Thoughts on General Conference April 2017

I figured for this conferance I'd just dump all my notes on youse guyse at once and let you sort it all out.

Saturday Morning

"Gathering the Family of God"
President Henry B. Eyring

Use the light of Christ to make your choices.

His Daily Guiding Hand
M. Joseph Brough

Repentance isn't punishment, it's a privilege.

The Plan of Salvation
Elder Weatherford T. Clayton

The plan of salvation.
We will never be alone in our infirmities.

Our Good Shepherd
Elder Dale G. Renlund

Christ isn't disgusted by our sins.

Confide in God Unwaveringly
Elder Ulisses Soares

If your faith isn't in God and Christ you're gonna have a bad time.

Brighter and Brighter until the Perfect Day
Elder Mark A. Bragg

Places where we will always have light;

• The Church
• The Gospel
• Christ

Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives
President Russell M. Nelson

The atonement is not independent of God and Christ.
Speak up and be different. (Be weird ya weirdo!)

Saturday Afternoon

Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Elder Robert D. Hales

Discipleship is a state of being.
We can't (shouldn't) be selectively obedient.

Songs Sung and Unsung
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Jesus listening can hear the songs you cannon sing.
Stand close to Christ to gain confidence.
It take all kinds.
Sing the gospel lyrics in your own way.
Care for the poor.
Care for all.
(Again, be weird ya weirdo!)

Stand Up Inside and Be All In
Elder Gary B. Sabin

Vain jangling is the world.
Be all in.

The Language of the Gospel
Elder Valeri V. Cordón

Teach the gospel in the home.
Scripture study.

Overcoming the World
Elder Neil L. Andersen

It is possible to overcome the world.

Return and Receive
Elder M. Russell Ballard

A goal is a destination.
A plan is the rout to get there.

Priesthood

Kindness, Charity, and Love
President Thomas S. Monson

Kindness, charity, we're for 'em.

Called to the Work
Elder David A. Bednar

Missionaries are called to serve, the place doesn't matter.
Be worthy. stay worthy.

Prepare the Way
Bishop Gérald Caussé

Use the priesthood to serve.

The Greatest among You
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

You can't get honor in heaven by campaigning for it.
The best calling in the church is the one you have.

“Walk with Me”
President Henry B. Eyring

The priesthood is an invitation to walk with Christ

Sunday Morning

The Power of the Book of Mormon
President Thomas S. Monson

Read the BoM daily.

A Sin-Resistant Generation
Joy D. Jones

For parents.
Live with true integrity.
Being sin-resistant.

Don’t Look Around, Look Up!
Elder Yoon Hwan Choi

Don't be the weak link.
Always look up.
Drink rain*
*don't drink polluted rain.

Let the Holy Spirit Guide
Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Lay aside the things of this world and seek out the things of a better world.
Recognize the spirit when it comes.
Listen to the still small voice.
Feel.
Act on the first prompting.

Whatsoever He Saith unto You, Do It
Elder L. Whitney Clayton

The small and simple things make big changes.
OK, I get it! I need to do daily scripture study.

The Godhead and the Plan of Salvation
Elder Dallin H. Oaks

The Creator
The Redeemer
The Testator/Witness

Father = love
Jesus = mercy
Holy Ghost = fellowship

Seek the holy ghost.
Know God's law and follow it.

Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Less fear.
Fear will never transform us.
It leads to mistrust.
God doesn't want us to be afraid or cause fear.
The love of Christ overcomes fear.
There is no fear in Christ's love.

Sunday Afternoon

The Voice of Warning
Elder D. Todd Christofferson

God does not wish us to die. So he sends us warnings.

We should warn our neighbor.

Warn and show the joy of righteousness

To the Friends and Investigators of the Church
Elder Joaquin E. Costa

Take the missionaries seriously.

Attend church.

Read the scriptures.

Then Jesus Beholding Him Loved Him
Elder S. Mark Palmer

See the disobedient as God sees them.

1. Learn to see others as God sees them.

2. Fear and anger change nothing.

3. Keep loving others.

4. An invitation to repent is an invitation to be happy.

How Does the Holy Ghost Help You?
Elder Gary E. Stevenson

The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead.

The Holy Ghost has a spiritual body.

it comes through laying on of hands.

Stay close to the Spirit and the Spirit will stay close to you.

And This Is Life Eternal
Elder C. Scott Grow

We can begin to know God through prayer

Scripture study.

That Our Light May Be a Standard for the Nations
Elder Benjamín De Hoyos

Being a light.

Teaching as the Savior taught.

Show the Savior's light.

Foundations of Faith
Elder Quentin L. Cook

There is no substitution to the Gospel.

Life takes work in all ways.

We receive strength according to our faith.

Quotes!

A Quote from Conference.

Any Opposed

Hey, remember when I promised to regularly give you new and interesting content? Yeah, me neither.
Anyways, Since conference I've had one topic keep coming up in my poor little brain, so much so that I had one of those weird half awake/half asleep moments where you're kind of dreaming but not really about it. So I'm going to blog about that.

In conference this year we had the sustaining of church officers. Also this year we had what seems to be becoming a tradition; the opposing vote. The person(s) who decided to shout "opposed" when the asked if any opposed.

Now, I'll all for being kind an considerate towards my fellow man, (or maybe I'm a bitter jerk face, but that's a debate for another time) But I would just like to say that this whole movement is wrong. That is to say they are using the opposing vote wrong. Also I think their reasons for opposing are wrong.
How are they mishandling this, you ask? Well let's start with the obvious. So obvious that it can be condensed into a meme.

It may not always be expressly stated, but the appropriate action for an opposing vote is to simply raise you hand. I'll let this one pass, however, due to the size of the conference center.
Instead let's get to the real problem here, that the opposes seem to be opposing as a matter of protest. I'll get to what they're protesting and all that later, but for now let's talk about what the opposing vote is suppose to be for.
As I understand it, signaling that you oppose a sustaining of a Church officer is only to be done if you are privy to some knowledge that would make said officer unworthy to hold that office. For Example: You get home one night to find that you've been burgled. Some bandit broke into you beautiful bungalow and burgled you beloved Babe Ruth bat! Later you visit your best bud, Brother Brown but before you can begin with the banter and brownies you spot your beloved Babe Ruth Bat in Brother brown's ball room! It's clear that you have been burgled by Brother Brown.

Oh, Brother Brown, I guess it's Burglar Brown, now.

 Later, Brother Brown is called to be bishop. Being that you are the only one who knows about Brother B-excuse me, BURGLAR Brown's bat burgling, you are then expected to oppose the vote and bring that information to the attention of the appropriate people.
From the looks of it, those who are opposing the sustaining in conference have never even met most or even some of the people they are opposing, so how can they say those men are not worthy?

HOWEVER! I want to point out that in their minds this is part of the problem, that they've never met most of these men. On the Any Opposed website (which appears to be made by the people who orchestrate all of this) they state "Layers of bureaucracy keep higher LDS leadership insulated from hearing authentic concerns and feedback of their members. Correspondence and petitions by lay members directed toward the Church’s General Authorities are almost always returned and delegated to local stake presidents and bishops for further handling ..."
This is a very real concern. As the church grows is gets harder and harder for the prophet and apostles to be fully aware of all the unique challenges of the members. This is exactly the problem that Moses while leading the children of Israel through the wilderness. The people continued to come to Moses with their problems and between that and just dealing with the day to day task of keeping everyone organized Moses was wearing a little thin.
But there is a solution found in Numbers 11:16-17, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." The answer is delegation Which is exactly how the church is run in the Latter Days. Frankly speaking it would be impractical for the Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to deal with every little problem that comes up when they are already swamped just with keeping things up and running. That is why they refer anyone with issues to their local leadership.
That being said, I don't believe that the Brethren are unaware of what problems are facing the average members of the Church. They regularly talk and visit with the average members and get regular reports from local leaders.

In addition as cliche as it sounds the Brethren are not ordained to be your friend. Their job is to see to it that the priesthood, the doctrine and the ordinances are distributed properly. A faithful member should only oppose the Brethren if they are distributing any of those things improperly, For example, if the Brethren decided to only print the scriptures in the Deseret Alphabet. Though the Deseret Alphabet is superior in every way to the clunky old Latin Alphabet having all our holy writ only available in an obscure script would definitely hinder the work.
Now, there are people who are specifically called to be your friend, being your bishop, your EQ/RS President, your Home/Visiting teachers and so on.

So, is short this Any Opposed movement is using the wrong tool to protest a problem that's largely already been dealt with, with out offering any real solutions.
Still, we should try to listen to their concerns. Perhaps there are better ways of keeping the membership cared for and in touch with the Brethren.

Namaste, y'all,
Michael

General Conference Saturday Evening Session April 2016

Home stretch, guys! Let's rock this.

Robert D Hales
The Holy Ghost provides us with personal revelation for our lives. Personal Revelation is essential for major life choices. But the holy ghost honors our right to agency and may not help us with the smaller choices in our lives, allowing us to learn to make those choices. Also we will not receive revelation for others.

Gerrit W. Gong
We are to always remember Him 1. By having confidence in his covenants promises and assurances 2. By gratefully acknowledging his hand in out lives. 3.By trusting when the Lord Assures us. 4.he invites us to remember that he always welcomes us home 5. Remember the sacrament 6. always remember Him as he remembers us.
To be worthy does not mean to be perfect.
Know what to hold on to and what to let go of. attachment to the wrong things leads to suffering, letting go of the things that drag you down sets you free.

Patrick Kearon
There are many in need around the world. We as Mormons were not long ago refugees, and should seek to help those who are suffering. This reminds me of a thought I heard in a devotional a wile back. That we, as Christians are commanded to respond to violence by refusing to accept it and extending kindness. The thought was based around the 'Turn the Other Cheek" thing. Basically in old times you would slap someone with your right hand. Back handing them on their right cheek sent the message that they were beneath you socially, but using an open palm on their left cheek ment they saw you as a equal. By turning the other cheek you tell the person hitting you that you see them as an equal and demand that they treat you as one.

Dalin H. Oaks
We progress by making choices. Think of a video game. If you never make any choices, how can you level up?
We need an opposition in all things to allow us to make choices. By facing problems and difficulties head on we can grow and, most importantly, be human.
We face many challenges of varied difficulty, nature and duration, and nobody is excused. Oaks seems to be touching on the idea that there are some sorrows that are avoidable and some that are completely unavoidable. I differentiate these two by calling the unavoidable 'pain' and the avoidable 'suffering'
Somethings can only be learned by faith.

Kent F Richards
The real power of the temple is in it's ordinances. Just being in the temple or near a temple is like being near food. If you don't DO something you get nothing.

Paul V. Johnson
Someday we will be healed and whole. The resurrection will restore us to life and purity. There is no salvation without our soul and body. We are basically two creatures crammed into one. A spirit that doesn't remember where it came from and a body with no idea where it's going.
The resurrection proves to us that God can do other miracles, both big and small.

Jeffery R Holland
None of us want tomorrow to chase away what we feel today. We all have to come down from peak experiences in order to deal with the daily normality of life. Don't give up, don't get dragged down.
The Lord blesses those who want to improve. If you stumble, so does everyone. If you fall, ask for help. We get credit for trying.
The first great truth of eternity is that God loves us. That is the foundation of everything. God will never desert us. It is not in His nature.
Keep loving, keep trying, keep trusting, keep growing.
Heaven is cheering you on, tomorrow and every day.
Now go have Ice Cream

General Conference Sunday Morning Session April 2016

Part 3 of 4

President Monson
Small choices make big changes.
Choose the harder right over the easier wrong.

Bonnie L Oscarson
You may know it, but do you believe it? Knowledge and belief are two different things. Strive for belief.
Do we become so accustom to the blessings we get that we forget what it takes to get those blessing? This is how the pride cycle starts. People focus on all the sideline good things like the lifestyle, the culture, and the like of the church but overlook their own salvation and thus fall.
To believe we need to get the gospel form our heads into our hearts.

W. Christopher Waddell
Sometimes it's just hard for me to think about Jesus! Pain and sorrow is unavoidable. But our ability to face those trials with faith is what counts. Peace of mind is not avoiding the storms but in enduring them. Learn, Listen, Walk. Gain the information you need, Take it into your life (see believe vs knowledge above), ACT on what you know.
The peace we seek requires more than desire, it requires action. If you want peace you need to DO something.

D. Todd Christoferson
Fathers are unique and irreplaceable. Fatherhood is not merely supplementary to Motherhood, they are equal.
Prepare now for fatherhood, (assuming you're, y'know, a dude)

Quinten L Cook
See yourself in the temple. Get a goal to go there. For me the temple is a special place of meditation, where I can make sense of the world, or rather were I can step back from the world and understand it.

Dieter F Uchtdoft
If mad can rebuild a city then God can rebuild us. Healing can happen. Healing DOES happen. "There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored". We don't need to know all things to be saved. We only need to be loved by Christ and have faith enough to follow him.
But nobody will be forced into heaven. If we want it, we can get it. If you cannot muster faith, you can hope. Start from where you are.
Obedience is not a popular word these days, but it is needed in the Gospel. It is the life blood of faith.
Obedience is a means to an end. It unleashes the true, divine, powerful version of yourself.

General Conference Saturday Evening Session April 2016

Letz Do dis! My 'notes' for General Conference Saturday Evening Session April 2016

Ronald A. Rasband
Questions are an indication of a further desire to learn to add to the truths we already know. Some of my most effective meditation sessions and prayers have been when I have actively had a question I wanted to answer. I received the answers through what I have already learned or, sometimes I have been lead to realize that the question I came up with is not the question I need to ask.
Are you standing with the leaders of the church in this darkening world? When I have trouble meditating I need to chose just one thing that is steady and solid to focus on. Wen we are being distracted and troubled in life we need to focus on something steady.

Ronald A. Anderson
Children have believing hearts and spiritual gifts. In particular they have a tenderness and humility that can grow in even the least ideal situations. That is how we should all be. Our spiritual success is not based on our circumstances. It is based entirely on you, independent of whatever goes on around you.
We need to be kind and reach out to those who need help, or even those who don't need help. Just reach out.

Mervy B. Arnold
Going to the rescue, You can do it. 1. Do not delay going to the rescue. We must have a sense of urgency. 2.Take the time. We must have patience. Urgency and patience are not mutually exclusive and there is a middle path available. 3. How great must be your joy if you bring only one soul unto Christ. This is knowing the true worth of a soul. A soul has infinite potential. Even when it is held in a crude mortal body. "Nameste" means 'The divine in me recognizes the divine in you"
4. No matter our age we are all called to go to the rescue.

Jarrio Mazzagardi
If you have questions, do not give up. Follow Joseph Smith's example. Ask for wisdom from God. While listening to the testimonies of other is great, you need to build up your own.

David A. Bednar
Retain a remission of our sins. In  the Gospel it doesn't really matter if you fall down, but what does matter is getting up.
Ordinations are sacred acts that have spiritual power. We should approach them mindfully and meditatively. Bednar talks about the baptismal covenant which is renewed in the sacrament. Think about your sacrament meeting. The passing and partaking of the sacrament is meant to be a time to meditate and contemplate this covenant and increase it's power to give you peace.

M Russel Ballard
Family Councils. Even in families personalities can vary. This is a great opportunity to use a family council to help solve problems. Just because two or more people have different approaches to life doesn't mean that they have nothing to offer each other or that they need to be opposed to each other. I've always thought that it is better to have allies rather than enemies.
But a Family council is really just group meditation on a topic. Just as individuals need to take time to figure things out, so do family groups.

General Conference Saturday Morning Session April 2016

General Conference Saturday Morning!

President Eyering
"Faith is like a Little Seed"

We fear that our love for God and the Church may be overcome by our trials. The answer is to have our hearts soften and to create a fertile ground in our hears for faith.

Mary R. Duraham
"Just keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming"

Life can be heavy the noise of this world can drown out God. If we listen to the Holy Ghost we can overcome the world. Slow down and listen to to Lord.

How do Parents teach their children listen to the Spirit? 1. Point out when they are feeling the spirit. 2. Prepare our homes to be a place the spirit is had. 3. Help the children understand how the spirit speaks to them, specifically.

Donald Hallstrom

A correct understanding our our heavenly heritage is essential. Do we know that we are Children of God? Is that how we define ourselves? There is Pain in this life There is suffering in life there is doubt in life. What is our immediate response in these times? We can choose our response. That is the point of Meditation. we can chose to act on the Knowledge of our devise heritage.

We live in a world that can distract us and make us forget our true nature

Human weakness and worldly distractions makes is so easy to treat casually our relationship with God

Gary E. Stevenson

"Where are the Keys?"

With our the proper keys we cannot preform our intended functions. Never again do we have to ask where the keys are, in relation to the keys of the Gospel. Keys unlock our potential. I'm starting to see some kind of theme of achieving our devise potential. We are not left out in the cold without the keys for long.

Kevin R. Duncan

There is nobody who will not be a 'victim' at some point. We can forgive and not me a victim twice. We can forgive and be free. Lack of forgiveness causes unnecessary pain. Every injustice will be compensated, so we have no need to worry about punishment and our own anger.

We all have in our lives Saul-like individuals, who have Paul-like potential. You don't know all their lives, take that into account and be merciful in your judgement. 

To forgive is not to condone. but nobody should be defined only by the worst thing we have ever done. 

Elder Snow

Be thou Humble

If we humble ourselves our prayers are answered and we have peace of mine. Humility increases our abilities. Simply living live can be a humbling experience.

Dale G. Renlund

The greater the distance between the giver and receiver the more the receiver gains a sense of entitlement. The closer we are to God the more thankful we are for what blessings we receive. 

"Murmuring is the scriptural equivalent of whining" I've always had a theory about whining and complaining; If it bothers you enough to complain, is should bother you enough to do something about it, also, If there's something you can do about, stop complaining and do that thing. If there's nothing you can do about it, then complaining is a waste of time.

If life were truly fair, we would never be resurrected and would basically burn forever for our sins. Be grateful that life isn't fair.

General Conferance Sunday Morning 2015

Sunday Morning Session thoughts. Heeeeerrrrrreeeeeeee we go!

President Monson

"Let your light so shine"

Be an example. Live you life in to the best of your abilities. This doesn't mean to be perfect just to follow Christ.
"Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other." You cannot serve two masters. Usually we understand that to mean that you cannot serve God and Greed, but it has many other applications. You cannot seek happiness and misery. Faith is light and doubt is darkness. in order for one to exist, the other must be removed.
Stand out, be different, receive light.

Rasband
"Love, Love, Love l-l-love, makes the world go 'round"

"The Lord has said ‘love one another as I have loved you’. I am confident there is no mistake you could make…that would cause him to stop loving you."  Christ's love is unattached love. It is not dependent on our actions. It's like the Sunshine. Though we can hide from it we cannot ever extinguish it. It contiunes reaching for us intently and purposfully.

"We are to reach out to our fellowman in love to invite, persuade, serve, and to rescue. … Jesus Christ looked past people’s rank, ethnicity and circumstances in order to teach them profound truth." Our love for others should relfect the unattached love of Christ. Love without stings attached.

Stevenson

"Anchor"

"Anchor yourselves in the gospel of Jesus Christ" Once again, we need some sort of grounding or center which we can use to find balance in life. Balance will facilitate our happiness.

Dale G. Renlund
"What's up, doc?"

Avoid emotional distance. We are here to feel. Feelings are meant to be felt, don't suppress or ignore them. they are part of you as much as you hands and feet (apologies to any readers without those). Love others and be filled with the pure love of Christ. "We cannot mourn with those that mourn or comfort those that stand in need of comfort unless we see them through Heavenly Father’s eyes."

Russle M. Nelson
"All the Mormon Ladies, All the Mormon Ladies"

The women of the church are needed to help build up the church. Men and women are different in many important and necessary ways. Women are necessary to the church

Gregory A. Schwitzer
"Play us a song Piano man"

True disciples don't make excuses for the gospel. They testify and stand by it. It is often not convenient or comfortable to stand up for Christ.
"One man or woman who is willing to testify when the world is going in the opposite direction can make a difference."

Claudio R. M. Costa
"There's always that one that makes getting a clever quote and picture difficult."

"The sacrament is a time for our Heavenly Father to teach us about the Atonement of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and for us to receive revelation about it." Meditate on the sacrament prayer. It is not repeated each week just for kicks and giggles. It is something we need to think about each week. Meditate during sacrament. Be mindful during the Sabbath.

Henry B. Eyering
"Just DO IT!"

Having the spirit to be with us always lets us recognize truth. Act on promptings. “When you demonstrate your willingness to obey, the Spirit will send you more impressions of what God would have you do.”

General Conference Priesthood Session

Preisthood Session on a Mobile Device, baby. Because if I don't I'll sleep all through it.


Neil L. Andersen 😀
Faith is a real thing that is always in action either increasing or decreasing. Which it does is a choice. Faith is no accident. Again, "Know what leads you forward and what leads you back."
Father is action. Not intellectual.
Read the Book of Mormon to increase faith. Righteous actions increase faith and give it solid grounding.
Also again, we are meant to act, not be acted upon.


Randel K. Bennett 😺
1. Do what we did as children. Move towards our ( heavenly) parents.
2. God makes sure that we get out what we put in. The Sabbath is the Lord's gift to us.
3. Don't give up or be lazy. Faithful action leads to divine assistance. You were created that you might have joy.


Dieter F. Uchtdorf 🔥
Stay true to your faith. Even if you get 'flamed', it probably won't be as bad as Daniel in Babylon. Remain faithful and in your time of need God will protect you. All faith has to start somewhere. Since faith is a principal of action, it requires consistent action to work. Don't be a 'Sunday Christian'. Daily practice the gospel. We believe in God based on what we know rather that what we doubt.
Cynicism and doubting is not cool or fun. Anyone can choose to believe. They just need to be patient and work for it.
Just because you choose not to see the light doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Scepticism is easy. Faith is worthwhile.
Be not afraid only believe.


Henry B. Eyering 👓
When you do your part the Lord adds His power to your efforts. All priesthood holders need reassurance in their callings. Know the importance of your calling.


President Monson 🙌
Keep the commandments. They aren't there just to make your life hard. They are there to allow us to receive blessing from being obedient and lead us to happiness.
The devil seeks to destroy us. Be strong and alert to anything that would threaten your eternal goals. The commandments were God given and cannot be changed. The effects of obeying or disobeying them also cannon be changed.
If you have stumbled and fallen, repentance is possible. It can be a slow and painful process but it is worth it.
Live worthy to carry the priesthood.



Whew! Made it! Now to waste time on reddit go home and sleep. 😪

General Conference Saturday Afternoon Oct 2015

Second sesh.
Let's do this.

Hales
"Hey Dieter, let's switch talks"

Remember that we live in the real world. Look out for debt. Apply gospel principles practically. Have a plan and be in control. We are meant to act rather than be acted upon. "You’re a pilot, and you’re in charge."

"If you want more than what you now have, reach up, not across." Though we are meant to help each other, true help can only come from above.

Holland
"Mama! OoooOOOooohh!"

The Divinity and importance of Mothers. It seems to be given to the entire church (rather than just to the women) to combat the worldly view of mothers as essentially the same as men with minor differences in plumbing. Motherhood is a creative act and is close to Godhood.

Bradly Foster
"Preaching to the (children's) choir"

So, he said he was speaking to the children but he seems to be speaking to their parents. “Our children learn when they’re ready to learn, not when we're ready to teach them.” Children are smarter than we tend to think they are.

Hugo Montoya
"Smile, smile, smile"

"Please smile, your smile will help others." We're in this life together, we can believe that we should share each other's burdens but what about sharing each other's joys?
Meditate on the great and wonderful love of the Redeemer. Meditate on the sacrament weekly. It's a structured opportunity to meditate for a set time and with a set purpose

Vern Stanfill

"I want to ride my bicycle"

We can't avoid all the darkness of the world but we can move towards the light of the Gospel and trust in the light of others.

James B. Martino
"I can't think of a clever quote so have a dog meme"

God does not answer prayers merely to satiate curiosity. You get out what you put in. This is the law of the harvest. The sons of Mosiah had similar experience to Laman and Lemuel but those good ol' Mosiah boys invested more into their faith and as a result, got more out of it. "Work without faith is dead."

Dallin H. Oaks
"We're all going to die and that's okay."

"The Savior experienced the pains, sicknesses, and infirmities of His people." Christ knows our pains because he bore them. Sometimes infirmities are removed other times we are strengthened to withstand them. "Sometimes [Christ] succors, or helps, by giving us the strength to endure our infirmities."

General Conference Saturday Morning Oct 2015

For what it's worth here's some of my thoughts and impressions on the talks in the first session of Conference. You should know, though, I worked the night shift last night so I'm running on maybe four hours of sleep. 

Uchtdorft

"Simplify."

The path to happiness is to simplify. This goes with the idea of being unattached or un-shenpa'd. While there a lot of good things in the Church and in the world that can benefit one's spirituality and place you on the path to happiness remember that they are only sign posts, to the destination, not the destination itself.

Ballard

"On the Good Ship Lollipop Zion"

I liked how he referred to the church as a vessel, a ship, a vehicle. I often hear people say that the church is not true because they espoused doctrine X or theory Y. This, in my opinion comes from a misunderstanding of what the phrase "The Church is true" means. I take the word 'true' here to be used in the same way that one could say that a compass and map are true. They are true because they will get you where you want to go. A map does not need to have every rock and funny looking tree marked nor does it need to be exactly to scale, provided that it will get you where you want to go. As long as it does that, all else is unimportant.

Richard J. Maynes

"Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns"

We must have something to ground ourselves on, a Center. "Once you find your center/ you are sure to win"
Our core, the center of our lives, must be Jesus Christ and His gospel. To do this is to live after the manner of happiness.

Neill F. Marriott

"I'm from the deep south"

"When we are yeilded and still our minds can be directed to where we need to change." That may not be an exact quote but it is important to know what leads you forward and what leads you back ”Meditation brings wisdom; lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha
When we offer our broken heart to Christ He ACCEPTS our offering.
Your resentment diminishes your progress and damages your ability to have healthy relationships.

Larry R. Lawrence

"Forgive me Father for I have sped"

The Holy Ghost eternally challenges us to be better and strive higher.
"What is keeping me from progressing? In other words, “what lack I yet?”" Once again "Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom."

Francisco J. Viñas

"I can't think of a clever quote."

To re-quote and misquote Buddha again, "Repentance leads to happiness, Lack of repentance leads to lack of happiness."
"Repentance is a process, and not something that happens in one particular moment."
"Having the companionship of the Spirit will make us better people. It will whisper peace and joy to our souls."
"The pleasing word of God … brings comfort and hope."

Know where happiness come from and go there.

Quentin L Cook

"#spirituallyswole"

"We must determine to be temple worthy regardless of what befalls us." Do not let your worthiness be worthiness with stings attached
Self control is like a muscle. If you work out you get ripped Bro. Like,  Nephi ripped....Bro.

Deseret Calligraphy Part 1

     I threatened to do it, and you didn't believe me. Here it is; some Deseret Alphabet Calligraphy done up by Your's Truly. I'll probably get back on the posting wagon next week with some insights of what I learned in conference but for now settle with my attempts to make doll up the alphabet that people keep calling ugly.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints"

"Be still my Soul"

"Which way do you face?" 

Quote from Lynn G. Robbins, 1st session if General Conference.

Round one down, Stay tuned for round two.

Mindfulness and Addiction

In General Conference bingo, the 'addiction' space might as well be a freebie. It always come up. It's always a problem.
Addiction is essentially what happens when a person loses the power or will to control their natural impulses. Which makes it the exact opposite of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the act of being aware of where you are and what you are doing and exerting conrtol over your actions accordingly. Thus, Addiction, as being the act of not controlling your actions, is the antithesis of mindfulness.
Mindfulness can be used to prevent the start or continuation of addictions. In the prietshood session of the April 2014 General Conference President Uchtorf told of an experience he had while he and President Monson where given the opportunity to tour Air Force One. (Uchtdoft talked about planes? YES! I just got BINGO!) Uchtdorf was allowed to go into the cabin and sit in the pilot's seat. Instinctively he put his hands on the wheel (or what ever the airplane equivalent is. The sky wheel, maybe?) and got in position to fly that baby. But then he heard President Monson behind him say "Dieter, don't even think about it." This story tells us two things. One: it tells us the President Uchtdorf is a mastermind that nearly stole Air Force One.

"And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for that meddling Monson!" #heneversaidthat Photo from ksl.com

 Two: it gives us a good allegory for how mindfulness can prevent us from sinning and giving into addictions. In this case Uchtdorf represents our natural urges through his natural urge to use a giant machine to spit in gravity's eye. President Monson then represents the Mindful state we should strive for. He was aware of the situation. He knew that he was in one of the coolest airplanes in the world and he knew he was with a huge airplane geek. He saw the potential for issues. So he monitored the situation and when he saw temptation arise he addressed it, not judgmentally but as an honest appraisal of the situation. He knew that Uchtoft meant no harm, but he also knew that taking the President of the United States's ride out for a spin was unwise.

"Probably also illegal, now that I think about it." #heneversaidthat Photo from wikimedia

Mindfulness brings with it a clarity of thought not obscured by love for airplanes or natural desires. With the mindful view point we are in a better position to identify and redirect the desires of the natural man with in us. It helps us see and admit when we have addictions, be they a pornography addiction, an addiction to a certain really good television show or just a deep love of flying. Mindfulness lets us break free of ding things without thinking and lets us act, rather than be acted upon.
So try and be mindful, think about what you are doing. God put three pounds of brain meat in your head for a reason.
Namaste, y'all,
Michael