Tag: General Conference

Sistershood and loving each other better (Highlights from Sister Oscarson-April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“To be sisters implies that there is an unbreakable bond between us. Sisters take care of each other, watch out for each other, comfort each other, and are there for each other through thick and thin. The Lord has said, “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”

“If there are barriers, it is because we ourselves have created them. We must stop concentrating on our differences and look for what we have in common; then we can begin to realize our greatest potential and achieve the greatest good in this world. Sister Marjorie P. Hinckley once said, “Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other.”6 Sister Hinckley was right; oh, how we need each other!”

“I invite you to not only love each other more but love each other better.”41138-2

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, “Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other”. April 2014 General Women’s Meeting.

Make the most of your time here (Highlights from Bishop Stevenson-April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“Now, consider how your pathway to eternal life is similar to these athletes’ “four-minute performance.” You are an eternal being. Before you were born, you existed as a spirit. In the presence of a loving Heavenly Father, you trained and prepared to come to earth for a brief moment and, well, perform. This life is your four minutes. While you are here, your actions will determine whether you win the prize of eternal life. The prophet Amulek described, “This life is the time … to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day … to perform [your] labors.”5

“Self-discipline is needed. Daily prayer, scripture study, and church attendance must be the foundation of your training. A consistent pattern of obeying the commandments, keeping the covenants you have made, and following the Lord’s standard found in For the Strength of Youth is required.”

Bishop Gary E. Stevenson, “Your Four Minutes”. April 2014 General Conference.

We can change for the better (Highlights from Elder Hallstrom-April 2014 General Conference)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

This talk was given in the Priesthood session of conference, but it has application for all of us. We can all be inspired to change and strive for the ideal of being like Jesus Christ. 

“The purpose of the priesthood session of general conference is to teach priesthood holders what manner of men we ought to be (see 3 Nephi 27:27) and to inspire us to reach that ideal.”

“once any of us conclude—“That’s just the way I am,” we give up our ability to change.”meme-hallstrom-become-1240505-gallery“Well, we meet in this priesthood meeting because who we are is not who we can become. We meet here tonight in the name of Jesus Christ. We meet with the confidence that His Atonement gives every one of us—no matter our weaknesses, our frailties, our addictions—the ability to change. We meet with the hope that our future, no matter our history, can be better.”

“The only complete response to the question posed by Jesus Christ “What manner of men ought ye to be?” is the one He succinctly and profoundly gave: “Even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27). The invitation to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moroni 10:32) both requires and expects change. Mercifully, He has not left us alone. “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. … Then will I make weak things become strong” (Ether 12:27). Relying upon the Savior’s Atonement, we can change.”

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, “What Manner of Men?” April 2014 General Conference.

Missionary Work and Following Up (Highlights from Elder Ballard-April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“Brothers and sisters, let us follow up and develop the habit of always making it clear that we belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”meme-ballard-follow-up-1242565-gallery

“may I suggest that we can all be more consistently involved in missionary work by replacing our fear with real faith, inviting someone at least once a quarter—or four times every year—to be taught by the full-time missionaries. They are prepared to teach by the Spirit, with sincere and heartfelt inspiration from the Lord. Together we can follow up on our invitations, take others by the hand, lift them up, and walk with them on their spiritual journey.”

(About Preach My Gospel) “Read it, study it, and then apply what you learn to help you understand how to bring souls to Christ through invitation and follow-up.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Following Up”. April 2014 General Conference.

On the Priesthood, and service of the Lord (Highlights from Elder Oaks-April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“There is no “up or down” in the service of the Lord. There is only “forward or backward,” and that difference depends on how we accept and act upon our releases and our callings.”

“Priesthood power blesses all of us. Priesthood keys direct women as well as men, and priesthood ordinances and priesthood authority pertain to women as well as men.”

“Whoever exercises priesthood authority should forget about their rights and concentrate on their responsibilities. That is a principle needed in society at large. The famous Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is quoted as saying, “It is time … to defend not so much human rights as human obligations.”10 Latter-day Saints surely recognize that qualifying for exaltation is not a matter of asserting rights but a matter of fulfilling responsibilities.”

“In the eyes of God, whether in the Church or in the family, women and men are equal, with different responsibilities.”meme-oaks-equal-1240504-galleryElder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood”. April 2014 General Conference.

Keeping Covenants (Highlights from Sister Wixom-April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“Keeping covenants protects us, prepares us, and empowers us.”1324725-2

“As individuals, we are strong. Together with God, we are unstoppable.”

“The Lord said to Emma Smith, “Lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.”8

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, “Keeping Covenants Protects Us, Prepares Us, and Empowers Us”. April 2014 General Conference. 

“Let Your Faith Show” (Highlights from Elder Nelson, April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“When we speak of faith—the faith that can move mountains—we are not speaking of faith in general but of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can be bolstered as we learn about Him and live our religion. The doctrine of Jesus Christ was designed by the Lord to help us increase our faith.”

“There is only One in whom your faith is always safe, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you need to let your faith show!”meme-nelson-faith-1240482-gallery

“Keeping divine commandments brings blessings, every time! Breaking divine commandments brings a loss of blessings, every time!”

Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Let Your Faith Show”. April 2014 General Conference.

“Obedience is a choice.” (Highlights from Elder Perry, April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

meme-perry-simplicity-1240672-gallery“So the lesson my grandfather taught me was always to be ready to receive the gentle tug of the Spirit. He taught me that I would always receive such a prompting if I ever veered off course. And I would never be guilty of more serious wrongdoings if I allowed the Spirit to guide me in my decisions.”

“when we demonstrate our faithfulness through obedience, God will ultimately rescue us.”

“Strong, proactive obedience is anything but weak or passive. It is the means by which we declare our faith in God and qualify ourselves to receive the powers of heaven. Obedience is a choice. It is a choice between our own limited knowledge and power and God’s unlimited wisdom and omnipotence.”

Elder L. Tom Perry, “Obedience through Our Faithfulness”. April 2014 General Conference. 

 

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a checklist of things to do…it lives in our hearts.” (Highlights from Sister Stevens, April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“We can trust that He will help us, not necessarily in the way we want but in the way that will best help us to grow. Submitting our will to His may be difficult, but it is essential to becoming like Him and finding the peace He offers us.”

“I would never have asked for this trial, but I would never give it away. We were surrounded with God’s love.”

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a checklist of things to do; rather, it lives in our hearts. The gospel “is not weight; it is wings.”4 It carries us.”ljova-ut1pi1_2lkzzf-f4eahm93meokz-4s-xir1ex-cgc5ol3pe4yu8k8e2xxb3gw884-h540“Speaking to each of us, the Lord says, “Fear … not; … I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; … I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”5

Jean A. Stevens, “Fear Not; I Am with Thee”. April 2014 General Conference.

“The only things that really need to be accomplished in the home are daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening.” (Highlights from Sister Reeves-April 2014)

Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“Pornography is more vile, evil, and graphic than ever before. As we counsel with our children, together we can create a family plan with standards and boundaries, being proactive to protect our homes with filters on electronic devices. Parents, are we aware that mobile devices with Internet capacity, not computers, are the biggest culprit?”

“Brothers and sisters, how do we protect our children and youth? Filters are useful tools, but the greatest filter in the world, the only one that will ultimately work, is the personal internal filter that comes from a deep and abiding testimony of our Heavenly Father’s love and our Savior’s atoning sacrifice for each one of us.”

“How do we lead our children to deep conversion and to access our Savior’s Atonement? I love the prophet Nephi’s declaration of what his people did to fortify the youth of his day: “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, [and] we prophesy of Christ … that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

“The only things that really need to be accomplished in the home are daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening.”1328748-3“Brothers and sisters, because I know from my own experiences, and those of my husband, I must testify of the blessings of daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening. These are the very practices that help take away stress, give direction to our lives, and add protection to our homes. Then, if pornography or other challenges do strike our families, we can petition the Lord for help and expect great guidance from the Spirit, knowing that we have done what our Father has asked us to do.”

Sister Linda S. Reeves, “Protection from Pornograpy–a Christ-Focused Home”. April 2014 General Conference.