"A Small Stone"
Elaine L. Jack
- Recently Released Relief Society General President
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the growth of the Relief Society from its founding in 1842 with 20 women to nearly four million women worldwide, beginning with Margaret Cook's small offering of sewing shirts for the Nauvoo Temple workers.
One of my prized memories of these past few years was the sesquicentennial in 1992, when we celebrated the founding of Relief Society, one of the oldest, largest, and, in my eyes, the most successful women"™s organizations in the world. It is still thrilling for me to remember the simultaneous broadcast to every continent of the world, linking sisters for the first time from Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Germany, Mexico, Korea, Australia, and America. Emma Smith, the first president of this organization, ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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"A Small Stone"
Elaine L. Jack
- Recently Released Relief Society General President
📅 0
📖 general conference
Nephi's story of faith and accountability is paralleled with the speaker's own experience of being called to serve and seeking the Lord's help, finding support in her counselors and board members.
One of the things I recognize is that if we are obedient, faithful, and earnest, the Lord helps us prepare our offerings. We learn this from Nephi, who was told, "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters"1 Ne. 17:8Nephi was not from a seaside community; he had never built a boat. But his response was so full of faith and accountability: "Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to ... (continued)
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young boy visiting an elderly widow with his father realized that while the food they brought was appreciated, the words of encouragement and the personal visit were of greater value.
I recall as a young boy going with my father to visit an elderly widow living in humble circumstances. We shared a couple of boxes of food with her. When we were leaving, her remarks touched my heart. She said, "Thank you, Bishop, and please come back again, even if it"™s just to say hello."
Forgiveness
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A husband with a terminal illness expressed gratitude for one more day with his wife, despite his suffering.
After a night of intense pain and suffering, one morning a husband stricken with a terminal illness said to his wife with great feeling, "I am so thankful today." "For what?" she asked, knowing well his difficult and trying situation. He replied, "For God giving me the privilege of one more day with you."
Forgiveness
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Parents of a missionary who died accidentally expressed faith and willingness to send another son on a mission, showing voices of gladness during tragedy.
How impressive, encouraging, and meaningful is the attitude of some parents who, when learning of the accidental death of their son while he was serving a full-time mission, were heard to say with perfect sweetness and understanding: "We will soon have another son available as a missionary. His time and service will also be in the hands of the Lord."
Forgiveness
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
An elderly gentleman who escaped a fire in a low-cost housing apartment expressed gratitude that there were no serious injuries or casualties, despite losing his possessions.
Recently we read in local newspapers an account of the devastating effects of a fire that completely gutted a low-cost housing apartment. Many people were rushed out into the street for safety. They watched their living quarters and other earthly possessions go up in fire and smoke. One elderly gentleman who had escaped the holocaust was interviewed. When he was asked, "What were you able to save?" he responded with, "Only the things that you see, my clothing." His next comment was touching ... (continued)
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Erma Bombeck wrote about young cancer patients who maintained humor and optimism, which was a part of their survival.
Erma Bombeck has written a book about young cancer patients. As she planned her book, she came to the conclusion that the voices that came from these young people were filled with humor and optimism which kept "these kids in the mainstream of life. Perhaps laughing and believing in themselves was a major part of their survival." (Erma Bombeck,I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to Go to Boise,New York: Harper and Row, 1989, p. xxi.) One sixteen-year-old boy said, "Man, without a sen ... (continued)
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
During a regional conference in California, four individuals who were deaf participated in a choir by signing the lyrics, inspiring the congregation.
Recently during a regional conference in California, a well-trained multistake chorus furnished beautiful music. As I listened and watched them, I was impressed with the fact that on the front row were four individuals who were participating with the choir who sang, not with their voices, but with their hands. I thought to myself on that occasion, how wonderful for a choir director to encourage their participation. Without the advantage of melody or audible lyrics, they were able to stand with p ... (continued)
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"A Voice of Gladness"
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Peter and John healed a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful, who then walked, leaped, and praised God.
"Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. "And a certain man lame from his mother"™s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; "Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. "And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. "And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. "Then P ... (continued)
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"Abide in Me"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A sister missionary from Argentina sold her violin to finance her mission, expressing faith that God would bless her with another after she served.
I wish you could meet the sister called to serve with us from her native Argentina. Wanting to do everything possible to finance her own mission, she sold her violin, her most prized and nearly sole earthly possession. She said simply, "God will bless me with another violin after I have blessed His children with the gospel of Jesus Christ."
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"Abide in Me"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A Chilean elder found a Book of Mormon and read it through the night, feeling peace and hope, leading him to serve a mission 13 months later.
I wish you could meet the Chilean elder who, living without family in a boarding school, happened upon a Book of Mormon and started reading it that very evening. Reminiscent of Parley P. Pratt"™s experience, he read insatiably"”nonstop through the night. With the breaking of day, he was overwhelmed with a profound sense of peace and a new spirit of hope. He determined to find out where this book had come from and who had written its marvelous pages. Thirteen months later he was on a mission.
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"Abide in Me"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A Bolivian missionary used his mission savings to pay for his mother's emergency surgery, came to the MTC with mismatched clothes and oversized shoes, but was taken care of both temporally and spiritually.
I wish you could meet the marvelous young man who came to us from Bolivia, arriving with no matching clothing and shoes three sizes too large for him. He was a little older because he was the sole breadwinner in his home and it had taken some time to earn money for his mission. He raised chickens and sold the eggs door-to-door. Then, just as his call finally came, his widowed mother faced an emergency appendectomy. Our young friend gave every cent of the money he had earned for his mission to pa ... (continued)
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"Abide in Me"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A man called to the stake presidency in a remote area had no car but expressed his willingness to serve by stating he had feet, faith, and could travel like the missionaries.
Let me say something of the marvelous members of the Church themselves. In the reorganization of a rather far-flung stake recently, I felt the Lord"™s prompting to call a man to the stake presidency who, I had been told, owned a bicycle but no automobile. Many leaders across the Church don"™t have cars, but I was nevertheless worried about what that might mean for this man in this particular stake. In my terminally-ill Spanish I pursued the interview, then said,"Hermano, ¿no tiene un auto? ... (continued)
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"Abide in Me"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
An elderly man walked four hours to attend a mission district conference, arriving three hours early to get a good seat, demonstrating great faith.
Just eight weeks ago I was holding a mission district conference on the island of Chiloe, an interior location in the south of Chile that gets few visitors. Imagine the responsibility I felt in addressing these beautiful people when it was pointed out to me that a very elderly man seated near the front of the chapel had set out on foot at five o"™clock that morning, walking for four hours to be in his seat by nine o"™clock, for a meeting that was not scheduled to begin until eleven o"™cloc ... (continued)
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"Abide in Me"
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Members of the Punta Arenas Chile Stake travel 4,200 miles round-trip to the Santiago temple, which can be a significant financial sacrifice, and are supported by their community.
The Punta Arenas Chile Stake is the Church"™s southernmost stake anywhere on this planet, its outermost borders stretching toward Antarctica. Any stake farther south would have to be staffed by penguins. For the Punta Arenas Saints it is a 4,200-mile round-trip bus ride to the Santiago temple. For a husband and wife it can take up to 20 percent of an annual local income just for the transportation alone. Only 50 people can be accommodated on the bus, but for every excursion 250 others come out ... (continued)
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"Abide in Me, and I in You; Therefore Walk with Me"
By Elder David A. Bednar
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Enoch's call to serve as a prophet involved a voice from heaven instructing him to prophesy and call the people to repentance, despite his feelings of inadequacy and being hated by the people.
The scriptural account of Enoch’s call to serve indicates that “he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them—Repent, … for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off.â€2[Moses 6:27]
“And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth … and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but ... (continued)
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"Abide in Me, and I in You; Therefore Walk with Me"
By Elder David A. Bednar
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The Lord reassured Enoch that he would be protected, his mouth would be filled, and his words justified, empowering him to become a mighty prophet.
“And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance. …
“Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.â€4[Moses 6:32, 34 emphasis added.]
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"Abide in Me, and I in You; Therefore Walk with Me"
By Elder David A. Bednar
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Alma taught the poor about faith in Christ using the analogy of the word as a seed that, when planted and nourished in one's heart, grows into a tree of everlasting life.
In the Book of Mormon, we learn about Alma’s teaching and testifying to the poor whose afflictions had compelled them to be humble. In his instruction, he compared the word to a seed that must be planted and nourished, and he described “the word†as the life, mission, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Alma said, “Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall ris ... (continued)
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"Abide in My Love"
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The story of Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan illustrates how divine love can transform a willing soul.
The story of Helen Keller is something of a parable suggesting how divine love can transform a willing soul. Helen was born in the state of Alabama in the United States in 1880. When just 19 months old, she suffered an undiagnosed illness that left her both deaf and blind. She was extremely intelligent and became frustrated as she tried to understand and make sense of her surroundings. When Helen felt the moving lips of family members and realized that they used their mouths to speak, "she flew ... (continued)
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"According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts"
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker references President Brigham Young's statement that those desiring celestial glory must battle every day, highlighting the need for relentless righteous desires and consistent spiritual efforts.
Righteous desires need to be relentless, therefore, because, said President Brigham Young, "the men and women, who desire to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom, will find that they must battle every day" (in Journal of Discourses, 11:14). Therefore, true Christian soldiers are more than weekend warriors.
Forgiveness
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