Week 13: The Holy Ghost

I have found that having the Holy Ghost as a Constant Companion is something that I have sometimes taken for granted. In light of the work that I need to do to prepare myself and my family to return to Heavenly Father, I have recommitted myself to live up to my "privilege of having the Holy Ghost with me at all times. I want the blessings that Joseph Smith promised the Sisters in the first Relief Society meeting:


“If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates. “

Here are two of my favorite talks on the Holy Ghost. Enjoy!

1. "Receive the Holy Ghost", David A. Bednar, Nov. 2010 Ensign, pg 94
   
   Read HERE

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   2.    Rise to Your Call” November 2002 Ensign by Henry B. Eyring.


           Read HERE
     
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Week 12: Don't Leave for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today

Recently, my husband and I were blessed to attend an adult session of our Stake Conference. I say blessed because finding a babysitter for 6 children on a night when everyone else would also be needing a babysitter is a big feat. I entered into the stake building, and found a seat towards the very front of the chapel. There were many people in attendance and I wanted to make sure I heard every word that was spoken, grasped every small detail, and that I could truly feel the spirit as it whispered truth into my soul. Of course, I know that I didn't need to be right upfront to accomplish this, but somehow it made me focus harder and listen longer. Much of the conference focused on the family, on rearing children in righteousness, and bringing them up in truth and light. Basically, they pounded the principle that “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children.” (Family: A Proclamation to the World, 1995)


I took so many notes! I wrote down ideas as they came to me, little treasures that stood out to me in each talk, and quiet whisperings of the spirit.

I won't share all of my notes, that's a whole post all by itself, however a few of the most important things were:

"Being a mother is the highest calling I can have!!!!!!!!!" (Yes, I put that many exclamation points in my notes...)

Go forth with faith (maybe put a sign on the door that says this, so the kids see this it as they leave the house each day)<---this was a little bit of inspiration I received as I listened

Agency is not the right to do as we please but the right to do what is right

The home is the basis of righteous living.

I went home so filled with inspiration, with thoughts and ideas. I was filled to the brim with love for my children and love for the gospel. Then I got home. Somehow in the few short weeks since Stake Conference I've kind of forgotten the urgency I had to get home and put some of the thoughts I had into practice. I just keep putting of till tomorrow! To reinforce those thoughts, I decided to make the topic of my post this month, Family, more specifically raising children in light and truth and bringing our families to the gospel. I must have have read over a dozen talks trying to find just the right one to share with all of you, I finally chose the talk "Don't Leave for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" given by Claudio R. M. Costa of the Seventy in the October 2007 General Conference. While the title of this talk may not sound like it's about family, it truly is. He explains the urgency we have to teach our children today, to offer acts of love and kindness to our family today because we never know what tomorrow might bring.

Don't Leave for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today

Claudio R. M. Costa

Read HERE

MP3 Link

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Week 9: Follow the Prophet

Hello Friends!


As I have pondered what to share for this Week's Talk of the Week, I felt impressed to share two brief talks from the October 2010 General Conference which both emphasized President Benson's "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet ." I have thought it significant that two of the Seventy felt impressed to repeat what an earlier Apostle and future Prophet of the Church, Elder Ezra Taft Benson, taught about living prophets. Elder Duncan spoke at our Stake Conference just a couple of weeks before the October Conference and knew that he and Elder Costa would both be sharing the same "14 Fundamentals," yet the impression and urgency to testify of these truths burned within him. This past week, our missionary son began teaching a new investigator. As they showed him pictures of the Prophets of this Dispensation the man exclaimed about President Monson, "And he is living?!!"

As I have pondered these talks, I have wondered what I might do to better follow every word of the Prophet and how to prepare to quickly follow what future things he may ask us to do. I am grateful to know that "surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7) Elder Duncan teaches that one of the crowning blessings of membership in this Church is being led by living prophets of God. I think the title of his talk is also significant "Our Very Survival."

"For his work ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.

"For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory." (D & C 21:5-6)

How grateful I am for living Prophets and Apostles who teach us all things that are needful for us to know for our particular time and circumstances. I know that they speak for God and that as we heed their words we will be safe.



Love and Blessings,

Obedience to the Prophets 

 Claudio Costa

Listen HERE

Our Very Survival

 Kevin R. Duncan

Listen HERE