Conference Notes October 2010

These are incomplete. But here are some notes I took.

2 October 2010
Saturday Morning Session
Elder Holland
You are individually loved by God and central to His work.
I am trying to be voice for the very angels in heaven for every good thing that you’ve done, in sharing gospel of Jesus Christ.
The kind acts that we do don’t go unnoticed.
“I’ve never been a leader in the church; I guess I’ve only been a helper.” Some leaders will hope that they will attain what you already have.
We need to thank all those who have sacrificed for us. We need to thank parents who have sacrificed for their children to give them things that they never had.
Pledge determination to be better, more faithful, more kind and true, more devoted.
Sister Wisom
At age seven, Joseph Smith intracted Typhoid fever. He trusted his father to hold him during surgery.
Teach our children the Plan of Salvation. Understanding the plan will help them hold on to what is true.
Alma 24—He loveth our souls and He loveth our children.
By holding tight to the Iron Rod, we teach our children the Plan of Salvation.
“We can do it.” “We can read the scriptures daily with our family.” Focus on consistency rather than speed. Daily reading can become consistent and comfortable. Children can learn the language of the scriptures. It’s never too late to begin.
What we want our children to know five years from now needs to become part of our conversations today.
Teach our children the power of prayer. They can learn to exercise faith in times of trouble.
As we teach our children about prayer and scriptures, they will come to know who they are, where they came from, and where they are going.
Soccer team victory tunnel. They victors and the losers were all happily running through the straight path made by those who love them.
Elder Costa
After I read, pondered, and prayed, the Lord gave me the assurance that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know that all his successors are prophets.
Prophet—a person called by God to speak in His name. It is a great blessing to receive the word the Lord. Amos 3:7. He will reveal his will to us and He will instruct us through His prophets. If we believe in Him, we will follow His prophets and do what He asked us to do. When I accepted baptism into the church, I covenanted to always follow the prophet.
Points made by President Benson
1. The prophet is the only man that speaks for the Lord in everything.
2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
3. The living prophet is more important to us than the dead prophets.
4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
5. The prophet doesn’t need to have any special credentials.
The Lord called a young man, Joseph Smith, to lead the Church. He was chosen by the Lord, and He received from the Lord the gifts he needed to do His work.
6. The prophet doesn’t need to say “thus saith the Lord” to be speaking for the Lord.
7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
8. The prophet is not limited by man’s reasoning.
9. The prophet can receive a revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
10. The prophet may be involved in civic matters.
11. The two groups who have difficulty following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
13. The prophet and his counselors may up the first presidency, the highest quorum in the church.
14. The prophet and the presidency—follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.
Testified of true prophet, counselors, and quorum of the twelve.
Elder McConkie
Sunday school
The how of learning
What set your favorite teachers apart from other teachers?
The attitude and spirit that the teacher teaches with is what makes the difference.
Reach into their hearts and help change their lives. To teach the gospel is to share your love of the gospel.
1. Immerse yourself in the scriptures.
Daily habit. Before we can teach the gospel, we must know the gospel.
Make use of the handbook.
2. Apply in your life the things that you learn.
As teachers, our greatest responsibility is to keep the commandments.
3. Seek heaven’s help.
Appeal unto the Lord with all your heart.
Pray for inspiration to give a good lesson and also to meet the needs of all the individuals in your class.
4. Important to exercise agency and act without delay when we receive promptings of the Spirit.
Elder Christofferson
Old film—Man’s search for happiness: Time, freedom to choose how we spend our time. We will have to give an accounting for our choices and how we spent our time. Our eternal reward will be according to our choosing.
Stewardship—Lord’s law of consecration.
Consecrate—set apart; dedicate something as sacred. Dedicate time and choices to God.
Consecrate Life
1. Purity
Repentance, submission
2. Work
Jesus was about His Father’s business; God is about His work to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man; all honest work is the work of God. By work we sustain and enrich life. Hard earned achievement brings satisfaction and a sense of self-worth.
Honest toil gives rest its sweetness. We need wholesome leisure.
3. Respect for one’s physical body.
Each qualified spirit to receive a body and exercise agency in a tabernacle of flesh. We have a duty to God for the care of our bodies. “No you not that your body is a temple?...” As the instrument of our spirit, we should care for our bodies as best we can. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice
4. Life of service.
Lord washed disciples’ feet. Example—Ye should do as I have done to you. Model of consecration—those who go about quietly doing good. President Monson has developed a listening ear—knows who to help and responds.
5. Integrity
Husband and wife honor marital vows with complete fidelity; care for their children; are honest.
Integrity is not naiveté. We will not take advantage of our brethren and sisters.
President Uchtdorf
Scientists can look at rings on trees and tell things about climate and such many years ago. During good weather, trees grow well. During seasons of drought, etc, they slow down.
The most common cause of turbulence is the sudden change in air pressure. Pilots minimize negative effects of turbulence by reducing their speed. Same principle applies to speed bumps.
Slow down and focus on essentials when we are experiences turbulent times in our lives.
It is rather easy to be busy. We seem to be speeding up even during times of stress and fatigue, and then feel increased frustration. Any virtue taken to an extreme can become a vice.
There is more to live than increasing speed. Focus on things that matter most. Forego some good things to choose others that are better and best.
Astronauts found that they couldn’t use pens in space. Until the space pen was invented, what did they do? They simply used pencils.
Turning our ways to His ways is the beginning of our wisdom.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. (Leonardo De Vinci)
(I lost my voice; this is one of the foundational things I need to have.)
Re-listen to end of talk.
Be still and know that I am God.
2nd most important relationships are with our family.
Family dinner, FHE, having fun together. Love is spelled T-I-M-E. We talked with, rather than about, each other. Establish divine
3rd key relationship is with our fellow man.
Take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you.
Be wise; return to doctrines of pure waters.
Saturday Afternoon Session
Elder Hales
He sent a letter to a long-time friend concerning gospel principles.
Agency—God given ability to choose and act for ourselves and not be acted upon.
With agency, we can also choose wrong, and so a Savior was provided so that we can repent.
“Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.”
Because those who followed Satan used their agency to follow Satan, they lost their agency. Because we followed Jesus Christ we were allowed to come to earth. If we follow Jesus in this life, we will receive even greater blessings in the next life. We must choose to follow Jesus in order to have eternal life.
When we choose to follow Heavenly Father, our agency is enhanced. When we don’t keep the commandments and follow the Holy Ghost, our progress is thwarted. Actions may limit our freedom.
When he varnished a floor, he chose to begin at the door, and literally painted himself into a corner. We can overcome painted ourselves into a corner through repentance. Obedience to commandments protects our agency.
“Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Come back; come out of the dark corner and into the light, even if you must walk across the wet varnished floor. We can repent. “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is our Savior.”
Elder Cook
“When the lights go on again all over the world.” (WWII war song) The song represented an optimistic hope that the lights would go on again and freedom would again be on the earth.
Do our bests to preserve light and to protect families. Seek light and truth; black out of our homes the lethal bombs that destroy morality, light, and hope. Be in the world, but not of the world. Do all that we can to make our homes holy places, shelter from evil. Be a source of light in protecting our communities.
Be optimistic. I believe that Light and Truth will be preserved in our times. The majority of people try to be good and honorable. Light of Christ is given to everyone.
Honesty is seen in many good people. People of faith feel accountable to God for being honest.
Treat all of God’s children as brothers and sisters.
Bishop Edgley
Faith is an action word. Choose faith. It is a choice, and it must be sought after and developed.
I don’t know everything. But faith lets me know the things that are the most important for my salvation.
Elder Duncan
Some pioneers didn’t want to stop and settle; they thought they should move on to better land. This valley is the place that God has chosen for his people. We have been kicked out of the kettle and into the fire; we have been kicked out of the fire and unto the floor; and here we will stay.
Salt Lake Valley would be come to be known as a highway to the nations. The valley did blossom and produce. The saints did prosper. The only sure and secure road for protection in this life comes from obeying and trusting the prophet of God. Amos 3:7. (The 14 points that were given in an earlier talk.)
Follow the prophet!
Elder Gong
We love our missionaries. Gospel conversion and temple covenants can help us receive rich blessings in every generation of our forever family.
“Blackberries read in church make green bishops blue.” (Ancient Chinese proverb)
Growing together in love and faithfulness, we can give our children roots and wings.
Understand Bob and me as children to our parents and parents to our children, etc.
The Savior is described as the Father and the Son.
Elder Andersen
Follow Jesus.
Don’t be offended. Offended has a corrosive companion, Ashamed.
Elder Scott
Faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power.
Faith in the future is demonstrated by a couple sealed in the temple.
Faith and character are intimately related.
We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become.
3 October 2010
Sunday Morning Session
President Eyring
Alma 29—O, That I were an angel.
Many of our brothers and sisters in our pre-mortal life rejected our Heavenly Father’s plan. They lacked trust in God. This has persisted since the creation.
Jonah, not only lacked trust, but ran the other way.
Naman lacked trust to bathe in the river.
Peter lost faith as he walked on the water. Beginning to sink, he cried, Lord, save me. Oh, thou of little faith; wherefore didst thou doubt.
Nephi stirs in us a desire to trust in the Lord.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Joseph Smith’s first vision. “I saw a pillar of light…I saw two Personages…standing above me in the air…This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him.” Heavenly Father loved us enough to send His Son to save us. He called Joseph Smith and many prophets and apostles since to help us on our journey back to him.
President Eyring was able to sell his property to make it possible to pay off his mortgage and to follow the prophet’s counsel.
President Packer
The prophets and apostles have always been shown what to do. When the keys were restored, they provided a way for each worthy man to hold the priesthood. The Family: A Proclamation to the World. “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God…Children are central to this plan.” Commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. Men are that they might have joy. Lehi taught that man are free to act for themselves and not be acted upon. We can give our agency away, but it cannot be taken from us. “Know ye not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Satan cannot begat life. He is impotent. Any persuasion to enter any relationship that is not in harmony with the gospel must be wrong. No one is born to have to be gay. God will not suffer any one to be tempted above what he is able to bear. Is it a boy kitty or a girl kitty? “I know how you can tell…You can vote on it.” There are things that we cannot vote on. There are moral and physical laws that cannot be changed. Ballot cannot change what is right or wrong. Regardless of opposition, we will hold to the principles and laws of the gospel. We cannot change, we will not change our moral standards. D&C 82:10.
I God have suffered these things for all that they might not suffer if they repent.
Delete from the mind any unworthy thought. Don’t turn back. If we repent, we can have peace and happiness.
Elder Jensen
He went on a mission trusting in his parents’ testimony, not having one of his own. He prayed and came to know that God and Jesus are real. The unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be bestowed on man. (President Woodruff)
Holy Ghost is a Comforter, Revelator, Testifier of the Divinity of God the Father and Jesus Christ, Guide, Supernal Teacher.
Similarities in the lives of Lehi and Joseph Smith.
Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone.
Sister Cook
Elder Oaks
We pray directly to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. He answers us through the Holy Ghost and in other ways. Personal line of communication allows each one to receive personal witness of truth.
Partake of Sacrament each Sabbath day.
The Priesthood line has necessary intermediaries of Savior, Priesthood leaders, His Church.
The voice of the Lord’s servants is the Voice of the Lord.
The Priesthood line does not supersede the personal line. We need to know for ourselves.
President Monson
Do we sincerely give thanks for the blessings we receive? This makes us realize our blessings and it unlocks the windows of heaven.
To live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.
Sunday Afternoon Session
25 years ago he addressed his eldest grandson who had just received the Aaronic Priesthood. Now he can address his great-grandson.
Four Lessons from Daniel:
1. Keep body healthy and clean.
John the Baptist conferred Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph and Oliver.
The Church is in good hands with virtuous young men who bear the Aaronic Priesthood.
Parents have the sacred responsibility of teaching their children the sacred responsibility of the Holy Priesthood.
Special gift from the Lord: use it, magnify it, live worthy of it.
Elder Bednar
Baptism by immersion is the introductory ordinance in the gospel and must be followed by baptism of the Spirit to be complete. “Receive the Holy Ghost,” constitute a priesthood injunction. We receive a sacred and on-going responsibility to seek to have the Spirit with us.
1. Sincerely desire the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
2. Invite the Spirit into our lives.
Elder Lawrence
Elder Malm
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid.