Monday, April 05, 2010

Insights...

I did enjoy conference - I always do!

I enjoy insights and feelings that come to me as I listen to the brethren. I jotted down a few...

* As I exercise faith, it is the will of the Lord that must be obeyed. I have faith in Jesus Christ, not in the outcome that I desire.

* Sometimes I need to put the immediacy of my desires on hold for now. Without patience, I cannot know God!

* Sometimes it is in waiting, not receiving, that I grow the most.

* I need to be more spontaneous, particularly with spiritual matters in teaching my children.

* Love is a great thing. Lust, though maybe more understood as to why in my particular case, is keenly hurtful to my wife. I need to keep a better balance.

* There is no doubt: the resurrection is not just a nice hoped-for dream. Instead it is really real!

* Prayer works when it is in harmony with the spirit and the spirit prompts what I should ask.

* I need to apply every aspect of knowledge I have to the solution of my problems and then ask God to bless that application of my knowledge.

I was very much touched again by the Priesthood men choir. I was especially moved to tears by the rendition of "Hold to the Rod" done in a slower, more deliberate tempo. I was humbled as I was filled with the impression that though things aren't perfect, that I am often consumed with doubts and overcome by fears, that the Iron Rod is still within grasp.

I was blessed to attend Priesthood with my son. This may be the last in a long time for me to attend with him. I enjoyed watching him become enlivened with attentiveness and personal insights - much more so than in the past. It is so rewarding to see him grow, mature, and become an independent man.


I enjoyed observing and reveled in the male bonding "touch" between the First Presidency.

I was taught by the spirit that I need to be more humble, more patient, more loving, more spontaneous, more faithful.

Nothing earth-shattering. Nothing amazingly new or profound. Not surprising, but, I still find myself longing for something more from the Prophet, and yet, as I say that, I ask myself why I seek more when I don't do more with what I've already received.

10 comments:

John Gustav-Wrathall said...

I wish I had been able to participate in conference... Though thanks for sharing these highlights. All great lessons that I could benefit from at this time.

Because family stuff makes it difficult for me to attend all of conference every 6 months as I would like, I've subscribed to the (relatively cheap) service of having recordings of conference sent to me on DVD. Then I'm able to watch conference when I have time later. I look forward to that...

Beck said...

JGW: Your weekend was full in many ways and you were obviously where you needed to be. Conference is still going to be there, even on DVD.

j4k said...

JGW,

Don't forget its already up online.

http://www.lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-1207,00.html

Kengo Biddles said...

How did I miss that? That's awesome. I love President Uchtdorf - he's such a genuine, good man. If you have the chance to meet him, ever, take it. He's incredible.

I loved conference. I'm hoping to post something about it soonish.

Ned said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ned said...

BECK: I love your post and agree with the highlights you've noted. It seems to me it was also a conference without the usual negatives of railing against gays. Even Dallin Oaks refrained from his usual rants. Maybe, just maybe, there's more change than we suspect going on at 47 East South Temple.
; )

Beck said...

NED: You're the eternal optimist! I try to be and follow your example, but I just can't go as far as you on this comment about the brethren being more refrained. Maybe they just didn't want to beat on the issue anymore. Maybe they have beaten it enough that it's time to move on. Maybe they didn't even give it a thought.

But, whatever the case may be, I wouldn't read to much into it.

Sarah said...

Maybe they have just realized that speaking about the subject gets them a lot of negative publicity. They have made their stance known, and now it is time to let the air clear a bit.

I believe that there are some good discussions and efforts going on at church headquarters, but Scott doesn't think we will see much of anything come from it for a long time.

We know of someone in the gay equality community that was asked to read "The Divine Institution of Marriage" and give his own insight as to things that are incorrect or offensive to him.

Baby steps, but steps nonetheless.

Beck said...

SARAH said: "Baby steps, but steps nonetheless..."

Thanks for that.

And I'm grateful for the pause in the rhetoric and the "air clearing a bit".

Sarah said...

Me too, Beck, me too. I was extremely grateful.