General Conference
I love General Conference. This one we spent with my family which was a rare moment for us. We were in Utah for a wedding and it became almost a week-long fest of family time. Since we were out of our normal element, I know I missed quite a bit. But that just makes me even more grateful for the next six months and the opportunity we have to study these messages. What a gift!
The sweetest moment of this General Conference was the solemn assembly. Our kids did not remember the last one in 2018. It was sweet to watch them as they participated in that special moment. I hope they remember the Spirit that was there as we sustained President Dallin H. Oaks as the Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As always, the messages were focused on our Savior, Jesus Christ – maybe even more so than normal because General Conference fell on Easter weekend. But the message that I heard over and over again was LOVE. Loving one another better and more genuinely. And loving our Savior and developing that relationship with Him.
I also felt a focus on our covenants again. This was a topic that I didn’t feel as much last conference but made a big surge again this conference. Something to think about.
The BIG THEMES I saw this conference were:
- Jesus Christ (always)
- Love
- Covenants
- Discipleship <– the main theme from last conference
- Adversity
- Atonement of Jesus Christ
- Easter
Alive in Christ
My heart was happy to hear the first message of President Dallin H. Oaks in a General Conference as our Prophet. I cannot begin to imagine the weight that lies on his shoulders. I am so grateful for the life that he has led that has put him in a place to be the Lord’s spokesperson on the earth for this time.
In his message, he spoke of our Savior and His resurrection and all that this special Easter season is about. And he spoke of love – that theme I saw over and over again. But specifically, what I felt from his talk was about PEACEMAKING. Seeing those around us with eyes like our Savior. To see others as children of God because that is exactly what we all are. To look past our differences (which the world loves to make us feel are so big) and just love.
Invitations
- Follow [Christ] by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers.
- In our families and other personal relationships, avoid what is harsh and hateful.
- Seek to be holy, like our Savior.
Prompting
I want to live peaceably and lovingly. I want to be a peacemaker in all of my relationships. So the next six months (and hopefully always) – it’s all about loving people. It’s about opening my eyes to the hearts of those around me. Letting love come to the front every time.
My Favorite Takeaways
“The conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity changes the whole perspective of our mortal life. It affects how we look on the physical challenges of mortality. It gives us strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love. It signifies that mortal deficiencies are only temporary! It also gives us the courage to face our own death or that of loved ones – even deaths we migth call premature.
Our belief in the Resurrection also encourages us to fulfill our family responsibilities in mortality. It helps us live together in love in this life in anticipation of joyful reunions and associations in the next.
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, taught us how to relate to one another. The great commandments in the law, He taught, were to love – God and neighbor.
Today we migth say that we are commanded to love our adversaries. All mortals are beloved children of God.
Each of us can strive to follow our Savior in His teaching about how to relate to one another.
As followers of Christ, we should seek to live peaceably and lovingly with other children of God who do not share our values and do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed. In a democratic government we should seek fairness for all.
We can follow the example of Jesus Christ, who is our role model, by choosing to love others – even if they show little or no love toward us.
Peacemakers! How it would change the world if followers of Christ would forgo harsh and hurtful words in all their communications.
My brothers and sisters, as followers of Christ, let us follow Him by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers. In our family and other personal relationships, let us avoid what is harsh and hateful. Let us see to be holy, like our Savior.”
FULL text and video of President Dallin H. Oaks’ message can be found HERE.
