This postMy thoughts on the Sunday afternoon session of General Conference.
L. Tom Perry. I need to keep asking myself if I’m befriending those who need it. Sometimes it’s easy, but sometimes it’s not, and that’s when it’s most important. Do I reach out to pull people into my circle of friends? Even those who aren’t so befriendable?
Henry B. Eyring. An excellent talk against procrastination. We must treasure the day — the now. It doesn’t apply only to gospel principles like repentance, either; living not in the past or the future but in the present is part of living a whole, healthy life. (This doesn’t mean ignoring either the past or the future, of course.) I liked Elder Eyring’s counsel to ask God to guide us to those who need to be lifted, and his promise that they’re there. When he told the story of his discussion with an “aging servant of the Lord,” I realized that that’s how I want to be known — as a servant of God. Right now I seem to see myself mostly as a creative, a writer, an artist, that sort of thing. That’s good, but I need to bring my role as a servant of God back up to full prominence. It’s the only one that truly matters, for if I’m failing in that respect, the rest are worth nothing to me.
Gary J. Coleman. Are Mormons Christian? Yes.
Charles W. Dahlquist, II. It’s exciting to be part of the chosen generation. Inspiring, too. It’s interesting (and relieving) that there’s not so much violent persecution of the Saints these days. We’re still attacked, of course, but the playing field is almost entirely spiritual now, not physical.
Yoshihiko Kikuchi. Tithing leads us to the temple.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf. “Repentance and forgiveness can be as real as sin.” That’s cool. :) Also, “faith in Christ will change our thoughts, our beliefs, and our behaviors.” Satan’s good at getting us to focus on God’s justice and forget about His mercy, as Elder Uchtdorf said. I myself didn’t quite get the picture until my late teens or maybe even on my mission — namely, that God is on my side and wants me to succeed even more than I do. He’s not fidgeting on the edge of His seat, ready to inflict punishment at the slightest provocation. No, He will do everything in His power to help me overcome my trials and become holy, pure, without spot. This is a God I can love.
Russell M. Nelson. Ah, finally a talk that mentions family history! :) (Well, President Hinckley’s talk about the 20,000 endowments did, too, I suppose.) I hadn’t really thought about repenting of sins of omission before, but it’s important, I now see.
President Hinckley. When he said, “I so pray as I say goodbye to you,” then left the podium with a smile, Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday party leapt into my mind and I would not have been surprised in the least if President Hinckley had vanished right then and there. I could be wrong, but that seemed to me to be a pretty darn clear final adieu. It knocked me speechless for a while. That was it. Goodbye, President Hinckley. I hate goodbyes. ~sigh~ He has been a good and faithful servant, a role model to us all. While I’ll be sad to see him go, I know he can’t wait to join Sister Hinckley again. The time is drawing near…
