Ken Live Blogs Conference

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Twelve

• To receive eternal life, we must be perfected in Christ
• We must love God and love our neighbors as ourselves
• Our Divinely Appointed responsibilities
• The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simply beautiful and simply beautiful
• Don't allow the world's complexity to enter into how we live the simplicity of the Gospel
• Divinely Appointed Responsibilities
  • Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  • Care for those in need
  • Love, share, and invite
  • Unite families for eternity

[Robert F. Smith]

1 hour ago, Kenngo1969 said:

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but that is a topic for another thread.  Thank you.

Maybe.

[Chum]

2 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Feel free to start your own thread.  Please do not introduce contention into this one.  Thank you in advance.

Service = contention . . .

[Kenngo1969]

30 minutes ago, Chum said:

Service = contention . . .

No, not at all.  Yes, of course, we can debate whether the Church of Jesus Christ provides enough interfaith service as an institution.  We can debate whether any given ward or stake does so.  But such a debate is not the purpose of this thread, nor of this subforum.  You're always welcome to start another topic, Chum.  No one is stopping you from doing that.

[Chum]

1 minute ago, Kenngo1969 said:

No, not at all.  Yes, of course, we can debate whether the Church of Jesus Christ provides enough interfaith service as an institution.  We can debate whether any given ward or stake does so.  But such a debate is not the purpose of this thread, nor of this subforum.  You're always welcome to start another topic, Chum.  No one is stopping you from doing that.

Arbitrator of contention sounds like a sweet calling. Can we coin Kentension or is it too early?

[Calm]

7 minutes ago, Chum said:

Arbitrator of contention sounds like a sweet calling. Can we coin Kentension or is it too early?

Ken started the thread and he chose to post it in Social Hall. As OP, he gets to limit the topic as narrowly or as widely as he wants. 
 

Dissection of talks is better suited for General Discussion. 

[Kenngo1969]

3 hours ago, ERMD said:

I missed the first session. Thanks for providing a synopsis!

Absolutely!  Good to see you!    I hope we get that privilege hereabouts more often.

[Kenngo1969]

Saturday Evening Session

President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Twelve

• Apostles fishing cast their net on the other side of the boat, and miraculously, it was filled with fish
• "Simon, Son of Jona, lovest thou me more than these?"  That is, the fish
• Do the things of this world contend inordinately for our time and attention?
• What really brings us joy and happiness, the things of this world or the timeless things of the next
• Only He can bring us true happiness, joy, and peace by following His teachings
• At funerals, nobody talks about the size of the house or the make and model of cars, or other possessions.  Rather, the focus is on relationships, how the person served, whose lives he touched, and how well the person followed Christ
• Endure to the end and stay on the covenant path
• Let go of grudges
• Strive to keep the commmandment
• Strive to be obedient
• Honor fathers and mothers
• Strive to keep covenants
• "Jesus someday will return to earth to reign as king of kings and Lord of Lords, each of us will stand before Him to be judged of our works"
• God and Christ live; they love us; "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoso believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life"
• Jesus so loved us that in the great Council in Heaven volunteered, "Here am I; send me"; "Father, Thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever"
• We need to believe in Jesus and in God's plan of happiness; to believe is to love our Savior and to keep His commandments
• Our hope must be in our Heavenly Father and Jesus, even if we face overwhelming challenges
• We must put our Heavenly Father and Christ first in our lives
• Are we willing, as President Nelson taught, to "Let God Prevail" in our lives?
• Are we willing to let our own will be swallowed up in God's and in doing whatever it is that He would have us do?
• "Lovest thou Me more than these?"  "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love thee"; If so, we must show it by how we love and serve those around us

 

 

[Kenngo1969]

Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in Relief Society General Presidency

• "A cookie of gratitude and remembrance"
• The Church of Jesus Christ is under a divine mandate to care for the poor
• "And thus in their prosperous circumstances they did not send any away ... They were liberal to all ..."
• Ministering, Fasting and Fast Offering, Prison Outreach, Church Humanitarian Efforts are all ways in which small efforts collectively make a large impact and magnify what we do as disciples as Christ
• We must increase our humanitarian outreach in a great way
• "When you meet with the people on your assignment, thank them for their ministering" -President Nelson to Sister Eubank
• 16-year-old orphaned girl had to care for her three siblings; Church representative, representative of South African government visited her and gave her food purchased by the Church of Jesus Christ
• Church has helped Afghani refugees
• Sisters made head coverings for Afghani women who were using their husbands shirts as head coverings
• Haitian young woman cared for others despite the devastation the earthquake wrought on her own home
• Catholic German affected by flooding was visited by Latter-day Saint mission president and missionaries to help 24 hours after he prayed
• We must be the answer to other people's prayers
• Like the Savior, we must be willing to say, "Here am I, send me"
• "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach to the poor ..."  This scripture is being fulfilled on an individual basis as Latter-day Saints respond to the call to serve others in their time of need

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Brent H. Nielsen of the Seventy

• Prayed for his father to be healed from cancer
• Surgery revealed that cancer had spread throughout his father's body
• Nonetheless, they continued to fast and pray that he would be healed, but, eventually, he passed away
• He wondered why his father had not been healed; Did he not have enough faith?
• Jeremiah: "Is there no balm in Gilead?"
• Christ is the balm in Gilead
• He told the story of the man healed of palsy.  Christ told him, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee"; Confused, his friends said they brought him there to be healed; Christ can heal all physical ailments, but most important, He heals our hearts of spiritual maladies
• "Be converted, that I may heal you"
• "Come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal you"
• "If ye have faith in me, ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me"
• Is our faith in a particular outcome or blessing, or is it in Jesus Christ?
• We must cheerfully submit our will to that of our Heavenly Father whatever our circumstances
• Can miracles occur even in the absence of physical healing?
• "As in Adam all die, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive"
• The Savior's healing power can heal any wound, can cover any sin, and there are leftovers (the lesson of the Five Loaves and Two Fishes"

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela of the Seventy

• We must immerse ourselves in the scriptures to understand better Christ's mission and ministry
• The scriptures reveal God's will for us
• As the Liahona guides Lehi's family in the wilderness, so the scriptures guide us today
• The Lord brings about great things through small means
• Nephi was a student dedicated to the scriptures: He delighted in them and read them for the profit and learning of his children
• "If ye press forward, with a steadfastness in Christ, and a love of God and of all men, behold, thus saith the Father, ye shall have eternal life"
• If our souls delight in the scriptures we will:
  • Have a greater desire to gather Israel on both sides of the veil
  • We will remain worthy and will attend the temple
  • We will search out our ancestors to perform ordinances on their behalf
  • We will keep the Sabbath holy and renew our covenants regularly
  • We will remain on the covenant path
  • We will better understand the plan of salvation and exaltation
• "Who is God?"  "What are the Scriptures?"
• The Scriptures reveal God to us as He is
• "Feast upon the words of Christ, for they shall tell you all things what ye should do"
• We don't study the Gospel simply seeking for information, but, rather, to become a new creature
• "These words are not of man nor of men, but of Me ... Wherefore, ye may testify that ye have heard my voice ..."

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Brother Brad Wilcox of the Young Men General Presidency

• He sent a text message to his grandchildren that got garbled: "Hey, you two, sure do love you" became "Hate you two, should love you"
• God loves us as we are but He loves us too much to leave us that way; He can transform us
• Repentance is not a one-time event; Repentance is a process
• Worthiness is not flawlessness; it is being honest and it is trying
• Don't give up just because you slip up
• Developing a Christlike character requires patience and persistence more than it requires flawlessness
• God loves those who keep His commandments "and him that seeketh so to do"
• Hypocrites need the church the most; the Church is not a haven for the spiritually well, it is a hospital for the spiritually sick
• The Lord sees weakness differently than He does rebellion; when the Lord speaks of weakness, always, it is with mercy
• We can ask God for grace just as much, if not more than, we ask Him for forgiveness
• Don't make growth an all or nothing proposition; instead, set small, reachable, incremental goals
• We can do it because we can appeal to God for the help that we need every day
• Change is possible, repentance is a process, and worthiness is not flawlessness
• God will help us as we repent, not only after we have repented
• God does not need flawless people, but rather those who have a willing heart and a willing mind
• Grace is not a prize for the worthy, it is the divine assistance He gives to help us become worthy
• We are walking with God and Christ, not just walking toward them
• When you feel as though you have failed too many times to keep trying, remember that Christ's grace is real

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Alfred Kungu of the Seventy

• One of Christ's central virtues is humility
• God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble
• Humble individuals remember what God and Christ have done for them
• Another of Christ's central virtues is courage
• "Be the best you can"
• "Go forward in faith ... for God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"
• "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause?  Go forward and not backward.  On, on to the victory"
• Another quality of the Savior is forgiveness
  • He told the woman taken in adultery, "Go, and sin no more"
• Another quality of the Savior is sacrifice
  • Sacrifice is a demonstration of pure love.  -M. Russell Ballard

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy

• "I believe in God because Joseph Smith saw him"
• I believe in God because I have had personal experience with Him
• Elder Nash shared his testimony with an atheist
• He also shared his testimony with a passport agent who converted
• We must love, share, and invite those around us in a normal, natural way
• Blessings of sharing the Gospel
  • Sharing the Gospel brings joy and hope
  • Christ's sacrifice makes it possible for us to be forgiven and healed; these truths are life-changing
  • "How great shall be our joy" with those with whom we share it
  • Sharing the Gospel brings power into our lives
  • Sharing the Gospel protects us from temptation - When we fail to hold up the Gospel light, we are overcome by darkness (this isn't exactly how he put it ...)
• There are many among all parties sects and denominations who are kept from the truth only because they know not where to find it
• While the world is turning away from God, our stripling warrior missionaries are bringing people to Him
• Share the Gospel; Hold up the Light
• Invite another to come and see, to come and help, and to come and belong
• "How great the need to make these things known unto the children of men"

[Kenngo1969]

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency

• Pure revelation for the questions in your heart will make this Conference rewarding and unforgettable.  -President Russell M. Nelson
• The way to receive revelation has been the same from the time of Adam to the present day.  It happens by exercising faith.
• If the Atonement has softened your heart, you will better be able to feel the whisperings of His spirit
• We must be humble: "Not my will, but Thine be done"
• Faith in Jesus Christ is the key to receiving revelation of the truth, and the key to having confidence that we are following God's will
• "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.  Feast upon the words of Christ, for behold, they shall tell you all things what ye should do"
• "The Lord was not in the wind ... The Lord was not in the earthquake ... The Lord was not in the fire ... And after the fire, a still small voice"
• It is hard to keep the Lord's commandments without faith and trust in Him
• It takes faith to be obedient, to serve others, and to teach the Gospel; but as we exercise faith in Christ, others will hear God's voice
• Opposition and trial are the seedbed for the growth of faith

[Robert F. Smith]

2 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

No, not at all.  Yes, of course, we can debate whether the Church of Jesus Christ provides enough interfaith service as an institution.  We can debate whether any given ward or stake does so.  But such a debate is not the purpose of this thread, nor of this subforum.  You're always welcome to start another topic, Chum.  No one is stopping you from doing that.

Maybe he meant service = connection

[Robert F. Smith]

58 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Brother Brad Wilcox of the Young Men General Presidency

• He sent a text message to his grandchildren that got garbled: "Hey, you two, sure do love you" became "Hate you two, should love you"
• God loves us as we are but He loves us too much to leave us that way; He can transform us
• Repentance is not a one-time event; Repentance is a process
• Worthiness is not flawlessness; it is being honest and it is trying
• Don't give up just because you slip up
• Developing a Christlike character requires patience and persistence more than it requires flawlessness
• God loves those who keep His commandments "and him that seeketh so to do"
• Hypocrites need the church the most; the Church is not a haven for the spiritually well, it is a hospital for the spiritually sick
• The Lord sees weakness differently than He does rebellion; when the Lord speaks of weakness, always, it is with mercy
• We can ask God for grace just as much, if not more than, we ask Him for forgiveness
• Don't make growth an all or nothing proposition; instead, set small, reachable, incremental goals
• We can do it because we can appeal to God for the help that we need every day
• Change is possible, repentance is a process, and worthiness is not flawlessness
• God will help us as we repent, not only after we have repented
• God does not need flawless people, but rather those who have a willing heart and a willing mind
• Grace is not a prize for the worthy, it is the divine assistance He gives to help us become worthy
• We are walking with God and Christ, not just walking toward them
• When you feel as though you have failed too many times to keep trying, remember that Christ's grace is real

This guy preached up a storm.  A Gospel storm.  Excellent, and something he has been known for down here in Provo.  I served with him in our stake's cub scouting until it ended in 2019.  Humble, nice guy.  Looks good in a BSA shirt.

[Robert F. Smith]

3 hours ago, Chum said:

Service = contention . . .

Surely you meant service = connection

[Kenngo1969]

16 hours ago, Calm said:

... Dissection of talks is better suited for General Discussion. 

@Chum

Discussion of any  talk, certainly is welcome here.  What did you (using the "royal you" here) like about any given talk?  What was your favorite and why?

Edited October 3, 2021 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Deseret News probably has done a better job of "covering" General Conference than I have so far, but I've done my best.

https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/2/22702690/october-2021-lds-general-conference-saturday-sessions

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2021/9/29/22701125/watch-lds-general-conference-october-2021-talk-summaries-photos

[Kenngo1969]

Sunday Morning Session

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Twelve

• Sabbath is so that we may learn to walk in the footsteps of the Savior
• Jesus Christ lives; He is real; He is the Son of the Living God
• We invite all to come, hear the word of God and partake of His goodness
• We consider it an honor to walk with you in the strait and narrow path of Discipleship
• Where no landmarks or other points of reference exist to guide us, we walk in circles
• Do we struggle to walk "straight ahead" because of uncertainty about where "straight ahead" is?
• Constant minor course corrections are necessary to direct an aircraft safely to its destination
• Spiritual change is gradual, a step at a time
• We must seek the spiritual landmarks Heavenly Father has provided
• Just because we have high confidence we are headed in the right direction, with no landmarks, there is no guarantee that really is the case
• Despite the miracles the children of Israel witnessed, within a generation, they began walking according to their own desires (and sometimes, it can happen in much less than a generation
• Spiritually speaking, we do have reliable landmarks that we can use to evaluate our course (such as prayer, pondering our efforts and recommitting, and CScripture/Gospel study)
• Introspection is an opportunity for recalibration, spiritually speaking
• We have made covenants to follow the Living Christ; how are we doing?
• We can experience a personal daily "restoration"
• God will teach us the way, and help us to follow it; we cannot rely on others' testimonies, but must build our own
• "Rolling water cannot long remain impure"
• To change the shape of your life, change the shape of your day

 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Camille N. Johnson, Primary General President

• Christ is the author and finisher of our faith; we can invite Him to be the author and the finisher of our story
• Effective lawyers, on cross examination, never ask a question to which you do not know the answer
• However, the foregoing rule does not apply to our Heavenly Father
• We know that the manifestations of the Holy Ghost are reliable
• Not only is the Holy Ghost a "friendly witness," he will always tell the truth
• We may not enjoy trials, but don't we enjoy a story in which the protagonist overcomes the struggle?
• Let God write your story, as David, who slew Goliath, did
• Jesus Christ stands ready to use us as His instrument to write a masterful story
• Ruth approached the King without first being bidden, usually an offense worthy of death; she asked Mordecai to have the people fast for her
• Commandment- and covenant-keeping invites the Holy Ghost into our lives
• What can we do if we have more faith in Jesus Christ (Russell M. Nelson)
• Faith enables us to ask the question and to accept the answer, even if it doesn't fit our personal narrative
• We achieve more faith by doing something that requires more faith (Russell M. Nelson)
• If we make Christ the "coauthor" (my word) of our story, He will take us to places we never imagined we would go

Edited October 3, 2021 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Twelve

• Stress tests can reveal problems that are not yet readily apparent
• COVID-19 is a societal and spiritual stress test
• The spiritual stress test has revealed disunity and contention
• "He that hath the spirit of contention is not of Me"
• Contention weakens our witness
• "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye have love one to another"
• Contention is spiritually unhealthy for us as individuals
• People are not unified because they are the same or because they do not have any differences of opinion; they are unified because they all choose to follow the Savior
• Unity requires effort
• Love of God and discipleship with Jesus Christ turns our focus outward, toward others
• "Of course we can have unity, if only you would agree with me"; Instead, ask what YOU can do to build unity, increase love, et cetera
• Opposing counsel: "I like you.  I respect you."
• Temple in Finland: First day set aside for Russians to perform ordinances notwithstanding the enmity between the two countries; Faithful Finnish Latter-day Saints delayed their own opportunity to receive ordinances to allow their Russian brothers and sisters to do so
• Finns set aside enmity to Russians to make discipleship to Jesus Christ their primary consideration
• "If ye are not one, ye are not Mine."  We should put discipleship to the Savior and the covenant to be One above any differences that we have
• As Christ's peace becomes ours, we will become One (or vice-versa)

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Vai Sikahema of the Seventy

• Missionary service has either been lengthened or shortened due to the pandemic, but missionaries remain patient and faithful
• There is order in how Heavenly Father does His work: The creation is a pattern for this
• "Vai, God's house is a house of order"
• "If you choose to live your life out of sequence, you will find that it is chaotic and more difficult"
• "As we study, learn, and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, often, sequence is instructive." -Elder David A. Bednar
• Sequential order is a simple, natural way for the Lord to teach us His principles
• Our spiritual and physical growth begins slowly and develops in stages
• Faith will increase as we nourish the seed: "It swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow"
• "I will give unto the Children of Men line upon line and precept upon precept ..."
• "See that all these things are done in wisdom and in order ..."

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Twelve

• Saints' persecution in Nauvoo
• Much persecution was heaped upon the Saints because of their opposition to slavery
• "Adversity is not evidence of the Lord's disfavor." -Joseph Smith
• "My son, peace be unto thy soul.  Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment. And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high, and thou shalt triumph over all thy foes"
• "Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give unto you.  Not as the world giveth give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
• Elder Cook has never seen a greater lack of civility in the world than he has today
• "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth."
• Despite lack of world peace, and the prevalence of anger, contention, and dissension, still, we can have personal peace
• "When there is no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ"; we can have personal peace even in the absence of peace on earth
• "Peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come"
• Love God, live His commandments, and forgive everyone
• Seek the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit
• Hatred, wrath, and strife are the antithesis of gifts of the Spirit (are they "gifts" of the wrong spirit???)
• We should be willing to compromise on matters that do not involve righteousness or doctrinal imperatives, even as we remain firm in the latter
• Peace and agency are intertwined
• Letting go of pride and control will allow us to have the Savior's peace
• "All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ"
• The institution of family is the foundation of righteousness and peace
• If we have religious observance in our homes, we will have the Savior's peace, and shelter from life's storm
• Follow the prophet's admonitions\
• Still, we can enjoy peace and joy even in turbulent times as we strive to become more like our Savior
• Christ's mission is the source of true peace