Welcome to the Talk Of The Week Club. I began this club as a way to share my love of learning and growing in the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My hope and desire is for you to learn and grow in your faith and love of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Each Thursday a new talk will be posted, come back, open your heart and mind, allow yourself to receive and I promise you will be spiritually fed.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Week 34: Christlike Attributes-The Wind Beneath Our Wings **Repost**

**Reposted from THIS week**

As I thought about what I should share with you this week I was completely at a loss until my October Ensign arrived on Monday afternoon. As if an answer to my prayer I began to read it hoping to receive some direction. I was so happy when I found President Dieter Uchtdorf’s talk entitled “Christ-like Attributes-the Wind Beneath our Wings,” which was originally given in the October 2005 session of general conference. THIS WAS IT!


In July, I was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting in front of my brand new ward (in a brand new state) on the topic of DEVELOPING CHRIST-LIKE ATTRIBUTES. I was excited, I was scared, and I was an emotional wreck! I am a fairly good writer but when speaking in front of large groups I sometimes find it hard to put two sentences together without stumbling over my words. Along with the Preach My Gospel manual I used the above-mentioned talk to help guide me through what I needed to say. Through much prayer and preparation the thoughts came easily and I was able to deliver my talk.

After reading it again, listening to the mp3 and re-watching it on my computer through lds.org (don’t you just love the internet?!) I felt doubly impressed to share it with all of you as you too strive to live according to the basic gospel principles and develop Christ-like attributes.




CHALLENGE: This week I suggest choosing a specific attribute you would like to work on. Write it down and include a definition and a description of the attribute. Search your scriptures for passages that teach about the attribute you are working on. Apply that in your life and pray for the Lord to help you more fully draw closer to Christ as you develop the attribute. As you do so, it will become easier to emulate Christ in all your doings. Remember, that learning to be Christ-like is a lifelong pursuit!!!! : )


MP3 Link




 
My dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends:

During my professional life as an airline pilot, I sometimes had passengers visit the cockpit of my Boeing 747. They asked about the many switches, instruments, systems, and procedures and how all this technical equipment would help such a huge and beautiful airplane fly.

As with all pilots, I enjoyed the fact that they were impressed by the apparent complexity of this plane and that they wondered what kind of magnificent and brilliant person it takes to operate it! At this point of my story, my wife and children would kindly interrupt and say with a twinkling in their eyes, "Pilots are born with a great measure of natural humility!"

To the visitors in my cockpit, I would explain that it takes a great aerodynamic design, many auxiliary systems and programs, and powerful engines to make this flying machine equal to the task of bringing comfort and safety to those joining the flight.

To simplify my explanation by focusing on the basics, I would add that all you really need is a strong forward thrust, a powerful upward lift, and the right aircraft attitude, and the laws of nature will carry the 747 and its passengers safely across continents and oceans, over high mountains and dangerous thunderstorms to its destination.

In recent years, I have often contemplated that being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites us to ask similar questions. What are the basics, the fundamental principles of our membership in the kingdom of God on earth? After all is said and done, what will really carry us at times of greatest need to our desired eternal destination?
Read the rest HERE.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Week 33: Zion is the Pure in Heart

I heard this talk and just had to share it!

Have a loving and blessed week,




MP3 Link






It is a privilege to stand before you this evening. I want to thank everyone in the choir for that beautiful music. Thank you so much for the spirit that you brought. And thank you for the beautiful prayer. I am happy and humbled to be here, and I pray that tonight each of you will know how much the Lord loves you. I want you to know how deeply I love you.



I am happy that my husband, Steve, and members of my family are also here. I love my husband. He and I attended Brigham Young University, and it is here where we made the decision to marry. I think it is interesting that I am standing before you on our wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, dear! You know, we have been married as long as it took to build the Salt Lake Temple! Or for the children of Israel to wander in the wilderness! And everything we have to show for it is sitting right here on the front row. Our children are our treasures. I love them. I love being their mother. I have watched them grow in the gospel and be tutored from pulpits of the Church. And I am grateful that they have chosen to heed the counsel of prophets, seers, and revelators.



I have watched the youth of the Church grow in the gospel. I have a unique and special connection with the young women because of the years in which I have served as a member of the Young Women general presidency. We have essentially gone through the Young Women years together. We’ve earned our Young Women medallions together. We have stood every week and repeated the words of the Young Women theme together: “We are daughters. … We will ‘stand.’ … We believe … , we will be prepared.”1 I think of you as my young women. And I have seen many of you young men as you have received and advanced in the priesthood, honored your covenants and priesthood power, and prepared for and served missions throughout the world. I have met many of you in your mission fields. You are my heroes! You are amazing in your strength and courage and desire for righteousness. 
Read the rest HERE.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Week 32: To Know and be Known of God **Repost**

**Reposted from this week**

Dear Friends,


I am so excited about this weeks talk and the subject matter. While I was researching for the talk I had an experience that prompted a thought that I should study and get to know the Savior better. I decided that by the law of attraction if I where to study the Savior and His characteristics that maybe just maybe I would attract some of those into my life and I would be a better wife and mother. It is amazing how these thoughts started and how the ways were given to begin my study. I want invite you all on my journey, "To Know and to Be Known of God". Over the next few weeks I will study some of the characteristics of Christ. I thought I would base my studies on these scriptures found in Alma 9:26-27 "...the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long suffering, quick to hear the cries of His people and to answer their prayers. And behold, He cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance, through faith on His name." If you have a great talk or insight on any of these characteristics please feel free to share!


Here is one of my favorite quotes from this weeks talk. I think it sums up why it is so important for us all to come unto the Savior and to know Him and and be known of Him. "The more we know of Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Jesus the more we will trust Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will want to be like Him and to be with Him by becoming the manner of men and women that He wishes us to be." [Neal A. Maxwell, "Plow in Hope", Ensign, May 2001, 60]


Enjoy the journey,

Shauntell

MP3 link:




In a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to David Whitmer, we are told that eternal life "is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (D&C 14:7). When we understand that the entire work and glory of the Savior is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39), a most significant question for us is "How do we obtain eternal life?" The Savior provided the key in His great intercessory prayer recorded by John, the beloved apostle: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). The key, then, to eternal life is to know God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Read the rest HERE.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Week 31: Sister Julie B. Beck

Dear Friends,

I have been anxiously awaiting the posting of this talk by Sister Beck so that I could share it with you. I hope it lifts and inspires you as it has me. I am so grateful for Sister Beck's leadership at this critical time and for her willingness to teach and counsel us so clearly. I know that she has been foreordained to lead us at this pivitoltime in the earth's history. She speaks with urgency about holding emergency meetings, gaining more fromour temple worship, and details how we can qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation--the single most important ability we can acquire in this life. I know as we study and ponder her words and work to apply them, great and eternal blessings will come to each of us and our families.

Love and Blessings,




Video Link




As I have thought about this meeting, I have had the Spirit confirm to me that this—like many other meetings that I have enjoyed while visiting South America, Central America, Mexico, and other parts of the world this past year, and that I have felt every time I meet with the sisters of the Church—is an emergency meeting and a training meeting, a time for us to learn. I feel a great urgency for the daughters of God to do all they need to do to strengthen and lift not only themselves, their families, sisters who are in their wards, but also the world. I feel that the sisters in this Church who know and understand their covenants will be a significant force in helping this world, which seems to have lost its moral moorings.


If the sisters who have made covenants with God know what they are supposed to do, that they are in for the long haul, and that they are in with all their faith, then this world will be okay and we will be all right. The theme of the conference is, “Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you. Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”1 What a beautiful theme.

As we visit today I will cover three things. What it means to choose to serve the Lord, what that spirit is that is put upon us, and how we walk with the Lord.  Read the rest HERE.