This Talk Would Change the World

Amazing stuff by President Thomas S. Monson. If everyone tried harder to not get angry so easily (including myself), most of the world's problems would vanish. How huge is that?

Work and Learn

This is an awesome talk by President Uchtdorf from the most recent Priesthood Session. He notes that two things can help us get through difficult times: work and learning.

I can't say enough about how wonderful this talk is; it's quite inspiring, and I think it would do wonders if everyone in the country would read it and apply it.

Here's the link: http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-19,00.html

God of Truth

Reading Elder Walter F. González's talk from this past General Conference, I came across an interesting point.... see for yourself:

...the brother of Jared recognized that the Lord was a God of truth; therefore, He could not lie. What great hope this attribute brings to my soul! All the promises in the Book of Mormon and the promises given by the living prophets today will be fulfilled because He is God and cannot lie. Even in these turbulent times, we know that things will be OK if we follow the teachings learned from the Book of Mormon and the living prophets. Once we learn about an attribute of Christ, such as the one recognized by the brother of Jared, we should work to implement it in our own life.

Amazing insight, eh? I never thought of it that way.

Scripture of the Week: Glad Tidings

(We'll try bringing this Scripture of the Week thing back...)
I was reading in Mosiah 3 this morning, and I realized that the message that the angel brought to King Benjamin is really quite Christmas-y! We read of all the angels who brought glad tidings of great joy to many saints in the decades leading up to Christ's birth, and this is certainly one of them! Here is part of that message:

3) And he said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy.
4) For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy.
5) For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.
6) And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.
7) And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
8) And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.
9) And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.
10) And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

Also, I think this is what I need to focus on more at Christmas time.... the actual mission of our Savior, not just His miraculous birth. The true joy of celebrating His birth is in remembering His Atonement and Resurrection, and the marvelous gifts He has made available to us.

Love and Law

Great talk by Elder Oaks in this past General Conference. He spoke on the concept--and importance-- of love and law, and how they actually go hand-in-hand (as opposed to what many think-- that love should overpower law).

A few of my favorite quotes:

There is no greater evidence of the infinite power and perfection of God’s love than is declared by the Apostle John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16)....Think how it must have grieved our Heavenly Father to send His Son to endure incomprehensible suffering for our sins. That is the greatest evidence of His love for each of us!

God’s love is so perfect that He lovingly requires us to obey His commandments because He knows that only through obedience to His laws can we become perfect, as He is. For this reason, God’s anger and His wrath are not a contradiction of His love but an evidence of His love.

The effect of God’s commandments and laws is not changed to accommodate popular behavior or desires. If anyone thinks that godly or parental love for an individual grants the loved one license to disobey the law, he or she does not understand either love or law.

God loves us so much that He gave us laws and the ability to choose to obey them or not. If we choose wisely, we can become as He is.

Teaching

If you are a teacher in the Church today (which every member is in some capacity), you need to read this talk that President Osguthorpe gave in the most recent General Conference. It is amazing-- it will change the way you teach.

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-5,00.html

Children Are Our Future

Being a dad rocks. Our little girl is only two months old, but already everything I've focused on in my life has shifted (just like when I got married). Families are not only the basic unit of society (the only lifestyle choice, coupled with Gospel living, in which to find true happiness and fulfillment), but they help us come ever closer to Christ.

In the two years since my wife and I have been married (and especially in the last two months since we've been joined by our little one), I have learned more (and struggled more) about becoming unselfish, loving unconditionally, and finding what it takes to be a real man.

I invite you to read this talk by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, given at a recent Congress of Families in Amsterdam.