Okay...so I
LOVE General Conference. Seriously. Love it. I love
everything about it. And I have loved re-reading some of my favorite talks the last couple of days. I have found that for me I do best just listening during Conference and then after each session I write down the talks that really hit me and then I make a special effort to re-read those
as soon as possible! Sometimes I have a really hard time narrowing it down :) Then I take my favorite parts (which also, you will see I have difficulty narrowing down) as kind of my
go-to spiritual guidance for the next six months. It works
wonderfully. So this is BY FAR more for me just to have than for anyone else. It is
really long - but it you need a spiritual boost, I think it is pretty great. :)
These Things I Know
President Boyd K. Packer
"We find safety and security for ourselves and our children in honoring the covenants we have made and living up to the ordinary acts of obedience required of the followers of Christ.
I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief. There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother.
Teach yourself and teach your families about the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You will do no greater work than within the walls of your own home.
Tolerance is a virtue, but like all virtues, when exaggerated, it transforms itself into a vice. We need to be careful of the "tolerance trap" so that we are not swallowed up in it. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immortality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequence that is the result of the violation of God's law of chastity.
All are born with the Light of Christ, a guiding influence which permits each person to recognize right from wrong. What we do with that light and how we respond to those promptings to live righteously is part of the test of mortality.
Each of us must stay in condition to respond to inspiration and the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, and to warn us. Each son or daughter of God can know the things they need to know instantly. Leacn to receive and act on inspiration and revelation.
Of all that I have read and taught and learned, the one most precious and sacred truth that I have to offer is my special witness of Jesus Christ. He lives. I know He lives. I am His witness. And of Him I can testify. He is our Savior, our Redeemer. Of this I am certain."
We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father
Sister Elaine S. Dalton
"Each time I hear these words, "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him," the Spirit affirms to my soul that they are true. It is not only an affirmation of our identity - who we are - but also an acknowledgement of whose we are. We are daughters of an exalted being!
"What-e'er thou art, act well thy part." That simple statement renewed my vision that Heavenly Father knew me and had a plan for my life, and the spirit I felt helped me understand that my part mattered.
As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters - because we matter.
Virtue is the strength and power of daughters of God.
Women of this Church...are making a difference because they
are different.
Today as a daughter of God, I stand as a witness that He lives. Jesus is the Christ. He is our Redeemer. It is through His infinite atoning sacrifice that I will one day return to live with Him - proven, pure, and sealed in an eternal family. I shall ever praise Him for the privilege of being a woman, a wife, and a mother. I testify that we are led by a prophet of God, President Thomas S. Monson, and I am grateful for righteous men, whose priesthood power blesses my life. And I shall ever be grateful for the strength I receive through the enabling power of the Savior's infinite Atonement as I continue to strive to "act well [my] part."
"This Is My Work and Glory"
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The power of the priesthood is a sacred and essential gift of God. The power of the priesthood comes only when those who exercise it are worthy and acting in accordance with God's will.
In our Heavenly Father's great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot ully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. As an husband and wife, a man and a woman should strive to follow our Heavenly Father. The Christan virtues of love, humility, and patience should be their focus as they seek the blessings of the priesthood in their lives and for their family.
God has freely given His power to those who accept and honor His priesthood, which leads tot eh promised blessings of immortality and eternal life.
I testify that the work of Jesus Christ is accomplished through the priesthood. It is the power by which our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son created this earth and set in motion the great plan of happiness for our sakes. May we be wise and seek to strengthen our own lives, the lives of our families, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the power of the priesthood of God."
"Come unto Me"
President Henry B. Eyring
"I experience the joy of coming closer to the savior and of His coming closer to me most often through simple acts of obedience to the commandments.
We are under covenant both to lift up those in need and to be witnesses of the Savior as long as we live.
We will be able to do it without fail only as we feel love for the Savior and His love for us. As we are faithful to the promises we have made, we will feel our love for Him. It will increase because we will feel His power and His drawing near to us in His service.
As we give devoted service to Him, He draws closer to those we love in our families.
My promise to you who pray and serve the Lord cannot be that you will have every blessing you may wish for yourself and your family. But I can promise you that the Savior will draw close to you and bless you and your family with what is best. You will have the comfort of His love and feel the answer of His drawing closer as you reach our your arms in giving service to others. As you bin up the wounds of those in need and offer the cleansing of His Atonement to those who sorrow in sin, the Lord's power will sustain you. His arms are outstretched with yours to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father.
By His words and His example, Christ has shown us how to draw closer to Him.
This is the true Church of Jesus Christ. Only in the priesthood keys held by President Thomas S. Monson is the power for us to be sealed in families to live forever with our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We will on the Day of Judgement stand before the Savior, face to face. It will be a time of joy for those who have drawn close to Him in His service in this life. It will be a joy to hear the words: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." "
For Peace at Home
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Regardless of your circumstance, you can center your home and your life on the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the source of true peace in this life.
Be certain that every decision you make, whether temporal or spiritual, is conditioned on what the Savior would have you do. When He is the center of your home, there is peace and serenity. There is a spirit of assurance that pervades the home, and it is felt by all who dwell there.
The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world.
Remember: little things lead to big things...Simple, consistent, good habits lead to a life full of bountiful blessings.
Doing all we can to invite the gentle, guiding influence of the Holy Ghost into our lives is critical in our attempts to center our homes on the Savior. Acting obediently on those promptings strengthens us even more.
Greater peace will come as you couple your efforts to be obedient with serving those around you.
When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God - power to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace.
One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.
When you feel that there is only a thin thread of hope, it is really not a thread but a massive connecting link, like a life preserver to strengthen and lift you. It will provide comfort so you can cease to fear. Strive to live worthily and place your trust in the Lord.
We need not worry if we can't simultaneously do all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time.
I bear testimony that living an obedient life, firmly rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, provides the greatest assurance for peace and refuge in our homes. There will still be plenty of challenges or heartaches, but even in the midst of turmoil, we can enjoy inner peace and profound happiness. I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the source of that abundant peace."
The Hope of God's Light
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
"...Even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hop of His light - He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way our of darkness.
God's light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickeness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.
It takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ.
How do we open our eyes to the hope of God's light?
First, start where you are...the very moment you begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble your soul.
Second, turn your heart toward the Lord...Lift up your soul in prayer and explain to your Heavenly Father what you are feeling.
Third, walk in the light...He desired that you rise up and become the person you were designed to be...He has given us the gospel, which teaches the way of the disciple. It teaches us the things we must know, do and be to walk in His light, following in the footsteps of His beloved Son, our Savior.
As we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us.
Even after the darkest night, the Savior of the world will lead you to a gradual, sweet, and bright dawn that will assuredly rise within you.
As you walk toward the hope of God's light, you will discover the compassion, love, and goodness of a loving Heavenly Father, "in [whom there] is no darkness at all." "
Marriage: Watch and Learn
Elder L. Whitney Clayton
"I have observe that in the happiest marriages both the husband and wife consider their relationship to be a pearl beyond price, a treasure of infinite worth. They understand that they walk a divinely ordained path.
Watch and learn: the best marriage partners regard their marriages as priceless.
Successful eternal marriages are built on the foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and adherence to His teachings. Their mutual quest is to be obedient and good.
Faith is the foundation of every virtue that strengthens marriage.
Watch and learn: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of happy marriages.
I have learned that happy marriages rely on the gift of repentance. Repentance helps restore and maintain harmony and peace.
Humility is the essence of repentance. Humility is selfless, not selfish. Humility means that both husbands and wives seek to bless, help, and lift each other, putting the other first in every decision.
Watch and learn: repentance and humility build happy marriages.
I have observed that in wonderful, happy marriages, husbands and wives treat each other as equal partners.
Husbands and wives in great marriages make decision unanimously. Their dinner hour and the family time that follows become the center of their day and the object of their best efforts. Husbands and wives work side by side in doing the most important work there is - the work we do in our own homes.
Where there is respect, there is also transparency, which is a key element of happy marriages. There are no secrets about relevant matters in marriages based on mutual respect and transparency.
Loyalty is a form of respect. Prophets teach that successful marriage partners are "fiercely loyal" to each other.
Watch and learn: terrific marriages are completely respectful, transparent, and loyal.
The happiest marriages I have seen radiate obedience to one of the happiest commandments - that we "live together in love."
Watch and learn: successful couples love each other with complete devotion.
The promises of the Lord are extended to all those who follow the pattern of life that builds happy, holy marriage relationships. Such blessings come as the delightful, predictable consequences of faithfully living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Marriage is a gift from God to us; the quality of our marriages is a gift from us to Him. I bear testimony of the marvelous plan of our loving Heavenly Father, which provides for eternal, wondrous marriage."
Obedience to Law is Liberty
Elder L. Tom Perry
"A useful way to think about the commandments is they are loving counsel from a wise, all-knowing Heavenly Father. His goal is our eternal happiness, and His commandments are the road map He has given us to return to Him, which is the only way we will be eternally happy. "Indeed our heaven is little more than a projection of our homes into eternity."
The world changes constantly and dramatically, but God, His commandments, and promised blessings do not change. They are immutable and unchanging.
Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws.
We must stand firm and steadfast, having perfect confidence in the Lord's consistency an perfect trust in his promises.
May we ever be a light on the hill, an example in keeping the commandments, which have never changed and will never change. May we, in this latter-day war, be a beacon to all the earth and particularly to God's children who are seeking the Lord's blessings."
Obedience Brings Blessings
President Thomas S. Monson
"A loving Heavenly Father has plotted our course and provided an unfailing guide - even
obedience.
A knowledge of truth and answers to our greatest questions come to us as we are obedient to the commandments of God.
The great test of this life is obedience.
The knowledge which we seek, the answers for which we yearn, and the strength which we desire today to meet the challenges of a complex and changing world can be orus when we willingly obey the Lord's commandments.
It is my humble prayer that we may be blessed with the rich rewards promised to the obedient."
"Lord, I Believe"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
"I would say to all who wish for more faith...in moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited. When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming,
hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes. The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue - it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know.
In this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know. And remember, in this world, everyone is to walk by faith.
Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we.
When doubt or difficulty come, do not be afraid to ask for help.
What was once a tiny seed of belief for me has grown into the tree of life, so if your faith is a little tested in this or any season, I invite you to lean on mine. I know this work is God's very truth, and I know that only at our peril would we allow doubts or devils to sway us from its path. Hope on. Journey on.
Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe."
