Since moving to Virginia (Aug 2007), I have been listening to General Conference talks on my iPod on my way to work. Because my commute is sometimes more than an hour each way, I've listened to the same talks many times. To mix things up, I recently decided to download last conference in Spanish. I will admit the reason was not so I could get more out of conference, but rather so I could brush up on Spanish.
What happened was that I really had to listen to the words very carefully to catch their meaning. I had to "open my ears." As I did that, the Spirit touched my heart as these great men and women of the Lord testified of Him and His gospel. Even though I had heard it all many times before, my testimony was renewed.
This small experience reinforced in my mind the importance of really listening to the Lord's voice in the scriptures, at church, and during General Conference. Doing so, I think, can renew our testimonies each day and keep the fire burning strong so that we can have, as President Eyring has taught, "more than a memory of the moment when the Spirit whispered to [our] minds and hearts that God lived, that Jesus was the Christ, and that Joseph was their prophet." (Elder Eyring, An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph, Ensign, Nov. 2003)
I have felt especially blessed this last week to have been born in the gospel as they say. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and know it's true. I know there are prophets and apostle on the earth today. I hope I can follow them, even as they point away from themselves and toward the Savior whom they serve.
Showing posts with label General Conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label General Conference. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
General Conference...Living Water!
The Lord never lets us down! I had been feeling particularly worried about a certain aspect of my life, and the very first talk I really got to listen to (Elder Scott's, in the Priesthood Session) inspired and uplifted me just in the way I needed.
I wonder what would happen if we were to pray , or read the scriptures or attend church with the same attitude we have towards General Conference. I think we would probably find that the Lord is eagerly waiting for us to listen so He can inspire and uplift us. I think of the Nephites/Lamanites when Heavenly Father was announcing the Savior from heaven. They really had to turn to the sound of His voice and "open their ears" to hear Him. (3 Nephi 11:5) I have found that even the strangest of testimony meetings can be just as uplifting as General Conference, if we "open our ears."
I really believe that each moment of prayer, each time we attend church, each time we study the gospel, we can have that “General Conference” experience; when it seems as though what we are hearing/reading is directed at us personally. Of course, I don't think it will happen every time. We all have to experience trials of faith. But I think that if we prepare ourselves to hear the Lord's voice, when we really need to be directed and inspired, He will always speak to us.
I also think of President Monson, when he said something like, 'I want the Lord to know, that when He has something that needs to be done, Tom Monson will do it.' What a great thought! I think we all want to reach that level of trust with the Lord. The more obedient we are - which requires the exercise of faith - the more promptings we will get. And I am confident that the promptings will always be to do something to serve and help another one of Father's children.
I guess what I am saying is that, although we won't necessarily have "amazing" spiritual experiences every Sunday or every time we study and pray (we might not even feel anything), if we have been obedient and are listening for the Lord's voice, He will never let us down in our time of need. When He comes to us, to uplift and inspire, it might not be as quickly as we would like, but I know He will come. And the converse is, if we are disobedient and turn away from Him when more worldly pleasures are calling, we will probably miss out on hearing His voice and an opportunity to prove that when He has something that needs to be done, we will do it. Whenever I begin to feel that I am not getting anything out of my prayers, study, or church, the first thing I do is repent! I know that it is not the Lord who has distanced Himself from me, but that I have turned from Him.
I know that Heavenly Father speaks to us through His Son, through the Holy Ghost and our thoughts and feelings, and through the scriptures. He speaks to us through President Monson and the General Authorities of the church. He can speak to us through our local leaders, Sunday School teachers, Home Teachers, parents, siblings, children. We just have to turn our eyes towards Him and open our ears.
I am thankful that for all the times I have offended Him, He still speaks to me. He does so because I am His son and He loves me. I know I am not special in that regard, but we are all His children and He loves us all without condition.
I wonder what would happen if we were to pray , or read the scriptures or attend church with the same attitude we have towards General Conference. I think we would probably find that the Lord is eagerly waiting for us to listen so He can inspire and uplift us. I think of the Nephites/Lamanites when Heavenly Father was announcing the Savior from heaven. They really had to turn to the sound of His voice and "open their ears" to hear Him. (3 Nephi 11:5) I have found that even the strangest of testimony meetings can be just as uplifting as General Conference, if we "open our ears."
I really believe that each moment of prayer, each time we attend church, each time we study the gospel, we can have that “General Conference” experience; when it seems as though what we are hearing/reading is directed at us personally. Of course, I don't think it will happen every time. We all have to experience trials of faith. But I think that if we prepare ourselves to hear the Lord's voice, when we really need to be directed and inspired, He will always speak to us.
I also think of President Monson, when he said something like, 'I want the Lord to know, that when He has something that needs to be done, Tom Monson will do it.' What a great thought! I think we all want to reach that level of trust with the Lord. The more obedient we are - which requires the exercise of faith - the more promptings we will get. And I am confident that the promptings will always be to do something to serve and help another one of Father's children.
I guess what I am saying is that, although we won't necessarily have "amazing" spiritual experiences every Sunday or every time we study and pray (we might not even feel anything), if we have been obedient and are listening for the Lord's voice, He will never let us down in our time of need. When He comes to us, to uplift and inspire, it might not be as quickly as we would like, but I know He will come. And the converse is, if we are disobedient and turn away from Him when more worldly pleasures are calling, we will probably miss out on hearing His voice and an opportunity to prove that when He has something that needs to be done, we will do it. Whenever I begin to feel that I am not getting anything out of my prayers, study, or church, the first thing I do is repent! I know that it is not the Lord who has distanced Himself from me, but that I have turned from Him.
I know that Heavenly Father speaks to us through His Son, through the Holy Ghost and our thoughts and feelings, and through the scriptures. He speaks to us through President Monson and the General Authorities of the church. He can speak to us through our local leaders, Sunday School teachers, Home Teachers, parents, siblings, children. We just have to turn our eyes towards Him and open our ears.
I am thankful that for all the times I have offended Him, He still speaks to me. He does so because I am His son and He loves me. I know I am not special in that regard, but we are all His children and He loves us all without condition.
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