Teach all nations that Jesus is the Christ – the Son of the Living God…”
It is the will of our Father in Heaven that this work moves forward.
This is His Gospel; He stands at the head…He lived for us and He died for us because He loves us.
Preparing for General Conference
I’m really excited for General Conference, more than possibly ever before in my life. I think part of it has to do with my process of recovery from addiction and part due to the missionary experiences I’ve had via Facebook.
I want everyone to know of the “good news” – that Christ does lead the Church today, a church based on the principles of revelation, divine priesthood authority, and prophets and apostles, Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
“We testify to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people that God not only lives but also that He speaks, that for our time and in our day the counsel you have heard is, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, ‘the will of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation’” (D&C 68:4).
Each session of general conference is a continuation of the declaration to “set up an ensign for the nations” (Isaiah 11:12). Elder Holland said the ancient prophecy given by Isaiah is fast at work in these last days, when the “Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains” (Isaiah 2:2).
“Some day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ,” Elder Holland said.
Why Does General Conference Matter?
To me it matters because there will be specific messages that I need to hear – tips, tricks, and guidance to help me be a better husband, father, and overall person. I know there are so many things I can work on and conference lays out a “plan of attack” for at least the next 6 months.
President Monson says “the purpose of conference is to be instructed and inspired. We should join in the conference because ‘we are anxious to listen to the messages which will be presented to us,…many messages, covering a variety of gospel topics, will be given [and] those men and women who will speak to you have sought heaven’s help concerning the messages they will give…they have been impressed concerning that which they will share with us.'”
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, offers similar counsel: “I know the servants of God who will speak to you during . . . conference. They are called of God to give messages to His children. The Lord has said of them: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, explains why we should pay close attention to the messages of conference. “The more we treasure the words of the prophets and apply them, the better we will recognize when we are drifting off course—even if only by a matter of a few degrees.”
I just shared this on my Facebook status:
I had a friend ask me recently what I thought “false prophets” were. I know they are NOT found in this article and would encourage anyone who wonders “what Mormons teach and believe” to listen to, watch, or read what modern day prophets and apostles are sharing in the 182nd Annual General Conference and then ask themselves, “Is this from God or from some other source?”
I found this after sharing that thought:
Because activities that build people up serve Heavenly Father’s cause, activities that tear people down serve Satan’s cause, Elder Oaks says. Children of God should remember that with every choice—even in recreation—they support one cause or the other.
“Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information,” Elder Oaks says. “But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best. When the Lord told us to seek learning, He said, ‘Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom’ (D&C 88:118; emphasis added).” Leisure time should be filled with the best activities rather than those that are merely good.
Again, I’m so excited to be actively involved in conference this year. I’m excited to take notes, to listen, and to seek to understand what Heavenly Father is sharing with me.
I’m excited to find my “favorite talk” from each session of conference and then make that talk a topic of study in the upcoming months.
I know that as I fill my life with quality, wholesome activities, the time-wasters, the addictive tendencies, will get overshadowed and hopefully pushed out of my life.
I’m grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know it’s real and that I can’t survive in this life without His guidance, direction, and grace. I enjoy reading the words of the prophets and writing about my feelings. I hope I can continue to make this a top-priority item on my daily goals list – I know I can.
Hasta manana!
Nate
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