Sunday, October 11, 2009

Thanksgiving Came Early!!!

General Conference was absolutely incredible! It was a huge spiritual feast. Unfortunately, I ended up having to work Saturday and Sunday, so I was only able to catch the two morning sessions. However, thanks to the internet, I was able to catch up with the sessions I had missed. I wanted to just talk about some of my highlights. It was hard to choose which ones. These ones were the first to come to mind.

First of all, I really enjoyed Elder Ballard's talk in the Priesthood Session (about how sons should relate with their fathers and how fathers should related to their sons). While listening to it, I realized just how lucky I was to have a father who did what Elder Ballard was suggesting. My dad was a faithful member of the church who served where he was called, magnifying whatever calling he held. My dad made it a point to talk to us. My dad made it clear that he loved us children, that he loved our mom, and that he loved the Gospel. My dad always put our needs above his wants. Even though we may not have had the latest and greatest accessories or taken extravagant vacations, we had a strong family united in the Gospel. We children grew up in a home where the Priesthood was exercised on a regular basis. We grew up in a safe, constant, and structured environment. And our vacations were the best! Everywhere we went, we were together as a family, listening to fun vacation tapes with everything between The Rascals, The Association, and Chicago to Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Olivia Newton-John. Our top favorites were Sweet Dreams, Holiday by the BeeGees (I hated this song, but we still have fun memories), and many many others!

I believe he also spoke about showing our family members that we love them and not just saying we do (without showing it). This made me remember my brother's wedding and how I missed everyone after they all left. I realized I need to be better at showing my family I love them instead of just saying it.

Second talk: Pres Monson's talk during the Priesthood Session. The line that stood out the most to me was a quote he used that went like this: "'he who takes offense when no offense was intended is a fool!'" That was some great food for thought.

Another talk that I really enjoyed was by Elder Holland. He spoke with such power and authority that I was amazed! It was great to hear such a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon. I have always enjoyed Elder Holland's talk, but this one was absolutely amazing! I know I need to be more diligent in reading and studying it than I have done in the past.

Needless to say, I really enjoyed conference and was very sad that I could not enjoy it with my family. I am anxious for the Ensign to come out in November so I have the chance to read the talks again!

1 comment:

Tyler and Julia said...

I'm really anxious for November's Ensign to come out too. Since we don't have TV, we tried to listen to conference online, but there was something wrong w/ our connection & the videos weren't loading properly. Grrrr. We were able to listen to Elder Holland's talk on Tyler's laptop last night though. I too was AMAZED by the power in his words, and by how he would raise his voice when he would bring up certain points in his talk, like when he brought up certain names of people who had tried to prove that The Book of Mormon was false. It was the first time I'd ever heard a general authority speak so loudly (yet still reverently & respectfully, of course) over the pulpit.

Quotes

"[Confucius] taught that the country which develops the finest music, the grandest poetry, and the noblest moral ideals--that is, the country with the most exalted culture--will always yield the greatest power in the world."

-Letters from the Jade Dragon Box by Gale Sears



"Who is such a reprobate as I! And yet it seems that even I am in Somebody's hand!'

-Mr. Henchard in The Mayor of Casterbridge



"...[T]he magnitude of [life] is not as to [one's] external displacements, but as to [one's] subjective experiences."

-Thomas Hardy in Tess of the d'Urbervilles





"...I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed--because 'Thou mayest.'"

-Lee in East of Eden