Ken Live-Blogs Conference ... Again! 195th Annual General Conference

[Chum]

I did like that today's term for pioneers is "immigrants".

[Raingirl]

Thank you for doing this, Ken.  I’ve had a really hard time concentrating on the talks this year, so this is very helpful. 

[Kenngo1969]

Sunday Morning Session

Elder David A. Bednar of the Twelve

• The Church of Jesus Christ was reestablished 195 years ago today

• The formal organization of the Church was the culmination of a series of miraculous experiences

  • The First Vision in the Spring of 1820

    • Joseph prayed to know what was right so he could do what was right

    • Joseph learned that Christ’s New Testament Church

    • “I saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all

    • Joseph learned that God and Christ knew him as an individual and had a mission for him to perform

    • The First Vision

• • The Translation of the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God

    • The Book of Mormon explains life’s purpose: That all people are children of God, that God has a purpose for us, and, as another testament of Jesus Christ, confirms the Holy Bible

• • Restoration of Priesthood Keys

    • John the Baptist restored authority to baptize for remission of sins

    • Peter, James, and John restored additional Priesthood keys

    • Moses – Keys of gathering of Israel

    • Elias – Keys of the restoration of the Gospel

    • Elijah – Keys of sealing power

• Christ has restored, once again, Apostolic Authority to the Earth

• This Church is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands foreseen by Daniel

• This is the instrument through which the truth from every age will be restored

• Prophets in every dispensation have sung, and written, and prophesied of our day

• The foregoing, as well as “things which never have been revealed” shall be revealed in our day

• This is the fulfillment of the restoration of all things spoken of by all the Holy Prophets

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Steven D. Shumway of the Seventy

• Elder Andersen: “Don’t worry, Elder Shumway: It gets better—in five or six years”

• President Nelson: “Now is the time to prepare for the Second Coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

• The ways in which we serve in God’s Kingdom are how we prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming

• “When we say yes to serving, we say yes to Jesus Christ.”

• He said yes to a calling; the calling is how he met his wife

• How

  • As we participate, we progress toward the measure of our creation: Each day, God said, “The work is good”—there was progress

    • As we labor with God in whatever way He asks, we progress toward fulfilling the measure of our creation

    • Serving elevates our homes and other places to edifices where we can practice covenant living

      • Ordinances and covenants transform us into the kind of people

• • • God does not expect perfection: It is by God’s grace that we have power to do these things

    • As we serve, we grow in grace until we are prepared to stand before Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

• • Do we allow the unlikely to serve?

  • Do we serve to magnify Christ and not ourselves?

 

[Kenngo1969]

Sister Tamara W. Runia, First Counselor, General Young Women Presidency

• Heaven isn’t for people who have been perfect; it is for people who have repented?

• Does the “covenant path” seem like “a covenant hike”?

• Does God know I still love Him, despite the mistakes I make?

• If you wait until you are clean enough, and perfect enough, to go to the Savior, you’ve missed the whole point?

• Keeping the commandments is a commandment—but so is repenting

• The Savior loves us always—but especially when we repent

• Sacrament prayer mistake: “That they may do it for the love of thy son”

• Christ is “the perfect brightness of hope”; Repentance doesn’t sadden Christ; it makes Him happy

• We are delightful to Him!

• Satan uses shame to keep us from God

• Shame doesn’t tell us we made a mistake; shame tells us we are our mistakes

• Satan is the thief of hope

• Christ doesn’t simply extend His outstretched hand; He dives in to save us!

• Worth isn’t tied to obedience—it is intrinsic and God-given

• My worth is always great in the sight of God

• Your Savior is the only one who knows your degree of difficulty

• We don’t have perfect obedience yet—but we do have affectionate obedience (a heart turned to God)

• Are we flapping our wings, or are we catching an updraft?

• “I know how hard she’s trying”

• What would My Savior say to the Father about me?

• Christ gives light to those who sit in darkness: We can walk over and turn on the light—His light!

 

[Kenngo1969]

Bishop Gerald Causse, Presiding Bishop of the Church

• I have been inspired by the response of the Saints to the trials we face

• If you ever feel limited or disadvantaged by the circumstances of your life, the Lord knows and loves you personally

• He was fulfilling an Air Force assignment when Elder Maxwell was speaking: He arrived with five minutes left in the meeting when Elder Maxwell gave an apostolic blessing

 

• • God loves each of us personally

  • Because of God’s merciful and just plan, He will not hold us responsible for circumstances beyond our control

  • Through the Atonement, we can find strength to endure and to overcome all of life’s challenges

    • The Lord asks us to do all we can, and to offer our whole souls

    • When our earnest efforts fall short due to circumstances beyond our control, the Lord rewards us not only for what we do, but for the desires of our hearts

• Often, it is through the ministrations of others that God meets our needs

  • Such as through participation in the ordinances of the Temple on behalf of others

 

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Twelve

• John 11:35 – “Jesus Wept”

  • When we cry out in grief or joy, Jesus understands perfectly

• Jesus wept for Mary and Martha

• He weeps for the Vineyard: “What could I have done more for my vineyard?”

• “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the Morning”

• He prayed for the Nephite children: “And when He had done this, he wept again”

• “Todos mis hijos estan en el templo hoy”

• “Before I go to my grave, I want you to know where you will find your departed relatives”

• “God’s promises are fulfilled; His covenants bring blessings”

• The Atonement helps us escape debilitating perfectionism

• Christ’s focus is not on what is, not on what was, but on what can be

• “All things work together for good” for those who keep their covenants

• Muslim in Egypt said, “Jesus took his first steps, said his first words,” and so on “in my country”

• The Restoration is the reason we gather every First Sunday in April

• The Father saves all of the works of His Hands in a Kingdom of Glory

• “[E]very time, every land, every circumstance”

• “He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted”

• “Appoint unto them that mourn in Zion”

• “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord”

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son”

 

[Kenngo1969]

 

Elder John A. McCune of the Seventy

• Woman noticed the aura of a Mission President

• Taught the law of tithing: Her children – “We must pay our tithing”

• President Nelson announced Temple to be built in Ulaan-Bator Mongolia

• What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple:

  • Japanese word for disciple: Younger Brother + Child

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

• God is perfectly Kind, Patient, Loving, Understanding

• Jesus Christ is both the Example and the Means

• Divine attributes of Justice, Mercy are not in competition; they are Complementary

• Because God and Christ love us, we are enabled to make covenants with them – “This day He has spiritually begotten you”

• We receive spiritual power through covenants

• John 15:9 – “As the Father hath loved me, so I have loved you … As ye keep my commandments, ye abide in me”

• He has provided a way, through His son, to overcome pain, suffering, sin, etc.

• It is not true that a parent is only as happy of one’s unhappiest child

• He and his wife met with President Nelson, who was “happy, loving, and joyful” on the same day President Nelson’s daughter passed away

• The Savior offers joy that transcends, and is not dependent upon, circumstance

• “Ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard”

 

[Kenngo1969]

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency

• What Joseph revealed about the Pre-Earth Life

  • Creation of the earth enabled us to receive a body, learn from experience, etc.

  • God chose His Only Begotten Son to redeem us

• • Satan is permitted to tempt us

  • It is essential to the Plan for us to experience opposition in all things

  • We must learn to choose Good from evil

  • We would need a Savior

  • The Atonement is the reason why Faith is the first principle of the Gospel

• Atonement erases the sin for which we have repented; the resurrection enables our spirit and our body to be reunited

• Ideally, both mother and father are present, each providing their unique gifts

• Gifts God has Provided to Help Us

  • Light of Christ – “The spirit of Christ is given to every man that he may know good from evil”; “And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world”

    • We are not left helpless: All of us are entitled to the guiding and comforting of the light of Christ

  • We are Given Commandments, Ordinances, and Covenants

    • Commandments are how we achieve the needed relationship with Our Savior

    • Ordinances and covenants are part of the law that defines the path to eternal life

    • They are required steps and guardrails along the path of life

• Manifestations of the Holy Ghost – His mission is to testify of the Father and the Son, to guide us into all truth

• Gift of the Holy Ghost – Importance is demonstrated by the fact that it is formally conferred; “And then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost”

  • As we keep the commandments and our covenants, the Holy Ghost will “always be with [us]”

  • Holy Ghost fills us with a longsuffering disposition, and a continual thirst after righteousness

  • Spiritual Maintenance

    • • • Personal Prayer

        • Regular Scripture Study

        • Regular RepentanceA

          Our Part in this Divine Plan is to Trust God and to seek divine help through Christ’s Atonement

 

 

[Kenngo1969]

3 hours ago, Raingirl said:

Thank you for doing this, Ken.  I’ve had a really hard time concentrating on the talks this year, so this is very helpful. 

You're welcome.  I'm happy to know it is helpful.  I should probably throw in my  usual disclaimer, though: While I make every effort to capture a speaker's "gist," I may have thrown some things into my notes because they have occurred to me, and not necessarily because they are what the speaker intended.  If one does not think a speaker intended something I attributed to him or her, Vive le difference! and caveat lector.  Any correspondence between these notes and the actual address(es) delivered and the actual meeting held may be strictly coincidental!     

Happy reading!  

[Chum]

4 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

I'm sure her husband would be happy to hear that.   

Oh, he knows.  He first thought every morning is probably "Yeah. Smokin hot."

[Kenngo1969]

Sunday Afternoon Session

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Twelve

• “Put off thy shoes from on thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground”

• This theophany connected Moses with His Divine Identity

• We, too, can connect with the Divine within us by increasing our reverence

• Reverence = A profound sense of respect, gratitude, and awe

• Reverence is a byproduct of our connection to holiness

• Reflects our connection with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

• Reverence is not just an aspect of spirituality, it is the essence of it

• “When I am reverent, I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus are near”

• When we are reverent, we know that Heavenly Father and Jesus are near

• With greater reverence, there would be less room for sadness in our lives

• Reverence increases our respect for higher, holier things

• The world celebrates irreverence

• The absence of respect for the sacred produces carelessness in attitude

• Irreverence diminishes our sense of accountability before Deity

• Ultimately, irreverence leads us to despise our divine nature and our connection with God

• Reverence toward God and Christ is an essential virtue for those who wish to attain the Celestial Kingdom

• We are very careful to avoid portraying elements that would distract from our focus on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

• The Spirit directs the preparation of manuals and other materials to ensure the primary focus remains on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

• Modern technology cannot simulate wonder, awe, and reverence found in a connection with the Holy Ghost

• Relying on the technological “arm of flesh” is no substitute for genuine communion with the Holy Spirit

• Temples erected unto the Lord should be a place of reverence for Him; President Nelson has emphasized reverence for (and in) the Temple in his ministry

• Just as Moses did, we, too, remove the shoes from off of our feet as we stand on Holy Ground in the Temple

• Spiritual transformation comes through honoring covenants and living in obedience to the commandments of the Lord

• As Moses did, we, too, can turn aside worldly distractions as we worship and partake of the Sacrament

• The Sacrament makes the Sabbath a delight

• We should learn to live with “covenant confidence,” even as we face life’s trials and challenges

• He prayed for help as his wife was recovering from delivering their premature child, who did not survive

• As we incorporate virtue into our daily lives, we will increase our humility and our confidence in the Lord’s promises

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Michael Strong of the Seventy

• President Nelson invited us to make our discipleship our highest priority

• “Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice. It is a deliberate journey” –Dallin H. Oaks

• As we become Christ’s disciples, we become as He is

• Attributes: Divine nature, humility, patience

• Our adoration of Jesus is best expressed by our emulation of Jesus

• Christ’s pure love is the most important attribute we may emulation

• “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”

• Like faith, Charity leads to action; Charity is love in action; “He went about doing good”

• Three ways the Savior—and we—manifest charity:

  • By being compassionate: “Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion”

    • He was involved in an accident, taken to jail; Another missionary volunteered to stay with him in jail and ministered to him

• • Lifting up and ministering to those who are in greatest need

    • Members of the ward ministered to his wife and six children while he sat on the stand as a bishop

• • Helping others along the covenant path – We must have eyes to see and hearts to feel

• Discipleship is the only way to achieve enduring happiness

• May we “pray unto the father with all the energy of heart that we may be filled with this love”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Scott D. Whiting of the Seventy

• He was embarrassed when he tried to wedge a stick in the family car so that the horn would blare continuously, while, at the same time, locking the keys in the car. He had a nasty encounter with a prickly pear cactus

• Adam and Eve declared that partaking of the fruit was necessary to The Plan

• Lucifer first tempted Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit—but his second temptation, to persuade them to hide—was even more of a problem

• Do we attempt to hide from God?

  • “Can any hide themselves in secret places that I cannot see them”

  • “He seeth all of [man’s] goings”

  • “Thou hast searched me, and known me”

• “You aren’t strong enough to change your life”; “You can’t do this”; “You are too weak” – Don’t heed The Accuser’s voice

• Through the Atonement, you can be made whole again; but if you hide from Him, that process is impeded

• “Overcoming the world is not an event … It happens over a lifetime … We repent daily … We stay on the covenant path and are blessed” –Russell M. Nelson

• Untreated physical conditions may worsen, but untreated spiritual conditions may put one in eternal spiritual jeopardy

• “Beware the second temptation” (to hide)

• His way is The Only Way

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Christopher Kim of the Seventy

• The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the Everlasting Gospel

• “How is it that ye are so hard in your heart and so blind in your minds”

• When we harden our hearts, we are blinded to the things of God

• When our hearts are hardened, we resist the influence of the Holy Ghost

• “To them who harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word”

• Nephi humbled himself, seeking guidance from the Lord; the Lord softened his heart

• Nephi was able to have the constant companionship off the Holy Ghost

• How not to harden our hearts:

  • Repent – See also Mosiah 3:19

  • Practice Humility – “Ye cannot have faith and hope save ye shall be meek and lowly of heart” Moro. 7:43-44; “He witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient” (Christ)

  • Trust and rely on our Savior – “I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever” –Nephi; “Put your trust in the spirit that leadeth to do good”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Twelve

• What gifts have you given? Have you ever given a gift that you knew was perfect for the recipient?

• When did someone give you the perfect gift, and what did it feel like to receive it?

• Gift giving: Three parts

  • Preparation or selection of the gift

  • Acceptance and opening of the gift

  • Receipt of the gift – Receiving of the gift is the most important part

    • We value it for ourselves

    • Commit to using it in our lives

    • Appreciating the gift in a way that strengthens the bond between giver and receiver

• Our Heavenly Father has bounteous gifts that He wishes to shower upon His children

• All of the other gifts the Father gives us flow from Christ’s sacrifice, suffering, and resurrection

• Knowledge that we really are God’s children is what gives all of the rest of the gifts He has given us the most meaning

• Has the awesome wonder of this gift of understanding and the peace and hope that flow from it faded?

• Do we actively receive the supernal, sublime gift that we are God’s children—that I am God’s child?

• What do I have to do to receive this gift? Nothing; just let it in—do not complicate it

• “Deny not the gifts of God” –Moroni

 

[Kenngo1969]

1 hour ago, Chum said:

Oh, he knows.  He first thought every morning is probably "Yeah. Smokin hot."

I'm sure that he will be pleased to know how you feel about his wife.  Perhaps you should write him and tell him.    (I would ban you from the thread, but, fortunately for you, I lack that power.) 

[Kenngo1969]

 

Elder Benjamin Tai of the Seventy

• While his family slept outside, they marveled at the wonders of the night sky

• Faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”

• When we exercise faith in God and Christ, we receive clear assurance of their love for us

• Tree of Life represents the Love of God: We, too, can experience the joy of God’s love for us

• The fruits of the Spirit include love, joy, and peace

• We can consistently experience God’s love when, through Christ’s grace we repent, keep His commandments, and serve others

• President Nelson has encouraged us to remove the useless debris from our lives and strengthen our spiritual foundations

• “Last night in the Temple, I literally felt the Spirit remove the resentment from my heart” over the disintegration of his family

• “They did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord”

• We must love, share, and invite in a way that helps others feel God’s love by cultivating godly qualities in our own lives

• “Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.”

• When the winds of our lives are contrary, are we willing to be cheerful and courageous?

• How can we look unto Him faithfully, even amidst the storms of life?

• God’s love for us is personal, perfect, and perpetual

 

[Kenngo1969]

President Russell M. Nelson

• We live in a day of great momentum in the Church

• I am especially inspired by our youth

• Youth are submitting applications for missionary service in record numbers

• He contemplates the challenges his new great granddaughter will face: Living the Gospel will be essential to her happiness

• All will experience challenges, disappointment, and loss, but when we make and keep covenants with God, we can have confidence that is borne of His Spirit

• We must have the confidence to approach God right now: Confidence that God understands our needs, loves us more than we can comprehend, that He sends angels to be with us and with our loved ones; we must have confidence that He yearns to help us reach our highest potentially

• “Let thy bowels be filled with charity toward all men; and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly”

• Charity

  • We must be peacemakers; Anger never persuades; Hostility builds no one; Contention never yields inspired solutions; We must have charity in both our public and private discourse; Contention prevents the Holy Ghost from being our constant companion

  • We must not judge nor demean others; we must have charity toward everyone, from all walks of life; Charity is the foundation of our godly character

  • The Savior is the Prince of Peace; we must be His Instrument

• Virtue

  • Makes everything better and happier

  • Virtue drives away crude, anxious, troublesome, depressing thoughts

  • As the world grows more wicked, we must grow purer

  • The great opportunity before us is to become the people the Lord needs us to be

  • Time in the Temple increases our confidence before the Lord and helps us prepare for the Lord’s Second Coming

  • The Lord is prompting President Nelson to urge the Saints to prepare for Christ’s Second Coming

  • As our confidence before God increases, our joy will increase, our spiritual power will increase

• Temples

• Christ is preparing to come again; likewise, we must prepare to receive Him

[Chum]

51 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

I'm sure that he will be pleased to know how you feel about his wife.  Perhaps you should write him and tell him.

Eh. I've no feelings worth mentioning. I'm just stating the obvious. 

 

53 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

(I would ban you from the thread, but, fortunately for you, I lack that power.) 

Nonetheless, I encourage you to try.  I believe in you!

[Hestia]

17 hours ago, Chum said:

Eh. I've no feelings worth mentioning. I'm just stating the obvious. 

 

Nonetheless, I encourage you to try.  I believe in you!

Stop being a brat

[Kenngo1969]

Because of the above, I will not be live blogging General Conference starting tomorrow.  Rather than p!$$!ng in his own pool @Chum thought it would be funner to come and p!$$ in mine, and he was right ... since lthe moderator(s) allowed him to do so with impunity.  At my own discretion, I may switch to a forum where I have much more moderation and editorial control: In other words, if I don't like your comment ( @Chum, and anyone else), it may well simply disappear without notice.  If I choose another forum, I will post a link here (but don't hold your breath).

@Chum (and anyone else) have fun p!$$!ng in your own pool (but ... where's the fun in that?)  Oh, well!  😞

 

[InCognitus]

On 10/2/2025 at 6:18 PM, Kenngo1969 said:

Because of the above, I will not be live blogging General Conference starting tomorrow.

Please post links if you do it.  I enjoyed your prior blogs, and I'll miss it here.

[Chum]

On 10/2/2025 at 8:18 PM, Kenngo1969 said:

Because of the above, I will not be live blogging General Conference starting tomorrow.  Rather than p!$$!ng in his own pool @Chum thought it would be funner to come and p!$$ in mine,

Dear Ken, here's where I wronged you.
I did not appreciate the value you placed on live blogging conference and I interrupted the enjoyment and positive experience you were counting on.
As a human being you are have value and merit respect. I believe I failed to remember and honor that and that led to me disregarding what you were getting out of conference. 
I apologize for deeply disrupting what was important and valuable to you.
I am sorry my failure led to a prolonged and negative experience.

[rodheadlee]

On 10/2/2025 at 5:18 PM, Kenngo1969 said:

Because of the above, I will not be live blogging General Conference starting tomorrow.  Rather than p!$$!ng in his own pool @Chum thought it would be funner to come and p!$$ in mine, and he was right ... since lthe moderator(s) allowed him to do so with impunity.  At my own discretion, I may switch to a forum where I have much more moderation and editorial control: In other words, if I don't like your comment ( @Chum, and anyone else), it may well simply disappear without notice.  If I choose another forum, I will post a link here (but don't hold your breath).

@Chum (and anyone else) have fun p!$$!ng in your own pool (but ... where's the fun in that?)  Oh, well!  😞

 

Noooooo! I depend on you and greatly appreciate your time and effort.