A Report of My Stewardship
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker describes their travels and meetings in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, including the dedication of the Tokyo Temple and area conferences.
From Manila we traveled to Hong Kong, perhaps the world"™s most densely populated city, where there are about four hundred thousand people per square mile. There we held meetings in our own excellent stake center on October 20 and 21. The following day we flew to Taipei, Taiwan, where we met on October 22 and 23 in the beautiful Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. We had breakfast at our hotel with the two top leaders of the Republic of China, Prime Minister Sun and President Chiang, son of the late Ch ... (continued)
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A Report of My Stewardship
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker shares the experience of visiting the South Pacific, including groundbreaking ceremonies for new temples and meetings with government officials and Saints.
On Wednesday, February 11, 1981, Sister Kimball and I journeyed to the South Pacific. In Tahiti we broke ground for a new temple in Papeete and met with the missionaries. We also visited with the Deputy to the High Commissioner of Tahiti at the official government residence.
On Saturday, February 14, enroute to New Zealand, we stopped over in Rarotonga and held a meeting with the Saints in an airplane hangar at the airport. I am told it was the first time a President of The Church of Jesus Chris ... (continued)
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A Report of My Stewardship
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the emotional visit to the Church School of Western Samoa, where they were greeted by singing children and the speaker declared a holiday.
Early the next morning we had one of the loveliest experiences of our lives, as we visited the Church School of Western Samoa. As we entered the gymnasium, the largest building on the campus, we saw seventeen hundred children sitting cross-legged on the gymnasium floor, crowded in as tightly as little sardines in a can. They ranged from small four-and five-year-old kindergarten children in the front to teenaged high-school youngsters in the back of the hall. What a beautiful, thrilling sight the ... (continued)
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A Report of My Stewardship
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker details the groundbreaking ceremony for the Atlanta, Georgia temple and subsequent visits to the Caribbean, including a rapidly growing congregation in the Dominican Republic.
On Saturday, March 7, we broke ground for the new temple in Atlanta, Georgia. Ten thousand were present for this occasion, including the governor of Georgia and his wife, several legislators, and U.S. senators Jake Garn and Paula Hawkins. Immediately following that service, we flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The next morning, Sunday, March 8, we held a meeting with over twenty-six hundred members of the stake and mission on that island. We next visited the Dominican Republic and held a meeting at ... (continued)
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A Return to Virtue
Elaine S. Dalton
- Young Women General President
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📖 general conference
The speaker was called to be the new Young Women general president and reflects on her commitment to serve with her whole being, inspired by a motto on a small plate she owned.
Last general conference, I was called by President Monson to be the new Young Women general president. As I stood in the presence of a prophet of God and was given this sacred trust, I pledged that I would serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. Prior to this calling, I had a small plate inscribed with a motto that read, "I can do hard things." That little plate bearing that simple motto gave me courage. But now if I could change that motto, it would read: "In the strength of the L ... (continued)
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A Return to Virtue
Elaine S. Dalton
- Young Women General President
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📖 general conference
The newly sustained presidency hiked to Ensign Peak, where they felt inspired that the temple should be the vision for their presidency and the focus of their responsibilities.
Last April, two days after general conference, we held our first meeting as a newly sustained presidency. We hiked to the top of Ensign Peak, and as we looked on the valley below, we saw the temple with the angel Moroni shining in the sun. For each of us, it was clear. The vision for our presidency was the temple. And our responsibility was also clear. We must "help prepare each young woman to be worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple."2[First Preside ... (continued)
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A Return to Virtue
Elaine S. Dalton
- Young Women General President
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the story of the early pioneers who suffered greatly for the sake of temple covenants, and how Brigham Young and his associates unfurled a banner on Ensign Peak as a standard to the nations.
The temple is the reason for everything we do in the Church.3[See Russell M. Nelson, "Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,"Liahona,July 2001, 37;Ensign,May 2001, 32.]The temple was the reason our pioneer ancestors left their established homes and came west. It was the reason they suffered privation and even death. Temple covenants were the reason that, although babies were buried along the way, those pioneers could sing: Some lost everything but came into the valley with everything, ... (continued)
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A Return to Virtue
Elaine S. Dalton
- Young Women General President
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📖 general conference
The speaker describes the blessing of her new granddaughter, Annabel Elaine, and the prayer that all young women might be encircled and protected by righteous priesthood power throughout life.
Recently I attended the blessing of our newest granddaughter. It was a holy sight to me as my husband and our sons, along with many other loved ones, encircled this little infant. She was so elegant all dressed in white"”and it didn"™t hurt a bit that she was named after her two grandmothers! But the thing that touched me most was the blessing given by her father, our son Zach. He blessed little Annabel Elaine that she would understand her identity as a daughter of God, that she would follow ... (continued)
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A Righteous Choice
Fono Lavatai
- Center Third Ward, Salt Lake Riverside Stake
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📖 general conference
The speaker was initially scared to speak but was inspired by a girl in her seminary class who discussed finding opportunities in difficulties, leading her to accept the speaking opportunity.
It is a privilege for me to speak to you today. When I was asked to do this, I asked myself, "Why me?" I felt kind of scared. Then in my seminary class a girl gave a thought for opening devotional. She asked, "Do you find difficulties in opportunities or opportunities in difficulties?" I thought about this, and now I"™m here!
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A Righteous Choice
Fono Lavatai
- Center Third Ward, Salt Lake Riverside Stake
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📖 general conference
The speaker is now back in seminary, enjoying the class and feeling proud of her decision, which she relates to a scripture from Matthew about seeking the kingdom of God first.
Right now I"™m back in seminary. I have a great teacher, a fun class, and I"™m very proud of myself for making the right decision. This experience reminds me of a scripture found in Matthew 6:33Matt. 6:33"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
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A Righteous Choice
Fono Lavatai
- Center Third Ward, Salt Lake Riverside Stake
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📖 general conference
The speaker moved from Samoa to the United States, was nervous about attending a new high school, tried out for the girls' basketball team, made the team, but then had to choose between basketball and seminary.
I moved from Samoa to the United States last summer. I didn"™t want to leave my island and my friends. Going to a new high school made me very nervous. In spite of being new, I tried out for the girls"™ basketball team. I made it! I love basketball! As you"™re running down that court, everyone is counting on you to make that basket. When you make it, a feeling of happiness comes to you, and if you don"™t make it"”well, that is a whole different story!
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A Righteous Choice
Fono Lavatai
- Center Third Ward, Salt Lake Riverside Stake
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📖 general conference
The speaker's mother confronted her about missing seminary for basketball practice, which led the speaker to reflect on her priorities and ultimately decide to quit basketball to return to seminary.
Anyway, I was on the team and couldn"™t go to seminary because I had practice every day after school, and I had seminary after school as well. I missed seminary for the whole second quarter and forgot all about it. One day my mom asked me about it. I told her that everything was OK. But she knew what was going on. My seminary teacher had sent her a letter. She told me: "Fono, you know that what you are doing is wrong. I"™m just going to advise you, but it is your decision. Remember, your dec ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President Thomas S. Monson
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
Steve Alford, an NBA player, as an eighth grader, insisted to his counselor that he would become an NBA player despite her reluctance to put that as his career path.
One of greater childhood determination was Steve Alford, who plays for the Dallas Mavericks team in the National Basketball Association. He remembers telling his eighth grade counselor, as she completed a career path form for him, that he was going to be an NBA player. She responded, "I can"™t put that answer down." Steve Alford replied, "Then leave it blank, "˜cause that"™s what I"™m going to do!" And he did.
Forgiveness
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A Royal Priesthood
President Thomas S. Monson
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts how as a nine-year-old, he initially wrote 'cowboy' as his future career choice on a form, but changed it to 'banker' or 'lawyer' after his mother's insistence.
When I was about nine years old and attending elementary school here in Salt Lake City, all of the youth in the city"™s schools were asked to fill out a form indicating what we wanted to be when we grew up. The lists were then to be placed in a waterproof metal box and buried beneath a new flagpole which graced the entrance to the City and County Building grounds. Years later, the box was to be opened and its contents made available. As I sat with pencil in hand, I thought of the question, "Wh ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President Thomas S. Monson
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
President Harold B. Lee recounted a story of a Latter-day Saint young man in England during WWII who, upon meeting a British officer who refused to partake in a riotous celebration due to belonging to the royal household, reflected on his own royal heritage as part of the kingdom of God.
One of the great leaders of our time, President Harold B. Lee, in a devotional address at BYU, spoke of a Latter-day Saint young man who, during World War II, was in England. He had gone to an officers"™ club where they were holding a riotous kind of celebration. He noticed, off to the side, a young British officer who didn"™t seem to appreciate the party at all. So he walked over to him and said, "You don"™t seem to be enjoying this kind of party." And this young British officer straigh ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President Thomas S. Monson
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker shares a personal story from his boyhood about watering the lawn of a neighbor, Mrs. Shinas, who was previously antagonistic towards him and his friends, leading to a transformation in their relationship.
When I was a deacon, I loved baseball; in fact, I still do. I had a fielder"™s glove inscribed with the name "Mel Ott." He was the Darryl Strawberry of my day. My friends and I would play ball in a small alleyway behind the houses where we lived. The quarters were cramped but all right, provided you hit straight away to center field. However, if you hit the ball to the right of center, disaster was at the door. Here lived a lady who would watch us play, and as soon as the ball rolled to her ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President Thomas S. Monson
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker narrates the story of Shelley, a man who was initially resistant to joining the Church but eventually did so, leading to a sealing with his family in the temple.
Brethren, at times those who most need our help appear to be least anxious to receive it. As I departed for the mission field to preside in Toronto, Canada, if anyone had asked me who of all the people I knew I would consider least likely to join the Church, I would have included the name of Shelley, a man I had known for many years. His sweet wife had tried in vain to interest him in the Church. A lovely daughter and precious son had both put forth their best efforts, with no perceptible change ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
Deacons who viewed passing the sacrament as a chore learned its sacredness when they saw their adviser and high priests perform the duty with reverence.
I recently read the account of some deacons who got a little careless in their attitude towards passing the sacrament. They began to think of it as a chore, something that no one else wanted to do. They often came in late, and sometimes they didn’t dress appropriately. One Sunday their priesthood adviser told them: “You don’t have to worry about the sacrament today. It’s been taken care of.â€
They were, of course, surprised to hear this, but as usual, they were l ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
Alma the Younger was converted after an angel appeared to him and his companions, but he later emphasized that his lasting conversion came through the Holy Ghost.
Alma the Younger had a personal experience with ministering angels. As a young man, he was numbered among the unbelievers and “led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.†One day, “while he was going about to destroy the church of God†in company with the sons of Mosiah, an “angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake.†The a ... (continued)
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A Royal Priesthood
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Laman and Lemuel did not change their behavior despite an angel's visit, showing that miraculous events are not always a source of conversion.
Miraculous events have not always been a source of conversion. For example, when Laman and Lemuel physically mistreated their younger brothers, an angel appeared and warned them to stop. The angel also reassured all of the brothers that Laban would be delivered into their hands. Nephi, on the one hand, believed and claimed the brass plates from Laban. Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, did not believe, nor did they change their behavior as a result of the angelic visit. As Nephi reminded them, ... (continued)
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