure to keep the commandments.  Why is it, when we do wrong, we want forgiveness and pardon?  But when others do wrong, sometimes we want someone to say that we are better than they are?  Sometimes, people act like the commandments apply to everyone except ourselves. 

I love that Heavenly Father wants to bless us.  He wants us to come home.  He wants us to believe that we can. 

My favorite part was when he states: 

"Perhaps Heavenly Father’s greatest care package component is described in these words: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”

To teach us all that we must do, Jesus Christ led the way by giving the perfect example that we must try to emulate. He pleads with us with arms outstretched to come, follow Him.⁹ And when we fail, which we all do, He reminds us, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent.”

What a wonderful gift! Repentance is not a punishment; it is a privilege. It is a privilege that leads and guides us. No wonder the scriptures declare that we should teach nothing save repentance".

I wonder how many of us look upon repentance as a gift?  It is not a punishment for bad behavior.  It is our chance to change and come back to God.  It is our welcome home into His enfolding arms. 

In my pride, I wish that I were perfect.  I wish that I did not need anyone else to help me get back to Heaven.  I wish I could say that I DESERVED to go there.  But I know my sins better than anyone.  I know that I will never get there on my own.  I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father, who gave His some Jesus Christ, that I could have the opportunity to live with Him again.  There is nothing in me that deserves His love.  He gives it unconditionally and in spite of my worst behavior.  Daily in my life, I see His guiding hand leading me, guiding me and walking beside me as I struggle to find my way.  How blessed I am for His loving care package that is designed to get me safely home again. 

. 

 

 

 

What I learned - The Master Healer

You don’t have to experience the sorrow caused by sin, the pain caused by others’ actions, or the painful realities of mortality—alone.

The Master Healer by Carole Ann Stephens

I loved this talk.  It was a totally amazing example of what I need to do most. 

“Is there something specific that women should focus on?”

I answered, “Yes!” as President Russell M. Nelson’s talk “A Plea to My Sisters” entered my mind. President Nelson taught, “We need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ.”

Nephi described the doctrine of Christ this way:

“For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. …

“And now … I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

“… This is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ.”

I love that the Master Healer of us all, can help to heal the pain when others are responsible for our hurts.  He knows what it is to be betrayed by friends.  He knows what it means to feel all alone.  He knows our hearts and our minds and our grief.  I love that we don't have to be responsible for the sins of others.  We can have compassion for them and love them, but we don't have to take their sins upon ourselves.  We can turn it all over to Him who truly knows our hearts and our minds. 

I am sure that I am making this sound easy.  In reality, it is not.  It is hard to watch others stumble and fall, especially when we love them.  It is hard to forgive when our hearts are aching and angry and hurt and afraid.  I love that He can take all that away and provide peace in our darkest moments.  We do not have to carry our burdens alone.  Lean on Him.