In Pres. Monson’s parting address at the close of the April 2011 General Conference, he said, “As we receive the issues of the Ensign and Liahona magazines which will contain these messages in written form, may we read and study them.” For several years now, I have read the talks, underlined key points, and promptly forgotten what was said. This year I decided to read, underline, and categorize, with the idea of actually remembering and possibly doing something about what I read. So, here is what Conference said to me.
We hear many topics throughout Conference. Some are geared directly to us, as though the Lord were conducting a personal interview through, say, Elder Scott, who looks right into the camera and into your soul (his wife suggested he do that, and boy is it affective), and others indirectly affect us, as a gentle reminder to watch ourselves, because others are always watching. Either way, it amazes me to know that “no man or woman who speaks here is assigned a topic. Each is to fast and pray, study and seek, start and stop and start again until he or she is confident that for this conference, at this time, his or hers is the topic the Lord wishes that speaker to present regardless of personal wishes or private preferences.” (Elder Holland)
As I’ve gathered together the main points of each of the talks, it seems to me they have all pointed to one basic message: If the Gospel is true—and it is—we need to live it and share it.
Including the Young Women Meeting talks, there were nine talks that directly addressed living what you believe without fear. Ten talks told us clearly that because the gospel offers eternal life we need to share it with everyone around us. We were reminded to have Faith, Desire, Hope, and Trust. “People do good and important things because they have testimonies. While this is true, we also gain testimonies because of what we do” (Elder Samuelson). Pres. Eyring said, “Your testimony will grow in breadth and in depth as the Holy Ghost confirms that they are true. Your living testimony will expand as you study, pray, and ponder in the scriptures…In your testimony and your choices lies the hope of the Church and of the generations who will follow your example of hearing and accepting the invitation of the Lord: “Come, follow me” (A Living Testimony).
There were several talks mentioning the anniversary of the Welfare Program and the need for continued service. We were reminded, “It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service—the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today. When this pure love of Christ—or charity—envelops us, we think, feel, and act more like Heavenly Father and Jesus would think, feel, and act. Our motivation and heartfelt desire are like unto that of the Savior.” (Elder M. Russell Ballard)
Pres. Monson opened Conference with the announcement of three new temples, urging us to go to the temple. “May we continue to be faithful in performing such ordinances, not only for ourselves but also for our deceased loved ones who are unable to do so for themselves.”
In the Priesthood session, Pres. Monson lamented the significant number of cancellations of sealings requested. He told a story about a couple who constantly argued with one another. He was inspired to invite them to attend a marriage sealing in the Salt Lake Temple. The sealer spoke to the new husband that “he should treat [his bride] with respect and courtesy, honoring her as the heart of the home.” And to the bride he said, “honor [him] as the head of the home and be of support to him in every way”. The troubled couple walked out of the temple hand in hand with a remembrance of their own wedding day and the covenants they had made in the house of God. “They were committed to beginning again and trying harder this time around.”
It was mentioned several times that Young Single Adults are not doing their duty by marrying. We all laughed when Elder Scott said, “I feel sorry for any man who hasn’t yet made the choice to seek an eternal companion, and my heart weeps for the sisters who haven’t had the opportunity to marry.” But having a marriage as beautiful and fulfilling as his was (and still is) is not funny at all, but enviable. I hope our young people get their act together, and the adults could learn a thing or two also.
Pres. Monson closed the Sunday morning session again with a message of the temple. He spoke of the great sacrifice members have made to seal their families in the temple. “Eighty-five percent of the membership of the Church now live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple, and for a great many of us, that distance is much shorter…your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in our busy lives to visit the temple regularly.” He continued with these pleading words: “Do nothing which will keep you from entering its doors and partaking of the sacred and eternal blessings there…Each of our temples is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and as certain as is our life here on earth. I so testify. May we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and to have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and in our homes.”
In his parting address, he reiterated all the messages of the speakers, “May we be good citizens of the nations in which we live and good neighbors in our communities, reaching out to those of other faiths as well as to those of our own. May we be examples of honesty and integrity wherever we go and in whatever we do.”
His last words were of the Savior: “To the depths of my very soul, I am grateful to Him. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. He secured our salvation.”
We may study and teach some of the talks in our Relief Societies, but there is something very important in finding out what the message is for each one of us, and then we must take it to heart. I urge each of you to study the Conference addresses so that you know what to do with your membership. Your messages may be different than mine. Being LDS is a lot of work and our ladder awaits.