It's Your Choice

With every general conference I talk I think to myself "This is my favorite talk so far!" Every talk doesn't just have nuggets but CHUNKS of inspiring words! I love studying these talks and hearing what the Lord is trying to say to me. They are encouraging, they are pact full of knowledge, and they are full of light.

This morning I was studying over Elder Vern P. Stanfill's October 2015 General Conference talk "Choose the Light". He says that "Apostolic voices urge us to prepare ourselves with the powerful light of spiritual strength." Like we learned in our last talk, we need to be prepared before we act. He says we need that spiritual strength BEFORE the trials and tough experiences come. He gave three strong points on how we can do this.
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1. No matter how intense the darkness of doubt, we choose how long and to what extent we allow it to influence us.
• There is nothing wrong with relying temporarily upon the light of those who love us and have our best interests at heart
• It is not wise to place our eternal well-being in the hands of strangers, those who claim enlightenment who have no light to give at all, or those who have private hidden agendas (aka: social media influences hiding behind a screen)
• Those who truly love us can help us build our faith
2. We must trust in the Lord in order to develop spiritual strength within ourselves.
• We must act, expecting the Lord will fulfill His promise to lift us from the darkness if we draw near unto Him
• "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith" (Uchtdorf)
• When faced with questions or tempted to doubt, we should REMEMBER the spiritual blessings and feelings that have penetrated our hearts and lives in the past and place our faith in Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ
• To ignore and discount past spiritual experiences will distance us from God
• A Promise to those who accept it: That which is of God is light; and he that received light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day
• His influence will bring us confidence, determination, comfort, and --most important -- the power to know that He lives
3. There is no darkness so dense, so menacing, or so difficult that it cannot be overcome by light.
• The Lord prepares the way for those who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater confirmation, and greater confidence in the spiritual direction they are traveling
• The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light in the emerging twilight

We have the power to choose belief over doubt. In order to access the promised compensatory spiritual power, we must choose:

• to heed prophetic counsel
• recognize and act upon spiritual promptings
• be obedient to God's commandments
• seek personal revelation

We must choose. May we choose the light of the Savior. 

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Agency. When it comes down to it, agency is what all of it is about. We choose to be prepared. We choose to act this way or that. We choose which kind of people influence us and for how long. We choose to seek out His light or be lead down a path of no light. We choose to follow His commandments or not. We choose to make Him our top priority or something else. He gives us commandments and He also gives us tools and ways to follow them. He does not leave us alone!

So, are we going to answer His knocking on our door and let Him in? It's your choice.

Family Home Evening: Teach Your Children

Opening Song: Teach Me To Walk in the Light, Children's Song Book #177
Opening Prayer: Assign
Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 68:25-31

FIVE-POINT PROGRAM BY WHICH PARENTS COULD TEACH FAITH: Summarizing the scripture
*Italics - our answers given by my children or me
* Suggestion: Make strips of 5 points to have each child hold or place up on the wall as you speak of each.

1. Their children were to be baptized when they had reached the age of accountability -- Why are we baptized? What is so important about it? (So we can get clean and so our sins can be washed away)
2. They were taught to pray -- When do we pray? What do we pray over? Why do we pray? (Before we eat, in the morning and at night. Food, our day or night, people we know, etc)
3. They were taught to walk uprightly before the Lord -- What does it mean to walk uprightly before the Lord? (This also means to choose the right or building up personal integrity. As we continue to choose the right, we become honest and trustworthy people walking uprightly before the Lord.)
4. They were taught to keep the Sabbath Day Holy -- What special day do we have during the week? Why is it special? Where do we go on this day? What kind of activities do we do or not do on this day? (Sunday. Because you get to visit Heavenly Father's house and feel the Holy Spirit. We watch gospel oriented videos, play together as a family, not go out shopping, etc)
5. They were to be schooled not to be idle, either in the Church, or in their private lives -- What does idle mean? (To be lazy or not progressing. The Lord wants us to be going about doing good, increasing our faith and others, too. As we learn to work hard by doing chores, it helps our house become clean and orderly. Can the Spirit dwell in our home if it is dirty, cluttered, trash all over the floor and smelly? No, the Spirit cannot dwell in any unclean thing. We do chores to help our home be orderly and invites the Spirit. I'm teaching you to do your own chores so you won't be idle. We first do chores, then our fun activities. We can't progress if all we do is things to entertain ourselves and not helping others around us.)

"All parents who have followed that formula and have so taught their children have reaped reward of an increased faith in their family, which has stood and will yet stand the test of the difficulties into which their children would yet go." ((President Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1952, p.17)

WHY WE HAVE FAMILY HOME EVENING

"We advise and urge the inauguration of a 'Home Evening' throughout the Church, at which time father and mother may gather their boys and girls about them in the home, and teach them the word of the Lord...This 'Home Evening' should be devoted to prayer, singing hymns, songs, instrumental music, scripture reading, family topics, and specific instructions on the principles of the gospel, and on the ethical problems of life, as well as the duties and obligations of children to parents, the home, the Church, society, and the nation." (Letter to the Church in 1915 signed by President Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund and Charles W. Penrose)

PROMISE FROM HOLDING FAMILY HOME EVENING

Then to those who would put this family home hour or evening into practice the Presidency made this promise:

"If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them." (President Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1964, pp.83-84)

BEAR YOUR TESTIMONY

Bear your testimony that as you hold Family Home Evenings, that this promise is true and can increase the faith within your family and help you to live the principles of the Gospel which can protect us from whatever temptations or difficulties that come our way.

Closing Song: I Will Follow God's Plan, CSB p. 164-165
Closing Prayer: Assign

Activity:  Coloring Pages for younger kids while you teach the lesson.

What I am Getting Out of General Conference

One theme that I am hearing throughout all of the conference talks is that we will be blessed with protection from the Adversary and his temptations IF we will but follow His commandments. We are being given "iffy" blessings as was James Covill in the Doctrine and Covenants 39. If we obey, we will be blessed.

[To see more General Conference today, October 2nd -- go to http://www.byu.tv/ to see the live sessions at 12:00 EST and 4:00pm EST (10am MST/2pm MST)


[SATURDAY OCTOBER 1ST MORNING/AFTERNOON SESSIONS]

Elder Richard G. Scott
He repeated the invitation given to us at the General Relief Society Session to pray to be filled with charity. He wants us to love our neighbor like unto ourselves. We will be blessed with His Spirit to have a stronger conviction to be righteous IF we cleave unto charity and are consistently reading the Book of Mormom.
Sister Barbara Thompson
IF we want to receive our own personal revelation, we need to be humble and soften our hearts. Then as we read the scriptures and live righteously, the Lord will then bless us with revelation. As we are seeking to know His will, remember that we need to seek for wisdom, not power. Our testimonies will grow in strength that can fill in the holes and gaps in our lives only IF we keep nourishing it through church attendance, praying, renewing our covenants, etc.

Elder L. Whitney Clayton
Testified that there is a Savior and claims so with authority that he is Jesus Christ. Growth of the church is expanding throughout the world bc we can claim authority that he is our Savior.

President Thomas S. Monson
Building of temples is the most important of building bc it is where we can build eternal relationships through the sealing power of the Priesthood. How wonderful it is that we can now help others attend the temple through the General Temple Patron Fund!!!

Elder Jose L Alonso
We need to be doing the right thing at the right time without delay! We need to go out and seek for those lost sheep. Some of them may not even know that they are lost! The Lord doesn't ever lose sight of His children! What does Heavenly Father expect from us? Our thinking, actions, testimonies and devotions to be directed towards the building up of His kingdom. We can do this by bringing back those lost sheep to the fold, to strengthen them, to help them.

President Boyd K. Packer
To our youth of the church -- who are more faithful, more knowledgeable of the Gospel. Some warnings and counsel to you: We need to remember the importance of the power of procreation is only permitted within the bounds of lawful matrimony between a husband and wife lawfully wedded. We can be given our own "iffy" blessings through our patriarchal blessings given to us by the Patriarch. He has the spirit of revelation and prophecy given to him with authority of the Priesthood. We must listen for the voice of the Spirit as he whispers to us. Learn how to hear it and feel it! His spiritual voice will and can correct our actions. IF if we listen to the Spirit, he will protect us as we are being raised up in enemy territory.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
We need to retain the importance of the greatness of God and our own nothingness. The Lord made this universe for our benefit. Satan wants to deceive us, puff us up and prey on our pride. He will try to discourage us and tell us we have no worth. What matters? Doing your best in the situation we are in, not where we are and what our rank is in the world. The Lord uses a different scale for determining the worth of our souls.
1. God loves the humble and meek.
2. Lord entrusts his work to his servants, the weak ones.
3. No matter how little you have, you are not invisible to Heavenly Father!
4. What you experience now is not for forever.
HOLD ON. YOU MATTER TO HIM!

Elder David A. Bednar
We need to be turning our hearts to our fathers through family history and genealogy. We can become "Saviors on Mount Zion" as we attend the temple and do proxy work for our ancestors. As we are doing the work on family history, the Lord promises us protection. We are the Lord's agents and it is our duty and privilege to do this work!

Elder Neil. L. Andersen
Concerning the area of if and when and how many children to have -- answer this question by prayer and faith. Motherhood is what God gave us time for. Where is our faith?

Elder Ian. S Ardern
We need to be using our time wisely. Love is really spelled T.I.M.E.! Don't let technology overtake your time from prayer, scripture studying, etc. Don't let them become addictions.  We need to master them by balancing our time with the Lord, Family, Work and Wholesome Recreational Activities.

Elder Carl. B. Cook
Prophets redirect our focus heavenward. "It is better to look up!" (President Thomas S. Monson)

[Sadly, my kids started acting up right about this talk so I didn't get to take notes after this. But wow...what amazing instruction! I love General Conference!]

Suggestions from President Hinckley

In Doctrine & Covenants 25 the Lord gives callings, counsel or warnings and promises to Emma Smith in this revelation.  Here is a breakdown of each of these:

Callings

• Comforter to her husband
• Scribe to her husband
• Called to exhort the scriptures
• Write and learn
• Comprise the first Church hymnal

Counsel or Warnings

• Don't complain
• Use consoling words
• Seek for the higher things in life rather than worldly things
• Beware of pride
• Follow the commandments

Promises

• Receive the Holy Ghost
• Husband will support you in your temporal needs
• Singing praises from the hymns will receive answers
• A crown of righteousness given

In my class study course material it gives several quotes from President Gordon B. Hinckley.  Here are his suggestions concerning the main responsibilities the Lord outlines for all women in this revelation:

Suggestions

• Don't complain bc we don't understand the Lord's work
• Speak consoling words in the spirit of meekness -- stop arguing and yelling in our homes
• Keep a journal for the benefit of our future, families and others
• Don't be obsessed with worldly things but set our thoughts on higher things that are eternal like love, charity, service
• Read and reflect on this revelation to us

When singing we need not just sing bc we enjoy it or are good at it.  The Lord tells us in this revelation that we need to sing with purpose and have "the song of the heart" and "the song of the righteous".  This meaning that we need to be singing with a prayer in our hearts, singing with the Spirit to our Lord as we praise and supplicate our gratitude, needs and remembrances.  This Sunday try to sing with your heart and not just your voice. The Spirit will come upon us as we do so and we can feel our Savior's love surround us when we do this. That is a promise!

Remember Remember

• Nephi gives his thesis statement if you will in the last chapter of 1 Nephi, 1 Nephi 30-31. The purpose of his writings in the plastes of brass --
• ...they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God.
• ...Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day...
• I remember how in Seminary class, my teacher would drill into us that it was so important for us to REMEMBER the Lord and his commandments bc it is when we forget and forsake the Lord that we lose his blessings and promises from keeping the commandments.  So every time in the scriptures when it has the phrase "if you keep my commandments, you shall prosper" I think REMEMBER in my head. 
• Throughout this first book, each story shows the consequences of either following the commandments or disboeying them.  When I think of my kids, I can't seem to understand why they would do something they know will get them into trouble.  Most of the time, their answer is "I don't know, bc it was fun?"  I'm sure Heavenly Father feels the same way about us.  Just follow these rules and I will bless you!!! We're basically throwing away blessings when we choose to not follow his commandments. I know it is easier said than done but logically it seems right. 
• In Lehi's dying words, he instructs his children on 3 things in 2 Nephi 1-2:
• Exhorts his sons to repent, obey and put on the armor of righteousness
• Testifies of the Atonement
• Teaches the importance of opposition and freedom to choose
• I see a repeated promise in his words in 2 Nephi 1:7, 9
• ...And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them;
• ...inasmuch as those who the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land...and if it so be they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land...
• Ok, keep his commandments, we'll prosper and be blessed.  Got it!
• In 2 Nephi 1:21, it seems like Lehi is basically telling his children to grow up, act like adults and get along and the way to do that is to be united together. 
• ...arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things...
• Trials are here to help us grow and progress. The Lord shall consecrate thine afflictions for they gain. (2 Nephi 2:2)
• Lehi says in 2 Nephi 2:14 I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning.  He is trying to leave some words of wisdom before he dies.  He then starts to talk about how God gave us our free agency (...the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself... 2 Nephi 2:16) He had previously spoken about there is opposition in all things.
• Funny that this should be read now.  This last week I had to watch my daughter go through a tough experience at school.  There was a boy teasing her, who egg'd on others to tease her as well.  It made her cry and she was so hurt that this boy would spread lies about her.  She was too scared to tell her teacher.  As my husband and I talked with her, we told her that telling her teacher is the right choice bc she doesn't have to put up with this, that as a daughter of God, she deserves more respect.  We told her we should include her in our prayers to be given the courage and strength to get through this situation.  We tried telling her that it doesn't matter what those kids think, it matters what she thinks but it didn't make her hurt feelings feel any better.  I told her I would talk to her teacher the next day after school if they kept it up.  Although when I went to get her, the teacher told me that KJ had spoken to her already and they fixed the problem (the boy's parents were notified and he wrote an apology note).  She found the courage to speak up for herself and I was so happy that she did.  That was yesterday and today I read about how we have to have opposition in all things so that we may know good from evil, joy from sorrow, happiness from pain.  My daughter can't learn unless she experiences herself first hand, not me fixing her problems for her.