Favorite Conference Quotes

Spring Break was wonderful even though we didn't do much. Sometimes slowing down is marvelous and all that we need. One of the simple joys of life is not having to set the alarm clock.

Andrew turned 24 this week. It's less than 3 weeks until he graduates from college now. Wow.

So, it's General Conference weekend...and today is Ryan's 20th birthday. I hope he's having a great day in Natchitoches. I can't wait for his email tomorrow.

Conference was so uplifting. It truly was a great weekend--10 hours of instruction in the comfort of my own home. Another simple joy. Here are some quotes I really liked.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:

"In addition to teaching, encouraging and cheering people on — that is the pleasant part of discipleship — from time to time these same messengers are called upon to worry, to warn and sometimes just to weep — that is the painful part of discipleship.They know full well that the road leading to the Promised Land ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ of necessity runs by way of Mount Sinai flowing with ‘thou shalts’ and ‘thou shalt nots.’”

Sister Linda K. Reeves:

"The greatest filter in the world, the only one that will ultimately work, is the personal internal filter that comes from a deep and abiding testimony of our Heavenly Father's love and our Savior's atoning sacrifice for each one of us."

"It's okay if the house is a mess and the children are in their pajamas and some responsibilities are left undone.The only things that really need to be accomplished in the home are daily scripture study and prayer and weekly Family Home Evening."

“A friend recently cautioned me saying, 'When you ask the sisters to read the scriptures and pray more, it stresses some [them?] out. They already feel that they have too much to do.'... The blessings of daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening, these are the practices that help take away stress, give direction to our lives, and add protection to our homes."

Elder Neil L Andersen:

"The peace of the Savior subdues the swirling whirlwinds of the world."

President Henry B. Eyring:

Heavenly Father and Jesus "never force righteousness because righteousness must be chosen. They make righteousness discernible to us and they let us see that its fruits are delicious."

Elder W. Craig Zwick:

Destructive words can take a situation from hazardous to fatal.

Elder Quentin L. Cook:

Our family history centers are now in our homes.

 Elder Dallin H. Oaks:

Forget about "rights" and concentrate on "responsibilities."

President Donald L. Hallstrom:

Who we are is not who we can become.

 Elder Randall L. Ridd (one of my favorite talks this conference):

Be where you are when you are there. (not multitasking)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (always one of my favorite speakers):

“Often we devote our best efforts in pursuit of a hobby, a sport, vocational interests, and community or political issues. All these things may be good and honorable, but are they leaving us time and energy for what should be our highest priorities?”

“Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not an effort of once a week or once a day. It is an effort of once and for all.”
 
All commandments are given to make blessings available to us.

"Those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace and understanding."

In the end there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings.

Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes.

President Thomas S. Monson:

Be the same person in the dark that you are in the light.

Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval.

"Blame keeps wounds open. Only forgiveness heals."
  
Sister Jean A. Stevens:

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a checklist of things to do; rather, it can live in our hearts. The gospel is not weight; it is wings. It carries us.”

Elder David A. Bednar:

"Sometimes we mistakenly may believe that happiness is the absence of a load. But bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of happiness. Because our individual load needs to generate spiritual traction, we should be careful to not haul around in our lives so many nice but unnecessary things that we are distracted and diverted from the things that matter most."

Elder L. Tom Perry:

 “Strong, proactive obedience is anything but weak or passive. It is the means by which we declare our faith in God and qualify ourselves to receive the powers of heaven. Obedience is a choice. It is a choice between our own limited knowledge and power and God’s unlimited wisdom and omnipotence.”

Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge:

Why did they not leave the Savior alone? The truth will always be opposed.

Elder Michael John U. Teh:

"It is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough. It we are not careful, we will begin to chase after the temporal more than the spiritual."

Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis:

Satan distorts the purpose of good things, like the internet. “Satan can keep us busy, distracted and infected by sifting through information, much of which can be pure garbage. One should not roam through garbage."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson:

"Having redeemed us from the Fall, our lives are now, in reality, His."

And from Women's Conference last weekend:

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom:

“As we strive to keep our covenants, our feelings of inadequacies and imperfection begin to fade, while the ordinances and the covenants of the temple come alive. Everyone is welcome to walk that path to eternal life.”

Sister Bonnie L Oscarson:

 

“We as women can be particularly hard on ourselves. When we compare ourselves to one another, we will always feel inadequate or resentful of others."

“If there are barriers, it is because we ourselves have created them. We must stop concentrating on our differences and look for what we have in common; then we can begin to realize our greatest potential and achieve the greatest good in this world.”

Sister Linda K. Burton:

 

"Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: 'All the easy things that the Church has had to do have been done. From now on, it’s high adventure, and followership is going to be tested in some interesting ways.'"

President Henry B. Eyring:

"I will speak tonight about the path...that we must take on our journey back to our Heavenly Father. That path is marked by sacred covenants with God. I will talk with you about the joy of making and keeping those covenants and helping others keep them."