- President Lewis
- Stand in Holy Places
- Story of friend who is a recovering alcoholic and how he needs to make all of his life a "holy place"
- "If you hangout in a barbershop, you'll eventually get a haircut
- Discussed how we can make all aspects of our life a "holy" place with preparation and work
- Example of the story of Lot and those that turned away from their goal and back towards babylon and turned into Salt
- We need to do the same thing will all of the "directions" we've been given (cleave unto our wives, read, pray, attend church and temple, etc)
- Like in the story of Lot --> we need to aim and focus towards the directions that we've been given and NOT towards "babylon"
- 2nd Speaker
- Told a few stories his life. Very good testimony
- 3rd Speaker
- Topic: Coming unto Christ
- Circle in the square is the place where heaven and earth meet - the temple
- The temple is the key to coming unto Christ for everyone
- Section 93 --> he that keepeth the commandments is happy!
- The more we learn and go to the temple, the more we realize how dependent we are on the Atonement as we grow closer to Him, learn to love Him deeper and make Him and His gospel the top priority in our life.
- Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to find happiness and keep his family safe!
- 4th Speaker
- How can we improve our commitment to our callings
- Analogy of his mother taking care of her yard/garden. They've considered hiring a lawn service to take over the work, but she truly loves each individual plant and can likely do a better job than the lawn service because of this love
- For our callings - we need the same thing - we need to truly LOVE those we serve as well as loving the Lord, our neighbors and those around us.
- Each time we sacrifice our time and talents for others, we take a step closer to our Savior
- Abide in me and I in you --> the key is the word "Abide" --> same as all of the themes above - we need to "abide" in the Gospel
- Preisdent Packard
- Really struggled with what to say and teach during the leadership session
- His first comment --> "Thank You" for what you're doing
- He has been attending the temple each week and he loves to see members in the temple - its like a great reunion, kind of like heaven
- In the temple, we are all the same --> children of heaven serving those we love
- Our work in the temple has sharply increased in the Stake
- Temple attendance --> they go once a month together, but try to go weekly on their own
- D&C 4:
- Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
- The marvelous work is all of the ordinances of the Gospel, with the temple being the capstone of the marvelous work!
- Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
- Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
- For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
- And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
- Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
- This is the "measuring stick" verse --> how are we doing on these attributes?
- Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
- Alma 60 --> background is that this is during the period of Captain Moroni and his battles
10 And now, my beloved brethren—for ye ought to be beloved; yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all their cries, and all their sufferings—
19 Or is it that ye have neglected us because ye are in the heart of our country and ye are surrounded by security, that ye do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen our armies?
20 Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God? Yea, have ye forgotten the captivity of our fathers? Have ye forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies?
- Alma 61 --> Pahoran's response
- Going back to the measuring stick --> Pahoran does a great job against the D&C4:6 measuring stick as he looks upon Moroni's heart instead of his actions and words
- We all need to take a step back and evaluate issues and circumstances from a more objective position instead of rushing to judge others
- Invites us all to evaluate ourselves against the D&C 4:6 measuring stick.
- Elder Paul Hintze
- Works full time as a surgeon
- Has 8 children - youngest just left home
- Based in St. Louis
- Asks us to choose one thing that we will commit to learn from and do differently based on something we learned or were impressed with during this conference
- D&C 4:4
- For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
- The person "saved" is the one that serves and works for the Lord!!!
- Hymn #240 - "Know this, that Every Soul is Free
- Know this, that ev’ry soul is free
- To choose his life and what he’ll be;
- For this eternal truth is giv’n:
- That God will force no man to heav’n.
- He’ll call, persuade, direct aright,
- And bless with wisdom, love, and light,
- In nameless ways be good and kind,
- But never force the human mind.
- Freedom and reason make us men;
- Take these away, what are we then?
- Mere animals, and just as well
- The beasts may think of heav’n or hell.
- May we no more our pow’rs abuse,
- But ways of truth and goodness choose;
- Our God is pleased when we improve
- His grace and seek his perfect love.
- D&C 1 --> great section. Here are important verses:
- vs4
- And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
- We are called to be that voice of warning in our respective callings
- vs19
- The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh
- Feels good to know that the humble, weak servant of God can conquer anything!
- vs 37-38
- Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
- What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
- Seminary scripture --> we are all leaders and servants
- vs 17 -23
- 17 Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called uponmy servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;
- 18 And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
- 19 The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—
- 20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
- 21 That faith also might increase in the earth;
- 22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established;
- 23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.
- Very mighty section of scriptures that discusses the Lord's plans and vision for the future of the restored Gospel. Look at how these prophecies have been fulfilled in the last nearly 2 centuries!!
- Final thought - will carry this into the adult session latter
- We have the Light of the Gospel and it is our duty to share that light and to live in the light
- We need to stand in holy places
- We need to go to the temple to continue to build upon that light
- But - how do we feel about our responsibility to share the Gospel? Do we feel like we're doing a good job or that we're failing?
- Elder Hintze believes that God knows us well enough that he knows how to leverage our talents and blessings to bring about his work if we are wiling to align our will with His will!
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