I don't know about each of you...but there are TWO WEEKENDS in the YEAR...that Garvin and I get really PUMPED up about...and that is GENERAL CONFERENCE WEEKENDS! We have LOVED them...all these 30 + years!!!!! Our family of 10...NEVER MISSED a Conference weekend! We would dress up our family...and go to the church...(we didn't have cable or a DISH to watch it at home for years) We all dressed in our Sunday best every Saturday and Sunday for all the sessions...I made up BINDERS for each of the kids...Depending on the ages, depended on how I made up their books...Some had pictures for those who couldn't read...so if they SAW someone...they could play TIC-TAC-TOE...and mark the pages as SUBJECTS or PEOPLE they saw who would come up and speak...I have so many different things I did over the years...to help the children handle 2 days of CHURCH...(smile) But, making their own PERSONALIZED binder...helped to DRAW them in...to the experience we had on those "special" weekends...To this day, even watching it at home, we dress up in our Sunday clothes...the men in white shirts and ties...and we girls in our dresses...to "sit at the feet of the prophets"...Now, many of you might think this is extreme...but, whatever works for your family...you need to do...But, for us...we wanted our children growing up to KNOW this was no ORDINARY TIME...We were to hear the voice of LIVING PROPHETS OF GOD...Hence, to this day, ALL our children and grandchildren...are being raised that on General Conference weekend...we will be putting aside all other activities to hear our Prophet and Apostles...EASY? when they were little? NO...but, being "consistent"...proved in the LONG HAUL...to be our blessing...
In the spirit of PREPARING for General Conference...a couple of things come to mind:
- If there is something you are particularly needing counsel on...PRAY that someone will be INSPIRED to address your particular question...then PRAY...that you will HEAR the answer in one of the addresses given...
- PRAY that you will RECEIVE the counsel with a WILLING heart...and that you will KNOW how to fulfill the counsel that is given all during conference...
- Pray for all those who have been asked to speak, that they will know the mind and will of the Lord...and will be able to deliver that message to us...
- We can be PROACTIVE...take ownership of this General Conference...If we are praying over these General Conferences, the SPIRIT...will TOUCH our MINDS and HEARTS...Generally speaking, General Conferences have always MOTIVATED us to DO BETTER...then what we had been doing...INSPIRED us to REPENT and make CHANGES in our lives...
- General Conference is AWESOME! the MUSIC...the SPIRIT...the TALKS! WOW! To actually RECEIVE the MIND and the WILL OF GOD! Doesn't get any better than that! (smile)
- Even if this has NOT been a pattern in your life...like in the spirit of "Father Adam"..."from this day forth"..."I will do......." (whatever change needs to be done)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell made this comment: "In the months and years ahead, events will require of each member of the Church that he or she decide whether or not he or she will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions (see 1 Kings 18:21)...Not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ." ("Meeting the Challenges of Today," page 149).
No comments:
Post a Comment