April 2014 General Conference: I Have Given You an Example

Elder Richard G. Scott spoke of the examples he has followed in his life.

"For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."  (John 13:15)

When he was growing up, Elder Scott remembers his grandmother, visiting her grandsons, concerned that the boys not baptized.  She facilitated that event.  Elder Scott benefited from continued support from faithful grandma throughout his formative years. Her example changed the course of his life.

Elder Scott also found motivation for missionary service from girl he was dating at one time.  She said, “When I marry, it will be to a faithful returned missionary in the temple.”

These people and the example they set helped Elder Scott to choose the correct path for his future.  They knew he could do more with God's help than he could on his own.

We love those we want to help.  Giving help through your love can help others find help from God's love.

Our example must be grounded in principle and doctrine in the Gospel. We must understand the Plan of Salvation. To help those we love, we ask them questions that make them think.

The challenge is to help your loved ones to want to obey.  As we seek to strengthen families, it may take a long time, and we must be patient.

As companion to love, trust.

Keep your sharing of the Gospel simple.  The Savior is the perfect pattern for everyone in life.

Gay in the News: Loving My Apple

News reports disparage a Florida man who is claiming that he should be allowed to marry his Apple computer.

The claimant, Chris Sevier filed his complaint in the court hearing same-sex marriage arguments.  According to him,

Recently, I purchased an Apple computer. The computer was sold to me without filters to block out pornography. I was not provided with any warning by Apple that pornography was highly addictive and could alter my reward cycle by the manufacturer. Over time, I began preferring sex with my computer over sex with real women. Naturally, I 'fell in love' with my computer...

Sevier claims that government protection should be extended to "other minority sexual orientation groups" as with homosexual. He equates his thought process to gay couples having "the right to marry their object of sexual desire, even if they lack corresponding sexual parts."

Considered in the context of other rationales being argued to justify homosexual "marriage", such insanity makes perfect sense.

2014 BYU Women's Conference

More than 11,000 women from around the world were in attendance at the opening session of BYU’s Women’s Conference Thursday morning.  Speakers and classes were on the agenda through the day Thursday and Friday, May 2-3.

Several articles were published in the Church News regarding the conference.  Conference introduction, dealing with mental illness, bloggers sharing the Gospel through social media, counsel from General Women's Auxilliary Presidency, and new approaches to missionary work.

Transcripts will be made available here.

I am disappointed that such LDS women's events do not attract media attention.  12,000 faithful LDS women gather at BYU and nobody takes notice.  A handful of dissidents line up on Temple Square to attend the Priesthood Session even though they knew ahead of time that they would be turned away, and it gets national attention.  I suppose both groups have their reward.

April 2014 General Conference: Let Your Faith Show

Elder Russel M. Nelson offered counsel regarding our personal faith.  As he was travelling, the plane lighted the "fasten seat belt" warning. Seated near him, a hysterical woman was terrified and agitated by the turbulence they encountered.

Because faith is the antidote for fear, Elder Nelson said, "I wished that I could have strengthened her faith." After arrival, the woman's husband apologized for her.  He said the best reassurance he could offer was, "Elder Nelson is on this flight, so you don't need to worry."

In the challenges to our faith in the modern world, religion is the tie back to God.  Are we securely tied to God or something else?  Where is our faith?  Celebrities can fade.  Faith is always safe in Christ.  We need to let our faith show.

In his career, Elder Nelson faced medical challenges against his religion.  Medical associates asserted that he should not combine his medical practice and his religious faith.  Elder Nelson observed that truth is not divisible.  All truth emanates from God.  All truth is part of the Gospel.

He did not comply with the associates demands.  He let his faith show.

Full freedom cannot be experienced if it is constrained by men.  We experience problems as a result of putting priorities ahead of God. Danger lurks when we try to divide ourselves with expressions such as “my private life” or even “my best behavior.”

Evil, error, and darkness will never be truth, even if popular. A scriptural warning so declares: 

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.

Public opinion polls are informative, but cannot be grounds for violating God's commands, even if popular.  Notwithstanding the wisdom of the popular WWII song, 50 million Frenchmen CAN be wrong.

In 1986, President Thomas S. Monson said:

Of course we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. … Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with [faith] have courage as well.

Increase your faith, proclaim your faith, let your faith show!