General Conference October 2012

It is always amazing to me what we glean from conference if we choose to LISTEN. How many times have we had conference on and gone about our routines without REALLY listening? I think the same could be said of going to CHURCH or reading...really READING our Scriptures. I was just listening to Elder Holland and the inflections in his voice as he talked about the Savior talking to Peter... "Peter, do you LOVE ME?"  And how do we take this to our life? We cannot merely listen with mortal ears, we cannot casually partake of the gospel. I want to participate in the gospel the way Elder Holland does. He is a giant, a spiritual giant and WHY? Because he sees the picture. He has a deep relationship with the Savior and with his Heavenly Father. He loves them with all his heart and his convictions and actions show that in all that he does. Elder Holland does not debate whether to do something else over serving the Savior.
I love his words and his testimony.
After President Eyrings talk I know that I can petition the Lord in a different way to have blessing and answers come into my life. Sometimes we need to be reminded that if we ask differently, if we submit to the Lord's will for us, great blessings than we can ever imagine will be bestowed upon us.
We have to step it up. The Call is to Come unto Christ, to stay true, to love God. Be loyal to Heavenly Father in every stage of your life.

Some ways to do this are to have daily meditation, daily quiet time to ponder the things in our lives, and to write them down. Next take time from that meditation to be prayerful. THINK before we PRAY....We know that the Lord holds blessings for us that are conditional to being given on our asking. THINK about what you are going through and what you need help with. And then practice LISTENING and FEELING the HOLY GHOST. If you don't identify it in your life then how do you know when you are feeling it? Figure out how that feels for you. I feel the Spirit in different ways. Sometimes I am washed over in a peaceful blanket. Sometimes I hear a still small voice in my mind and I feel peace in my heart. Sometimes the spirit speaks in a voice of warning. UNDERSTAND how it feels and works for you.

Read from the scriptures, read and STUDY them. Ask yourself, "what does this mean?" "If this were being taught to me today, how would I receive it, how would it impact me" And know that the scriptures are also found in the words of the prophets today. Study the Ensign, the New Era, the Friend magazine. Listen to BYU devotionals and read the Church News. Go to the Church website www.lds.org and to mormon.org. Ponder and read and pray.
The ONLY way to know if this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the ONLY true church on the earth, is to get down on your knees and ASK God for your self. and then LISTEN.... Listen ... It may take days, weeks or months to get an answer. But do not stop trying until you have an answer, one way or another.

God lives and he loves each of us. He knows of our needs, He is waiting for us to talk to him. As President Monson said (Prophet of the Church) " God is in the details of our lives". Yes he is.

I am grateful for my membership in the True Church. I am grateful to see miracles daily and to see prayers answered. I am grateful for opportunities to share this with my friends. Please ask, please ask members of our church and please STOP those awesome Young Men out on their bikes serving missions. They will answer you and so will we. :D