For President Jones(and everybody else who asked either seriously or in jest)...Stake Conference Notes

This weekend was our stake conference and it was amazing. So amazing that more than a few people asked me if I was going to post my notes so that we could enjoy it again and again. I'm sure most of the people who asked were kidding (I mean, really, what don't I post about?) but I thought would toss a few of my notes up anyway to keep you all busy while I finish the wonderful post I am working on about my mom.





This is not my mom.

This is Elder Douglas L. Callister of the Second Quorum of the Seventy.

His talks were so amazingly wonderful that I just couldn't stop myself from trying to find more. So, here is a link to a conference talk he gave in October of 2000 and then the adaptation of that talk he did for the New Era .

And the words that follow are not the talks he gave over the last two days, just some very sloppy and incomplete notes I took during his talks. If any of you fellow branch-ers have any corrections or additions, feel free to put them in the comments section, OK? Cool.



SATURDAY EVENING SESSION

On being sealed together as a family: Remember that when life has been lived, all that really matters is that you belong to those who you love most.



On prayer: Our Heavenly Father knows best. We must make sure our prayers acknowledge that.



On current events and staying safe in these last days: It doesn't matter where you live in the latter-days, safety depends on covenant keeping not on geography.

The events of nature and the fulfillment of prophecies can not take from us any important things...only violating our covenants can do that.

We need to keep our eyes on the prophet and keep our ears attuned to his words. If we do what the prophet says and do it immediately, we will not be troubled in these last days.



On covenant keeping: To be blessed like Abraham, we must be tested like Abraham. A sister in the Czech Republic was cut off from the Church for 47 years, yet she faithfully set aside her tithing and prayed that she would be able to turn it over to a priesthood leader before she died. She continued to set aside her tithing for 47 years because it was the one commandment (covenant?) she could keep by her self.

What ever the Lord asks us to do, it will never be too much...it will all work out if we keep our covenants.



SUNDAY MORNING SESSION

On temples: The temples were intended by God to be physical testimonies of Him.

How blessed we are that we may go up to the temple to be taught of the Lord.



On Missionaries: Be one of the great stakes in Zion that treats the missionary sons and daughters of God with great care.



On The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The distance between this church and every other religion is infinity.

We are not apologists for our leadership. We are not apologists for Christianity. We are not apologists for our doctrine.



On what we should teach: Our messages are at their most powerful when they are centered in the life and teachings of the Savior.



On taking the Sacrament: Taking the Sacrament is bearing testimony to a listening audience of One. You are witnessing to God that you will remember Him.



On being clean: Every one of us wants to return home and announce, "Father, I am home and I am clean."

This is not my mom either (you will have to tune in tomorrow or Tuesday to get to know her). This is my stake president, and these are the things he taught us we need to do in order to build hope and increase our faith. 1. Continue to be a missionary. (Doc. & Cov. 18)

2. Continue to serve no matter what situation we may be in (as we serve and give hope to others, our own hope grows)

3. Hold a current temple recommend and attend the temple often.

4. Don't pray for the Lord to change your circumstances. Pray for your faith to increase so that you can adapt to your circumstances (Dan Jones @ Devils Gate didn't pray for better food, he prayed for his stomach to be able to process the food he did have).

STAKE CONFERENCE ROCKS!