Braindump

Constantly sharing our testimonies withothers because we do not know the possible effect.

Story about a boy who did not want to be baptized, at the last minute, he decided to pray as prompted by the spirit, and the boy ended up getting baptized.

Important to listen to promptings of the Holy Ghost and do whatsoever you need to draw close enough to God to hear his reply.

Work. Work. Work. Work. It is required in missionary work...in especially when wanting miracles.

Work is key to most things temple work, family history work, there we see it again.

People are always watching us to see how the gospel  effects us.

If prompted, do that thing, no matter how simple, it will lead to another.

How can we help to bless others.

God entrusts ideas and truths with thise who will share them with others.

Best way to teach/share the gospel is by example.

Book by Christiansen former general authority, stories about missionary work.

Regardless if others every recieve blessings we seek for them, we need to continue on faithfully.

Divinity uses imperfect beings to do divine tasks.

We ought to humbly express our desire to be useful to the Lord and accept even small ways.

My thought

This little thought was cryinging, sort of whinning cause he wasn't included anywhere.

I am so impressed with our Bishop, all have impressed in various ways, but this one I feel sort of like, well, a parable comes to mind and sums it up best.

Ok, it is not so much a parable. But an analogy to help one understand a dynamic. It is putting old wine in new bottles.

When Jesus Christ called apostles he compared them, it has also been used to describe why it was important that the Church of Jesus Christ be established by a mostly uneducated man.

When making types of drink, because the vessel contributes to the taste certaing types of barrels are made to hold the drink, and that is how it earns it's name. Likewise, a certain type of man is chosen by the Lord, one who will not add a bitter flavor to a perfect wine. In this case, the wine is the already perfect gospel of Jesus Christ, and I can actually feel the difference and bear witness of how much a blessing it is to have one who serves as instructed not the way society dictates.

What I am saying is that I can tell that my new bishop wants so badly to do what the Lord himself wants and that he often resorts to the handbook instead of just doing as was established custom, like the time I got a call as compassionate service leader in a single adult ward in Provo, UT. I did not kniw what to do, so I looked it up in the handbook, and prayed to know what I was expected to do. Then, when I attended my first meeting with my RS President and Bishop, I told them the vision that I had (not literally, but idea) for my call. I was told that was too ambitious, and was given a duty that was typically performed by one withy title. It seemed rediculous, and not accomplishing what the handbook/Lord had outlined for me. But, I obeyed realizing I tend to try to do more than us required which is a bad thing, too (do not run faster than is needful).

Brain dump

I apologize as I was pressed for time trying to teach 2 lessons in one when time was limited in the first place. But, I got some great thoughts to consider through the week. I also might add a few insights later...

Service to others by listening to others when they give talks or teach.

When you have children you need rules for everything, this is like "children" of Israel had laws for everything, even if it sounded mundane.

Commanded to use formal version of speech (you) although it did not make any sense.  We must obey, like Nephi who said "I will go..."

Lessons should be what the manual says exactly, that is what it was prepared for, it is what God wants us to learn/teach.

Few additional notes

From 6pm meeting of Layton East Stake:

Most of a stake that holds up a tent is not even ever seen.

Not requisite to run faster than needful, this is likened to reorganizing wards/stakes to allow other families to shoulder the burdens of callings so that too much is not expected of others...

Nephi said something like this: I know not the meaning of all things, but I do know that if the Lord asks it, He is aware and will provide a way.

Braindump

Hong Kong mandarin - very competitive. Not much opportunity to rest.

Parable of talents warns about wasting away time.

No growth in the comfort zone (no comfort in the growth zone)

Organizing talent from a touch or hoarding, trying to make everything fit, being able to organize and create a home of Order like the temple.

Our talent should be used to improve as a missionary it helps the mission as a whole improve.

Looking at a great group of missionaries. We tend to not see ouselves as missionaries.

Fear keeps us from doing things not good enough, only it actually keeps us from doing anything good at all, as well.

Might have been happy.

Stairway to Heaven, but a highway to hell. Actually it is a toll road.

Do you hate roses cause they have thorns .or do you love thorns because they have roses?

Blessings surely will come but, some will require patience.

Tonight at 6 pm stake center will mention ward boundry change.

Night think that we are significant or are not anything more than just ourselves, but that IS enough.

Music does not enhance our worship but is a significant part of it.

Braindump

Conference was good, but then he started taking notes and could barely keep up so many inspiring ideas were pouring out.

He believes in Joseph Smith and recognizes that is the key to the gospel this church teaches.

Talks about the opportunity he has had to bear his testimony to children in primary.

Bears his testimony largely about children growing up. "This is the place." He is from Hati.

When the time comes child will do what is right. He would not go to BYU cause it is where people go to get married. He ended up going, then, said that he would not go on a mission. But, he did and met the woman he was sealed to on his mission.

It is better when we doubt to focus on what we do know.

Thing that youth have been taught seem to not be true, God intends for us to question. And find answers that he means. Maybe success of previous generations is maybe because people were told to obey and not question.

No idea of what to say, but must say it. Heaven is real.

Proud to be an American to a whole new level... likely because America was necessary for the Book of Mormon.

We will live a happy life when we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We follow the Lord's purpose.

There will be questions, but like lesson taught by the Salmon if we just go with the current we will not get where we are intending. We feel a pull to get to our heavenly father.

Sometimes we pray and it works, especially with little children.

Powerful strength we have in prayer.

A child came to pulpit, and he likened it how we should follow our leaders. The child merely wanted to be with the bishopric.

Baptism a girl was so excited about gospel and we all need to be.

Time is not right sometimes, but it does not mean that the gospel is rejected.

_________________________

Obedience

What is the greatest commandment?
Jesus taught that it was to obey all of the commandments.

Likened to the military where if you lift up your head you may not get shot, but you may makes me think of the story of the man draws over the mountain.

Fear is a decent motive to obey, but it is better to obey because of the law.

Children are often taught out of fear to do something.

Adam was taking a step forward even though we do not know becauee it is a demonstration of faith.
(Perfect allusion to talk by Bednar about walking out into the dark and finding light)

I accepted a call although I could not actually play the piano, and I agreed to play for the program in front of everyone. Even my daughter asked if I was just pretending, but could really play and just pretend I couldn't, cause she couldn't comprehend how I would agree to play in front of everyone when I could not play. But, the organist was suppose to accompany with me on the only difficult song came up, I let her play by herself and let her accompany the children, too on the closing song.

October 10th 7pm - RS Room Family Addiction recovery.

Prophet is just as human as the rest of us.

The Lord refines the men whom he calls.

"40 sounds young". Must be refined and so prophets tend to be elderly. I loved that interview where Gordon B Hinckley said "isn't that wonderful?" Regarding them [leaders of the church] being a church lead by old men.

Hales had an out of body, after death experience, when he returned he said to Elder Nelson, "why did I have to come back?"

Story about Gordon B. Hinkley who did not even have such an experience until much later and when experiencing "old age" as most do, he was astonished at how hard even getting up in the morning is difficult.

What is a special witness? Elder Hales wanted to bear his witness one more time. But, he passed at noonish during conference.

We get caught up in the office, but the Lord is in charge, if it was necessary his servant would be able to perform it.

Joseph F. Smith had more revealed to him, like scriptures, when he was bed ridden.

"With one accord" is how choices are made because a man would not disagree with himself.

Stake president observed lesson and approved it she promised that.

We should pray for them all of the time.

We should do all that we can for them, by doing things for ourselves and leave as little as we can for them, and pray for them.

Between the time that Joseph Smith died and Brigham Young there was about 2 years. When no prophet, but church was still in good hands.

Sunday afternoon session

Built zion in preparation for 2nd coming.

Same testimony now as those easrly saints.

We need to have ties to our forefathers. And have as much faith in our every footstep.

As impotant to consider our own "trek" through life and make our own journal as full of stories of faith.

Consider what your final destination is.

Be careful (mindful) where our footsteps take us.

Watch out for morally or ethically questionable things, though emotional they appeal that might actually harm.

Contrary to popular christian belief the fall of Adam brings man closer to God. As the scripture. Revelation is the secret to the holy book called the Book of Mormon. Consdering it would be something else.

Even conference talks require many drafts, far more than the Book of Mormon.

Claiming the plates was used to write the book when everything else was wrotten in papyrus.

There are more solid reasons to believe the stories that the Book of Mormon was translated and was done so by God than the crazy things one must alternately accept as true if you doubt it.

Our hearts need to be knit together.

Shown a pattern seen properly is a heart, but without the proper perspective, it is unclear.

We should not find fault with decision once they are made...doing so would be against the will of God.

Be not wise in our own eyes.

Even when it is hard then we need to obey out of faith, sometimes we sacrifice, and that is required of any strong people. Enduring is extremely important.

Choose hard right over easy left.

Chick needs to struggle out of it's  shell like butterfly out of caccoon.

Do not desire to deprive children of same hardships that they endured.

We need the faith of paying tithing... need to trust the Lord and earn his blessings.

Hard can be good. Make it so. This requires not giving up,  but continuing with faith in every footstep.

Joseph Smith was the foundation of many testimonies, it is easy to feel that God speaks to his prophets, and thereby other things are true, including the counsel he gives.

We,need what Jesus offers or else we would perish in body and spirit.

Sometimes even familiy members begin to naw at and destroy our faith which we allow untill it is too late.

Keeping sabbath and temple work and family prayer are strengths against such, and it is only the adversary that would keep us from doing these things,  we might allow such things to be cunningly said.

Unless you are living the gospel entirely you cannot push back the evil forces that seek to thwart us and try our faith.

Nothing gained by seeking answers from those who are "disenchanted" people, but non absolutely NONE surpass what has been made available to us through prayer.

Watch out for cammoflaughed terrors.

Love without service is like faith without works.

Story about the loss of a 4 yr old son, who was motioned to cross the street and so he crossed and it was an accident and the parents ended up becoming great friends with the boy who was driving the car that struck him. This is an example of serving and truly loving others can help us be healed and given the power to overcome almost everything.

In conference we gather to hear the voice of the Lord.

12 or 15 drafts for Gen. Conf. to be sure it is what the Lord has to say.

Sometimes specific words and phrases are given.

"When we choose to have faith we are prepared to stand in the prescence of God." Robert D. Hales.

Russel M.Nelson left quickly to go to Brother Hales during lunch when he ended up passing.

Talks of General Conference hold a treasure chest to be discovered.

(Elder Anderson always kindly informs us what revelation happens to lead up to what we observe like he did when a new stake President was called)

Conference talks are not assigned by beautifully orchestrated topics.

Sunday Morning conference

This was inspired as I said it this morning during the opening hymn. I bet that is exactly how Heavenly Father feels when we ask him stuff, or when he gives a commandment.

(I say that because I know, and you know that I always have a reason and if asked I always tell you, but sometimes you would not understand so I do not even try, but know that I do not tell you to do things without a reason.)

Lasting joy comes from believing (and acting accordingly) in the Savior.

***Family goal of memorizing the Living Christ***
Maybe a paragraph per month, maybe... if we could recite it by next Christmas.

A bird flew in then realized this was not where it wanted to be. Had to be removed with help after exhausting ways it could find, that is how it found freedom (This is something I can relate to).

  Climbers only accomplish things because of lots of preparation!!

A man named Clark tripped and fell regardless of training, several miracles occurred and survived. A nuerologist was agnostic, but could not explain with a word other than miracle.

So many feel like their miracle never comes, what about them?

Has the day of miracles ceased? Maybe we do not understand what defines a miracle.

We must have faith, and this faith works miracles, but must have the faith to even see it as such when it happens.

In Bible faith that God would save Shadrach et al but, if not.. it seems to require more faith to nit be healed.

Being healed is not the miracle all of the time.

We tend to consider a miracle a thing done that could be done if circumstances were different, but given such it cannot be done, thus things that happen but seem otherwise impossible can only be called miracles.

We have an eternal identity. Mortality is temporary. Spiritual DNA.

Temple and Sabbath Day work together to strengthen us. Specific times and places set aside to worship our creator... how to become partakers of the divine nature...Sabbath observance and temple ordances.

Think and act differently on Sunday and in the Temple.

Home is the ultimate space to sustain our focus, it is spiritual and a refuge. That NEEDS to be goal.

Ultimately, our purpose and goal is to learn from and be with our God, not merely do the upkeep required by lives.

God will teach us what is true.

At times we will find ourselves in an entirely different place doing something different than we planned.

Talking about a trip where he turned to tell his wife how beautiful and romantic the view was, but it was his mother-in-law.

Story about walter Shumway who ended up unable to do what he planned butdid something so awesome.

Savior not only has sympathy, but has entire empathy and he has litteraly been through what we have.

Turn to, not from the Lord.

Too often people turn away from Christ when they need his most! like Moses story with firey Serpents.

We can ask for priesthood blessings. (That is what I want for my birthday)

Story about how movie "Lion King" is about how prince is away while evil one ruins the bslance of the Savannah.

Missionary needed help, but he only offered supposed advice, but, then the spirit could offer an unexpected trouble and the help/adivice was finally given.

Placing christ at our center does not mean that we will not have hardship. Story of Beau who died although he was centered on Christ. We should not see only with mortal eyes. But, know that God will keep his promises if we do our part, he is bound.

This is God's church.

Because I already do a good job with what is promised by the prophet. Then, I do not need to listen, his words are obviously not for me, but he obeyed anyway and it had wonderful effects.

Book of Mormon gives us a desire to got to the aide of others,  faith gives us courage.

Desire to do good increases as we place more faith in Christ.

We ignore our needs and go to the aide of others, fewer bad things happen then.

(Reminds me of the hike that yw made, it was so hard, but those that finished ran back to help those still on their way)

Story of couple who were trying to help others,  stopped to go check their own home, it was gone so they went back to ask who they could help.

When overwhelmed we seek to help others.

People wanted to stop being thanked, so they could go help.

It has been asked that those helping wait until they are ready to be recieved.

If we do not continually feed our testimony and desire that comes, to help others, it will diminish and fade.

Opposition strengthens us.

Follow as closesly as we can apostolic counsel, as it is the Lords voice as surely as it is the same.