Hey guys so this week was full of all sorts of different feelings. First off I lost my voice on Tuesday so this whole week I would open my mouth to talk and nothing would come out so that makes missionary work kinda hard. It's actually really frustrating because I just got done being sick and now this.
We were trying to get people to come and watch conference throughout this week but we weren't able to get anyone to come. We had district meeting at the workmans this week and the sister who is getting treatment for cancer is staying with them so it was great to have her there. She has an amazing story so it was great to get to know her more. She is from Brazil, the only member in her family, and she has realized that the reason she was sent to this mission is because Rochester has some of the best hospitals around. So it's really cool to see how God works.
Then conference was great as usual. I love conference sooo much! I really liked elder hales talk. He had some really great quotes in there like " none of us marry perfection, we marry potential" ... What a quote haha. Also I liked the one in conference session where they talked about the family that died while the boy was on his mission and how he knew he was in the rift place, it was very fitting for the time. I got the email about grandpa right before that talk. It is sad news hearing about grandpa and I wish I could've been there to talk to him but I'm glad he got the opportunity to hear my letter be read to him before he went. He truly is in a better place now, along with the apostles who were missing from conference. I sure its been tough for you guys back home but that's life.
Oh yeah also transfers were today, I'm staying again with Elder Miller! I'll be in Brockport for 9 months! Have a good week!
Love you guys!
Ps here's my conference notes
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Dieter F Uchtdorf
- we need to appreciate the great value of truth
- Don't pursue after matters that have little value
- Search for truth
- Aline our daily efforts with the plan of salvation
- Are we making our discipleship too complicated?
- We need to make an effort to devote our time to things that matter
- Living the gospel is strait forward and simple
- Start where you are
- Exaltation is our goal, discipleship is our journey
M Russell Ballard
- be perfectly dedicated to moving the work of the lord forward
- Look at more than the human nature in others
- What will we become through the atonement of Christ?
- Hold onto the gospel truths with both hands
- We should cling to commandments and covenants
- Christ is always there when we are willing to repent and come unto him
- We cannot reach exaltation by our efforts alone
Richard J Maynes
- centering our lives on Christ will bring stability
- Our lives need to be centered like clay on a potters wheel
- If we are centered he can mold us into what we need to be
- Joy comes from finding and accepting he gospel of Jesus Christ
- The gospel brings purpose and direction
- We can find peace, happiness, and joy from living Christ centered lives
Neill F Marriott
- how do we make the lords ways our ways?
- Seek to do his will
- It will all work out
- If you do your best it will all work out
- Have hope in the eternal outcome
- A meek heart accepts the trial
- Don't do things to diminish your progress
- We must allow our hearts to break before the lord
- God takes us as we are and makes us more than we ever imagined
Larry R Lawrence
- be ye therefore perfect
- What do I need to change? What weakness needs strengthening?
- The story of the rich young man
- We must be willing to act when we receive an answer
- What lack I yet?
- Ask and he shall receive, then act
- The Holy Ghost gives customized council
- The holy ghost works with us at our own speed
- When we take the sacrament examine ourselves
- Ask the lord what is keeping me from progressing
- Allow the Holy Ghost to lead us home
Francisco J Viñas
- after much tribulation comes the blessings
- Suffering comes from unrepentant lives
- Do not excuse or selves, or try to hide sin
- The atonement takes effect if we exercise faith
- It requires consistency in repentance
- Sincerely repent and humble ourselves
- Prepare to take of the sacrament
- Keep the sabbath day holy
- Do gods will on the sabbath, and other days but especially the sabbath
- The will of the flesh is the will of the devil
- Strive to live in righteousness
Quinton L Cook
- if there be no righteousness there be no happiness
- Shipshape is temple worthy in good times and bad
- Be determined to be temple worthy no matter what
- The lord condemned procrastination
- Sometimes it can feel far away or beyond our reach
- The reward of righteousness is attainable now
- Righteous self control is like a muscle
- It needs to be continually exercised
- Honoring the sabbath is a form of righteousness
- Live worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost
- Follow the impressions of the spirit
- We may hit the bottom or get tipped over but if we live temple worthy it will hold together all that matters
Robert D Hales
- tighten our grip on the rod
- Your decisions now will shape your eternal destiny
- Avoid evil
- Never fly into a thunderstorm
- Will we let ourselves be led?
- Pay tithing and save
- Education will prepare us
- None of us marry perfection, we marry potential
- Be worthy of the person you want to marry
- If you want council, be prepared to take it
- Reach up, not across
- Go forward, not backward
Jeffery R Holland
- Christ love is likened to our mothers love
- Maternal love has to be divine
- Motherhood is Christ's work
- Mothers help carry their children's burdens
- Thank you to mothers
- Mothers demonstrate the pure love of Christ
Bradley D Foster
- we are in a battle with the world
- What should we do to bring about our children's lasting conversion?
- There is a difference between hearing and understanding
- Teach line upon line and to their understanding
- It's never too early or too late to teach our children because families are forever
Hugo Montoya
- we have the responsibility to help each other
- Find, take, and teach
- Go the extra mile
- Smile
- Someone is watching you so set good example
- Smiling lightens burdens
- Show compassion
- Invite others to come to church
Vern P Stanfill
- we may feel confident but realize our preparations aren't adequate
- No matter how intense the darkness, we choose how long to allow it
- Lord save me
- There is nothing wrong with relying temporarily on those around us
- We must act, and draw near to him
- Satan brings feelings of doubt
Jame B Martino
- God answers when we have real intent, not just to amuse us
- Seek answers
- Answers to questions lead to increased faith
- Don't let in answered questions deter you
- Turn to him and your prayers will be answered
Dallin H Oaks
- The savior suffered everything so he could succor to us
- Jesus is with us at all times to help us
- Mortality is full of frequent hardships
- We all experience failure
- All things can be overcome, no matter how far gone we feel
- We draw ourselves apart from him
- God is mindful of every people, but only those who seek for help
- We qualify for blessings when we believe, and pray for help
PRIESTHOOD SESSION
Neil L Anderson
- How does the savior see my faith?
- Faith is a gift from heaven
- Faith doesn't come by chance but by choice
- Reading that Book of Mormon will increase our faith
- Your future is a s bright as your faith
- Your faith will one day allow you to stand in the presence of God.
Randall K Bennitt
- become like a child, humble, focused, taking steps forward
- Take faith filled steps
- He lord matches our willingness to take a step
- Counter the tendency to procrastinate, or give up
- If we are willing to act we will be given strength to repent and change
- We only fail if we don't act
- God is inviting us to take our next step
Dieter F Uchtdorf
- Do we practice what we preach
- Are we Christian soldiers or weekend warriors?
- Live as believers in a world of disbelief
- Stay calm under pier pressure
- We need to overcome our own laziness
- Daniel passed his test, ours still continues
- Wanting to believe is a necessary first step
- Skepticism is easy, anyone can do it, faith takes effort
- The world rejects that which it doesn't understand
- When we choose to believe and exercise faith it opens our eyes to splendors more than we can imagine.
Henry B Eyring
- when we do our part, the lord adds his power to our efforts
- Magnify our efforts, and the lord will magnify us
- We do our small part and the lord does the rest
- God has called us through authorized servants
- Pray to know Heavenly Fathers will
Thomas S Monson
- He who created is knows just what we need
- Commandments are showing his love for us
- Our decisions determine our destiny
- Be relentless in our determination to achieve our righteous goals
- Don't lower your standards
- There are so many voices in the world, loud voices
- Avoid anything that will deprive us of our happiness in the life to come
- The adversary knows us
- We must take great courage and stay true and faithful
- We cannot change the commandments
- Greatest happiness comes from obedience to the commandments
- Take the steps necessary to fully repent
- Joy comes only through repentance
- The path is difficult but the promise is real
Thomas S Monson
- let our light shine for others to see
- Seek to lift and inspire in all our words
- Have the pure love of Christ
- Seek to emulate Christ's example
- Trust in the lord and his word
- Faith and doubt cannot exist at the same time
- Purity will bring peace of mind
- Take advantage of opportunities to shine and be a light in the lives of others
Ronald A Rasband
- love one another
- God loves each one of us
Gary E Stevenson
- The lord will qualify those whom he calls
- Focus on what you can do not what you can't do
Dale G Renlund
- it will only work if you do it the lords way
Russell M Nelson
- The woman of the church play a great role
- The woman of the church will be a light to the woman around them
- The church needs woman who are righteous and can lead
- Sisters have a huge influence on the men in their lives
- We need your insights, impressions, and council
- Step forward
Gregory A Schwitzer
- The world needs disciples to share the gospel
- Remember to love God and fellow man
- One man can make a difference in the world
- True disciples aren't looking to make excuses
- It's often not convenient or comfortable to stand up
- Have courage to speak boldly to speak against criticism
- The plan of happiness is through the basic family unit
- It is time for us to stand up and testify
Claudio R M Costa
- teach about Christ and sabbath day observance to your family
- Have a desire to be a better person
- Meditate about what Christ has done for us often
- The sacrament is a time for Christ to teach us
- Love the sabbath and the sacrament
Henry B Eyring
- partake of the sacrament in faith
- The spirit strengthens us against evil
- It also helps us discern falsehood
- The Holy Ghost confirms truth to us
- Seek to have the constant companionship of he Holy Ghost
- Act on impressions
- Choose to obey with confidence
- Listen to what the spirit is testifying
- Discover the truths that matter most to you
- Pray in faith
D Todd Christofferson
- The church's purpose is to bring people to Christ
- Gods ultimate purpose is our progress
- We learn doctrine and experience its application
- We are all called to serve the church
- The church is the family
- The church is in place to teach people the way of salvation
- The savior needs a church to make all covenants available to gods children
- The church is not created by man but set up by God
Devin G Durrant
- save money each week
- Ponderize 1 verse of scripture each week
- Ponderize is an add onto regular scripture study
- Exercise faith, discipline yourself, and do it
Von G Keetch
- don't be too critical of the barrier
- Follow the course that he has laid out for us
- It easy to follow a course inside the barrier when we see the purpose
- As we trust in the lord we become the person the lord wants us to become
- God wants us to have joy, and be safe
Carole M Stephens
- seek for greater understanding in obey the commandments
- Trust God
- Trust Jesus
- Trust the whisperings of the spirit
- Trust the council of living prophets
- Obedience is an expression of love for God
Allen D Haynie
- don't deceive ourselves
- No unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of heaven
- Repentance isn't easy but he result is worth it
- The atonement leaves no trail
- Remember who stands between us and justice
Kim B Clark
- In these times me are called to rescue the poor in spirit
- We need greater spiritual light and power
- Open our hearts and receive
- Simple obedience brings the spirit into our hearts
- Have eyes to see and ears to hear
- Gods knows us
Koichi Aoyagi
- bad things happen but things will work out
- Trials are put in place to see how we handle them
- We pass the test by showing that we remember him and keep the commandments
David A Bednar
- when you cannot do what you've always done, you do what matters most
- The lords servants aren't spared from affliction
- Willing to cast out negative
- Forgive all men
- The work in which we are engaged is the most important work on the earth
- Come what may and love it
- Handle adversity with faith and confidence
- Family is the center of life
- See that we are happy and sealed together for time and all eternity
- The atonement makes it possible to endure all challenges
- Powerful lessons of a lifetime
