The first day suggestion was reading the welocme from our prophet. I always love when he welcomes us. I can truly feel of his love for each one of us individually. In his talk re reflected on it being 48 years since he was first called as an apostle for our church. I took an institute class that spoke of him for the whole class and his life. Thru this experience I have come to love and apreciate him even more for his dedication to all that is right and true and pure.
During his first talk he always mentions temples and new ones that are being built for our use. Before mentioning the new temples he reported "that no Church-built facility is more important than a temple. Temples are places where relationships are sealed together to last through eternities" Where I have the opportunity to serve in the temple weekly I love when they are mentioned and it strengthens my testimony of them.
He mentioned that Provo Utah is getting a second temple which is dear to my heart because they are restoring the Provo Tabernacle that burned down in Dec 2010. This beautiful building is right acrosss the street from my office and when it burned down I think it left all of us a little broken hearted as well. I have taken my lunch multiple times and sat under the trees of grounds to ponder during the summer hours. To now have a temple right across the street is to much to say. It has been exciting the last few months as I get the opportunity to watch the progress. The hotel and restaurant next to it has been demolished and the ground is being prepared for the use of the future temple grounds. He also mentioned new temples in Barranquilla Colombia, Durban South Africa, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in Star Valley Wyoming. The last one also excites me a little more as I have traveled through Star Valley mutiple times to get to Palisades and Jackson Hole. Star Valley is one of the most beautiful areas and it emulates God's love for nature. To add a temple to the picture will make the view even more majestic.
The second talk we were ask to reflect on was the Power of Scripture by Elder Richard G Scott. Shortly after hearing this talk I was asked to give a talk in church about it. Listening to this talk I felt a lot of the words for me and I felt that I needed to dive into the scriptures more than I normally do. He reported in his talk that for us to grow we must experience challenges and some would be most overpowering. Having endured quite a bit this past year I was some what comforted in knowing once again that there was a purpose to all that I had endured. He reports providing tools to help us endure during our trials and one tool is the scriptures. He reminded us that all scriptures are a treasure for us and that they were generated from inspired communication through the Holy Ghost and that they are pure truth. I love how he describes that scriptures are like packets of light that illuinate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and his Beloved Son Jesus Christ. This is so very true. Just recently I was deciding how to approach a situation that was touchy and sensitive. As I was deciding how to aprroach the situation I kept praying and seeking for the Spirit as I dove into the scriptures more diligently. I feel the Spirit was present as I approached the situation cannidy and that I was guided in what I needed to say. He states the scriptures as being stalwart friends and never faltering. We have always experienced those "fair weather" friends and I agree its great comfort knowing we can turn to the scriptures even if we have ignored them for awhile they are always there to provide guidance and comfort.
He asked how we use our scriptures? I mark mine up a lot and write things on the side of the pages that I felt or that was said to add clarifications. I also have quotes glued in from leaders that add light to a passage. When I was a Sophmore in college I had the privledge to be on a council for IWA or Institute Womens Association. During one of our activities we had a message on scriptures and we were encouraged to mark in the scriptures each time it said the word Remember. As I did it was like the scriptures opened up all over again for me. I repeated the process for the next few readings choosing a new word.
I know each time we re-read the scriptures that new things will guide us. Even though I had read the Book of Mormon a few times I remember sitting on a bunk bed in a little room of the MTC in Sao Paolo Brasil as a missionary for my church. As I read the book every morning it was like I was opening it all over again for the first time.
I have a strong testimony of general conference, of temples and of the scriptures. They all guide me as I strive to continue to be a better person each day. Im grateful for the insights I gain and for the challenge I have taken to study the talks and to blog my thoughts!
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