Saturday, October 04, 2008

General Conference Saturday Morning Session 10-4-08

He talked of having dedicated three temples since last conference. He talked of some of the celebrations accompanying those dedications of those temples.

He said that one of the celebrations depicted the history of the church in Brazil. He said that they depicted Elder Neal A Maxwell and his companion that had been missionaries there in the 1930s.

There will be five new temples Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cordoba, Argentina; the greater Kansas City area; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Rome, Italy
Talked of retreating to Waldon Pond at times with his ill wife. He then talked about Henry David Thoreau had moved out there and the things that he did out there. He planted a garden to support himself. He enjoyed the pond, but also spent a lot of time in the city and invited others to come to his cabin. He talked about the needs the poet had out there and related them to needs that we have.

Food - He talked about keeping the Word of Wisdom in taking care of our bodies. He quoted from The Strength of Youth Manual on taking care of our bodies.

Clothing - He talked about a necessity of life is clothing. He talked about being modestly dressed. He said that today's styles often try to make three outfits out of the material for one.

Shelter -He talked about living within our means. Having the house we need and not the one that is as big as the neighbors. "Live without income, stay out of debt, save for a rainy day."

Fuel - He talked of problems with fuel that we have today, but left it to others in government and society to talk about the details of it. He talked of the necessity of spiritual fuel.

He said that the poet was asked at the end of his life if he had made peace with God. He replied that he had realized that they had ever quarreled.

Sister Silvia H. Allred - First Councilor in the Relief Society General Presidency (Audio, Video)
Go Ye Therefore
She talked of baptism.
John 3: 5
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be aborn of bwater and of the cSpirit, he cannot denter into the kingdom of God.

She talked about the missionaries teaching her family when she was young. Her family stopped listening except her and her seventeen year old sister.

She talked of the joy of missionary work and her experience in serving a mission. She also talked of her children serving missions and the missions that she and her husbands have been on.

Our life is a journey. We don't know everything at the beginning or even at the end, but we grow as we go.

1 Ne. 11: 17
17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

He said that Faith is not only a feeling. It is also a decision

He talked of how his father was baptized and it was the first baptism for the missionaries that taught him. He was in Brazil. His wife did not get baptized with him right away. He had vices of drinking and smoking. His father's mother was greatly opposed to his decision.

He talked about the power of the Book of Mormon to change lives. He talked about asking God in great faith that He will answer and He will answer.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10
9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself aunspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of bprayer and offer up thy csacraments upon my dholy day;
10 For verily this is a aday appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
He talked of the sacrament. He said that it makes sacrament the most sacred meeting in the Church.

He talked of preparing ourselves to partake in the ordinance of the sacrament. We bring a broken heart and contrite spirit.

The savior commanded the people to end the practice of sacrificing animals and offer a broken heart and contrite spirit. How offensive this must have been to the unbelievers and those that believed in the previous religious traditions that had been built upon the previous revealed word of the Lord.

If we are going to the beach our clothing, including our footwear will indicate it. The same should be true of when we go to participate in the sacrament.

He talked of those to not be involved in behaviors that get in the way of others. He talked of not texting, talking on a cell phone, talking to others, reading books or magazines.

Sacrament meeting music is for worship and not for performance.

I think this is an occasion when the gospel should be presented, when we should be called upon to exercise faith, and to reflect on the mission of our Redeemer, and to spend time in the consideration of the saving principles of the gospel, and not for other purposes. Amusement, laughter, light-mindedness, are all out of place in the sacrament meetings of the Latter-day Saints. We should assemble in the spirit of prayer, of meekness, with devotion in our hearts. I know of no other place where we can gather where we should be more reflective and solemn and where more of the spirit of worship should be maintained. [Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:342]

3 Nephi 18:11-13
11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in aremembrance of my bblood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my arock.
13 But whoso among you shall do amore or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall bfall, and the cgates of hell are ready open to receive them.

All that participate in this sacred ordinance stand on holy ground.

Appropriate dress especially applies to those that administer the ordinance. Nothing they wear should distract others from this sacred ordinance.

"May I suggest that wherever possible a white shirt be worn by the deacons, teachers, and priests who handle the sacrament. For sacred ordinances in the Church we often use ceremonial clothing, and a white shirt could be seen as a gentle reminder of the white clothing you wore in the baptismal font and an anticipation of the white shirt you will soon wear into the temple and onto your missions." - Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘This Do in Remembrance of Me’,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 67

There seemed like there was a lot more singing during this session of conference. At one point there was a song, announcement of the program and then another song. I don't think I have ever seen two songs in a row before.

He related another story about his childhood and the World War II. His mother had left the train they were on to find food for her children. When she got back she found that the train was not there. She prayed that Father would help her find her children. She eventually found the train and it had been moved around the rail station.

Faith hope and charity are the legs of a three legged stool.

Even after witnessing the destruction of his people Moroni still had hope.

Lack of faith, Being caught in despair, and not caring for our fellow man can lead us to temptation.

Because God has kept his promises in the past we can know that we can trust him in the present and in the future.

We cultivate hope just like we learn to walk...one step at a time.

As we grow each of the legs of the stool the others grow as well.

Present circumstances will give way to future blessings if we are faithful.

Jeremiah 17:7
Blessed
is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

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