Talks

Boy, I've felt lately like I was on an LDS speaking tour- a week ago I spoke in Sacrament meeting about virtue and temples, then last Saturday I spoke in the evening session of Stake Conference about being faithful. Then the following day, after the Sunday morning session of Stake Conference, I was videotaped while I relayed my feelings and some experiences having to do with temples. Our stake RS has started a tradition of putting out a video of the sisters in the stake relaying their testimonies, we watch it in our units before the RS broadcast in October. They do an accompanying book too, it's all very sweet and well done. 2008's video was related to the Relief Society's theme, this year's was related to service. 2010's (That is so scary to type! Where has time gone??) video will be related to temples and my virtue talk got me a gig doing that.

Overall, I think my speaking engagements went pretty well. I got hugs from people after my talk on Saturday, so I was happy. It's so nervewracking to be videotaped...do I look alright? How do I sound? Was I stiff as a board? I guess we'll see in October how I did!

Throw in a 3 hour stake leadership meeting last Saturday before conference and that was a lot of church last weekend! It was all good though. I got something out of the training meeting, and I'm working on being better as YW leader. Both sessions of stake conference were really wonderful, the spirit was very strong. It's funny, but one of the things I liked best about last weekend was being able to sing in a large congregation and being accompanied by an organ. Everyone sounded really great. You see, the vast majority of the time I am in small meetings- my small branch, small YSA meetings, a handful of us singing at Young Womens...I rarely get to hear an organ or sing with a large group, so I was appreciative last weekend. I like my branch, but there are things I miss.

I thought I'd share some of my favorite quotes from my talks. I actually like doing talks because I get a lot out of writing them and studying the gospel. It inspires me too, and I needed these messages as much as anybody.

Elaine S. Dalton:
"Virtue is a prerequisite to entering the Lord’s holy temples and to receiving the Spirit’s guidance. Virtue “is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards.” It encompasses chastity and moral purity. Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind. It is nurtured in the home. It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions. Virtuous women and men possess a quiet dignity and inner strength. They are confident because they are worthy to receive and be guided by the Holy Ghost."

Ann M. Dibb:
"The small and simple things you choose to do today will be magnified into great and glorious blessings tomorrow. Living each day as “an example of the believers” will help you to be happy and more confident. It will strengthen your testimony, help you to keep your baptismal covenants, and prepare you to receive the blessings of the temple so that eventually you can return to your Heavenly Father."

Kevin W. Pearson:
"If we desire more faith, we must be more obedient. When we teach our children by example or precept to be casual or situational in obeying God’s commandments, we prevent them from receiving this vital spiritual gift. Faith requires an attitude of exact obedience, even in the small, simple things."

Thomas S. Monson:
"May I leave with you today a simple yet far-reaching formula to guide you in the choices of life:

Fill your minds with truth.
Fill your hearts with love.
Fill your lives with service.

Such are foundation stones in building one’s personal temple. As the Apostle Paul counseled, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

By doing so, may we one day hear the plaudit from our Lord and Savior, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

James E. Faust:

"None of us knows the wisdom of the Lord. We do not know in advance exactly how He would get us from where we are to where we need to be, but He does offer us broad outlines in our patriarchal blessings. We encounter many bumps, bends, and forks in the road of life that leads to the eternities. There is so much teaching and correction as we travel on that road. Said the Lord, “He that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom.” “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.”

Making a wrong choice early may limit making the right choice later.

So where should each of us make our stand? As we demonstrate our devotion to God by our daily acts of righteousness, He can know where we stand. For all of us this life is a time of sifting and refining. We all face trials. Individual members in the early days of the Church were tested and refined when they had to decide if they had the faith, like Brother Giles, to put their belongings in a wagon or a pioneer handcart and travel across the American plains. Some did not have the faith. Those who did traveled “with faith in every footstep.” In our time we are going through an increasingly difficult time of refining and testing. The tests are more subtle because the lines between good and evil are being eroded. Very little seems to be sacred in any of our public communication. In this environment we will need to make sure where we stand all of the time in our commitment to eternal truths and covenants."

President David O. McKay counseled: “ ‘The greatest battle of life is fought within the silent chambers of your own soul.’ … It is a good thing to sit down and commune with yourself, to come to an understanding with yourself and decide in that silent moment what your duty is to your family, to your Church, to your country, and … to your fellowmen.”


Gordon B Hinckley: Faith is the basis of testimony. Faith underlies loyalty to the Church. Faith represents sacrifice, gladly given in moving forward the work of the Lord.



I feel edified reading these again, hope you do too.