When Was the Last Time You Changed Your Mind Based on the Words of a General Authority?

[cinepro]

It seems that more and more these days, the words of the General Authorities have the power to inspire us, and to remind us, but not so much to change us when it comes to pre-existing beliefs.

Can anyone share an experience where they've changed their minds on a "point of fact" based on the words of a General Authority?

For example, "I used to believe such-and-such, but then I heard this talk and now I believe differently..."

[Johnnie Cake]

Personally I don't dare quote a GA without having an actual recording of GA making said quote (something that is actually frowned upon) or an authorized printed edited LDS publication such as the Ensign, Lesson Manual or other LDS authorized publication for fear of being called out for daring to share an undocumented, but otherwise true, quote.

 

So yes I do have an experience that would meet your OP cinepro...but I hesitate to share it since I didn't have a recorder handy at the time and the presentation was never published in an official LDS publication

[cinepro]

3 minutes ago, Johnnie Cake said:

Personally I don't dare quote a GA without having an actual recording of GA making said quote (something that is actually frowned upon) or an authorized printed edited LDS publication such as the Ensign, Lesson Manual or other LDS authorized publication for fear of being called out for daring to share an undocumented, but otherwise true, quote.

 

So yes I do have an experience that would meet your OP cinepro...but I hesitate to share it since I didn't have a recorder handy at the time and the presentation was never published in an official LDS publication

Since I'm asking for anecdotes, anecdotal evidence will be sufficient.  If it was enough for you, that's all that matters.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, cinepro said:

It seems that more and more these days, the words of the General Authorities have the power to inspire us, and to remind us, but not so much to change us when it comes to pre-existing beliefs.

Can anyone share an experience where they've changed their minds on a "point of fact" based on the words of a General Authority?

For example, "I used to believe such-and-such, but then I heard this talk and now I believe differently..."

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, his final address in Oct 1985, helped me to better understand the atonement and change my beliefs concerning Christ's ability to save...even me. 

[JLHPROF]

Other than Joseph Smith? 

[Johnnie Cake]

 

I wrote out my reply...but feared that sharing it would result in me being banned for life so I've deleted it...but it was a...Emperor has no clothes...kind of experience....a one on one, face to face meeting with a member of the 12.  And I should probably just leave it there 

[Robert F. Smith]

3 hours ago, Johnnie Cake said:

Personally I don't dare quote a GA without having an actual recording of GA making said quote (something that is actually frowned upon) or an authorized printed edited LDS publication such as the Ensign, Lesson Manual or other LDS authorized publication for fear of being called out for daring to share an undocumented, but otherwise true, quote.

So yes I do have an experience that would meet your OP cinepro...but I hesitate to share it since I didn't have a recorder handy at the time and the presentation was never published in an official LDS publication

I wanted to give you a rep point for that, Johnnie.  How long before you come off limited status?

[Robert F. Smith]

Just off hand I can think of a couple of times the Brethren have had a powerful influence on me.  One was Pres Kimball speaking in Conference in which I was overwhelmed by his sincerety.  His brief words still haunt me, but the matter is too personal to disclose herewith.

The other was not just one but several of the Brethren (in recent years) who asked that some of us go online and defend the Gospel, and that is the reason I am here, cinepro.

These matters may not be radical enough for you, since they are action-oriented and not doctrinal, but they are radical enough for me.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Robert F. Smith

[bdouglas]

I changed my thinking after reading President Kimball's "The False Gods We Worship". I didn't hear him give the talk. I read it, after he'd died. It changed the way I thought about some things.

[The Nehor]

First time I remember was when I heard a quote from President Kimball when I was about 8 or 10 I think saying that swearing is the attempt of a weak mind to express itself or something like that. I was a foul-mouthed little kid but stopped after that.

Elder Holland's admonition about the poor a while back made me shift priorities a bit from things that were easy to things that are harder but I believe more important and my volunteer work is now aimed more towards helping the poor in my community that have little to no voice. Not anything he said directly but the Spirit did a little heart pulverizing through it.

The most recent was Elder Holland telling me that in the gospel you get credit for trying. I mentally figured if my efforts failed I had failed. I know God would forgive me for missteps but not that God was pleased with my halting stumbling falls that seemed almost deliberate to me.

[Johnnie Cake]

43 minutes ago, Robert F. Smith said:

I wanted to give you a rep point for that, Johnnie.  How long before you come off limited status?

Think I've been given my eternal punishment...so pretty much I'm in eternal hell forever but thanks for the thought.

pm admin...pull some strings...they'll listen to you

 

remember me down here...and if you ever remember, next time dip your little finger in some cool water that a droplet might fall on my tongue...because I am in agony in this fire. 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Johnnie Cake

[James Tunney]

4 minutes ago, Johnnie Cake said:

Think I've been put given my eternal punishment...so pretty much I'm in eternal hell forever but thanks for the thought.

pm admin...pull some strings...they'll listen to you

I'm pulling for you to be let out of purgatory

[Stargazer]

3 hours ago, Johnnie Cake said:

 

I wrote out my reply...but feared that sharing it would result in me being banned for life so I've deleted it...but it was a...Emperor has no clothes...kind of experience....a one on one, face to face meeting with a member of the 12.  And I should probably just leave it there 

Heh.  I've been where a GA (not a member of the Q12) went off rather badly on a perceived adversarial question about LDS doctrine from an investigator.  It was in a meeting and he was answering questions from the attendees.  While he was warming up his rant, I raised my hand and interrupted him, explaining the question for him and then answering it for the investigator.  The question had not been adversarial, but reflected genuine interest.  

It was then that I realized that General Authorities are not perfect and can make mistakes and/or behave incorrectly.

An acquaintance from my mission is a GA, and he has made it clear to me that he is human and of less than perfect understanding about every aspect of the gospel -- as he said to me, we are all still learning.  And some GA's have bad moments in which they react in a less than stellar fashion - a reflection of our common imperfection.

[Duncan]

Almost 5 years ago I was called to be a WML in our ward and I was reading Pres. Kimball's talk, "When the World will be converted" given in April I think 1974. I knew some of the history surrounding that talk but I wanted to know more. I contacted the CHL and asked for materials to read. I actually kind of forgot about it until Elder Gene R. Cook, Emeritus 70 phoned me but I wasn't home. He had left his number and boy I tell you I was sweating when I called him back but he told me some things about what it was like to be in the audience when Pres. Kimball gave that talk, of course I was feverishly writing this all out!!!! He sounded weak and it sounded like he was laying down and his meds. were kicking in so time was of the essence but I was totally gobsmacked he called me out of the blue. I have another experience regarding Pres. Nelson but maybe another time

[thesometimesaint]

McConkie's apology.

[RevTestament]

14 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

Other than Joseph Smith? 

On matters of doctrine, I think Joseph Smith has definitely had the most impact on me. I'm still finding nuggets from him that I had to learn myself or hadn't quite learned yet. I haven't been a big fan of BY on those types of things, but he often said things that were right on the money, and had more insight than I think the modern church gives him credit for. Although his thoughts on Adam/God could be worded better, I now believe him to be essentially correct, but in a temporal priesthood kind of way.

Out of the modern GAs, I think Pres Monson has most touched my heart, but ironically I think those occasions were mostly before he became president. These weren't doctrinal kinds of things, but just stories of the gospel in action that really brought in the spirit. I am sorry to admit that more recently, I almost plug my ears when it comes to getting preached doctrine. I don't need to hear the pornography thing again(although I believe it is a problem for the church), etc.

[Rivers]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 4:30 PM, cinepro said:

It seems that more and more these days, the words of the General Authorities have the power to inspire us, and to remind us, but not so much to change us when it comes to pre-existing beliefs.

Can anyone share an experience where they've changed their minds on a "point of fact" based on the words of a General Authority?

For example, "I used to believe such-and-such, but then I heard this talk and now I believe differently..."

I used to think that watching paint dry was boring.  A few GA's of which I will not name have changed my position on that.

[Rivers]

In all seriousness now, this talk by Elder Holland helped me to rethink the whole "all you need is love" rhetoric that we hear a lot these days.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/the-cost-and-blessings-of-discipleship?lang=eng&_r=1

[california boy]

For me, it has been iconic statements by past leaders. Perhaps the most mind changing statement came from Brigham Young.  He taught this principle 'Work less, wear less, spend less.  I changed my life where I focused on possessions such as a big house and a closet full of clothes and the newest model Porsche to a life of utter simplicity. I now spend my life living life rather than taking care of possessions. I can't tell you how much happier I am. Fortunately my partner shares those same values. 

[Scott Lloyd]

On August 11, 2016 at 4:40 PM, Johnnie Cake said:

Personally I don't dare quote a GA without having an actual recording of GA making said quote (something that is actually frowned upon) or an authorized printed edited LDS publication such as the Ensign, Lesson Manual or other LDS authorized publication for fear of being called out for daring to share an undocumented, but otherwise true, quote.

 

So yes I do have an experience that would meet your OP cinepro...but I hesitate to share it since I didn't have a recorder handy at the time and the presentation was never published in an official LDS publication

Methinks Johnnie Cake/Craig Paxton is still smarting from having been placed on "limited" after starting a thread about a rumor and then failing to respond to a CFR about it. 

[Scott Lloyd]

On August 11, 2016 at 4:30 PM, cinepro said:

It seems that more and more these days, the words of the General Authorities have the power to inspire us, and to remind us, but not so much to change us when it comes to pre-existing beliefs.

Can anyone share an experience where they've changed their minds on a "point of fact" based on the words of a General Authority?

For example, "I used to believe such-and-such, but then I heard this talk and now I believe differently..."

I'm not saying this is the last time it happened with me, but when I heard Elder Packer point out that the term "free agency" is not scriptural (it's "moral agency" or just plain "agency") I ceased to use that term in written and spoken discourse. 

[rongo]

54 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Methinks Johnnie Cake/Craig Paxton is still smarting from having been placed on "limited" after starting a thread about a rumor and then failing to respond to a CFR about it. 

Why you gotta try and twist the knife, Scott?

You're better than that. At least, I hope you are.

[rongo]

A week or two after arriving in the Germany Hamburg Mission in October 1994, Elder Wirthlin told us in a mission conference that John the Revelator played a key role in bringing about the fall of communism and opening up Eastern Europe for the Church. That was certainly a new thought to me, and I wish we heard more things like that more often!

[Scott Lloyd]

38 minutes ago, rongo said:

Why you gotta try and twist the knife, Scott?

You're better than that. At least, I hope you are.

I don't think it's knife twisting to express disapproval of undocumented rumor-mongering. 

But I would not have said anything had I not observed protracted complaining on this board and elsewhere -- plus irrelevant and gratuitous appropriation of a thread for that purpose. 

[rongo]

3 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

I don't think it's knife twisting to express disapproval of undocumented rumor-mongering. 

But I would not have said anything had I not observed protracted complaining on this board and elsewhere -- plus irrelevant and gratuitous appropriation of a thread for that purpose. 

Well, be a good example and stop trying to kick posters when they're down. Try to be classy and gentlemanly!  You seem to be protected by the moderators here and tend to run away from threads at times, but those with "less-favored" status don't try to rub it in to you.