The Sunday Afternoon General session of the 184th Semiannual LDS General Conference featured two more talks delivered in a language other than English; Elder Carlos Godoy spoke in Portuguese, and Elder Hugo Martinez spoke in Spanish. In addition, the LDS Church reached deeper down into its bench and sent two members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy up to the lectern to give talks. This opportunity is normally reserved for members of the First Quorum of the Seventy, who are unofficially considered to be apprentice apostles. Speakers focused on decision-making, family history, temple work, and the teaching value of opposition in the world. Elder M. Russell Ballard assured the audience that the general Authorities don't "live in a bubble".
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- Elder M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve: Also defended the spiritual integrity of the Brethren, saying “Keep the eyes of the mission on the leaders of the Church. We will not and cannot lead you astray.” Elder Ballard also reassured the audience that the Brethren, because of their varied experiences, are not out of touch with the membership. And he also gave props to stake and ward leaders, saying that local Church leaders, like seasoned river guides, have also been tutored by life’s experiences. Elder Ballard also reminded the audience that the Brethren merely point the way to a greater power, saying that in searching the scriptures and the words of apostles and prophets, we should focus on studying, living, and loving the doctrine of Christ. Elder Ballard also seemed to caution us against considering questions as dissension, noting that Joseph Smith himself had questions that began the Restoration. But ultimately, the important questions focus on what matters most -- Heavenly Father’s plan and the Savior’s Atonement.
-- Elder Richard G. Scott, Quorum of the Twelve: Spoke out on the need for opposition and how we can learn from it. Opposition creates contrast and a standard of comparison. Since Adam and Eve had all their needs provided in the Garden of Eden, they did not know hardship. Since they did not experience hard times, they could not know happy times. Only through the transgression of the Fall could they experience opposition and develop a standard of comparison. The Fall makes possible happiness and sadness in our lives; we are able to understand peace because we feel turmoil. Our purpose in coming here is to be tested, tried and stretched. Elder Scott also identified four tools that out Heavenly Father has given us to draw us closer to Christ and exercise faith in the Atonement: prayer, scripture study, family home evening, and temple activity. This is the first reference to weekly family home evening I've heard in any recent conference, and Elder Ballard wants us to take it seriously and not just go through the motions.
-- Elder Carlos A. Godoy, First Quorum of the Seventy: This is the third talk delivered in a language other than English, as Elder Godoy, who was born in Brazil, spoke in his native Portuguese. Elder Godoy spoke about decision-making. Sometimes a minor change in the direction of our lives now can have a major impact down the road. To make wise decisions, we need to consider our options with the end in mind, be prepared for the challenges that will come, and be willing to step out of our comfort zones since the best decision won't always be the easiest choice. We also need to share this vision with those whom we love. Elder Godoy reminded us that we are not here in this life merely to waste our time, grow old, and die; God wants us to grow and achieve our potential.
-- Elder Allen F. Packer, First Quorum of the Seventy: Yes, he is the eldest son of President Boyd K. Packer. A good old-fashioned classical pitch for the Celestial Kingdom. Elder Packer plainly stated that qualifying for exaltation becomes a quest of a lifetime; he views qualifying for exaltation as like preparing to enter another country. But we must first obtain our own spiritual passport. Part of that passport is family history and temple work, as the names we find and take to the temple will end up in the Book of Life in the next world. If we love people, we should want to make family history and temple work a part of our personal worship, but Elder Packer believes not enough members of the Church are regularly involved in finding and doing temple ordinances for their families. Elder Packer noted that our response to this emphasis will increase our individual and family joy and happiness.
-- Elder Hugo E. Martinez, Second Quorum of the Seventy: It is unusual for a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy to address a General Conference, but Elder Martinez is the first General Authority from the Caribbean Basin and he is delivering his address in Spanish. Elder Martinez spoke about the worth of souls, explaining that every soul is of great worth to God, for we are His children and we have the potential to become as He is. But one must serve in some capacity in order to reach that potential. Being a good example of a disciple of Jesus Christ is our best letter of introduction to those with whom we can share His gospel. Elder Martinez testified that the Father and the Son know us individually, and will provide us what we need to reach our divine potential. Furthermore, as we become instruments in Their hands, we will be able to help those they show us by revelation. The Good Shepherd will gather His sheep; they will recognize His voice and follow Him.
-- Elder Larry S. Kacher, Second Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Kacher also talked about decision-making, saying that the decisions we make in this life greatly affect the course of our eternal life. Elder Kacher learned very clearly the principle that there is opposition in all things and the importance of acting for himself. He also noted that by asking sincere questions and seeking divine answers. we learn line upon line, precept upon precept, but his response to doubters and skeptics who make a career out of asking questions is that the real question is not, "Is there room for honest, sincere inquiry?" but rather, "Where do I turn for truth when questions do arise?"
-- Elder David A. Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Bednar spoke about missionary work and reaffirmed that the LDS Church will ALWAYS be a missionary church. But Elder Bednar reiterated that when we invite people to attend church with us or to learn with the full-time missionaries, we are not trying to sell you a product. We simply invite people to bring all that one already knows is true, good, and praiseworthy -- and test our message to see if we can add any additional good. Our desire to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with people is simply a reflection of how important these truths are to us, and LDS members are hardly unique in sharing things that are most meaningful to us or have helped us.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: Closed the Conference with a much briefer message than normal, charging us to reach out in helpfulness, not only to our fellow members but also to those not of our faith, to remember the elderly and those who are homebound so that they will know that they are loved and valued, to be people of honesty and integrity, trying to do the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, and to be faithful followers of Christ, examples of righteousness, thus becoming lights to the world.
From the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: The number of talks focusing on following the Brethren was noted. Elder Ballard and Elder Packer took a bit of criticism on this blog for not being sufficiently inclusive. But as one commenter put it, do we want to be inclusive of piranhas?
-- By Common Consent: There is some disagreement over whether or not the GAs "live in a bubble". It was pointed out that those who live in a bubble are frequently unconscious of it. However, people whose sum total international experience consists of getting drunk over spring break in Tijuana might well accuse a missionary finishing an international mission of living in a bubble simply because he never got drunk.
-- Times & Seasons.
Showing posts with label October 2014 Conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label October 2014 Conference. Show all posts
Sunday, October 5, 2014
First Presidency And Quorum Of The Twelve Reaffirmed As Prophets At Sunday Morning General Session Of The 184th Semiannual LDS General Conference
The Sunday Morning General Session of the 184th Semiannual General Conference was characterized by a vigorous defense of the integrity of the LDS Church's leadership structure. Speaker after speaker testified of the prophetic callings of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. It was as if they decided in advance to launch a counteroffensive against doubters and skeptics who've received disproportionate and undeserved publicity -- without mentioning them by name, of course. Long overdue! Also another good talk about the significance of the Sacrament.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor, First Presidency: Spoke about the value of revelation. For maximum value, revelation needs to go beyond just one flash of light and comfort and become recurring. Revelation does not come easily or simply for the asking. President Eyring also took issue with the growing number of dissidents and their acolytes, without mentioning their names, who question whether or not the Church leadership has gone "astray". He cautioned people not to take lightly the feeling of love we get for a prophet of God, and reminded us that the enemy of our souls will try to lead us to take offense and to doubt the prophet’s calling from God. The love we feel for the Brethren is far more than trite "hero worship"; it is the love the Lord has for whomever is His spokesman.
-- Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve: An outstanding talk on what it means to sustain the Brethren. We honor the Prophet Joseph Smith as the prophet of this last dispensation, AND we honor each man who has succeeded him. But while we do not vote on Church leaders at any level, we are given the opportunity to sustain them. Elder Nelson defined sustaining as an oath-like indication that we recognize their calling as a prophet to be legitimate and binding upon us. In fact, we sustain 15 men as prophets of God; all 15 hold all the priesthood keys that have ever been conferred upon man in this dispensation. On the Quorum of the Twelve, the apostle with the longest seniority presides, which provides continuity and seasoned maturity. If the President of the Church becomes incapacitated, his two counselors immediately form a quorum. The built-in redundancy and backup minimizes the chance that one man can ever lead the Church astray.
-- Sister Carol F. McConkie, First Counselor, Young Women General Presidency: Also put out a pitch for the Church leadership, testifying that President Monson reveals the word of the Lord to guide and direct our entire Church. To be in harmony with heaven’s divine purposes, we sustain the prophet and choose to live according to his words. The Lord’s house is a house of order, and we need never be deceived about where to look for answers to our questions. As we give heed to prophetic counsel, we witness that we have the faith to submit to the will, the wisdom, and the timing of the Lord.
-- Elder Robert D. Hales, Quorum of the Twelve: Bore his testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Gospel. When we build our house upon the Savior, the rains may descend, the floods may come, the winds may blow, but we will not fall. Elder Hales related how he obtained a testimony, saying "My own testimony grew as I learned about Heavenly Father and the Savior from the teaching and testimony of my parents, teachers, the scriptures which I read diligently and especially the Holy Ghost. As I exercised faith and obeyed the commandments, the Holy Ghost testified that what I was learning was true. This is how I came to know for myself." And he began to understand the nature of the Godhead -- God and Christ are literally a Father and a Son, separate, distinct, individual beings who are wholly unified in Their purpose
-- Elder James J. Hamula, First Quorum of the Seventy: Followed up effectively on Sister Esplin's talk about the Sacrament during the Saturday Morning Session by adding some inspiration of his own. Elder Hamula described the ordinance of the sacrament as one of the most holy and sacred ordinances in the Church, and called upon people to make it even more holy and sacred. With bread and water, we are reminded of Christ's redemption of us from death and sin. By the shedding of His innocent blood, Jesus Christ satisfied the demands of justice for every sin and transgression. In partaking of the Sacrament, we are making solemn commitments to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and in His redemption of us from death and sin. In the final analysis, the sacrament helps us faithfully endure to the end and receive the fullness of the Father in the same way Jesus did, grace for grace.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: President Monson put forth a reminder about the purpose of mortal life. We chose to come to a mortal earth to obtain a body of flesh and bones and gain experience, and to see if we would keep the commandments. God gave us agency so we can choose for ourselves and learn to differentiate between the bitter and the sweet. We learn from the hard taskmaster of experience, and our decisions determine our destiny. The path to success is to walk the same path as Jesus Christ; how He walked is far more important than where He walked. As we examine the path Jesus walked, we will see that it took Him through many of the same challenges we ourselves face in life. There is no higher end than this, that we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples.
From the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Useful summaries of each talk.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: Mixed reviews; some complaining that Elder Nelson wasn't sufficiently "gender-inclusive" in his rhetoric.
-- By Common Consent: A rather interesting comment; one person asked if if General Conference hasn’t lost some of its power because of the ease for watching. Interesting premise; I believe voting has lost some of its power in the greater society because it is too easy to vote. Sometimes people take it for granted when it is not sufficiently challenging. One BCC commenter speculates the outburst of speaker support for President Monson is to address the persistent health rumors rather than to rebut apostates.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor, First Presidency: Spoke about the value of revelation. For maximum value, revelation needs to go beyond just one flash of light and comfort and become recurring. Revelation does not come easily or simply for the asking. President Eyring also took issue with the growing number of dissidents and their acolytes, without mentioning their names, who question whether or not the Church leadership has gone "astray". He cautioned people not to take lightly the feeling of love we get for a prophet of God, and reminded us that the enemy of our souls will try to lead us to take offense and to doubt the prophet’s calling from God. The love we feel for the Brethren is far more than trite "hero worship"; it is the love the Lord has for whomever is His spokesman.
-- Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve: An outstanding talk on what it means to sustain the Brethren. We honor the Prophet Joseph Smith as the prophet of this last dispensation, AND we honor each man who has succeeded him. But while we do not vote on Church leaders at any level, we are given the opportunity to sustain them. Elder Nelson defined sustaining as an oath-like indication that we recognize their calling as a prophet to be legitimate and binding upon us. In fact, we sustain 15 men as prophets of God; all 15 hold all the priesthood keys that have ever been conferred upon man in this dispensation. On the Quorum of the Twelve, the apostle with the longest seniority presides, which provides continuity and seasoned maturity. If the President of the Church becomes incapacitated, his two counselors immediately form a quorum. The built-in redundancy and backup minimizes the chance that one man can ever lead the Church astray.
-- Sister Carol F. McConkie, First Counselor, Young Women General Presidency: Also put out a pitch for the Church leadership, testifying that President Monson reveals the word of the Lord to guide and direct our entire Church. To be in harmony with heaven’s divine purposes, we sustain the prophet and choose to live according to his words. The Lord’s house is a house of order, and we need never be deceived about where to look for answers to our questions. As we give heed to prophetic counsel, we witness that we have the faith to submit to the will, the wisdom, and the timing of the Lord.
-- Elder Robert D. Hales, Quorum of the Twelve: Bore his testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Gospel. When we build our house upon the Savior, the rains may descend, the floods may come, the winds may blow, but we will not fall. Elder Hales related how he obtained a testimony, saying "My own testimony grew as I learned about Heavenly Father and the Savior from the teaching and testimony of my parents, teachers, the scriptures which I read diligently and especially the Holy Ghost. As I exercised faith and obeyed the commandments, the Holy Ghost testified that what I was learning was true. This is how I came to know for myself." And he began to understand the nature of the Godhead -- God and Christ are literally a Father and a Son, separate, distinct, individual beings who are wholly unified in Their purpose
-- Elder James J. Hamula, First Quorum of the Seventy: Followed up effectively on Sister Esplin's talk about the Sacrament during the Saturday Morning Session by adding some inspiration of his own. Elder Hamula described the ordinance of the sacrament as one of the most holy and sacred ordinances in the Church, and called upon people to make it even more holy and sacred. With bread and water, we are reminded of Christ's redemption of us from death and sin. By the shedding of His innocent blood, Jesus Christ satisfied the demands of justice for every sin and transgression. In partaking of the Sacrament, we are making solemn commitments to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and in His redemption of us from death and sin. In the final analysis, the sacrament helps us faithfully endure to the end and receive the fullness of the Father in the same way Jesus did, grace for grace.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: President Monson put forth a reminder about the purpose of mortal life. We chose to come to a mortal earth to obtain a body of flesh and bones and gain experience, and to see if we would keep the commandments. God gave us agency so we can choose for ourselves and learn to differentiate between the bitter and the sweet. We learn from the hard taskmaster of experience, and our decisions determine our destiny. The path to success is to walk the same path as Jesus Christ; how He walked is far more important than where He walked. As we examine the path Jesus walked, we will see that it took Him through many of the same challenges we ourselves face in life. There is no higher end than this, that we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples.
From the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Useful summaries of each talk.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: Mixed reviews; some complaining that Elder Nelson wasn't sufficiently "gender-inclusive" in his rhetoric.
-- By Common Consent: A rather interesting comment; one person asked if if General Conference hasn’t lost some of its power because of the ease for watching. Interesting premise; I believe voting has lost some of its power in the greater society because it is too easy to vote. Sometimes people take it for granted when it is not sufficiently challenging. One BCC commenter speculates the outburst of speaker support for President Monson is to address the persistent health rumors rather than to rebut apostates.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Saturday Evening Priesthood Session Of The 184th Semiannual LDS General Conference Not Disrupted By Ordain Women
The Priesthood Session of the 184th Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints featuring a series of inspiring talks to male Priesthood holders in the same vein that the General Women's Meeting was directed towards females a week earlier. Elder Cook and Bishop Davies followed up on previous Conference talks during the afternoon session by holding forth on personal responsibility and the need to avoid rationalizations which can hinder our spiritual growth, as well as the need to succor the poor and needy through the law of the fast. President Uchtdorf urged people to look within themselves before highlighting the faults of others. And President Monson wants us to use the Priesthood as a rudder to steer ourselves straight and true.
Ordain Women Sideshow: Ordain Women did not show up to crash the Priesthood Session at the Conference Center. Instead, they chose to split up and appear at various chapels around the country and internationally to demand entrance to the closed-circuit broadcast being shown at these chapels. See map of targeted stake centers HERE. Ordain Women reports they were allowed in to watch the priesthood session in buildings in Ogden, Logan, the DC area, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Tempe Arizona, Lakewood Colorado, Dallas Texas, Medford Oregon, and even at the Marriott Center on BYU campus, but not in Atlanta, Georgia and at the Joseph Smith Memorial building in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Tribune reported on OW's expedition to the Marriott Center and said that local stake leaders were given discretion as to whether or not to allow the women in to see the broadcast.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- Elder Quentin L. Cook, Quorum of the Twelve: Followed up on Elder Klebingat's call for increased personal responsibility by warning against rationalization and making excuses. Rationalizations preventing us from temple endowments, missions, and temple marriage can be harmful. Elder Cook finds it heartbreaking when we profess belief in these goals yet neglect the everyday conduct to achieve them. His counsel tonight is rise above any rationalizations preventing us from making righteous decisions, and he specifically charges young Aaronic Priesthood holders with the responsibility to recommit to worthy conduct and serious preparation to be emissaries of Jesus Christ. Urged moderation, balance, and wisdom on outside activities such as Internet and sports to maintain a seriousness of purpose, since being valiant in the testimony of Jesus is the great dividing test between the celestial and terrestrial kingdoms.
-- Elder Craig C. Christensen, Presidency of the Seventy: Spoke out on the value of having one's own personal testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, noting that the testimonies of others can only take one so far. Elder Christensen defined testimony as the calm, unwavering certainty we receive as we study, pray, and live the Gospel; it is a scared gift of God brought to us by the power of the Holy Ghost. But a testimony can only grow and develop over a period of time with constant nourishment and frequent spiritual encounters.
-- Bishop Dean M. Davies, Second Counselor, Presiding Bishopric of the LDS Church: Followed up on Elder Holland's concern over the poor and needy, explaining that care for these people is a fundamental gospel doctrine and addressed through the law of the fast. Bishop Davies assured the audience that Church leadership strives to be ware of and vigilant regarding the well-being of God's children everywhere. He also noted that he cannot think of any law, if kept faithfully, that is easier to keep and which provides greater blessings than the law of the fast (give up two meals and donate the proceeds as a fast offering once per month). But Bishop Davies cautioned that the correct use of fast offerings is intended to support life, not lifestyle. That means ground beef, not filet mignon.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency: President Uchtdorf took issue with our tendency as humans to magnify the faults of others yet remain blind to our own. He also stated that when we start believing that our contributions at home, at work, and at church are greater than they actually are, we blind ourselves to blessings and opportunities to improve ourselves in significant and profound ways. To shine the pure light of God’s truth into our souls and see ourselves as God sees us, President Uchtdorf recommends we use the holy scriptures and the counsel given at each general conference as an effective mirror for self-examination. And refrain from thinking about how the words apply to someone else and ask the simple question, "Lord, is it I"?
-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor, First Presidency: Finally! President Eyring got time off from conducting the entire conference to share his personal pearls of wisdom with us. Directed his remarks specifically towards the young Aaronic Priesthood holders, telling them that the time they are given to serve in the Aaronic Priesthood is an opportunity to prepare them to learn how to give crucial help to others. President Eyring also discussed the interaction between a Melchizedek Priesthood holder and an Aaronic Priesthood holder who team up to perform home teaching duties; many times, a father and his son will be called to form a home teaching team. In this case, two of the blessings that the senior priesthood companion can give are trust and an example of caring. Paramount in our priesthood service is inviting people to come unto Christ by faith, repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost, and "show me" will always score more goals than "tell me". Applying correction to young Aaronic Priesthood holders will be better accepted if laid upon a foundation of love and trust already established.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: Proclaimed that our purpose in life and in the Church is to steer an undeviating course forward toward our desired goal -- even the Celestial kingdom of God. To us, as we walk the pathway of life, our Heavenly Father provides a clear map and points the way toward our desired destination, and wherever we go, our priesthood goes with us. When we maintain our personal purity and honor our priesthood, we become righteous examples for others to follow. So President Monson charges us to chart our course, set our sail, position our rudder, and proceed -- with more success than the Bismarck, which was sunk because of a broken rudder. People watch us, look to us for leadership, and judge us and the Church by our actions.
From the Bloggernacle: Not much discussion of this session.
-- Millennial Star.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives.
-- By Common Consent.
Ordain Women Sideshow: Ordain Women did not show up to crash the Priesthood Session at the Conference Center. Instead, they chose to split up and appear at various chapels around the country and internationally to demand entrance to the closed-circuit broadcast being shown at these chapels. See map of targeted stake centers HERE. Ordain Women reports they were allowed in to watch the priesthood session in buildings in Ogden, Logan, the DC area, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Tempe Arizona, Lakewood Colorado, Dallas Texas, Medford Oregon, and even at the Marriott Center on BYU campus, but not in Atlanta, Georgia and at the Joseph Smith Memorial building in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Tribune reported on OW's expedition to the Marriott Center and said that local stake leaders were given discretion as to whether or not to allow the women in to see the broadcast.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- Elder Quentin L. Cook, Quorum of the Twelve: Followed up on Elder Klebingat's call for increased personal responsibility by warning against rationalization and making excuses. Rationalizations preventing us from temple endowments, missions, and temple marriage can be harmful. Elder Cook finds it heartbreaking when we profess belief in these goals yet neglect the everyday conduct to achieve them. His counsel tonight is rise above any rationalizations preventing us from making righteous decisions, and he specifically charges young Aaronic Priesthood holders with the responsibility to recommit to worthy conduct and serious preparation to be emissaries of Jesus Christ. Urged moderation, balance, and wisdom on outside activities such as Internet and sports to maintain a seriousness of purpose, since being valiant in the testimony of Jesus is the great dividing test between the celestial and terrestrial kingdoms.
-- Elder Craig C. Christensen, Presidency of the Seventy: Spoke out on the value of having one's own personal testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, noting that the testimonies of others can only take one so far. Elder Christensen defined testimony as the calm, unwavering certainty we receive as we study, pray, and live the Gospel; it is a scared gift of God brought to us by the power of the Holy Ghost. But a testimony can only grow and develop over a period of time with constant nourishment and frequent spiritual encounters.
-- Bishop Dean M. Davies, Second Counselor, Presiding Bishopric of the LDS Church: Followed up on Elder Holland's concern over the poor and needy, explaining that care for these people is a fundamental gospel doctrine and addressed through the law of the fast. Bishop Davies assured the audience that Church leadership strives to be ware of and vigilant regarding the well-being of God's children everywhere. He also noted that he cannot think of any law, if kept faithfully, that is easier to keep and which provides greater blessings than the law of the fast (give up two meals and donate the proceeds as a fast offering once per month). But Bishop Davies cautioned that the correct use of fast offerings is intended to support life, not lifestyle. That means ground beef, not filet mignon.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency: President Uchtdorf took issue with our tendency as humans to magnify the faults of others yet remain blind to our own. He also stated that when we start believing that our contributions at home, at work, and at church are greater than they actually are, we blind ourselves to blessings and opportunities to improve ourselves in significant and profound ways. To shine the pure light of God’s truth into our souls and see ourselves as God sees us, President Uchtdorf recommends we use the holy scriptures and the counsel given at each general conference as an effective mirror for self-examination. And refrain from thinking about how the words apply to someone else and ask the simple question, "Lord, is it I"?
-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor, First Presidency: Finally! President Eyring got time off from conducting the entire conference to share his personal pearls of wisdom with us. Directed his remarks specifically towards the young Aaronic Priesthood holders, telling them that the time they are given to serve in the Aaronic Priesthood is an opportunity to prepare them to learn how to give crucial help to others. President Eyring also discussed the interaction between a Melchizedek Priesthood holder and an Aaronic Priesthood holder who team up to perform home teaching duties; many times, a father and his son will be called to form a home teaching team. In this case, two of the blessings that the senior priesthood companion can give are trust and an example of caring. Paramount in our priesthood service is inviting people to come unto Christ by faith, repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost, and "show me" will always score more goals than "tell me". Applying correction to young Aaronic Priesthood holders will be better accepted if laid upon a foundation of love and trust already established.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: Proclaimed that our purpose in life and in the Church is to steer an undeviating course forward toward our desired goal -- even the Celestial kingdom of God. To us, as we walk the pathway of life, our Heavenly Father provides a clear map and points the way toward our desired destination, and wherever we go, our priesthood goes with us. When we maintain our personal purity and honor our priesthood, we become righteous examples for others to follow. So President Monson charges us to chart our course, set our sail, position our rudder, and proceed -- with more success than the Bismarck, which was sunk because of a broken rudder. People watch us, look to us for leadership, and judge us and the Church by our actions.
From the Bloggernacle: Not much discussion of this session.
-- Millennial Star.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives.
-- By Common Consent.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks Calls For Rejection Of Persecution At Saturday Afternoon General Session Of The 184th Semiannual LDS General Conference
The Saturday Afternoon General Session of the 184th Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kicked off with the normal spate of "housekeeping announcements" by President Henry B. Eyring, who announced key personnel changes. Among prominent General Authorities released from their positions included Carlos H. Amado and William R. Walker, who have retired from the First Quorum of Seventy (see this Deseret News article for a complete list of changes). Elder Dallin H. Oaks led off with a powerful condemnation of persecution of all kinds, including against those of a non-standard sexual orientation. Elder Neil L. Anderson warned us against uncritical acceptance of information posted on the Web. But most speakers focused upon the need to get closer to Christ, with Elder L. Tom Perry delivering a strong pitch for the family unit.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Elder Oaks noted that love is the very essence of the Gospel, and Jesus Christ our Exemplar. So although we live in the world, we need not be of the world, because we need to raise the whole mass by our influence. But although we must teach the truth plainly and thoroughly, we must speak the truth in love, reviling not against revilers. Disagree without being disagreeable. Elder Oaks called for the rejection of all persecution of any kind, to include race, ethnicity, religious belief, and differences in sexual orientation, and challenged the youth to reject bullying.
-- Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve: Spoke about the role opposition unwittingly plays in growing faith. Opposition against the things of God can send seekers of truth to their knees for answers, which firms up the relationship between man and God. Elder Andersen cited the experience of the Prophet Joseph Smith as a classical example; even before the Father and the Son appeared to him, the adversary sought to destroy him as he was praying. Elder Anderson also cautioned against uncritical acceptance of information about the Church presented on the Internet, warning that the Internet contains no "truth filter". He further stated that studying the Church through the eyes of its detractors is like interviewing Judas to understand Jesus. Don't discard truth merely because we do not yet understand it fully.
-- Brother Tad R. Callister, Sunday School General President: Brother Callister called upon parents to be prime Gospel teachers and examples to our kids. The home is the ideal forum for the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which makes sense since we spend so much of our time at home. Even if one does not live in a community with enough Saints to from a congregation, one can always have a Gospel-centered home. Sometimes parents may have to step in and supervise and restrict their kids' time with TV and other electronic devices, even though the kids' gratitude may be deferred, perhaps for years. Brother Callister also made an interesting remark about the role of the Church, saying that although he does not know if titles like Bishop or Relief Society President will be used in the world to come, titles of husband and wife, father and mother, will continue and be revered in worlds without end.
-- Elder Jorg Klebingat, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Klebingat wasted little time in issuing a clarion call for increased personal responsibility, calling upon people to stop blaming others and outside circumstances for their failures, and stop making excuses for failure to strive for obedience. He suggested we cannot fully love God without loving his commandments, and that selective obedience merely brings selective blessings. Elder Klingebat also noted that trials and tribulations may come into our lives because of what we're doing right, as a wise Father believes we can handle them, and we should accept trials, surprises, and setbacks as a part of the mortal experience.
-- Elder Eduardo Gavarret, First Quorum of the Seventy: This is the second Conference talk delivered in a language other than English, being given in Spanish. The theme of Elder Gavarret's talk was "Follow the Savior"; the invitation to follow Him is the most simple, direct, and powerful invitation we can receive. But it is not a passive invitation; it is an invitation to act. Five steps we can take to walk closer to Christ: First, feed the desire to be a better follower of Christ; second, pray for this desire that your faith in Him may grow; third, obtain knowledge from the scriptures; fourth, make the decision today to act; and fifth, persevere.
-- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Holland addressed the growing economic disparity throughout the world. He noted that, from the beginning of His ministry, Jesus Christ showed special love and concern for the impoverished and disadvantaged. He reminded us that the Lord has commanded us to look to the poor and needy, and administer to their relief so they shall not suffer. Relief not only should include action, but should also be followed up with prayer. At the same time, we are expected to help ourselves before we seek help from others. Elder Holland also reminded us of the Law of the Fast, bearing witness of the spiritual and temporal miracles received by those who live it.
-- Elder L. Tom Perry, Quorum of the Twelve: Another appeal to follow Christ more closely. Elder Perry cited a quite by Charles Jefferson, saying "To be a Christian is to admire Jesus so sincerely...that the whole life goes out to Him in an aspiration to be like him". As members of the Church, we have the responsibility to protect and preserve the family as the basic unit of society, since we believe that our homes must be holy places in order to stand against the pressures of the world. The continued disintegration of the family will bring only more sorrow and hopelessness upon an already-troubled world. Elder Perry also cited numerous examples of how both fathers AND mothers can uplift a family and prepare it to receive the greatest of all the blessings of the Lord.
From the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Good summaries of the talks, little editorial commentary yet.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: The original poster is extremely incensed over Elder Oaks' talk, but does not explain why. But not all commenters share this antipathy. The talks by Elders Holland and Perry got positive props.
-- By Common Consent: More serious reaction about this session. Some thought Elder Anderson was glossing over critical information about Joseph Smith which is found on the Internet, but is considered true by some sources.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Photo Gallery.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports and Twitter feeds provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Elder Oaks noted that love is the very essence of the Gospel, and Jesus Christ our Exemplar. So although we live in the world, we need not be of the world, because we need to raise the whole mass by our influence. But although we must teach the truth plainly and thoroughly, we must speak the truth in love, reviling not against revilers. Disagree without being disagreeable. Elder Oaks called for the rejection of all persecution of any kind, to include race, ethnicity, religious belief, and differences in sexual orientation, and challenged the youth to reject bullying.
-- Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve: Spoke about the role opposition unwittingly plays in growing faith. Opposition against the things of God can send seekers of truth to their knees for answers, which firms up the relationship between man and God. Elder Andersen cited the experience of the Prophet Joseph Smith as a classical example; even before the Father and the Son appeared to him, the adversary sought to destroy him as he was praying. Elder Anderson also cautioned against uncritical acceptance of information about the Church presented on the Internet, warning that the Internet contains no "truth filter". He further stated that studying the Church through the eyes of its detractors is like interviewing Judas to understand Jesus. Don't discard truth merely because we do not yet understand it fully.
-- Brother Tad R. Callister, Sunday School General President: Brother Callister called upon parents to be prime Gospel teachers and examples to our kids. The home is the ideal forum for the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which makes sense since we spend so much of our time at home. Even if one does not live in a community with enough Saints to from a congregation, one can always have a Gospel-centered home. Sometimes parents may have to step in and supervise and restrict their kids' time with TV and other electronic devices, even though the kids' gratitude may be deferred, perhaps for years. Brother Callister also made an interesting remark about the role of the Church, saying that although he does not know if titles like Bishop or Relief Society President will be used in the world to come, titles of husband and wife, father and mother, will continue and be revered in worlds without end.
-- Elder Jorg Klebingat, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Klebingat wasted little time in issuing a clarion call for increased personal responsibility, calling upon people to stop blaming others and outside circumstances for their failures, and stop making excuses for failure to strive for obedience. He suggested we cannot fully love God without loving his commandments, and that selective obedience merely brings selective blessings. Elder Klingebat also noted that trials and tribulations may come into our lives because of what we're doing right, as a wise Father believes we can handle them, and we should accept trials, surprises, and setbacks as a part of the mortal experience.
-- Elder Eduardo Gavarret, First Quorum of the Seventy: This is the second Conference talk delivered in a language other than English, being given in Spanish. The theme of Elder Gavarret's talk was "Follow the Savior"; the invitation to follow Him is the most simple, direct, and powerful invitation we can receive. But it is not a passive invitation; it is an invitation to act. Five steps we can take to walk closer to Christ: First, feed the desire to be a better follower of Christ; second, pray for this desire that your faith in Him may grow; third, obtain knowledge from the scriptures; fourth, make the decision today to act; and fifth, persevere.
-- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Holland addressed the growing economic disparity throughout the world. He noted that, from the beginning of His ministry, Jesus Christ showed special love and concern for the impoverished and disadvantaged. He reminded us that the Lord has commanded us to look to the poor and needy, and administer to their relief so they shall not suffer. Relief not only should include action, but should also be followed up with prayer. At the same time, we are expected to help ourselves before we seek help from others. Elder Holland also reminded us of the Law of the Fast, bearing witness of the spiritual and temporal miracles received by those who live it.
-- Elder L. Tom Perry, Quorum of the Twelve: Another appeal to follow Christ more closely. Elder Perry cited a quite by Charles Jefferson, saying "To be a Christian is to admire Jesus so sincerely...that the whole life goes out to Him in an aspiration to be like him". As members of the Church, we have the responsibility to protect and preserve the family as the basic unit of society, since we believe that our homes must be holy places in order to stand against the pressures of the world. The continued disintegration of the family will bring only more sorrow and hopelessness upon an already-troubled world. Elder Perry also cited numerous examples of how both fathers AND mothers can uplift a family and prepare it to receive the greatest of all the blessings of the Lord.
From the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Good summaries of the talks, little editorial commentary yet.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: The original poster is extremely incensed over Elder Oaks' talk, but does not explain why. But not all commenters share this antipathy. The talks by Elders Holland and Perry got positive props.
-- By Common Consent: More serious reaction about this session. Some thought Elder Anderson was glossing over critical information about Joseph Smith which is found on the Internet, but is considered true by some sources.
Elder Lynn Robbins Cautions Against Placing The World Ahead Of God At Saturday Morning General Session Of The 184th Semiannual LDS General Conference
The 184th Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kicked off at 10 A.M. MDT on October 4th, 2014. For the second consecutive conference, no new temples were announced, as the emphasis is being redirected towards consolidation of existing efforts and resources. Three particularly noteworthy addresses were delivered by Elder Lynn G. Robbins, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Elders Robbins and Christofferson seemed to be addressing the effects of the apostasies of Kate Kelly and Denver Snuffer, while President Uchtdorf sought to assure the audience that honest disagreement is not rejected and that one does not need a perfect testimony to be a Church member. Another noteworthy address was delivered by Elder Chi Hong Wong, primarily because it was the first time a talk was delivered in a language other than English.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: In welcoming the worldwide audience, President Monson noted that it is the 90th anniversary of Conference radio broadcasts, and the 65th anniversary of televised broadcasts. President Monson confirmed that no new temples are planned, as the LDS Church is more interested in consolidation and completing existing projects at this time. Over 88,000 missionaries are currently in the field, and while the sister missionaries are highly valued, the Church still considers missionary service for males to rise to the level of a Priesthood duty.
-- President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of Twelve: President Packer spoke of the Atonement. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from the Fall. The Savior brought the atonement, which provides a way for us to become clean. If He had not accomplished the Atonement, there would be no redemption. The mercy and grace of Jesus Christ are not limited to those who commit sin. His mercy is the might healer. President Packer noted that the true success of the Gospel will be measured by the spiritual strength of all of its members. We need the recent converts and the descendants of the pioneers, young and old, married and single alike. We need everyone’s wisdom and insight. Each member of the Church as an individual is a critical element in the body of the Church.
-- Elder Lynn G. Robbins, Presidency of the Seventy: Elder Robbins was obviously the designated "hit man" of this session, decrying those who try to pressure the Church and its members into changing and lowering standards. Specifically, Elder Robbins said, “Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic traditions -- the traditions of their fathers -- that are not in harmony with gospel culture...Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements or missionary applications." Obviously, this is the Church's unofficial response to the ridiculous Beards4BYU campaign and other complaints about dress and grooming standards in the BYU system, as well as to the apostasies of Kate Kelly and Denver Snuffer.
Elder Robbins called upon LDS members to remember which way we face. His idea is that we should focus upon pleasing God rather than the world.
-- Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, Second Counselor, Primary General Presidency: Spoke of the importance and significance of the Sacrament. Sister Esplin reminded us that we partake of the Sacrament in remembrance of the Savior. It can be a healing and cleansing experience which can renew our wounded souls. The emblems remind us that He will always be our bread of life and living water.
-- Elder Chi Hong Wong, First Quorum of the Seventy: This marked the first time that a Conference talk was given in a language other than English. Elder Wong, speaking in Chinese Mandarin, used the account of Christ healing a man stricken with palsy, as documented in Mark Chapter 2, to illustrate how members and missionaries can work together in ward councils to fulfill President Thomas S. Monson’s counsel to “Reach out to rescue”. But Elder Wong stressed the value of teamwork, encouraging bishops to invite each member of the ward council to come with a list of names of those who might need assistance and then to counsel together how they might help, with full-time missionaries uniquely suited to taking the point.
-- Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Elder Chrisofferson spoke of the value of personal accountability, calling it a right and a duty. Elder Christofferson sought to rebut the "cheap grace" syndrome sweeping Christianity by saying that Christ died not to save indiscriminately, but to offer repentance. This means we have to act affirmatively to make the Atonement applicable in our lives. By making repentance a condition for receiving the gift of grace, our Heavenly Father enables us to retain responsibility for ourselves. Freedom comes not from resisting God’s laws, but from following them.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency: President Uchtdorf followed up Elder Christofferson's tougher "come-to-Jesus" message with a softer message of reconciliation, reminding us that the LDS Church is for ALL people who seek Christ and His perfecting power, and thus is a place of welcoming and nurturing, not of separating or criticizing. The Church is a home for all to come together, regardless of the depth or the height of our testimonies.
President Uchtdorf noted that it is a trait of humanity to assume that we are right even when we are wrong, and that we can find truth by relying upon our Heavenly Father. President Uchtdorf suggested four steps we can take to make the Father bound by His word to manifest the truth through the power of the Holy Ghost: First, search the word of God; second, consider, ponder and fearlessly strive to believe; third, ask the Father, in Christ’s name, to manifest the truth of LDS Church; and finally, make sure you're living up to gospel principles to the best of your ability.
From the LDS Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Not much reaction; traditionally supportive of the Brethren.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: No big surprise that Elder Robbins' talk was not well-received here.
-- Times & Seasons: One of the best unofficial summaries of the session. Dave posted this interesting comment: "Cosmic Uchtdorf continues to paint a picture of a welcoming Big Tent Mormonism — with Elder Robbins at the tent door sending people who don’t quite measure up over to Apostasy Alley".
-- By Common Consent: More chatty than anything else, but a good source for those who like "snark".
-- LDS Freedom Forum: Strongly mixed reaction, particularly to Elder Robbins' talk. Those who disagree with the message caution those of us who support his message against weaponizing it against Saints with weaker testimonies. Good counsel.
Sources of Information:
-- Official LDS Conference Archive Page: Video and audio to be available in 24 hours; written transcripts by mid-week.
-- LDS General Conference YouTube Page: Videos to be posted within 24 hours; these have less buffering than the Church's version.
-- KSL Channel 5 General Conference Page.
-- Deseret News Conference Page.
Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:
-- General Women's Meeting, September 27, 2014
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session
Summaries of talks based upon the Deseret News reports provided below; click speaker's name to go directly to the Deseret News report.
-- President Thomas S. Monson: In welcoming the worldwide audience, President Monson noted that it is the 90th anniversary of Conference radio broadcasts, and the 65th anniversary of televised broadcasts. President Monson confirmed that no new temples are planned, as the LDS Church is more interested in consolidation and completing existing projects at this time. Over 88,000 missionaries are currently in the field, and while the sister missionaries are highly valued, the Church still considers missionary service for males to rise to the level of a Priesthood duty.
-- President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of Twelve: President Packer spoke of the Atonement. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from the Fall. The Savior brought the atonement, which provides a way for us to become clean. If He had not accomplished the Atonement, there would be no redemption. The mercy and grace of Jesus Christ are not limited to those who commit sin. His mercy is the might healer. President Packer noted that the true success of the Gospel will be measured by the spiritual strength of all of its members. We need the recent converts and the descendants of the pioneers, young and old, married and single alike. We need everyone’s wisdom and insight. Each member of the Church as an individual is a critical element in the body of the Church.
-- Elder Lynn G. Robbins, Presidency of the Seventy: Elder Robbins was obviously the designated "hit man" of this session, decrying those who try to pressure the Church and its members into changing and lowering standards. Specifically, Elder Robbins said, “Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic traditions -- the traditions of their fathers -- that are not in harmony with gospel culture...Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements or missionary applications." Obviously, this is the Church's unofficial response to the ridiculous Beards4BYU campaign and other complaints about dress and grooming standards in the BYU system, as well as to the apostasies of Kate Kelly and Denver Snuffer.
Elder Robbins called upon LDS members to remember which way we face. His idea is that we should focus upon pleasing God rather than the world.
-- Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, Second Counselor, Primary General Presidency: Spoke of the importance and significance of the Sacrament. Sister Esplin reminded us that we partake of the Sacrament in remembrance of the Savior. It can be a healing and cleansing experience which can renew our wounded souls. The emblems remind us that He will always be our bread of life and living water.
-- Elder Chi Hong Wong, First Quorum of the Seventy: This marked the first time that a Conference talk was given in a language other than English. Elder Wong, speaking in Chinese Mandarin, used the account of Christ healing a man stricken with palsy, as documented in Mark Chapter 2, to illustrate how members and missionaries can work together in ward councils to fulfill President Thomas S. Monson’s counsel to “Reach out to rescue”. But Elder Wong stressed the value of teamwork, encouraging bishops to invite each member of the ward council to come with a list of names of those who might need assistance and then to counsel together how they might help, with full-time missionaries uniquely suited to taking the point.
-- Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Elder Chrisofferson spoke of the value of personal accountability, calling it a right and a duty. Elder Christofferson sought to rebut the "cheap grace" syndrome sweeping Christianity by saying that Christ died not to save indiscriminately, but to offer repentance. This means we have to act affirmatively to make the Atonement applicable in our lives. By making repentance a condition for receiving the gift of grace, our Heavenly Father enables us to retain responsibility for ourselves. Freedom comes not from resisting God’s laws, but from following them.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency: President Uchtdorf followed up Elder Christofferson's tougher "come-to-Jesus" message with a softer message of reconciliation, reminding us that the LDS Church is for ALL people who seek Christ and His perfecting power, and thus is a place of welcoming and nurturing, not of separating or criticizing. The Church is a home for all to come together, regardless of the depth or the height of our testimonies.
President Uchtdorf noted that it is a trait of humanity to assume that we are right even when we are wrong, and that we can find truth by relying upon our Heavenly Father. President Uchtdorf suggested four steps we can take to make the Father bound by His word to manifest the truth through the power of the Holy Ghost: First, search the word of God; second, consider, ponder and fearlessly strive to believe; third, ask the Father, in Christ’s name, to manifest the truth of LDS Church; and finally, make sure you're living up to gospel principles to the best of your ability.
From the LDS Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Not much reaction; traditionally supportive of the Brethren.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: No big surprise that Elder Robbins' talk was not well-received here.
-- Times & Seasons: One of the best unofficial summaries of the session. Dave posted this interesting comment: "Cosmic Uchtdorf continues to paint a picture of a welcoming Big Tent Mormonism — with Elder Robbins at the tent door sending people who don’t quite measure up over to Apostasy Alley".
-- By Common Consent: More chatty than anything else, but a good source for those who like "snark".
-- LDS Freedom Forum: Strongly mixed reaction, particularly to Elder Robbins' talk. Those who disagree with the message caution those of us who support his message against weaponizing it against Saints with weaker testimonies. Good counsel.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Summaries Of September 2014 LDS General Women's Meeting; Temples And Covenants Get Top Billing
The semi-annual LDS General Conference season kicked off with the General Women's Meeting on September 27th, 2014. This is a fair statement, since President Dieter F. Uchtdorf actually stated tonight that he considered this meeting the opening session of Conference. This is the second consecutive General Conference at which all the sisters eight years of age and older meet together instead of separating into Young Women and Relief Society meetings as in the past. The sisters were addressed by a member of each of the women's presidencies, along with a member of the First Presidency. In keeping with the LDS Church's increased commitment to multilingualism, a group of Primary children in Seoul, Republic of Korea singing "I Love To See The Temple" in Korean was featured.
Audio and video archives will be available on the October 2014 General Conference Archive Page, to be followed by written transcripts around mid-week. The entire meeting is also available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BACP_4BqkFo
Media stories now published by KSL Channel 5 and the Salt Lake Tribune; summaries based upon Deseret News stories are provided below. Click the speaker's name to go to the specific Deseret News story.
-- Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President. "Prepare For The Temple". Put forth a pitch for more vigorous and sustained temple activity, promising that LDS women who prepare themselves to worthily enter the temple and remain faithful to temple covenants will receive a multiplicity of blessings from the Lord. Sister Burton added that personal worthiness is an essential requirement to enjoy the blessings of the temple, and because Latter-day Saints come to the temple to receive eternal blessings, it should be surprising that a higher standard is required to qualify for those blessings. Those who wish to qualify for exaltation in the celestial kingdom are expected to live a higher standard of obedience that comes by practicing the virtue of obedience day by day and drop by drop.
-- Sister Jean A. Stevens, First Counselor, Primary Presidency. "Covenant Daughters of God". The takeaway was when daughters of God focus on the temple and on their sacred covenants, God is able to send blessings in personal and powerful ways. Sister Stevens noted that beginning with baptism and continuing on the path to temple covenants and priesthood ordinances, individuals are promised the blessing of eternal life if they are prepared and keep the covenants they make throughout their lives. Temples are an expression of God's love.
-- Sister Neill F. Marriott, Second Counselor, Young Women General Presidency. "Sharing Your Light". The primary takeaway here is that as faithful women proclaim truth and share their light, they are able to push back the darkness of the world. Sister Marriott said that each woman carries two important responsibilities; to add gospel light and truth to their own life, and to share that light and truth with others. She added that we must go to the source of light -- to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the scriptures, and added that the temple is yet another way to get closer to the light. To counter accusations that the Church is biased in favor of married homemakers, Sister Marriott added that each woman has her own role to play on the earth -- whether it is daughter, mother, leader, teacher, sister, wage earner, wife and others -- and each role is influential and has moral power. This should reassure LDS women that ALL women are welcome within the Church -- married or single, homemaker or wage-earner.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency. "Live The Gospel Joyful". Perhaps the real takeaway here is that we should project the appearance that living the Gospel is joyful. If we act like it's a chore or a drudge, people won't be as attracted to it. President Uchtdorf expressed the hope that LDS members will experience a renewed and an expanded measure of the love of God in their lives, to find the faith, determination, and commitment to learn God’s commandments, treasure them in our hearts, and live the gospel joyful.
President Uchtdorf also put forth a very important reminder, saying that while it is good to be a child of God, divine parentage alone does NOT guarantee a divine inheritance. Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours, and He not only knows what is best for us, but wants us to voluntarily choose what is best for us. The commandments of God are more than a bunch of feelgood memes; they are divine counsel, based on eternal truths. Finally, President Uchtdorf took a friendly shot at "checklist Mormonism" by saying when Church members treat God’s commandments and their part in building His kingdom like something to check off on a to-do list, they miss the heart of discipleship.
Reaction from the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Temples and covenants appeared to be the overarching theme of the meeting. Characterized the talks as excellent, giving great examples of covenants and the spiritual and revelatory power of the temple.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: Good summaries of the talks, and it appeared these hard-bitten feminists were for the most part impressed.
-- Exponent: Appeared particularly impressed with Sister Stevens' talk, noting that she used regular Church members and especially women as examples, repeatedly emphasizing that we all have different paths. This is important to Exponent since they find there are comparatively few quotes from women in the Scriptures and often go through whole Sunday School or Relief Society lessons without any quotes from women.
-- Times & Seasons: Julie Smith was particularly impressed with Sister Marriott's talk, not only praising her inclusive attitude towards a wider variety of Mormon women, but also by her ability to talk to the younger set without tslking down to them.
Audio and video archives will be available on the October 2014 General Conference Archive Page, to be followed by written transcripts around mid-week. The entire meeting is also available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BACP_4BqkFo
Media stories now published by KSL Channel 5 and the Salt Lake Tribune; summaries based upon Deseret News stories are provided below. Click the speaker's name to go to the specific Deseret News story.
-- Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President. "Prepare For The Temple". Put forth a pitch for more vigorous and sustained temple activity, promising that LDS women who prepare themselves to worthily enter the temple and remain faithful to temple covenants will receive a multiplicity of blessings from the Lord. Sister Burton added that personal worthiness is an essential requirement to enjoy the blessings of the temple, and because Latter-day Saints come to the temple to receive eternal blessings, it should be surprising that a higher standard is required to qualify for those blessings. Those who wish to qualify for exaltation in the celestial kingdom are expected to live a higher standard of obedience that comes by practicing the virtue of obedience day by day and drop by drop.
-- Sister Jean A. Stevens, First Counselor, Primary Presidency. "Covenant Daughters of God". The takeaway was when daughters of God focus on the temple and on their sacred covenants, God is able to send blessings in personal and powerful ways. Sister Stevens noted that beginning with baptism and continuing on the path to temple covenants and priesthood ordinances, individuals are promised the blessing of eternal life if they are prepared and keep the covenants they make throughout their lives. Temples are an expression of God's love.
-- Sister Neill F. Marriott, Second Counselor, Young Women General Presidency. "Sharing Your Light". The primary takeaway here is that as faithful women proclaim truth and share their light, they are able to push back the darkness of the world. Sister Marriott said that each woman carries two important responsibilities; to add gospel light and truth to their own life, and to share that light and truth with others. She added that we must go to the source of light -- to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the scriptures, and added that the temple is yet another way to get closer to the light. To counter accusations that the Church is biased in favor of married homemakers, Sister Marriott added that each woman has her own role to play on the earth -- whether it is daughter, mother, leader, teacher, sister, wage earner, wife and others -- and each role is influential and has moral power. This should reassure LDS women that ALL women are welcome within the Church -- married or single, homemaker or wage-earner.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency. "Live The Gospel Joyful". Perhaps the real takeaway here is that we should project the appearance that living the Gospel is joyful. If we act like it's a chore or a drudge, people won't be as attracted to it. President Uchtdorf expressed the hope that LDS members will experience a renewed and an expanded measure of the love of God in their lives, to find the faith, determination, and commitment to learn God’s commandments, treasure them in our hearts, and live the gospel joyful.
President Uchtdorf also put forth a very important reminder, saying that while it is good to be a child of God, divine parentage alone does NOT guarantee a divine inheritance. Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours, and He not only knows what is best for us, but wants us to voluntarily choose what is best for us. The commandments of God are more than a bunch of feelgood memes; they are divine counsel, based on eternal truths. Finally, President Uchtdorf took a friendly shot at "checklist Mormonism" by saying when Church members treat God’s commandments and their part in building His kingdom like something to check off on a to-do list, they miss the heart of discipleship.
Reaction from the Bloggernacle:
-- Millennial Star: Temples and covenants appeared to be the overarching theme of the meeting. Characterized the talks as excellent, giving great examples of covenants and the spiritual and revelatory power of the temple.
-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: Good summaries of the talks, and it appeared these hard-bitten feminists were for the most part impressed.
-- Exponent: Appeared particularly impressed with Sister Stevens' talk, noting that she used regular Church members and especially women as examples, repeatedly emphasizing that we all have different paths. This is important to Exponent since they find there are comparatively few quotes from women in the Scriptures and often go through whole Sunday School or Relief Society lessons without any quotes from women.
-- Times & Seasons: Julie Smith was particularly impressed with Sister Marriott's talk, not only praising her inclusive attitude towards a wider variety of Mormon women, but also by her ability to talk to the younger set without tslking down to them.
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