3-23-13 Evening Session Stake Conference
(These are my notes; they have not yet been revised.)
President Kinser
Fear of D&C 68:25—Teach your children , or else. If we do not teach them, the sin be upon us.
King Mosiah was given keys of kingdom by father Benjamin. His sons went about trying to destroy the church. His and Alma’s prayers were answered. An angel of the Lord came and gave them a wake up call, changed their lives, and changed the course of many people.
His sons went to teach the Lamanites. He was assured that they’d be delivered out of the hands of the Lamanites, many would believe in their words, and they would have eternal life.
Don't know much about you
Don't know who you are
We've been doing fine without you
But, we could only go so far
Don't know why you chose us
Were you watching from above
Is there someone there that knows us
Said we'd give you all our love
Will you laugh just like your mother
Will you sigh like your old man
Will some things skip a generation
Like I've heard they often can
Are you a poet or a dancer
A devil or a clown
Or a strange new combination of
The things we've handed down
I wonder who you'll look like
Will your hair fall down and curl
Will you be a mama's boy
Or daddy's little girl
Will you be a sad reminder
Of what's been lost along the way
Maybe you can help me find her
In the things you do and say
And these things that we have given you
They are not so easily found
But you can thank us later
For the things we've handed down
You may not always be so grateful
For the way that you were made
Some feature of your father's
That you'd gladly sell or trade
And one day you may look at us
And say that you were cursed
But over time that line has been
Extremely well rehearsed
By our fathers, and their fathers
In some old and distant town
From places no one here remembers
Come the things we've handed down
Marc Cohn
But you can thank us later
For the things we've handed down . (Mr Cohn)
It was his belief that in every generation, the parents become better parents.
Reflect on your role as a parent. What are you handing down? What kind of parent are you going to be?
One cannot conceived of a parent not being interested in everything that pertains to his children…(Richard L. Evans)
How do we strengthen our families in the gospel and hand down the truths that we know?
We can’t force them to hold to the
Must have the faith to teach our children and bid them to keep the commandments. Our worthiness is not determined by their choice of whether or not to keep the commandments.
Our faith, prayers, and …will be consecrated for the good of their children.
Proclamation in regards to the raising of these children. (The discharge, not the acceptance.)
Help them understand that we will love them always.
Just as Adam sought the counsel of the Lord, so our children seek our counsel, even when it seems that they do not want it. When the prodigal returned, he knew that his father wouldn’t reject him, because he knew his father. Have open hearts and arms for all your family members. They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
He told his children about the crucifixion and the nails driven through the hands and feet of the Savior. He had the opportunity to let his children know that he knew it was true. As family likens scriptures to themselves, they will learn to trust the Lord. They will know that they are children of God, have the sword of faith and the shield of …
That Brandon is just heart-headed about the way he lives his life. He told the coaches that there behavior was not appropriate; the team expected more with them. He learned how to communicate with respect as a result of serving a mission.
As faith in the Lord grows in our families, our homes will become a haven from the world. We need to ensure that our homes maintain a contrast between what we see in the world.
Sacred nature of family; greatest joy in families; not greater work.
Sister Suzanne Ewell
Just sent her first missionary on a mission. Song—A young man prepared.
Mothers who raised young men prepared—Army of Helaman. They paid tribute to their mothers. They had buried their weapons and past mistakes deep in the earth. They made covenants.
We must honor our covenants so that our children and youth understand covenant keeping. We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
The responsibility of parents has never required more diligence.
One of my greatest blessings has to be a mother. We need righteous women to bring children into their homes.
Nothing will be so important as the question of how your children turned out. (Hinckley)
Obey every word of commandment with exactness and honor. Helaman would not allow their parents to break their covenant. They sent their sons to war with faith in Christ.
Attending church week after week helps to develop stripling warriors.
As we do things consistently in our lives, we are adding a drop to the oil of our lives and our children’s lives. (Joy in first son passing sacrament. That’s the point.)
Mary Fielding Smith’s 9-year-old had to lead the oxen team. He was successful. In their home in SL Valley, they ate together and studied scriptures. Out of this home, came two prophets. It takes courage to meet our expectations of being good parents. We need to practice righteous patterns consistently in our homes.
Mothers should teach children about prayer. Let your children see you praying. She loved her mother for her faith and for seeing her pray. Miracles were performed in their family’s life because her mother had faith.
We need to expect our children to do hard things. Have the courage to expect something of our kids and not let them off easy.
We need women who are tender and kind and refined and faith and goodness and virtue and purity.
If we don’t teach our children, the world will. It’s worth it; don’t give up. These little children are learning a lot, and Satan is not able to tempt them, so don’t miss the opportunity.
As mothers, we have a great work to do; by small and simple things, great things are brought to pass.
Sister Sandy Kerr
Attentive, reverent, sweet Spirit here.
It takes many hands to make the temple run smoothly.
Saints that received their own endowment today. Each of us has a story; we have entered the path to lead us back to our home.
Temple work is all about families. As work is done vicariously for our brothers and sisters, one by one, the Lord is pleased. It is a privilege to do the Lord’s work in any capacity. Covenants empower us to do things beyond our own abilities.
Her feelings of inadequacy. Satan, the destroyer, cannot create, so he spends his time trying to destroy: depression, despair… The Savior always has more power. We can rise above these things as we put our trust in the Savior. The temple helps. His Spirit is there; personal revelation is received there; answers to problems. Please come to the temple. The gifts of the Spirit are abundant in that holy place.
Lives are changed as people make commitments to come to the temple. Your lives will be better as you invest time in the temple. Reality of Savior and His work; we all have the opportunity to be engaged in this work, and to feel of his power. May we take advantage.
President Nolan Kerr
Participated in ROTC in college. 6-week summer camp, army camp in Washington. Rifle training. (Hit first, second target. Young man behind him called out miss. Third same thing. The young man in next fox hole is getting credit. He has been shooting down the other young man’s range than down his own range.) If we are lined up on the wrong targets in our lives, it doesn’t matter how successful we’ve been, when the time comes to tally up the score, we will not have scored very well.
One of the most important targets for us is the temple. Prepare to receive own endowment. Line up better, and attend more often.
Elder Scott—Don’t let things of world crowd in and take higher priority than the important things. Satan would have us fill our lives with “good” things, so that there is not time of essential things. Ordinances of the temple are essential; we cannot return to God’s glory without them.
Water your grass so that the roots go deep.
If we are not going to the temple and remembering the covenants that we’ve made, we are just living on the mists and not developing roots; and when trials come, it will be stripped away.
April 1929—Orson F. Whitney Eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for the valiant causes in the cause of truth, will save them and their posterity. Pray for careless and disobedient children…hold on, trust on, until you see the salvation of God.
Sean Goodrich
He just lost his hear and doesn’t know where it is. Challenges. He knows temple blessings are important. You will receive answers there; even if they are not expected. You will feel the Spirit in the ways you can’t anywhere else. Savior died for us so that we can all be saved. He will help you if you pray and come to Him honestly. You don’t have to be perfect to receive blessings and to have His love in your life. The scriptures will guide us and help us. It will give you want you need at that time. It will give you the instructions that you need, that you cannot receive anywhere else.
Sister Rogerson
I lost my heart, too.
She was inactive for a time. She has two children. Four years ago, she met her husband. Her daughter wanted to know why they couldn’t go into the temple. She explained, and her daughter said, “Let’s do this.” They began the missionary lessons. They started going to church. Her husband started going to church with them. Two years ago, he began missionary lessons. They got married one day; he was baptized the next. Last month they were sealed. Temple prep classes were amazing. They are trying to be there every week. So grateful that her daughter wanted the lessons, and that they had great sister missionaries to give them the lessons.
Sister Garnes
Heart pounding for two that preceded her. So grateful for good spirits, and their desire to bear testimony on such short notice.
The counsel we’ve received tonight is what we need to know to strengthen our families and put our families on the path to eternal life. Take it home and implement it.
As I have been obedient, attended the temple, listened to the Spirit. Every opportunity for our success.
Her mother just passed away. During a mission (president), two of their sons between inactive. Given set of scriptures, continue on mission, continue declare what is true. The laborer is worthy of his hire; her family would return. Because of temple covenants, her parents will retrieve their children.
Intruders in home; husband slept; she prayed. Cautioned not to wake husband again. Spirit said not to. Crawl over him and get to phone. Call operator and whisper help.; Cautioned not to do it. Third, crawl out window and run to neighbors; Cautioned not to do it. Crawled back into bed; put covers over head. Nothing happened. Lucky that there was no confrontation. Good thing that they did what they did. Her first reaction was to do something.
We will have intruders every day of our lives; people will want to come into our homes and destroy our peace; we are bombarded. Vital to lives, physically and spiritually. Pay attention to the Spirit and do what is directed. Keep the invaders from coming in and penetrating our safety.
What can I do to protect my children so that I can bring them back to thee? Dream—beams created a Z on front door: family prayers; scriptures; family home evening. Those are the things that will keep the world out of our homes; latch the door to keep our homes holy, peaceful, and a place of refuge.
The Lord loves us and He is grateful for the saints who are trying so hard.
Her son sent out letter about genealogy. A lady with name Garnes in line gave them 76,000 names of work to do in the temple. The Lord loves his people; He is trying in every way to recover us; we have a responsibility to make it happen. Hold on, be obedient, be committed.
Elder Garnes
Married 37 years. Thankful for how she raised children and continues to raise him. Bright light; vision for what they should be and where they should go.
President Garvin is a humble and strong man at the same time. Blessed to hear him counsel and bear testimony to members of the stake. He is a man of God, called of God; he is leading the stake in a righteous way; the way the Lord would lead if He were here Himself.
Everything that’s been said here tonight is true and wonderful.
Bear testimony of personal things; principles and doctrines that they are living. It is who they are, disciples of Jesus Christ. They wouldn’t be able to bear their testimonies without living it.
Grateful for the Ewels and their righteous example. Getting to the Celestial Kingdom is all about doing the hard thing. Prove to Heavenly Father that we can follow Him when it is easy and when it’s hard.
It take trust, trust in the Lord. 1 Nephi 4—Ready to go back and get plates. Two times, driven out, lost their possessions. Nephi went back. I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things that I should do.
We’ve all been in that place. We may have thought impossible. Nevertheless, went forth. First step, when we don’t know what to do—Trust in Lord.; Things will work out.
Packer—Need to walk to edge of light; take step into darkness; with that faith, the Lord will light the way just a bit so we can find our way. He will not light the way until we show our trust.
Those things that are impossible with men, are possible with God.
Parents, from Park City, moved to Los Angeles. Didn’t fit in, inactive 12 years. They became active. He didn’t know anything but active parents. They served in the church. Wonderful parents. Journeyman. The private in the army. Did the work; not a lot of recognition. His dad called to be Bishop at 65-years-old. Served 5 years. Just before age not to go on mission; Stake President called them in to release as Bishop and call them on a mission. “We’ll think about it.”
Dad said they should go to temple and pray about it. Mother, “I don’t want to go to the temple and pray about it.” They reconciled new path and served a mission. They enjoyed it. South Carolina. Set example for family: this is who we are. Family culture. We are teacher our children and then grandchildren that this is who we are: we serve missions.
Daughter said she didn’t want to go on mission. But I feel like the Lord wants her to go and that she should go. The Lord blessed her for doing the hard thing.
Faust—I am grateful for those experiences that I had wished I didn’t have.
Be grateful for trials in our lives. We are better people because of the hard stuff.
Seldom has found success in the first mile; but has often found great success in the second mile. First effort is an expression of our desire to do a duty; if we pursue it to produce fruit, the second mile is usually done out of love. Put forth effort; more difficult. Endure to the end. Don’t give up on each other. 3 Nephi 18:32—Don’t cast them out; unto such shall you continue to minister. They may return and repent, and I shall heal them. Not giving up on each other. Wonderful to be a part of relations when others are converted. Grateful for the encouragement we find in sharing the gospel.
Elder Cook, October conference: Talking to leaders around world. Church is doing well in general sense.
One challenge—living in world that is increasingly wicked.
Concerned about apathy and lack of commitment with some members. Lack of commitment.
Deepen our conversion and commitment to the Lord.
No outside worldly support for problems with chastity: immorality and pornography. We need to be teaching in our homes.
The Lord and Savior loves us all; He will bless us as we serve in the Church and teach in our homes. He will fill in the gaps and teach us the way. Treasure up words of life; given to us in very hour we need. We will know what to say and do. Thankful for prophet and his vision to guide us. They lead this Church today according to the will of the Lord.
