A Summer with Great Aunt Rose

A Summer with Great -Aunt Rose
Dieter F. Uchtdorf

As you walk along your own bright path of discipleship, I pray that faith will fortify every footstep along your way.

(Link to talk)

(remember I am using the "language of faith" meaning I am wording the counsel and teaching "as if" I already believe or am already doing it. All bold type is my insertion. NOTE: Pres. Uchtdorf  said, "The Holy Ghost will help you to find the message for you in this parable" - which means that there are probably many interpretations and lessons. Below are a collection of possible interpretations, some gathered from other places on the internet. The overall interpretation has to do with the idea that the parable is preparing us for a coming invitation to gather to places of safety. My thought is that, it doesn't matter if that was Pres. Uchtdorf's intent, if that is what the Spirit chooses to teach me through the story. What did you learn?)

• My heart and mind embrace sublime truths in the simple stories and parables of the Savior and the Lord's servants.
• I connect eternal principles with my everyday life.
• Faith fortifies my every footstep along my own bright path of discipleship
• Hope opens my eyes to the glories Father has in store for me how many references can you find in the 2015 GC talks that reference "seeing"? I counted seven
• Love for God and all His children fills my heart it will take all we have and the grace of God to keep love in our hearts for ALL His children, when so there is so much evil being unleashed...
• Links to Pres. Monson's Parables/Stories in footnotes:First witness
• "Guided Safely Home  - "We look heavenward for that unfailing sense of direction, that we might chart and follow a wise and proper course."
• "Love - the Essence of the Gospel" - "We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey."
• "We Never Walk Alone" -"You will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you."
• "Obedience Brings Blessings" - "A knowledge of truth and the answers to our greatest questions come to us as we are obedient to the commandments of God."
• Links to Parables of Jesus referenced in the footnotes: Second witness
• Matthew 13:24–30; wheat and tares
• 18:23–35; man forgiven of debt who does not forgive others
• 20:1–16; laborers in the vineyard; last first and first last; many called but few chosen
• 22:1–14; marriage feast, guests not come; invite others, no wedding garment,  cast out
• 25; ten virgins
• Luke 10:25–37; good Samaritan
• 15:11–32. prodigal son
• Elements in the parable: The first two witnesses establish the truth of this third witness.
• Title: A Summer with Great-Aunt Rose - footnote:“Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses” - our "prickly summer" of experience will transform us into "tender roses" - Zion people
• Girl name Eva: the Church; Eva means "life or living one" - if we go with the Church into the wilderness, we will live a new life and become a new people; Zion; The birth or eve before the night of trials just previous to the glory of the morning; 
• TWO IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT EVA:
• 11 years old we are in the eleventh hour; we (the Church) are ready to leave our immature years and enter our teenage years (puberty) of learning (physical, social, emotional, and spiritual growth) who we really are, preparing for our grownup years with the Lord; 11 in Hebrew means "chaos"; could stay for 11 days, weeks, months, or years; November; 11/11/11- could be the day the markets close after three days of crashing; 11 years since Pres. Hinckley announced they had refurbished the Tabernacle to withstand an earthquake; 11 years since Pres. Uchtdorf was called as an apostle;  11 years since Julie Rowe had her NDE;
• DID NOT WANT TO GO LIVE WITH HER AUNT! Very hard times are coming. Nothing we ever expected, things we never wanted, and we can't change it. 
• Have to be away from her Mother The church needs to go away to places of safety while the Lord performs "surgery" on Mother Earth 
• Leave family and friends - many of our friends and family won't come with us
• Didn't know her aunt - there will be many we don't know; we aren't familiar with our pioneer ancestors or their wisdom or their ways;
• Quite comfortable where she was - we are comfortable in our lives as we know them now
• as grew older, often thought of the summer and lessons - we will look back on the summer of our learning as well
• married, raised children, lived a long and wonderful life- those who follow the prophet will live on into the millenium; get married, have children, and live long and wonderful lives
• felt grateful for her life, her family, for the restored gospel, and for that summer so long ago when her aunt taught her about faith, hope, and love -  when we look back on this period of our lives, we too, will feel gratitude for these things. We will have learned about faith, hope and charity.
• Mother: the Earth; earthly things
• sickness - natural disasters for those who need to repent from sin and will accept healing from the Savior's Atonement
• required surgery - wars; those who will be removed because of their  infectious evil
• lengthy recovery - it will take some time, so the church will need to go away for a little while.
• Summer:  summer is when the fig leaves appear, telling us that Christ's coming is near; summer is when fruit grows best; 
• Great-Aunt Rose: The fact that it is her GREAT Aunt suggests that we will feel like we took a a HUGE step back in time; maybe Grandma was not alive; other closer relatives did not go; could represent the prophets; could represent the Early Church who went through great trials and failed to usher in the Millenium as they had hoped, but taught us great lessons; could represent the spiritually mature saints who will mentor and teach the spiritually immature. They will seem odd to them at first, but will grow to learn from them and love them and become like them; we will be tutored by pioneer angels from the past; 
• lived alone - did not live with others in "Babylon"; 
• not married - if she represents the early church, they did not live to  receive the "bridegroom"; 
• no children of her own -accepted the responsibility for this child that she had not previously known; the church will bring in many new sons and daughters through baptism and charity
• Father trusted Eva to her care - The members can trust they will be kept safe in the care of this "old" church.;
• no one to keep her company except a creepy cat -sometimes we feel alone in our discipleship; others may think our companions are odd - scriptures, prophets, other like-minded saints;
• everything about her was large the camps are larger than we imagined; the change from our lives now will seem very large; love is large and noticeable;
• voice - we should be willing to be heard in the cause of truth
• smile - we should share our smiles openly with others
• personality - we do not need to hang back in the shadows
• not easy for her to get around or do simple things (tie shoes, walk upstairs)- prophets get old and feel the effects of age;
• always sang and laughed while she worked which filled the house - fill your life with song and joy
• read out loud from her worn scriptures every night and commented on - prophets have worn out the scriptures and teach and comment on them continually
• prayed the most beautiful prayers of gratitude ALWAYS gratitude!
• for blue jays, spruce trees, sunsets, stars we will learn to love the nature we are surrounded by
• wonders of being alive - life is truly a wonderful gift and blessing
• knew God as a friend - prophets know God; we can know God
• happiest person - let her light shine and her happiness show
• people crowded around her wanting to talk to her - joy is attractive and contagious
• wore embarrassingly big, bright hats - we CHOOSE to bring the bright, happy things into our lives.; 
• had been a schoolteacher - loved children and to teach and learn
• former students with children stop and chat - we never forget those who teach us with love
• thank her for being a good influence in their lives - we are all teachers
• laughed and cried with her - our lives are filled with good and bad memories,but they all serve to bind us in love
• earlier in life was so discouraged, didn't want to go on
• so many things wished for that never happened - many of us, young and old, will grieve that our lives during the tribulations, are not going to go as we had planned; 
• one heartbreak after another the tests will come, one after another
• knew it would never be the way she had hoped the youth, especially, will know their lives will never be what they thought
• depressed, (not clinically) ready to give up and miserable many will feel depressed and be ready to give up
• stayed angry for a time many will choose to stay angry for a time
• monster to be around they won't be nice to be around
• felt life was not fair - song repeated over and over in her head many will not get past the song of "it's not fair"
• brooding over dark days made things worse a bad attitude will only make things worse
• discovered Faith which led to hope which gave her confidence one day everything would make sense, that because of the Savior, all wrongs would be made right. we need to have this faith
• saw the path before her wasn't as dreary and dusty as she had thought see painting; look up; look past the moment
• began to notice the bright blues, the verdant greens, and the fiery reds we need to stay present and notice was is beautiful
• chose not to hang her head and drag her feet on the dusty road of self-pity give up self-pity; I am not the first to struggle
• chose to have a little faith, put on a bright dress, slip on her dancing shoes and skip down the path of life, singing as she went. "all is well" sing it!
• learned no matter what happened in the past, her story could have a happy ending. we know how this Story ends. It is happy for the righteous!
• exercised faith in God's promises by filling her life with meaningful things
• went to school learn new things
• had a career that she loved as a teacher - our time in the camps will be full of learning and teaching one another
• Nothing could change the decision to send her to her Aunt's for the summer:nothing can change what is in our future
• Packed suitcase be prepared to leave
• Father takes her - we only leave when our Heavenly Father tells us it's time to go. We leave under his watchful and protective care.
• Long drive to aunt's house we won't be able to run home if we forgot something
• Hated it from the start our places of refuge will be unfamiliar and uncomfortable
• everything was so old we will live a very simple and primitive lifestyle; no modern things
• place packed with old books, strange colored bottles, plastic bins filled with sewing goods we'll be amazed at what people bring!
• no one her age close by - lonely we may feel lonely
• Gray cat:
• creepy - there will be many unfamiliar creatures in our camps that we'll fear at first; could be the Spirits that surround the home that Eva is unfamiliar with at first, but Aunt Rose loves; 
• sat in the highest point in the room - our fears that hover over us; the Spirits that are around us; 
• stared like a hungry tiger at everything below - our natural man assumptions that everyone is out to get us; 
• House:places of refuge
• seemed lonely simple
• in the countryside in the countryside
• houses far apart camps far apart
• filled with old things - the church has the original priesthood and ordinances; we'll be living an "old"way
• First part of summer:
• didn't pay much attention to her aunt and her aunt just let her be and gently pulled her into her happy world
• thought mostly of her mother we will grieve for and worry about all who have stayed behind
• stayed awake at night we will spend many sleepless nights worrying about all who are left behind and all they will have to suffer
• prayed with all her soul her mother would be well we will pray day and night for the earth to be restored and for peace to come with the Savior's return.
• Over time:
• began to feel God was watching over her mother our attitude will shift
• operation was a success the earth will be cleansed
• Endure the rest of the summer - hated enduring! it will feel long
• Eva's change: we will change
• began to notice aunt a little more and spend more time with her when we stop resisting, we'll learn and love much
• read the scriptures with aunt every night keep righteous traditions
• prayed with aunt every night never stop praying
• went on long walks take time to ponder
• learned about birds be present
• picked wild berries learn to live off the land
• made marmalade from oranges make lemonade out of lemons
• learned about great-great grandmother who came to America and walked across the plains to be with the Saints. learn from your ancestors; read "Daughters in my Kingdom";
• was happier when she was around her. light and joy is contagious
• End of summer:
• attitude had changed from looking forward to going home to missing the strange old house and the stalker cat and her beloved aunt. in the end, we will miss our summer of becoming Zion; or we'll miss the world we experienced in the camps; we go in as Eva and come out as Aunt Rose; 
• thanked her aunt for everything she had done we will thank our Father for our trials;
• Father comes for her - Our Father comes and translates us before the final cleansing;"this too shall pass";
• returned home to her family and friends and her house and neighborhood - we will get to return to our homes after we have learned the lessons of Faith, Hope, and Charity;
• never quite the same - we will be a Zion people;
•  
  
  Painting: history repeats itself;
• girl in pioneer dress seems to be a modern day child in pioneer dress;
• skipping happily along bright blue path forward and upward we are not to fear; the future ahead is bright;
• grass and trees vibrant green the Spirit makes everything brighter;
• though her life must have been harder than we can imagine, with many dark and dreary days, everything in the painting is bright and hopeful. - the past is usually represented by black and white pictures; The present or future would be in LIVING color;
• There is a line that crosses the path - could represent the separation of the wheat and the tares, a point we will cross to continue on up the path; 
• path is wide at the bottom and narrower after the line - once we make the choice to continue on the path, our choices narrow or become more specific; 
• Later Years:Eva is Aunt Rose's age - we will all become as Aunt Rose and learn all she learned
• grew old, married and had children - our young people will also get to grow up, marry and have children in the millenium; Aunt Rose didn't get to enter the marriage feast, but we will; 
• Lessons:
• I will not work myself into a puddle of pessimism and mess of melancholy with all that doesn't go right in life
• when things don't work out, I focus on the wonders and miracles of life and I am happy!
• God didn't design me to be sad - He created me to have joy!
• I trust God. He helps me notice the good, bright, hopeful things of life
• the world will become brighter, not instantly, but nothing is instant.
• the best things take patience and work (homemade bread, orange marmalade)
• with such a glorious future, I don't get swallowed up in past or present things that don't go quite the way I planned.
• Now is part of eternity. It doesn't only begin after I die
• faith and hope will open my eyes to the happiness that is placed before me
• forever is composed of nows - from "Final Harvest:Emily Dickenson's Poems"
• My forever is not composed of dark and fearful Nows
• I don't live in the gloom of a bunker, gritting me teeth, closing my eyes, and resentfully enduring to the bitter end.
• faith gives me hope to live joyfully now
• busy doesn't make me happy
• the pure love of Christ is the heart of His gospel. everything else (shoulds, musts, thou shalts) leads to love.
• I love God, so I want to serve Him and be like Him.
• I love others so I stop thinking so much about my own problems and help others solve theirs - THAT is what makes me happy
• Scriptures: all scriptures of what the millennium will be like! This is our "bright future".
• "God will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there b any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev 21:3-4)
• "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2)
  

Here to Serve a Righteous Cause

Here to Serve a Righteous Cause
Carol F. McConkie

"May we choose to serve a righteous cause as valiant emissaries of our Lord Jesus Christ."
(link to talk)
(remember I am using the "language of faith" meaning I am wording the counsel and teaching "as if" I already believe or am already doing it. All bold type is my insertion.)

• I am faithful and pure in heart.
• I love the Lord, so I serve Him - even amidst my own trials.
• I love others and see them the beauty of each soul.
• I am precious in His sight. WE are precious in His sight.
• He loves us and we are daughters of God; sisters in Zion.
• I have a divine nature and a glorious work to do.
• I discover my individual and eternal worth by acting in accordance with my divine purpose here in mortality. 
• I have a valiant heart through tests, trials, fears and despair.
• I am resolved to do my part to serve the righteous cause of Christ - the work of salvation.
• member missionary work
• convert retention
• activation of less-active members
• temple and family history work
• teaching the gospel
• I am a valued and needed emissary in this cause.
• I/we am the cause for which Jesus suffered, bled and died.
• His cause is 
• the good news 
• the glad tidings that
• he came to be crucified for the world(me)
• to bear the sins of the world(mine)
• to sanctify the world(me)
• to cleanse it from all unrighteousness(me)
• to save us(me)
• I choose to serve the Lord in His righteous cause to become one with the Father and the Son.
• I follow His example, love Him, and serve others with kindness and compassion and will stand in purity, blameless before God at the last day through His Atonement.
• I labor to conquer Satan so my soul may rest in the kingdom of God.
• As a pioneer of the present, I press forward in the work of the Lord, with heroic courage and determined faithfulness like my pioneer ancestors.
• I join with faithful sisters of the past, present and rising generation in the work of salvation.
• The future is magnificent as God rolls on His glorious work through my selfless service given out of a heart filled with love for the Redeemer of the world.
• I accepted the Father's plan before I was born with a pre-mortal covenant:
• to be a savior for myself and the whole human family.
• to serve in partnership with the Lord.
• to accept the working out of the plan as OUR work.
• In mortality I covenant again to serve the Savior in the work of salvation with all my heart, might, mind, and strength,  by participating in sacred priesthood ordinances.
• I received the Holy Ghost and receive His promptings to guide my efforts.
• I understand what God wants me to do and do it.
• I invite others to come learn of Jesus.
• I minister to others in appropriate ways.
• I give everything of my time, talents, and energies to teach and exemplify the principles of the gospel to my family so they may stand courageously and faithfully through trial, temptation, and adversity.
• I know, with the fire of pure testimony, that the family is the very heart of the work of salvation.
• I honor the Father's plan and glorify God as I strengthen and ennoble my covenant marriage.
• I live a pure and virtuous life and keep my sacred covenants.
• I am the Lord's agent and on His errand in all seasons and times.
• I never compare, criticize, or condemn. 
• I have a broken heart, a contrite spirit, and willingly use my divine gifts and unique talents to to do the Lord's work in His way.  
• I humbly pray, "not as I will, but as thou wilt."
• In the strength of the Lord, I do all things.
• I continually seek His guidance in prayer, scriptures study, and the whispering of the Spirit.
• Whatever tomorrow brings, I know God will help me through it.
• I unite with my sisters in our commitment to the Savior, so we are blessed to sustain each other in that service.
• I see no boundaries of age, organization, or marital status in my faithful service with others.
• I repent every day.
• Because I am clean, I glow with the pure light of the Spirit and shine with the beauty of holiness.
• I stand with the Savior as I bless others.
• I am pure through the grace of Christ.
• I deny ungodliness.
• I follow righteousness, faith, charity and peace.
• I am not perfect; I make mistakes, but I repent and am better able to retain the name of Christ written always on my heart.
• I give others a glimpse of heaven as I serve in the name of the Lord, with a pure heart and reflect the Savior's love.
• I move forward with a song in my heart, living the gospel, loving the Lord, and building His kingdom.
• In His glorious work, I will come to know His pure love and will receive true joy and obtain all the glories of eternity.
  
  CONFERENCE CHALLENGE:
• Serve out of love and a pure heart, in all circumstances, in the Lord's way and in His name.
• Participate in the Work of Salvation united with others
• Labor to conquer Satan by denying all ungodliness
• Learn what God would have me do and do it
• Give more time, talent and energy to my marriage and family
• Do not compare, criticize, or condemn others
• Repent daily to remain clean and pure

Worthy of Our Promised Blessings

Worthy of Our Promised Blessings
Linda S. Reeves
"A vision of our Father’s incredible promised blessings must be the central focus before our eyes every day."

(link to talk)

(remember I am using the "language of faith" meaning I am wording the counsel and teaching "as if" I already believe or am already doing it. All bold type is my insertion.)

• I have a sense of the sacred and holy when holding newborn babies which possess celestial spirits.
• My body is a sacred gift from my Heavenly Father and is my personal temple which I keep clean through the Atoning Sacrifice of my Savior.
• I keep my temple clean and pure so I am worthy to help my Heavenly Father create bodies for His beloved spirit children.
• I know the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth is essential and is the source of human happiness.
• Through the righteous exercise of this creative power I come close to my Father in Heaven and experience a fulness of joy, even godhood.
• The power of procreation IS the plan, not just a part of it.
• I know true love requires reserving until after marriage the sharing of that affection which unlocks those sacred powers. 
• My happiness in this life, my joy and exaltation are dependent upon how I respond to these persistent, compelling physical desires.
• I watch and pray continually, that I may not be tempted above that which I can bear, that I may be lifted up at the last day.
• I am very careful not to play with or be burned by Satan's fiery darts.
• Virtue qualifies me for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost more than anything else.
• I do not look for instant gratification or instant knowledge on the Internet, for it cannot promise answers or assurance.
• I exercise faith and patience and go to my Heavenly Father, the source of all truth, with my concerns. He blesses me exceedingly.
• I receive answers and assurance through daily searching and studying the scriptures and sincere and pleading prayer.
• The Spirit speaks to me of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be. It never lies.
• I do not watch, read, or experience anything that is below my Heavenly Father's standards; for that would weaken me.
• I turn it off, rip it up, throw it out, and slam the door.
• I am not perfect, but when I sin and repent, the Lord promises to forgive and remember them no more.
• I truly repent and the Atonement reclaims me and bears no scars, -  no matter what I have done, or where I have been or how something happened.
• I escape all guilt by repenting and accepting the Atonement; my heartaches turn to beauty and love and eternity.
• I find power to stay clean and virtuous through:
• the Atonement
• scriptures
• prayer
• the temple
• my covenants
• the Sabbath Day
• the Prophets
• virtue 
• the proper wearing of my temple garment
• Great blessings and promises are associated with the proper wearing of my temple garment, which is symbolically a royal robe given me by my Heavenly Father.
• it is a sign of my love and devotion to God which he recognizes.
• it is a sign of the covenants I have made with Him
• He is bound when I do what He says - He keeps the promises I heard when I received the garment.
• I know this life is the time to prepare to meet God, so I will have challenges to overcome even as I do all I can to keep the commandments. Some blessings are not to be received here.
• I know I am in the "Second Act" and that "they lived happily ever after" is never in the second act, but the third, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right.
• A vision of my Father's incredible promised blessings and rewards is the central focus before my eyes every day.
• I am aware of the multitude of His tender mercies that I experience on a daily basis.
• No matter how great my trials, I know the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond my understanding that in that day of my reward, I may say to my merciful, loving Father, "was that all that was required?"
• I daily remember and recognize the depth of the love of my Father and His Son for me.
• I am willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surround by Their love eternally. 
• It will not matter what I suffered here, in the end, for those trials qualify me for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with my Father and the Savior where I will receive "all that my Father hath."
  
  Alma 13:27-29
  
  27 And now, my brethren, I ^awish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great ^banxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not ^cprocrastinate the day of your repentance;
   28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and ^awatch and pray continually, that ye may not be ^btempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be ^cled by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, ^dmeek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
   29 ^aHaving faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the ^blove of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his ^crest.
  CONFERENCE CHALLENGE:
  
  PRAY:
• to not be tempted above that which I can bear
• that I may be lifted up at the last day
• daily, and sincerely plead for answers and assurance
  
  ACTION:
• See my body as a sacred gift and a temple and treat is accordingly
• Do not play with temptation
• Seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost through virtue
• Seek truth, with patience and faith, from Heavenly Father and not the internet
• Daily search and study the scriptures for answers and assurance
• Trust the Spirit
• Live high standards in all I do, read, watch
• Repent when I sin, and then trust the Atonement
• Attend the temple
• Keep my covenants
• Believe the prophets
• Keep the Sabbath Day holy
• Respect my temple garment and trust the promises associated with it
• Keep eternal promises and blessings central in my focus each day
• Remember and recognize how much I am loved and let that knowing create in me a yearning and willingness to do all that is required to return Home.
  

Discovering the Divinity Within

Discovering the Divinity Within
Rosemary M. Wixom"We come to this earth to nurture and discover the seeds of divine nature that are within us."


(Link to Talk)

(remember I am using the "language of faith" meaning I am wording the counsel and teaching "as if" I already believe or am already doing it. All bold type is my insertion.)

• God has a plan for me.
• My individual purpose began long before I came to this earth.
• My life is a gift.
• As a mortal baby, 
• my life began in my mother's womb. 
• where I was completely dependent on her for everything.
• at birth we were dramatically and permanently separated
• there was a change in temperature and light.
• I came into this world "trailing clouds of glory".
• I am a beloved spirit daughter of heavenly parents. 
• I have a divine nature and destiny.
• I use my agency to nurture it, let it flourish, and help it grow.
• Heavenly Father lovingly and generously shares, as a gift, a portion of His divinity within me.
• I am here to nurture and discover the seeds of my divine nature.
• The two important days in my journey are the day I was born and the day I find out why I was born. I am here to:
• help build the kingdom of God 
• prepare for the Second Coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. 
• With every breath I take, I strive to follow Him.
• My divine nature is refined and magnified by the effort I make to draw nearer to my Heavenly Father and His Son.
• My divine nature was established in the pre-mortal world and comes from God and nothing else.
• I identify with my divine nature as I feel and give the love of my Father in Heaven.
• I feel the precious promises that help me partake of my divine nature.
• I see myself as truly His.
• I naturally turn to Him in prayer and am eager to read His words and to do His will.
• I take my validation from Him and not the world.
• I kneel in prayer and ask Him, "Am I really Thy daughter, and dost Thou love me?"
• The Spirit responds with the sweetest of messages of how the Lord feels about me.
• I am a Child of God:
• therefore what?
• what will I do to live my life as a child of God?
• How can I develop the divine nature within me?
• I am here to prepare for a future greater than anything I can imagine.
• My future comes alive a day at a time as I do more than exist and live my life to fill the measure of my creation.
• I invite the Lord into my life and let His will become mine.
• I desire to know eternal truths for myself.
• The path of discipleship is getting narrower. 
• I have family, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost for my companions when things go wrong with other friends.
• I never give up or quit. I keep walking and trying. I know there is help and happiness ahead and it will be all right in the end. I trust God and believe in good things to come.
• I read and pray to feel love from God; to know He's really there for me.
• I ask, and believe and He is there.
• God knows me and who I can become. He knows my fears and dreams; relishes my potential and waits for me to come to Him in prayer.
• I not only need Him, but He needs me. 
• The world needs me and my divine nature allows me to be His trusted disciple to all His children.
• I see the divinity in myself, so I can see it in others too.
• I reach out to serve others and I act with the help and strength of the Lord.
• I ask, "What can be done for this child of God?"
• The Spirit helps doubters find peace.
• The prophets words resonate with my divine nature and give me strength to follow.
• I partake of the sacrament each week and it breathes hope into my divine soul as I remember the Savior, Jesus Christ.
• I have discovered the depth of my divine nature and magnify this precious gift so it can guide me back to Him, where I will be "restored to that God who gave me breath."
• 
  GENERAL CONFERENCE CHALLENGE:
  
  PRAY:
• ask:
• "Am I really Thy daughter, and dost Thou love me?"
• I am thy child, therefore what?
• what wilt thou have me do to live my life as thy child?
• How can I develop the divine nature within me?
• ACTIONS:
• nurture and discover the seeds of my divine nature
• help build the kingdom of God and prepare for the Second Coming
• live to fill the measure of my creation
• let His will become mine
• gain a witness of eternal truths
• see divinity in others
• serve others
• trust God and believe in good things to come

A compilation April 2015 challenges grouped by topic

	APRIL 2015 Conference CHALLENGE: (Apostles and First Presidency Only)
	Pray:
2nd coming			For His kingdom to come and His will to be done.
action			For courage to speak and act as God directs, no matter how others respond
atonement			For my witness of the Savior; His Atonement and His Second Coming to increase - so my strength will increase
comfort			To be buoyed up with God’s love
commandments			Often and tell Him that I remember Him, and am willing to take upon me his name, keep his commandments, and work righteousness
compassion			To know how to help the Lord comfort others
conversion			Seek conversion through prayer
courage			To be able to courageously face my struggles and uncertainties
family			Twice daily for sons and daughters
grace			That the Lord’s grace may bring me happiness now and faith in sure promises to come
grace			Plead to understand my indebtedness to God and for my soul to be blessed with his Grace.
grace			To understand the gift of Grace with all my heart and mind
grace			And plead for God to recognize me
gratitude			To confess His hand in all things
Holy Ghost			For the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost
Holy Ghost			For the power to do and say as the Lord directs and to remain worthy of the Gift of the Spirit.
humility			To increase my desire to obey with meekness and gratitude and love
humility			To be prepared for General Conference
love			Seek the mighty change of heart; to be filled with the love of God and the desire to serve Him and His children
marriage			That my marriage may flourish and my family prosper
marriage			for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion. (Eyring, FB)
power			To be armed with righteousness and power
Priesthood			Express gratitude for the blessings of the Priesthood.
protection			To be warned and protected by the Lord’s servants
protection			To know how to escape calamity through faith in Christ, repentance, and keeping my covenants
relationship			Work in prayer to be recognized personally by God
repent			Confess my faults, plead for mercy, and shed tears of gratitude for the Plan of Redemption
respect			And express my recognition of who God really is
revelation			For guidance in making important decisions
revelation			For revelation
revelation			For him to reveal more to me about my call; about those I serve and what I can do to serve them
revelation			That He will lead me into all truth and show me the right way
revelation			For the Spirit to come upon the prophet as the Lord’s mouthpiece and the Apostles and others servants as they speak
revelation			Work to know what God would say
reverence			Keep a proper reverence for God; kneel to pray
serve			For a witness of His approval as I go about His work
serve			For charity and peace as I serve others for Christ.
temptation			To not walk through the door of temptation
temptation			For daily protection through the mists of evil
vision			For clear perspective; to see beyond this world
vision			To be spiritually awake and alert to His hand in the world and my life
vision			In faith to have my spiritual eyes opened even wider to see more clearly His hand and to know I am not alone.
	Actions:
2nd coming			Stand fast in my faith that He is coming.
2nd coming			Anticipate His coming and rehearse the glorious events over and over and with loved ones
2nd coming			Recognize fulfillment of prophecy. The Second Coming is drawing nearer.
action			Be involved in His cause – the greatest cause in the world
action			Raise my voice with like-minded individuals (as directed by the Spirit) to protect the freedom to believe, to preach, to worship, to live my religion.
action			I do not delay in this great cause and “run” with others to act.
action			Rise to my potential
action			Build on my strengths.
action			Be informed and aware of issues in my community that impact religious liberty.
agency			Be aware of my power to choose good over evil; choose the essential over the good
atonement			Don’t be distracted by the evil in the world. Instead, focus on and rejoice in the Atonement to feel peace
atonement			Rely on the Atonement for repentance and progression
atonement			Always remember Christ saves me from my fallings, failings, fears, sorrows and sins and discouragement through repentance and my obedience to His commandments
atonement			Continue to learn about and appreciate more fully, the Atonement of Christ
atonement			Examine my life to see if anything needs to be repented of, no matter how long ago it happened. Put the Atonement to work.
atonement			Stay in awe and profound gratitude for the Atonement at all times by seeing its eternal significance
atonement			Always witness of the Atonement.
atonement			Allow the Atonement to purify me
atonement			Acknowledge the events of the Fall and their role in the Divine Plan
attitude			Be cheerful!
attitude			Submit cheerfully and patiently to all the will of the Lord.
attitude			Cheerfully persevere in peace, godliness and honesty.
attitude			Press forward with hope in Christ and love of God and of all men.
commandments			Live what I believe at all times, even if hard or impractical
commandments			Live what I believe no matter who I’m with
commandments			Patiently and persistently embrace and apply gospel principles daily.
commandments			Strive to do my very best to do ALL that God commands and live the celestial law now
commandments			Develop a deep reverence, respect, and awe for Christ, the commandments and Judgment Day.
commandments			Set my heart on the commandments and following the prophet
commandments			Obey out of LOVE
commandments			Walk the path of discipleship and live the gospel faithfully and joyfully
Compassion			Seek out the ill or lonely
Compassion			Act on my feelings of compassion for others to lighten burdens, mourn, and witness of God
Compassion			Express my love and the love of the Savior for them, and then LISTEN
Compassion			Express gratitude for and give credit to the Holy Ghost for the comfort received.
Compassion			Comfort others with the knowledge and hope of the Plan of Redemption
Compassion			Feel the burdens of others, especially when my burdens are heavy
discipline			Bridle my flesh – it is key to my test in mortality
discipline			Bridle all my passions
discipline			Identify trivial distractions
faith			Don’t be casual in my faith
faith			Never doubt or fear
faith			Trust He knows me
faith			Seek refuge from the storm by being rooted in righteousness, ordinances, and following Christ and feeling His love.
faith			Build faith in those with questions by encouraging them to humbly study, ponder, pray, live gospel principles and seek appropriate counsel.
faith			Exercise faith in Christ and on His holy name.
faith			Submit to his will and timing and acknowledge His hand in all things.
faith			Recognize the promises of God and trust them; move forward in faith
faith			Work in faith for the companionship of the Holy Ghost
family			Create an environment of light and truth and lead my children to a hope in Christ
family			Work for a righteous, Christ-centered family.
family			Give my BEST efforts to strengthening my family
family			Make the family the center of my life
family			Seek to have the end result of all my activity in the church be family happiness
family			Do family history work
family			Make sure my children know they are loved and that our home is safe. Watch over and care for them.
family			Use church resources
family			Help the rising generation become the greatest generation of young adults in the history of the church!
fast			Claim the marvelous blessings of the Fast.
fast			Fast and pray often for the spirit of prophecy and revelation as I study
fast			Extend the love of the Savior to others in His way – through prayer, fasting and offerings as often as I reasonably can.
fear			Develop godly fear and reject  mortal fear
grace			Access the Savior’s grace for forgiveness and sanctification
grace			Accept God’s grace
gratitude			Always express gratitude for the Atonement and Resurrection; grace, justice, love, and mercy
humility			Recognize my rationalizations, pretenses, and self-deceptions.
humility			Prepare my heart to receive the word of God
humility			Be humble and give credit to God when complimented.
humility			Do not cover my sins by appearing to be what I am not
humility			Soften my heart
humility			Don’t be too confident and comfortable in my good deeds or trust my own righteousness
love			Respect the beliefs of others
love			Accept God’s profound love for me
love			Follow Christ out of love; yearn to do all He asks; hunger to be edified by the Spirit and to hear His voice through His ordained servants.
love			Make sacrifices to follow the Savior and love and serve as He did.
marriage			Unite with others and raise my voice to support and defend marriage and family
marriage			Be a light on a hill around marriage and family
marriage			Honor the office of marriage; protect, encourage and defend it
marriage			Be an equal partner with my spouse. Make important decisions after counseling with the Lord.
marriage			Teach the doctrine and principles surrounding marriage and family
marriage			Seek to have my marriage sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise
missionary			Share the gospel
prepare			Prepare for General Conferences with prayer
prepare			Prepare for the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets
prepare			Heed the warning voices of God’s servants
repent			Repent now
repent			Humbly desire to be born again – truly changed
repent			Don’t be impatient with others who are not living up to my standards
repent			Don’t live on autopilot
repent			Examine the condition of my heart; how I love; how I grow closer to God
repent			See myself as I really am and change through the Atonement.
repent			I go to Church for healing and maintenance.
Sabbath			Give the entire Sabbath Day back to the Lord
Sabbath			Delight in the Sabbath Day!
Sabbath			Examine my feelings about and my behavior on the Sabbath
Sabbath			Simplify food on Sunday
Sabbath			Ask “What sign do I want to give God?” when choosing activities
sacrament			Accept the ministering of angels that comes through the Sacrament
sacrament			See the Sacrament as spiritual food
sanctification			Make it a priority to be born again and reconciled to God
scriptures			Feast upon the word of Christ.
scriptures			Study the words of the prophets for revealed truth
scriptures			Work in faith to get the truth deep in my heart  as I read and listen
scriptures			Study and mark from my paper scriptures.
scriptures			Grow in my knowledge of the Lord – learn, listen, follow.
scriptures			Know the official Doctrine of the Church
scriptures			Increase my exposure to spiritual truth
scriptures			Let the things I am learning actually change me
serve			Focus on HOW I serve, not where I serve
serve			Learn how to more effectively minister to those in need.
serve			Ponder my calling and do my best to understand it and magnify it
teaching			Talk, rejoice, preach, and prophesy of Christ at every opportunity
teaching			Labor diligently to persuade my children and brethren to believe these things
traditions			Identify traditions of sacrifice, gratitude, faith and righteousness to build faith. Preserve them.
traditions			Faithfully study the scriptures, have fhe, priesthood blessings and observe the Sabbath.
unity			Work on unity in the ward through conversion, love of God, fairness, selflessness, gospel culture, customs and traditions.
virtue			Try to be pure always
vision			Recognize the gifts and talents in myself and others for the unfolding of the divine plan in my generation
vision			Keep my eyes focused on the Lord always. Trust Him in every thought.
vision			Consistently focus on my heavenly destination
vision			Establish my desires and actions on the foundation of Christ through my covenants and ordinances.
vision			The things of God are my first priority in my actions and thinking
vision			Focus on the power of the gospel, not the form of it.
vision			Keep the Savior at the center of my life