Thoughts From General Conference

From Mormon.org: Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide gather twice yearly for what they call general conference. This is in addition to their weekly worship services each Sunday. General conferences are conducted each April and October and comprise five two-hour meetings held over two days.

In Utah, conference is broadcast over network t.v. Here in South Carolina, we watched conference through the internet. If this intro sounds familiar, it's because I used it last April when I did a similar blog post.

Here are some of my favorite parts. They are from my memory and are mostly paraphrased. Also, since I was traveling all day yesterday (more on that in a future blog post), I watched all four sessions today. Consequently, some sessions got more of my attention than others.

• Boyd K. Packer - Tolerance is a virtue, but like all virtues, if taken to excess, it becomes a vice.

• Craig A. Cardon - The Lord wants to forgive us. This applies regardless of the severity of the sin and also applies to repetitive weaknesses such as addictions.

• Richard G. Scott - One of the greatest blessings we can give the world is to have a Christ-centered home.

• Quentin L. Cook - Personal peace leads to an abiding deep happiness and personal contentment.

• Stanley L. Ellis - We are not spiritual orphans; we are not alone. (I have a special place in my heart for Elder Ellis because he was in our stake in Houston and because an article he wrote helped prompt me to get ready for Jalen.)

• David A. Bednar - Procreation is the ultimate expression of our divine nature and potential and is a way of strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife.

• Dieter F. Uchtdorf - There are dark places, but we don't have to dwell there. Spiritual light rarely comes to someone sitting in the dark waiting for someone to flip the light switch.

• Rosemary Wixom - Precious moments to connect with our children are lost when we are distracted. We need to disconnect from technology and connect with our children.

• L. Whitney Clayton - In marriage, couples should act as equal partners, spend quality time together, read to children together, retire together, have complete transparency, be faithful physically and also virtually.

• L. Tom Perry - Agency is a gift from God, but liberty comes from obedience to commandments.

• Jeffrey R. Holland - The size of your faith or the degree of knowledge you have is not the issue, it is the integrity to what you do know that matters.

• Dallin H. Oaks - Many today fear men more than God. Christ's teachings were not theoretical.

• Christoffel Gorden Jr. - When we finally see God, we will be surprised at how familiar He is to us.

• Cristobel Farabella - In order to contend, you need two people, and I will never be one of them. And David's favorite: A child who sings is a happy child.

• Eric Kopischke - Having the Holy Ghost as our constant companion is the best indicator that our life is acceptable to God.

• President Thomas S. Monson - Be good citizens, good neighbors, be tolerant. May your homes be full of peace, harmony and love, filled with the Spirit that will protect you from the buffetings of Satan.

There are some groups that watch conference with the intent to critique or challenge things that are said. I watch conference to learn and be reminded of eternal truths. I always come away spiritually uplifted and fed.