Saturday, February 14, 2009

Stake Conference - on Valentines day

Since this blog serves as a journal of sorts (minus the super personal stuff, of course) I'm going to jot down some notes from tonight's session of stake conference. (feel free to skip, I won't be offended)

Our Stake President (whose name I can't spell, so I won't try...) didn't have an actual talk, he just shared a simple and direct testimony to encourage us to follow prophetic counsel to "reduce and simplify." To chose wisely in the activities we chose to participate in, paying particular attention to what is "Good, Better, and Best" (as spoken of by Elder Oaks) He also reminded us of what President Hinckley said about trains/life, about how we can be just few inches off at the beginning of the journey, but we are miles and miles from our intended destination at the end of the journey.
*personal application* Pretty straightforward. I need to recheck my priorities and the choices I make on a daily basis; to make sure they are the best choices I could be making and that they are keeping me "on track" as far as my eternal destination.

President Brayton spoke on strengthening our families. He shared a talk given by Elder Hales. One quote I loved was "No matter how evil the world around us becomes, we can be at peace in our families." (for as often as I tend to let myself get worked up about things going on in the world, this was a quote I need to focus on remembering and more importantly, work on creating such an environment in our home for our family.)
1) Hold family counsels (both as an entire family and with individual members of the family)
2) Leave the door to our hearts open (remember prodigal son)
3) Liken the scriptures to our lives (and teach children to do the same)
4) Take advantage of everyday teaching moments
5) Trust the Good Shepherd

P. Brayton also shared the story that I won't go into detail here since it's going to be a long post anyway... but the effect of the story for me was that it made me really want to focus more on living my life each day, as if it might be my last. That I need to be prepared in all things, and spend the majority of my time and energies on the relationships that matter most.

The next talk was given by a sweet sister from the Spanish ward in our stake. She has been a member of the church for about 2 years. She was so nervous. This was her "first talk EVER" in English, and she said she prayed that the universal language of the spirit would carry her message. It certainly did. She wasn't well versed in gospel topics, she wasn't a scriptorian, she wasn't any super amazing whatever... but she had such an amazing spirit about her. She had such faith and love. It just seemed to radiate from her. She said something about her story being nothing super special, but it was a story of love.

The visiting general authority was Elder Ronald Stone of the Seventy, and he was really pleasant and engaging to listen to. He took the line from the Spanish sister (sorry, I didn't catch her name) about a story of love, and he used the scripture "God is Love," and he went from there. He mentioned that his daughter said it was horrible that the church would allow a stake conference meeting on the night of valentines day, but as he spoke of God being a God of Love, and Pres. Brayton spoke of families, I was definitely feeling the love of my Heavenly Father, and I was thinking that maybe that meeting of stake conference was the best place that any couple could be on Valentines Day...
Anyway, Elder Stone talked about how we often tend to think that if we are well versed in the "jargon" of something, we think are competent in that area. He said he has found that he (and I certainly have fallen into this myself) has had times when he felt super competent and confident in his church membership/callings/etc, because he knows his scriptures, knows Hebrew, has multiple degrees, can definitely speak the church "jargon," yet he found that even with all his apparent competence, he was learning from people who had little if any of his outward knowledge, yet they KNEW the power of faith. They KNEW the power of prayer. They KNEW so personally the love of God and saw daily the hand of God in their lives. (please note that I am using my own words and interpretation of what he said, not the exact wording)

He talked about how in the book of Alma it says that at some point in the 1st estate we were all on the same ground (he didn't give the reference, and I can't find it right off, but I'll be looking for it) and then quoted D&C 76 (again, he didn't give the reference, but this one I was able to easily find) where it speaks how in the celestial kingdom "He makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion." (verse 96)
All shall be make EQUAL. Then he asked the question; if we were the "same" before we came, and we can be "equal" after, why are we so different here? He proposed this:

"WHAT IF...the whole point of life is to learn to look past all these differences, to see the person that God can make glorious and equal?"

He reminded us that a few verses later in section 76: 109-111 it tells of the Telestial world, where "every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared." He pointed out that if we cannot learn to look past the difference, don't worry about it, God has prepared a place where we can hang on to differences. We just can't live in the presence of God. We can continue to think that we are better than A,B, & C, and feel regret that we are still worse than X,Y, and Z. (this last sentence, the abc-xyz thing is my own application.)
I just think about how I seem to have to have a "box" to put everyone in - and their "box" is almost always a comparison to where I think I am. For example, we go walking at night and all too often I find that instead of just being grateful that I am there, I find myself looking at the other people walking and putting them into the "oh man, I sure wish I looked like her" (or had those thighs) category, or else in the "well at least I'm not that bad off..." Why can't I just be grateful for what I am, focus on what I need to do to take care of me, and stop judging my own progress in comparison to everyone else.
Another example. Whenever I think I am being a crummy wife or horrible housekeeper, I think of a person who I think is "worse" than I am. I use this to justify MY poor behavior, thinking that "at least I'm not as _________ (fill in the blank) as she is." WHO CARES????? Heavenly Father is NOT going to ask me at the judgment how I did in comparison with someone else. He is going to ask me if I did the best I could , withing the circumstances I was given. This is a lesson I really needed to be reminded of, and I really really really want to learn to look past the differences in others.

One last thought, since this has already gone on too long, but that's what you get for 'peeping' in my journal;)

Elder Stone said that once he was at a Stake Conference, traveling with one of the Senior Apostles (didn't say which one) and in this persons talk, he paused for a moment then said, "for some of you here, I expect that when you stand before the Lord at the judgment, he will ask you only one question, 'Did you learn to love?'"
I want to be able to answer that with a solid and resounding YES. I try to do a lot of service. I try to help people out. But I really need to focus on looking past difference and loving people for the child of God that they are. It was a great meeting for me. I am grateful to have been there. It has re focused my attention of some things I need to improve on. Now I just need to DO IT!

1 comment:

Charlotte said...

I'm glad you posted this. With all the craziness in the world, I've been on the lookout for positive things that I can read and listen to lately. This definitely falls in that category, and there were some points here that have been really helpful for me.

Thank you.