A member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, who was baptized in our stake building 40 years ago, and her husband spoke to us. In Indiana we didn't ever run into any members of The Choir.
First Speaker
She quoted Mosiah 5:15, which I think she said it the youth's theme for the year.
15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in agood works, that Christ, the bLord God Omnipotent, may cseal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who dcreated all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.
She said that before she moved to Utah she hadn't heard of Mormons, but once she did she envisioned the Amish. Which maybe be do to our pioneer history.
She shared stories about Mormon kids being rude to her when she moved to Utah and when they found out that she wasn't a member of the Church. It reminded me a bit of the story my dad often tells about coming to Utah as a kid and visiting Mormon relatives when he was Catholic.
The speaker expressed to the youth that she couldn't share much with them because the youth of the Church already know the standards of the Church. She said they know because they have been taught and when they don't live the standards they can feel it.
She shared a story about missing several flights on one trip due to many many problems. They, after much frustration, finally ended up in a terminal waiting for the flight that eventually went through for them. Behind them they could hear a man going on to another man about negatives things that he "knew" about the Mormons. They realized that after everything that had happened to them, they ended up exactly where they needed to be. Her husband stood up and walked over to them. He let them both know that he was a bishop and he assured them that he would answer any questions about the Church that they might have and that if they wanted to know if any principle of the Church was true that their Heavenly Father would tell them if they prayed and asked Him.
Second Speaker
He talked of someone that came up to him when he was in a restaurant between meetings when he was away on business. The guy asked if he could sit with him. He then asked if he was a Mormon. He told the guy that he was. The man then said, "Well you aren't a question then are you?" He then asked the man what a Christian was. The man listed off several things that he felt Christians believed. He confirmed to the man that he believed most of that as well. The man then said that Christians believed that they are saved by grace. He told the man that we also believed in grace, but that we also had obey God and follow the Savior.
He shared another story with us about how he was in Paris on September 11, 2001 when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center. He said that those outside the United States had no idea the extent of what was going on here. He didn't know what he would find when he got home.
He talked of protecting ourselves from temptations. He said that even at his age he is tempted dozens of times a day to do something wicked. He says that sometimes he says "no" verbally and sometimes just to his own mind. He said no matter who you are you must determine to always say no to wickedness, because Satan is actively seeking to destroy us and the more we say no the easier it gets. When we do not say no it is harder to say no the next time.
Stake President
He talked of texting on cell phones during church. He stated that it is rude and inappropriate to do it in Sacrament Meeting or Sunday School or any Church meeting. He said that there are missionaries that are being sent home because they can't stand to be out of contact with their friends by texting. They don't focus on the work and they are being consumed by texting.
He talked about MP3 players. He said that we should be careful not to always have ear phones on. He said that it locks you out of the rest of the world and is rude. He also counseled to be cautious of what we put on those MP3 players.
He talked of pornography being a real problem. He called it the plague of the 21st century. He said that pornography is more addictive than cocaine. He said that drugs eventually leave your body, but those pictures can be drawn up by your mind at any time.
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