notes from 2007's Ed Week

If I had gone to Ed Week, I probably would have arrived home a little while ago. I'm so glad I wasn't cramped up in the car today.

Here are the good parts of 2007:

Paul R. Warner

I must realize that my personality limitations do not make me a bad person.

A healthy person leans to their strengths, an unhealthy leans to their weaknesses.

Harold B. Lee--some leaders are called to test and some are called to lead.

Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

He is no fool which gives up that which he cannot keep. (we will all die, so give our lives to the Lord)

Brad R. Wilcox

There is repentance. But just as real as the atonement is, is the pain that accompanies repentance.

Sex is like an apple--before we are married it belongs to God. When we marry, He gives it to us. If we use it outside of marriage, we are stealing.

Having an entrance requirement to the temple doesn't make it a secret...then every university is a secret cult since they have entrance requirements)

See the temple as an ark--our salvation depends upon it.

Scott C. Marsh

Read Alma 32-35 like it's a $500 book on how to receive prosperity.

Steven C. Harper

To consecrate does not necessarily mean to give away, but to sanctify, to devote service to God.

If we are ignorant of the truth, it is easy to believe false doctrine.

I'm to make the most of myself so that my offering is more.

Robert L. Millet

Elder Dallin H. Oaks--The judgment is an acknowledgment of the final effects of our acts and thoughts--what we have become.

Don't judge--don't attribute motivation to others.

If we become conscious of our own righteousness, we are giving ourselves our own reward.

Elder Richard G. Scott

Use consistently and this will be of most benefit:

Throughout the remainder of my life, I will seek to learn by what I hear, see, and feel. I will write down the important things I learn and will do them.

We labor to recognize the Spirit. If it were ours just for the asking, we would become weak.

Easy things never produce much beneficial fruit.

We will never be prompted to do something we cannot do--it may be difficult, but we can do it.

Satan distracts us with acceptable things to keep us from the essential. Give the cream of your efforts to the essential.

Forced obedience yields no enduring fruit. Entreat, prompt, encourage--it's how They deal with us.

Pres. Spencer W. Kimball--A testimony is not an exhortation; a testimony is not a sermon (none of you are there to exhort the rest); it is not a travelogue. You are there to bear your own witness....We'd like to know how you feel.... Just tell how you feel inside. That is the testimony. The moment you begin preaching to others, your testimony has ended. Just tell us how you feel, what your mind and heart and every fiber of your body tells you.

Alonzo L. Gaskill

Elder Neal A. Maxwell--Eden was not an ideal place. One couldn't walk by faith--it was pointless.

The scriptures (revelation) are the seed bed of revelation (more scripture). As you reflect again and again, the Spirit works on you.

The better the heart and the better the mind, the better the revelation. Puny preparation precedes puny revelation.

The spirit of revelation likes ordinances--baptism, sacrament, temple--so, participate in those so it increases your opportunities for revelation.

You get what you have prepared yourself to receive.

Not to write down your personal revelations is to lose them and treat them lightly.

Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley--Don't be a pickle-sucker.

Don't go near the forbidden tree if you don't want to eat from it.

Sin is not wishing to become like God but wishing to be your own god.

Marianna E. Richardson

Alfred Edersheim--Trials are God's veiled angels.
--What we call disappointments are not, only God's appointments.
--The only profitable study of scripture: to realize their application.

Steven A. Tersigni

As we acquire His Spirit, we acquire His attributes...which is a better way to do it rather than having a goal to work on an attribute/month.

How many people even ask-Father, what would you have me do that I'm not currently doing?

Joseph F. McConkie

We don't gain exaltation by mastery of laws. Law is not God's partner, but His servant.

If you reject light, you must accept darkness in its place. There is no neutral ground in eternal things.

Kevin R. Miller

Remember telling is not teaching and told is not taught.

Mark D. Ogletree

Ezra Taft Benson--Much of the rock music is purposely designed to push immorality.

Randall Wright--If you fight any battle, fight the music one.
--It seems very strange that we place dead-bolt locks on our doors to prevent evil people from entering into our sacred homes and then we turn around and invite the same type of people in through television programming.
--Most success in life is found just by showing up and sticking to the task at hand.

The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.

When a Nephi stands up to pressure, there is always a Sam that will follow.

Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley--Open your homes to the friends of your children. If you find they have big appetites, close your eyes and let them eat. Make your children's friends your friend.

Brother Lynn D. Johnson

Bruce Williams--I always celebrate when something bad happens If something good happens, there's no need to celebrate as something good has already happened.

People are the happiest when they are involved in a challenging, stretching activity that they can handle (too much leisure does not bring happiness...or too much stress).

We've made it to Ed Week 2006

OK, this makes 6 down with 2 more to go.

A. Lynn Scoresby

Yale President said we are drowning in a sea of information but starving for knowledge.

We don't have a testimony because of activities at church, but they give a chance to build relationships that lead to testimony.

A sin is a sin because it hurts people.

S. Michael Wilcox

If the Savior asks or invites, the assumption must be: "I can do it."

Sometimes it seems like we are asked to do impossible things: reject and resist every temptation; overcome addiction; change our character, personality, thought patterns; master a talent; fulfill an unwanted calling; forgive the unforgivable; trust a God who allows incredible suffering and cruelty; consecrate all you have; let go prejudices, biases, hatreds; work ethically in a dog-eat-dog world.

If He asks me, He's going to help me.

Sometimes the grace that God gives us is just the ability to try again--not remove the problem.

The real you is you at your best, not at your worst, and that is how God sees us and how we should see each other.

Sometimes we try to walk on water that God never wanted us to. Don't walk on the wrong sea.

Michael W. Allred

Whether or not they had a personal spiritual experience is what kept youth from being delinquent--not FHE, etc, but we have FHE, etc, in hopes they will have a spiritual experience.

Elder Scott--I am now much less moved to help people with the things that I have learned. Rather I am powerfully motivated to share with them how the lessons were learned.

Scriptures should be our original source. Read and ponder more what the Lord said and less what others have said about what the Lord has said. (Ezra Taft Benson?)

Randall A. Wright

Jesus' strongest rebuke was to those who buried their talents.

There never was a revelation without a question first.

The piece of advice given by Harold B. Lee to Marion G. Romney when Pres. Romney was called to be an assistant to the Twelve--If you are to be successful as a General Authority, I will give you one piece of advice: Go to bed early and get up early.

It takes more discipline to go to bed early than to get up early.

Advertisers use target marketing...placing ads when the desired demographic will be watched. BMWs and Mercedes are advertised at 5 am and Yugos at midnight.

Joseph F. McConkie

The issue isn't whether God loves you--that's a given. The issue is whether He trusts you or not.

Missionaries that are released are now agents unto themselves. Can they continue to grow as when an instrument?

Jack S. Marshall

Pres. Howard W. Hunter--Despair, doom, and gloom are not acceptable for LDS...there is no excuse for pessimism and despair...things have been worse and they will always get better...sounds like we all ought to go and eat a big plate of worms.

We are not called in this life to be successful in all things but faithful in all things.

When we do inappropriate things, He doesn't go--"Oh, golly, perhaps the Celestial Kingdom is too high for you. Maybe your goal should be the Terrestrial Kingdom."

He doesn't give up on us. He doesn't grow weary.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell-We hold people hostage whom God long ago had forgiven.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions...but so is the road to heaven.

We ask for faith, not infallibility.

James L. Carroll

For added computer safety--have a credit card with a low limit on it. Use it for your e-commerce business and don't let the company raise your limit.

William J. Vincent

Remember when exercising: When in doubt, "under do it." You don't want to dread exercise because it's hard. No pain, no gain is not true. You don't want to sweat profusely, but just a little bit.

At least 1/3 of cancers are from poor diet and physical inactivity.

The greatest risk of exercise is not doing it.

Gary L. McCallister

Art (including music) develops the brain for abstract thinking (science does not). Education in the arts is more that about the arts. Art grows the brain and allows for better thinking in math and science.

There are 3 things you can do that work to develop the brain and mind of young people: music, computers, and legos.

More than any other activity, music prepares the brain for higher thought.

Kurt W. Mortensen

Burying your emotions is like changing your outer clothes every day but not your underwear--you look OK from the outside but eventually you can't hide the stench.

Being resentful (holding a grudge) is like drinking poison and hoping it will hurt your enemy.

Stephen G. Aldana

70% of all deaths are due to lifestyle choices: tobacco, lack of physical exercise, and poor diet are the 3 main causes.