Your Eternal Voyage
President Thomas S. Monson
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker shares a story from the Church News about ship captains in Portland who take advantage of the fresh waters to rid their ships of barnacles, likening it to how repentance can cleanse us of our sins.
An inspiring lesson is learned from a "Viewpoint" article which appeared some time ago in theChurch News.May I quote: "To some it may seem strange to see ships of many nations loading and unloading cargo along the docks at Portland, Ore. That city is 100 miles from the ocean. Getting there involves a difficult, often turbulent passage over the bar guarding the Columbia River and a long trip up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. "But ship captains like to tie up at Portland. They know that as ... (continued)
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Your Eternal Voyage
President Thomas S. Monson
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker tells a personal story from his youth about Mrs. Shinas, a neighbor who confiscated their baseballs, and how an act of kindness transformed their relationship.
When I was a deacon, I loved baseball. In fact, I still do. I had a fielder"™s glove inscribed with the nameMel Ott.He was the premier player of my day. My friends and I would play ball in a small alleyway behind the houses where we lived. Our playing field was cramped, but all right, provided you hit straightaway to center field. However, if you hit the ball to the right of center, disaster was at the door. Here lived Mrs. Shinas, who, from her kitchen window, would watch us play; and as soon ... (continued)
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Your Four Minutes
Bishop Gary E. Stevenson
- Presiding Bishop
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📖 general conference
Christopher Fogt overcame a devastating crash in the 2010 Olympics to win a bronze medal in the four-man bobsled race in 2014.
We also remember Christopher Fogt, a member of the team that won the bronze medal in the four-man bobsled race. While he could have given up after a devastating crash in the 2010 Olympics, he chose to persevere. After a fantastic, redemptive run, he won the prize he so diligently sought.
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Your Four Minutes
Bishop Gary E. Stevenson
- Presiding Bishop
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📖 general conference
Noelle Pikus-Pace's Olympic dreams were nearly crushed by a broken leg and a narrow miss in 2006 and 2010, but she triumphed with a silver medal in 2014.
For you to feel that urgency, I first share the story of Noelle Pikus-Pace, one of those Latter-day Saint athletes. In Noelle’s event, the skeleton, athletes build momentum as they sprint and then plunge headfirst on a small sled. With their faces inches above the ground, they race down a winding, icy track at speeds that top 90 miles (145 km) an hour. Remarkably, years of preparation would be considered either a success or a disappointment based on what happened in the space of four inte ... (continued)
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Your Four Minutes
Bishop Gary E. Stevenson
- Presiding Bishop
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📖 general conference
Torah Bright, an Australian LDS athlete, not only won a silver medal in the half-pipe competition but also showed Christlike love by comforting her nervous competitor, Kelly Clark.
As a skier and a snowboarder myself, I was deeply impressed with the “four-minute†silver medal-winning performance of Australian LDS athlete and snowboarder Torah Bright in the half-pipe competition. She dazzled the world as she finished a virtually flawless run culminating in a backside rodeo 720. However, even more impressive and surprising to the world was the way she reached out and demonstrated Christlike love to her competitors. She noticed that American snowboarder Kelly Clar ... (continued)
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Your Gift from God
President Marion G. Romney
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
A returned missionary recounts an experience with a man who initially showed little interest in the gospel but challenged the missionaries' conviction after a lesson, suggesting that if they truly believed their message, no storm should prevent them from sharing it.
This reference could have been to the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost, or to an ordination to the priesthood, or both. In any event, the charge came to my mind recently as I listened to the report of a returned missionary.
He told us that the wife in the family in whose home he and his companion were living was interested in the gospel; her husband was not interested, however. But finally he warmed up a little and said that when the missionaries had nothing else to do he would listen to ... (continued)
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Your Gift from God
President Marion G. Romney
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker recalls a conversation with President Stephen L Richards about the importance of understanding the gospel to encourage members to live up to Church standards.
President Stephen L Richards indelibly impressed upon my mind the importance of understanding the gospel years ago as I rode in an automobile with him to a stake conference. We were, at the time, discussing the means for encouraging the Saints to more faithfully live up to Church standards. He said to me, in effect: “I feel sure that the membership of the Church would be more faithful in observing the commandments if they more fully understood the principles of the gospel.†I agreed ... (continued)
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Your Great Adventure
By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
Bilbo Baggins is an unremarkable hobbit who embarks on a grand adventure, leaving his comfort behind for a remarkable journey.
A beloved children"™s fantasy novel written many years ago begins with the sentence "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."1[J. R. R. Tolkien,The Hobbit or There and Back Again(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001), 3.] The story of Bilbo Baggins is about a most normal and unremarkable hobbit who is presented with a most remarkable opportunity"”the wonderful chance at adventure and the promise of a great reward. The problem is that most self-respecting hobbits want nothin ... (continued)
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Your Great Adventure
By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
Bilbo Baggins almost gets distracted from his adventure by the mess in his house, but Gandalf reminds him of his commitment, prompting Bilbo to leave without his belongings.
When our friend Bilbo Baggins felt the call to adventure stir within him, he decided to get a good night"™s rest, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and start out first thing in the morning. When Bilbo awoke, he noticed his house was a mess, and he was almost distracted from his noble plan. But then his friend Gandalf came and asked, "Wheneverareyou going to come?"9[Tolkien,The Hobbit,33.]To catch up with his friends, Bilbo had to decide for himself what to do. And so, the very normal and unremarkabl ... (continued)
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Your Great Adventure
By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
Before we were born, we accepted God's invitation for a mortal adventure, knowing it would be difficult but would lead to growth and the potential to become like Him.
Long, long ago, even before we were born, in an age dimmed by time and clouded from memory, we too were invited to embark on an adventure. It was proposed by God, our Heavenly Father. Accepting this adventure would mean leaving the comfort and security of His immediate presence. It would mean coming to earth for a journey filled with unknown danger and trial. We knew it would not be easy. But we also knew that we would gain precious treasures, including a physical body and experiencing the inten ... (continued)
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Your Greatest Challenge, Mother
President Gordon B. Hinckley
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📖 general conference
The story of an Indian boy and a rattlesnake illustrates the dangers of associating with those who can lead to harm.
I have never forgotten a story that Elder Robert Harbertson told at this Tabernacle pulpit. He spoke of an Indian boy who climbed a high mountain. It was cold up there. At his feet was a snake, a rattlesnake. The snake was cold and pleaded with the young man to pick it up and take it down where it was warmer.
The Indian boy listened to the enticings of the serpent. He gave in. He gathered it up into his arms and covered it with his shirt. He carried it down the mountain to where it was warm. He ... (continued)
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Your Greatest Challenge, Mother
President Gordon B. Hinckley
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📖 general conference
A family in the Midwest prioritized education, leading to the great success of their children.
With fascination I watched one evening on television the story of a family in the Midwest. It included the father and mother and three sons and one daughter.
The father and mother determined when they married that they would do all they could to see that their children were exposed to the very best educational experiences.
They lived in a modest home. They observed modest ways. But they nurtured their children with knowledge. Every one of those children achieved in a remarkable way. Every one wa ... (continued)
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Your Happily Ever After
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts his teenage years in Frankfurt, Germany, where he fell in love with a girl named Harriet, who initially did not reciprocate his feelings. Despite challenges and a period of courtship, he eventually married her.
Let me share with you a personal experience I had as a teenager while our family was attending church in Frankfurt, Germany.
One Sunday the missionaries brought a new family to our meetings whom I hadn’t seen before. It was a mother with two beautiful daughters. I thought that these missionaries were doing a very, very good job.
I particularly took notice of the one daughter with gorgeous dark hair and large brown eyes. Her name was Harriet, and I think I fell in love with her from the fi ... (continued)
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
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📖 general conference
Joseph Smith found a holy place in the woods near his home where he prayed and received an answer, known as the Sacred Grove.
Throughout Joseph Smith’s short but magnificent life, he truly “[stood] in holy places†and was not moved. As a young teenager, he was troubled by the religious turmoil in his community and wanted to know which of all the churches was true. The wooded area close to his home became a holy place as he knelt among the trees and offered his first vocal prayer. His prayer was answered, and today Latter-day Saints refer to these woods as the Sacred Grove.
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
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📖 general conference
Liberty Jail was a place of suffering for Joseph Smith, but it also became a holy place where he had profound experiences.
Yet another unexpected holy place in Joseph Smith’s life was Liberty Jail. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “There was no more burdensome time in Joseph’s life than this cruel, illegal, and unjustified incarceration.†Elder Holland went on to explain that Liberty Jail has been referred to as a “prison-temple†because of the sacred experiences the Prophet Joseph Smith had there.
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
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📖 general conference
A young woman skeptical about spiritual experiences at Young Women camp had a change of heart and wanted to continue feeling the Spirit she felt there.
Young women around the world stand in holy places in nature at Young Women camp. A leader shared with me the story of one young woman’s experience. This girl was less active and was a bit skeptical about having a spiritual experience in the woods. After the first day, she reported to the leader, “I’m having a great time, but could we please cut out all of the talk about the Spirit? I’m here to camp, enjoy nature, be with my friends, and have some fun!†However, a ... (continued)
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
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📖 general conference
Joseph Smith's bedroom became a holy place when he prayed and received a visitation from the angel Moroni.
Another holy place in Joseph Smith’s life was his own bedroom. This may be hard to believe because, like many of you, he shared his bedroom with siblings. It became a holy place when he prayed with great faith, humility, and need. He explained, “After I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies.†The three years which had passed since Joseph had the vision in the Sacred Grove had n ... (continued)
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Ingrid Delgado from El Salvador created a holy place in her bedroom surrounded by spiritual items and felt peace there.
While watching a Mormon Message for Youth, I witnessed another bedroom that had become a holy place. The video shows Ingrid Delgado, a young woman from El Salvador, sharing her feelings about the temple. She says, “It is good to know we have a place where we can get away from the things of the world and receive sacred ordinances and help those who couldn’t receive them in this life.†As she speaks, the video shows Ingrid reading her scriptures, surrounded by Mormonads, quotati ... (continued)
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Kirsten found a holy place in her high school band room, a refuge from bullying and a place filled with encouragement, kindness, and the Spirit.
A young adult, Kirsten, shared with me her painful experience. High school had been her Liberty Jail. Fortunately, the band room provided relief. She said: “When I stepped into this room, it was as if I stepped into a safe place. There were no degrading or belittling remarks, no profanity. Instead, we heard words of encouragement and love. We exercised kindness. It was a happy place. The band room was filled with the Spirit as we practiced and performed music. The room was like this in lar ... (continued)
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Your Holy Places
Ann M. Dibb
- Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shared a personal story of feeling overwhelmed and alone, but found a holy place when someone offered her comfort and encouragement.
May I share with you one of my holy places? Once, I was feeling overwhelmed, fearful, and completely alone. Silently, I prayed: “Heavenly Father, I do not know how to do this. Please, please, help me!†Soon, an individual unexpectedly came forward, placed a hand on my shoulder, and offered sincere, encouraging words. In that moment, I felt peace. I felt acknowledged. Everything had changed. The words of President Spencer W. Kimball came to mind: “God does notice us, and he watc ... (continued)
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