Not Live Blogging General Conference

Image: "Salt Lake Temple in Autumn" by Sascha Wenninger, (CC BY-SA 2.0)

I didn't live blog the Women's Session of conference last weekend, because I was watching it at my sister-in-law's stake center, along with my two other sisters-in-law and all my nieces but the youngest. It was a precious experience.

I fully intended to live blog my way though this conference weekend, as I have for the past few years. But my efforts to do so have been frustrated. I'm in the process of buying a house in Rexburg, and just renting a room meanwhile. Most of my stuff, including my desktop PC, is still in storage. And it turns out I can't use YouTube to cast a live stream from either my phone or my laptop to my TV. Thus, in order to watch conference on my TV, I had to plug my laptop in via an HDMI cable, which means I couldn't use it to type. So I had to choose between watching conference and not blogging, or listening to conference and blogging. After wasting too much of the Saturday morning session and the hours between it and the afternoon session struggling to get my tech to work the way I want it to, I reluctantly decided it's better to watch conference than to live blog it.

Not being able to blog during conference led me to ponder on the value of having done so. Blogging has been my way of note-taking. It's both easier for me than hand-writing notes, and also more communal. I love being able to share my thoughts on conference with the handful of folks who read my blog. Thinking about those people, and not just myself, altered the way I paid attention to conference. I don't know that the alteration was better, though it certainly wasn't worse. I have found it refreshing, though. And I've also really enjoyed the conversations that occasionally arise either in the comments here on my blog, or else on Facebook and elsewhere that I publish the blog.

This weekend I've been having a lot of fibromyalgia-related pain in my hands, possibly due to the rapid and frequent changes in the weather recently. Gripping a pen for long enough to take notes was decidedly unpleasant. So I didn't take any notes during conference sessions, and that made it harder for me to stay awake and attentive. I ended up doing some cleaning yesterday, and practiced tying a new bow-tie this morning (fortunately I made a passable bow by the time my hands hurt too much to continue). I'm doubly grateful for conference talk summaries, as well as the ability to watch and read conference talks at a later time, because I definitely don't remember any of the talks as well as I usually do.

Here, though, are some of the things that do stand out in my memory:

President Uchtdorf's "Fourth Floor, Last Door" talk during the Women's Session last weekend was wonderful. I appreciate his urging of us to press forward in following our spiritual promptings and gospel callings, even to the "fourth floor, last door." I guessed who the young woman was behind that last door, who pleaded with her mother to let the missionaries share their message, before he revealed that it was his beloved wife Harriet Uchtdorf. I did not learn until later that evening that one of the elders who came to her door to share the gospel is my great-uncle, Richard Kowallis.

President Uchtdorf's Saturday morning message also resonated with me. It was a great reminder of the plan of salvation, which is truly a plan of happiness. In that vein, too, was President Nelson's talk on joy and spiritual survival. I was glad that President Nelson taught plainly that we can have joy even in the midst of great hardship and suffering, without once suggesting that those who suffer from depression and anxiety are in any sense lacking in faith or righteousness. Joy is really a gift.

Elder Cook's talk in the Saturday afternoon session was direct, uncompromising, but also uplifting. I appreciated his stern yet loving reminder of the many different kinds of stumbling blocks we may encounter on our spiritual journey. I will certainly return to his message to ponder which stumbling blocks I am most prone to stubbing my toes on.

I confess that by the time Elder Christofferson stood at the podium, I had lost my battle with drowsiness. From the summary, though, I think I must place this one high on my list of talks to listen to soon (and Elder Yamashita's from this session as well). It is vital that we understand the nature of God's love, and I think Elder Christofferson is right that the adjective "unconditional" can be misleading. God's love is infinite, everlasting, and perfect. It is never in short supply, and will always be far more than sufficient for our needs. But we cannot abide in it unless we choose to do so, and in that sense (and only that sense) it is conditionally available to us.

Sister Reeves gave a great discourse on the power of repentance in the Sunday morning session, and I'll have to revisit that one too, because most of my thoughts on it were quickly diverted by Elder Ballard's talk, in which he spoke to those members of the church who are struggling with doubts. Quoting the apostle Peter, Elder Ballard asked, "to whom shall [you] go?" Now, when he said that, I stiffened in alarm--not so much for myself (though I've wrestled with many a troubling bit of doctrine or history) but for my friends whose faith crises or faith transitions have been acute and exacerbated by accusatory rhetoric from members of their own congregations and yes, not infrequently also by conference talks which could have been formulated with greater care. To my delighted surprise, Elder Ballard went on to specifically call out such lack of support from the membership to those whose journey along the path of discipleship has been arrested for one reason or another. It seems to me that he and many of his fellow general authorities have been doing something to listen to those members of the church who are struggling--I mean really listen to them! And to respond to their concerns more positively. In my experience, few of those I know in that situation are there because of unrighteousness or rebelliousness. They do not need admonition but nurture in truth and love--and patience! They need to have patience with human leaders and members, with ambiguous doctrine and troublesome history. And they need to receive patience from those who do not understand why they are troubled by things that so many members don't give a second thought to. Elder Robbins' talk built on a similar principle.

I loved Bishop Davies' and President Eyring's sermons on the joys of worship and Sabbath observance. Basically the whole Sunday morning session was full of Win.

I had to laugh when Elder Bednar made his list first thing in the Sunday afternoon session. I wanted to jump online and ask somebody to check if he's ever given a talk as a GA (or for that matter, when he was president of Ricks/BYU-I) that didn't include a list. I guess in that instance it was a good thing that I didn't have ready access to social media! It was, of course, a great talk on coming to know the Lord.

Then there's Elder Schmutz's talk. I believe this will go down in the annals of conference as one of the great ones, along side most of Elder Holland's sermons. I think it might be my favorite of this conference (though I still need to go back and watch/read the ones I missed due to tech or sleepiness problems). Elder Schmutz taught that while suffering is an unavoidable part of mortality, there is nothing inherently ennobling or sanctifying about it. Rather, suffering becomes ennobling and sanctifying when we consecrate our sorrows to Christ. Then, through the atonement, our suffering becomes transformative, and we can receive comfort and a greater measure of compassion, even in the midst of our afflictions. It really bothers me when people glorify suffering for its own sake. I have seen, in my own life and in the lives of those I know, that suffering can as easily be demeaning and destructive as it can be ennobling and sanctifying. It really is compassion--the pure love of Christ--that makes the difference.

By the time the next General Conference rolls around in April, I should be settled into a new home of my own, with plenty of space for my meager stuff, plus shenanigans. Today a friend on Facebook posted a photo of her and her daughter inside a "Conference fort." I don't have any kids as an excuse to build a Conference fort, but I think I'm just going to do it anyway. Because awesomeness is its own excuse.

Gravitational Lensing and Celestial Urim and Thummim

I just started reading this book, Five Billion Years of Solitude: The Search for Life among the Stars. It's by a science journalist, Lee Billings. It's beautifully fascinating, so far, and I'm only halfway through chapter 2. Anyway, he's describing this conversation with Frank Drake, the father of SETI. Here is an excerpt:

Beginning in the late 1980s, Drake had begun exploring an idea that made a lunar far side dotted with telescopes seem like child's play.... He wanted to create a telescope that would surpass all others, one with a magnifying lens nearly a million and a half kilometers in diameter. Drake had found a way to transform the Sun itself into the ultimate telescope.  

A consequence of the Sun's immense mass is that it acts as a star-size "gravitational lens," bending and amplifying light that grazes its surface. This effect, first measured during a solar eclipse in 1919 by the astronomer Arthur Eddington, was one of the key pieces of evidence that validated Einstein's theory of general relativity. Simple math and physics, judiciously applied, show that our star bends light into a narrow beam aligned with the center of the Sun and the center of any far-distant light source.... There are as many focal points and Sun-magnified beams as there are luminous objects in the sky--imagine a great sphere surrounding our star, its surface painted with amplified, high-resolution projected images of the heavens....  

If, for instance, we wished to examine a potentially habitable planet orbiting one of the two Sun-like stars in Alpha Centauri, the Sun's nearest neighboring stellar system, a 10-meter telescope aligned with the Sun-Alpha Centauri gravitational focus could resolve surface features such as rivers, forests, and city lights.... 

"One of the beauties of gravitational lenses is that since the lensing object bends space, all light traveling through is equally affected," Drake said, squinting into the sunlight beneath one of his lemon trees. "Gravitational lenses are achromatic--they work the same for optical light, infrared, everything. I like to think of what they could do for radio.... You look at the numbers, and at first it seems totally insane, but this is real. You could transmit, let's see, high-bandwidth signals from here to Alpha Centauri using only one watt of power....  

"That's the transmitting power of a cell phone," he finished. (pages 35-36)

Illustration of a gravitational lens. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain

So, as I'm reading this, you know what pops into my head (I mean besides a steady chorus of "holy cow that's amazing" with full orchestral accompaniment)?

D&C 130:6-8

6 The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.
8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.

And I'm thinking about how we interpret John's descriptions of what he saw in Revelation as being a pre-industrial man's interpretation of modern or futuristic technology in language his contemporary audience could understand. And I'm thinking that Joseph Smith was, technologically speaking, closer to John than he was to us, and that like John, Joseph's revelations are full of poetry. And who knows, maybe that joke Mormons like to tell these days about the white stones in Revelation 2:17/D&C 130:10 being iPhones aren't actually that far from the truth.

To my mind, that's one of the awesome things about Mormonism. For us, there is no such thing as the supernatural. Miracles, including revelation, are not the result of a suspension of natural laws, but of God's complete mastery over their workings. Now, lest by some chance a reader stumbles upon my blog who isn't familiar with Mormon doctrine, I must make clear that our God is not just some kind of advanced alien but indeed our Heavenly Father, and however much it might reveal to us about the nature and workings of the universe, no amount of scientific study or technological advancement can reconcile fallen humanity to Him or indeed to each other; only the atonement of Jesus Christ can do that. But I believe nevertheless that science is a source of truth and light and that, when used righteously, it is good in God's sight.

Live Blogging General Conference, September 2014 General Women's Meeting

Yes, it's that season once again, and I'm live blogging General Conference, starting with the General Women's Meeting this weekend and continuing on Saturday and Sunday next weekend. I'm going to try to do less summary and more reflecting this time around. I'll update it periodically throughout the conference--typically at the end of each speaker's message.

I loved the Korean primary choir singing "I Love to See the Temple!" I loved seeing members of the worldwide General Young Women's board sitting on the stand, and the combined multi-generational choir from the Salt Lake area. In so many ways, I see women in the church leading the way by example, reflecting and teaching the values and needs of our worldwide sisterhood.

Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President
President Burton spoke on wise preparation for service and blessings. She quoted Bonnie Oscarson's insightful reversal of a well-known scripture: "Where much is required, much more will be given." This is an answer to a concern that has been weighing on my mind for many days.

Jean A. Stevens, Primary General Presidency
Sister Stevens' recollections of the faith of her mother and other faithful women, and the priority they placed on making and keeping gospel covenants reminded me of my own mother, grandmothers, and other family members.

Video Presentation: Worldwide Sisters Testify of the Temple
For the past eight months, I have served each week in the temple. I testify that what these sisters have said about the blessings of the temple--the peace and power of that place--is true. I am so grateful for the expansive program of temple building that the church has carried out in the past few decades, to bring temples to so many more people throughout the world.

Neill F. Marriott, Young Women General Presidency
Temples bring light and hope to the world--and so do we. Each of the many roles women take on carry moral influence, in our families, communities, and workplaces. It is not only through great acts, but through small acts of love and service that this moral influence is felt. The Savior's call to discipleship is not only to learn of him but to do his works--to heal broken hearts, give gospel light to the spiritually blind, and redeem the dead through temple service.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
OK. So President Uchtdorf just called this women's meeting the opening of another general conference. Not an auxiliary or supplement to it. This is the opening meeting of general conference. Is this news to you? It's news to me. Very welcome news! The question is, will these talks now be published in the conference issue of the Ensign? I hope so because this meeting has been filled with spiritual treasure. [Edit: they have been printed in the past, at the back of the conference issue. My memory was faulty.]

"It is good to remember that you are always a child of God.... however, it is also important to remember that being a daughter of heavenly parents is not a distinction that you have earned or that you can ever lose...[but it also] does not guarantee you a divine inheritance...it takes more than a spiritual birth certificate to qualify for [celestial] blessings." It is by walking the path of discipleship and obedience to God's commandments that we qualify to inherit all that God has. Sometimes it's unclear why we have to keep certain commandments. "I think God knows something we don't." God doesn't have blessings locked in a cloud, demanding that we keep his commandments before he will unlock them. Rather, God is constantly raining blessings down upon us, and our disobedience is like an umbrella blocking us from receiving this living water.

You can't see it, but I'm grinning right now because at the end of my temple shift today, I had to scurry through torrential rain, without any umbrella, to get to my car at the far end of the parking lot! I arrived soaking wet, but laughing--as perhaps only residents of arid Arizona can fully appreciate. Little did I know that as I drove home from the temple soaking wet, I was drenched in blessings.

Image: "Rain" by Navaneeth Ashok. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Live blogging General Conference (again): Saturday and Sunday

General Conference is here again. This year it's going to be extra awesome because two of my brothers, their wives, and five of my nieces and nephews are coming to Arizona! That might make it harder to blog Conference. But they won't be here until late Saturday afternoon. I wanted to live blog the General Women's meeting last weekend as well, but the flu had other ideas. It was an extraordinary--and I mean extra-ordinary--meeting and I recommend watching it.

How my live blogging works: I'm updating this blog every few minutes during the conference sessions, typically at the end of each speaker's remarks. It's mostly summary, because I'm using it as a way to record the things that stick in my mind, but sometimes I add a bit of commentary.

SATURDAY MORNING

President Thomas S. Monson

President Monson always opens conference more or less the same way, with expressions of love and welcome, and a brief overview of significant progress or change in the church since the last conference. He mentioned being in Arizona for the dedication of the Gilbert Temple just last month--an event that I was privileged to attend.

Jeffrey R. Holland

The saints have been rejected and slain throughout the history of the world. Some members of the church today will endure ridicule and abuse because of their faith. It is worth it, for the sake of discipleship and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a reality of the present day that if people want any gods at all, they want comfortable gods, who do not demand much. And some invoke the name of Jesus as one of this kind of comfortable god. But Jesus consistently spoke hard things: not only should we do no sin, we should not even think of sinning, and that we ought to cut off our own limbs rather than allow them to lead us into sin. He is indeed the God of love. But Christlike love is "tough love"--it wants to save us from the things that would hurt us (our sins), not allow us to be complacent in our sins. Holland testifies that he is more certain of the restoration of the gospel and priesthood keys than he is that he is standing before the congregation at that very moment.

Ronald A. Rasband

Last year, tornadoes in Oklahoma changed the landscape and the lives of residents. They needed sustaining hands to love and help them in the work of rebuilding their lives and homes. Each of us faces challenges and responsibilities, and each of us has opportunities to love, help, and sustain those whose burdens are too great to bear alone. We each have the responsibility to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light...mourn with those that mourn..comfort those that stand in need of comfort...and stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places" (Mosiah 18:8-9).

Carlos H. Amado

During His mortal ministry, Jesus brought three people back to life, providing irrefutable evidence that he had power over death. Elder Amado then narrated and testified of the truth of Christ's suffering in Gethsemane, his trial, crucifixion, ministry in the spirit world, resurrection, and future second coming. It was a beautiful testimony.

Linda S. Reeves

What do I want my grandchildren to know? Human sexual desires should draw couples together in marriage and strengthen ties of love and devotion. But pornography distorts such desires and can entrap both men and women, and children as well as adults are increasingly likely to stumble upon pornographic material unwittingly. Calm and loving counsel, not shock and disgust, are the best way to respond to those who reveal their exposure to it. Computers are not the biggest culprit. There are resources available for those who desire help in breaking the influence of pornography in our lives. Daily scripture study and prayer, and weekly church attendance and family home evenings should not be added stressors, but rather sources of strength and peace, and a time of relief from the cares of our daily lives. They are the very things that help us guard and grow our spiritual wellbeing.

Neil L. Andersen

Another tornado story. "The world will not glide calmly toward the second coming." As the influence of the gospel spreads through the earth in the last days, so too does the opposition of the adversary. Repentance has the power to subdue the winds of sin. Not all sorrow comes because of personal sin. Some comes because of the choices of others, and some because of the weaknesses of the mortal condition. Strong winds stimulate roots to grow and deepen, and cause the trunk and branches to grow stronger and more resilient to the whirlwinds of life. If we are built upon the rock of our Redeemer, we will have safety in the whirlwind. Elder Andersen quoted a recent official statement that "Changes in the civil law do not, indeed cannot, change the moral law that God has established." While many governments have changed the legal definition of marriage, God's definition of marriage remains between a man and a woman. It may be necessary to stand alone on this issue. But remember that everyone, regardless of their position on this or other issues, deserve our love and kindness. There is no place for ridicule, bullying, or bigotry.

Note: Elder Andersen's comments about same-sex marriage will be among the most controversial of this conference. I want to make clear my own position on this issue. I believe that societies have the right to define the kinds of relationships officially recognized by civil authorities, including civil marriage. As stated in the 12th Article of Faith, I believe in "obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." Yet I also affirm that governments do not have the authority to dictate to churches the definition or practices of their marriage sacraments. Those who would wish the Church to change its practices should understand that it is not in our power to do so--we are subject to God, not the opinions of human beings. and only a revelation from God would have the authority to alter our marriage practices (as happened with plural marriage). I believe that it is possible to honor both the law and the free exercise of religion on this, as on other matters. For people on all sides of the discussion, this is not only a matter of principle but something that touches the very core of their identities, and one that requires us to stretch our willingness to hear, to care, to understand, respect, and love one another.

Henry B. Eyring

Well, shucks. I was typing my note, above, and missed most of President Eyring's talk. I love his messages, so I paused conference and I'll watch and blog this one in a little bit. Meanwhile, MY NEW TV JUST ARRIVED. So I'm going to swap them out and watch the next sessions of GC in 32 inches of 1080p beauty.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

I skipped the statistical church auditing reports because after spending two hours setting up two entertainment systems (my new TV, in my room, and my old TV and VCR to the entertainment system in the living room) I was all dusty and needed to clean myself up. Elder Nelson looks wonderful on my new TV, though.

Russell M. Nelson

"What are we missing in our lives, if we are ever learning and never coming to a knowledge of the truth?" God's guidance should be our primary source of knowledge of the truth. We ought not to segment our lives ethically into "public" and "private", but have courage never to compromise our integrity.

Richard G. Scott

Elder Scott shared stories of how his grandmother and his sweetheart's personal convictions and influence helped to steer the direction of his life through love, example and support. One way we can be such an influence is to ask them questions that will prompt them to think, and then allow them time to do so, whether it take hours or years. Provide additional support and answers to their questions as they work out for themselves how best to respond to the message of the gospel. Keep your sharing of the gospel simple. Concentrate on the basic principles of the gospel, particularly the atonement of Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to bear witness. Study the doctrines and principles of the gospel diligently, and do not spend too much time on trivial matters. Be worthy of trust. This is one of the greatest talk on how to share the gospel that I can ever recall hearing. It is insightful, compassionate, and practical.

Robert D. Hales

Elder Hales repeats the theme of submitting our will and obedience to God's law, and not supplanting it according our own ideas or popular sentiment. Christ himself submitted his own desires to the Father's will, though it meant suffering the agony of Gethsemane and Golgotha. Spiritually mature obedience is motivated by love for our Father in Heaven and his Son, Jesus Christ. Obedience to God's will "requires mastery, and brings confident, eternal happiness, and provides a sense of fulfillment." The scriptures and church history are filled with examples of those who have learned by experience the peace that comes from keeping the commandments, and the sorrow of disobedience. Even prophets have suffered and had need to repent because of disobedience and yielding to the pressures of others.

Claudio D. Zivic

How joyous it would be if we could reach a point in our conversion where we followed the right path for the love of God alone, and not because of the continual prompting of others. We can easily be led astray if we follow the trends of the world rather than the signs God has provided to lead us along the path of righteousness. If you depart from the path to follow your own will or the fashion of the world, you will feel the pain of remorse and have need to repent and return to the path.

W. Craig Zwick

Elder Zwick is speaking about the need to understand another's perspective before communicating rashly. It's an important message. However, in the examples he gave, he repeatedly characterized the actions of people who acted without a full knowledge of the situation as "irrational." In fact, his wife's actions in jumping out of a smoking semi truck, and Sarah and Sariah's words and actions, were utterly rational according to the knowledge they had. It a crucial distinction. The principle Elder Zwick is communicating is true, though he seems not to have fully applied it himself. I can appreciate the principle and forgive the man's inconsistency and imperfection in practicing what he preaches. We're all works in progress, even our teachers and leaders.

Quentin L. Cook

We have a doctrinal obligation to perform family history and temple ordinances on behalf of our own ancestors. This is because the order of heaven is organized by families. Advances in computer technology and the proliferation of temples throughout the world have increased both the ease and the urgency of participating in this work of salvation. "Our family history centers are now in our homes." Do not underestimate the influence of the deceased in assisting your efforts, and your joy on being reunited with them on the other side of the veil. Remember, we without our roots and branches, cannot be saved. Our families, living and dead, will be blessed as we share in the spirit of Elijah in turning the hearts of the children to the fathers, and the fathers to the children.

I've really enjoyed the choir in this session! "High on the Mountain Top" gave me chills!

SUNDAY MORNING

Half my family is here. 7 adults (including roommates) and 5 kids under the age of 12, all watching conference at my house. I'm in heaven. But I can't promise my blogging will keep up quite as well as usual.

Image: Robinsons watching conference at my house

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Many of us suffer under heavy burdens. Others are tremendously blessed. It is easy to have an "attitude of gratitude" when circumstances are easy. But we can learn to be thankful in our circumstances, whatever they may be. With a spirit of gratitude we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. Gratitude is not only something we experience after our troubles are over, but it can be more. It doesn't mean that we are unrealistic about our challenges, but that we are able to look beyond them. It is an act of faith in God and submission to his will. It is an expression of hope and testimony. We can acknowledge that we do not understand why we must endure particular trials, but trusting that through God's grace, all these things will work together for our good. "Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike virtues."

M. Russell Ballard

Followthrough and followup are essential to successful missionary work. We should not only invite, but reach out to, and walk with those we invite to hear the gospel. The field is white, and the harvest plenteous, but the laborers are few. With the lower missionary age, we have had an influx of full-time missionaries, bringing greater opportunities for members to work with them. Let them know you are willing to help, and how. Pray and work to identify at least one person per year that you can invite to hear the missionaries.

Jean A. Stevens

Prayer is a source of miraculous help, though it may not come in the hour or in the way we want. We must be willing to submit our will to God's will. In prayer, we do not seek to change God's will for us, but because we need that personal connection to God, and because we are changed through prayer.

Congregational Hymn: Teach Me to Walk in the Light

An hour is really a long time for kids to sit and listen to grownups talking on TV, and we still have another hour to go this morning! My nephews and nieces are doing pretty well, but thank goodness for the rest hymn. "Restless hymn" would be more accurate!

Gary E. Stevenson

Several Mormons were among those who competed in the recent Winter Olympics. These athletes had 4 minutes or less to run their race and win the prize. In some cases, performance at the highest level is measured in as little as tenths of a second. Likewise, in our spiritual lives it is often seeminly miniscule adjustments that make the difference in our spiritual progress. Ordinances and covenants are essential steps along our path of discipleship. We and those around us need help and encouragement as we face the challenges of life's race.

David A. Bednar

We ought to be careful not to haul around in our lives so many fun but unnecessary things that they distract us or impede our ability to do what is most important. When we are yoked with the Lord, our burdens will be made light, but they may not be lifted entirely. The atonement not only redeems us from sin but enables us to do good and become better. The atonement is not only for sinners, but for righteous men and women who struggle with the many pains and trials of mortality.

Thomas S. Monson

"The great commandment in the law" is to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers through mortality, nor can we truly love our fellow mortals if we do not love God. "Actually, love is the very essence of the gospel, and Jesus Christ is our exemplar." He saved sinners and rebuked the self-righteous. Love is manifest in kindness, patience, compassion, understanding and forgiveness, and in many other ways. Our ability to recognize another's need and willingness to respond is crucial. Though expressions of loving kindness may require personal sacrifice, nobody ever regretted being "a little too kind." Often, opportunities to show our love come unexpectedly. A commercial flight was diverted because an injured boy needed urgent medical attention. Though the flight was delayed by several hours, not one passenger complained, but as the hours passed, a collection was taken up to help provide for the boy's medical expenses. Loving kindness sometimes requires that we reprove another person's wrongdoing, but let us do so with compassion and encouragement. Do not leave ill feelings or blame to fester and canker the soul. You may forget within moments your simple words and deeds of kindness to another, but the recipient may cherish them for a lifetime. "Heavenly Father, I am glad that you are always here and there."

I asked each of the kids to share something that impressed them from this session of Conference. At their parents' request, I have not used their full names:  

S: was tired and crying and went down for a nap before the session ended. He obviously thought conference was too long. 

J: i like the erch dorj (J typed that: it says "I liked the arched doors" that they walked in and out of at the beginning and end.) J also said he liked when we all stood up and sang "Teach Me to Walk in the Light", and he liked Elder Bednar's talk. 

M2: I liked President Monson's talk about being kind. I also liked when Elder Bendar said that today, April 6th is the original day that the LDS Church was founded and also the day that Jesus Christ was born. 

M1: I liked how the guy, I forget his name, but when he told about when he wanted a new 4-wheel drive truck and he told his wife the reason "what if there is a huge storm and we have to get to the store to buy milk?" And his wife said "If you buy the truck, we won't have any money for milk." I liked when the Tabernacle Choir sang "A Child's Prayer." 

D: I liked Elder Bednar's story about the guy that bought the truck and got stuck in the snow and had to get a bigger load so he could get out. 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON 

Boyd K. Packer

A deep, abiding witness of the truthfulness of the gospel is both a light to follow and a burden to carry. Much of what I know is of a nature that it cannot be taught, but can be learned. Those who do not marry or cannot have children are not excluded from eternal blessings which may now be beyond their reach. These blessings will come, in this life or in the eternities, to all those who make and keep sacred covenants. The Holy Ghost is real, and so is the gift of the Holy Ghost, which all can receive by priesthood blessing. Every blessing, every ordinance, every ordination, every official act in the church is done in the name of Jesus Christ. It is his church. He is the anchor that holds us and gives us shelter through the storms of life.

William R. Walker

First accidental doze-off of confrence. Hope y'all enjoyed the talk while my eyes were closed. I'm not naming names but let's just say that I'm not the only adult here falling asleep during Conference while the kids play quietly on the floor.

L. Tom Perry

Teams of horses may sometimes begin to veer off course, but their course can be corrected by a gentle tug of the reins. The promptings of the Holy Spirit often come as a gentle tug that may easily be ignored, if we are not attuned to the will of the Master. We need faith to follow God's lead. Such faith is more difficult for some than for others. Obedience is a choice between our own limited knowledge and power, or God's unlimited knowledge and power.

Congregational Hymn: "Hark, All Ye Nations"

Wandering attentions are restored as we all stand together and sing. The kids got really into it.

Lawrence E. Corbridge

The revelations received by Joseph Smith affirm his calling as a prophet of God. Revelations have not ceased; the heavens are not closed. There is a living prophet on the earth today. Revelation is available to us today, as a church and individually. The billions who live and die without a knowledge of Christ are not lost: through the ordinances of the restored priesthood all mankind may be saved, both living and dead. We need not take anyone else's word for it; we can do as young Joseph did himself, and ask God to know the truth. God the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ live, and we worship them and none else.

Michael John U. Teh

Unfortunately there is a tendency in our societies to acquire more and more, and to have the latest, greatest, and most costly material goods--things that are too often trivial and transient. Let us not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor our labor for that which cannot satisfy, but lay up treasures in heaven, and be rich toward God. Such treasures include faith, hope, humility, and charity. We ought to spend our time strengthening families, serving others, and studying the Gospel. How we spend our time and energies will have a direct effect on our next estate.

Markos A. Aidukaitis

The internet offers many opportunities for learning, but it can also be used to promote doubt and fear, and to destroy faith and hope. We must consider carefully how we use the internet and other such tools. That which entices to do good and invites belief in Christ is of God. God has counseled us to seek for knowledge. How can we recognize truth in a world that is increasingly more blunt in its attacks against the things of God? Three principles: 1. That which is good brings forth good fruit, and that which is corrupt will bring forth corrupt fruit. Thus, by their fruits and by their works we can recognize what is of God and what is not. 2. We can find truth by experimenting upon the word ourselves, by planting the seed of faith in our hearts, experiencing growth, and receiving the fruits of our faith. 3. We can receive a knowledge of the truth by personal revelation, by first studying the matter, and then asking God in faith to know if it is right. God giveth liberally to those that ask in faith. It requires more diligence than merely searching the internet, but it does work.

D. Todd Christofferson

Elder Christofferson offered a beautiful testimony of the death and resurrection of Christ, and its significance in our lives. Because He lives, we all shall be made alive. No injustice in life is permanent, for his perfect justice and mercy shall make all things right. By understanding who Christ is and what He has done for us, we can understand the purpose and meaning of our own existence. We will one day see Christ face to face; until then we have the many witnesses of prophets and apostles, and the Holy Spirit's witness to our own hearts, of His divine identity, life, and atonement.

President Thomas S. Monson

May we be kind and loving to those who do not share our beliefs and standards. The savior offered a perfect example of love and service; may we follow Him. May we constantly nourish our testimonies, that they may be a protection to us, and may we ever be found doing the work of the Lord.

Final update: I noticed that M1 was diligently writing in her notebook all through conference. My SiL usually makes "conference notebooks" with attention activities for them to do during sessions. She didn't have time to do that with all the travel preparations, so M1 made her own, based loosely on what her mom had done in the past. I asked if I could share some of them and she graciously agreed. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Mormons and the Path of Revelation

Disclaimer: The contents of this blog are my opinion. I believe that opinion to be well-informed and in harmony with the teachings of the LDS church, but my words should not be taken as official doctrine or policy. I invite you to study and reflect on the matter yourselves. 

Second disclaimer: There's some stuff going on right now in the church that certainly informs the context of what I'm saying and why I'm saying it now. My post should not be taken as endorsement of any of those ideas, issues, voices, or movements currently in the spotlight (and they are many and varied, which is why I'm not linking to any of them in particular). It is, rather, a response to a criticism of such ideas generally, which I have increasingly heard in recent months--a criticism which I claim is misguided. Please do not misunderstand my purpose, or impute motives beyond what I have stated here. I've chosen my words carefully; at this time I do not mean to say any more nor less than what I have said.

Latter-day Saints (Mormons) share a strong belief in continuing revelation, and that changes to church policy and additional doctrine always come by revelation, and are disseminated to the whole church through the proper channels of authority--the prophet.* This is true, and wise; it prevents fragmentation.

But many Latter-day Saints also believe that such revelations are always a completely top-down affair--that if God wants something to change, he will tell the prophet (or maybe one of the general authorities) first. The scriptures and LDS church history demonstrate that this last proposition is not true. As this blogger documents, there is a long tradition of revelation coming first to members, working its way up to the prophet, and from there spreading out to the whole church.** But don't stop with his handful of examples. Last year, LDS Sunday Schools throughout the world studied the Doctrine & Covenants. Even a casual reading of that book of scripture will provide many more examples of the pattern of revelation Brother Swift and I are describing. A study of the other books of scripture will yield additional examples; I invite you to look for them as we study the Old Testament this year.

In other words, my first paragraph contains two connected, but separate propositions:

1. God is continuing to reveal truth to the world. 

2. Revelation affecting the whole church must go through the prophet.

A third proposition--really a modified form of the second--that "major" revelation must originate with the prophet (or at least the general authorities), is neither true, nor necessary to the conclusion that God stands at the head of this church and guides it. 

We often say that we have to have stewardship in order to properly receive revelation in a given area. But note that, while Sarah Granger Kimball became one of the first leaders of the Relief Society, at the time she began to organize a women's organization in the church, she held no such "stewardship" in any official sense. My point is that we cannot lightly dismiss "ordinary members" when they have questions or ideas concerning the church, simply because they are "ordinary members."

Because continuing revelation is a cornerstone of our faith, there are few things more important for Mormons than to understand how it operates, both for the church, and in our own lives. As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12, we are one body in Christ, and each member is necessary and honorable. All of us have access to the Holy Spirit; all are entitled to receive revelation from God. We cannot dictate our ideas to the church, it is true. God's house is a house of order. But all of us--the newest baptized member no less than Thomas S. Monson himself--have the privilege and responsibility to seek inspiration concerning the work of building Zion, and to act faithfully and humbly on the inspiration we receive.

image: The Sacred Grove, by Greg Olsen. source: history.lds.org