Thoughts from church

As we watch Conference, we look for themes. My mom and I decided the big theme of Conference was to follow the prophets. She said, I wonder if President Monson will require something especially hard of us soon? The same Conference that sounded the warning call also stirred the hearts of many who would then need precisely that message. 

In sacrament meeting there was a discussion about President Packer's statement in General Conference:
"We teach a standard of moral conduct that will protect us from Satan’s many substitutes or counterfeits for marriage. We must understand that and persuasion to enter into any relationship that is not in harmony with the principles of the gospel must be wrong. From the Book of Mormon we learn that “wickedness never was happiness.”¹³

Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn temptations toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Remember, God is our Heavenly Father.

Paul promised that “God . . . will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”¹⁴ You can, if you will, break the habits and conquer an addiction and come away from that which is not worthy of any member of the Church. As Alma cautioned, we must “watch and pray continually.”¹⁵

Isaiah warned, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”^16"
       Our friend saw that about 50 of his friends from high school (in Layton) had posted in "respectful disagreement" against President Packer's thoughts on homosexuality. He talked about how coming out in disagreement with the church leaders "respectfully" then led those friends to complete disagreement.
        Another member bore a strong witness that we need to find out for ourselves. He explained, the scriptures show us that if you follow the prophet's council you will be blessed; some have speculated that the church will come out and alter the words of President Packer or the Church's view concerning homosexuality. We have continuous revelation: if that happens great, but for right now you have to follow the prophet. Instead of rebellion, ask the Lord and find out if the words from His servants are true.
As Dan's mission president said about Prop. 8 "this is a fulfillment of separating the sheep from the goats. " And it is our decision to stand with the Lord and His chosen prophets or to stand in opposition to the truth.
I thought the most interesting perspective on President Packer's talk was my mom's
 Seminary Kids:
They were so glad someone besides them was saying what they have to stand up for all the time. There was no opposition.

Insights from Gospel Doctrine:

 Isaiah 30:1 Woe to the ^arebellious children, saith the Lord, that take ^bcounsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

  2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of ^aPharaoh, and to trust ^bin the shadow of ^cEgypt!

  3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

These words have profound meaning for me this week because I learned that I cannot trust in my own strength but ONLY the Lord's. Why do we look to the world for strength if all things are possible with God?

Second, a lady shared a story about recess duty. This little boy (one of her favorites, Chevy) is a 1st grader playing with the 6th graders and they circled him and made him cry. She went over and cleared up the argument and wiped away his tears. Before he went back to class he came over and gave her a big hug and said "thank you Mrs. Kirk!" 

This reminds me of Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up ^adeath in ^bvictory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the ^crebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

  9 ¶ And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our ^aGod; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have ^bwaited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his^csalvation.

I love the imagery -- he will wipe away our tears. But do we remember to say thank you for His miracles?

After this week of miracles I have thought about how the Children of Israel had seen His hand -- when they stepped in the waters with the ark of the covenant, the seas parted. How could they so quickly forget to trust the Lord again? I will try to remember His mighty miracles from this last week and thank Him continually.

John 5:22 "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath ^acommitted all ^bjudgment unto the Son:"
The Savior is our advocate and our judge! What if your lawyer was your judge?


Finally does anyone have insights on Isaiah 22: 23-25?

Insights from Relief Society: 

We talked about REPENTANCE. 

I love the words from the new EFY CD Let It Begin! 

You might think no one's been through what you're going through. You might think nobody's made the same mistakes as you. You are feeling the weight of the world on your shoulder's; turn it over. Just have the courage to take one step, someone's going to be there to help with the rest. To start is the hardest but it's something that only you can do. Don't carry the burden as the years go by you don't need that crushing weight in your life. Have faith to pray for the strength to finally see this through. There's One who knows you perfectly He can take the hurt away. The healing starts within - just let Him in and let it begin. 

You've tried hard to hide from the past and to bury it deep, you're overwhelmed by all the things that you know you should be just believe mistakes of the past don't define you they refine you. Just have the courage to take one step, someone's going to be there to help with the rest. To start is the hardest but it's something that only you can do. Don't carry the burden as the years go by you don't need that crushing weight in your life. Have faith to pray for the strength to finally see this through. There's One who knows you perfectly He can take the hurt away. The healing starts within - just let Him in and let it begin.