Hey---as long as Tammy is making us THINK...I thought I'd ask too! LOL! I have to speak in church on Sunday and I'm trying to simplify my life so I thought I'd ask all of YOU to write my talk.
hahahahahaha
OK...what I really wanted to know though is .....my topic is on the Blessings of Watching General conference---how does it affect your life--what blessings do you receive....how do you keep the little ones busy---(or even your husband awake. lol)......any thoughts at all on Conference?
11 years ago
7 comments:
I remember the pictures of the general authorities I placed on the floor and the kids were to pull their picture out when they spoke, bingo cards, and coloring pages. I know my kids won't remember, but I do because I prepared them! Ha! General Conference is like reading the Book of Mormon, even though you've read it before, something always new hits you in the head and heart. Coby would, of course, say conference scones are the blessings! Ha! I think again tomorrow when I'm not heavy eyed. Love ya!
I LOVE conference! Ever since having Bernell Christianson as my institute teacher and hearing him say, "Which of the prophets will you choose NOT to listen to?" I've been pretty good about listening to ALL the sessions. Taking notes helps me to pay attention more. Listening with a purpose - kind of like fasting with a purpose - also helps me focus. I seem to get much more out of Conference when I'm spiritually prepared. I do that by pondering and praying about a particular concern that I'm dealing with and it always seems that I hear at least one talk or more on that subject. I once heard a sister who heard an answer to one of her concerns during conference and when she went back to find the words in the Ensign, they weren't there. If we're spiritually prepared, the Spirit will teach us through the words of the Prophets.
We have played Conference bingo with the kids for the past two and Jessica loves it. We use pictures of topics likely to be covered for the nonreaders. Jhonny joins in as well.
So... fall of 2006 i was watching conference. The year before president Hinckley challenged everyone to read the book of Mormon... I think that was during conference... but I did it... read the book in the time frame... and the blessings that were promised were real... there was defenatly an increase of the spirit and everything else promised... there was enough of a difference that I knew it was because I obeyed....
My point... by the next fall I was ready to obey again and be blessed... in elder Bednar (sp?) talk he told everyone to think of someone who is inactive and pray for them... you know... bring them back into the fold... I took this command/request/? As seriously as Hinckley’s the year before... with the same kind of faith... that because it was asked of me it would happen if I did my part... two people who were not even my friends at that point in the school year came back into activity... school was my focus and I spent most Friday and Saturday nights studying... but I prayed that somehow my focus could be used as a tool for sharing the gospel... b/c school is all I had time for... through my involvement in school I gained the respect of my classmates and professors... even though I was Mormon... none of my classmates that eventually became my friends were active lds... in fact the two that were inactive totally had a chip on their shoulder about the church... in my sociology of religion class I could feel how one of my future friends roll her eyes anytime I mentioned my mission... it was always relevant to the class topic I promise...
But anyways... the eye roller is now the relief society president in her ward... when I saw her this summer I was a little surprised... I know her decision to be a committed member has more to do with her than me... but she said that the paper I wrote for my senior thesis helped change her perspective from what she got out of the church - to what she could give... she was one of a few people I asked to help me edit the paper... I wrote about "new age type" spirituality within an organized religion... I addressed the question as to whether or not an organized religion allows for freedom in spirituality... I am getting off topic...
My point... president Bednar might have even promised that if we try to bring people back we will... all I did was focus on my studies... read my scriptures most everyday and sincerely prayed... also prayed for opportunities to share the gospel in very non-threatening ways... my friend the now r.s. President and another friend became active again ... and they say I had more than a little bit to do with it...
The other friend isn’t active at this time... but to see her change for the short time period she did was so shocking... one semester she was coming to class stoned... next semester wearing modest clothes and attending institute... and getting after me for not going to fhe every week...
There is another classmate that turned her life around... and I never talked to her about it...but she left mid-semester to move back home b/c her life wasn’t going in the direction she wanted it too... I remember the week before she left she came to church... she usually didn’t do that... I taught R.S. and I remember the look on her face when some pretty profound things were said... never saw her again... found out she moved home to n.y. to straiten her life out...
What I am trying to say is... from watching conference and actually doing what was asked I received promised blessings... and reading the b.o.m. and the next year being a good student/caring about my classmates/fulfilling my calling were things that I would want to do anyway... so... I was able to really see miracles happen for other people and myself... and I don’t think I would have thought to focus on that if it had not been for bednar's talk...
the end.
I do the same as mom did with us. The kids love finding the picture of which prophet is speaking, and then they will write down one thing that they talked about. It helps them to concentrate more. They also love the scones.
Stefanie, don't you just love the insight from this family! I think it's amazing and love it through and through! theideadoor.com is a great resource for kids activities. I think the main point of general conference for little ones is to make it enjoyable and at the same time building their little testimonies (young or old).
A few times back it was conference time and I wasn't going to get to watch all of the sessions live. We have the capability to record them with our DVR and watch them later, but it wasn't the same. There is something about being united with the world of members and watching it at the same time. There is something VERY powerful about sustaining our leaders TOGETHER - and knowing that members around the world are doing the same thing, at the same time.
I can't even count how many times I've heard, "I'll just read it when it comes out in the Ensign." But once again - not the same. Yes, there are spiritual messages there - but I believe that the spirit will speak to us each individually as we listen to and watch the sessions of conference live. I feel it's an obedience factor too. We are blessed when we listen because we want to, and not because we are compelled to.
We in Utah are blessed to be able to watch the sessions of conference in our pajamas on local television at home. Sometimes I think this is less of a blessing as it is a hinderance. I'm less likely to really pay attention if I'm in my jammies, and much more likely to fall asleep if I'm comfy and wrapped up in a blanket on the couch. And the reality of having my children running around and needing me through the whole session makes it more difficult to pay any attention. I've often felt like I want to dress my family up and go down to the stake center to watch it in the chapel....(Cory doesn't go for that idea...) My family used to dress in our Sunday clothes for at least one of the Sunday sessions when I was growing up - helped us pay attention.
We used to play conference bingo growing up, and I've seen a BUNCH of cute conference packets online that you can print up for your kids to color while the leaders are speaking to us.
I think talking about the session when it's over, and recaping what we learned helps us - and our children to keep those lessons in our lives. Also preparing our children before hand so they understand what conference is, and they can watch for the leaders we teach them about.
And I have had more than one experience like Tanya suggested - where I've listened to conference and felt like my prayers were DIRECTLY answered - but gone back later to find the exact words, and they were not there. Just think if I'd waited for the Ensign and missed out on those answers....
I always walk away from a conference session feeling like, "Wow - why did they prepare ALL of those talks to speak directly to ME and answer MY prayers???" So I'm sorry to all of you who might not get that - they ARE preparing it just for me ;) (I'm totally kidding - it can be prepared just for you too!)
Once again - I enjoy the thoughts you all have had!
Joanna
GREAT thoughts!! I think those talks were for me, Joanna though....hehehe. Amazing that we can all be so different and yet the same talk can cover all of us and help us with different things!
I'm like Chalice---I also thought about how much better my spirituality is when I fast with a purpose. I love the idea of listening with a purpose and shall try that out :)
I will do better at reading the talks...I've come a long way from cleaning the garage and having it on the radio...to actually watching them live when they are happening...I agree Joanna---it's better that way. I'm always working to be a better person..this is something I need to work on more! Guess that's why they had me speak on it today!!
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