Sunday April 27, 2008
I wanted to post a little about yesterday, and I can't believe I didn't do this yesterday. I had lots of down time as I usually do on Sundays, which is VERY nice. We had ward conference yesterday that was fantastic!! I was worried about my state of mind and spirit because I had been up until 2 the night before doing work and school work (so I could keep my personal rule of not studying on sundays). I don't usually like staying up so late on Saturdays so that I am refreshed and alert in my meetings to understand all that I need to through the Spirit. Heavenly Father blessed me tremendously with an outpouring of His Spirit yesterday, a tender mercy for which I am grateful.
Our Bishop and his wife spoke. His wife shared a story about a young man from India, I believe. (whether it was true or not, I am not sure. The message is true, though, regardless) He was investigating the church and asked the missionaries "what do your people do for one another?" And one of the missionaries replied, "We love one another." And that really stuck with the young man. She talked about love being one of the chief characteristics of Diety. She shared a quote from Elder Neal A Maxwell (that I have been trying search for it's origin) about the love of God for us, and 'the same being who placed that star in the heavens....illuminates the landscape of our lives." (there was much more to the quote, but that is all I wrote down, hoping I could find it in it's entirety.)
Our Bishop and his wife spoke. His wife shared a story about a young man from India, I believe. (whether it was true or not, I am not sure. The message is true, though, regardless) He was investigating the church and asked the missionaries "what do your people do for one another?" And one of the missionaries replied, "We love one another." And that really stuck with the young man. She talked about love being one of the chief characteristics of Diety. She shared a quote from Elder Neal A Maxwell (that I have been trying search for it's origin) about the love of God for us, and 'the same being who placed that star in the heavens....illuminates the landscape of our lives." (there was much more to the quote, but that is all I wrote down, hoping I could find it in it's entirety.)
She then talked about redwood trees and their stature and size. She talked about the size of these trees and how amazingly shallow their root systems are for trees of that size. Yet, their roots are all intertwined, supporting each other and keeping each other strong.
Bishop spoke about the many voices we hear, bombarding us daily for our attention.
"The adversary tries to smother this voice (of the Spirit) with a multitude of loud, persistent, persuasive, and appealing voices: murmuring voices that conjure up perceived injustices, whining voices that abhor challenge and work, seductive voices offering sensual enticements, soothing voices that lull us into carnal security, intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority, proud voices that urge us to rely on the arm of the flesh, flattering voices that puff us up with pride, cynical voices that destroy hope, entertaining voices that promote pleasure seeking, commercial voices that tempt us to “spend money for that which is of no worth” and our “labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Ne. 9:51), and delirious voices that spawn the desire for a “high.”
I refer not only to a drug- or alcohol-induced high, but to pursuing dangerous, death-defying experiences for nothing more than a thrill. Life, even our own, is so precious that we are accountable to the Lord for it, and we should not trifle with it. (The voice of the Spirit, President Faust, Liahona, September 1995) Bishop also added the voice of doubt to the list. He talked of the 100's of satan's followers that are working on us daily. He said "You are only chosen IF you live righteously." He also said, "It's not easy to be a member of the Church. It's easy to quit."
Then our choir sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer, one of my favorite hymns.
We ended with hearing from our Stake President, President Jenkins. What an amazing man. I have continued to be impressed with him and his devotion to God each time I have had the privilege of hearing him speak-in stake conference recently, at the baptism of Daniel (who left to go back to China), and now. He spoke of his gratitude in being able to have the restored gospel in his life. He said "I carry the message Joseph died for." He challenged us to find out if it is true, and to live to share it with those around us. He asked us if we were happy. If we were, what did we attribute it to? If we were not, then what were we waiting for?! He encouraged us to pray for direction. He then proceeded to talk of how to find joy, which is a step up from happiness. He then listed some vital truths to know and lead us to find this joy.
-Know that God lives and knows who you are
-Know that Jesus Christ lives and the power of Atonement to cleanse AND strengthen us
-Know that Joseph Smith lives-the restoration of the gospel through him
He talked about happiness and success not coming through worldly means, but through the spiritual. Something that made me chuckle, but very appropriate for the congregation receiving it was about dating and happiness. He said "How many dates we have does not mean success. Our obedience is the measure of our success." (There is great power in obedience, that can and will bring us the greatest joys) "Happiness comes from LIVING the gospel."
It was a great meeting, filled with the Spirit that gave understanding as only the Spirit can do, of the things of God. We are SO blessed to have the restored gospel here on the earth. We have been given all the means necessary to find true joy and happiness in this life if we seek it.
Bishop spoke about the many voices we hear, bombarding us daily for our attention.
"The adversary tries to smother this voice (of the Spirit) with a multitude of loud, persistent, persuasive, and appealing voices: murmuring voices that conjure up perceived injustices, whining voices that abhor challenge and work, seductive voices offering sensual enticements, soothing voices that lull us into carnal security, intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority, proud voices that urge us to rely on the arm of the flesh, flattering voices that puff us up with pride, cynical voices that destroy hope, entertaining voices that promote pleasure seeking, commercial voices that tempt us to “spend money for that which is of no worth” and our “labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Ne. 9:51), and delirious voices that spawn the desire for a “high.”
I refer not only to a drug- or alcohol-induced high, but to pursuing dangerous, death-defying experiences for nothing more than a thrill. Life, even our own, is so precious that we are accountable to the Lord for it, and we should not trifle with it. (The voice of the Spirit, President Faust, Liahona, September 1995) Bishop also added the voice of doubt to the list. He talked of the 100's of satan's followers that are working on us daily. He said "You are only chosen IF you live righteously." He also said, "It's not easy to be a member of the Church. It's easy to quit."
Then our choir sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer, one of my favorite hymns.
We ended with hearing from our Stake President, President Jenkins. What an amazing man. I have continued to be impressed with him and his devotion to God each time I have had the privilege of hearing him speak-in stake conference recently, at the baptism of Daniel (who left to go back to China), and now. He spoke of his gratitude in being able to have the restored gospel in his life. He said "I carry the message Joseph died for." He challenged us to find out if it is true, and to live to share it with those around us. He asked us if we were happy. If we were, what did we attribute it to? If we were not, then what were we waiting for?! He encouraged us to pray for direction. He then proceeded to talk of how to find joy, which is a step up from happiness. He then listed some vital truths to know and lead us to find this joy.
-Know that God lives and knows who you are
-Know that Jesus Christ lives and the power of Atonement to cleanse AND strengthen us
-Know that Joseph Smith lives-the restoration of the gospel through him
He talked about happiness and success not coming through worldly means, but through the spiritual. Something that made me chuckle, but very appropriate for the congregation receiving it was about dating and happiness. He said "How many dates we have does not mean success. Our obedience is the measure of our success." (There is great power in obedience, that can and will bring us the greatest joys) "Happiness comes from LIVING the gospel."
It was a great meeting, filled with the Spirit that gave understanding as only the Spirit can do, of the things of God. We are SO blessed to have the restored gospel here on the earth. We have been given all the means necessary to find true joy and happiness in this life if we seek it.
posted by Lynette at
6:04 AM
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