Instant Post-Conference Notes: Saturday PM Session (October ’24)

Note:  These are the instant, post-conference, mildly-filtered things that ran through my brain and heart as I watched this session of General Conference. If you are looking for deep, spiritual analysis, this is not the place. Drive on.

• Our neverending summer of >100-degree temps has some drawbacks, but being able to swim in an 84-degree pool between sessions in October is a welcome treat.

• I love children’s choirs in Conference, and not just because I got to do it twice.

• Elder Gong is conducting. Weird. He is doing it in his Ambien voice.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson is the leadoff speaker. Began talking about the SOns of MOsiah’s successful teaching of the Lamanites. The key to their enduring was that “As they buried their physical weapons, with changed hearts, they also buried their disposition to sin.” “This reference to ‘weapons of rebellion’ … meant their swords and other weapons of war but also their disobedience to God and His commandments.” God forgave them, cleansed them and took away their desire to sin.

“What could we do…to lay down our weapons of rebellion?” (To the point where the desire to sin is taken from our hearts.)

The anti-Christs taught that there is no sin.

Spoke of WW Phelps rebellion and subsequent repentance and forgiveness.

“Perhaps the more insidious form of rebellion against God, however, is the passive version — ignoring His will in our lives. Many who would never consider active rebellion may still oppose the will and word of God by pursuing their own path without regard to divine direction.”

In a nod to Frank Sinatra… “When it comes to matters of salvation and eternal life, our theme song ought to be, ‘I Did it God’s Way,’ because truly there is no other way.”

For example: The Savior’s baptism.

Weapons are good or bad – it depends on who wields them and why. “There are things in our lives that may be neutral or even inherently good, but that used in the wrong way become ‘weapons of rebellion.’”

“There is much conversation that is vulgar and profane, even among youth. This sort of speech is a ‘weapon of rebellion’ against God, ‘full of deadly poison.’”

Talked about how a career that does good things can become the paramount focus in life, and mess up a life. Don’t let career get in the way of family relationships or having kids. It’s a form of rebellion.

“I believe it pleases our Creator when we do our best to care for this gift of our physical body.” Don’t defile it. (Tattoos and piercings?)

“Keep the 1st commandment 1st.”

“May we burry, very very deep, any element of rebellion against God in our lives and replace it with a willing heart and a willing mind.”

• TERRIFIC talk.

Elder José A. Teixeira: (He’s from Portugal.) Gave an extensive metaphor about salt harvesting. (Which I will not attempt to describe here.)

“Just as salt in its purest form has the power to enhance and preserve, so too does our faith in Jesus Christ when it is nourished and protected by our dedication to Christlike service and love.”

“As we remain bounded to the Lord, our lives will naturally reflect His light, and we will become the ‘salt of the earth.’”

“Using digital tools with purpose, we can preserve our spiritual vitality.”

(First and only speaker to mention the temple in the context of saving the dead.)

• I would love for SOMEONE to acknowledge the suffering of the hurricane victims and the wars all over the world.

• The children’s choir, clad in brilliant white, sings “Gethsemane,” while Chrissie and I bawl.

• Elder Juan Pablo Villar (From Ecuador) told a story about almost drowning in ocean waves. “Just as I thought my adventure on earth might be coming to an end, I felt a hand pulling towards the surface.”

“We can feel powerless and want to give into a stronger fate. Do not forget who has power over those waves, and all things and that is our Savior Jesus Christ. He can reach us where we are, as we are.”

“As we reach out to Him in faith, … He will be ready and willing to grasp our hands and pull us up to a safe place.”

“Occasionally, we think that we only need to be there for someone in need and many times there is more we can do. Having an eternal perspective can help us receive revelation to offer timely assistance to others in need.”

Talked about Peter walking on the water and how he was saved by Jesus’ hand.

“Regardless of whether we feel close to Him, he can still reach us where we are as we are as we reach out to him in faith. He will always be there and in his time he will be ready and willing to grasp our hands and pull us up to the safe place.”

“Our Savior will be there as many times as necessary to provide help if we want to learn, change, overcome, cope or succeed in whatever will bring true and everlasting happiness to our lives.”

“If we think celestial, we will receive the confirmation in our hearts that Jesus Christ is indeed our rescuer, our Advocate with the Father, and our Redeemer.”

Elder Patrick Kearon. (Yea!) “Welcome to the Church of Joy.”

“We can – and should be – the most joyful people on earth.”

“We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ. We are members of the church of joy. And nowhere should our joy as a people be more apparent than when we gather together each Sabbath in our sacrament meetings to worship the Source of all joy.”

“We do not gather on the Sabbath simply to attend sacrament meeting and check it off the list. We come together to worship. There is a significant difference between the two. To attend means to be present at, but to worship is to intentionally praise and adore our God in a way that transforms us.”

“Joyful Reverence, is that a thing?” “Reverence is so much more than this:” Sitting quietly, head bowed, arms folded, eyes closed.

We should show joy on our faces – He DEFINITELY does this.

Emphasized singing – really singing – in Sacrament meeting.

“We ponder the suffering and injustices and that causes sober reflection, but then we get stuck there, on the cross, stuck in the tomb. We forget to move forward to the tomb bursting open and the defeat of death, the joy and celebration of the resurrection.”

“Joy in Jesus Christ was my first great discovery and it changed my world. If you have yet to discover this joy, embark on its quest. This is an invitation to receive the Savior’s gift of peace, light, and joy.”

• Sorry the notes on Elder Kearon were light on this talk. He is so commanding that I find myself engrossed in what he’s saying (and how) and forget to take notes. (I won’t mention that he has the same mouth as Mr. Bean.)

Elder David L. Buckner. “In a world of divisions…”

Christ referred to his disciples as “Friends.” “Jesus Christ has long called His faithful followers His friends. … The Savior uses the term ‘friend’ to define a sacred and cherished relationship.”

“I see the Savior’s declaration “Ye Are My Friends” as a call to build higher and holier relationships among all of God’s children that we may be one. We do this as we seek an opportunity to unite and a sense of belonging for all”

“The Savior pled ‘Be One’.” “Brothers and sisters, we must stop looking for reasons to divide…and be one.”

“One of the promised blessings of becoming one is a powerful sense of belonging.”

“It is the Savior that unites.”

Talked about the importance of welcoming people into our churches. “It is not enough to just sit in the pews. We must heed the Savior’s call to build higher and holier relationships with all of God’s children. We must live our faith.”

“In a contentious and divided world, I testify that the Savior Jesus Christ is the great Unifier.”

It is not a Sunday-only thing.

“Sitting in a pew on Sunday doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than sleeping in the garage makes you a car.”

“We need each other, and we need Him. The Savior has called upon us to edify one another. This, to me, is church, a place of gathering and recovery, repair and refocus.”

“The gospel net is the largest net in the world. God has invited ALL to come unto Him. There is room for everyone.”

With an invitation to anyone who has left to come back.

Elder Martin Goury: (From Côte d’Ivoire) Repentance

“Through the Savior’s redemptive sacrifice, each of us can repent and seek forgiveness and become clean.”

“The savior loves us, always, but especially when we repent. If you feel you have strayed off covenant path too far or too long and have no way to return that simply is not true. If there is something that you have not fully repented of, I employ you to heed President Nelson‘s call not to procrastinate your repentance.”

Quoted President Nelson about not procrastinating our repentance.

“When we consciously choose to follow the guidance of prophets and apostles, our capacity to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion grows.”

“When we are receptive to the guidance of the still small voice, we are better equipped to more effectively minister to those in need.” (When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.)

Importance of DAILY repentance.

”I can assure you that the joy that emanates from genuine repentance surpasses understanding.”

Elder Aroldo Cavalcante (From Brasil)

“Your transformation from your natural to your spiritual self will occur line upon line, precept upon precept, as you earnestly try to serve Jesus Christ.”

“Whether we are well-known or forgotten, trials will inevitable come to each one of us. As we turn towards our Savior, he can consecrate our afflictions for our gain.”

Don’t wear sunglasses at church. 🙂 “The members need to see your eyes.”

(That fly is bugging me!)

“I often wonder how many faithful brothers and sisters sit forgotten among us today. Whether we are well-known or forgotten, trials will inevitably come to each one of us. As we turn to the Savior, he can concentrate our afflictions to our gain and help us respond to our trials in a way that facilitates our spiritual progress.”

“You can come to know that you are never forgotten.” “The Lord Jesus Christ has shown us that no one is ever forgotten.”

Elder Ulises Soares. (Two-in-a-row from Brasil)

Began with the parable of the man searching for a pearl of great price. The kingdom of God is the treasure that is better than anything else.

“We certainly need, among other things, to give our best effort to set aside all self-centered pursuits and abandon any entanglement that holds us back from full commitment to the Lord and His higher and holier ways.”

THIS—>. “We often wrestle with what we think we know, what we think is best, and what we assume works for us, as opposed to comprehending what Heavenly Father actually knows, what is eternally best and what absolutely works for children within His plan.”

“In the last days, men shall be lovers of their own selves.” (2 Timothy 3:2) People becoming consumed by themselves and saying, “I live by my own truth.”

Being “Authentic” is being focused on self-centered pursuits.

“When we choose to let God be the most powerful influence in our life over our self-serving pursuits, we can make progress in our discipleship and increase our capacity to unite our mind and heart with the Savior.”

“Acting on these mental gymnastics of ‘what works for me’ versus doing ‘what always pleases the Lord’ … is an age-old mentality that often blinds the wise-in-their-own-eyes and confuses and exhausts many of God’s children.”

“In things that truly matter, there is an inner space where we are free to choose whether or not we will decide to follow the pattern the Lord has prepared for in our life.”

“As we strive to be true to every covenant we have entered into and live by ‘every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,’ we will be protected against falling victim to the sins and errors of the world .”

• Lots of meat in this talk that is very timely in a culture that praises “authenticity,” and “my truth.”

“I pray that each of us, in our time and turn, will be able to declare, with covenant confidence, to our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ, that ‘what works for Thee, works for me.’”

• We are already 40% in. Some very good talks this session, and one irritating fly.

• LOVED LOVED LOVED the children’s choir.

• And now I get to gather my sons and go watch the Priesthood session at the church together! Oh, wait. That’s not a thing anymore. (Yes, I’m still grousing about it. Yes, I’m in need of repentance.)

• Didn’t realize President Nelson was in a wheelchair until they were exiting.

• See you tonight.