484. Stake Conference, with Elder David Bednar and Elder Terry Wade as visiting Authorities. Great Conference!
Report on our Stake Conference this last weekend, with Elder Bednar and Elder Wade as visiting authorities. I wrote this from the notes I took there.
Stake Conference this past week, August 8th and 9th, 2015.
Elder David Bednar, of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Terry Wade of the 70's were our visiting authorities in our St. George East Stake Conference this past week, August 8th and 9th, 2015. It was very inspiring. We got there at about 6:10 p.m., and the Chapel was already full, and we had to sit 4 or 5 rows back, but we did get padded chairs! I took our dear neighbor lady who is 91, and loves to come to Church. It was packed both Saturday night and Sunday morning.
On Saturday night, after 4 speakers from the Stake, Elder Wade began telling about 2 and ½ days of counsel from the First Presidency and Twelve, just before the last General Conference, all about observing the Sabbath Day. Then he centered on Family Councils. He called up a couple and asked them questions, about having family councils, and talking to their children about important issues. They said they talk together sometimes at meals, or in Family Home Evening, etc. It is important to begin with questions and asking children how they think and what they have seen and how they feel. If a problems exists in the family ask their opinions on how to fix it. The father said that often when they have a discussion like this he asks the younger children their opinions first, as they get rather ignored when the teenagers begin to speak. His wife told of her husband’s mother who had passed away, but who had learned a lot of technology and had stayed close to her grandchildren and great grandchildren often sending encouraging letters of advice. She had been a great influence on her posterity, and her very last text/email to them was about the Temple garment. One of the things to talk about in a Family Council could be how you best could observe the Sabbath Day together.
Saturday night, Elder Bednar told that he grew up in the San Francisco bay area. His mother didn’t want to have him grow up totally as a “city boy” so during the summers he would go to his uncle’s dairy farm, and do all kinds of farm duties. He had spent time with relatives in Santa Clara, and felt at home here in the St. George area. He also talked about different types of councils, that they were important from families, to Priesthood quorums, Relief Society classes, to Ward Councils, and on up to the 1st Presidency and 12 Apostles. Then he emphasized that our Church as 15 apostles – (1st Pres. And 12) and that all receive all of the Keys that have been restored. As some are older, and can’t function, he said that things are done by unanimous voice of the whole quorum. There is great safety in the Church in that no one person does anything. They counsel together until they are unanimous. We should take solace in understanding that. The 1st Presidency presides but all decide.
The same pattern should be followed in the home. If a husband - father says “I’m in charge!” there is no Priesthood. When there is oppression there is no Priesthood. Counsels are patterned at every level in the Lord’s pattern. He told of problems Nephi and his brothers had, and after the brothers repented and asked forgiveness of Nephi, was when revelation came – Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life. Unity is prerequisite to revelation. The husband and wife interact to understand each other. It requires hard work to get to the same point. He mentioned the book “Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus”, and said the author got it wrong! They are from different universes!
Then he mentioned people taking notes in conference, and said we should listen with our spiritual ears so we can remember what hasn’t been said – (quote) “You need to receive counsel I can never give. Focus on something different than what I’m saying. Repent and make unity with our spouse. Be taught by the Holy Ghost and not Elder Bednar.”
He talked about the youth “Face to face” meeting they had awhile ago, and how youth from many different areas were listened to. He said our first council was council in Heaven, where all of us were told about Heavenly Father’s plan. He asked “Whom shall I send,” and we know that Jesus offered himself. Satan rebelled. It wasn’t the perfect council, as some chose not to follow the Lord. He talked about the weight placed on Jesus. He talked about the Lord speaking to us through the scriptures. He then talked about the Sabbath day, and that it should be a “delight”. The world won’t change, and we need to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.” He talked about how Jesus told his disciples “My time is at hand”, and what He wanted to teach them after that was most important. It was about the sacrament. He also taught that to his disciples in the Americas along with baptism. He emphasized that with agency you “cannot do what you want.” No! We have agency to obey God and love our fellow men. He said not paying tithing is denying our covenants – repudiating them and talked about being a “casual member.” He talked about the Martin Handcart Company, and even if you are a 6th generation Mormon, that doesn’t matter! He asked: What are you doing yourself? (Indicating we need to earn our own salvation, and not rest on what our pioneer ancestors have done. We need to do all we can at this time.)
The Apostasy was taking the Priesthood Keys away. Without the ordinances the Power of the Priesthood is not manifest to people on earth. We need the holy ordinances and covenants. We should not be “soiled and scrubbed and then soiled and scrubbed again." We should stay clean, and be strippling warriors. If you do your best the Lord will strengthen you, and it is the same for all. He mentions he sits close to Elder Dallin Oakes, and Elder Russell M. Nelson, two of the most intelligent minds on the planet. And then often in General Conference, he often talks after Elder Jeffrey Holland. “Try that one on for size!” (People laughed at that.) “Look unto me – doubt not – fear not.” – That was Saturday night’s talk – he talked for over an hour, so I couldn’t include it all! He was so down to earth, and personable.
On Sunday morning, I was privileged to play the organ. We got there about 8:10, and I played for almost 2 hours, as the Chapel was already filling up. I played Primary songs, and hymns, alternating.
The first speaker Sunday morning was our Stake President Craig Seegmiller, who is a math professor at Dixie State University. He was rather emotional as that day would have been his father’s 86th birthday, and he passed away about a couple of years ago. (I'll mention that his mother lives in our ward, and I've seen him walking with her, and being so kind to her. He grew up in this ward and stake, and has lived here most of his life. He loves the people in this ward, and stake!)
He said when he heard Elder David Bednar was coming, he felt he really needed to repent! He read 10 pages a day in the Book of Mormon, and finished it in less than 2 months. He challenged each person in the Stake to do the same, read 10 pages a day, and be done by the end of September. He said it helped give him a broad picture of the happenings and blessings mentioned there. He said he had always loved the hymn “Master the Tempest is Raging”, and quoted the words, including: “Peace be still.” etc. He also said he loved the poem Invictus, by William Ernest Henley, and quoted the last few lines which are:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Then he quoted one called “Reply to Invictus” by Elder Orson F. Whitney, an apostle many years ago. The Soul’s Captain – (Reply to Invictus) Orson F. Whitney– here a part of it:
Art thou in truth?
Then what of Him who bought thee with His blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood,
Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but Him could bear-
That God who died that man might live
And endless glory share.
Bend to the dust that ‘head unbowed, ‘
Small part of life’s great whole,
And see in Him and Him alone,
The captain of thy soul.
Elder David and Sister Susan Bednar
Sister Bednar gave a lovely talk, and told that their family always stays in Sunday Best dress all day Sunday. Awhile back, they were visiting in South Carolina, by the ocean, and she was telling her grandchildren about Jonah the whale, near the ocean, on a Sunday. There were many people around them on the beach, looking at them as though they were strange, and she felt awkward and cut short her presentation to them. Then when she got back where they were staying, she broke into tears, and felt “rebuked by the Holy Ghost” to be worried of what others thought. She decided then and there to “never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” again! She said that peer pressure will happen to all of us, especially teenagers, and to not let it affect you. She related our living the Gospel just to be seen, is going through the dance steps, but not hearing the music. (The music is the Spirit)
Elder Terry Wade
Elder Wade said that the highest reward to a person's toil is not what they does, but what they become in the process. The Savior took upon Himself all depression, loneliness, sorrows, including the pain of cancer, etc. (he mentioned many different kinds of sorrows) feelings of rejection, etc. He comprehendeth all things. He told of when he was 6 years old and went to a party of a boy his age, the boy showed them his new pocket knife in his bedroom. At that time Elder Wade wanted a pocket knife so bad, and sneaked up and took it, and took it home. He felt so guilty and finally told his mother. She took him back to return it and apologize, and she let him do his part to make it right, which was a great lesson to him. He told of the relief he felt, to be forgiven, and the peace and comfort we receive when we truly repent.
Elder Bednar, on Sunday, mentioned he had an uncle and aunt, and cousin there from Logandale, Nevada. His cousin came up to him before the conference, put his arm around him, and said “David, please don’t embarrass the family!” We all laughed at that. He talked about the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times is also the Dispensation of the fullness of evil. As the Kingdom of God fills the earth, so does the power of Satan. He said “Don’t be afraid!” He said we can be concerned, aware, etc., but absolutely not afraid! Then he talked about all the Apostolic Keys that the each of the brethren have. He said in this room are represented the 3 levels of Priesthood Keys are present – the Keys held by the Leading brethren,(apostles), the keys of a Stake President, and the keys a Bishop holds. Everything else is under one of those.
He said our Stake President is the President of the Church here, and emphasized the challenge he gave to all of us to read 10 pages and day in the Book of Mormon. It will bless and sustain us, and mentioned blessings the Stake President promised to those who followed it. He talked about the “armor of God” mentioned in Ephesians 6:10, the breastplate, shield, sword, etc. He mentioned that all that armor is worn in the front of a person. If we turned around we have no protection. He said to not turn our backs on the Gospel. He said that baptism is only the first step we take, and then talked a lot about the rest of the ordinances, in the Temple there is a power and protection in the ordinances as the world increases in wickedness. We are strong as we live the Gospel. Fools mock, but the Church will grow. He said the Scriptures say we will always be small, and that even though missionaries are finding people, we won’t be the largest Church on the earth – (I thought that was interesting). Members will have a spiritual strength unequaled in the world. “These are our days and we can do it!”
He told of a dinner he had been to, where he sat next to President Hinckley. He had turned and patted his hand, and said, “David, David, This is the greatest season on the earth in the history of the Church!”– and repeated similar thoughts. He said how great it is to be living now! Elder Bednar then told us that one of his callings is to preside over the Church in Africa. In the country of Congo, where he said they have one of the lowest standards of living in the world, their problem in the Church is growth! They have 30,000 members in a remote area of the country – and have 4 stakes! And they don’t have any missionaries there! The ward missionaries do it all. They baptize and confirm 30 to 40 new members most every week. This Church is the stone cut without hands that will fill the earth. Our armor is the ordinances! – He elaborated on the importance of the ordinances.
He then mentioned several incidences in the Book of Mormon which gave me a new light. In Alma Ch 2, verse 8, he told about how Amlici stirred up the hearts of the people to rebel and make him king. In verse 12 it states: “Therefore the people of the Nephites were aware of the intent of the Amlicites, and therefore they did prepare to meet them: yea, they did arm themselves with swords, etc. “ He emphasized that the Nephites were aware of the intent of the enemy, and they prepared. He mentioned that in the pre-existence there was only one plan, the Heavenly Father’s plan, and that Satan rebelled. He can never have a body, can never marry, and can never have a family (children) and that is why he is trying so hard to destroy marriage, and the family. (Have we noticed that lately?!) The compilers of the Book of Mormon saw our day, and wrote what they felt would be most valuable and inspiration to us today. He said as we follow our Stake President’s challenge to read the Book of Mormon, we will know Satan’s plan. "These truths will distill as dews from Heaven upon you." He also mentioned Alma 43: 109, where it states that Moroni knew the intent of his enemies.We need to know the intent of Satan in our lives, and reading the Book of Mormon will help us recognize that.
Elder Bednar invoked a blessing upon us, to know how those truths in the Book of Mormon apply to us today. He said that Alma 49:verse 5 is a magnificent verse! – “Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in preparing their places of security.” We need to use wisdom and prepare our homes . The enemy thought it would be easy to conquer them, but they were prepared for the Lamanites. You will be prepared for the enemies that would destroy you and your family. I’ve had people say “Elder Bednar, you need to lighten up!” I’m not here to lighten up. I’m serious. Live the Gospel and love living it. It shows on your countenance. He then bore his witness of our Savior Jesus Christ, saying the Plan is the only source of true joy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Stake Conference this past week, August 8th and 9th, 2015.
Elder David Bednar, of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Terry Wade of the 70's were our visiting authorities in our St. George East Stake Conference this past week, August 8th and 9th, 2015. It was very inspiring. We got there at about 6:10 p.m., and the Chapel was already full, and we had to sit 4 or 5 rows back, but we did get padded chairs! I took our dear neighbor lady who is 91, and loves to come to Church. It was packed both Saturday night and Sunday morning.
On Saturday night, after 4 speakers from the Stake, Elder Wade began telling about 2 and ½ days of counsel from the First Presidency and Twelve, just before the last General Conference, all about observing the Sabbath Day. Then he centered on Family Councils. He called up a couple and asked them questions, about having family councils, and talking to their children about important issues. They said they talk together sometimes at meals, or in Family Home Evening, etc. It is important to begin with questions and asking children how they think and what they have seen and how they feel. If a problems exists in the family ask their opinions on how to fix it. The father said that often when they have a discussion like this he asks the younger children their opinions first, as they get rather ignored when the teenagers begin to speak. His wife told of her husband’s mother who had passed away, but who had learned a lot of technology and had stayed close to her grandchildren and great grandchildren often sending encouraging letters of advice. She had been a great influence on her posterity, and her very last text/email to them was about the Temple garment. One of the things to talk about in a Family Council could be how you best could observe the Sabbath Day together.
Saturday night, Elder Bednar told that he grew up in the San Francisco bay area. His mother didn’t want to have him grow up totally as a “city boy” so during the summers he would go to his uncle’s dairy farm, and do all kinds of farm duties. He had spent time with relatives in Santa Clara, and felt at home here in the St. George area. He also talked about different types of councils, that they were important from families, to Priesthood quorums, Relief Society classes, to Ward Councils, and on up to the 1st Presidency and 12 Apostles. Then he emphasized that our Church as 15 apostles – (1st Pres. And 12) and that all receive all of the Keys that have been restored. As some are older, and can’t function, he said that things are done by unanimous voice of the whole quorum. There is great safety in the Church in that no one person does anything. They counsel together until they are unanimous. We should take solace in understanding that. The 1st Presidency presides but all decide.
The same pattern should be followed in the home. If a husband - father says “I’m in charge!” there is no Priesthood. When there is oppression there is no Priesthood. Counsels are patterned at every level in the Lord’s pattern. He told of problems Nephi and his brothers had, and after the brothers repented and asked forgiveness of Nephi, was when revelation came – Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life. Unity is prerequisite to revelation. The husband and wife interact to understand each other. It requires hard work to get to the same point. He mentioned the book “Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus”, and said the author got it wrong! They are from different universes!
Then he mentioned people taking notes in conference, and said we should listen with our spiritual ears so we can remember what hasn’t been said – (quote) “You need to receive counsel I can never give. Focus on something different than what I’m saying. Repent and make unity with our spouse. Be taught by the Holy Ghost and not Elder Bednar.”
He talked about the youth “Face to face” meeting they had awhile ago, and how youth from many different areas were listened to. He said our first council was council in Heaven, where all of us were told about Heavenly Father’s plan. He asked “Whom shall I send,” and we know that Jesus offered himself. Satan rebelled. It wasn’t the perfect council, as some chose not to follow the Lord. He talked about the weight placed on Jesus. He talked about the Lord speaking to us through the scriptures. He then talked about the Sabbath day, and that it should be a “delight”. The world won’t change, and we need to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.” He talked about how Jesus told his disciples “My time is at hand”, and what He wanted to teach them after that was most important. It was about the sacrament. He also taught that to his disciples in the Americas along with baptism. He emphasized that with agency you “cannot do what you want.” No! We have agency to obey God and love our fellow men. He said not paying tithing is denying our covenants – repudiating them and talked about being a “casual member.” He talked about the Martin Handcart Company, and even if you are a 6th generation Mormon, that doesn’t matter! He asked: What are you doing yourself? (Indicating we need to earn our own salvation, and not rest on what our pioneer ancestors have done. We need to do all we can at this time.)
The Apostasy was taking the Priesthood Keys away. Without the ordinances the Power of the Priesthood is not manifest to people on earth. We need the holy ordinances and covenants. We should not be “soiled and scrubbed and then soiled and scrubbed again." We should stay clean, and be strippling warriors. If you do your best the Lord will strengthen you, and it is the same for all. He mentions he sits close to Elder Dallin Oakes, and Elder Russell M. Nelson, two of the most intelligent minds on the planet. And then often in General Conference, he often talks after Elder Jeffrey Holland. “Try that one on for size!” (People laughed at that.) “Look unto me – doubt not – fear not.” – That was Saturday night’s talk – he talked for over an hour, so I couldn’t include it all! He was so down to earth, and personable.
On Sunday morning, I was privileged to play the organ. We got there about 8:10, and I played for almost 2 hours, as the Chapel was already filling up. I played Primary songs, and hymns, alternating.
The first speaker Sunday morning was our Stake President Craig Seegmiller, who is a math professor at Dixie State University. He was rather emotional as that day would have been his father’s 86th birthday, and he passed away about a couple of years ago. (I'll mention that his mother lives in our ward, and I've seen him walking with her, and being so kind to her. He grew up in this ward and stake, and has lived here most of his life. He loves the people in this ward, and stake!)
He said when he heard Elder David Bednar was coming, he felt he really needed to repent! He read 10 pages a day in the Book of Mormon, and finished it in less than 2 months. He challenged each person in the Stake to do the same, read 10 pages a day, and be done by the end of September. He said it helped give him a broad picture of the happenings and blessings mentioned there. He said he had always loved the hymn “Master the Tempest is Raging”, and quoted the words, including: “Peace be still.” etc. He also said he loved the poem Invictus, by William Ernest Henley, and quoted the last few lines which are:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Then he quoted one called “Reply to Invictus” by Elder Orson F. Whitney, an apostle many years ago. The Soul’s Captain – (Reply to Invictus) Orson F. Whitney– here a part of it:
Art thou in truth?
Then what of Him who bought thee with His blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood,
Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but Him could bear-
That God who died that man might live
And endless glory share.
Bend to the dust that ‘head unbowed, ‘
Small part of life’s great whole,
And see in Him and Him alone,
The captain of thy soul.
Sister Bednar gave a lovely talk, and told that their family always stays in Sunday Best dress all day Sunday. Awhile back, they were visiting in South Carolina, by the ocean, and she was telling her grandchildren about Jonah the whale, near the ocean, on a Sunday. There were many people around them on the beach, looking at them as though they were strange, and she felt awkward and cut short her presentation to them. Then when she got back where they were staying, she broke into tears, and felt “rebuked by the Holy Ghost” to be worried of what others thought. She decided then and there to “never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” again! She said that peer pressure will happen to all of us, especially teenagers, and to not let it affect you. She related our living the Gospel just to be seen, is going through the dance steps, but not hearing the music. (The music is the Spirit)
Elder Wade said that the highest reward to a person's toil is not what they does, but what they become in the process. The Savior took upon Himself all depression, loneliness, sorrows, including the pain of cancer, etc. (he mentioned many different kinds of sorrows) feelings of rejection, etc. He comprehendeth all things. He told of when he was 6 years old and went to a party of a boy his age, the boy showed them his new pocket knife in his bedroom. At that time Elder Wade wanted a pocket knife so bad, and sneaked up and took it, and took it home. He felt so guilty and finally told his mother. She took him back to return it and apologize, and she let him do his part to make it right, which was a great lesson to him. He told of the relief he felt, to be forgiven, and the peace and comfort we receive when we truly repent.
Elder Bednar, on Sunday, mentioned he had an uncle and aunt, and cousin there from Logandale, Nevada. His cousin came up to him before the conference, put his arm around him, and said “David, please don’t embarrass the family!” We all laughed at that. He talked about the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times is also the Dispensation of the fullness of evil. As the Kingdom of God fills the earth, so does the power of Satan. He said “Don’t be afraid!” He said we can be concerned, aware, etc., but absolutely not afraid! Then he talked about all the Apostolic Keys that the each of the brethren have. He said in this room are represented the 3 levels of Priesthood Keys are present – the Keys held by the Leading brethren,(apostles), the keys of a Stake President, and the keys a Bishop holds. Everything else is under one of those.
He said our Stake President is the President of the Church here, and emphasized the challenge he gave to all of us to read 10 pages and day in the Book of Mormon. It will bless and sustain us, and mentioned blessings the Stake President promised to those who followed it. He talked about the “armor of God” mentioned in Ephesians 6:10, the breastplate, shield, sword, etc. He mentioned that all that armor is worn in the front of a person. If we turned around we have no protection. He said to not turn our backs on the Gospel. He said that baptism is only the first step we take, and then talked a lot about the rest of the ordinances, in the Temple there is a power and protection in the ordinances as the world increases in wickedness. We are strong as we live the Gospel. Fools mock, but the Church will grow. He said the Scriptures say we will always be small, and that even though missionaries are finding people, we won’t be the largest Church on the earth – (I thought that was interesting). Members will have a spiritual strength unequaled in the world. “These are our days and we can do it!”
He told of a dinner he had been to, where he sat next to President Hinckley. He had turned and patted his hand, and said, “David, David, This is the greatest season on the earth in the history of the Church!”– and repeated similar thoughts. He said how great it is to be living now! Elder Bednar then told us that one of his callings is to preside over the Church in Africa. In the country of Congo, where he said they have one of the lowest standards of living in the world, their problem in the Church is growth! They have 30,000 members in a remote area of the country – and have 4 stakes! And they don’t have any missionaries there! The ward missionaries do it all. They baptize and confirm 30 to 40 new members most every week. This Church is the stone cut without hands that will fill the earth. Our armor is the ordinances! – He elaborated on the importance of the ordinances.
He then mentioned several incidences in the Book of Mormon which gave me a new light. In Alma Ch 2, verse 8, he told about how Amlici stirred up the hearts of the people to rebel and make him king. In verse 12 it states: “Therefore the people of the Nephites were aware of the intent of the Amlicites, and therefore they did prepare to meet them: yea, they did arm themselves with swords, etc. “ He emphasized that the Nephites were aware of the intent of the enemy, and they prepared. He mentioned that in the pre-existence there was only one plan, the Heavenly Father’s plan, and that Satan rebelled. He can never have a body, can never marry, and can never have a family (children) and that is why he is trying so hard to destroy marriage, and the family. (Have we noticed that lately?!) The compilers of the Book of Mormon saw our day, and wrote what they felt would be most valuable and inspiration to us today. He said as we follow our Stake President’s challenge to read the Book of Mormon, we will know Satan’s plan. "These truths will distill as dews from Heaven upon you." He also mentioned Alma 43: 109, where it states that Moroni knew the intent of his enemies.We need to know the intent of Satan in our lives, and reading the Book of Mormon will help us recognize that.
Elder Bednar invoked a blessing upon us, to know how those truths in the Book of Mormon apply to us today. He said that Alma 49:verse 5 is a magnificent verse! – “Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in preparing their places of security.” We need to use wisdom and prepare our homes . The enemy thought it would be easy to conquer them, but they were prepared for the Lamanites. You will be prepared for the enemies that would destroy you and your family. I’ve had people say “Elder Bednar, you need to lighten up!” I’m not here to lighten up. I’m serious. Live the Gospel and love living it. It shows on your countenance. He then bore his witness of our Savior Jesus Christ, saying the Plan is the only source of true joy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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