I am always a bit sad when General Conference weekend is over. I always feel so inspired and this weekend was no exception. There were several talks that were VERY poignant to me. I loved Pres. Monson's talk on service and Elder Eyering's talk! I did have some favorites. One being Elder Hollands talk on the Book of Mormon! Wow, what an amazing, courageous, testimony and a HUGE example to me. I am determined once again to read that book and feel my testimony grow stronger! Elder Holland's testimony of the Book of Mormon will be a classic in our home, listened to and studied over and over again.
My VERY favorite talk would have to be Elder Todd D. Christopherson's talk on morality!!!! I loved this ENTIRE talk. It is very hard for me to pick out some highlights but I'll try: "For positive out comes, moral agency must be accompanied by moral discipline. By moral discipline, I mean self-discipline based on moral standards. Moral discipline is the consistent use of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. It rejects the self-absorbed life, in favor of developing character worthy of respect and true greatness through Christ like service." "The societies in which many of us live, have for more than a generation, failed to foster moral discipline. They've taught that truth is relative and that everyone decides for himself or herself what is right. Concepts such as sin and wrong have been condemned as value judgements." "As a consequence self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try and maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments." Police man and laws can never replace customs, traditions, and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. Our increased reliance upon laws to regulate behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we've become." "There can never be enough rules so finely crafted as to anticipate and cover every situation, and even if there were, enforcement would be impossibly expensive and burdensome. This approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone." "In the end it is only an internal moral compass in each individual that can effectively deal with the root causes as well as symptoms of societal decay." In reference to teaching moral discipline to our children he states: "Each must be persuaded that service and sacrifice for the happiness and well-being of others in love are far superior to making ones own comfort and possessions the highest priority. President Henery B. Eyering expressed the vision we try to attain: 'The pure gospel of Jesus Christ must go down into the hearts of our children by the power of the Holy Ghost. It will not be enough for them to have had a spiritual witness of the truth and to want good things later. It will not be enough for them to hope for some future cleansing and strengthening. Our aim must be for them to become truly converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, while they are with us. Then they will have gained a strength from what they are, not only from what they know. They will become disciples of Christ." "We cannot presume that the future will resemble the past that things and patterns we have relied upon economically, politically, socially, will remain as they have been. Perhaps our moral discipline, if we will cultivate it, will have an influence for good and inspire others to pursue the same course, that we may thereby have an impact on future trends and events. At a minimum moral discipline will be of immense help to us as will deal with whatever stresses and challenges may come in a disintegrating society.
I love this Church, I love our Prophet and his counselors, I love the Quorum of the 12, I love my Savior!
4 years ago
