The Spirit of God Like a Fire...Part 3

How could anyone listen to General Conference and not be motivated to be a better person? How I wish that every wavering soul, every person out there searching for some hope could or would listen to modern-day prophets, seers, and revelators speak Heavenly Father's will to His children! Wow, all I can say is "wow!!! The spirit truly DID burn within this heart! Greg and I wrote down many impressions each of us had and then talked about them at length on our way home from Salt Lake after his business conference. But the challenge is not to just talk about them but to actually make some changes! It drives me nuts how I can make resolutions and then let them go by the wayside so quickly...maybe not totally, but let a day slip by here or there without keeping those commitments. I am doing better than before conference, so that is good...I just need to kick the ol' "deceiver" behind me! I love the Atonement more each day because every day I realize a little more how much I need it! Some of my favorite talks and what I personally learned:

• Elder David Bednar: "What we know is not always manifested in what we do." (That one speaks for itself!)
• Elder Dallin Oaks: "Heavenly Father's choicest blessings are reserved for those who keep His commandments...mercy cannot rob justice. God will not forestall the agency of ANY of us." (So I have my agency to choose, but in making wrong choices, I deny myself choice blessings that Heavenly Father would give me if I had chosen better.)
• Elder Neil Anderson: "Come Unto Him and be spiritually wrapped in His arms of mercy, safety and love." Through repentance we replace guilt with joy. Repentance is a journey like running into the wind." (I love that! Yes, that is exactly what it is like!)
  
• Pres. Henry B. Eyring: "Some of us mistakenly believe we're good enough"! (We are not!) We need to be optimistic about who we can become and take hope in the invitation to be like Him. (It is a commandment to be perfect but it will not happen in this life. That, however, does not excuse me from repenting every day and trying to make a little progress.)
• President Thomas S. Monson: "What did you do for someone today?" (Have I done any good in the world today? Be sure I do something for someone in need every day) I loved this talk...just further evidence that his is a very personal ministry and he is our prophet today to teach us this concept.
• Elder Jeffrey Holland: One of the greatest calamities of our day is even those of the covenant , the very elect, will and are being deceived by the enemy of truth. The Book of Mormon is the counter-offensive against Satan's attack. Elder Holland bore the most powerful witness of the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph that I have EVER heard. (The spirit burned in my soul and I could not deny what I felt. I have listened to this talk 3 times since and feel the fire of his testimony. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God!)
• Elder Dale Renlund: "We become casual at our own peril...if we have experienced a change of heart, can we feel so now?" We must do the basic daily things we have been commanded to do in order not to become casual. We might ask ourselves the many questions in Alma 5 as a biopsy of our spiritually changed hearts. (I loved this idea! I'm going to do that.) This was a great talk worthy of studying again and again.)

There were many more...these were just the highlights for me.

My General Conference Goals: ( I am writing them here so I am committed!)

1. DAILY personal study and prayer. Read out of the Book of Mormon daily.
   
2. Be a better Sunday School teacher by contacting each child not there by the end of Sunday and trusting the spirit to take the lesson where it needs to go.
3. Be more diligent and concerned at home.
4. Be sure I do something of service for someone every day.
5. Once per month ask myself the questions in Alma 5.
6. Study Preach My Gospel and answer the journal questions to help me be a better missionary
7. Pray that "walls" will come down both in our stake and around the world for missionary work.

Now, we'll see how I do.