We are in the beginning of a heat wave over here and very much looking forward to General Conference. The women and girls have been already treated to great talks to come with yesterdays
General Women's Session - Looking forward to General Conference titles, you all, by Tuesday morning or sooner.
I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel into My Home
Jean B. Bingham
First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
Our obligation and privilege is to embrace improvement in everyone as we strive to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. …
As sisters (and brothers) in Zion, will we commit to “all work together … to do whatsoever is gentle and human, to cheer and to bless in [the Savior’s] name”? [“As Sisters in Zion,” Hymns, no. 309; emphasis added]. Can we, with love and high hopes, look for and embrace the beauties in others, allowing and encouraging progress? Can we rejoice in the accomplishments of others while continuing to work toward our own improvement?
Yes, we can bring the light of the gospel into our homes, schools, and workplaces if we look for and share positive things about others and let the less-than-perfect fade away. What gratitude fills my heart when I think of the repentance that our Savior, Jesus Christ, has made possible for all of us who have inevitably sinned in this imperfect and sometimes difficult world! I bear my witness that as we follow His perfect example, we can receive the gift of charity, which will bring us great joy in this life and the promised blessing of eternal life with our Father in Heaven.
Carole M. Stephens The Master Healer
Carole M. Stephens
First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
I often meet Latter-day Saint women who are desperate for help, yet they do not turn to the One who can provide everlasting help. Too often they seek for understanding by searching “the great and spacious building” [1 Nephi 11:36].
As we increase our understanding of the doctrine of Christ, we soon discover that we are developing a deeper understanding of “the great plan of happiness” [Alma 42:8]. We also recognize that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is at the very heart of the plan. …
… Our faith in Jesus Christ enables us to meet any challenge.
We, in fact, often find our faith deepened and our relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son refined in adversity. Let me share three examples.
First, the Savior, the Master Healer, has power to change our hearts and give us permanent relief from the sorrow caused by our own sins. …
Second, the Master Healer can comfort and strengthen us when we experience pain because of the unrighteous actions of others. …
Third, the Master Healer can comfort and sustain us as we experience painful “realities of mortality,” such as disaster, mental illness, disease, chronic pain, and even death. …
I testify that—
You don’t have to continue to carry the burden of sorrow caused by sin—alone.
You don’t have to carry the pain caused by the unrighteous actions of others—alone.
You don’t have to experience the painful realities of mortality—alone. …
“[He] would do anything to take this from you.” In fact, “[He] already has.”
Bonnie L. Oscarson Rise Up in Strength, Sisters in Zion
Bonnie L. Oscarson
Young Women General President
I believe with all of my heart that we sisters … have the innate strength and the faith that will allow us to meet the challenges of living in these last days. …
It will take concerted effort to be converted and to keep our covenants. To do so, we need to be girls and women who study the essential doctrines of the gospel and have an unshakable testimony of their truthfulness. There are three areas I believe are foundational to strong testimonies and that I consider to be essential to our understanding.
First, we need to acknowledge the centrality of God our Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, to our faith and salvation. …
Second, we need to understand the need for the restoration of the doctrine, organization, and keys of authority in these latter days. …
And third, we need to study and understand temple ordinances and covenants. …
Sisters, even the very youngest in this audience can rise up in faith and play a significant role in building the kingdom of God. …
All women need to see themselves as essential participants in the work of the priesthood. Women in this Church are presidents, counselors, teachers, member"
"I worry that we live in such an atmosphere of avoiding offense that we sometimes altogether avoid teaching correct principles. We fail to teach our young women that preparing to be a mother is of utmost importance because we don’t want to offend those who aren’t married, those who can’t have children, or to be seen as stifling future choices. On the other hand, we may also fail to emphasize the importance of education because we don’t want to send the message that it is more important than marriage. We avoid declaring that our Heavenly Father defines marriage as being between a man and woman because we don’t want to offend those who experience same-sex attraction. And we may find it uncomfortable to discuss gender issues or healthy sexuality.
"Certainly, sisters, we need to use sensitivity, but let us also use our common sense and our understanding of the plan of salvation to be bold and straightforward when it comes to teaching our children and youth the essential gospel principles they must understand to navigate the world in which they live. If we don’t teach our children and youth true doctrine—and teach it clearly—the world will teach them Satan’s lies." s of councils, sisters, and mothers, and the kingdom of God cannot function unless we rise up and fulfill our duties with faith. Sometimes we just need to have a greater vision of what is possible. …
… I pray that we may all see our true potential to rise up to become the women of faith and courage our Father in Heaven needs us to be."
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf - Fourth Floor, Last Door
The purpose of faith is not to change God’s will but to empower us to act on God’s will. Faith is trust—trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not. Sometimes, trusting our own vision and judgment is not enough. …
Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does—every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds—is for our eternal happiness.
With this kind of faith, though we may not understand why certain things happen or why certain prayers go unanswered, we can know that in the end everything will make sense. …
Until then, we walk by whatever faith we have, seeking always to increase our faith. Sometimes, this is not an easy quest. Those who are impatient, uncommitted, or careless may find faith to be elusive. Those who are easily discouraged or distracted may hardly experience it. Faith comes to the humble, the diligent, the enduring.
It comes to those who pay the price of faithfulness. …
In our search for enduring faith, in our quest to connect with God and His purposes, let us remember the Lord’s promise: “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you” [Matthew 7:7]. …
God “rewards those who earnestly seek him” [Hebrews 11:6], but that reward is not usually behind the first door. So we need to keep knocking. Sisters, don’t give up. Seek God with all your heart. Exercise faith. Walk in righteousness.
"Condemn me not because of mine imperfection,... but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." Mormon 9:31