GenCon Sunday PM

Presiding: President Eyring

5th session of 180th Annual GenCon

Choir sings twice.

Fave part about MoTab -- When they sing softly, even with 100's of them, it sounds like they are whispering the words in song. Truly sounds like a chorus of angels.

Speaker: Elder Russell M Nelson

Theme: Families

• Attacks on the family are rampant
• W/o the Atonement, there would be no further continuation of the family through the ages.
• Turning our hearts to our fathers, making family connections through sacred ordinances in the temple
• The New Family Search is a program that helps you prepare names for the temple.
• Start working on family names to make sure names are prepared in the temple.

Speaker: Elder Robert D Hales

Theme: Duty to God

• Starts by parents that live by example
• We can't just be in the same room or go to the same church activities. We must plan and use gospel lessons to interact with our children, use the teaching moments.
• We need to understand the hearts of our children
• It is the family interaction that feeds the soul of children and family members.
• Ask them questions and be willing to listen and/or hearken to them.
• Not just conversing but doing activities with them.
• We need to help them understand who they are and where they came from through Family Home Evenings, family counsels.
  

Speaker: Elder Bradley D Foster

Theme: Influence of a mother

• Nurturing is a spiritual heritage given to mothers
• Even if someone strays, we should never give up on them but go back and find our lost ones
• Assure them that there is always a home for them
• Even Christ looked after his mother after all he went through
• The end will be better than the beginning.
  

Choir and Congregation: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Speaker: Elder James B Mortino

Theme: Reactions to Trials

• The question is not when but how we will face our trials.
• Trials help us develop attributes that we need to become more like Christ
• Trials require us to humble ourselves before God
• 1) Sought to do will of our Father -- He knows the end from the beginning
• 2) When faced with trials, learn to not complain or murmur -- Attempt to correct the problem, find out what to learn or change about yourself
• 3) When facing challenges, turn to a greater power than us for help -- turn to HF in prayer for answers. Answers may not take trial away but help us get through it easier.
• 4) Learn to serve and think of others even in our time of trials -- Repent and follow his example of service. Lose ourselves in service to others and find our happiness through services
• 5) ???

Speaker: Elder Gregory A Schwitzer

Theme: Judgements

• The Lord expects us to not judge others but still use excellent judgements in our decisions.
• Story of Mary and her sister Martha. Am I Mary or Martha?
• Good judgement is needed in judging others and also in making decisions in where the Lord wants me to be
• Standards of Morality are eternal and have not changed, clearly aligned with the gospel of Jesus Christ
• Listen to the messages of the living prophetsCultivate with the holy spirit a relationship of listening
• When facing difficult decisions, following these guidelines will help us make good judgements

Speaker: Francisco

Theme: Replacing fear with faith

• Awful death upon the wicked, spiritual death.
• Haiti -- mourning with those that mourn, comfort those that are in need of comfort
• Help our family members stay away from those things that keep us from living with our HF again
• Atonement can help bring those back to Christ and our HF
• Parents have a sacred duty to raise their children in love and righteousness.
• Read the scriptures daily, pray daily and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Speaker: Neil L Andersen

Theme: The Mind and Will of the Lord

• Talk more about Jesus Christ in the home to our children
• Bear our testimony of JC to them
• Our testimony will never leave our children
• The Spirit of the Lord will accompany us as we bear testimony to our children

Speaker: President Thomas S Monson

Theme: Conclusion

• Live the gospel of the Jesus Christ.
• Study the messages in the Ensign (May)
• The world has left the harbor of peace
• Look to the Lighthouse of the Lord during these times for rescue
• Rock, Fortress, Strength, God
• Evokes the blessings of heaven upon us as we leave

Behold, the power of prayer!

I read a status update of Eden's that reminded me of a situation that happened last week. Here is Eden's story:

couldn't find Kaylyn's hearing aid since Saturday, said a silent prayer this morning after giving up the hunt, 30 seconds later the girls both screamed "Found it!" - it was in their bathroom. "Behold, the power of Prayer!"

Last week I had to go to a government building to pick up our medical records. While going through the medical detector spot, they asked if I had the number to the person/clinic I was meeting to call them to the front door to escort me through the building. I could NOT find my phone for the life of me (her to number was in my phone). When I returned to my car to leave, I scoured the car, the stroller, our coats, my purse...could not find my phone at all. Which was very scary to me as I was in the middle of DC with no phone in case of emergencies. I decided to say a prayer to help me look in the right place. As Eden, within 30 seconds I found my phone is a zippered pocket in my purse that I had not looked in.

BEHOLD, THE POWER OF PRAYER!

Not Running Faster than Your Strength

I was reading in 3 Nephi 18 this today. I picked up the scriptures that were laying on the table during lunch and instead of just opening up to any chapter, I picked this one bc I remembered it talked about the Sacrament's bread and water.

In verse 12 it gives us a promise if we remember to partake of the Sacrament every week:

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 rock.

Every once in a while you wonder if you are on the correct path and doing the things that the Lord would have you do, if your will is aligned with His. Reading this, it reminds me that I am doing what He would want of me. And that I am built upon His rock as I remember Him every week when I partake of the Sacrament. What further gives me comfort is what the verse 13 states next:

But whoso among you shall do more 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 fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.

I love that he says to not do MORE OR LESS THAN THESE. We want to do everything that He asks of us. I think what this scripture is trying to tell us is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple. He gives commandments, we follow them, and then we are blessed for doing them. We don't need to run faster than we have strength for.

Perfection will always be out of our reach, but all He asks of us is to try. Try to follow His commandments and when we fail in one or the other, pick ourselves up, brush the dirt off and continue on our journey towards perfection.

"On Being Spiritually Prepared

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=01b90eb116b66210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

I was studying the First Presidency Message this morning. I looked up the scriptures at the end to find what I need to build my "solid foundation" in the Gospel. Here is what I read about:

1. Repent & have Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Obtain the Holy Ghost to guide you
3. Listen to the Spirit
4. Attend Church often
5. Put on the Armor of God
6. Have hope in the Atonement
7. Search the scriptures

Challenges from President Monson

Today I went to my brother's ward and they were talking about what our Prophet President Monson has asked us to do since he has become our prophet. Below is the list they gave us of those challenges!

Service

• Each of us can do something to help someone
• Recall with me the familiar words of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon; "When ye are in the service of the your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
• We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.
• My brothers and sisters, may we ask ourselves the questions which greeted Dr. Jack McConnell and his brothers and sisters each evening at dinner time; "What have I done for someone today?"
• May the words of a familiar hymn penetrate our very souls and find lodgment in our hearts; "Have I done any good in the world today. . ."

Prayer

• I would ask that your faith and prayers continue to be offered in behalf of those areas where our influence is limited and where we are not allowed to share the gospel freely at this time.
• I would ask once again that you would remember me and all of the General Authorities in your prayers.

Refrain from Anger

• We must choose to refrain from becoming angry.
• May we make a conscious decision, each time such a decision must be made, to refrain from anger and to leave unsaid the harsh and hurtful things we may be tempted to say.
• May we ever be exemplary in our homes and faithful in keeping all of the commandments that we may harbor no animosity toward any man but rather be peacemakers, ever remembering the Savior's admonition, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Other

• May we continue to be faithful in performing [temple] ordinances for those who are unable to do so for themselves.
• We call upon all members to befriend the new convert, to reach out to them, to surround them with love, and to help them feel at home.
• To those who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, [the oath and covenant of the priesthood] is a declaration of our requirement to be faithful and obedient to the laws of God and to magnify the callings which come to us...May we be worthy sons of our Heavenly Father.
• May we incorporate into our daily lives the truths found [in the General Conference issue of the Ensign].
• May every man and woman, boy and girl leave this conference a better person than he or she was when it began two days ago.

No Regrets in 2010!

Several things will be different this year. Like my good friend's theme for this year, NO REGRETS! I don't want to have any regrets. I am going to do the things that I need to, I'll do them better and I'll strive for happiness more than just passing in thought. Here are some of my goals for this year :

1. Read my scriptures diligently first thing in the morning before I turn on the computer. I need to think of questions before I read them and try to find the answers as I am reading. I can come up with questions from reading the summary of each chapter.
2. Go the gym or workout at least 3x's a week to stay in shape.
3. Learn to control my temper better. I want to be able to not shout at my kids or my husband.
4. Think of 5 things that I am grateful for everyday.
5. Dig into my school classes more. I need to get my degree!

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Grateful List

1. Son slept through the night from 2330 -- 0600 instead of waking up every hour.
2. I was able to snuggle with Randy this morning before he got up for PT.
3. Supportive family who are willing to help us out in our transition to moving out East.
4. I was able to finish 2 chapters in my class yesterday and write a paper for it!
5. I have a dr's appointment for Connor today so I can find out how to help him be happier and healthier.

Attributes to work on

1. Be more Optomistic!!!
2. Faithful and obedient

Faith Without Works Is Dead

"Increased faith is as vital and necessary today as it was when Jesus walked the earth. Our modern world struggles with insufficient faith. President Gordon B. Hinckley said in a conference talk: “This is my prayer for all of us. … Increase our faith to bridge the chasms of uncertainty and doubt. … Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future. … Give us faith to do what is right and let the consequences follow."

--James O. Mason, "Faith in Jesus Christ", April 2001 Ensign pg 22

When I think about this statement, I'm called to remember the word ACTION. It is not enough to have faith w/o any action. That is insufficient faith. Faith without works is dead. I have faith that our family can be prepared for the reintegration of Daddy back into our daily lives, but I must do more than just hope for it. I must pray for it. I must read my scriptures in order to remain close to the Spirit. Inviting the Spirit into our lives and home will help guide us as we try to be a family again.