Ken Live Blogs Conference ... Again! 192nd Annual General Conference

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Kevin S. Hamilton of the Seventy

• “Leopards don’t change their spots.” “I don’t work with lepoards, I work with men, and men change their spots every day.”

• Repentance is change, not punishment

• When Jesus asks you and me to repent, He is asking us to change

• If ye keep my commandments and endure to the end, then ye shall have eternal life, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God

• If ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, then shall he manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost

• If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love

• God cannot accept us as we are because no unclean thing can dwell in His presence

• I give unto men weakness that they may be humble, and if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them

• His grace is sufficient for all

• Requirements to change:

  • Humility (“Are ye stripped of pride?” “The natural man is an enemy to God”)

    • Follow the prophet, keep the commandments, follow the prophets, want to change

• Faith – Have faith in Him

 

[Kenngo1969]

Had Formatting Problems: If Anyone Will Let Me Know Who This Is, I’ll Change It. Thanks!

• Through His grace, we can make weak things become strong

• We can be born again; we have the power to change

• Scriptural Examples – Saul to Paul; Alma; Alma and the four sons of Mosiah; Moses

• “Harden not your hearts any longer; this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God”

• Our divine destiny is to become like Christ; we do this as we change

• Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life.”

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Twelve

• His brother Joe considered serving a mission

  • Is Jesus Christ divine

  • Is Joseph Smith a prophet of God

  • Is the Book of Mormon the word of God

• Doctrine and Covenant 76

  • The vision of the Three Degrees of Glory is a direct refutation of the idea that most of humanity will be damned

  • Our doctrine is not only that most will not be damned, but also that personal effort is required to achieve what reward they will merit in the life to come (Not exactly how he put it, but it gets the gist)

• “Many are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it”

• “I, the Lord, knowing the calamities that should befall the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith”

• He quoted from The Standard of Truth

• Our personal conversion carries with it the responsibility to share the Gospel

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Women’s Session

 

President Dallin H. Oaks

• Gospel does not change, covenants do not change, but procedures do change

• Future women’s meetings may be conducted by members of the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society Presidencies

• The Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ is for everyone, but this meeting concentrates on women’s concerns

• “This is the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ, directed by His Spirit. We are His servants.”

[Kenngo1969]

Susan Porter, 1^st Counselor, Primary General Presidency

• She felt vulnerable after her husband’s passing. She asked the Lord, “What wilt thou have me do?”

• Painting of Samaritan woman at the well inspired her to share living water

• Our past and present circumstances do not determine our future

  • No matter our circumstances, our lives have meaning and purpose

  • Atonement enables us to fulfill our mission on earth no matter what our respective circumstances

  • One of the Savior’s first public declarations that He was the Messiah was to the Samaritan woman at the well: “I that speak unto thee am He”

• The power is in us: We should be “anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of our own free will and choice to bring to pass much righteousness”

  • Everyone has direct access to the power of God through ordinances and covenants

• “Out of small things proceedeth that which is great”; “Ye are the salt of the earth”; “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”; Light: “Ye are the light of the world”

  • Naaman’s wife’s young maidservant told her mistress that Israel’s prophet would cure Naaman of his leprosy

  • Leaven makes things softer and lighter; Woman suffering pain of divorce prayed and received a witness of the Spirit that God knew her and her trials

  • You can shine a light in the darkness of misunderstanding, confusion, and disbelief

• Hearts can be changed by leaven, light, and salt

[Kenngo1969]

Rebecca Craven, 2^nd Counselor, Young Women’s General Presidency

• Women prompted to visit a sister and took ice cream: They talked and she forgot all about the ice cream

• “Blessed art thou, Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done”: Being a disciple of Jesus Christ requires effort and commitment

• Young Woman did not feel anything or know that the Gospel is true, but was not reading the scriptures, not praying. We must “ask, seek, and knock”; we must do

• What matters most?

• Where are we most likely to find answers to the questions that matter most—on the Internet, or in prayer?

• Set a standard for the rest of the world

• What distracts us from doing what matters most?

• Yes, Christ cares about the one lost sheep, but he also rejoices over the faithfulness of the ninety-and-nine

• This is the time when we must stay closest to the Prophet

• Although it may not be easy, there is always a way to do the right thing

• Is it more important to blend in with the crowd, or to “stand as a witness of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places that we may be in”?

• The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of Action and a Gospel of Joy

• “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.”

• Our covenant relationship with God is most important, because keeping [Temple] covenants is what enables us to endure to the end

 

The kingdom of God is not and cannot be complete without women who make and keep covenants with God.” –Russell M. Nelson

[Kenngo1969]

President Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President

• Keeping covenants allows us to be [people] of influence and to draw others to the Savior

• God will forgive us our sins and give us His spirit to be with them

• We are endowed with the power to discern truth from error and right from wrong

• Her bishop gave her a careful explanation of the covenants she would make in the Temple

• Keeping the covenants we make with God allows us to draw upon the Savior’s power, protects us, and prepares us for eternal life

• Keeping covenants allows the Savior to change us

• When descending a cliff, we must have confidence that our partner will not allow us to fall

• Jesus Christ is our anchor and perfect partner; we are assured of eventual deliverance through him

• A testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and our covenants allow us to avoid being broken on the rocks of adversity

• We must put on our harness and make sure that the knots are securely tied in order to remain anchored securely to the Savior

• Sacred clothing reminds us of our covenants, to stay on the covenant path, and, always to walk in a higher and holier way

• We should not exchange blessings of eternal happiness for momentary ease

• Keeping our covenants enables us to navigate safely through rough waters

• Remember who you are, why you are here on the earth, and what your eternal destiny

• “I am the light which shineth in darkness”

• Despite any potential worldly distractions, we should resolve to stay on the covenant path

• Don’t let worldly distractions keep us from keeping our covenants

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Twelve

• He learned that he feels less out of place if he memorized and could recite the Young Women’s Theme: “I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents with a divine nature and destiny”

• Even though our ability to sense God’s love is imperfect, His love is not

• Things that draw us away from God—such as sin—decreases our ability to feel God’s love

• “Is my love for God constant? Do I love Him only when I have good days, and not so much when I have bad ones?”

• Our highest aspiration is to be like our Heavenly Parents

• Seeking greater understanding is an important part of our spiritual development, but reason cannot replace revelation

• The prophets don’t preach what originates in their own minds, but, rather, what has been revealed to them by God

• “I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God”

• We have a divine nature that is intrinsic to who we are. It is genetic.

• Your most important characteristic relates to your divine identity as a child of God

• Realizing our eternal destiny is dependent upon our choices and upon our making and keeping covenants

• We cannot decide to achieve the blessings inherent to them while not keeping the covenants upon which they are based any more than we can “decide” to not be burned when we touch a hot stove

• Heavenly Father’s prescribes path leads to the best eternal outcome

• “We cannot deviate from Heavenly Father’s course and then blame Him for an inferior outcome.”

• We can develop a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ by acting in faith

• Repentance is not punishment. –Russell M. Nelson

• When the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy

• In the Temple, we learn who we are, and where we are going

[bsjkki]

1 hour ago, Kenngo1969 said:

When the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy

Love this.

[Kenngo1969]

3 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

 

• When the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy

 

1 hour ago, bsjkki said:

Love this.

Me, too!  

I hope you've been enjoying Conference overall thus far.

Warm Regards and Best Wishes from a Brother in Christ,

-Ken

[Tacenda]

Just now, Kenngo1969 said:

 

Me, too!  

I hope you've been enjoying Conference overall thus far.

Warm Regards and Best Wishes from a Brother in Christ,

-Ken

Ken, I missed women's conference, and was at a play. I've heard that they mentioned something about mother in heaven, is that true and do you remember what they said?

[Kenngo1969]

2 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Ken, I missed women's conference, and was at a play. I've heard that they mentioned something about mother in heaven, is that true and do you remember what they said?

Yes.  The relatively-recently-revised Young Women Theme talks about Heavenly Parents, and Elder Renlund's talk was about the Theme.

[Tacenda]

4 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Yes.  The relatively-recently-revised Young Women Theme talks about Heavenly Parents, and Elder Renlund's talk was about the Theme.

Thanks, listening now. 

[Kenngo1969]

Sunday Morning Session

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Twelve

• “With thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” God to Job

• “I know that thou canst do every thing.” Job to God

• God blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning

• “I’m not happy, so God must be doing something wrong.”

• “Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. Ye know that he doth counsel in mercy and justice and righteousness over all his work.”

• Do we feel betrayed if God’s plan or His timetable don’t match ours?

• God can and will fulfill his promises

• God is a God of obedience, but obedience doesn’t guarantee blessings in our way or on our timetable

• We should wish “always to abound in good works”: Thus, we collaborate with Him in our own transformation

• We can experience a consistent sense of God’s love

• “Every branch that bringeth forth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit”

• Don’t get angry with God: Draw closer to Him

• Doctrine and Covenants 45:3-5

• Our faith must not be based on what God does or does not do at any given time

• Joseph didn’t say, “So prison is what I get for keeping the law of chastity!”

• All things work together for the Good of them that love God.” –Romans 8:28

• Abinadi gave his life, but his single convert changed Nephite history

• “How long shall thy hand be stayed? … If thou endure it well, then shall God exalt thee on high”

• “I knew that my Heavenly Father and my Savior were with me.” –Pat Parkinson, who loste her sight

• No matter what our mortal experience may entail, we can trust God and find joy in him

[Kenngo1969]

Sister Amy A. Wright of the Primary General Presidency

• Grandma said it was OK, but William was only five, while Britain was 23

• Jesus Christ was the answer then, and He is the answer now

• He knows our story

• “Go and sin no more” = “Go forth and change”?

• “Go forth and change” = “Go forth and heal”

• “And the woman glorified God from that hour, and believed on His name”: It would have required great determination and faith to repent and change

• Parable of the Prodigal Son: The father ran to his son—he didn’t wait for his son to apologize

• “I the Lord will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men”

• Forgiveness may take time

• Man seeking alms by the gate Beautiful: “Look on us”; “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I say unto thee arise”

• We can wait upon the Lord—patiently or impatiently! As we wait, we can come to know the Lord in a deeply personal way

• Delivery in our trials is different for each of us: The manner of our delivery is irrelevant: The Deliverer, and coming to know Him, is what matters

• We all have something in our lives that is broken and needs to be healed: As we turn to the Savior, He says, “We can fix this together”

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Twelve

• “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”

• The Great Commission was renewed in 1830

• 1.5 million missionaries have traveled throughout the world spreading the Restored Gospel

• Why don’t we ALL begin now? We don’t need a calling or a badge. We shouldn’t wait “for life to calm down a bit.”

• Three Keys

  • Love – Love as Christ loved: Polish mothers left strollers fully stocked with supplies on train platform for fleeing refugee mothers; Love is refining; Others see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven; through love, we preach the Gospel and fulfill the Great Commission

  • Serve – Man asked of the Book of Mormon: “Can I get that book in Thai?” Virtual lessons; “We have an responsibility to be an instrument in the hands of God and we must always be ready to do His work in His way”; Share what we love about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sharing the Gospel isn’t selling the Gospel.

  • Invite – Mayra shared the Gospel among friends and family: 20 have accepted her invitation to be baptized; “Come and see,” We can “invite” ourselves; “Come and share”; “Come and belong”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the Seventy

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoso believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life”

• “Moses, my Son”; Abraham; Esther; Naaman’s wife’s servant; “Joseph, this is My Beloved Son, hear Him”

• We are the focus of the Savior’s mission and of our Heavenly Father’s plan

• Joseph’s experience parallels that of the Savior

• Judah promised to bring Benjamin home after they visited Egypt

• Person in hospital 233 days with COVID-19 visited by deceased grandfather who had message for his grandchildren

• The plan includes helping others return to Him because, in so doing, we become more like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

• 2 Kings 4

• “I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true”; No drum salute, no “Amens”; Oops! Wrong church! ;-D

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Twelve

• Prophesied perilous times are upon us

• Another scourge sweeping the globe is attacks on religion

• The antipathetic are attempting to remove religion from the public square

• These are attacks on fairness and peace of conscience

• These are attacks on personal freedom writ large

• Religious persecution has occurred throughout history

• Opposition, persecution, and violence plagued the early Restoration Saints

• “We claim the privilege of worshipping almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience …” This is the essence of religious freedom

• “The same principle that would trample upon the rights of the Saints would trample upon the rights” of any other faith

• Murdering Joseph Smith did not scatter the believers, nor did it destroy the Church of Jesus Christ

• “We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world”

• “We believe in freedom, kindness, and fairness for all of God’s children.” –Russell M. Nelson

• Benefits of Religious Freedom

  • Religious freedom honors the First and Second Great Commandments

    • Whatever our differences with other faiths, we have much more in common than we have differences

  • Religion inspires people to help others

    • Christ’s ministration to the widow of Nain – “Weep not”; “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise!”

• Religion is a unifying force on morality

• Religious freedom is an expression of the God-given principle of agency

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Hugo Martinez of the Seventy

• Self-reliance for children and youth

• Self reliance – “Ability, commitment, and effort to provide spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family”

• Self-reliance binds us joyfully to Christ through covenants and ordinances

• It is a process that lasts a lifetime

• “Jesus increased in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and man”

• Deuteronomy 6:6-7

• Being good examples to others

• Learning and teaching self reliance

• Keeping the commandments

• “And it is my purpose to provide for my saints … but it must needs be done in mine own way”

[Kenngo1969]

President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church - Apologies for formatting, it didn't copy over well and apparently the Board has said, "Sorry.  It's too complicated for me to fix."  

• Some trials are deeply private burdens that no one else can see

• Others are public, such as the current conflict in Ukraine

  • He has been to Ukraine many times, knows the people, knows the language

  • We should continue to fast and pray for the people of Ukraine

• We must let go of grudges and resentments: We must pray for “those who despitefully use us”

• The Savior commands us to “forgive all men”

• Now, more than ever, we need the peace that only He can bring

• Do all you can to end personal conflicts in your homes and in your lives

• Momentum is a powerful concept – It can work positively or negatively

  • What can ignite spiritual momentum?

• Positive spiritual momentum can help us withstand the attacks of the adversary and to avoid those things that will erode our spiritual foundation

  • Obedience

  • Service

  • Learning

  • Love

  • Gratitude

• 5 Keys to Maintaining Spiritual Momentum

  • Get on the covenant path and stay there – We are baptized; renew our covenants with the Sacrament; also, we covenant in the Temple; the covenant path is the only path that leads to eternal life

  • Discover the joy of daily repentance

    • Repentance is required of everyone who desires eternal glory

    • Repentance is the key to progress – No one can stray too far off the covenant path to not be able to return; neither returning to the covenant path nor life thereafter will be easy

    • The covenant path is the only path that leads to exaltation

  • Learn about God, and how He works
    • Moses knew Satan from God, and commanded the former to depart; when it did not happen immediately, he knew how to receive strength

      • Cast Satan’s influence out of your life

      • We must nourish our testimonies daily

      • Let God prevail in your life; give him a fair share of your time

  • Seek and expect miracles – Do the spiritual work; pray for power to exercise the faith necessary; “Unto them that have no might, he increaseth strength”

  • End conflict in your personal life

    • Forgive, and seek forgiveness – If we expect forgiveness, we must forgive: Personal peace and a burst of spiritual momentum will accompany forgiveness

• As we do these things, we will experience God’s peace and power in greater measure in our lives

Edited April 3, 2022 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Sunday Afternoon Session

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency

• Gospel plan shows love for all of God’s children

• All of God’s children, ultimately, have a glorious destiny

• “I love all of God’s children”

• 1^st Two Great Commandments: Love God, Love Neighbor

  • These are most important because they enable us to emulate God’s love for us

• Understanding that judgment is binary is mistaken

  • All of God’s children will inherit a kingdom of glory: “In my Father’s house are many mansions”

  • There are three kingdoms of Glory

  • Every man shall be judged and shall receive according to His own works

  • We know little about two kingdoms, more about the Celestial

    • In the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, we have the opportunity to become like our Father in Heaven

    • The purpose of Church policies and doctrines is to prepare people for exaltation in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom

• Father provided three kingdoms of Glory because of His love for His children

• Jesus “glorifies the Father and saves all the works of His hands”

• He who cannot abide a celestial law cannot abide a celestial glory, etc.

• We honor individual agency: Our efforts to promote religious freedom are consistent with the doctrine of agency

• We must esteem all of God’s children as our brothers and sisters

• The bearing and nurturing of children is an integral part of the Divine Plan

• The Church’s vision of families is not limited to moral relationship, but focuses, also, on eternal relationships

• Exaltation can only be obtained through faithfulness to the covenants of marriage; that’s why we teach that gender is an essential characteristic of premortal, mortal, and eternal identity of and purpose

• Satan seeks to oppose progress to exaltation by distorting marriage, confusing gender, etc.

• Proclamation on the Family: Its ideals differ from current law, policies, etc. The Proclamation defines the kind of relationships that are most important to our eternal development

• We should love our fellow man and live peacefully with those who do not believe as we do

• God desires all of us to aspire to His greatest blessings by obeying his greatest teachings

• “We must press forward having a love of God and of all men”

• There has never been a time in the history of the world in which the Doctrine of Christ is more important to every human soul

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Adevinka A. Oiedieran of the Seventy

• Each of us is a prince or princess, with a potential royal inheritance and destiny

• Christ came to help us, to redeem us, and to show us the path back to God

• “Come unto me” is an invitation that is repeated oft in the scriptures

• Jesus Christ is “The Way, The Truth, and the Life”

• His goal is for us to become like Him

• “The hands of mercy are extended to all … Come unto me, and I will receive you”

• “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for My yoke is easy, and my burden is light”

• We must endure to the end by keeping our covenants: Jesus Christ is at the center of every covenant we make

• Even after we have entered onto the path, as Nephi taught, all is not done: We must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and a love of God and of all men

• Covenants open the door to every blessing available to God’s children

• God will not abandon us or withhold his blessing of eternal life from anyone who keeps covenants

• Two things the Savior emphasized to help us keep covenants:

  • The Holy Ghost can teach us, and can be our constant companion on the covenant path

  • The Savior instituted the sacrament so that we may always remember Him and have His spirit to be with us

• Daughter learned the importance of recharging battery in driving electric car: the Sacrament enables us to renew our covenants and to recharge our spiritual batteries

• “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world …” Sacrament

• Covenant faithfulness brings happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Jorg Klebingat of the Seventy

• Mortality is not a contest between God and Satan (already, we know who wins that contest!)

• Mortality is simply a test for us to demonstrate whom we will follow

• Messengers of God often teach “inconvenient truths”

• It is almost impossible to live our faith without encountering some actual or metaphorical stones

• God cannot tolerate “a little sin” because He loves us so much; rather, He cannot tolerate sin precisely because He loves us so much

• We live in a time when people call “good evil, and evil good” and when “a man’s enemies are they of his own household”

• Let us be faithful, not fearful

• If we confess Christ before men, He will confess us before His Father

• The world cannot make right what God has declared to be wrong

• We cannot sacrifice truth on the altar of social agreeability

• “The arms of mercy are extended to you. Come unto Me and I will receive you”

• Are we counted worthy to suffer shame for His name?

• Is “whatsoever a man does no crime”?

• Do we use intellectual rationalization to cover our own disobedience?

• The Prophets and Apostles are lightening rods

• These men of God are not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord; their doctrine is not theirs, but His that sent them

• “No unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing”: It will march forward triumphantly, with or without you and me

[Kenngo1969]

Brother Mark L. Pace, General Sunday School General President

• The aim of all Gospel learning and teaching is to deepen our commitment to Jesus Christ. It requires consistent, daily efforts to learn and to live the Gospel

• “Spiritual foundations must be constantly reinforced.” –Russell M. Nelson

• To be most effective, our experiences with the scriptures must be our own

• What is the Holy Ghost teaching me this week as I read the scriptures?

• Passover: All homes marked with blood of sacrificed lamb would be protected: “And the children of Israel did what the Lord commanded Moses.” And they were spared.

  • God works through his prophet to protect and save

  • Humility to follow prophet preceded deliverance

  • Blood on the doorframe was an outward symbol of an inward covenants

• Come, Follow Me Testimonials:

  • “We talk of Christ and we rejoice in Christ in our home.”

  • “I have been able to know my husband’s heart more deeply, and to open my heart to him”

  • “I’m not playing music with gloves on anymore”

  • Come Follow Me helped husband to reorient his priorities

  • “I don’t feel nervous about getting baptized”

  • “When we study the scriptures there is no spiritual famine in the land”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Twelve

• Friend has visited the Holy Land dozens of times, but learns something new, astonishing, anf fascinating about the Savior and His ministry each time

• Are we as enthusiastic about the Gospel and about the difference it can make in our journey toward eternal life?

• The Holy Ghost engenders such enthusiasm to live the Gospel

• Those who heard Christ were “astonished at his doctrine”

• When we are in awe of Christ and His gospel, we are happier, our worship more reverent, our service more enthusiastic

• Do we “live daily in thanksgiving”

• Approaching the Gospel with enthusiasm and living daily in thanksgiving enable us to have spiritual protection

• Are we distancing ourselves from the Lord by our approach to the Gospel, or are we distancing ourselves from the Adversary by our approach to the Gospel

• Complacency and apathy are the deadly foes of all spiritual growth: “They began to be less and less astonished by a sign from heaven”

• Are we led away by “foolish and vain things”?

• “Learn of Me, and listen to my words. Walk in the meekness of my spirit, and ye shall have peace in Me.”

• When we dedicate ourselves to learning from him, we grow, and our enthusiasm for living the Gospel increases

• Do we approach the Gospel with a sense of spiritual wonder?

• The Lord Himself promised to direct our path if we would trust in Him and look unto Him in every thought etc.

• “There is always something wonderful and fascinating to learn about Jesus Christ”

• As we continuously strive to learn of and follow the Savior, His divine attributes will be written in our hearts

• “The Kingdom is yours, and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.”