Our Heartfelt All

I am so very grateful that this talk by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf is our final spotlighted talk from this last general conference because it left a powerful effect on me. It encompassed what really spoke to my heart this last conference, the subject of discipleship.

This topic has really weighed on my heart a lot the last six months – which is probably why Mark and I felt impressed to have that be our family’s theme for this next year. But Elder Uchtdorf brought together two things within discipleship that has always been difficult for me to understand.

We know that as disciples of Jesus Christ we are to become like Him. A goal that feels impossible – and it is without Him. But I have found myself discouraged when we are so “flawed” by our human natures and can feel like we are not making any progress.

But Elder Uchtdorf shares the standard for which the Savior measures discipleship, “our offering may be large or it may be small, but either way, it must be our heartfelt all.” What’s important is that we give all that we can. And that is going to look different at different times of our lives! Our objective simply has to remain firm, to follow the Savior and return to our Heavenly Father. If that is our goal, the goal that all other goals that we make for ourselves should follow, then we are doing okay.

This summer I have been struggling. I have felt completely overwhelmed. My internal feelings have just felt in chaos. It has felt impossible to find any sort of balance in my life. But Elder Uchtdorf gave me just what I needed to hear {even though I am still working on it}. He said, “If we want to find balance in life, and if we want the Savior to lift us heavenward, then our commitment to Him and His gospel can’t be casual or occasional…Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not just one of many things we do. The Savior is the motivating power behind all that we do. He is not a rest stop in our journey. He is not a scenic byway or even a major landmark. He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Jesus Christ].” That is the Way and our ultimate destination.”

Becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ is an eternal pursuit. It is the most important thing we can do. It it WHY we are here. To prove ourselves. And some days, it’s not going to feel like much – and I am feeling that a lot lately. But I think all our Father in Heaven cares about is that we continue to show up, every day, putting Him first.

*** I’ve been doing these conference spotlights for a little while now, and last conference (when I finished my final talk) I added a conference round up. It was a wonderful opportunity for me and I wanted to do it again. So after my “Highlights” from Elder Uchtdorf’s talk, you will find that. Thank you for being here – I know we are stronger together. ***

Highlights

“The Savior taught us how offerings are measured in His kingdom…To the Lord, the value of the donation was measured not by the effect it has on the treasury but by the effect it had on the heart of the donor.

The Savior gave us a standard to measure our discipleship in all of its many expressions. Jesus taught that our offering may be large or it may be small, but either way, it must be our heartfelt all.”

How to distribute your time and energy among your many important tasks will vary from person to person and from one season of life to another. But our common, overall objective is to follow the Way of our Master, Jesus Christ, and return to the presence of our beloved Father in Heaven. This objective must remain constant and consistent, whoever we are and whatever else is happening in our lives.

If we want to find balance in life, and if we want the Savior to lift us heavenward, then our commitment to Him and His gospel can’t be casual or occasional…We must offer Him our whole souls. Our offering may be small, but it must come from our heart and soul.

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not just one of many things we do. The Savior is the motivating power behind all that we do. He is not a rest stop in our journey. He is not a scenic byway or even a major landmark. He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Jesus Christ].” That is the Way and our ultimate destination.

“Your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It requires both sacrifice and consecration.

It requires letting some things go and letting other things grow.

Sacrifice and consecration are two heavenly laws that we covenant to obey in the holy temple. These two laws are similar but not identical. To sacrifice means to give something up in favor of something more valuable.

We all have things, large and small, we need to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus Christ more completely. Our sacrifices show what we truly value. Sacrifices are sacred and honored by the Lord.

Consecration is different from sacrifice in at least one important way. When we consecrate something, we don’t leave it to be consumed upon the altar. Rather, we put it to use in the Lord’s service. We dedicate it to Him and His holy purposes. We receive the talents that the Lord has given us and strive to increase them, manifold, to become even more helpful in building the Lord’s kingdom.

Very few of us will ever be asked to sacrifice our lives for the Savior. But we are all invited to consecrate our lives to Him.

As we seek to purify our lives and look unto Christ in every thought, everything else begins to align. Life no longer feels like a long list of separate efforts held in tenuous balance.

Over time, it all become one work.

One joy.

One holy purpose.

It is the work of loving and serving God. It is loving and serving God’s children.

When we look at our lives and see a hundred things to do, we feel overwhelmed. When we see one thing – loving and serving God and His children, in a hundred different ways – then we can work on those things with joy.

This is how we offer our whole souls – by sacrificing anything that’s holding us back and consecrating the rest to the Lord and His purposes.

There will be times when you wish you could do more. Your loving Father in Heaven knows your heart. He knows that you can’t do everything your heart wants you to do. But you can love and serve God. You can do your best to keep His commandments. You can love and serve His children. And your efforts are purifying your heart and preparing you for a glorious future.

Let us not be “weary in well-doing, for [we] are laying the foundation of a great work.” And out of our small things will proceed “that which is great.”

FULL text and video of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk can be found HERE.

Other messages from the April 2022 General Conference that I have found particularly impactful:

The Power of Spiritual Momentum by President Russell M. Nelson
But We Heeded Them Not by Elder David A. Bednar
Steady in the Storms by President Henry B. Eyring
Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny by Elder Dale G. Renlund
Divine Love in the Father’s Plan by President Dallin H. Oaks

If you click on the “Faith” tab you can find all of the talks I have done through the years.

Conference Round Up

Studying the words of the prophets, apostles, and leaders of the Church fills my spirit. It makes me feel a part of something bigger than myself. It makes me reach for a version of myself that I want to be. It refocuses my life on my Savior. It puts the cares of life in perspective. And I am grateful to share my testimony in this little corner of the world.

Honorable Mentions

The hardest part of these posts is picking the talks! So many of them speak to my spirit and I want to share. Writing out my thoughts and impressions builds my testimony and I hope that it can touch someone else as well.

Here are my six honorable mentions that definitely deserve a read, a listen, and a ponder.

In awe of Christ and His gospel

Elder Ulisses Soares spoke about having “spiritual wonder” not “spiritual apathy”. He spoke about the need to intentionally and truly dedicate ourselves to look unto Christ and His example.

“When we truly are in awe of Jesus Christ and His gospel, we are happier, we have more enthusiasm for God’s work, and we recognize the Lord’s hand in all things.”

Covenants with God strengthen, protect, and prepare us for eternal glory

Sister Jean B. Bingham spoke about covenants and the temple. She spoke how in the temple we are endowed with power to discern between truth and error, as well as keep us from being broken by adversity.

“As we choose to make covenants with Heavenly Father and access the power of the savior to keep them, we will be blessed with more happiness in this life than we can now imagine and a glorious eternal life to come.”

We Each Have a Story

Elder Gerrit W. Gong spoke about families. He spoke about how our ancestors deserve to be remembered and that they have a story worth sharing. And as we discover our story, we connect, we belong, we become. This particularly resonates with me.

“Make time. Discover eternity – at each stage of your journey. Learn and acknowledge with gratitude and honesty your family heritage.”

“Then will I make Weak things become Strong”

Elder Kevin S. Hamilton spoke about change and repentance. He spoke about how our true AUTHENTIC selves are as sons and daughters of God with a divine nature and eternal destiny. So we must change to become who we truly are.

“The Savior worked out His infinite and eternal Atonement so that we could in fact change, repent, and become better. As sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, we have the power within us to change.”

Our Relationshiph with God

Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave such a powerful address on obedience. He spoke about how God’s plan is not a cosmic vending machine – obedience to God does not yield specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. I have been guilty of this and this talk greatly encouraged me to change my perspective on obedience.

“It is essential that we honor and obey [God’s] laws, but not every blessing predicated on obedience to law is shaped, designed, and timed according to our expectations.”

Come into the fold of God

Elder Randy D. Funk spoke of being truly converted to the gospel and to following our Savior. He taught that we must be willing to come into the fold and stay there. And the blessings when we come into the fold and immeasurable because they are eternal.

“To receive the marvelous blessings promised to those who come into the fold of God requires us to do just that – we need to choose to come.”

Questions

There are three things I keep a running list of while I study the messages from General Conference – questions, promises, and invitations. I have loved reading my lists of these things.

Prior to general conference, I always make a short list of any questions I may be having and seeking answers for. And I have been amazed at how frequently a speaker will ask my question – or a variation of my question – and then go on to answer it. Reading and pondering these questions has been greatly impactful for me.

Word of Warning: Reading and pondering these questions in one sitting would be like drinking from a fire hose. It has taken me six months to try and go through them and I still probably haven’t given them adequate time. But if you do find a question here that you have been searching for, go to the talk, and find your answer.

Do we not all have afflictions that can be brought to the Savior’s feet?
What helps you to “heed not” worldly influences, mocking, and scorn?
How does a peacemaker calm and cool the fiery darts?
What gives us the inner strength to cool, calm, and quench the fiery darts aimed toward the truths we love?
How do we obtain that mighty change of heart?
How do we know that our heart is changing?
When we listen carefully to our leaders advice and cheerfully decide to follow it, have we not experienced a mighty change of heart?
How do we maintain the mighty change?
How will life’s challenges affect our faith in Jesus Christ?
What effect will our faith have on the joy and peace we experience in this life?
Am I stripped of pride?
Do I give place in my heart for the word of God?
Do I allow my afflictions to be consecrated for my gain?
Am I willing to let my will be swallowed up in the will of the Father?
If I have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, can I feel so now?
Do I let God prevail in my life?
Will you ever be rescued; will you make it through our own survival story?
Wouldn’t you like to participate in a great cause within your reach and where your contribution makes a vital difference?
Why is the [gathering of Israel] so important?
Was [the Lord Jesus Christ’s] mission easy?
Do you know your story?
Do you know what your name means?
Can you think of a special, sweet memory with a grandparent or other family member?
Isn’t it wonderful how your country and community remember and honor ancestors, family, others who served and sacrificed?
Is the plan working?
What great things does the Lord want you to accomplish?
Is Jesus Christ divine?
Is the Book of Mormon the word of God?
Is Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration?
What would thou have me to do?
How do you know that anything about the Church is true?
What mattereth most?
Can you imagine the joy that those who choose to be the 99 bring to the Good Shepherd?
Can you visualize what the world or your school, or your work or your home would be like if being obedient was the popular thing to do?
How do we strengthen our anchor to the Savior?
What does the “higher and holier” way look like?
Is my love of God constant, or do I love Him when I have good days but not so much when I have bad days?
Why didn’t the prodigal son’s father wait for his son to apologize?
Why didn’t the prodigal son’s father hold out for an offering of restitution and reconciliation before extending forgiveness and love?
How can I be a missionary without a name badge?
How might we simply add tot he list of things we already share what we love about the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Why do we believe the plan of salvation is personal?
Do you ever feel about others the way Judah felt toward Benjamin?
Why does Heavenly Father’s personalized plan for us include helping others return to Him?
What is religious freedom?
If religion is not there to help with shaping character and mediating hard times, who will be?
Who will teach honesty, gratitude, forgiveness, and patience?
Who will exhibit charity, compassion, and kindness for the forgotten and the downtrodden?
Who will embrace those who are different yet deserving, as are all of God’s children?
Who will open their arms to those in need and seek no recompense?
Who will reverence peace and obedience to laws greater than the trends of the day?
Who will respond to the Savior’s plea, “Go, and do thou likewise?”
Is being self-reliant ever finished during our lives?
How can we teach the doctrine and principles of self-reliance to our children and youth?
How can we expect peace to exist in the world when we are not INDIVIDUALLY seeking peace and harmony?
What can ignite SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM?
How important is repentance?
What does the sum total of our thoughts, desires, words, and works say about our love for the Savior, His chosen servants, and His restored Church?
Do our baptismal, priesthood and temple covenants mean more to us than the praise of the world or the number of “likes” on social media?
Is our love for the Lord and His commandments stronger than our love for anything and anyone else in this life?
Am I enduring for a while, but when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by am I offended?
Am I firmly built on the rock of Jesus Christ and His servants?
What is the Holy Ghost teaching me this week as I read these chapters [in Come, Follow Me]?
How do I know when the Holy Ghost is teaching me?
How can we balance the many demands of life with our desires to offer our whole souls to the Lord?

Promises

Is there anything better than reading the promises given to us if we follow the words of the prophets?

As we are bound and “hold fast” to the Lord and are transformed by living His doctrine, I promise that individually and collectively we will be blessed to “stand in holy places, and shall not be moved.”
You can experience for yourself that Jesus Christ “giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”
Personal peace and a burst of spiritual momentum.
The ability to move forward on the covenant path with increased momentum, despite whatever obstacles you face.
Greater strength to resist temptation, more peace of mind, freedom from fear, and greater unity in your families.
As we genuinely and continually strive to learn of the Savior and follow His example, I promise you, that His divine attributes will be written in our minds and hearts, that we will become more like Him, and that we will walk with Him.

Invitations

And finally, invitations. This becomes my list for change.

Young men – and those young women who desire to serve a mission – begin right now to talk with your parents about serving a mission.
Talk with your friends about serving a mission, and if one of your friends is not sure about serving, encourage them to talk with their bishop.
Gain a solid testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you are still in the age of missionary service, I invite you to serve now.
Let the words of our prophets, which will come from the Lord, enter our hearts to experience a mighty change.
Listen to the missionaries with a sincere desire to know what God expects of you and experience that inner transformation.
Come to the Lord Jesus Christ for peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come.
Begin your search for happiness by embracing the bounty we have already received from the giver of every good gift.
Enlist in the youth battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel.
Come to the Savior and learn.
Use the Savior’s power to be as SALT, LEAVEN, and LIGHT.
Start DOING the gospel of Jesus Christ: praying, studying, serving others, and trusting in the Lord.
Prayerfully consider those things that distract us from doing what mattereth most.
Center your life on Jesus Christ and remember the foundational truths in the Young Women theme.
Consider ways you can love, share, and invite.
Continue the journey – and help others – to come fully into the fold of God.
Do those things that will increase your positive spiritual momentum.
Counter worldly ways by focusing on the eternal blessings of the temple.

Personal Application

This list is for me. Everyone should leave conference with their own personal thoughts and impressions of where they need to direct their lives. These are mine.

Ponder what my role is in the gathering of Israel – THEN ACT!
Talk to my children about missionary service. Begin a “missionary night” as a family (possibly Bolivian Independence Day?).
Increase my ministering efforts – to those on “my list” as well as to everyone in my life.
Focus on strengthening my personal connection with Savior and my Heavenly Father through the covenants and ordinances of the restored gospel.
Become more of a peacemaker in my home – help “quench” any spirit of anger or contention.
Focus on an attribute of Christ and seek to develop it to change my heart.
Focus more on the question, “What does God want?”. Ask Him in my prayers, listen to His promptings, and act.
Follow the example of my children. Trust more. Accept the will of the Father. Be meek.
Find good and do good.
We are not expected to heal alone. Look and be the hands of the Savior and be present to help those with their healing.
Participate in the gathering of Israel. Aid in missionary work when able and increase my efforts in family history.
Discover my story. Begin my family history remembrance project and begin to document my own story.
Follow Christ! Stop relying on my own wisdom and strength – reach out to Him!
Be humble and repent daily.
Love and reach out more to my neighbors. Continue to share my testimony on our family blog.
Study the specific instruction given to women in the evening session.
Be someone who lifts and brings light to hard places, no matter how small a difference you feel it may make.
Boss my brain. Be intentional with my time and efforts. Be all that my Heavenly Father knows I can be.
Study the topic of “covenants”. Make a list of what covenants I have made and ponder and reflect on how I am working on keeping them and making them a focus.
Make Christ the center of my life – allow Him to be the driving force for all my actions.
Change my perspective on OBEDIENCE. The purpose of obedience is to engage us in God’s work, to transform our spirits, and provide an enduring and close relationship with the Father and the Son. It is NOT about blessings.
Choose Christ AGAIN and AGAIN. Submit to the will of the Lord and make Him always my EMPHASIS.
Continue to share my thoughts and testimony on my blog and take the time to talk and get to know my new neighbors.
Learn more about God’s personal plan for me by studying the Old Testament. Live worthy to help others on their paths to the Savior.
Defend religious freedom.
Help and support Jacob and Sarah with the Children and Youth Program. Make self-reliance goals as a family.
Ponder what personal conflicts may be weighing me down and seek to resolve them. Increase my personal spiritual momentum.
Spend some time studying the Plan of Salvation and pray to see the love of our Father in Heaven and share that love with those around me.
Focus more on the ordinance of the sacrament and how it can energize my spirit.
Ask myself every day: “Who do I choose?”. Intentionally serve and follow the Lord and His servants.
Be consistent in the scriptures as a family and individually. Encourage my children in their personal scriptures study.
Immerse myself in the gospel. Look to the Savior and learn of Him. Be intentional in my discipleship. BE IN AWE.
Be intentional with my discipleship – choose every day to be in the fold of God – and help those around me.
Change my mentality – do not be weary of my service to God and His children. Give my heart to Him and be committed to my discipleship.
Make the temple my focus. Look at what I can control and increase my positive spiritual momentum.

Final Thoughts

I love this space. I hope it is an uplifting one for anyone who stumbles upon it. It is a place to share our family’s story, but also I hope in even a small way, it uplifts and draws your thoughts to our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ. They our my everything. Sending love to all as we prepare to hear from our Prophet in a few more weeks.