Dallin Oaks is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This talk was given on the Sunday morning session of General Conference in April 2007. You can find the talk here and I highly recommend watching it.

Dalin Oaks on Divorce

The transcript of this talk is found on the LDS.org website.

Interesting points that I got out of this talk are as follows:

1. Because of the hardness of our hearts, the Lord does not currently enforce the consequences of the Celestial Standard found in the higher law. He permits divorced persons who have not committed serious transgressions to become eligible for a temple recommend.

2. There are many good members of the church who have been divorced and many of them are innocent victims–members whose former spouses persistently betrayed sacred covenants or abandoned or refused to perform marriage responsibilities for an extended period. Members who have experienced such abuse have firsthand knowledge of circumstances worse than divorce.

3. We know that some look back on their divorces with regret at their own partial or predominant fault in the breakup. All who have been through divorce know the pain and need the healing power and hope that come from the Atonement. That healing power and that hope are there for them and also for their children.

4. I strongly urge you and those who advise you to face up to the reality that for most marriage problems, the remedy is not divorce but repentance. Often the cause is not incompatibility but selfishness. The first step is not separation but reformation. Divorce is not an all-purpose solution, and it often creates long-term heartache.

5. A couple with serious marriage problems should see their bishop. As the Lord’s judge, he will give counsel and perhaps even discipline that will lead toward healing. Bishops do not counsel members to divorce, but they can help members with the consequences of their decisions. Under the law of the Lord, a marriage, like a human life, is a precious, living thing. If our bodies are sick, we seek to heal them. We do not give up. While there is any prospect of life, we seek healing again and again. The same should be true of our marriages, and if we seek Him, the Lord will help us and heal us.

6. Even those who think their spouse is entirely to blame should not act hastily. One study found “no evidence that divorce or separation typically made adults happier than staying in an unhappy marriage. Two out of three unhappily married adults who avoided divorce reported being happily married five years later.”

Top Five Needs For Women:
1. Affection
2. Conversation
3. Honesty and Openness
4. Financial Support
5. Family Commitment

Top Five Needs For Men:
1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
3. Attractive Spouse
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration

Ask the mother of the deceased person if she can forgive the murderer.
Ask the spouse or children of the deceased person if they can forgive the murderer.
Ask close friends of the person who has passed on if they can forgive the murderer.

There are very few individuals that exist in this world who have the amount of love existing in them that would grant them the ability to forgive the individual who took away from them the life of a close one by means of murder. I would say that such a forgiving heart can only be obtained in conjunction with the true application of the Savior’s atonement being used in the healing process.

John 3:15 - “and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

Joseph Smith touched on the subject of murder in speaking of King David who was guilty of aldultery and the murder of Uriah.

A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell.

For clarity of the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is taught that individuals who suffer in hell after this life will eventually pay for the price of their own sins and be delivered up at the time of the final judgement. They will then be resurrected and given a place in the Telestial Kingdom, a kingdom of God with the glory of the stars as compared to a kingdom with the glory of the sun or the moon which is given to more righteous individuals.

The Church and the Murderer
Occasionally, people who have murdered have come to the church requesting baptism.

The late President Spencer W. Kimball answers to this request as follows:

Peter referred to the same subject on the day of Pentecost, but the multitude did not get the endowment that Peter had; but several days after the people asked, “What shall we do?” Peter says, “I would ye had done it ignorantly,” speaking of crucifying the Lord, etc. He did not say to them, “Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins”; but he said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

This is the case with murderers. They could not be baptized for the remission of sins, for they had shed innocent blood.”

Even unpardonable sins such as murder should be repented of. The murderer does not have eternal life abiding in him, but a merciful God will grant to every soul adequate rewards for every good deed he does. Even the murderer is justified in repenting and mending his ways and building up a credit balance in his favor.

This post is mostly taken from the book entitled The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball, pages 130 and 131.

The seriousness of each of these sins varies. The repentance process for each depends on the severity of the sin. Also taken into consideration for the repentance process is the level of commitment the individual has made in the church. While such a concept may sound foreign to people not familiar to the church, it makes total sense to those who are well aware of the churches teachings. An example is that a high school student that engages in premarital sex will likely be disfellowshipped from the church meaning that they are given a period of time to repent while being denied the opportunity to partake of the sacrament or say prayers in church meetings. Whereas someone who has attended the temple who engages in premarital sex will likely be excommunicated and be required to be rebaptized after a more extended period of time. If a priesthood holder has been excommunicated and desires to once again hold the priesthood, the reinstatement may even require approval from the general authorities of the church - the 12 apostles. This is not something taken lightly and often takes several years for approval.

Modest Dress
While it may be fashionable to look sexy in the way you present yourself, men and women who respect the Lord’s teachings will dress in ways that will not draw attention to themselves in inappropriate ways. Dressing sharp and well is appropriate especially when done in good taste.

For the Strength of Youth states as follows:
Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?”

Clean Speech
Clean speech can range from the use of profanity to the use of telling inappropriate jokes that are sexual in nature. Our speech is a reflection of the heart. When we use profanity, we demean ourselves and we desensitize the feelings of those around us who are striving to live their lives pure in the site of God. When we tell or even engage in the laughter of jokes that are sexual in nature, we offend those who do not wish to hear them and we offend God. The Holy Ghost immediately withdraws. We find ourselves in need of repentance.

Masterbation
Masterbation is a sin.

Outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can find discussion forum and after discussion forum of individuals rationalizing the act of masterbation saying that it is not a sin. The guidance from the leaders of the church do not see it this way. All young men desiring to serve a mission must attain self mastery and overcome this self defeating act prior to receiving their mission call. Individuals who find themselves engaging in this act are recommended to consult with their bishop to receive guidance on overcoming this sin.

If you are engaging in masturbation, you should not partake of the sacrament and should not attend the temple. You should first repent of the sin prior to once again engaging in these sacred ordinances.

Pornography
Pornography is one of the greatest challenges facing the church today. With pornography being found right at the fingertips of a Google search, Bishops all over the world are bombarded with members coming to them confessing their sins of either having a pornography addiction or simply having one instance of indulging in the viewing of Satan’s greatest tool. Pornography destroys marriages, deceives people into thinking they can have that which is forbidden, and touches a man’s senses in a way that controls them and drags them down to hell. Pornography must not be touched in any way if one wishes to feel the sweet presence of the Holy Ghost. Confession to your bishop may be the only way to obtain repentance and once again feel the sweetness of the Spirit of God dwelling with you.

And don’t even think about attending a so-called Gentleman’s Club. I really don’t know what the church’s disciplinary policy is on this topic. Needless to say, I would not expect it to be well. Would it be seen as the same thing as fornication or adultery? I doubt it. But I expect it would be worse than the viewing of porn pages on the internet.

Proper Conduct while Dating
I don’t believe that I can cover this topic any better that what is already spelled out in the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet published by the church.

For the Strength of Youth

Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must be expressed only in marriage. Do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person’s body, with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body.

In cultures where dating or courting is acceptable, always treat your date with respect, never as an object to be used for your lustful desires. Stay in areas of safety where you can easily control your physical feelings. Do not participate in talk or activities that arouse sexual feelings.

Fornication and Adultery

1 Corinthians 6:9

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

Sex outside of marriage is practiced so heavily outside of the church, it is easy to wonder if it is even a sin. For faithful members of the church, we know that it happens as well. We also know that disciplinary action is taken on the individuals who engage in it. Today, if a young man engages in it while in their youth, it is very difficult to ever be allowed to serve on a mission. Once again, approval from a general authority is required. For those who have made temple covenants and then engage in fornication, the result is most always excommunication from the church.

Outside of blasphemy to the Holy Ghost, adultery is next to murder as being of the most treacherous sins a person could engage in. Adultery rips families apart. It breaks the tender hearts of the innocent, destroys families, creates hardships on spouses and children affected by the selfishness. It is deceptive. It is hurtful. A man or a woman who has engaged in adultery will not stand before God without shame unless a serious and sincere repentance is made. True repentance includes restitution. How do you bring back the trust and love that once existed prior to this serious act of betrayal?

Let the Spirit of God Guide You
While black and white principles may be a guiding factor for many people, what is really important is the relationship that you have with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. If you strive to obey their commandments and live your life according to the principles taught by the savior, he will guide you in your decisions and bless you with his spirit. You will recognize his spirit as it whispers peace to your soul. The closer you come to him, the stronger and more common will that peace be felt. It is a very personal thing. If you are guilty of sexual sin, you may need to see the Bishop to be placed on a path to repentance. If you are having difficulty feeling the closeness to the spirit, then stop and listen again. He may send a prompting to you reminding you of exactly the reason for the void. He will help guide you as you sincerely seek the path to return to him.

The reality is that she is absolutely correct. Jesus’ first miracle in the New Testament was to turn water into wine at a marriage feast. So if Jesus thought it was okay to drink wine is his day, then why do the Mormons, who profess to be the restored church of Jesus Christ on the earth today, teach that it is not okay to drink alcohol?

My answer is that is has nothing whatsoever to do with any teaching that is found in the Bible. This strictly came as guidance for us in this day in age.

I recently heard one of our church leaders - Richard G. Scott - speak at our Stake Conference and he quoted “if these people will show that they love me, then I will bless them by giving them more commandments.” If anyone knows where this quote came from, then please let me know. Nevertheless, the “Word of Wisdom” is an example of this principle. Commandments are given to us as we humble ourselves and submit ourselves to his will. He gives us commandments to bless us and enrich our lives.

Surprisingly, the commandment to not smoke or drink was not originally given as a commandment, it was given as a guideline - as a “Word of Wisdom”. It is found in the Doctrine and Covenants in Section 89 dated February 27, 1833. The first 8 verses of the revelation are given as follows:

1. A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and of the church, and also the saints in Zion –
2. To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days–
3. Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.
4. Behold verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation –
5. That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.
6. And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
7. And again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.
8. And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

There were actually events that led up to Joseph Smith receiving this revelation. Joseph Smith use to conduct training sessions to the other church leaders in a setting known as the School of the Prophets. This first School of the Prophets took place in a small room situated over Joseph Smiths’ kitchen in a house which belonged to Newel K. Whitney. Brigham Young described the setting as follows:

When they [the brethren] assembled together in this room after breakfast, the first they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the kingdom, and spit all over the room, and as soon as the pipe was out of their mouths a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions, he would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a floor, made the prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the Elders in using tobacco, and the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his inquiry.

In the early days of the church, any person serving in leadership positions were required to comply with the Word of Wisdom. In 1913, Joseph F. Smith - the existing prophet and nephew of Joseph Smith - wrote: “The reason undoubtedly why the Word of Wisdom was given - as not by commandment or restraint was that at the time, at least if it had been given as a commandment, it would have brought every man addicted to the use of these noxious things under condemnation; so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to overcome, before he brought them under the law.” A few years later in the early 20th century, when Heber J. Grant was the living prophet, this law was made binding on all of the members of the church. Today, if you desire to have the privilege of entering the temple or to participate in Priesthood ordinances, you must be complying with the Word of Wisdom.

Of course there are many members of the church who do drink alcohol and smoke tobacco (or other items as well). Often, those who are caught in this snare of addiction stop attending church because they feel unworthy or inadequate. However, the church does not discourage them from attending. We very much want to see them at the place of worship. They are, however, requested not to partake of the sacrament.

Personally, my heart saddens when I hear of people who cease their activities in the church because they feel unworthy. I believe that our Heavenly Father gives all of us weaknesses. Part of our challenge in life is to overcome our weaknesses and gain self control over the body. I do have my weaknesses which have posed great challenges of worthiness to myself. However, for me, the Word of Wisdom has not been one of them.

I grew up as a member of the church. From the time I was young, I was taught not to smoke, drink alcohol, drink coffee, drink tea, or to take illegal and harmful drugs. I fortunately listened to my parents as they taught this to me. I have never in my life drank an alcoholic beverage, smoked nor chewed on tobacco, nor drank a cup of coffee or tea. And because I have never partaken them, I do not know firsthand the effects that they would have on me. It is quite possible that if I had a beer, I would really like the way it felt. But since I do not know what I am missing, it is not a temptation. That does make it a lot easier for me.

I have a good friend from work who really struggles with an alcohol addiction. He knows that drinking not only has harmful health effects, he also knows that his actions when drinking are not desirable. He is much more easily irritated and tends to fight with his girlfriend - especially when she has been drinking as well.

I have an uncle who was an alcoholic. The alcohol destroyed his life. It led to divorce. It affected his work. His health declined. He eventually died a bitter drunk man.

I would very much like to publish anonymous articles from contributors who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have struggled with addictions of alcohol and / or tobacco. If you or a friend of yours has struggled with addictions of these; please share your stories. I would especially be interested in success stories of individuals who have successfully overcome their addictions. If you have a story to share, please send it to admin@mormonsanonymous.org and I will anonymously post your letter for all to read.

Thank you.

The Bishop basically expounded on a talk by Elder Robert D Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The original talk is found here Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually.

I would like to point out some of the main points that were discussed by the Bishop.

Brothers and sisters, as did President Monson, our children are growing up in times of economic uncertainty. Just as our grandparents and great-grandparents learned vital lessons through economic adversity, what we learn now, in our present circumstances, can bless us and our posterity for generations to come.

Depression Effect
The generation that grew up during the Depression tended to have very thrifty habits regarding the spending of money. They learned during those days the importance of living within your means. It is quite possible that our nation may go through several years of rough economic times. By having our children participate in our scaling back and living providently, they will remember it and become blessed by it for years to come.

Debt and Addiction
It is interesting to note that Elder Hales places debt in the same category as addiction. In a very real sense, debt is often caused by our unwillingness to exercise self control. Failure to exercise self control is the stemming cause of individuals being caught in the snares of addiction to foods, drugs, pornography, and other patterns of behavior that diminish ones self worth. When we get caught in these snares, we must turn to the Lord and follow his commandments. We must repent.

What is a Provident Provider
Provident living means:

• Joyfully living within our means
• Being content with what we have
• Avoiding excessive debt
• Diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies

By living providently, we can provide for our families and also follow the Savior’s example to serve and bless others.

On Budgeting, Love and Personal Growth
It has been shown that in most families, one person runs the budget and the other simply follows in it (hopefully). It is very important that both spouses in the marriage go over the budget together.

Quite often people want to show their love to their spouse by buying things for them. However, it is not wise to blindly do these purchases. Sometimes the words “I love you” are very important whereas the words, “we cannot afford it” are an even greater expression of love. The budget needs to be a joint activity.

Tithing and the Fast Offering is another way that we learn provident living. By paying our tithes, we develop our faith in the Father and the Son. Tithing helps us to overcome the desires for the things of the world as we willingly make sacrifices for others.

While the Tithing money goes straight to Salt Lake City, the Fast Offering is used locally. The Bishop pointed out the joy that he receives when members of the ward have called him in their need and he has been able to draw from the Fast Offering to provide that immediate “Real Need” for the family.

I searched through numerous talks, but could not find that particular talk.  I ended up printing off 4 different conference talks - all about dealing with adversity - and made the best of it.

In the class, we all commonly agreed that the main thread in the conference was that many of us are going through hard times right now.  But if we will keep our covenants with the Lord, he will watch over us and be with us to overcome the trials.  We must also be reaching out beyond our family circle to find ways to help others.

I was surprised to find in the lesson that when I asked the men, how many of them are personally going through hard times right now, about 2/3 of them raised thier hands.  I thought to myself, the problems of today are deeper than I thought.  Then we discussed the different trials that people may be going through.

Aside from the obvious trials of today’s harsh economic times, there are people who are struggling with loneliness.  I pointed out that it is very possible to be lonely while being very married. 

President Holland gave a really unique talk in conference called None Were with Him. He taught in that lesson a concept about the atonement that I had never heard before. Here is an excerpt from that talk.

Of course others among the believers had their difficult moments as well. Following the Last Supper, Jesus left Peter, James, and John to wait while He ventured into the Garden of Gethsemane alone. Falling on His face in prayer, “sorrowful . . . unto death,”8 the record says, His sweat came as great drops of blood as He pled with the Father to let this crushing, brutal cup pass from Him. But, of course, it could not pass. Returning from such anguished prayer He found His three chief disciples asleep, prompting Him to ask, “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” So it happens two more times until on His third return He says compassionately, “Sleep on now, and take your rest,” though there would be no rest for Him.

Later, after Jesus’s arrest and appearance at trial, Peter, accused of knowing Jesus and being one of His confidants, denies that accusation not once but three times. We don’t know all that was going on here, nor do we know of protective counsel which the Savior may have given to His Apostles privately, but we do know Jesus was aware that even these precious ones would not stand with Him in the end, and He had warned Peter accordingly. Then, with the crowing of the cock, “the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord. . . . And [he] went out, and wept bitterly.”

Thus, of divine necessity, the supporting circle around Jesus gets smaller and smaller and smaller, giving significance to Matthew’s words: “All the disciples [left] him, and fled.”15 Peter stayed near enough to be recognized and confronted. John stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus’s mother. Especially and always the blessed women in the Savior’s life stayed as close to Him as they could. But essentially His lonely journey back to His Father continued without comfort or companionship.

Now I speak very carefully, even reverently, of what may have been the most difficult moment in all of this solitary journey to Atonement. I speak of those final moments for which Jesus must have been prepared intellectually and physically but which He may not have fully anticipated emotionally and spiritually—that concluding descent into the paralyzing despair of divine withdrawal when He cries in ultimate loneliness, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

The loss of mortal support He had anticipated, but apparently He had not comprehended this. Had He not said to His disciples, “Behold, the hour . . . is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me” and “The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him”?

With all the conviction of my soul I testify that He did please His Father perfectly and that a perfect Father did not forsake His Son in that hour. Indeed, it is my personal belief that in all of Christ’s mortal ministry the Father may never have been closer to His Son than in these agonizing final moments of suffering. Nevertheless, that the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required; indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone.

The book of James in the New Testament was written by the brother of Jesus. The main theme of that book was about overcoming trials. In considering that this was a topic so close to his heart, I personally believe that family life in the home of Mary and Joseph could not have been easy. They were likely pushed around and persecuted from every side on a continual basis by supporters of the adversary. Joseph Smith’s family had their exceedingly serious share of trials; however, their trials probably paled greatly in comparison to the trials experienced in Jesus family. Unfortunately, we have no record of it. It is just something that I personally believe.

I ended the lesson in talking about the fast offering. Our previous bishop who was recently released briefly stood up in Sacrament Meeting announcing that there are many families in the ward really struggling financially today. He asked us to be very generous in our fast offerings - money which the bishop turns around to give to the families in the ward who are in need. While the bishop has since been released, I was recently riding in the car with a member of the bishopric who mentioned to me that there are so many families in the ward who are really struggling right now. I asked the members that in light of all that is going on that they seriously consider that if they have the means, then dig deeper to give generously to the fast offering. For that is one way that we can today live the law of consecration while helping those in need through these difficult times. Instead of building our kingdom on the earth, where moth doth corrupt and rust doth cancor, let us instead build up our riches in heaven by sharing of our means helping others with their needs.

This series of talks seemed a little different than lately. There were no talks on pornography and gambling. There were no talks on the importance of attending the temple. There was a big push on helping people as we all go through economic hard times.

Here are some of my notes on certain speakers. I will leave the names of the speakers out for brevity.

Families need to pray together day and night.
Joy comes when blessed with unity.
Don’t criticize the bishop.
Respond to attacks in a Christ-like manner. But what is a Christ-like manner? To Herod, he was silent; to Pontius Pilate, he bore testimony; to the Roman soldiers, he showed forgiveness; to the money changers in the temple, he threw over their tables.
Be Christ-like when defending the Kingdom against attacks.
Use the internet to repond to blogs and to discussion forums.
Meekness is the badge of Christian courage.
Don’t confuse confidence with overbearance.
Help others to understand the truth by bearing testimony in love and meekness.
Don’t be judgemental of others.
We all need each other.
Sometimes it is best to just walk away.
Share unconditional love.
Love your neighbor.
We are all neighbors.
Fast offering is heaven’s help.
Prayer will help you.
Display a banner signifying a return to virtue.
We must return to virtue if we want to change the world.
Lay aside the things of the world.
God’s work cannot be frustrated, only the work of man can be frustrated.
1 millionth missionary was called last year.
Carry on the traditions of those who began the church by being consecrated to the work showing no superficiality.
(Monson) Don’t let the most important things pass you by. Find time for the important things now. Don’t let problems be mor important than someone we love. Gratitude and thankfulness is a noble virtue.
For harmony in marraige, minimize personal demands and maximize loving harmony.
The three keys to teaching are:
1. Show love and call them by name.
2. Cause to ponder what was taught as pondering invites personal revelation.
3. Use and quote the scriptures.
Go back and get the less active. Many will come back. Many still have the flame, the flame is just weak.
A testimony of the gospel comes in the still small voice. It may not be grand or loud.
Some of our trials have lasting repercussions; but, not every cloud rains.
(Monson) Pull together and get through the trials.

Well, that covers most of the two Sunday meetings.

One of the talks touched on being generous during the upcoming tough economic times. It is important that we be willing to give to those in need. This particular topic is one that has been heavy in my heart lately as I personally have gone through several years of difficulties. The difficulties were not all financial. There were many emotional challenges and even spiritual challenges regarding worthiness that have plagued me throughout this time. But now my challenges are nearing an end and I am seeing people that are important to me also going through challenges and the question of how to best help them weighs heavy on my heart. Nevertheless, the message is quite clear that we need to be willing to reach out and help those in need. The speaker who impressed me on this subject was Brother Christopherson on the saturday afternoon session.

Two individuals gave similar talks today on modest dress and appearance. As part of thier talks one item they both touched on was dealing the the administration of the sacrament. As Priesthood holders are administering the sacrament, there should be nothing about thier appearance that detracts from the sacred ordinance of the sacrament. It was even suggested that the youth (or all others) who participate in the ordinance should be wearing the uniform of the white shirt symbolic of the dress when baptized and later to be worn while serving a mission. The concept of modesty went far beyond just dealing with the youth. In general, we were told to treat our bodies as sacred and not to defile them (suggesting not doing tatoos, crazy hairdos, and such). We are also to dress modestly in general. A joke was made referencing the making of two dresses out of the material normally used for one.

President Eyring spoke of being overworked. He said when he was a junior apostle, one of the members of the presidency pulled him in his office and asked him if it had happened regarding the instruction on how to cope with the stress of how to get everything done. President Eyring had been quite overwhelmed with his responsibilities. The counselor here did not tell him how to cope with it. He simply told him to get his answers from him (pointing his finger to the sky). President Eyring pointed out that it seems the busiest are often the ones called on the most because they get things done. And he pointed out that the harder you work at getting the Lord’s work done, the more strength he gives you to get the work done. And he compared it to simply working out and building up your muscles. It was pointed out that many people don’t want to get involved in the work. This should not be the case. We need to work at our callings to push forward the kingdom of God. There was a story given of a group of people needing to move a grand piano from the chapel to the cultural hall (different speaker). One person told everyone to stand where they were and lift. They all did so and the impossible task became as though the piano moved itself. We must be doing the same. Everybody stand where you are and fulfill your church callings. Do your home teaching. Prepare your lessons well. Do whatever it is you are required to do in the church and then some and the God’s work will get done and you will be rewarded with the Spirit. Another story on this topic was given of a man who migrated from Europe and joined the saints in the Salt Lake Valley. He built a home twenty miles away and was later hired to do stonework for the temple. Every monday morning, he woke up about 2:00 am to walk to the temple site. On Friday he would walk home and get home about midnight. One day, a cow kicked him and broke his leg. With the limited medical care, his family amputated his leg. Soon, through much pain, he built a wooden leg and soon began his weekly trek to the temple to do his stone cutting work. We need to have dedication to the work, a willingness and a desire to do the work, and we need to work together to do the work. In doing so, we will all reap Gods blessings of fulfillment and exhaltation.

Another good talk I recall was by the first counselor in the Relief Society. This talk was on missionary work. Everyone can and should be involved in the work. I don’t think the message was anything new. Nevertheless, it was a reminder to us that we all need to be willing to actively share the Gospel with those we are in touch with.

The saturday sessions were good. In fact, they were just as they always are.