What an uplifting weekend



 


We had a wonderful weekend!  It was General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

We were able to spend Saturday with Kyle, Gaby & Celeste watching the morning and afternoon sessions with them --which was a delight.  We don't have a television (believe it or not!!) so it was great to watch Conference (and let's be honest, some football as well) on a big TV.  Our laptop and phones don't quite do some things justice.  

   I think fall is finally here!! It rained 2.5 inches Saturday!

                  


After the afternoon session we then made our way back to our apartment.  The plus to our apartment location is that it is literally across the street from the Conference Center.  The minus is that it is literally across the street from the Conference Center.  There were approximately 20,000 people at each session so just the sheer number of bodies was a sight to see.  Everything ran so smoothly, traffic (foot & vehicle) and the amount of noise was not a bad as we had expected. 

As missionaries, we were able to get tickets to attend Conference.  Usually, if you live in Utah it is pretty difficult to get tickets as a lot of them get sent out to congregations in other states.  So we were blessed to get them.  We also attended Music and the Spoken Word (this has been presented weekly for almost 90 years).  The music was beautiful and the message so uplifting.  Then immediately after that completed, the Sunday Morning Session of Conference began.  The talks were very poignant and touching.  It was bittersweet what with the passing of our dear Prophet Russell M Nelson last week but also comforting to see that the Church carries on without missing a beat. Our seats for our session Sunday morning was right where the General Authorities walked in so we got the meet and shake hands with SOOOO many! Very cool for two 'kids' from Florida!!

            

               

This is Elder Corbitt who visited with Elder Clemons' mother about 7 months ago when he was in Florida.  He remembered her name and was so sweet when he talked about her, Barrus (Elder Clemons' brother) and President Hinson, one of the leaders in the Church in Florida who had taken Elder Corbitt to the Clemons' home.  I can only guess the number of people he has been introduced to in the past months and he remembered details!  How special was that!! 

We also got to meet Brother Gabriel Reid (he played for BYU & the Chicago Bears) so that was pretty great for an avid football fan like Elder Clemons.


Thought from Conference: (in my paraphrased notes & memories)

* Songs learned during the ages of children attending Primary serve as a spiritual anchor for them. 
* Primary songs teach eternal truths.                          Tracy Y Browning

* Getting good at anything requires consistent self-discipline & practice.  Faith requires consistent work.
* The fire of yesterday's testimony will only keep us warm if we continue to feed & nurture it.
*  You left Heaven to come to earth.  Heaven never left you.
*  We are thankful and blessed for the steps we took yesterday -- but we don't stop there, we keep moving forward.                  Dieter F Uchtdorf

*  Find and revere you own personal 'Sacred Grove.'
*  A testimony is to be eternal because the giver is eternal.      
                                                                                     Kevin G Brown
*  No one sits alone.
*  Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.              Gerrit W Gong

*  This is a church of new beginnings -- a church of new life.
*  Jesus gives as many new beginnings as we need. You do not have to be who you have been before.                                            Patrick Kearon

*  Only the Lord knows the degree of difficulty we are experiencing as we go through life.                                                           J Anette Dennis

*  Notice & remember; then go & do likewise.             William K Jackson

*  He has the power to bring beauty from the ashes of your pain.
*  Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.
                                                                                 Neil L Anderson

* So what if the answers to our prayers come in plain or convoluted ways.
* God can bless us by whatever method He wishes.
* Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound...I once was blind but now I see.                                                                                  Jeffrey R Holland

* Service open hearts to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
* Teaching missionaries are God's mouth. 
   Service missionaries are God's hands.                     James E Evanson

* The Savior's job is to heal and make whole.  Our job is to minister to the one in ways that will draw them to want to come closer to the Savior and the House of the Lord.                                                 Peter M Johnson

* Raise our children in light and truth.  If we fail to do this, the world will NOT do it.                                                    Andrea Munoz Spannaus

* Proved means to increase in strength.  Proved steel does not become weaker, it becomes stronger and trustworthy to bear heavier burdens.
*  Because of His Atonement, Jesus Christ will help and strengthen us as we are proved in this life.                                              Henry B Eyring

* By which name are you called?                                    Corey Cuvelier

* Have I genuinely tried to become better?                   Dale G Renlund

* Parental influence has been diluted in the church as well as in the world.
* Within the family circle is the best place to teach and learn gospel and life values.  Parents have a duty to teach their children practical knowledge and should educate their children in the basic skills of living.
* Family is the center of our church.
* Families can find time to do what is truly worthwhile by turning the family on and turning technology off.                              Dallin H Oaks

There were so many more great and wonderful messages given over the course of the 5 sessions. These a few of the ones that really touched me.  If you are curious and want to learn more, these talks and so many more can be found at:

ChurchofJesusChrist.org  
Click the Learning tab and then click the General Conference tab











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