GENERAL CONFERENCE

 

                                                                                                                                                                      

GENERAL CONFERENCE                                                                                                            OF THE  CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

                     

I didn’t always like General Conference.  Oh, when I was a teenager, it was a great adventure when my folks would let me with my cousin Lynn Butterfield use Conference as an excuse to go alone to Salt Lake City. Our dads both worked for Union Pacific Railroad, and we could ride the train for free. We would board the train at midnight from Rawlins, Wyoming, where we lived and travel all night for a 9 am arrival in SLC.  (This was the 60’s. No one was worried about our safety like you would be now!)  Lynn’s married brother Roger lived there, as did five of my sisters.  We usually crashed at my sister Marcie’s apartment since she was a student in SLC and had no entanglements with husband and family. 

 

Ostentatiously, we were there for Conference.  In those days Conference lasted three days and included the Sunday closest to the 6^th of either April or October.  Maybe Sunday was the first day or the last day of the proceedings.  But we crammed in shopping trips—Z.C.M.I. (Utah’s department store) and all the other stores were up and down Main Street, not clustered in Malls as they are now—and always a visit to Keeley’s, a popular little hole in the wall that served delicious sandwiches and delectable ice cream sundaes.  We could only afford one treat there each time.  But Conference time was sale time for the merchants, and I always went back to Rawlins with at least one pair of shoes from Baker’s or one of the other now long-gone shoe stores. 

 

Once in a while, we would stand in line and jostle for seats in the Tabernacle.  Most of the time if the weather was nice, we would sit on the lawn and “listen” to the talks, then try to get a glimpse of President McKay as he left the Tabernacle.  David O. McKay was the Prophet for a long time when I was growing up.  Got a lot out of that.  RIGHT! 

 

Years later as a BYU student, groups of us would go to Temple Square for Conference (by then it was only a two-day affair) and sit on the lawn visiting with each other. Got a lot out of THAT, too.  Oh, I had my favorite speakers.  But still no impact on me.  Even when Conference began to be broadcast over cable television in my Wyoming hometown and our Sunday meetings were cancelled so we could stay home and watch, I wasn’t really interested.  In fact, I used to dread those long hours in front of the TV.  My dad would insist I come out from my room to the front room and watch with the family—he who didn’t even go to Church!  Did I get anything out of it?  I doubt it.  I always used to watch in my pajamas, and doze off or daydream, waiting until I could be “released”. 

 

I am not sure when Conference began to take on a new dimension in my life.  I suppose it was when I had sufficiently matured to understand  the scriptures better and know that the General Authorities were the “prophets” spoken of in those books.  Maybe it was when I started putting something into Conference—not as George Washington put it, “going like an empty bucket to be filled.”  Like actually being present while I was listening!  That was when I noticed some of those talks had something for me to learn from and apply in my own life. 

 

Marvin J. Ashton’s talks were always about the temporal side of life—personal finances and relationships.  I could relate to those things.  One April I remember watching Conference from my hospital bed the morning after my 4^th baby Jeremy was born and being so grateful when President Kimball spoke of food storage that I could hold my head up because we had a good amount in place.  I remember Elder Packer’s talk about spiritual crocodiles, President Benson’s landmark address about pride, Elder McConkie’s testimony of Christ (and I just felt he was going to be dead soon—and he did die just days later) and others on and on through the years.   I remember the eloquence with which Elder Maxwell spoke about being disciples of Christ and feeling that maybe, just maybe, I might be on the road to being one.  Too many General Conference memories to list.  But now I look forward to Conference.  I want to hear the broadcast, I feel uplifted when I read the talks during the following months. And since I spend a lot of time in my car, I listen to the CDs of past Conferences featuring both the spoken word and music from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. I appreciate these spiritual influences.

 

I have changed.  And these days I am grateful for the Lord’s direction to us in this way.  We can’t go wrong in listening to and implementing into our lives the principles which the Prophets present.  That I am a better person for making Conference an important part of my life is readily apparent to me. Of this I testify and encourage you to make Conference meaningful this October 1^st and 2^nd.  Session times are Saturday 10am, 2pm and 6pm   Sunday 10am and 2 pm. Streamed live on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the church’s General Conference YouTube channel, though there are many other platforms that will be streaming the broadcast.

Russell M. Nelson, Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will preside at the two-day conference this weekend.

The WISDOM in Proverbs...

 

 Proverbs....

I recently studied the book of Proverbs in the  Come Follow Me

curriculum for Sunday School for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

 Saints.  It was an uplifting endeavor.

Proverbs is full of the familiar sayings that we still hear quoted

 frequently in our time, such as: “Train up a child in the way he should

 go, and he will not depart from it” and “A soft answer turneth away

 wrath” as well as “A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a Medicine”.  That one

 has been a favorite of mine for a long time.

Attributed mostly to the writings of King Solomon, this is one of the

 books in the Old Testament that are referred to as “wisdom literature”.

  It’s almost like a manual of parental advice, words of wisdom for us to

 help us and our children navigate life.

Emily Belle Freeman said that 

“...this wisdom literature was written with a concept of “thinking through” which involves bringing in other opinions, reaching out to God for answers, and noticing the fruits of the decisions we’ve made.”

I could see that as I read Proverbs.  In the very first chapter of the book

 of Proverbs, are these words:

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverbs 1:8).

So, as I was studying this book in the Old Testament and rereading some

 little gems I hadn’t thought of for years, I found myself also thinking

 about the words of wisdom my own parents imparted to me as I was

 growing up.

When I left to go to Brigham Young University, my dad said, “Now,

 Georgia, just because everyone there belongs to our Church doesn’t

 mean they believe the same.”  I scoffed.  “Oh, Dad!”  But it turned out

 he was right!  That was something I had to “think through” when I saw

 my roommates and other students doing things that I had been taught

 were clearly not part of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Even watching

 them do something like housework or shopping on Sunday made me

 stop and look around to see what other people were doing and what

 other opinions people had about how to spend the Sabbath day.  I made

 a conscious decision to continue living the way I had been taught

 because I felt better, doing “Sunday” things on Sunday and staying

 away from what I had been taught were not “Sunday” things.  That

 brought peace for my week.

I remember one thing my mother requested when I was growing up was

 that I come home from playing with a friend at the reasonable time she

 had specified.  I didn’t always like that rule, and sometimes I would cal

l home and ask if I could stay longer.  I can’t think of too many times my

 mother said it was okay.  Usually she would reply, “Now is a good time

 to leave when you’re still having a pleasant time and enjoying each

 other’s company.  You’ll be better friends.”  And she was right, too.  Just

 like my dad had been.   Spending too much time together often led to

 quarrels and sometimes even sneaky behavior both my friends and I

 knew wasn’t the best idea. Again, it was checking out other people’s

 opinions and determining the consequences of the decisions I was

 making even when I got older, and I didn’t have my mother nearby

 suggesting that it really was time to come home at the specified hour. 

Both of these pieces of advice found their way into the way I parented

 my own children.  And THAT, is when I could really see the wisdom of

 my parents' humble teachings.

I’m sure you have similar experiences with the “wisdom literature” your

 parents shared with you and how you share some of that wisdom with

 your own children. 

In October 1983, Marion G. Romney who was a counselor to President

 Spencer W. Kimball in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ

 of Latter-day Saints said, “ … What we desperately need is to

 recognize and acquire that quality which converts knowledge

 into wisdom.”

Consequently, my invitation to you and to me is to think about the

 lessons from Proverbs and keep on “thinking through” everything that

 comes our way, check out other opinions, seek answers from God, and

 keep track of the results of the decisions we have made. If we do, we

 will acquire that quality which converts knowledge into wisdom.  Then

 we will be able to continue to share that wisdom with our family and

 others in order to better navigate life.

BREAD...

    

BREAD is like the Sun...

It Rises in the "YEAST"

and Sets in the "WAIST"

Saw this little axiom on some marquee somewhere and laughed out loud!  

I LOVE bread.  It is literally the stuff of life for me.  But it is also the reason why I no longer have a waist.  Do I want a shape, or will I be content to just get thicker and thicker and thicker around the middle until I roll out of my turn on earth since I have no willpower to pass it up?

And I wonder, will there be bread in heaven?  

Just pondering....

OOPS!!!

                 The "all-seeing eye" that let me slip out of it's gaze....OOPS!

 I went to a different WalMart a few weeks ago and checked out the Garden Shop to see if there was any inventory that was on sale.  There was...including a good-sized shrub to replace the one that died over last winter.  And at a quarter of the price it was in early Spring!  What a bargain...

As I was going through the self check-out however, the replacement sale tag had faded from water exposure and the bar code couldn't be read by the electronic eye.  After I had scanned all the other items in my cart, bagged them, and put them into the cart, I motioned for the clerk that I needed help.  Wow!  Not only did she assist me in making sure the shrub was entered on the tally for the things I had purchased, she also gave me an earful!

The clerk told me that she was SO sick of the garden department and that she was SO happy they were clearing everything out within the next few days.  Then she added that there was going to be NO Garden Shop next year.  This was the beginning of August, and I thought that seemed early to get rid of all the remaining plants.  And there were A LOT of them still in the Garden Shop.  This was one Wal Mart store which over the years has had the best plants including flowers and shrubs.  I have often purchased my own garden treasures there.  I wasn't too keen on the news that there wouldn't be ANYTHING next year.

I asked her if that was just her store or if that was the plan for all the other WalMart locations around the country.  She said she didn't know.  It only mattered that SHE wasn't going to have to deal with them anymore, trying to get the price tags to scan and putting up with the inconvenience of plants not ready for check out.  

That particular WalMart store is set up a little differently than the one I usually go to which is closer to my house.  So, after she finished her diatribe--which also included there were going to be no more plastic shopping bags anymore after the first of the year--I thanked her for her help and left the store through an entrance immediately next to the self-checkout.

As I was putting the shopping bags into my car, though, it suddenly hit me that I hadn't PAID for the stuff I bought.  That woman was so completely in my face with her sad tale of woe, that I forgot to click on the PAY NOW button.  I had walked out of the store with a cart full of unpaid merchandise!  

I turned around to see if the store cops were on their way to apprehend me.  They weren't.  But you can believe I did double time getting back into the store with my credit card in hand to take care of my error!  I was sure at any point the long arm of the law was going to reach out and nab me.

It was a different clerk at the self-check registers when I got back.  Very embarrassed and red-faced, I told her what had happened.  After checking around a bit, she found a message that the transaction had been a "walk-off" or some such thing.  (There was a special name for it.)  I hurriedly paid, all the while apologizing profusely for not paying attention and walking out of the store without having paid before.  The new clerk was really nice and said not to worry about it.  I had taken care of it, and that was that.  

I felt like such an idiot, as it was a pretty big OOPS!  

But all's well that ends well.  And my new shrub looks great on the front porch!

PS   Over the following weeks I have been in several other WalMart stores, specifically to check out the garden department.  Some of them WERE completely empty.  A clerk at one of those locations told me that she actually wept when they came in and cleared out all the living plants and put them into the trash.  It was such a waste, she said.  However, many of the other stores still have many plants--brand new selections for the upcoming fall months with autumn colors to enhance any fading blossoms that are nearing the end of their season in home gardens.  I bought a couple of them myself the other day to fill in a space in my own yard.   

I thought again how blessed we are to have such beautiful surroundings to enhance our turn on earth.  What a loving Creator we have!

AGENCY

 There is a lot of talk in the world about "free-will" and having the RIGHT to do what you want when you want.   People over the ages, and most assuredly now in our ME culture, claim there really is no right and wrong, that everything is nothing more than moral relativity.  If it feels right, go ahead and do it.  And the world be damned because it is personal choice that no one has any business interfering in.

 I was taught and have always believed this ""free-will" or agency as it is spoken of in the scriptures, is one of the most glorious gifts a loving Heavenly Father has given us.  And that it carries with it a responsibility because there ARE consequences.  

I recently read this definition which I think really spells out how this powerful behavior can be a tool for good.  It is from an address given by Randy D. Funk in the April 2022 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

Perhaps it speaks to you, too!

   THE GIFT OF AGENCY IS NOT SIMPLY 

      THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, 

 IT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT.

PIONEER DAY!

 

I come from Pioneer stock.  

My ancestors on both my mom's and my dad's side of the family came West with the Mormon Pioneers in the mid 19th Century.  That is a fact that I have always been proud of.  My parents both spoke so highly of the stupendous accomplishment their grandparents and great grandparents two or three generations back who pretty much walked the 1,000 plus miles from Illinois to Utah--and some of them did that barefoot!

So, when hard things have happened in my life, I often remarked that I come from Pioneer stock, if they could do hard things, so can I.  And I have often reminded my own children, when they have been in the face of difficulty or are being confronted by challenges that seem overwhelming, with the same reminder of their Pioneer heritage.

Today is PIONEER DAY .  It marks the day the first members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley as emigrants.  That was in 1847.  Their guiding principles continue as the great qualities which have marked sacrifices for countries, families, members of congregations, and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide.

Though our contemporary challenges are different from those faced by earlier pioneers, many are just as dangerous or difficult, or formidable as were theirs.  Just clothed a little differently.  Here are just a few.

WOLVES:  not prowling animals, but drug dealers, pornographers, and unsavory video and audio experiences in music, movies, and video games.

ILLNESS:  we have the blessings of modern medicine to help cure us from disease and accidents, but we have recently suffered a pandemic which kept the world confined and off-kilter.

PHYSICAL HUNGER:  now we could face spiritual hunger if we choose to listen to the world's rhetoric

WORK:  pioneer children did incredibly hard physical labor to survive their surroundings.  Now many of our children face the ABSENCE of hard work.  This absence has brought about a change in "discipline, responsibility, and self-worth".

And what was it that enabled those early pioneers to wade through so much adversity?  FAITH!

To quote Dallin H. Oaks, "They stepped forward into the unknown:  a new religion, a new land, a new way of doing things....they stood fast against formidable opposition."  Their efforts were part of what made their still fairly new nation great in a unique way, and in turn also changed the world.

Many other great qualities are evident in these pioneer ancestors.  They are a lack of selfishness, unflinching service, cooperative unity, and persistence to continue in the face of adversity as they patiently continued onward mile after mile after mile across the Great American Desert and endured to the end.  They also left a legacy of inclusion:  no one was left behind (they went back for those who couldn't leave initially) and on the trail no day ended until everyone was accounted for--including the stragglers.

As my children were growing up, we looked forward to celebrating Pioneer Day.  It was one of our favorite Nichols Family parties.  We played pioneer games, ate pioneer food on tin plates, wore pioneer clothes, and ate out on our "prairie", then enjoyed favorite pioneer stories and songs around our "campfire".  Sometimes we invited the neighbors who also joined in the fun with a true pioneer spirit. I miss those days with my children and grandchildren celebrating this important occasion.  

Today it is just Louis and I, but I have had a true Pioneer spirit as I reflected on the enduring principles that continue to have a profound effect on how I meet my current challenges.  How blessed I am!

Long live the pioneers...anyone who prepares a way for others to follow!

TALKING A LITTLE ABOUT THE WEATHER....

When Jeremy was a small boy and I would suggest maybe he might like to go out and play on a beautiful summer day, he would say, "It's too hot outside."  And, on a cooler day when I made the same suggestion, he would usually say, "It's too cold outside."  One day in frustration, I asked him just what kind of day he would like.  

"Medium.   I just want it to be medium."  

And that is exactly how I feel!  I would just like a nice 85 degree day in the summer with pleasant sun, no wind, and beautiful blue sky.  

But the bad thing about weather in the Rocky Mountain West is that it is constantly changing.  What is forecast in the morning--for example a lovely day, not too hot and not too cold--can be totally different by noon.  Sometimes I find the forecast has changed to something entirely opposite: windy with possible thundershowers and only partial sun.   There is always something about the weather that isn't stable.  And it can't be depended on for any length of time.

However, I recently saw a weather forecast that never changes.  It was on the marquee of one of the local churches in the area.  

WEATHER FORECAST

GOD REIGNS

JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS SHINES

Now THAT's the kind of forecast I like!

And how about this weather forecast that gives others around us something they can depend on.

THE BEST TEMPERATURE YEAR 'ROUND 

  IS A WARM HEART AND A COOL HEAD!

No wonder researchers say that "weather" is the number one topic of conversation!  There's always a little something to talk about....