Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults - President and Sister Nelson

"Becoming the Person You Were Born to Be" and 

"Becoming True Millennials"
(click on the titles above to watch the talk)

These are my notes from the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults that was given Sunday, January 10, 2016. I tried to use their exact words, but may not have done it perfectly or consistently, so please quote them from an actual transcript and not this account. I organized their words into an outline that helps me to study better what they said and what their counsel is. It may not be in the same order that they gave it. The headings are my own and not theirs. Any comments in red are my own thoughts and feelings and may not have been their meaning or intent. 

Sister Nelson:

DESPERATION CAN ACTUALLY BE A GREAT MOTIVATOR

Things you can be desperate for the Savior to do that you can't do on your own:

• heal you
• help you
• cleanse you
• guide you
• protect you
• save you 
  
  

      Examples of times you may have felt desperate: I'm going to think about the following list as though they were "veiled" with a different meaning for those who have "eyes to see and ears to hear". Why? Because ever since Pres. Uchtdorf spoke to the women in March with only a parable, I'm looking for more and more parables in the words of those who are trying to prepare us for the Second Coming. These two talks, for me, are clearly trying to do that.

•      to complete an assignment with a due date quickly approaching or already passed. The assignment is "being prepared". It will soon be "too late" and for some (who may not have the resources) it may already be past time. The rest of the examples are to hide this FIRST reason to feel desperate, among other more "common" reasons. I feel Pres. Nelson is doing the same with his opening statement.
•     to have someone really understand you The Lord understands who you really are! (the rest of these, I'm just reaching...but it's fun to find a way to make them fit:) )
•     to have someone truly love you The Lord truly loves you and trusts you!
•     to be accepted into a University The temple could be considered the "Lord's University". Be worthy to enter and then attend class and go home and study.
•     to find a job what will be your "job" in His kingdom in the next few years? in the millenium?
•     to find a place to live where will the Lord have you live to be safe in the coming tribulations?
•     to make new friends you will surely make new friends in places of refuge
•     to find your eternal companion this is a commandment that does not change with time or circumstance
•     to be guided by heaven;  work harder than ever to tune into heaven if you don't, it will be like taking a trip without a GPS
•     to be physically healthy ; eat and exercise for physical health, no excuses. the goal is to be healthy, not skinny. You will need your health and strength!
•      to have more money; eagerly follow the Lord's law of finances - tithing if you need to purchase food and supplies, you may feel desperate for the money to do it. The Lord will provide a way, but it will be according to His laws and timing.
•      to become the people we were born to be a true millennial
•     to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ  not one in appearance or word only
  
  What happens when you "wake up from your spiritual amnesia":
•       your vision changes you see things and yourself and others differently
•      you will see things about yourself you have never seen before don't let the fact that you've never seen it before cause you to doubt
•      the world's fun and entertainment starts to look almost ridiculous
•      the world's fun and entertainment starts to look dangerous you will surely be mocked if you share this new vision with others who are still asleep
•      you see the adversaries tricks and traps for what they really are - a temptation to make you forget your true identity and your destination. he will not be happy about this and may attack you even more. be ready.
•     you spend your time differently again...you may be mocked for this
•     time in the temple is more compelling than time on facebook try logging your time on social media for a week and see if you really don't have "time" to attend the temple. Trade the world's media for the Lord's
•     you are much more interested in eternal truths taught by the Lord in the temple than the glib and mind numbing sensations comments on social media 
•     Your confidence and happiness increases
•     you have a better imagination
•     you have a clearer mind who doesn't want these?
•     you ponder topics
•     you have deep conversations with others hard to do if you can't find someone else who's seeking what you are...
•     you feel a stronger presence with the spirit in your life
•     you use technology righteously (learn how on lds.org)
•     you have the courage and determination to remove anything and everything from your life that is unholy and impure. courage, because you will be mocked for doing it; courage because you may find that you are more addicted than you think; determination, because you will want to justify and rationalize that it doesn't matter
•     you are willing to follow the advice of your leaders do you know what that advise is? These talks are just such advice. Are you willing to follow it?
•     you seek counsel and are eager to follow it are you eager to do this?
•     you go to the scriptures for answers and comfort
•     you identify burdens that are holding you back and repent now.
•     you want to give up all your sins, even your favorite ones - today!
•     you are not embarrassed to repent and feel like running to repent.

·     This can be the “very best year of your life” IF you will “follow through, better than ever before on resolutions that mean the most to you.” I think she's not saying that you get to pick resolutions that you want to make important, but rather, I've just given you a list of resolutions that will change your life and that they SHOULD mean the most to you. Follow through on THESE resolutions and you will have the BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE in spite of the "eventful" things that will happen. What a promise!!!
  
“I pray that you will have moments of anguishing desperation that will propel (definition: push, prod, urge, impel, cause to move forward or onward) you further along the path to becoming the person you were born to be.” It's interesting that she prays we'll have moments of "anguishing desperation" and can at the same time say it can be the "very best year of your life." Sounds like those two things can't go together, but I agree that desired spiritual growth and conversion and waking up to one's true potential and purpose (which Pres. Nelson says will "change your life") could indeed, make this year...the year you "woke up" the BEST year of your life! Not only that...you need to feel desperate about it...time is running short! In April 2012, Elder Holland ended his talk (The Laborers in the Vineyard") with this chilling statement:
"It is never too late so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time. Please listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit telling you right now, this very moment, that you should accept the atoning gift of the Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy the fellowship of His labor. Don’t delay. It’s getting late. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
That was four years ago! How much later is it now?

Faith-promoting story:
Impoverished, young, G.Q. Cannon paid tithing on what he “wanted” to make; the very next year he earned exactly that amount! Considering an economic hit might be the next thing you feel in your life, this particular faith-promoting story should be remembered. It also speaks to a law of heaven. All things are created spiritually first. Brother Cannon acted in faith, paying tithing on money he "hoped for, which he couldn't see, but which he knew was true" - because he'd created it spiritually.

30 DAY CHALLENGE I am starting this challenge today!

o   Kneel and thank God for the scriptures

o   Tell him one question you most need to have answered that day

o   Plead to have the Holy Ghost with you as read

o   Open anywhere and read until you find the answer

To Do:

Prayerfully discover which gift you need today. Each gift you receive takes you forward towards your true self. Pray with real faith that you will receive and recognize the gifts you pray for. Gifts you can pray for: (be desperate for it; pray with all the energy of your heart for it!)

• self discipline
• cheerfulness
• patience
• to be healed
• to forgive
• to have your sexual feelings in harmony with Eternal laws
• unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

To think about:

•     Like Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, we too may soon cry out, "Oh God, where art thou?" in intense spiritual desperation. And, if we are faithful, we too will receive "sublime revelation."
•     There is 100% guarantee that if you truly repent, the Savior will cleanse you and heal you thoroughly, totally and completely. 
•     Elder D. Todd Christopherson taught, “The power of the Saviors atonement can erase the effects of sin in us. When we repent, His atoning grace justifies and cleanses us. It is as if we had not succumbed, as if we had not yielded to temptation.” 
•     Some day you will have an individual face to face interview with the Savior.  Let that eventual reality become real to you today and you will be willing to do whatever it takes to be prepared. I think it's interesting that she didn't say "prepare for IT or THAT DAY"....she just said "to be prepared". What if she's talking about being prepared for what lies ahead? Isn't that what these two talks are about? She follows this statement with this final question:
•     What if you learned that the Savior had already returned to this earth; that He, as part of His Second Coming, had already met with some of His true followers in several marvelous, large gatherings. Gathering about which the world, including CNN and the blogsphere knew nothing.  If you found out that the Savior was already on the earth what would you desperately want to do today.  What would you be wiling and ready to do tomorrow? This was her CONCLUDING QUESTION. I believe she's saying this because it may very well be true. The Second Coming has begun. It's not an "event"...it's a process. The Lord could well have already met with the First Presidency...several times. If it has begun, then you may actually want to start feeling desperate about being prepared to meet him and what HAS to happen BEFORE you meet Him. Her point, though, may be that you must not wait to hear it on the news that it's time to prepare. You won't hear it there. If you wait for that, you will miss it. Assume that His Second Coming has already begun....start preparing. Feel desperate, for if you are just starting, you must know the deadline is fast approaching. It reminds me of the talk "Lay Up and Store" where in his parable, he tried to cram for the exam, but it was too late. He failed miserably! This would be a good time to review that talk!
•     Your true self is spectacular!  Never settle for less.  If you don't wake up to who you are, you will be settling for less. "you are more than you have become" ... you need to believe that and claim it! Satan has been working hard your whole life to distract you from understanding your role in this last inning. Shake it off and step into your destiny!

President Nelson:

Take Note:

• "This New Year will SURELY BE AN EVENTFUL ONE"  He sites the death of his sister and the birth of a couple babies as "eventful" things in his own life in just the first two weeks of the new year. Also speaking to the Young Adults "throughout the entire world". He did not qualify it, though, by saying "eventful for me"...just that THIS New Year will SURELY be and eventful one!  I feel like he's veiling his prophecy in his own events so that the "world" will miss it.          

Things to Know:

• Wendy’s message was IMPORTANT Her message was, that you need to become the person you were born to be (a true millennial) and that it's okay if things happen that cause you to feel "desperate". Let that "propel" you into becoming who you were born to be!
• The Lord moves upon the prophet to proclaim the Lord’s will
• Revelation is a sacred process (fast, pray, discuss…)
• You have as much access to the mind and will of the Lord for your own life as we apostles do for the church. but you will have to work for it like they do...
• Prophets SEE AHEAD; they see 
• the HARROWING (definition: extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous; painful, agonizing, tormenting, heartbreaking) DANGERS the adversary has placed or will yet place in our path; This is a clear prophecy and warning about what lies ahead. Are you prepared for it temporally, psychologically and spiritually?
• the possibilities and privileges awaiting those who listen with the intent to obey. Decide NOW that you will obey "every word of command with exactness" (Helaman's Stripling Warriors)
•  The prophet will never lead us astray pray for a witness of this truth.
•  Secret combinations – their leaders; these servants of Satan, are hidden and embedded among the people and society.; they are difficult to detect;  The Book of Mormon says that "When ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you..." I think Pres. Nelson is telling us they are here, so it's time to wake up!
• As members become more and more prideful, many will mock that which is sacred, deny the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Notice that the scripture doesn't say that the gadiantions were mocking. It was the Nephites (assuming they were members) who became more and more prideful that began to mock. BOTH of these threats are among us today!

LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A "MILLENNIAL": please note what you should:like, dislike, feel, be inclined towards, what your strengths are and what weakness you may face:

• “Millennial” describes who you are and what your purpose in life really  is Social Scientists say he's talking to those who are age 16 - 36. (though the fireside is for ages 18 - 30) You are just starting high school, thinking about college, missions, careers, have young families and feel like you are just starting to plan your lives. But God has a different plan for you than the one you may have for yourself....or at least He's going to ask you to extend that plan into the Millennial realm. Between now and the realization of your dreams, He has a special fore-ordained mission for you; one for which you were prepared, saved for, and born for. It's worth repeating here what Elder Holland said on Facebook on Dec. 31st, 2015:"The start of a new year is the traditional time to take stock of our lives and see where we are going, measured against the backdrop of where we have been. Several years ago at BYU, I shared my thoughts on the scriptural story of Lot’s wife (http://bit.ly/1HWKn4z).
  Often, like Lot’s wife, we long to return to past days. I have come to the conclusion that Lot’s wife did not just look back; she looked back longingly. In short, her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future. That, apparently, was at least part of her sin.

  So, as a new year starts and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in.

  To all such of every generation, I call out, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the “high priest of good things to come.”

  Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever. That is a New Year’s resolution I ask you to keep this new year."
• You are an ELECT child of God
• You were created in HIS IMAGE
• You were taught in the Spirit world to prepare you for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you would encounter during this LATTER part of these LATTER DAYS
• THAT TEACHING ENDURES WITHIN YOU. You need to believe this, because there's not much you have experienced so far in this life that has prepared you for what is coming shortly. But trust that your premortal preparation is within you and you will be able to call it forward.
• You are living in the ELEVENTH HOUR – the last time the Lord will call laborers to gather the elect. Consider that the "elect" you are to gather may be other "millennials"...
•  You were sent to participate in THIS GATHERING
•  As the seed of  Abraham, You have power and influence and a duty to bring others to a knowledge of the truth. of Christ, the restored gospel, of His coming, of who they are...
• You have a distinctive light that radiates from you that will attract others
• You were taught the gospel pre-mortally
• You taught the gospel pre-mortally
• You are anchored in true doctrine.
• You made covenants pre-mortally about courageous, even morally courageous things you would do here. Don't be afraid about what lies ahead. Pray for the courage you had when you first made the covenant.
•  God trusted you to send you to the most compelling dispensation in the history of the world. Consider WHY it is the most "compelling" dispensation if "compelling" means 'an admiring interest' or does it mean "a powerful effect"...
• You live NOW to help prepare the people of this world for the Second Coming of Christ and His millennial reign. God needs you to shift now into your true purpose. Jesus is coming and you're going to be here when He does. Help others to shift as well.
• You are a devout disciple of Jesus Christ who INSTINCTIVELY seizes every opportunity to help yourself and others to PREPARE FOR THE MILLENIAL REIGN OF OUR SAVIOR. Listen to and feel your spirit pulling you into your true purpose. Take every opportunity to prepare yourself and others for the return of the Savior. This consists of both temporal and spiritual preparation. (Elder Oaks)
• The Lord can count on you to do some things for Him.
• You will be asked to do difficult things as covenant people always are. 
• Be a covenant keeping child of God. You are living in the latter part second time he said this of the latter days.  "you can do hard things!"
• You will make history Right up there with the birth of Christ!
• You were born to be a TRUE Millennial Be the "true" Millennial...not the one the world says you are.
• You were CHOSEN TO DO A REMARKABLE WORK TO HELP PREPARE A PEOPLE FOR THE SECOND COMING. He repeated this THREE TIMES! You are here to help prepare a people for the Second Coming. Pray to know how you are to do that.

TO DO:

• Learn who you really are Pray for a witness that you are a "true millennial" "take time to think prayerfully" about all this...
• Stand up and LIVE as a "True Millennial"!
• Ask Heavenly Father how He feels about you
• Ask Him what your mission on earth is
• record your impressions,
• review them often
• follow them with exactness. yeah...you're going to be made fun of...
• If the prophet gives you an assignment – set out to do it, even if it seems utterly impossible.You must be absolutely determined to do this! There's a reason you've read First Nephi more than any other book in the Book of Mormon!
• Step forward with FAITH AND DOGGED PERSISTENCE when asked to do impossible things! ("Dogged" - persistent; stubbornly tenacious; unyielding;)
• Accept challenging assignments to become an instrument in the Lord's hands.
• Cheerfully do all that lies in your power to fulfill the purposes of the Lord With a correct vision and witness of why you are here and what you are to do, you can do it cheerfully - with faith and not fear - no matter what Satan puts before you.
• do whatever it takes to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ. really...do whatever it takes!
• Increase your understanding of and be anchored in the true doctrine taught in the church
• Relentlessly seek truth there's that "dogged persistence" again...
• When you are discouraged, pray for….Courage; do not give up
• Learn how to ACCESS the POWER OF HEAVEN Believe that you can!
  
• Seek to learn, understand, and recognize truth. It is vital. scripture study and becoming familiar with the words of the prophet is key here...
• Ask INSPIRED questions. That is how you learn best. do you know how to ask an inspired question; can you recognize when your questions are inspired?
• Revelation is a sacred process. Learn how to qualify for and receive answers by being willing to seek, ponder, pray, study, fast, wrestle, consider all the ramifications, and counsel with others. Be willing to do it repeatedly. this is part of how you "qualify" for answers. "receiving" an answer sometimes lies in learning how to recognize the way the answer comes (See Elder Bednar's talk on tithing in Oct 2013) When Elder Nelson prayed and asked, "How do you feel about these Young Adults?" The answer came through spiritual impressions and feelings.
• Spend more time in temples and the chapel.
• Make home a Holy Place – safely retreat from the dark distractions of the world
• Prayer is a key. Pray:

o  To know what to stop doing and what to start doing;think technology; prayer, scripture study, Sabbath day

o   what to add or subtract from your environment so the spirit will be there in abundance. ditto

o  Plead for the gift of discernment so important 

• Live and work to be worthy of the gift of discernment. You can know exactly what is true and what is not.
• Serve with love. not just out of duty...It will open your heart to personal revelation.
• Spend much more time where the spirit is present (friends who are seeking the same; on your knees in prayer; in the scriptures; in family history work; in the temple)in your busy, busy, life he just said to spend MORE time in things you may feel you barely have time for now. So what is he asking you to do?
• Learn to hear the voice of the Lord through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. it starts with recognizing the voice of our conscience as the voice of the Lord (light of Christ) and yielding to that voice. As you do so, you will grow more confident and learn to hear the promptings of the Spirit more often.
• Come to know  if you are where you need to be or doing what the Lord needs you to do. You've already asked "what" your mission is...now ask if you are "doing" what you need to be doing to fulfill that mission.
• FOLLOW THE PROPHETS "they know the way"; "our safety lies in our obedience"
•  Know he’s a prophet
•  They see ahead.
• Ask in humility and faith for your own witness about whatever he’s proclaimed.
•  BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHOSE COUNSEL YOU FOLLOW! 
• Be more interested in what the Lord has to say then what the "experts" say.

EXPECT:

• Learning who you are and what your mission is will be life changing be willing to shift and change your life. He's talking to active, faithful youth...you will need to shift into a new purpose and mission than the one you have now. 
  
• Expect and prepare to accomplish the impossible begin to wrap your head around that very real challenge. You will need extreme Faith!
• Count on an Abrahamic Test – a test that will seem far beyond your capacity for which you may have no experience. at least here in this life. But remember you WERE prepared in the premortal world.
• Obstacles may be in your way. You may not know where to go beforehand. Temptations may be intentionally placed in your way to test you, trap you. You may be rejected. but since you know in advance, you can be prepared to not be swayed or moved off course by it.
• That the Lord will enable you to accomplish the impossible.
• The Lord is able to do His own work and you will see one miracle after another ALWAYS AND ONLY AFTER you bring your BEST THINKING, YOUR MOST COURAGEOUS EFFORTS, and your MOST FERVENT PRAYERS. Call forth your premortal preparation; pray and work in faith that God will provide.
• It will become less and less popular to be a Latter day Saint. You will need courage not to give up. Pray for it. again...He's preparing you. "If you are prepared, you will not fear it..."
• Some who you thought to be your friends will betray you remember Job...
• Some things will simply seem unfair. life isn't fair...but God is just and Christ will come and "wipe away all tears..."
• You may be awakened in the night with impressions about issues you are concerned with. 
• The prophet may ask you to do something that
• you do not like
• may contradict your political views
• may contradict your social views
• may interfere with your social life
• you do not understand

·         I PROMISE:

• You can know the mind and will of the Lord for your own life.
• You can know you are where the Lord needs you to be, doing what He needs you to do through the Holy Ghost.
• As you follow Jesus Christ you will find SUSTAINED PEACE and TRUE JOY. For those who won't shift life may be "harrowing", but for those that do there is SUSTAINED peace and TRUE JOY. How's that!
• As you keep your covenants with INCREASING PRECISION exactness; Don't be casual about the Sabbath Day, or your church attendance or your scripture reading or your prayers. It won't be enough to just check the box...and as you DEFEND THE CHURCH, yes, you'll have to open your mouth...the Lord will bless you with STRENGTH and WISDOM to accomplish the impossible.awesome!
• Heavenly Father and Christ stand ready to answer your questions through the ministering of the Holy Ghost.
• As you consistently give the Lord a GENEROUS portion of your time, he will multiply the remainder. This will take faith, but you will see the miracle...just like tithing...
• listen to the prophets as if from the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, and I promise THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL, the LORD will disperse the powers of hell from before you.” This promise is worth any cost!
• The Lord will enable you to accomplish the impossible. How?   
• By your doing whatever it takes to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ. are you desperate to strengthen you faith?
• By increasing your understanding of the doctrine taught in His restored church and 
• by relentlessly seeking truth. are you desperate to know the truth?

BLESSING:

"            "I bless each one of you as though I had my hands upon your heads

•  with the ability to become the true millennial you were born to be. I bless you to have
•  the desire and ability to learn your true identity and purpose
•  that you will expect and prepare to do impossible things,
• that you will be undaunted in your efforts to learn how to access the powers of heaven to help you solve your problems and answer your questions and I bless you
• to follow the prophets with exactness
• to feel peace in your heart as you do so. I bless you
• to know and feel how much the Lord loves you and how much confidence he has in you." 
  
  you can do this!  
• "Make NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, YOU WERE BORN TO BE A TRUE MILLENNIAL!"
  
  Now would be a good time to watch these two short videos: May you feel hope and not fear. Go in to faith and trust!
  
  
  LDS Church Leaders preparing us for the Second Coming of Christ
  
  Great Trials Lie Ahead

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