A Worldwide Gathering #ldsconf

I love General Conference!  It is uplifting and encouraging and wonderful to hear the words of prophets and other Church leaders.  They teach of Jesus Christ and how we can find happiness and peace.  This conference I was inspired again by the chance to gather worldwide as brothers and sisters to learn.  Some of the main messages and themes that I heard, for me, were:

·         Take responsibility, make good decisions, keep the commandments.

·         Gain, strengthen, and keep your testimony and increase faith.

·         Love the Lord.

·         Sustain the prophet.

·         Strengthen families.

·         Be kind and love others.

·         Give to others, particularly the poor.

·         Find out what your mission is and do it!

·         Believe in the power of prayer!

I am always inspired by the music!  Here were some of my favorite songs:

·         High on the Mountain Top – here we shall be taught the law that will go forth!

·         Beautiful Zion, city of our God!

·         Loyal, strong and true!

·         Guide Us O, Thou Great Jehovah…hold us in thy powerful hand!

·         If I listen with my heart – I hear the Savior’s voice.

·         Arise and shine – fill the world with righteousness!

·         I Know that My Redeemer Lives – He lives to calm my troubled heart; all blessings to impart.

·         Lord, I Would Follow Thee.

·         Praise to the Man who communed with Jehovah!

·         Come, Ye Children of the Lord!

·         Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling – calling the sinner, Come Home.  Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading?  Why should we linger?  Come home.  Find the love He has promised!

·         I Am a Child of God...His promises are sure!

These scriptures stood out to me as important:

·         2 Nephi 25:26: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

·         2 Nephi 31:20: “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.”

·         2 Nephi 32:5: “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”

·         Helaman 5:12: “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”

Here are a few of my favorite words:

·         May our hearts be touched and our faith increased.

·         Be loyal disciples of Christ – each individual is important in the war against the adversary!

·         We need to be involved!

·         Christ lives.  He is no stranger to his servants!

·         Which way do you face?  Do not fear man!

·         Remember the order of the first two commandments – Love God!

·         Courage is the root of every virtue.

·         Perfect love casteth out fear.

·         Don’t lower your standards – boldly defend them.

·         Always face the Father.  Do His will!

·         Remember whose disciples we are!

·         Prepare ahead of time so the sacrament can heal us.

·         Our wounded souls can be healed and renewed through Christ.

·         Always have His spirit to be with us.

·         Our combined faith will bless others.

·         God is a God of miracles!

·         We need to know and understand truth for ourselves!

·         God will neither compel nor abandon us!  The greatest manifestation of His love is His commandments.

·         Choose who you will become – develop a Christ-like character.

·         There is fixed truth!

·         Cultivate yours talents.  It’s God’s will that we be free to rise to our potential.

·         Exert ourselves, choose God, take responsibility, and go to work!

·         We can know the truth for ourselves.

·         He speaks to those who approach Him with real intent.

·         God cares about you and He will answer.

·         Learn to listen to His voice!

·         Personal testimony is the most important thing you can gain in this life.

·         That which is of God is light.  Continue in God and receive more light.

·         Indicate your readiness to receive now.

·         Love is the essence of the gospel and Jesus is our exemplar!

·         Love Him, keep His commandments, but don’t stir up contention.  Be humble, meek.

·         Don’t compromise or dilute the truth.

·         Our covenants cast us as a combatant in the battle between truth and error.

·         Teach the truth plainly at home.

·         In public discourse be sure to love your neighbor – be civil, listen, care.

·         Follow the Savior’s teachings more closely!

·         Be friends with non-members.

·         Be firm in the truth!

·         Be kind, live peacefully with others.

·         The internet has no truth filter. 

·         Never doubt the testimony of God’s prophets!

·         We need to be prepared and have our own testimony so that we can help others.

·         Find and share scriptures from the Book of Mormon that show that Joseph was an instrument in God’s hands.  Know Brother Joseph again!

·         Successful people read!

·         Teach children the power of prayer!

·         Spend your best time with that which is most important.

·         Honor your responsibility as parents!

·         Take responsibility for your spiritual well-being.

·         Embrace obedience.

·         Repent thoroughly and quickly.

·         Forgive and forget quickly.

·         Know His voice (the Good Shepherd) and follow Him.  Walk with Him!

·         The Savior had nowhere to lay his head – He was homeless.

·         Join Him in lifting burdens.  Look to the poor and needy and administer to their relief.

·         Christianity is not a statistical endeavor – there is joy in one soul that repenteth!

·         We’re all beggars and cry out for help and forgiveness.

·         We obtain a remission of our sins by pleading for forgiveness and we retain a remission of our sins by responding to the poor.

·         I don’t know how you should fulfill your obligation – He knows and will guide you in compassionate discipleship.

·         By living the law of the fast at least monthly we will find spiritual and temporal blessings.

·         God will be generous to you.

·         Preserve and protect the family as the basic unit of society.

·         Your most important calling is as parents.

·         Lord, is it I?

·         Continuing revelation comes to lift us above our capacities.

·         God reveals things beyond earthly education.

·         Heavenly Father loves you and knows your name!

·         The Lord’s ways are not man’s ways.

·         The Living Lord leads His living Church!

·         Sacrifice what you have to to sustain the prophet!

·         Following the prophet may be unpopular, but it is always right!

·         The Lord will feed those who trust Him!

·         Nothing but wisdom of God from the prophet’s lips will save us.

·         Choose to stand with the prophets!

·         Our Heavenly Father wants us to seek this knowledge now!

·         The wind may blow, but we will not fall if we’re founded on Christ.

·         No unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God.

·         Atonement is the most important event in time and eternity.

·         In mortality He will prove us now herewith to see if we’ll do all that the Lord commands.

·         He didn’t send us here without direction and guidance.

·         Walking as he walked is more important than physically walking where he walked.

·         Each of us can walked where He walked by letting His teachings guide our lives.

·         Strive to put Christ at the center of our lives!  Study His words.  Become His disciples.  Do His work!

·         Ponder the path of thy feet – walk the path Jesus did. 

·         Stay in the boat.  Always wear your life jacket. Always hold on with both hands.

·         God is at the helm – The Lord is here and directs.

·         Study, live, love the doctrine of Christ!

·         Don’t be distracted from the simple, clear message of the gospel.

·         We are here to be tested, tried, and stretched.

·         Take time to actively exercise faith – the power of Jesus Christ in our lives.

·         Converse with the Father often; share your thoughts, feelings; tell him everything.

·         Study the scriptures and words of living prophets to know His voice.

·         Go to the temple; seek Him there!

·         If you continue to live as you are, will the blessings in your patriarchal blessing be fulfilled?

·         How then can we ensure we are making the best decision?

·         Understand who you are and why you’re here.  What does the Lord expect?

·         Leave comfort zone to reach a better place!

·         He loves us and He has a plan for us.  He wants us to grow to our potential.

·         Qualifying for exaltation is like a spiritual passport – it’s the quest of a lifetime.

·         We don’t set the rules, but we must follow them.  God sets qualifications.

·         Family is the center of the plan of salvation.

·         Our success is determined by how we live the gospel at home.

·         Learn family history – a little bit of time on a consistent basis will bring joy and protection against the adversary.

·         Choose not to forsake what you know to be true.

·         Where do I turn for truth when questions arise?  There is a divine source!

·         Remain ever faithful!

·         We will always be valiant missionaries – we have a solemn obligation to fulfill commission to go ye therefore and teach all nations!

·         We are not selling or coercing.  We are inviting you...so that you can study, ponder and pray!

·         Sharing what’s helped us is not unusual.

·         Greatest manifestation of love of God is the Savior’s Atonement.

·         Absolute truth exists!

·         Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Jesus is the Lord, the Only Begotten of the Father.

·         We witness He lives and His church is here!

·         Our simple desire is to share truths!  Come and see!

·         Do the right things at all times.  Be more valiant disciples!