General Conference Sunday Morning Session April 6, 2008

President Dieter F. UchtDorf - Second Counselor in the First Presidency (Audio, Video)

Faith of Our Father

We do not seek nor do we decline callings from God.

He related a story of President Monson climbing the stairs to the fifth floor to visit an ailing member in Hamburg, Germany after having had foot surgery. Some things are worth the hardships we have to go through to have them. This experience I think was that to President Monson.

Elder Uchtdorf said that his ancestors were an ocean away when the pioneers crossed the plains. He said that his ancestors did not settle Nauvoo or cross the plains, but he claims the heritage of those great pioneers.

He stated that there are those that do not join the Church because they do not want to dishonor the heritage of their ancestors who were of another faith.

We should be concerned with what pleases God and not what pleases our ancestors.

Elder D. Todd Chistofferson - Apostle (Audio, Video)

Born Again

He is the newest called apostle. He gave some introduction and history of himself and his family.

He spoke of an instance where a recently retired minister of another faith, who he did not know came to his home, because he was concerned for the welfare of his soul. He was concerned about this since Brother Christofferson was a member of the LDS church.

This was of interest to me since this happens very frequently to me. We received a similar letter with a DVD enclosed from a friend of my wife's family just a short time ago. Much like what was expressed by Elder Christofferson this man was sincere and I too felt appreciative of the man's interest in me. I could understand how, if he truly believed I was being led astray and my soul was in danger it took great courage and concern to reach out.

He said that one thing that he recalls about their visit was a discussion they had on being born again. Elder Christofferson noted that being born again requires a change within us and not just a one time act.

He gave some scriptures related to being born agin:
born of water and of the Spirit (see John 3:3–5).

the change from natural man to saint (see Mosiah 3:19).

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2).

“We are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments . . . all the remainder of our days” (Mosiah 5:5; emphasis added).

“Because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name” (Mosiah 5:7; see also D&C 76:24).

“And thus they become new creatures” (Mosiah 27:24–26).

"...faith unto repentance” (Alma 34:15).

Elder Sheldon F. Child - Seventy (Audio, Video)

The Best Investment

Tithing
Malachi 3:8, 10
8 ¶ ^aWill a man ^brob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In ^ctithes and offerings.

10 Bring ye all the ^atithes into the storehouse, that there may be ^bmeat in mine house, and ^cprove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not ^dopen you the ^ewindows of heaven, and pour you out a ^fblessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Elder Sheldon stated, "The Lord asked Israel to prove Him, to test Him, to have faith in Him so that He would be able to keep His promise to them."

His mother told him that her father always told them that tithing was the best investment that one could ever make.

President Heber J. Grant stated, “I want to say to you, if you will be honest with the Lord, paying your tithing and keeping His commandments, He will not only bless you with the light and inspiration of His Holy Spirit, but you will be blessed in dollars and cents; you will be enabled to pay your debts, and the Lord will pour out temporal blessings upon you in great abundance.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1898, 16)

Susan W. Tanner - Just released as Young Woman General President (Audio, Video)

My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord

2 Nephi 4:15–16

15 And upon ^athese I ^bwrite the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul ^cdelighteth in the scriptures, and my heart ^dpondereth them, and writeth them for the ^elearning and the profit of my children.

16 Behold, my ^asoul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my ^bheart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

She listed things of the Lord that she delights in.

President Boyd K. Packer - President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (Audio, Video)

The Twelve

“He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”(John 14:12)

When Jesus taught that he was the Son of God many were offended by it.
"Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" John 6:60, 66–68.

"In 1976 an area general conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following the closing session, President Spencer W. Kimball desired to visit the Vor Frue Church, where the Thorvaldsen statues of the Christus and of the Twelve Apostles stand. He had visited there some years earlier and wanted all of us to see it, to go there.

"We walked to the back of the chapel where the rest of the group was standing. Pointing to the statues, President Kimball said to the kind custodian, 'These are the dead Apostles.' Pointing to me, he said, 'Here we have the living Apostles. Elder Packer is an Apostle. Elder Thomas S. Monson and Elder L. Tom Perry are Apostles, and I am an Apostle. We are the living Apostles.

'You read about the Seventies in the New Testament, and here are two of the living Seventies, Elder Rex D. Pinegar and Elder Robert D. Hales.'" (From this talk)

President Thomas S. Monson - Prophet (Audio, Video)

Looking Back and Moving Forward

He talked about President Hickleys passing and how the Church has and will move forward.

He also talked about enduring.
"We are waging a war with sin, my brothers and sisters, but we need not despair. It is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so. He is at the helm. We have nothing to fear. He is the God of light. He is the God of hope. I testify that He loves us—each one."

General Conference Saturday Morning Session April 5, 2008

Session Audio and Video
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf - Second Counselor in the First Presidency (Audio, Video)
The Sustaining of Church Officers

He led a Solemn Assembly. We sustained President Monson as the new prophet and the new first presidency and the new Quorum of the Twelve Apostles today. They did it with a solemn assembly, which each quorum votes individually starting with the First Presidency and ending with the Young Women of the Church.

Elder Russell M. Nelson - Apostle (Audio, Video)
Salvation and Exaltation
Why did God give prophets and apostles? Ephesians 4:11-14

11 And he ^agave some, ^bapostles; and some, ^cprophets; and some, ^devangelists; and some, ^epastors and ^fteachers;

12 For the ^aperfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the ^bedifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the ^aunity of the faith, and of the ^bknowledge of the Son of God, unto a ^cperfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more ^achildren, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of ^bdoctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Article of Faith 3 "We believe that through the ^aAtonement of Christ, all ^bmankind may be ^csaved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."
An example of a law would be "Thou shalt not kill." An example of an ordinance would be baptism.
Obeying Jesus is possible or he wouldn't have told us to.

Elder Nelson stated that the development of faith in the Lord is an individual matter. Salvation and repentance is also an individual matter. It can not be coerced by a government or group.

Resurrection or being saved from physical death is free. Exaltation or Eternal Life or being saved from spiritual death is a conditional gift. Heb. 5: 9 "And being made ^aperfect, he became the ^bauthor of eternal ^csalvation unto all them that obey him; " (see also Matt. 6: 24, Luke 16: 13, Acts 5:32)

Moses taught, "And thou shalt ^ateach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt ^btalk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. " Deut. 6: 7, Deut. 11: 19

Elder Nelson counseled us, "Parents love each other and treat our children as an heritage from the Lord."

We are release from church callings, but we are never released as parents.

The Church is to assist and not replace parents in their sacred responsibilities.

Do not try to control your children. Listen to them.

He reminded us of what God's work is. Moses 1:39 - "For behold, this is my ^awork and my ^bglory—to bring to pass the ^cimmortality and ^deternal ^elife of man. "

We will be judged by the desires of our hearts as well as by our actions.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband - Presidency of the Seventy (Audio, Video)
Special Experiences
"These solemn assemblies confirm to us that this is the Lord's true and living church." I find living church to be an interesting phrase.

D&C 1: 23 - "That the ^afulness of my ^bgospel might be ^cproclaimed by the ^dweak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before ^ekings and ^frulers."

"Our personal journey through life provides us with many special experiences that become building blocks of faith and testimony."
"Let us remember our own spiritual experiences" They will be to us spiritual building blocks.

Cheryl C. Lant - Primary General President (Audio, Video)
Righteous Traditions
What are our traditions? Do are our traditions lead us to where we want to go?

Elder Kenneth Johnson - Seventy (Audio, Video)
Restoring Faith in the Family
I have often thought that religion is a type of science. You read the materials of authorities in the field and then apply the principles they outline.

Elder Johnson stated, "Scientists gain their knowledge mainly through research, conducting experiments, and the application of intellect.
Disciples of Christ receive their witness by studying His words, observing His works, putting gospel principles into practice, and receiving the spirit of inspiration."

He also talked of the necessity of education. " It is, therefore, our responsibility to safeguard the home as a center of learning where these virtues can be instilled in an atmosphere of love and through the power of example."

You can also see some counsel on this in Proverbs 22:6.

He stated that he learned loyalty, integrity, and dependability in the home of his parents.

"...never be satisfied with anything less than your best efforts."

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin- Apostle (Audio, Video)
Concern for the One
Elder Wirthlin stated, "True disciples of Jesus Christ have always been concerned for the one." He then quoted Matthew 18:11. (See also Luke 15:4.)
11 For the aSon of man is come to bsave that which was clost.
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred asheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

He stated that three reasons people get lost is because they are different, they are weary, or they have strayed.

He spoke of having compassion for those that are different. He related a story of a child that was picked on when he was in school. After a while he stood up for the boy. He thought this would damage his friendship with the boys doing the teasing, but rather they drew closer to him and they had increased compassion for the boy they had teased.

The Lord often chooses the weak things of the word. The Lord is aware of their limitations and also their strengths.

The question is not if we will trip or fall. It is how we will respond to those trials.

1 Cor. 2: 14
14 But the anatural man breceiveth not the things of the cSpirit of God: for they are dfoolishness unto him: neither can he eknow them, because they are fspiritually gdiscerned.

President Henry B. Eyring - 1st Counselor in the First Presidency (Audio, Video)
The True and Living Church
Elder Eyring stated, "This is the true Church, the only true Church, because in it are the keys of the priesthood. Only in this Church has the Lord lodged the power to seal on earth and to seal in heaven as He did in the time of the Apostle Peter. Those keys were restored to Joseph Smith, who then was authorized to confer them upon the members of the Quorum of the Twelve.
When the Prophet Joseph was murdered, the enemies of the Church thought that the Church would die. They thought it was the creation of a mortal man and therefore would perish with him. But their hopes were dashed. It was the true Church, and it also had the power to live on, even when those chosen for a time to lead it died.
Those that killed the prophet Joseph thought that it was the church of a man and would die with him."

Because of the disobedience of the members of the church following Christ's day, the church was removed from them. this was called the apostasy. If we are not obedient we will lose that which we have as well.

"Those who never give up will find that God never gave up and that He will help them."