More Ballard and Scott

“Finding Joy through Loving Service” April 2011

This Talk focused on charity and why it should be such a focus in our lives. It also spoke heavily on missionary service.

“Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, no matter how much we try to make it complicated. We should strive to keep our lives similarly simple, unencumbered by extraneous influences, focused on those things that matter most.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

“By treating each other kindly, speaking words of support and encouragement, and being sensitive to each other’s needs, we can create loving unity among ward members. Where charity exists, there is no place for gossip or unkind words.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

“Through our heartfelt kindness and service, we can make friends with those whom we serve. From these friendships come better understanding of our devotion to the gospel and a desire to learn more about us.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

“In all of our service, we need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The still, small voice will let us know who needs our help and what we can do to help them.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

Much like the first talk, this one was also inspiring. It is great how Elder Ballard is so passionate about missionary work. Love should be our motivating factor in everything we do and it is what we should be focusing on improving in our lives, well mine in particular!

ELDER SCOTT

“For Peace at Home” April 2013

This Talk focused on how we can make our homes Christ-centered and the good that come out of doing that.

“One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“Be certain that every decision you make, whether temporal or spiritual, is conditioned on what the Savior would have you do. When He is the center of your home, there is peace and serenity. There is a spirit of assurance that pervades the home, and it is felt by all who dwell there.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“Be obedient to the prophetic teachings Christ would have you follow. Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead of applying sound gospel principles. Remember: little things lead to big things. Seemingly insignificant indiscretions or neglect can lead to big problems. More importantly, simple, consistent, good habits lead to a life full of bountiful blessings.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“Greater peace will come as you couple your efforts to be obedient with serving those around you. So many individuals who have what they perceive to be meager talents humbly and generously use those talents to bless the lives of those around them.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“As you center your home on the Savior, it will naturally become a refuge not only to your own family but also to friends who live in more difficult circumstances. They will be drawn to the serenity they feel there. Welcome such friends into your home. They will blossom in that Christ-centered environment. Become friends with your children’s friends. Be a worthy example to them.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“We need to trust in the Lord and in His timing that a positive response to our prayers and rescue efforts can occur. We do all that we can to serve, to bless, and to submissively acknowledge God’s will in all things. We exercise faith and remember that there are some things that must be left to the Lord. ”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“We need not worry if we can’t simultaneously do all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“The Joy of Redeeming the Dead” October 2012

This Talk focused on the responsibility we have to do our own ancestors work in the temple.

“Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received. The First Presidency has declared, “Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors.””
Elder Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, October 2012 General Conference

“temple Worship: the Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need” April 2009

Elder Scott is very passionate about this topic. He talked about temple attendance and why we should make it a priority in our lives, and what we can do to make our temple attendance more meaningful.

“When a temple is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the temple. Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in temple ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan. This pattern will guarantee that those who live in the shadow of a temple will be as blessed as are those who plan far ahead and make a long trip to the temple.”
Elder Scott, Temple Worship:, April 2009 General Conference

“I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?”
Elder Scott, Temple Worship:, April 2009 General Conference

“What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent.”
Elder Scott, Temple Worship:, April 2009 General Conference

Personal Realization thanks to Elder Ballard

ELDER BALLARD

“Put Your Trust In The Lord” October 2013

“the Lord is hastening His work. In our day this can be done only when every member of the Church reaches out with love to share the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“Make the decision to do what Jesus Christ has asked us to do.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord’s errand. While the outcome is a result of the exercise of one’s agency, sharing the gospel is our responsibility.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“You don’t have to be an outgoing person or an eloquent, persuasive teacher. If you have an abiding love and hope within you, the Lord has promised if you “lift up your voices unto this people [and] speak the thoughts that [He] shall put into your hearts, … you shall not be confounded before men;”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“ I realize that some of you may feel heavy laden, but I pray that none of you would ever feel that reaching out in normal, pleasant ways to share the gospel would ever be a burden. Rather, it is a privilege! There is no greater joy in life than being anxiously engaged in the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

This talk was really inspiring! I have had missionary opportunities before and kind of did my best for the church, but for some reason it just clicked that the reason that we should be wanting to do missionary work is because of love! I know this is super old news and everyone knows that, but it really just hit me. And it made me realize that if I was more loving and my friends knew that what I do is out of love, I would be more successful. For some reason I have a hard time putting my thoughts and feelings into words (vocal words more so than written). Because of this, I have a hard time expressing my feelings, whether it be of apology, gratefulness, love, etc. This is probably why I do not share the gospel as much as I should! This talk made me realize that Heavenly Father will help me if I try. That is all we need to do, try.

Elder Nelson

ELDER NELSON

“Decisions for Eternity” October 2013

This Talk focused on the effects of the decisions we make, the importance of our decisions, what should influence our decisions, and family.

“Recently I heard a chorus of children sing the beloved song “I Am a Child of God.” I wondered, “Why haven’t I heard that song rendered more often by singing mothers or faithful fathers?” Are we not all children of God? In truth, not one of us can ever stop being a child of God!”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 General Conference

So true! We are all dearly loved children of our Heavenly Father and we should never forget that! It is not only children who benefit from being children of God but it is all of us!

“Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple. That truth—refreshed gratefully each day—can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine your destiny. How could this be? Because your body is the temple for your spirit. And how you use your body affects your spirit. Some of the decisions that will determine your eternal destiny include: How will you choose to care for and use your body? What spiritual attributes will you choose to develop?”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 General Conference

Seeing our bodies as temples can help us make beneficial decisions for our temporal and spiritual health. Sometimes it is hard to see our bodies as temples because we often only see the imperfections and wish that our bodies were different somehow but this precious gift from God should be seen as just that, precious! Seeing your body as a gift and then treating it as such can and will have great positive effects on our health and spirituality!

“God implanted strong appetites within us for nourishment and love, vital for the human family to be perpetuated. When we master our appetites within the bounds of God’s laws, we can enjoy longer life, greater love, and consummate joy.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 General Conference

Desires are not bad! They are divine! We just need to “master our appetites” which is possible with help from the Lord and through the atonement!

“We can change our behavior. Our very desires can change. How? There is only one way. True change—permanent change—can come only through the healing, cleansing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He loves you—each of you!”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 General Conference

I feel like this is something that is very difficult for us humans. Permanent change. But the atonement is there for us if we will use it! Heavenly Father wants to see us succeed so He will help us through our difficult times if we ask him. We cannot be above asking for help, we all need it at one point or another!

“My dear brothers and sisters, each day is a day of decision, and our decisions determine our destiny. One day each of us will stand before the Lord in judgment. We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes, and how we honored God’s pattern for marriage and family. That we may choose wisely each day’s decisions for eternity is my earnest prayer in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 General Conference

                               

“Living by Scriptural Guidance” October 2000

This talk talked about why we need guidance, where we can get it, and how we can achieve it. The scriptures were the answer to all of these questions.

“He provided a guide—a spiritual road map—to help us achieve success in our journey. We call that guide the standard works, so named because they—the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—constitute the standard by which we should live.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Living by Scriptural Guidance, October 2000 General Conference

Heavenly Father loves us so much, He did not just send us down here to fend for ourselves, He sent us down here with a map. I feel like often, mankind is just like that, men, who never ask for directions and thinks that maps are beneath them. Being humble and putting our pride aside is a huge factor in our general success in this life.

“In your journey through life, you meet many obstacles and make some mistakes. Scriptural guidance helps you to recognize error and make the necessary correction. You stop going in the wrong direction. You carefully study the scriptural road map. Then you proceed with repentance and restitution required to get on the “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.””
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Living by Scriptural Guidance, October 2000 General Conference

                               

“To feast means more than to taste. To feast means to savor. We savor the scriptures by studying them in a spirit of delightful discovery and faithful obedience.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Living by Scriptural Guidance, October 2000 General Conference

Feast! I know I do not do this enough! Yeah sure I read the scriptures every day, but do I feast? No. Should I be feasting? Absolutely. Especially in a spirit of delightful discovery! I love that phrase! No matter how many times we have read the scriptures and think we know what is in them, we simply do not.

“As you ponder and pray about doctrinal principles, the Holy Ghost will speak to your mind and your heart. From events portrayed in the scriptures, new insights will come and principles relevant to your situation will distill upon your heart.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Living by Scriptural Guidance, October 2000 General Conference

Such a great promise! We all need insights relevant to our own situations. We can gain those insights from the events portrayed in the scriptures!

“Time for scripture study requires a schedule that will be honored. Otherwise, blessings that matter most will be at the mercy of things that matter least.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Living by Scriptural Guidance, October 2000 General Conference

                                Just do it!

“Perfection Pending” October 1995

“We all need to remember: men are that they might have joy—not guilt trips! We also need to remember that the Lord gives no commandments that are impossible to obey. But sometimes we fail to comprehend them fully.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Perfection Pending, October 1995 General Conference

“Mortal perfection can be achieved as we try to perform every duty, keep every law, and strive to be as perfect in our sphere as our Heavenly Father is in his. If we do the best we can, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Perfection Pending, October 1995 General Conference

“No accountable individual can receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom without the ordinances of the temple. Endowments and sealings are for our personal perfection and are secured through our faithfulness.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Perfection Pending, October 1995 General Conference

“Meanwhile, brothers and sisters, let us do the best we can and try to improve each day. When our imperfections appear, we can keep trying to correct them. We can be more forgiving of flaws in ourselves and among those we love. We can be comforted and forbearing. The Lord taught, “Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now … ; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are perfected.””
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Perfection Pending, October 1995 General Conference

Elder Oaks

“Followers of Christ” April 2013

“Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Followers of Christ, April 2013 General Conference

I love this. It is a direct call to do better in our lives. We should be constantly emulating the light of Christ. It should be on our minds in every choice we make and every action we make. That is a tall order but it is possibly and we need to do our best.

“In our efforts to rescue and serve, we follow our Savior’s unique example and tender teachings about love: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39). He even commanded us to love our enemies (see Luke 6:27–28). And in His great teachings at the end of His mortal ministry, He said: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34–35).”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Followers of Christ, April 2013 General Conference

Charity is the pure love of God. Which is what we should always strive to emulate. We are human, thus it is sometimes hard to love our neighbors. But Christ loves us and sees our eternal potential and we should at least try to see others as their Father in Heaven sees them. I also love the last part, people we know that we are Christians by the way we treat other people. They will know us by our fruits.

““We are the children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16–17). This means, as we are told in the New Testament, that we are “heirs … of eternal life” (Titus 3:7) and that if we come to the Father, we are to “inherit all things” (Revelation 21:7)—all that He has—a concept our mortal minds can hardly grasp. But at least we can understand that achieving this ultimate destiny in eternity is possible only if we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, who taught that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Followers of Christ, April 2013 General Conference

I love these references stating that we are children of God and will inherit all that he has. Elder Oaks is so right when he says “A concept our mortal minds can hardly grasp” I have thought that phrase so many times. It is just mind blowing to think about the possibility of our eternal future! Our Heavenly Father loves us so much and we have the opportunity to live with Him again if we only follow Christ and what He has taught us! It’s fantastic!

“When we worthily partake of the sacrament, we are promised that we will “always have his Spirit to be with [us].” To qualify for that promise we covenant that we will “always remember him””

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference

I love this quote because I never really put two and two together. If we always remember Him, we will always have His Spirit to be with us! Because obviously if we are remembering Him, We are not going to be doing sinful and stupid things. We will do what is right, and thus have His spirit with us!

“But the good news is that no one needs to follow the evil, downward descent to torment. Everyone caught on that terrible escalator has the key to reverse his course. He can escape. Through repentance he can be clean.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference

                                Yay Atonement!

Seeking Riches

“Our prosperity brings some real challenges because many are getting rich, more of us are waxing fat, and as a result of greed, selfishness, and overindulgence, we could lose the Spirit and literally kick ourselves out of the Church. Money and material things are on the minds of almost everyone. As Morris Chalfant wrote: “The great [question] of the twentieth century is, ‘How can I acquire wealth?’ No question occupies a larger place in the minds and … hearts of … people today than this. … This is true of men in every station and in every walk of life.”
Elder Joe J. Christensen, Greed, Selfishness, and Overindulgence, April 1999 General Conference

“If we are to be self-reliant and in a position to share, obviously we must acquire some resources. If we live within our means and avoid debt, resources can be accumulated. There are those with average incomes who, over a lifetime, do amass some means, and there are those who receive large salaries who do not. What is the difference? It is simply spending less than they receive, saving along the way, and taking advantage of the power of compound interest.”
Elder Joe J. Christensen, Greed, Selfishness, and Overindulgence, April 1999 General Conference

“The more our hearts and minds are turned to assisting others less fortunate than we, the more we will avoid the spiritually cankering effects that result from greed, selfishness, and overindulgence. Our resources are a stewardship, not our possessions. I am confident that we will literally be called upon to make an accounting before God concerning how we have used them to bless lives and build the kingdom.”
Elder Joe J. Christensen, Greed, Selfishness, and Overindulgence, April 1999 General Conference

“You need not be either rich or hold high position to be completely successful and truly happy. In fact, if these things come to you, and they may, true success must be achieved in spite of them, not because of them. It is remarkably difficult to teach this truth. If one who is not well known, and not well compensated, claims that he has learned for himself that neither fame nor fortune are essential to success, we tend to reject his statement as self-serving. What else could he say and not count himself a failure?”
President Boyd K Packer, The Choice, October 1980 General Conference