Sziatók! Hogy Vagy? (Hello All, How are you)
So
we got the awesome opportunity last weekend to watch General
Conference. For those of you who don't know what General Conference is,
it's when many leaders of the church speak to us. The live session is
held in Salt Lake City at the Conference Center, but most of us just
watch it through broadcast.
I
really loved general conference this past weekend. You can tell by the
power the speakers speak with, and the authority in their voices that
they're men and women called by God to deliver His message. I have no
doubt in the world that Thomas S. Monson along with all of his apostles
speak to God and receives revelations for us, in these trying times.
A few talks/bits of conference I liked:
1) Jefferey R. Holland
This man is such an amazing speaker. One thing he said is "If you think about breaking a commandment, you have already broken in, in your heart." I had never heard someone say that, and it makes me think about how many times I have done this. If I'm truly faithful to the Lord with all my heart, I wouldn't even consider breaking a commandment. I don't want to break commandments through my actions or my thoughts, so I need to not give into even the slightest temptation because it could to breaking commandments, in my heart.
2) Linda S. Reeves
She began her talk about warning us about pornography, but she said something about filtering what comes into our minds that I really liked. She said, "The greatest filter is our testimony of God's love and the Savior's Atonement." I love thinking of our testimony as a filter. If we thought of God's love for us , and the price Jesus Christ paid in order for us to return to live with them again, would we watch the movies, listen to the songs or go to the websites that would ultimately decrease our chances of gaining a stronger testimony? We need to think about our testimony as a filter. If what we're doing is not drawing us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we need not to do it.
3) Neil L Anderson
In the beginning of his talk, he taught us a lesson about trees and their complex root system, and how it gets stronger as harsh winds blow against it. He compared us to that of a tree, and how through our personal winds (trials, temptations, tribulations, etc.) we can make our roots stronger in the gospel. I loved that, but one thing he said really struck me, having to do with the temple. He said, "The way you feel in the temple should be a pattern of how you should feel in your life." After having many experiences in the temple I've come to discover that the experiences you have there cannot be duplicated anywhere else. I can't imagine how great and joyous my life would be (It's pretty great and joyous right now) if I could have the spirit with me, as strong as I have it in the temple, all the time. I would probably be the happiest person in the world!
4) Henry B. Eyring
This man is just so cute! I love him! I loved his talk too! During Saturday Morning he spoke about his grandpa and the great inheritance he had, but how he eventually lost it due to a bad investment (or something along those lines). He said, "We as members want to leave an inheritance of Hope for our posterity and genera! tions to come. We can do this by being good examples." You never know who is watching and what they are learning from your actions.
Another part of his talk that I loved is when he said, "Because of the Fall we have a universal inheritance of temptations, trials, sorrows, sins and death...because of the atonement we have the universal inheritance of cleansing, peace, forgiveness, and comfort. That really struck me. When we're born we will face all kind of temptations and trials. It's inevitable because of the fall. Nobody is safe from Satan. Satan has access to everyone and he strives to bring all of God's children to misery like unto himself. But all hope is not lost. Jesus atoned for our sins and we can repent. We are not perfect, but Jesus Christ was and has borne the burden of our sins. The atonement is available to everyone. It's our universal inheritance that makes us "rich" in the gospel. "Rich" because we have an eternal relationship with He! avenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.
5) Robert D Hales.
Obedience. A word that should be in everybody's lives. Elder Hales spoke about three ways of being obedient. We can have the natural man's obedience, where we reject God's gospel purely for our own selfish desires, like popularity. We can have selective obedience where we select which commandments to fully obey. Then there is mature obedience, where we truly love the Lord and Jesus Christ so we obey all of their commandments without being asked, or told to do so. I think I've gone through all stages of obedience, more than once in my life. The first two come with temporary joy and pleasure, because it feels good to do what you want, when you want. The only way we can receive true everlasting happiness is by having mature obedience. Putting the Lord's will first, before your own. Loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ unconditionally and putting your life in their hands. This is where we can find true happiness. 6) Gary E Stevenson
He talked about the recent 2014 Olympics, he spoke about the event called the skeleton, where one lays on his or her stomach, with their chin just inches above the ice, reaching speeds up to 80 mph, heading head-first down a slippery track. The event is only sixty seconds, four times, but it's an event that the competitors train for all their lives. He compared our life, here on earth, to that of the four minutes the skeleton competitors train for, while participating in the Olympics. Just like Olympic athletes we were trained before we came to earth, we knew our "four minutes" would not be easy, but that it'd be worth it. My favorite line he said was, "I am a competitor who wants to do my best, and who wants to help other competitors do their best." I have always been pretty athletic and super competitive. I was thinking about that line, and I related it to my past experiences I've had in athletics. Sometimes we get so caught up with "me, me, me." "I want to score!" "I want to win," that we don't remember that even though we're playing against other people, we're playing them to help them become better. Not to beat them and laugh at their defeat, but to build them up to be better athletes. Likewise, we are not here on earth to be alone, we have other "competitors" that can help us along the way. We all need to reach out to our "competitors" so that we can be victorious in this race, called life.
7) David A Bednar
I love this guy. After listening to the Character of Christ he is in a close run for my favorite apostle (aside from Holland). The talk he gave about his friend wanting a four-wheel drive pickup, ultimately getting it, and then getting it stuck was awesome. The whole message was about how his friend got stuck in a snow bank with his truck, but once he put the firewood, that he cut, in the bed of the truck, the truck gained enough traction n to get out of the bank, and to make it back home, safely to his family. He compared this to us, and how we need "spiritual traction" in order to get out of the bank so that we can make it back home to our Father in Heaven.
I could go on and on and on about conference, but I won't. It suffices me to say that I was very pleased with Conference and I can't wait for October to come so that I can listen to it again. Although it will be different because I'll be a day ahead of all of you! Crazy, huh!
A few talks/bits of conference I liked:
1) Jefferey R. Holland
This man is such an amazing speaker. One thing he said is "If you think about breaking a commandment, you have already broken in, in your heart." I had never heard someone say that, and it makes me think about how many times I have done this. If I'm truly faithful to the Lord with all my heart, I wouldn't even consider breaking a commandment. I don't want to break commandments through my actions or my thoughts, so I need to not give into even the slightest temptation because it could to breaking commandments, in my heart.
2) Linda S. Reeves
She began her talk about warning us about pornography, but she said something about filtering what comes into our minds that I really liked. She said, "The greatest filter is our testimony of God's love and the Savior's Atonement." I love thinking of our testimony as a filter. If we thought of God's love for us , and the price Jesus Christ paid in order for us to return to live with them again, would we watch the movies, listen to the songs or go to the websites that would ultimately decrease our chances of gaining a stronger testimony? We need to think about our testimony as a filter. If what we're doing is not drawing us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we need not to do it.
3) Neil L Anderson
In the beginning of his talk, he taught us a lesson about trees and their complex root system, and how it gets stronger as harsh winds blow against it. He compared us to that of a tree, and how through our personal winds (trials, temptations, tribulations, etc.) we can make our roots stronger in the gospel. I loved that, but one thing he said really struck me, having to do with the temple. He said, "The way you feel in the temple should be a pattern of how you should feel in your life." After having many experiences in the temple I've come to discover that the experiences you have there cannot be duplicated anywhere else. I can't imagine how great and joyous my life would be (It's pretty great and joyous right now) if I could have the spirit with me, as strong as I have it in the temple, all the time. I would probably be the happiest person in the world!
4) Henry B. Eyring
This man is just so cute! I love him! I loved his talk too! During Saturday Morning he spoke about his grandpa and the great inheritance he had, but how he eventually lost it due to a bad investment (or something along those lines). He said, "We as members want to leave an inheritance of Hope for our posterity and genera! tions to come. We can do this by being good examples." You never know who is watching and what they are learning from your actions.
Another part of his talk that I loved is when he said, "Because of the Fall we have a universal inheritance of temptations, trials, sorrows, sins and death...because of the atonement we have the universal inheritance of cleansing, peace, forgiveness, and comfort. That really struck me. When we're born we will face all kind of temptations and trials. It's inevitable because of the fall. Nobody is safe from Satan. Satan has access to everyone and he strives to bring all of God's children to misery like unto himself. But all hope is not lost. Jesus atoned for our sins and we can repent. We are not perfect, but Jesus Christ was and has borne the burden of our sins. The atonement is available to everyone. It's our universal inheritance that makes us "rich" in the gospel. "Rich" because we have an eternal relationship with He! avenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.
5) Robert D Hales.
Obedience. A word that should be in everybody's lives. Elder Hales spoke about three ways of being obedient. We can have the natural man's obedience, where we reject God's gospel purely for our own selfish desires, like popularity. We can have selective obedience where we select which commandments to fully obey. Then there is mature obedience, where we truly love the Lord and Jesus Christ so we obey all of their commandments without being asked, or told to do so. I think I've gone through all stages of obedience, more than once in my life. The first two come with temporary joy and pleasure, because it feels good to do what you want, when you want. The only way we can receive true everlasting happiness is by having mature obedience. Putting the Lord's will first, before your own. Loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ unconditionally and putting your life in their hands. This is where we can find true happiness. 6) Gary E Stevenson
He talked about the recent 2014 Olympics, he spoke about the event called the skeleton, where one lays on his or her stomach, with their chin just inches above the ice, reaching speeds up to 80 mph, heading head-first down a slippery track. The event is only sixty seconds, four times, but it's an event that the competitors train for all their lives. He compared our life, here on earth, to that of the four minutes the skeleton competitors train for, while participating in the Olympics. Just like Olympic athletes we were trained before we came to earth, we knew our "four minutes" would not be easy, but that it'd be worth it. My favorite line he said was, "I am a competitor who wants to do my best, and who wants to help other competitors do their best." I have always been pretty athletic and super competitive. I was thinking about that line, and I related it to my past experiences I've had in athletics. Sometimes we get so caught up with "me, me, me." "I want to score!" "I want to win," that we don't remember that even though we're playing against other people, we're playing them to help them become better. Not to beat them and laugh at their defeat, but to build them up to be better athletes. Likewise, we are not here on earth to be alone, we have other "competitors" that can help us along the way. We all need to reach out to our "competitors" so that we can be victorious in this race, called life.
7) David A Bednar
I love this guy. After listening to the Character of Christ he is in a close run for my favorite apostle (aside from Holland). The talk he gave about his friend wanting a four-wheel drive pickup, ultimately getting it, and then getting it stuck was awesome. The whole message was about how his friend got stuck in a snow bank with his truck, but once he put the firewood, that he cut, in the bed of the truck, the truck gained enough traction n to get out of the bank, and to make it back home, safely to his family. He compared this to us, and how we need "spiritual traction" in order to get out of the bank so that we can make it back home to our Father in Heaven.
I could go on and on and on about conference, but I won't. It suffices me to say that I was very pleased with Conference and I can't wait for October to come so that I can listen to it again. Although it will be different because I'll be a day ahead of all of you! Crazy, huh!
8) Last but not least, is our beloved Prophet: Thomas S. Monson. I
love him so much and the talk he gave about having patience with one
another and loving one another is just what I needed to hear, as my
biggest struggle since being at the MTC is having a companion. I love my
companion to death, but being an only child, never having to be around
someone my age for an extended amount of time is different. I'm getting
better, but that talk just instilled some confidence in me that I can
love like Christ loves, and that we are all God's children and need to
treat each other with respect.
Well, God be with you 'till we speak again!
Whitaker Növér
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