I ♥ the Prophet

Do you realize how blessed we are? It's truly an awesome thing to have a living prophet. Whenever I think of President Thomas S. Monson and I hear him speak, you are just overcome with love for this great man. The whole of General Conference is filled with great men and women who share their testimonies with the world.

Henry B. Eyring spoke of the sacred charge each member of the church has as soon as we are baptized. We are to:

1. Be Charitable. "That ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). Also, Alma 13:29.
2. Be Witnesses of God. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ can give us guidance and help us gain encouragement.
3. Endure. "Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life" (3 Nephi 15:9).

Robert D. Hales told us we do have tribulations and we may often wonder why we must suffer through them. Many may think, "God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). But, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him" is the advice given (Psalms 37:7). Job of the Old Testament, known for the great misfortunes he faced, said, "For I know that my redeemer liveth" and he was able to stay faithful to the Lord (Job 19:25). As we wait upon the Lord, we become more like God wants us to be:

And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. (Alma 7:23).

Thus, we should say, "thy will be done" (Matthew 26:42).

Tad R. Callister gave his testimony on The Book of Mormon and informed us it had no middle ground. Either every word, every sentence, every page is the word of God or it is of the devil. There is no middle ground. One test to determine if it is of God or of the devil is to read different verses and determine if they bring you closer to God. If they do, then it is of God, for Satan would never guide you towards God.

Personally, I love Elaine S. Dalton's words to the fathers of daughters. It might be one of my favorites (though they are all on my list of favorites). She expressed how father's feel when they become father's to their first daughter. Generally, the most common feeling is that of inadequacy. The question "How can a father raise a daughter?" may be most prevalent in their minds. It reminds me of my own father, who, when I was born thought (and still thinks, lucky me) that I was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. I was his first child and a daughter, which may have played a role in such a thought. But still... In anycase, the answer to the question, "How can a father raise a daughter?" is to love her mother. Father's teach their daughters through example. They teach qualities of love, devotion, tenderness, etc through how they treat their wives. Fathers are told to be involved in their daughters' lives. Fathers are their daughters heros. (It's true, Daddy!) Their testimonies have a powerful influence. Be virtuous and holy in your life as a Priesthood holder. "Be loyal to the royal within."

M. Russell Ballard had been pondering on the importance of a name. The name of our church, named by the Lord Himself, is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Doctrine and Covenants 115:4). The name in and of itself is a short summary of the church and it's members.
The – shows distinction
Church of Jesus Christ – shows that it is Christ's church
of Latter-day – shows that it is the same church formed by Christ when he was alive, but now restored
Saints – shows that the members follow Him (and all that represents)
Nicknames do not have the same significance, but they are significant. The original church of Christ gained the nickname "Christian" which we use with pride today. In modern times, it's "Mormon". There are acceptable times to use the term Mormon when in reference to the members individually or collectively and not to the institution. When asked about what church I attend, I should use "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" in the explanation.

Then we were blessed to hear the words of the living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He spoke on how much the world has changed in his 85 years of life. Especially our moral compass. The laws of God remain constant and our code of conduct is not negotiable. Peace and joy comes via the Spirit as we keep the commandments. We should do better in our daily communication with our Father in Heaven. Don't let a day go by without saying a prayer. There is great importance of being worthy of inspiration, trusting it and following it. "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63).

I love the words of a prophet.