LDS General Conference April 2014 Saturday Morning Session

Jeffrey R. Holland

"You will one day find yourself called upon to defend your faith. These moments will require courage and courtesy on your part" There is a circle of distinguished men and women who have experienced the sufferings of Christ. Prophets, apostles, and members have paid a high price to honor God.

You may wonder if it is worth it to take a courageous stand, yes it is worth it because the scriptures say those who don't will have desolate homes. "Christ-like love is the greatest need we have on this planet." This love forsakes transgression and any hint of sin. We can forgive sin without condoning it.

Pure Christ-like love can change the world. Defend your faith with courtesy and compassion, but defend them.

Linda S. Reeves

Our Savior has the power to cleanse and heal you. Petition him for help with serious sin. You can feel compassion for others' sins, but not responsibility.

 How do we protect our youth? Filters are good, but a deep and eternal testimony is better. To fortify the youth-talk, rejoice, preach, and prophesy of Christ. The only things that really need to be accomplished in the home are daily scripture study and prayer and FHE. Even if other chores are left undone, these righteous activities should be accomplished.

Although it may feel stressful to try and accomplish these activities, they really take away stress. Take responsibility for your own spiritual health.

Neil L. Anderson

We are a chosen generation of destiny. Repentance will subdue the force of sin. Challenges will come to you, but as you trust in God they will strengthen you. God made our spirits strong and resilient. How do you prepare? Build your foundation on God.

There is a wide chasm between our LDS values and society's values. Be in the world but not of the world.

Everyone deserves our kindness and consideration. The Book of Mormon is another protection from the whirlwinds of life. "Stand in Holy Places and Be not Moved" The temple has a spiritual power above that of the troubles of the world. There is a tangible feel of holiness in the temple. How you feel in the temple is how you want to feel in life.

Henry B. Eyring

The happiness of eternal life comes through family bonds. Many small choices lead us down this path. It takes faith in Jesus Christ to keep our covenants.

Sunday Morning October 2013 LDS General Conference

Henry B. Eyring

Advice for happiness in family life is subjective because we are all unique. But, there is only one plan for happiness-to follow all the commandments of God.

One overarching commandment. It applies to all relationships. "To all who want to live together in happiness...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul and love thy neighbor as thyself,"

What choices lead us to love thy God?
Choosing to accept and magnify every calling is one of the ways to do this.

Dallin H. Oaks

We offend God when we have other first priorities like: cultural and family traditions, material possessions, recreational pursuits, power, and prestige. The question is what is our ultimate priority?

Don't let the temporary challenges of mortality make us forget the commandments of God. We must never deviate from our paramount desire of eternal life.

Bonnie Oscarson

Being truly converted means acting upon what we believe. Conversion is a process, not an event. We must do the work first, exercise faith, and then learn it is true.

Confidence to share the gospel increases as your conversion develops. True conversion draws upon the atonement. We will become the means of accomplishing good things as we convert.

Richard Maynes

Our journey throughout life is a test of our character. When our testimonies are strong and our conversions real, the Spirit will help us make good choices.

A testimony needs to be in shape to endure. To do this we need to study and learn the fundamentals of the gospel and live those teachings. It is essential to be spiritually prepared. "You must become the rock the river cannot wash away,"

The race before us on this Earth is an endurance race. To finish we will need to pay the price of dedication and self-discipline. We need spiritual stamina.


Thomas S. Monson

Whenever your inclined to feel down, remember that others have felt the same way and endured. Making the gospel of Christ the center of your lives will pull you through.

Sadness and suffering are universal.

Good timber does not growth with ease.

May we ever strive to be close to our Heavenly Father. We truly need him every hour.

October 2013 Saturday Afternoon LDS General Conference

Todd Christofferson

We don't diminish the value from men and women's careers. The most important is the job as mother. This made it sound as though a successful career is great as long a proper attention is given to motherhood as well.

Some want to make women and men completely equal. But the world has enough women who are tough, coarse, and rude. We need more kindness, purity, and refinement. Blurring our differences makes us lose our distinct complimentary gifts.

Women should preserve their innate virtue. Don't lose your moral force. Make language clean, clothes modest, and conduct pure. 

S. Nielsen

The prophet has called all of us to help with missionary work.

What should we do?

1. Pray to bring someone closer to the gospel each day.

2. Pray for the missionaries and their investigators every day.

3. Invite a friend to an activity.

Timothy Dyches

Jesus Christ heals mind, body, and spirit beginning with faith. Opposition strengthens our will and helps us make choices. Opposition is indispensable to mortality. 

Faith precedes miracles. The miracle of repentance must be preceded with faith.

Jeffrey R. Holland

About depression-everyone will be anxious on occasion. MDD is more than discouragement. 

Christ's love is always there for you. Whether or not you deserve it. Faithfully pursue the the activities that bring the spirit into your life. Believe in miracles. Hope is never lost. 

God expects us to get a blessing and see someone about emotional disorders and physical. Patiently enduring some things is part of our education. 

Charity never faileth. Through any challenge there is still much hope and gratitude in life. Whatever your struggle, trust in God, hold on in his love. May we live by faith, hold fast by hope and live with compassion.

M. Russell Ballard

There is an urgency for each one of us to be involved in sharing the gospel. The greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel. Are we doing all we can?

Every member needs to work together to reach out in love and share the gospel. 

Pray for opportunities to share the gospel and the courage to do it. 

What exactly is missionary work? Ask the savior what it is you are to do. Fear will be replaced with faith and confidence when we pray and ask for opportunities. Then, watch for opportunities. 

Pray personally for missionary opportunities. Many people have been kept from the truth because they don't know where to find it. Talk to more people every day to preach more of the gospel. Be inspired by God and go and do.

All members are asked to pray and reach out to just one person before Christmas.

October 2013 LDS General Conference Saturday Morning Session

Robert D. Hales

What is said at conference is not as important as what the Spirit leads you to feel.

Some teaching will take patience and faith. The things they say may be controversial and you may not agree with. 

We gather to hear the words of the Lord and we return home to live them.

Ulisses Soares

We should change our character to be more like Christ everyday. His attributes are gifts from God. We have to be willing and anxious to improve. Being meek does not mean weakness. Meekness was one of the most abundant attributes in Christ's life. 

This subject is particularly interesting to me because it is important for me to imitate Christ and his behaviors.

It is our duty to improve each day. 

Steps to becoming meek

1. Try every day. 

2. Learn to control your temper.

How do you react when someone doesn't do what you want or disagrees with you? We must learn to control our temper and be patient. "The servant of the Lord must be gentle and kind unto all men" When we with faith control our tempers, the Spirit gives us a blessing.

3. Be humble.

The humble are teachable. They desire to be subject to God's will. Being humble is walking in the hand of the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the supreme example of meekness. Even after intense suffering, Christ asked for his persecutors forgiveness. 

Edward Dube

We should all be anxiously engaged in a good cause. The past is to be lived from, but not lived in. When we have have brought what we have learned, we remember faith is always looking to the future.

We all need to be equally yoked in hastening the work of salvation. As we look ahead and believe we need teamwork in missionary work. Stand close together. May we all unite to bring forth the eternal life of men. The sight of the Lord focuses on where we are willing to go, not where we've been. 

David Bednar

1. Significant, but subtle blessings come from living the law of tithing.

The Spirit can lead us to search harder and longer than others to find a job (reminds me of my experience). 

We might want a higher paycheck, but the blessing from tithing may be power to change our circumstances through other means. 

Assurance, peace, faith, and hope are the blessings that soldiers needed to continue. When we ask for success, God may give us the power to do so through mental and physical stamina. 

As we keep the law of tithing, the windows of Heaven will open and blessings will be poured out. 

2. The simplicity of the Lord's way.

The guidelines of tithing are simple and clear compared to complex finance. 

The church lives within its means and a portion is set aside for emergencies. Members can imitate these good principles. 

Tithing is more than a duty, but an important step in the process of sanctification. 

Dieter Uchtdorf

Why do people join the LDS church if so much is required?

Our church was restored by Jesus Christ himself. We feel the Spirit in much of what we do at church. Walking the path of discipleship leads to precious blessings.

Why would anyone leave the gospel?

If they've been struggling with a question for years. We must respect their agency to make that choice. We truth is uncovered, things that didn't make sense will be revealed. 

God is perfect and His doctrine is pure, but he works through imperfect people.

All significant decisions made in the church are preceded by a huge effort to uncover God's will.

It's good to ask questions. One of the purposes of the church is to cultivate a seed of faith. "Please, doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." Don't let doubt get between your faith in Jesus Christ. This was really helpful to me because I often ask the difficult questions.

If you are tempted to give up, stay a little longer. Here you will find the words of eternal life and the pathway to peace and happiness. 

Relief Society Broadcast September 2013

Keeping our Covenants- Linda K. Burton Relief Society General President

A covenants is a promise we will live, think, and act in the way of Christ- Holland

Strive for the attitude, "I'll go where you want me to go, I'll do what you want me to do,"

Why keep covenants?

1. Covenant keeping strengthens, powers, and protects. We all have burdens to bear. Bearing another's burden is keeping your covenants.

Engrave your promises upon your heart.

Do we realize our vital role in salvation as we teach our children? Keeping covenants gives us the power to do this. 

2. Keeping covenants is essential for true happiness.

Covenant keepers are commandment keepers. Ordinances and covenants are spiritual milestones. God always keeps his promises.

3. Demonstrates our love for Heavenly Father.
Do we keep our covenants with a deep love? Christ did it because His love for His Father and us. For God so LOVED the world that he gave us his beloved son. Covenant keeping is one way to express our love for the atonement and our savior.

We need a regular manifestation of Christ in our daily lives.


Carole M. Stephens General Relief Society First Counselor

Serve the Lord by serving others your whole life. We keep covenants everyday as we are kind, show love, and help each other every day.

Love and serving in small ways is an active participation in salvation. We have made sacred covenants. We can work together to help each other press forward on the straight and narrow path.

The Lord keeps a perfect record of your saving work. We have the opportunity to be instruments in His hands.


Linda S. Reeves General Relief Society Second Counselor

We feel the love of the Savior most when we repent.

Do we recognize the ability of the savior to cleanse us every week?

The Lord allows us to be tried and tested. He doesn't leave us alone, but stands with open arms, asking us to come to Him.

Nothings happens to us is a surprise to the lord. He is eager to help us and ease our pain. The trials we experience may be the things that lead us to Him.

Come to the temple and claim your blessings.

Seek the spirit when we are being critical of ourselves. Is this what the Lord wants us to think about ourselves or Satan? The Lord wants to lift us up.

The Lord only cares about how well we have kept our covenants and tried to be like Him.


President Monson

How can I keep sights set on celestial as I navigate through telestial? Remember prayer. Prayer is an anchor to Christ. God will speak peace to the soul. This is life's greatest blessing.

Amazing power and strength is available to us through prayer. Christ will be there for us to help if we but ask. Pray always and be believing and all things will work for us.

Pray isn't just for times of trouble. Pray always. Did you think to pray? As we read and ponder the scriptures the spirit will whisper to our souls. We gain a sure testimony of Christ and Heavenly Father. When combined with our prayers, we can know with a certainty that the gospel is true. Take time to turn to the scriptures for greater blessings and lessened burdens.

God's love is always there for us. Looking back you will realize He was always there beside you.

Youth of the Noblie Birthright: Elder Russell M. Nelson CES Devotional September 8th

Balance secular learning with spiritual learning.

What will you choose?

Will you choose to increase in learning?
Develop a deep desire to learn. Education is a religious responsibility. They glory of God is intelligence. Intelligence will rise with us in the resurrection. A long range perspective will help us make choices in our education. Education is the difference between wishing you could help others and being able to help others.

What manner of living will you choose?

Be thou an example of the believers. Choose to think and act different than those of the world and see how you can influence others. Unto whom much is given, much is required. Wickedness never was happiness.

Will you establish priorities to make choices in your life?
The most important truth you can learn is from the Lord. Seek to know God and Jesus Christ more than anything else. Study D&C 76 to understand blessing of eternal life. Choose eternal life as your first priority.

With whom will you associate?
Flee from non-believers that don't have your best interest at heart. Any pleasure in sin is only fleeting.

Will you choose freedom or bondage?
We are living in enemy-occupied territory.

Will you choose to follow the Lord of the philosophies of men?

Keep studying the scriptures and increasing your faith in Jesus Christ and see what good choices you make naturally.

How will you prepare for your personal interview with the Savior?
Each day on Earth gives you time to prepare for that interview. As you pour out your heart in daily pray, angels will be sent down to you.

In whom will you put your trust?

Put your trust in your Heavenly Father. Be worthy to go to the temple. Remember your goal of eternal life. Opportunities to go to the temple are essential to that goal.

The Work Of Salvation

I was surprised to hear that there is a LDS special broadcast today. And much more surprising are the announcements made.

 L. Tom Perry announced that missionaries will now be allowed to use the internet all throughout their missions. Originally, missionaries couldn't even use computers. Just a while ago they were allowed to email friends and family. Now, in an announcement that is life-changing for missionaries they are allowed to use it to contact investigators and keep in touch with them. I love that the church is learning how to use technology for good. I love that the church can adapt and change as technology advances.

Our responsibilities have not changed, but the way we fulfill those responsibilities has changed.
The greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel. This is as true today as it was in any other time. How? Become one in purpose.

Each of us is called to ask others to come unto Christ.

Neal A. Anderson

Always be motivated by your love of Him. Be a friend to inactive members. As we do our best, He will not let us fail. As we are on the Lord's errand He will never let us fail.

Wishing will not make it so, the Lord expects our action.