Conference Thoughts

So, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this Conference session. I felt like so many of the talks were about preparing ourselves and having hope during trials that each of us will inevitably encounter. How exciting that 5 more temples were announced and one will be in the Kansas City area...it makes you stop and think about the last days and where you are in life! I wanted to post just a few of my favorite quotes:

"...we should make the most of today, of the here and now...doing all that we can to provide pleasant memories for the future. If you're still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled, will disappear all too soon, and that you will, to your surprise, miss them profoundly."*President Thomas S. Monson*

The things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us through trials, temptations, and sorrow. Everyone has experienced discouragement and difficulty. Indeed, there are times when the darkness may seem unbearable. It is in these times that the divine principles of the restored gospel we hope in can uphold us and carry us until, once again, we walk in the light. We hope in Jesus the Christ, in the goodness of God, in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered. Because God has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the future. In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together for [our] good” as we follow the counsel of God’s prophets. This type of hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges and gives strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear, doubt, and despair. *President Dieter F. Uchtdorf*

"Come what may, and love it.” I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives.We can learn to love it.*Elder Joseph B.Wirthlin*

President Thomas S. Monson has said: “To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty—the fulfillment of which brings true joy.” Harmony in marriage comes only when one esteems the welfare of his or her spouse among the highest of priorities. When that really happens, a celestial marriage becomes a reality, bringing great joy in this life and in the life to come. *Elder Russell M. Nelson*

In one of Christopher Marlowe’s plays, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, there is portrayed an individual, Dr. Faustus, who chose to ignore God and follow the pathway of Satan. At the end of his wicked life, and facing the frustration of opportunities lost and punishment certain to come, he lamented, “[There is] more searing anguish than [flaming] fire—eternal exile from God.”
My brothers and sisters, just as eternal exile from God may be the most searing anguish, so eternal life in the presence of God is our most precious goal. With all my heart and soul I pray that we might continue to persevere in the pursuit of this most precious prize. *President Thomas S. Monson*

From the General Relief Society meeting:
I believe that the women of the Church, regardless of age or family status, understand and apply best the words of James Barrie, the author of Peter Pan: “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves”...As spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage. You are choice daughters of our Heavenly Father, and through the things you create and by your compassionate service, you are a great power for good. You will make the world a better place. Lift up your chin; walk tall. God loves you. We love and admire you. *President Dieter F. Uchtdorf*