These are just my notes as I scribbled them and, considering how illegible my handwriting is (even to myself), you will not want to quote them word for word!
Elder Christofferson
Church/Ward/Organization. Some are just “religious” and reject organized religion. Why does Christ use church? Beginning with Adam, there was a family-based church order. Then more organized. Jesus established His church. Then apostasy. Joseph Smith restored. Purpose: bring people to Christ. Including dead. Community of church is to sustain one another in path. Things we do:
- teach
- edify
- strive together until we all know
- share doctrine. Then tested by application and all our idiosyncrasies. Funny: “Idiot-syncrasies.” WE TEST EACH OTHER!
- We are all called. Even the feeble. We need these callings. We need to serve.
- Wards offer time and place to leave the world. Sacrament.
- Community is place where we can be reproved of sin. We might lack courage to change. Repentance is individual. Fellowship on path
In the beginning. Church was the family. Church at best is second to family. But there are some things we do better as a community:
- care for poor and needy better together.
- Temples
- If all roads lead to heaven, then no need to Proclaim Gospel.
- Savior need church to make ordinances available to all.
- Church safeguards scripture/ canon.
Call upon lord that his kingdom will go forth… Kingdom of God.Kingdom of heaven may come.
Elder Devin Durrant
Invite to do 2 things:
- save money each week. Small efforts sustained over time get results.
- “Ponderize” one verse of scripture each week. 80% ponder. 20% memorize. How might your family benefit? Higher place for thoughts to go all week. Look unto Christ in every thought.. Fight back! Keep mind filled. “This is too hard” … Hard can be good. Many ways to ponderize–put it on the screen of phone.. Include people of other faiths. Scriptures are like friends in time of need. Press forward feasting on pure love of Christ. Check on us/each other by asking, What is your verse? Scriptures are revelation and they will bring added revelation.
Elder Keetch
Story of surfers. Mad at barrier. Old, local surfer bring binoculars to show them the sharks and say, “Don’t be to critical of the barrier. It’s the only thing keeping you from being devoured. ” Barrier = god’s commands and standards. We see through a glass darkly. But show love for God by living commands. Exercise faith and show love…. Even when don’t see the” sharks. ” That is difficult, but shows love. Trust. Need full conversion of heart. It is not enough to go through the motions. Have to convert heart. Submit–be blessed and happy in All things. God wants us to have joy, peace. Lord commandments are intended for love and joy in this life and next. They delineate who we are to become. Christ submitted himself to the path his father requested, though he wanted to pass or go another way. This gives us prospect of eternal peace and joy.
Carole Stephens
Got in a power struggle with three year old granddaughter who kept getting out of seat. Tried “if, then” promises/threats. Didn’t work. Prayer, Spirit says,” Teach her.” Child says, “Grandma, you want me to stay in my seat because you love me.” If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15. His law is manifestation of love for us. Obedience is our love for him. If we obey the law, we receive blessings. Trust Jesus. If ye keep the commandments, ye shall abide in my love. We have a right to holy ghost. He will fill you with hope and perfect love. Obedience to prophetic counsel to keep sabbath day holy. Searched scriptures for verses that dealt with both commandments and love–there are many.
Rejoice the Lord is King
Elder Haynie
Story: Dig a hole with brother and neighbor boys. Filled with water. He got so dirty. Grandma wouldn’t let him in the house until she sprayed him off with a house. “No unclean thing can enter into his kingdom.” Muddy boy not getting into warm house was sad, but eternally tragic to remain in sins. Don’t fool yourself. There is no getting around the fact that “no unclean thing can enter.” Savior helps us get clean no matter what mud we get into. Why did he do it? Glorify father. Simply asks us to confess and repent. Jesus knows how to” succor,” and he will. He prays for us, “Behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin…” He will never give up on us. Never reject us. Repentance is real. Leads to mighty change of heart. It’s not easy. But remember: “The Savior’s atonement leave no tracks, no traces.” At the judgment, you are there as an individual. No hiding. No pointing to someone else as responsible. But Christ stands between us and justice. Remember in whom you trust.
Elder Clark
Many at time of Christ did not see who Christ really was. Ears dull. Eyes blind. But many do center love on Christ. Blessed eyes that see… Day of Pentecost, they were blessed and received baptism of fire. They receive spiritual blessing of eyes that see. Ears that hear. Seeing things as they really are. We too live in a time like that. Dangerous confusion and evil. But great blessings. Whatever level of faith we have, it will not be enough for work ahead. Need eyes ears. Must truly receive Jesus and his doctrine in our lives. Strive! Receive companionship of Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost will come! Increasingly see our brothers and sister as He see them. Life may get hard. Light of gospel of Jesus will cut through pain, darkness. Burdens swallow up. Mom was worried about serving foreign mission with her husband who has asthma. Heard a voice 2 times: “Why are you worried? Don’t you know that I know he had asthma? Get yourself ready… ”
Elder Aoyagi
Train station. Earthquake. Disasters. Sometimes we ask: Why do I have to suffer? Why trials? He had a major trial a number of years ago. Bad car accident. Pain for ten years. Why? Healing not granted but tried to be faithful. Finally heard the message that others had said but this time really heard it, “Isn’t your purpose for being on this earth to accept this trial?”… Some trials not resolved until resurrection. We are here to be “proved,” to “see if they will do all things the lord hath commanded them.” It is necessary to hold on our way and accept trials with faith. God can make our weak things become strong. Test is not to endure but to endure it well. Hold on thy way. Learn patience, empathy. Love God. Trust in him. Deny self of all ungodliness. Grace is sufficient for you.
Elder Bednar
President Hinckley on 60 Minutes. Asked about thais “church run by old men?” He replied, Isn’t it wonderful? Elder Bednar wants to explain why it is good to have old men at helm. He has a distinctive perspective of being youngest for last 11 years. Average age is 77 years. Wisdom of Elder Hales, “When you cannot do what you have always done, then you only do what matters most.” Aging can be remarkable learning and insight. Physical restriction can expand vision. Young? That is not the Lord’s way. His way is older men with judgment, who have learned to understand Spirit, learned how to receive revelation, to love people from various places and etc. These men are not spared from affliction. Some find their human shortcomings to be a trial and challenging. Not Elder Bednar–to him, it is faith promoting. He has seen six apostles die in last 11 years. They devoted whole souls to testifying. Consider final teachings of aged prophets in scriptures. We are blessed to learn from these aged leaders. They emphasize eternal truth with absolute authenticity. Consider the last messages of 6 disciples (not suggesting last one is particularly important–all were). These were powerful messages of a lifetime:
- Faust–forgive to be forgiven.
- Hinkley–testimony of Joseph Smith. If it is the truth, then this is most important work in the world.
- Wirthlin– come what may and love it
- Perry–the older I get the more I know family is eternal
- Packer–Jesus is Christ…. Atonement can make you clean.
- Scott– we came to mortal life precisely to grow from trial and challenge… As we actively come unto him we can endure every challenge.
Listen and heed, promise we will get needed help for specific challenges.
Comment: I was going to add my comments and thoughts–but I’d rather go on a walk outside with my family. The End of October 2015 General Conference Notes!
I wonder if anyone who was complained that the church is led by old men will feel just a little bit guilty about that after Elder Bednar’s talk.
I was encouraged by Elder Bednar’s talk. I felt a real affinity for him for the first time. It was a comforting and valuable endcap to the conference
Maybe I missed it, but did Elder Christofferson mention “worship” as a reason for the church?
I often struggle with conference, I think it’s very difficult to listen to one side of an issue and decide or accept, (even a stopped clock is right twice a day!) so I often have trouble understanding the faithful excitement about such simple explanations just because they come from a GA standing at the pulpit! To me it’s just not that simple, there are certainly reasons to church and there are reasons not to church too Pharisaically which I believe the church and organized religion in general struggles with – why isn’t that addressed by these men?. Old men? I’ve watched several people go through dementia, they all had their lucid moments but couldn’t take care of their own daily needs in between! My inability to just accept the main stream simple view apparently makes me a poor member but I never understood why shutting off our minds makes us good. Why is that so desirable? Isn’t the glory of God intelligence and doesn’t the D&C define his church as those who repent and come unto him?
For 40 years I listened with rapt attention to G.C., and for the last 2 I’ve been on a “fast”, and I am so much happier as a result. Most talks produce insight equivalent to a random phrase generator pulling from a Correlation database. Do you think E. Bednar still wonders why he hasn’t seen Jesus? Me neither.