April 2016 General Conference

[nibbler]

One session down, five to go. I didn't get to watch the General Women's Session live. I'll keep my posting brief, I'm really sick and need to get back to bed.

Cheryl A. Esplin:
Quoting a BYU devotional given by Sondra Heaston:

What if we could really see into each other’s hearts? Would we understand each other better? By feeling what others feel, seeing what others see, and hearing what others hear, would we make, and take, the time to serve others, and would we treat them differently? Would we treat them with more patience, more kindness, and more tolerance?

All of us can incorporate some service into our daily living. We live in a contentious world. We give service when we don't criticize, when we refuse to gossip, when we don't judge, when we smile, when we say thank you, and when we are patient and kind.

I thought I'd get a little further than the first talk but I've got to take another break. From everything I've heard it was an amazing session of conference.

[mom3]

I will post more later but the general consensus from FMH to TBM - It was out of the park.

Couple of quick links -

http://aspiringmormonwomen.org/2016/03/ ... p-10-list/

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=39080293&nid=1284

http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org ... s-meeting/

[mom3]

I so appreciate the direction and upwardness of this session of Conference. Yet I find myself holding back my full enthusiasm - and this topic is directly up my personal alley. I spent the past two days trying to understand my reluctance, the best analogy I could come to was abuse. I fear throwing my heart behind this only to find that it's a mirage or a mere moment. In six months from now will we return to rhetoric meetings, will we have gone too far from "temple worship, and daily scripture study" and need to be called to repentance.

With all my heart I want to shout loud Hosannas from this conference. In my dreams it will be the perfect leak in the dike to create the flood of Charity that I think this church is lacking. I would love the ideas of this conference to have a decade full of talks, conversations, articles, videos and more to move us into "loving our fellow man" as "Jesus would have us do". It will take more than one session of conference and one action item to change us. We are creatures of the habits we have been raised with. Temple first, FHE, early morning seminary, fulfilling ward callings, Sabbath Day Seclusion, HT and VT - then when there is time - then we serve beyond ourselves. And often there just isn't time or ease to do so.

My final hold out is - Women only? I was so glad that we were admonished as women to not burn ourselves out or do more than we could. I loved that we were invited to seek out our personal missions/callings and follow that. I have been bitter to the lack of the suggestion for 20+ years. Ever since women were moved back into the home by ETB, we stopped being our best selves (IMO). But - This invitation should be open to families, to men, to youth etc. I hope it will be. I hope during conference and onward it will be trumpeted as a God like pursuit that all should do.

For me, I tuck my fondest hopes in the back of my soul. I will still do what I feel is best, I will invite others to do so - to live up to the better angels of our nature, and I will pray with might that this is the beginning of abundant healing waters for so many. For all the refugee's of life.

[Heber13]

if the talks contain real inspiring gospel messages, it provides me with quotes I can bring back to my ward in sunday school discussions to emphasize more than just "obey" and "scripture study" and "temple worship".

I hope they do. I hope this weekend has good stuff.

I don't expect it to be edgy, but I hope it is uplifting, even to me.

I plan to go to SLC to watch it live. I think that will add to the value for me.

[Curt Sunshine]

I can't hold the rest of conference to this session. That would be an unrealistic expectation that could lead only to disappointment and frustration. However, I can celebrate a stunning session that couldn't have been better.

I only hope there are enough similar messages, at least in tone and uplifting result, to overshadow the others that inevitably must exist. Opposition in all things and all that jazz.

[nibbler]

I so appreciate the direction and upwardness of this session of Conference. Yet I find myself holding back my full enthusiasm - and this topic is directly up my personal alley. I spent the past two days trying to understand my reluctance, the best analogy I could come to was abuse. I fear throwing my heart behind this only to find that it's a mirage or a mere moment. In six months from now will we return to rhetoric meetings, will we have gone too far from "temple worship, and daily scripture study" and need to be called to repentance.

Will future talks be less than welcoming? Almost certainly. How's that for a pick-me-up? The less than welcoming talks that are sure to come can't erase the good talks, it's like light that chases away darkness. My bags only have but so much room, I have to be choosy about which things I take with me. P.S. I even bag up some of the bad ones so I can have something to complain about. It's cathartic.

[mom3]

I do know that we need opposition in all things. I am pretty fair minded about addresses and sessions, but I think my well has felt so empty and so depleted, that nothing I did was really quenching the thirst. So went it came I drank till my stomach hurt and I still want more. Not just for me, but for a lot of people.

My best choice is to fill my canteen's full from this and march forth. Wagon's Ho.

[LookingHard]

I so appreciate the direction and upwardness of this session of Conference. Yet I find myself holding back my full enthusiasm - and this topic is directly up my personal alley. I spent the past two days trying to understand my reluctance, the best analogy I could come to was abuse. I fear throwing my heart behind this only to find that it's a mirage or a mere moment. In six months from now will we return to rhetoric meetings, will we have gone too far from "temple worship, and daily scripture study" and need to be called to repentance.

I too feel this from time to time. I write it up as cynicism from past experience. I don't want to get my hopes up too high as having them smashed down is more painful than never lifting my hopes very high.

[Curt Sunshine]

"I Feel My Savior's Love"

Good way to start, musically.

[Curt Sunshine]

Pres. Eyring:

"Come to feel inspiration."

We gather in Jesus' name, even when only two or three are gathered.

The purpose of GC is to help members draw closer to Jesus Christ.

He mentioned specific examples of members with faith crises. Parable of the Sower: Not sure if I will like this application or not. It is okay-good so far. "All of us have our faith tested" in various ways. Limited examples, but I like the focus on nourishing the word of God.

"Only the Holy Ghost can bring the blessings we seek." The Holy Ghost is the key, and "as they speak by the Holy Ghost" is the qualification.

This is completely orthodox, and many / most will hear it that way, but it says clearly that the responsibility is on BOTH the speakers and the listeners. There is no guarantee that everything will be the word of God; the statement is that they all seek for inspiration, but they need to speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Pray for affirmation of "some truth" in each talk. I like that wording.

His testimony is focused on God, the Father, and his son, Jesus Christ.

The only reference to the apostles and the Church, explicitly, was in his testimony. This was an orthodox talk in many ways, but I like the way it was worded, overall.