19 March 2011 Adult Session Stake Conference Notes
President Ewell
He went snow camping with YM. He woke up very claustrophobic. Happy to get out of his cave in the morning. Even though his fear was irrational, he could not shake it.
1. The Fear of Man (Lucifer)
2. The Fear of God
Both can motivate us to action.
King Noah feared Abinidi’s words. Then when his high priests taunted him, he delivered Abinidi up to be killed.
Pilate also fear men and decreed the murder of our Lord and Savior.
The third the host of heaven also had fear. They were fearful of failure.
When we fear God, we become motivated to action by our love of God. That’s why shy missionaries goes out and serve, youth stand up for truth, etc. We love God and trust in His power.
Faith in God can help us to be more adventurous. Others may view us as crazy. Having faith in God can be an adrenaline rush. (spiritual) Faith is invigorating.
Our testimony can become so firm that trusting Him becomes second nature.
“I was reading the scriptures and found the following….Don’t you think we need those blessings in our life?”
Our obedience is rewarded with increased faith and trust in God. Our faith can replace our fears.
Is the course that I am pursuing acceptable to the Lord? We can receive confidence and assurance. We will also view some of our weaknesses and know what we need to work on.
More excited about what I can become than feeling “O wretched man that I am.”
Accounting the many spiritual experiences that he has had in the stake presidency.
The Lord is concerned about each of us individually, not just with this big organization.
Every day, take an inventory of our behavior. What motivated my behavior today?
God lives; Jesus Christ is His Son; and we are His.
President Avarell
Help our sons be better husbands and fathers. We can do this by having better marriages ourselves.
How can Bob and I have a better marriage? Listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
1. Love our spouse.
Treat Bob like he is the most important person in the world.
“We loved Him because He first loved us.
Work on your own imperfections instead of seeing other people’s.
Overlook “toothpaste on the mirror.” Let the small things go.
Pray for miracles that our eyes will be closed to the little, inconsequential things.
(Saints recognized Wilford Woodruff; federal officers did not.)
Fay White
Marry the proper who in the proper where. (President Kimball) You will have an infinitely better chance of having happiness throughout eternity.
Why is it so important to have a forever family? A temple sealing is much more than a big happy family reunion at the end of this life.
D&C 132
The ultimate glory of temple sealing is exaltation. All of the covenants that we make in the temple are central to eternal progression.
UN has a policy on keeping families united. Sister White is from Malaysia. She has to prove that her past is good, that she is a good citizen, that she truly is married to her husband, that they have a real relationship, in order for her to stay here with her husband.
We need to uphold our covenants singly and as a unit. The Lord should be a third companion in our marriage.
Set your standards high; prepare yourself for the temple, and look for a temple sealing. It is all about your divine potential to become like your Heavenly Father.
If we live righteously, we can invoke the powers of heaven into our lives every day. We have the potential to become like our Heavenly Father.
President Poulsen
President Poulsen related his experience at 17 when he was kicked out of the popular group because he would not drink or smoke with them.
He was lonely for 3 months. Then he met his wife.
Where does his energy come from.
John 13:44,45: A new commandment…..
1 John—Beloved, if God so loved us, we should love one another.
President Monson—Happiness the object of our existences. 4 hallmarks of a happy home.
#3 A legacy of love
If we love one another and truly understand what love means, miracles will happen.
If you want your children to have courage and fortitude, love them. Look at them through the Savior’s eyes and how He loves His children.
He was born 2 ½ months early. His parents gave him an extra measure of love to help him grow and survive. (Mother and father had to feed him every 30 minutes.)
His stewardship as a stake president, he wants us to know that we are loved.
The genes of our very brains can change. The glass is half full. Fill it.
His love is a result of his parents’ love for him.
How long will our children be with us?
Adults—with we are tender to spouses (and others), if we are affectionate, we can change the very structure of our personalities.
We will have more of the Savior’s love, and we will be able to love more profoundly. Build a legacy of love.
Elder Packer
“I’ve eaten a ton of spinach; I’m feeling good.”
I’m impressed with those of you that are here and that are single. I’m impressed with the single moms that are rearing their children in the church.
A prophetic priority to rescue people (President Monson) He goes with stake presidents to visit young people 19 to 25 years old.
Preach unto them repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach them to be humble, meek, and lowly in the heart…to withstand every temptation of the devil.
1. Repentance—committing people. Commit people to read, pray, and go to church.
Teach my kids how to commit. Repentance really is commitment.
Sister called by 24 year old counselor to be a RS pianist. She did not play the piano. She learned how to play the piano.
2. Preach to them to have Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
24 year old college student aged students what are the rules of this class?
(The boy who had his lunch stolen was willing to take the whipping for the boy who stole it. “I will love you forever for what you did for me.”)
3. Teach them to have meekness and lowliness of heart.
Gratitude of man who was dying of cancer.
4. Teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil
“The that line”—easy to rationalize that it’s not that bad.
5. Teach them to never weary of good works.
92 and 90 year old that took care of the nursery children during RS meetings.
6. Teach them from the Book of Mormon
Elder Christofferson
He had the stake presidency and their wives stand, and then he thanked them for all of us for all that they’ve done to serve. Then he thanked the congregation for responding to them and supporting and sustaining them. Their offering has been accepted by the Lord. The Lord has found their offering worthy.
If we’ve come with open hearts, ready to receive what the Lord will give to us, we will receive.
Faith is what we need the most. Faith in Jesus Christ is a Gift of the Spirit; it comes through the Holy Ghost.
1. FAITH In his epistle to the Romans, Paul—for whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
Calling upon the name of the Lord is more than saying His name. The name of Christ refers to what He is: His essence; His character; His Being.
“Tell them that I Am has sent you.” (Lord to Moses)
His glory and His power are other elements of His name. When we speak in His name, it is by His authority and His power. When we take upon us His name, we commit to keep His commandments.
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (By the teaching of those who have authority and by His Spirity.)
Continue to feast upon His words by those who have taught and by His Spirit.
The scriptures hold a great quantity of the word of God. We can all have a copy. One of the reasons we have that privilege, is because we need it.
Add to faith, your constant study of the word of God, especially in the Book of Mormon. We have it to help us develop faith and develop commitment. It is the tool of conversion.
2. Teach unto them repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Repent all ye ends of the earth and have faith in me…(Moroni 7: 34)
It does take some faith to repent, and it does take repentance to develop faith. Repentance adds to our faith; it makes our faith stronger; baptism further adds to our faith.
We have a covenant that is just between the Lord and us—very individual. This adds to our faith through his great love for us and his promises to us. The promise of baptism, the covenant of baptism is individual. As we put ourselves into alignment with His will, our faith will grow. Faith is a reward for obedience. The greater the measure of obedience, the greater the faith. (McConky)
3. Sacrifice—something inherit in sacrifices we make to God that adds to our faith. Universal sacrifice that the Lord asks of all of us—bring ye all the tithes… (a broken heart and a contrite spirit). Obeying the law of tithing and offerings brings great faith and confidence, especially in prayer. One knows because he’s been faithful in this commandment, his prayers will be heard.
a. opening the windows of heaven and powering out a blessing; not room enough to receive it.
b. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes. We need the help of the Lord to help us preserve the fruit of our labors at home, church, work.
Mosiah 15:7 Abinidi prophesying about the coming of Christ. “The will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.” If we would offer a sacrifice in the similitude of His, it would be to offer up our will, have it swallowed up in the will of the Father. If we consecrate our will to His, we will receive the blessings whether we are called to do great things or not.
Mosiah—Ye who have not, and yet you have sufficient to remain from day to day—“I give not because I have not. But if I did have, I would give.”
The Lord is saying that He’ll judge and I don’t have to. “I the Lord will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.”
Have faith to change what should be changed.
(Not to be shared--Closing message only for our stake)
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