Conference tecrus::mormonism

I thoroughly enjoyed Conference this past weekend. Perhaps some of you 
would like to share your thoughts and reactions. I, for one, would 
like to make a point about the talk that Elder Dallin Oakes gave on 
Sunday afternoon.

Basically, he said that in this world, there are so many people who 
claim to have come to know Christ, yet there is such huge variety in 
their views. He referred to 'Last Temptation' and the debate it has 
caused. He mentioned the cover story in Time magazine which talked 
about how so many people have come to view Christ as 'fully human' or 
as just a good man and/or teacher. Some of those with these views are 
mainline Christian ministers, many of whom have gone so far as to 
defend that movie as being 'enlightening' or 'uplifting.'

Elder Oakes pointed out that these people have only the Bible to go 
on. They reach their conclusions - honestly, I'm sure - based only on 
what they read there, coupled with their own wisdom, and the teachings 
of men.

Thank God for the Book of Mormon, which is *another* testament of
Jesus Christ, his life, AND HIS DIVINITY! For those of us who *know*
through personal witness from the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon
is true, there can be no debate. Jesus *is* the Christ, the way, the
truth and the light and life, the only begotten and living Son of God
the Eternal Father, the one who provided the Atoning Sacrifice that
allows us to be reconciled to the Father, the one who was then
resurrected from the dead and thereby conquered death for all mankind,
who loves us more than we can comprehend! 

Elder Oakes elaborated on this theme with great force and eloquence, 
and I look forward to reading the text of his talk in next month's 
Ensign. In the meantime, I am grateful for his words, which have 
illustrated plainly *why* we refer to the The Book of Mormon as
"Another Testament of Jesus Christ." 

A brother in Christ,
/kevin

    My reaction to General Conference was a feeling that the General
    Authorities were calling us to live a "higher life", that is a life
    dedicated to things of an eternal/spiritual import; to leave behind
    the carnal things of this world and to "come unto Christ" and "have life
    abundantly".  While listening to the speakers, I felt as if time
    had been suspended and for a moment I was living in a loftier world.
     I really hated to see it end and have to  re-enter this imperfect
    earth.  My wife also had a similar feeling and we attended different
    sessions.  This feeling of partaking of something from a loftier
    world permeated both the Priesthood Session and 
    the Sunday Morning session I saw.
    
    Did anyone else have a similar feeling?
    
    Paul
          

    I *really* enjoyed Conference!  Among other things, I found Thomas
    S. Monson's talks to be tear-jerkers as well as uplifting.  Also,
    the Tongan choir from the Saturday morning session sang 'We Thank
    Thee, O God, for a Prophet' first verse in English, and other verses
    in their native tongue.  That was a real tear-jerker.  They cut
    a shot to President Benson and you could plainly see that he was
    moved to tears.  Also, President Benson's concluding remarks were
    some of those warnings that we all need right now from the Lord.
    You could tell that the message was coming from One who could see
    what is in store and was interested in sparing His children much
    of the grief to come.  Another message coming through was the
    need to use the Book of Mormon more and not take it so lightly.
    
    
    Steve

    The Tongan choir sang in the Saturday afternoon session.  I remember
    because my wife and daughter were home napping while I watched.
    I, too, was touched when they sang in there native tongue.
    
    scott

    How do I put into words the very special feelings I had inside of
    me while watching General Conference.  These same feelings occur
    every single time I watch General Conference. They begin with opening
    prayer.  I fill up with overwhelming joy that I finally have all
    truth and that I am a Mormon.  I then begin to fill up with tears
    of joy and gratitude that the Lord saw fit to bless me with a
    spiritual experience 5 years ago to bring me to all this truth.
    I then search frantically inside my heart and soul not knowing how
    to thank my Father in Heaven and his Son for calling me to all of
    this beautiful truth.  A simple "Thank You Father for all the joy
    and truth you have brought me" simply does not seem enough to say.
    I find myself chocked up with emotion and on the verge of tears
    every now and then throughout conference.  The Spirit bears such
    trememdous testimony to me that I did the perfect and most correct
    thing when I converted to Mormonism on April 10, 1983.  The talks
    enrich my life and give me the 'gasoline' my engine needs to help me
    endure to the end.  I have such love for our Prophet that I wish
    that we all had the chance to wrap our arms around him and hug him like
    a father or grandfather and whisper in his ear "I love you".
    
    Sister Penny  

Oh, Penny, Penny, Penny. I love you so much. *Thank* you for that
note! You put into words a lot of the feelings I had and I'm sure a
lot of others have. Especially when you said: 

>    I then begin to fill up with tears of joy and gratitude that the 
>    Lord saw fit to bless me with a spiritual experience 5 years ago 
>    to bring me to all this truth....A simple "Thank You Father for 
>    all the joy and truth you have brought me" simply does not seem 
>    enough to say.

I started to well up with tears. It *is* like that. It's like you're
the millionth person to walk through the doors of some department
store, and a huge fuss is made and you are showered with gifts. 

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have such infinite love for us! There
really isn't any way to adequately thank Father for a gift of this
magnitude. The best solution I have yet found is in sharing the gift
with others. The gift is thus multiplied, and the giver and the
recipient rejoice together. 

For all the times I've disappointed the Lord, I know I'll have to
answer, and that will be tough to bear, knowing that the Lord loves me
even so. But for those times when I've been able to share the joy of
the gospel and be an instrument for bringing souls unto Christ, I know
that at least for that, the Lord will someday tell me, "Well done."
And the thought of hearing that simple, brief praise from the Savior
just makes absolutely everything worthwhile. 

With love from a brother,
/kevin 

From:	GILROY::"lds-request"  8-OCT-1989 17:06:23.90
To:	gilroy::lds 
CC:	
Subj:	Conference Jeopardy 

Introducing Conference Jeopardy: The Home Version! For several years
Conference Jeopardy has only been available in the Pittsburgh First Ward
priesthood meeting the Sunday after general conference, but now, thanks
to the miracle of electronic mail and computer networks, you can play at
home, or in the office. Perfect for family home evening, or your local
quorum meeting.

Our categories for this 159th Semi-Annual General Conference are:

	A: All Things Are Numbered
	B: Quotable Quotes
	C: Heavenly Visions
	D: Potpourri

And here are the answers for "All Things are Numbered". Oh, but first
our lead off scripture chase scripture, perhaps the most quoted
scripture at conference:

	And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which
	will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare
	repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls
	unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom
	of my Father.
	
A1: 3-7 years
A2: 3.5 million
A3: 100
A4: 15
A5: 35 words 
A6: 10 years

Category B: Quotable Quotes

B1: "what a miserable excuse"
B2: "you'll be old for a long time"
B3: he said it was the "capstone" of his career
B4: "carry on"
B5: "one of those guys who hangs on the walls at seminary"
B6: he said that "the intensity of the battle for the souls of men will
increase"

Scripture chase #2:

	Pure religion and undefiled before God and
	the Father is this, To visit the farherless and
	widows in their affiction, and to keep himself
	unspotted from the world.

Category C: Heavenly Visions

C1: Ensign Peak
C2: while he was in a coma, he saw Christ and his
    crucifixion and resurrection
C3: windows
C4: "Star light, star bright"
C5: that's what mission president Stephen Wright saw in his dream
C6: that's the reason Elder Scott gave for why God
    sometimes withholds answers to our prayers

Our last scripture chase:

	But behold, from among the righteous, he
	organized his forces and appointed messengers,
	clothed with power and authority, and
	commissioned them to go forth and carry the
	light of the gospel to them that were in darkness,
	even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the
	gospel preached to the dead.

Category D: Potpourri

D1: The Supreme Court
D2: "To them of the last wagon"
D3: they publish anonymously
D4: Elder Benjamin Banks told of a personal experience with
    this sport to make a point about being prepared
D5: Jane B. Malan
D6: murmuring

And the questions are:

A1: How long were missionaries called to serve during Brigham Young's
time?

A2: How many people on average visit Temple Square each year?

A3: In how many countries are LDS missionaries currently serving?

A4: Elder Carlos Amado was one of how many children?

A5: When the 1981 edition of the scriptures came out, what change was
made to Alma 32?

A6: For how many years did the Utah town of Orderville practice the
United Order?

B1: How did President Gordon B. Hinckley describe the statement that the
Word of Wisdom doesn't explicitly prohibit drug abuse?

B2: What did Elder Bachman say to the youth in asking them to be patient
about observing the law of chastity?

B3: How did Victor L. Brown describe his service as president of the SLC
temple?

B4: What were Bruce R. McConkie's dying words to his wife?

B5: According to a teen-aged boy, who is Dallin Oaks?

B6: Who is M. Russell Ballard?

C1: From what place did Brigham Young and others survey all of Salt Lake
Valley shortly after arriving there?

C2: What was David B. Haight's unusual experience?

C3: What was the motif/theme of President Monson's address Sunday
morning?

C4: What nursery rhyme did Pres. Monson quote from start to finish?

C5: What are the two missionaries who were killed in Bolivia, ushering
the spirits they've taught in the spirit world into the yet unbuilt
Bolivian temple to watch as their temple work is done for them?

C6: What is the statement that sometimes the Lord will require us to
act, based on our faith, without prior confirmation -- with the
understanding that the Lord will let us know before we go too far in the
wrong direction?

D1: To which branch of government did Elder Faust compare the First
Presidency's right to interpret God's word?

D2: What was the famous talk by Pres. J. Reuben Clark to which Elder
Dallin Oaks consantly referred and drew parallels from?

D3: What do some Amish do to draw less attention to themselves?

D4: What is cycling?

D5: Who was the only woman to speak in conference (and who gave one of
the best talks)?

D6: What did Elder Neal A. Maxwell talk about?

Scriptures:

D&C 15:6
James 1:27
D&C 138:30


For a few years now, Conference Jeopardy has been one of the most
popular Elder's Quorum lessons in our quorum. It's a lot of fun to
teach, and gets me to attend conference. Let me know if you enjoy it too.

--david

         One thing alone will stand the test of all time, of all
         tribulation, all trouble and all transgression. One thing only
         never faileth -- and that is the pure love of Christ. 
         
         Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

         I realize that nothing in the entire plan of salvation compares in
         any way in importance with that most transcendent of all events,
         the atoning sacrafice of our Lord. 
         
         Elder David B. Haight

Comments anyone?