saturday’s top ten

Apr 2, 2011

I love the General Conference of my church. I love gathering my children around and watching the leaders of our church teach us of Christ. We almost always attend at least one session of Conference down in Salt Lake City at the Conference Center. I think Keziah has been to every one since she was seven and a half (yes, we had her attend for the solemn assembly in April of 2008, six months before she was eight and able to attend according to the rules…who could pass up solemn assembly tickets?). Blythe has been attending since she was eight. Through begging everyone we know, we have been blessed to have tickets many, many times. Other times we have driven down and waited in the stand-by lines for hours on end. I’ll never forget the last time we saw President Hinckley. Grandma D., Blythe, and I had been in the stand-by line since about 5 a.m. We didn’t get in for the morning session, but we did get in for the afternoon session. We were sitting on the right hand side of the conference center up in the balcony on the first row. The session was marvelous! We sang “We Thank Thee Oh God For a Prophet” and the feeling of love for President Hinckley was overpowering. We all held hands and sang our hearts out. Then he started walking out and waving his hand and cane at the attendees. He seemed to stop right in front of us and wave right to us. It was an amazing moment in time and I know it was one of the many things that has fortified Blythe to be committed to righteousness.

Today’s sessions were wonderful. Here are my top ten favorite ideas from the morning and afternoon sessions.

1. Parents, make sure your families are well-prepared for the Sabbath by being well-rested, properly dressed, and ready in spirit to worship the Lord.

2. Conduct ourselves on the Sabbath in a way that will call down the blessings of heaven.

3. In the family we have wonderful opportunities to behold the little ones of God.

4. Perhaps by understanding the depths of mortality we can better understand Him.

5. Heavenly Father has created a plan for the poor of His children. Use His plan to bless our brothers and sisters who are suffering. Feel sympathy and pain for those in need and then make the choice to act on those feelings.

6. Do not carry revenge and bitterness in our hearts…do a lot of forgiving.

7. The only death that is premature is the death of one who is not prepared to meet God.

8. Be His Standard-Bearers.

9. There is great power and protection in establishing celestial traditions in our home.

10. Families are like ropes.

11. The atonement of Christ is fully operative.

12. Readjusting our desires to things of eternal value is not easy.

13. Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, choices determine our actions. In addition, it is our actions and desires that cause us to become something whether it be a good friend, a dedicated teacher, or one who qualifies for eternal life.

14. How do we find peace of mind in this tumultuous world? By small and simple things…love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, and strength and love thy neighbor as thyself.

Fourteen, not ten…but that is as far as I could limit it. What were your favorite thoughts? I know I missed a ton because of a phone call, Fisher and Annes needing help with some things, and I always miss the next sentence that is said after the one I am writing down.