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| I love and adore this man! He IS my better half. We were so tired here. We went on a double date the night before with Ben's brother and sister-in-law. We went to a movie and a late dinner at Tucanos. We didn't get to bed until around midnight. We woke the next morning around 6 to the ground covered with snow. It was beautiful. |
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| It was so cold! |
Ben and I saw a couple of people from our ward. I visit teach one of the ladies, so it was fun seeing them and sitting with them at the first conference session.
I learned something amazing: The speakers for conference are not given a topic to speak on. They are told to fast and pray about what they need to speak about. How cool is that!
I want to share with you some of the notes I took at conference!
General Conference, Saturday, April 2, morning session:
Speaker- L. Tom Perry- of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.
Live a Christ centered life.
On the sabbath day keep ourselves unspotted from the world, have a house of prayer/ offer prayer, rest from our labors, dress appropriately: formal Sunday acquire.
All of us make mistakes.
Confess thy sins.
Teach children to be examples of the beliefs.
Keep his sacred day holy.
Speaker- Jean A. Stevens- First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency:
Children are first to love and first to forgive.
The greatest in the kingdom look for opportunities to serve.
Children are teachable and full of faith.
Behold our children.
God gave us families to help us become what we are supposed to be.
Become as a little child.
Speaker- Walter Gonzalez- of the Presidency of the 70:
Followers of Christ make and keep covenants.
Follow His (Christ) example.
Following Christ may mean forsaking things.
Attend the temple.
Speaker- Kent F. Richards- of the 70:
He (our savior, Jesus) knows from experience how to heal and help us. He chose to suffer for our sins to know us better, and to help us and heal us.
His grace is sufficeth.
Speaker- Quentin L. Cook- of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
Women have strength, virtue, love, and raise future generation.
Women are incredible for the way they deal with adversity and trials, and labor in the vineyard for the salvation of man.
Speaker- Henry B. Eyring- First Counselor in the First Presidency:
Include children in the opportunity to serve.
He told a story about a child handing the tithing envelope to the bishop, and learning from a young age the importance of tithing. This inspired me to have the kids take turns handing the tithing envelope to the bishop, and also paying tithing off of allowance money or money they earn.
Everyone is happier when they can provide for themselves and reach out to help others.
Spend less than we earn.
It is better to give than to receive.
Welfare work is the power and blessing of unity.
Bear yourselves and those you lead.
Choose as recipients of your service people within the kingdom or in the community whose needs will touch the hearts of those who will give the service.
Plan to draw on the power of the bonds of families, of quorums, of auxiliary organizations, and of people you know in your communities.
I got the following from http://www.lds.org/ This was from his talk as well:
Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love. 1
General Conference, Sunday, April 3, morning session:
Speaker- Dieter F. Uchtdorf- Second Counselor in the First Presidency:
Study it out first and then pray for answers.
Listen to the still small voice.
Pray and ask, "Lord, what will thou have me do?"
It is vital that we serve each other.
Be sensitive to the needs of others.
Often, answers to our prayers come not when we are on our knees, but on our feet; pushing forward, serving etc.
Open your mouth at all times to speak of the truth of the Gospel at all times, all things, all places.
Share uplifting stories.
Use your hands to text the message of the Lord. The best way to preach and teach the Gospel is through example.
Opportunities are all around us. Do not miss the opportunity .
Do not doubt, remember.
Speaker- Paul V. Johnson- of the seventy:
Growth can not come by taking the easy way.
Put trust in God and you will be supported through your trials and tribulation.
Speaker- H. David Burton- Presiding Bishop:
Develop the distinguished difference between needs and wants.
Avoid debt.
Follow the Lord.
Be of service.
Love and care for your neighbors.
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, minister the sick.
Work of the Lord; go and do thou likewise.
Speaker- Silvia H. Allred- First Counselor of the Relief Society General Presidency:
Love one another and serve one another.
The church welfare program helps members become self-reliant.
Relief Society has always been at the heart of welfare. When the Prophet Joseph Smith organized the Relief Society in 1842, he said to the women, "This is the beginning of better days to the poor and the needy." He told the sisters that the purpose of the society was "relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and the exercise of all benevolent purposes.... They will pour in oil and wine to the wounded heart of the distressed; they will dry up the tears of the orphan and make the widow's heart to rejoice."
It's usually through another person the Lord meets our needs.
Speaker- David A. Bednar- of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
By this talk I was inspired to make baptism exciting for Marshall as he is getting baptized this year. I didn't write anything down that he said about baptism, but you can find it in his talk on http://www.lds.org/
Usually the Lord answers our prayers little increments at a time. The extent or fullness of our answers depends on our worthiness, desire, faithfulness.
Doubts are quite a normal feeling; just keep pressing forward; strengthening and learning.
We receive revelation often without knowing how or when we are receiving it.
Act and not be acted upon.
Sometimes answers or inspiration comes immediately; sometimes not.
Speaker- Thomas S. Monson- President:
This conference marks 3 years since Monson was ordained Prophet.
October 1902, Joseph S. Smith expressed desires for temples.
There are currently 26 temples are under construction or pre-construction.
People have traveled long distances with empty wallets and hungry bellies to go to the temple.
Temples are built with sacrifice and service.
It took 40 years to build the Salt Lake Temple.
No sacrifice is too great, nothing is too heavy to receive the blessings of the temple.
85% of members now live within 200 miles of a temple.
The work is ours to do.
In this talk, Monson told about the importance of introducing children to temples from a young age. When they are raised with the knowledge of the importance and purity of temples, they will have a love for them throughout their life. He told about Spencer W. Kimball suggesting to put a picture of the temple in every kids bedroom, so they can see it daily, and know the importance of it.
This inspired me to do this when we get in to our new home. I will be doing a picture of the temple and a picture of Jesus with a cute (pink) frame in the middle with a cute saying in the frame for the girls room. Marshall's room will have the same pictures except a blue frame in the middle with the cute saying in the frame. I will be hanging them from a curtain rod with ribbon in the girls room, and I still need to figure a cute way to hang Marshall's that will be boyish yet cute. I'll post pictures when I get them made and put up.
I wrote these things down as I heard them. I wish I could have gotten every word written down, but thank goodness for the Ensign :) The words I write may not be the exact order of how the speakers spoke them. I wrote a small section of what the talks were about.
Jesus loves us and wants to have a close relationship with each and every one of us. We just have to let him in. I am working on this. It is easy to let the adversary in, and let doubts and anger flood our mind, but as long as we are pressing forward; serving, loving, and striving to do our best; we will all be truly happy :)
You can read all these wonderful talks and more at www.lds.org
To end this post, here is a picture of Courtney last week. The sun was shining, and it was such a warm, beautiful day. I told the kids to put shoes on so we could go outside and play. Courtney came to me ready to play like THIS:
With the Utah weather, cold one day and hot the next, this seems like a perfect attire to me ;)
What a DOLL!! :) :) :) :) She wore her boots and hat out. She put a coat on after I took this picture, but I had her take it off. She gave her Dora hat to Ben and I to take turns wearing outside........ and we did :)
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