How I Study General Conference

 

My conference editions of the Ensign used to get pretty worn. This summer I attended Education Week at BYU-Idaho and learned this trick  from an instructor.  Take the Ensign to a store like Office Max or Staples and have them do 2 things: 

1. Spiral bind it. 

2.  Have them put a clear plastic cover on the front and a black cover on the back. 

It's fairly cheep to do. Should be under five dollars.

 

Then I get to the meat of studying.  I pick topic's and assign them colors. This year was just 3.

-When any talk tells us to read our scriptures.  (last year it was ALL over the place)

-When any of the talks give advice about raising families or anything in the vein of families 

-Marking any questions the speakers ask US!

In conferences past I've had put to 5 topic's to focus on and it can be anything you want really, but I pick the themes that are repeated over and over again. 

 

I treat them as I do my scriptures, because they are just that!  I mark them up.  

I always write/bullet point the main points of the talk. 

The one below says this: 

 # Our own lives can be temple standard; no gritty walls or crooked/flawed windows. 

# Our "contractor" hold us to high standards.

# The Lord knows the level of our efforts and if we have done our personal best.

 

I write in the margin's, I circle words, and I even write my feelings sometimes.  

All of it just like I do with my scriptures. 

The picture does not show my completed study of this talk as it is now. Here is what I wrote up by

 Elder Cook's face: (pictured below)

*Moral issues addressed in families:

*Repentance only panacea 

*Unkindness 

*Sexual immorality

# Immersion in the scriptures

# Take any necessary action to feel the spirit.

I box whole paragraphs that I feel as super important. Along with the color makers I use a black marker.  This year it's a paper mate flair pen.  Find the ones that don't smear. I used colored permanent markers that also don't smear.  I haven't show it here, but I also will circle the footnote numbers that I particularly liked. The footnotes make is SO like the scriptures.  Being led by Jesus Christ through a prophet of God and his 12 apostles is wonderful.  We get to hear from them twice a year, 2 days strait each time. I always feel the spirit and know what I need to do to make my life better. The time is coming up soon! It's the first Saturday and Sunday of April.  Watch online if you want! 

The link above is to Elder Cook's talk Can Ye Feel So Now?  It's from a scripture right from 

The Book of Mormon:

• Alma 5:26  And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
  

This sister makes graphic message from conference that can be printed like pictures.  Very cool!

But first she takes notes like this: http://fambee.org/blog/category/mormon/

Boise ID Temple Re-Dedication

Today, was the Boise temple re-dedication.  The church cancelled all regular meetings for the day and the dedication was broadcast 3 times.  I caught the 12 noon one.  It was awesome!  I totally loved it and finaly when Elder Bednar got up to talk I started taking notes.  I wish I had started earlier.   As  I walked in the Stake President said when I shook his hand "Welcome to the temple!"   That's what the stake center was while we were there- a temple!  Pretty cool!

The opening hymn was #5, High on the Mountain Top. Some words spoke to me.  Verse four says this, speaking of the temple: For there we shall be taught, The law that will go forth, With truth and wisdom fraught, To govern all the earth.  The meaning to me?  Those who are endowed with power, that know the law will be those who govern the earth! I'm excited for the day when righteous men and women who know the law will govern.

One of the assistant to the matrons spoke.  She got teary eyed about her son who didn't get married till he was 29 (Big eye roll there).  Two of her daughters were married in that temple.  It was a spiritual talk.   I wish I could remember more.

The entrance. New stained glass!

One of the speakers talked about how in 1973 when Spencer W. Kimball was made prophet there was only 15 temples on the earth. When he passed away there was 36 more, Boise was one of those- # 27 I believe. Now there is 140.

The next speaker was Pres. Monson's Secretary for 42 years.   She said that she is  largely who she is because of him. He is caring, kind, serving, etc.  I really appreciated her coming and sharing.

The hall way.

Then Elder Bednar. Gotta love Elder Bednar.  He talked about  some of the things the Savior did in Matthew chapter 8 and then read these verses:   

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will ^afollow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Then he taught what that scripture means.  He quotes Joseph Smith at the corner stone dedication/laying at the Nauvoo temple, Brigham Young, and at the South Jordan Temple dedication (3 witnesses) that said that Father has no house (a temple) for his Son dedicated to him to lay his head.  I'm sure I must of heard that before, but this time it really made sense. 

He then told us some of the blessings of temple work- avoiding temptation, being just one of them.  He said something to the effect of any struggle, any price to obtain temple blessing is worth it.  He talked about family history work and quoted the scripture "where much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48)  He pointed out that it does not say 'encouraged', but REQUIRED! 

He read verses from section 109, which is the dedicatory prayer for the Kirkland Temple. I believe he read vs 5:  "To build a house to they name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people."  He suggested that every member should study this chapter and find the meaning for them in their individual lives.  This is something I want to do. 

The baptismal font.  New stained glass and paintings.  One of the most beautiful rooms there!

Then the holiest man on the earth stood talked to just the State of Idaho.  He pointed out future missionaries and wiggled his ears.  He also pointed out others who would marry here too.  The Boise temple was announced on March 31st 1982 and in May of 1984 Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated it. 

"The heaven seem so close today", he said.  If you remember well we can take our children  to the re-dedication of the temple through our memories.  

He mentioned going to South Africa and how people came up to him and asked him if they could have a temple there.  He told them he'd see what he could do.  Spencer W. Kimball told them 1 month later that yes they would have a temple.  Elder Monson received telegrams from some there congratulating him on his success.  It was not him.  He did nothing.  Temples come about through the prophet!  

A sealing room

President Monson has been the president for 5 years.  It was 49 years ago that David O. McKay called him to the apostleship.  He then told a story of talking to a man in Tonga.  He asked him if he had all this children sealed to him.  In sadness he hung his head and explained that he and his wife had 10 children, but they could only afford to take 4 of them to the New Zealand Temple, but he was saving up money to take the others. He came home and told this story and his daughter Ann (Now is the 2nd counselor in the General YW presidency) told her seminary counsel.  All of the seminaries in the SLC area did a service project every year at Christmas time.  Without her father knowing the counsel raised enough money for this family and others to take their families to the temple and be sealed.

Then stories of the Temple in Frankfurt Germany behind the Iron Curtain.  It was dedicated in 1985.(The country would not let the church bring in any materials, so Thomas S. Monson with a photographic memory, memorized it all and had it written down while there)  There was a couple in Prague or the Ukraine who had 12 pictures of temples in their home.  Elder Monson asked the wife if her husband loved temples.  The sister said yes and then "I too, I too."  This man became the second president of the Frankfurt Temple and served for 4 years.

President Monson said he felt sad about what was said in Matthew chapter 8.  We have room for TV, for computers, for eating, for sleeping.  Do we have room for the temple?  We have time for golf and movies.  Let us have time for the temple. Then he quoted  Section 76: 5-6 

For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am ^amerciful and gracious unto those who ^bfear me, and delight to honor those who ^cserve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.  Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their ^aglory. 

The ceiling of the Celestial Room!  So beautiful!  They had to shrink the whole room down considerably to get everything in they wanted to.

I loved being there. I loved giving the Hosanna Shout. That was my second one.  The first being at the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple.  I gained glimpses of all the many many blessings of going.  It makes me want to find all of them.  It makes me want to be righteous that I may obtain them.   I'm so glad I was able to go and do that.  What an important thing!  I hope to be able to partake of many more temple dedications in the years to come.  

I know this is the true church.  I know that we are pulling down the powers of heaven and destroying the powers of Satan every time a temple is dedicated and we keep our selves worthy and do the work there-in. I am so happy to be a part of it and can't see why friends of mine don't make the necessary changes in their lives to be able to do and say the same thing.  I hope I will always be worthy to have a recommend and be in the temple.  Praise God from who all blessings flow. 

To learn more and see more pictures go here.  All pictures were from the church web sight, the link being provided.

Things I must share!

My Heart and a Bishop

Remember this post? I realized latter that it was a loss, hence why the huge anger and tears. I lost a place to go for help, a possible supporter, a confidante, the Lords voice. I've always had that. Never had I felt like I did then about a bishop.

Today I went to see my new bishop. What a difference. He knew I needed to speak to him, before I even asked (it's not hard when you're crying all through sacrament mtg). He prayed before hand the most beautiful complete prayer. He listened, he asked questions, he spoke words of comfort. Oh I wanted to praise his name to the Lord, to praise the Lord.

He asked first about my childhood, what kind of family life I had. He asked about my mission. Elder Gardner came up. Turns out I did the right things. I wasn't as bad as I thought.

I told him about my marriage, about how things are now and about my finances. These are some of the things he said:

The Spirit tells me your a good person. I'm here as the Savior. I take that seriously. I'm here to help you get to happy again.

The Spirit tells me the Lord loves you. He knows exactly what you're going through. This is a trial, a trial of your faith.

Something that everyone else out there has experiences just like this, or a family member that has so close to this.

You'll be stronger because of this. You'll look back and understand why you had to go through this.

Maybe you're here to help me, or I'm here to help you.

You will have an opportunity in the future to marry again, I don't know when or with who, I haven't felt anything about that.

Let's talk some more.

Counseling may be something we can do.

Oh, what a difference! What a relief. I know I am in good hands. Really good hands.
I must of needed to move here for him! He had me end in prayer. I thanked the Lord for him.

Turbulance anyone? What should we do?

What do you suppose pilots do when they encounter turbulence? A student pilot may think that increasing speed is a good strategy because it will get them through the turbulence faster. But that may be the wrong thing to do. Professional pilots understand that there is an optimum turbulence penetration speed that will minimize the negative effects of turbulence. And most of the time that would mean to reduce your speed. The same principle applies also to speed bumps on a road.

Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.

(President Uchtdorf, "Of Things That Matter Most")