Standards Night Weber Heights Stake 9-14-08

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.

Sunday May 20, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
The first speaker was one of the young women. She chose 4 standards (agency, media, repentance, and education) from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet to speak on.

Below is what the pamphlet says on each subject with comments I noted from the speaker.

Agency and Accountability
Pamphlet- "Choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances. Take responsibility for the choices you make. Develop your abilities and talents, and use them for good. Avoid idleness and be willing to work hard."

Education
Pamphlet- "Prepare to be an influence for good in the world. Obtain an education, and be enthusiastic about learning. Attend seminary."
Speaker - She noted that being diligent in your school work is very important education also means seeking after spiritual knowledge. She also quoted Alma 37: 35"O, remember, my son, and ^alearn^bwisdom in thy ^cyouth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God."

Entertainment and the Media
Pamphlet - "Choose uplifting entertainment. Avoid anything that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Commit to keeping God’s standards."

Speaker - She quoted the 13th Article of Faith. "^aWe believe in being ^bhonest, true, ^cchaste, ^dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing ^egood to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we ^fhope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to ^gendure all things. If there is anything ^hvirtuous, ⁱlovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."Repentance
Pamphlet - "Through the Savior’s Atonement, you can receive forgiveness and be cleansed from your sins when you repent. Confess your sins to the Lord and to those you have wronged. If the sins are serious, you also need to confess them to your bishop."

Second speaker
Young Woman Personal Progress program
The true measure of growth is not how tall you are, but what is in your heart.Third speaker
Duty to God program for young men
The program is for young men to learn how to serve God and be good men. One aspect of this is when young men reach a certain age they are expected to help visit everyone in their congregation. He also quoted Alma 37: 35.

The folly of youth is not what is expected. They may still act foolishly at times, but this program let's them know that is not what is expected of them.

Sunday School
Luke 15 and Matthew 18:11-14
Prodigal son
We get very caught up in how much work it is to take care of the 99 that we don't go after the 1.

Ten Lepers
Nine were healed skin deep, but only one was made whole.

Priesthood
The reality of Satan. He seeks to make everyone miserable like unto himself (2 Ne. 2: 27).

His tactics are like the frog in boiling water. He slowly turns up the heat and you don't even notice. He gives you little temptations. If you give into it, then the next things is slightly bigger and more severe of a sin. We get use to things being shown to us that are sinful and we resist it less. Gradually the frog is boiled, because he doesn't realize the water is getting hot.

One does not yield to a henous sin without having first yielded to smaller ones.
Satan can not force us to do anything. Through using our agency, free will, we are more powerful than he is. To bolster our will, we should call upon God through Christ when those temptations start and be prepared to listen to the promptings we receive from him.

Right decisions are easier to make before we are in the depths of temptation.
Satan knows that where we were weak before we will be vulnerable again. We must fortify our weaknesses. We must be extra cautious around temptations that have tripped us up before.

When cows break through the fence they will again return to the spot in the fence that they broke before, so the owner of the cow must be very carefull to put extra fortifications in that area.