General Conference Thoughts

Well, I wasn't planning on doing a post about conference. However, Erin did one I thought I would follow her good example since we have been encouraged to share the gospel via the internet. I apologize...this is lengthy.

L. TOM PERRY. I really liked his talk. He talked about how we don't need the extreme styles or things. We need to simplify our lives. we should not live beyond our means. Stay out of debt, save for a rainy day, etc. This stuck out to me because lately for some reason, I have been wanting to look fancier and have my apartment look and be decorated perfect, buy a house, buy a second car, and so forth. Material things just have been looking really nice to me and starting to seem very important. I am happy I listened to this talk because it reminded me of what is truly important. (James is grateful for this talk as well...it stopped me from buying a lot of things! haha)

SILVIA ALLRED. She spoke about missionary work. everytime this topic is brought up, one of my friends come to mind, and I so WANT to do something about it. I just don't know how and it's tricky. He was my manager at my old job and he is closer to James than to me. James doesn't really feel that this man would be receptive to the gospel, and we really don't see or talk to him very much anymore since he moved farther north. But I so want to do something for him. He and his family are really good people and their family is very important to them. I just don't know how to go about it. However, she spoke about how it starts by being a good neighbor and friend. How just living the gospel and simply inviting people to activities or meetings can make such a huge impact.I loved when she said "This is the Lord's work, and he will help us do it." It takes a lot (if not all) of the fear away. missionary work shouldn't be feared, but religion is a sensitive subject and I never want to offend. But she made such a good point that out message is the most Important message in the world. How could we not share it with those who do not have it?

NEIL L. ANDERSON. Just a few key quotes on his that I loved. He told the story about not knowing a lot and feeling unsure about being able to share the gospel on his mission. His doubts were erased when the answer came, "You don't know everything. But You know enough." That's AMAZING to me. so simple. so true. I also loved that he said that we can CHOOSE faith over fear. "Faith is not only a feeling, it's a choice." (something like that.)

DALLIN H. OAKS. I too loved this talk. The sacrament is an ordinance. it has became too casual. It was a great reminder. I loved how he said that by taking the sacrament each week we can always have the guiding spirit to be with us. "guiding." it's a comforting word.

Learned the 4th verse to I Am a Child of God. Grace loves that song. She stopped playing with her toys and watched the TV for the entire time they sung it. She clapped her hands during it. That was a tender moment in my motherly heart.

JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN. I loved his talk. I am not usually super attentive when he speaks, but this time I was. HE said that we needed to give our best effort in everything we attempted. That was how he was raised. I too was raised with a similar motto and I know it helped me be a better person. He told about how he had a bad football game, came home and complained about it. His mother said (and this is where I am not sure which way it was said. I could hear both options...) 1. "Come what may, and love it." or else he said 2. "Come away, and love it." Either way, you get the point. And it's a great point too. I loved how he said that the number one thing we can do when hard times come is LAUGH. He said "If we can laugh, anger and resentment are rarely present." "Next time you are tempted to groan, try to laugh instead." I LOVED THAT. I needed that.

JEFFRY R. HOLLAND. He talked about angels and how they are still ministering here on earth, be it through those who are actual angelic beings from the other side, or neighbors, family, friends, or a kind stranger. He talked about that we should try to be more angelic. I loved that. "A kind word. A strong arm. A declaration of faith."

GERALD CAUSSE. I didn't get much on this one, but I have written, "take pride and joy in practicing and living the word of God in its simplicity." excellent.

ELAINE S. DALTON. Oh my goodness, I wrote down tons from this talk. It was amazing. Here are a few things I took from it. "In the strength of the Lord, I can do all things." The temple is the reason we do everything in this church. You be the one to stand for right even if you stand alone. We have the ability to change the world. RETURN TO VIRTUE. (here she listed a ton of ways to return to virtue and I didn't get them all, but they were amazing.) I loved her talk.

M. RUSSELL BALLARD. He quoted Joseph Smith. "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing." That is so powerful and fills me with strength and courage and shakes away fear. He talked about the pioneers and said that "we need to believe as they believed. Work as they worked, and overcome as they overcame." The works and purposes of God cannot be thwarted. It is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of man.

PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON. So amazing. So much I could say.It makes me want to cry it was so beautiful, just re-reading my notes. I want to make every quote a big fancy wooden sign to hang in my home I love it so much. (wait...is that my materialistic side coming out?) Anyway, here are my favorite things from his talk. Don't let that which is most important pass you by. Find joy in the journey...NOW. Rather than dwelling on the past, do all you can to make memories for the future. Don't let stress get in the way of what is most important. We will never regret a kind word or action. Give a note. Give a hug. Say thank you more.

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." So beautifully put!!

He ended by talking about how we shouldn't focus on what is missing in our lives. Rather, we should focus on the abundance in our lives. Then we may experience heaven on earth.

RUSSELL M. NELSON. another amazing one about marriage being between man and woman, is sacred and ordained of God. He said that we can choose a quality and longlasting marriage. We need to love and care for each other - it is our sacred responsibility. I loved when he said that happiness can come only with earnest effort. "Minimize personal demands. Maximize acts of Love." (another wooden sign to hang in the home! haha)

Those were the main ones that I was able to take notes on. Which means those were the ones I paid attention to. I get easily distracted if I am not writing it down. And Grace didn't let me write for very long. But conference was so amazing and I feel so enthusiastic about the gospel. I feel lifted up after conference. I see ways I can improve, ways I can be a better wife and mother, be a better missionary, be a better friend and neighbor. It also reminds me of the things that really matter and the things that really just don't. I get caught up in the world I live in all too frequently. It's a good thing conference is more than once a year. :o) I always need that guidance and counsel. And I love it.

Thoughts at the Temple

My husband and I were not married in the temple. We were sealed last April to each other and to our sweet baby girl. So I am kind of new to the temple. But I have to say that I LOVE IT. And I have gone and done family names recently this past month. It has been such a wonderful experience!

First of all, we went with the Ward to do sealings. That was amazing. As soon as the first sealing was done I felt the spirit there so strongly. It came to my mind how ANXIOUS James and I had felt to be sealed for time AND all eternity. How we did everything we could so that we could be an eternal family. I remember how happy we were the day we were sealed. All of these emotions came flooding back to me when we began doing sealings for those who are dead. The sealer told us that couple had been married in 1823. Can You imagine? You've been married for almost 200 years, and aren't together in the eternities? that just broke my heart. I knew that they must have been feeling how James and I did. They must have felt so anxious and so happy when the work was performed for them. It was a beautiful thing, and really taught me the importance of doing this work.

Yesterday, I went and did a session with my mom. I had some specific things I was there for and pondering. As I was there, it hit me that God commanded christ to create the world, and Christ didn't question it. He obeyed. And not only that, god told Him how to go about doing those things. Well, today, the things I had pondered and asked about were answered and I feel such excitement and peace. And it just made me realize how God really is there taking care of us constantly. He will not abandon us. So when we are commanded to do something, be it to not drink or smoke or if we get a calling in our ward we feel unsure about - god will guide us through it and give us the strength that we need. I love that he is always there for us. I know that he is. I am grateful for that, and I know we need to always rely on HIm to take care of us so that we can be instruments in His hands and take care of others.

A Little Analogy

Well I have kind of been thinking about light lately. I don't know why. But I was thinking about how when you are in a dark room and it is completely pitch black, you will notice the tiniest light that breaks the darkness. Then I tried to apply that to the gospel.

Sometimes, life is so dark. sometimes we have made such poor decisions that we have created a large hole for ourselves and see no way to get out and back into the light again. However, we know that Christ atoned for our sins and that through his atonement, we are able to repent and come unto Christ again. Just knowing that, is the little bit of light breaking the darkness. Just knowing that there is someone there to help if we will simply look toward the light, or look unto Christ, gives such hope, peace, and comfort. If we will turn to the light, turn to Christ, then we are able to repent and become right in His eyes again. The darkness is gone and light is all around us. All you have to do is look to Christ, follow him, and you can be forgiven.

When life is so dark, all you have to do is find the little bit of light shining through in the corner and follow it, and it will lead you out of the darkness.

Prayer

Prayer is very special to me. It is very important. I love that I am able to speak to my Heavenly Father personally each and every second of any day. I rely on that more than I realize. I pray about the big things; how to raise my child, should we move?, what about James' employment, etc. But I mostly pray for the little things throughout my day. I tend to ask for a little extra patience right now while my child is crying, I pray for the right loving words to say, I pray for strength to keep on running and to not give up as I try to get back into running since having my baby. I pray all day in my head and heart. And I know that he hears me.

However, in Relief Society, we were talking about prayer two weeks ago, and one sister said that we have to start the day with a real prayer. As in we need to kneel down and prayer earnestly to Heavenly Father to let him know that our heart is open to the spirit and to know his will for us. She said, "We can't just have little snipits of prayer during the day and have that be all. We need to have a real, deep conversation with him at the start of our day." That really stuck out to me. Maybe it's because I am not that great at kneeling down and saying my morning prayers, but I do have little prayers constantly throughout my day. I am going to try to be better. I think she has something there. If you start the day that way, then we will be so much more open to the spirit's promptings. What a blessing that would be.

My sister and her family always kneel down together for their nightly family prayers. We have been encouraged to do that by many church leaders, and yet I find it hard to do so. I don't know why that is. But I do feel that showing humility and showing respect to Heavenly Father can be done by kneeling down when you pray. I am going to start really trying to be better with my prayers. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers, but I also know that if I am better about my prayers that I will also be more receptive to what the spirit tries to say to me.

"It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our solicitation can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yetyou and I can talk with Him personally, and He will answer."

-Richard G. Scott, "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer." Ensign, May 2007, 8

The Family

Tonight I was talking with my friends about how essential the family unit is. The family is under such an attack currently. More than ever. It really makes me sad to see it. couples living together who are not married, homosexuality is all over the place, and divorce is easier than ever. It truly saddens my heart. I love my family so much. I grew up in a wonderful LDS home and was always secure knowing that I had a family there to love, care, and guide me during difficult times.

The thing that I find the most interesting about this attack on the family, is how the Lord prepared us for this. He revealed to the Prophet and leaders of the church that we needed to be strengthened for the hard time ahead. The Family: A Proclamation to the World was written I think a little over 10 years ago. In it, it is very clear that marriage is ordained of god and is between man and woman only. It's interesting to me that 10 years ago, the homosexuality issue wasn't really that public...but we were prepared. Then, the Young Women's theme was added to with the phrase, "Strengthen Home and Family." How interesting that of all the things they could have added to this important theme, said weekly in Young Women meetings, that is what was chosen to be added. I know that the Prophet is truly inspired from the Lord.

Heavenly Father knows each one of us. He knows our individual needs, as well as our needs as a whole, as a church. He knew we would need those things to help us in the troubled times concerning the family unit. He knew they would help us in defending the family, in defending marriage and it's sacred origin. and just as he knew what the church would need, he knows what each one of us needs. He knows when we are struggling, when we are fighting for a little bit of strength, when we need a little extra hope. he also knows our hearts desires, and our strengths He will call on us to use those strengths to help move his work forward. It's amazing to me to see how well he knows me. I am truly blessed. I am so grateful to have such a loving Heavenly Father. He will never let us go through anything that we cannot handle, and he won't send a flood without telling us he's going to first. It gives me comfort. I never have to worry. I know as long as I heed the Prophet's counsel, I cannot be lead astray and I will be prepared for whatever comes my way.

What This is all About

Hey everyone. I know I already have a blog but I wanted one where I could enter in any spiritual experiences I wanted to share, or just thoughts I have on gospel topics. I am pretty sure that's the main thing I will use this for. I have been a Mormon my entire life, but I am still learning everyday about the gospel and the amazingness of it all. So I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to comment as much as you want whether you disagree or agree with my thoughts. Thanks for stopping by!