General Conference

Boy, does time fly. I can't believe how long it's already been since my last post. I need to make more of a habit of this, if only for my posterity and my writing skills.

Can I just say how much I needed General Conference this weekend. With very little going on in the world that's positive it was starting to wear on me. It's only half over and already I feel so much more hopeful and inspired. I can't wait for the other half. I'm even taking notes! I don't usually but by the second talk I realized that there were so many things I wanted to remember that I knew I would forget if I didn't write them down.

Times are different and you can tell by the talks. Elder Hales started it off talking about Provident Living. Even though Jaaromy's job is pretty secure I needed a reminder that wants and needs are two different things and that every time I go to the store I have to ask myself if this is the best use of my money. We still want to go to Russia in a few years and so far we haven't been able to save as much as we'd like. I need to give up the things I want now for the things I want even more.
Sister Lifferth's talk was great since I'm in the Primary but I also see it's broader application. Self-mastery, respect for others, and reverence for things that are important.
Elder Packer(Jr.) reminds us to live worthy of personal revelation which we all need in abundance right now.
I loved Elder Christofferson's talk about the world needing strong Christians. If we keep our Divine Covenants Heavenly Father will bless us and we will be the strong Christians this world needs.
President Erying reminds us that we all have adversity and Jesus Christ has the power to heal and comfort us.
Elder Ballard's talk was great. It is so relevant to things that are going on right now. As he said, there are many versions of the quote, but this is the one I remember. Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it. This is not a new idea for me but I didn't really grasp the implications until he said it. Society always has it's ups and downs but I hadn't really seen the bigger picture. We've been prospering for decades and centuries even and now we've grown prideful and we're ripe for some humble pie. Another sign this conference that things probably aren't going to get better anytime soon. It's funny to me that politicians think they are doing bold new things by inserting themselves into every facet of our lives and spending money like it's going out of style. But anyone who studies history can tell you that it's all been done before with negative results. But I'm not worried, this is just part of the cycle that so many civilizations have gone through. We will learn and grow and become even stronger for having gone through this and hopefully we will have taught our children what's really important because it's quite possible that times will be even harder for them. As Elder Pearson said: Faith and Fear cannot coexist and I'd rather have Faith.
And finally, as Elder Scott so beautifully illustrated: Go to the temple. We haven't been in a while and I know that my need for Conference wouldn't have been as desperate if I had been attending the temple more regularly. Jaaromy and I have decided that we're going to go once a month. We're going to schedule it on the same day every month so we don't forget.

It's only half over but already it has lifted me above the blues. I can't wait until tomorrow and I hope that it's been as wonderful for all of you as it has been for me.

PS. I hope you enjoyed the pictures I took from a recent trip to temple square. I'd like to post the rest of them, we'll see if I stick to it.