This is a General Conference Odyssey post on the most recent General Conference gathering: October 2018.

The whole church is abuzz over the big change to two hours of church. Who doesn’t like the idea of less church, less lesson preparation, and less stress in our callings? But what does this really mean for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

A “Home-centered and Church-supported plan” designed to help us focus on the true purposes of the Church.

His four challenges, given during the Women’s session, will help us commit to this new focus.

Participate in a 10-Day Fast from Social Media and Any Other Media Which May Produce Negative and Impure Thoughts.

We’ve all done this before, right? Does what we did before count toward this fast? Do you really want to shortcut the challenge? If you do, you might be missing the point of the entire challenge.

My immediate thoughts were that I personally am not addicted to my social media. I use Facebook to share my blog posts, and I have a few friends I like to connect with through this medium, but other than that … no, this is not a problem for me. But this time, he added other media that does things with our thoughts and mind.

Okay, that may be a problem for me. I admit it! I have become obsessed (oh! I hate using that word!) with a stupid game that I play on my phone every chance I get. Ugh! I’ve just been asked to wake up, confess to the word “obsessed,” and consider his suggestion.

He also asks us to “notice and record changes, experiences, and impressions during this time.” What does he want us to discover?

By putting down our phones, we might finally be focused enough to understand how the Holy Ghost speaks to us. His words are certainly worth noticing and recording.

Read the Book of Mormon Between Now and the End of the Year.

 Again, we’ve been asked to do this before. I remember being at the mall (I live in Utah) and overhearing various conversations of others discussing how they were accomplishing this challenge when Pres. Hinckley suggested it. It felt so unifying to know I was doing what they were doing, and we were somehow doing it together.

This time, we’ve been asked to mark verses referring to the Savior. Instead of using your familiar scripture books, why don’t you use your phone to mark those passages? These verses will now jump out at you and you’ll relive once again the spiritual feelings you felt.  

Attend the Temple Regularly and Make it a Habit.

This is getting easier and easier for all of us to do as temples seem to be blooming everywhere.  

Recently, I have become an Ordinance Worker. I have been a fairly frequent temple attender over the years, but as I’ve had to memorize the words of the ordinances I now am just beginning to understand exactly what I am covenanting. Next time you attend the temple, pay close attention to the words. You won’t get them all; that’s why you need to go often. Try memorizing the words you hear.

As I continue to learn the meaning of the beautiful words spoken inside the temple, I testify that these words have power and we are filled with that power as we begin to build our understanding.

Participate More Fully in Relief Society and Study the Current Relief Society Statement of Purpose.

Originally, I started this blog when I discovered that no one, including myself, knew the history of this inspired organization. Over the years, I have seen just how inspired the women in this church can be, and how Relief Society is meant to help us focus our gifts and talents to help build the kingdom of God on the earth.

Sisters, we are different from the world, and our prophet has just challenged us to find that difference and be inspired to act because of it.

Do we know what our purpose is? It has modified over the years, but it has never changed.

When Joseph Smith first organized the women, in this dispensation, he spoke to them specifically about the temple, and how the women could help in building the kingdom of God. His words can be found in the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo Minute Book. This book, kept by Eliza R. Snow, became our original Constitution (purpose) in establishing all future Relief Societies. (It can be read here and here.)

It was many years later, during Sister Mary Ellen Smoot’s term as president that a Relief Society Declaration was formulated, encapsulating our purpose:

We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction.

As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and Exemplar.

We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:
Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.
Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.
Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.
Delight in service and good works.
Love life and learning.
Stand for truth and righteousness.
Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.
Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation.

Sister Julie B. Beck pulled all of these ideas together in three words, refining it even more for us.

Increase in faith and personal righteousness.

Strengthen families and homes.

Provide relief by serving the Lord and His children.

Our purpose, most recently, has been modified by Sister Linda K. Burton to include more specifics as we retain our focus on the Savior.

“Relief Society helps prepare women for the blessings of eternal life (see Moses 1:39) as they 

-increase faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement;

-strengthen individuals, families, and homes through ordinances and covenants;

-and work in unity to help those in need.”

This is the most recent directive in our purpose as Relief Society sisters. As President Nelson stated: “(Relief Society) will help women to better understand their purpose at this precise time and their role in the gathering of Israel.”

God needs His daughters to focus on being agents for Jesus Christ. If we are sincere and truly desirous to obey the prophet it will be easy to control our social, and all other, media habits; read the Book of Mormon daily; attend the temple more and listen better therein, and follow through with the true purposes of our unique and focused Relief Society.