963. "Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children -- " President Russell M. Nelson in our Stake Conference this past weekend, Dec. 9 and 10, 2017
Our Stake Conference, with President Russell M. Nelson and others! Dec. 9th and 10th, 2017
We were excited for around 2 weeks when they announced that President Russell M. Nelson, his wife Wendy, and also Elder Berne S. Broadbent of the 70's, and his wife Suzanne would be our visiting General Authorities!
Our Stake President McReynolds, in his talk Sunday morning first of all mentioned how people asked him if he was nervous with Pres. Nelson coming. He said that he figured that Pres. Nelson could literally see into his heart! and see if he needed a "valve job"!
He talked about last year's youth conference in which they enacted several Book of Mormon scenes. One was having a long 500 foot rope, which was the "rod of iron" mentioned in Lehi's dream. There were leaders along the way, taking the part of tempters, trying to get them to leave the "rod of iron", and go do something fun -- such as a video game, sports, food, etc., to get them to let go and become one of those in the spacious building, denoting the pleasures and temptations of the world. He said as the day went on the tempters became more adept in tempting the youth to leave their grasp on the rod of iron. He compared that to Satan's followers becoming more adept at tempting us today -- that they have had over 6,000 years of practice, to know what is tempting to us mortals to leave the rod of iron, scriptures and teachings of the Gospel
There were several other talks by people in the Stake, but I'll just tell about the talks of those listed above.
Sister Broadbent gave short talks both Saturday night, and Sunday morning, centering on how much God loves us. He loves us so much that he gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and His atonement to us. He also blesses us with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Every decision we make can have His love and approval if we pray and follow promptings. She told of their daughter and her husband who decided to go camping, with a 3 year old, an 18 month old and a baby! The dad was putting up their tent, and he received a prompting to go check and see where Sabrina was, their 3 year old daughter. He thought "I'll go after I get the tent up." Then the prompting came more clearly -- Go check on Sabrina! He threw down the tent stuff, and raced toward the creek close by. He saw her little pink sweater there, and rushed in and picked her up, and got her to breathing again.
Not long ago she was telling this story to Sabrina, now 10 years old, and then Sabrina said "Tell me some more!" So Sister Broadbent told her of other family stories when promptings were received and followed, and someone she knew in her family was blessed. Sister Broadbent even told of one time she hadn't followed the prompting quickly -- she didn't tell that story! But she said it is so important to tell stories to our children, and grandchildren, of times that the Holy Ghost had prompted someone and protected them. We need to do that!
Elder Broadbent Saturday talked a lot on how small things we do, and try to do, as a family will have great consequences for good. He really emphasized many great points of the Family Proclamation. He told of how he wondered how to teach his 3 year old son about Jesus, and then showed him a picture of Jesus. His son grabbed the picture and hugged it, and he realized his little son knew who Jesus is, and that he had underestimated how much his son could understand.
Sunday he talked about the feelings that Christmas brings, and slowing down and taking time to celebrate the Savior and His life. Faith is decreasing in the world, and many don't believe He was the Son of God and that He was resurrected. Many have no faith in His power to redeem. Many do try to help the hungry and depressed, and those with addictions, but forget the Savior.
He quoted Pres. David O. McKay, and each other prophet saying the greatest need today is to have faith and believe in the basic teachings and life of Jesus.
He told of Moroni saying the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convince the world about Jesus Christ. He told of his experience as a teenager that his scriptures were mostly left on the shelf. One time he had some definite worries, and went to his room, and saw his scriptures, and picked them up. He said he got a powerful answer to his problem -- somewhere in Alma. Later he went back to the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, and couldn't find the scripture that had been so powerful to him. He said that as we read the scriptures at times we will get answers that aren't on those pages. They open up the way for Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost to prompt, impress, and teach us! They can be a urim and thummin to us about our problems. He gave several stories of how the Book of Mormon had been powerful in the lives of others -- of giving a book to someone and the impact it had on their lives.
Sister Wendy Watson Nelson, a former Marriage and Family Therapist before she married Pres. Nelson about 11 years ago, talked about how exact obedience brings miracles. She said every day we keep our covenants we are celebrating the Life of Jesus Christ. Sunday her talk centered on the sign we see on the highway of -- 0 fatalities -- (zero fatalities). She emphasized that we need zero contention in our lives to truly feel the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We can't truly come to Christ with any contention. She quoted scripture in 3rd Nephi chapters 11 to 17, with ideas on how to remove contention in our lives.
She expressed the power our thoughts have on others, and how if we have an onery, angry, or contentious person to deal with, the first few minutes of each day, or when we encounter them, we can be so kind it diffuses contention. She said to pray to understand the "heart" of another person, and love them as the Savior loves them. She told the story of Moroni's scorching espistle to Pahoran, and Pahoran's loving answer back, saying he rejoiced in the "greatness of your heart" to Moroni. That is an example of how to answer to an angry outburst to us. She said that she knows even more since Pres. Nelson, her husband, became the President of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles, that the Savior is the one who is the head of this Church, and guides its leaders!
President Nelson Saturday evening mentioned how impressed he was with the leaders of our West Bountiful Stake, and that they didn't need a General Authority to lead this Stake well. He had been to the 2 hour Priesthood session, with the Priesthood leaders in this Stake. He mentioned how we need a Church centered home, with love, prayer, and Scripture study. He talked about Luke 2, and the Christmas story, and urged us all to read it this Christmas --
Just a sidelight -- our Relief Society President in our ward last week said that every December they read the 24 chapters in the Book of Luke, prior to Christmas, one chapter a day. That is such a great idea, and we have done it here!
He talked about how anxious our ancestors are for us to do their Temple worik. He mentioned that in the past year, he and his wife had visited 10 countries, and talked to their leaders! They all complimented him on the behavior of the members, good citizens, etc. One Chinese leader, in a very recent visit there, had talked about his ancestors, and pulled out of his pocket a paper, with names of ancestors back a long way. Pres. Nelson wanted to tell him we would be glad to do their Temple work, but didn't say it! The Chinese are all about family and honoring their ancestors. Won't it be wonderful when the Gospel is taken there?
He talked a lot about the document "The Living Christ" which was made about the year 2000. He named off the Prophet and Apostles who had signed it, and said over half of them are now passed away. He said that when he was born, 93 years ago, there were only 600,000 members of the Church, and none in South America. He talked about how all the prophets from Adam down to our day had seen our day, and testified of it. He had told President Donald Trump, who visited here last Monday and visited Welfare Square, of our Church being now in 180 countries. He said we need to be in many more, and also need more Temples. He talked of his love of President Thomas S. Monson, and said "He is my friend!"
Sunday the Stake center, and 2 other chapels were filled. He visited one chapel at 9 a.m., and the other at 9:30 a.m., before coming to the Stake Center to give his address. He joked about one woman who said he looked better on TV than he did in person! He first commented on the number of Primary children who were there, and asked them to stand. Then he said he couldn't see them very well, and to raise their hands and wave so he could see them. My son, Wayne, who has been the Stake Patriarch since last June 4th, was seated right behind Pres. Nelson on the stand, so he could see the children waving, and there were many! He asked them to sing 1 verse of "I Am A Child Of God", which they did. The pianist hurried and found the music, and started! He quoted Isaiah where it says: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." Most of his talk after was of teaching our children, and the things we should teach them.
He talked both Saturday night and Sunday morning of reading the Scriptures in Greek, and of the difference of some of the terms. For example, the "inn" wasn't an inn as we know it, but a place where people could stay along with their animals, donkeys, dogs, etc., as they couldn't leave them home when they traveled long distances to go pay their taxes. He described it well, as being dirty and smelly, and interestingly mentioned that a manger, in the clean hay was the cleanest place to put a new-born baby! He told of Jesus being anointed in the pre-existence to be our Savior, and that He will be our Judge, Redeemer, and Savior.
He talked about great a responsibility it is to prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior. He doesn't know when it will be, but God knows, as He put the Star of Bethlehem in orbit in the sky millennia (thousands of years) before it was in the sky exactly when Jesus was born. Before His Second Coming, there are many things to be done -- a Temple to be built in Jerusalem, more countries which need to receive the Book of Mormon.
Teach our children about prophets. All past dispensations, including Adam, Noah, Enoch, and Abraham's dispensations all ended in apostasy, but ours will not end in apostasy. Remember the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith on December 23rd! Teach our children about the Prophet. The youth in our Stake have been asked to read the Book of Mormon before the end of June 2018 in 6 months. He told of how Oliver Cowdery and the Prophet Joseph translated the entire Book of Mormon in much less time (just over 60 days) during which time they were tormented by mobs, had to move, ran out of writing paper, etc., all interruptions. In the first Book of Mormon one paragraph would last several pages, but Orson Pratt put it into verses and paragraphs later.
He talked about reading from the actual Book of Mormon to our children, and especially of dads reading to them so they would have the memory of a dad reading to them, and also giving them blessings. He said they hear mothers talk all the time, but not dads! He talked about prophets, and that he hoped the children would be worthy to have their Patriarchal Blessings fro"m Brother Eckman, who is a prophet among you." Let your home be a missionary training center, teaching them how to cook, clean, and do laundry.
He talked about having pictures of Temples on our walls. When his only son (he already had 9 daughters!) was 5 years old, they were in the presence of President Spencer W. Kimball. President Nelson asked his son to tell President Kimball what was on his bedroom wall. His son proudly said "A Temple!" President Kimball very perceptively said "Which temple?" His son thought a minute and then said "The Marriage Temple"! Pres. Kimball smiled and patted him on the head, saying "Good boy!"
He advised parents to take children to Tithing Settlement, and let them say to the Bishop themselves that they are full tithe payers. Help them to get a good education. It's the difference of wishing you would be able to help others, and actually being able to help others. He said we have a plague on this earth today, not the bubonic or black plague, but the plague of pornography. He said we have to be our own filter. Teach your children to do that, and to be able to diagnose it, and reject it. Merely say "NO!" It will bless their lives to be able to do that!
He expressed gratitude to all who came. He said he is the one who assigns the Brethren where to go to speak in Stake Conferences. He assigned himself to come to our stake, saying he could go home at night and sleep in his own bed, and speak in his own language!
He gave an apostolic blessing: Blessed us to feast upon the words of Jesus and apply His teachings. Blessed us to have love at home, and peace and plenty, and to have no contention, and help those you associate with also to have no contention. Let the Temple be your goal and guide. He blessed anyone with any illness, and gave his testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God -- and that he loves you and is grateful for you. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
His mind was so sharp. Wayne, sitting behind him, said he didn't use any notes when he talked! The scriptures he used there and quoted from were a very small set! He could read them, and it seemed without glasses! Perhaps he wore contacts ? He did have 2 hearing aids! He walked without a cane, up and down the steps, etc. He was 93 years old in September! Amazing, and inspiring!
We were excited for around 2 weeks when they announced that President Russell M. Nelson, his wife Wendy, and also Elder Berne S. Broadbent of the 70's, and his wife Suzanne would be our visiting General Authorities!
Our Stake President McReynolds, in his talk Sunday morning first of all mentioned how people asked him if he was nervous with Pres. Nelson coming. He said that he figured that Pres. Nelson could literally see into his heart! and see if he needed a "valve job"!
He talked about last year's youth conference in which they enacted several Book of Mormon scenes. One was having a long 500 foot rope, which was the "rod of iron" mentioned in Lehi's dream. There were leaders along the way, taking the part of tempters, trying to get them to leave the "rod of iron", and go do something fun -- such as a video game, sports, food, etc., to get them to let go and become one of those in the spacious building, denoting the pleasures and temptations of the world. He said as the day went on the tempters became more adept in tempting the youth to leave their grasp on the rod of iron. He compared that to Satan's followers becoming more adept at tempting us today -- that they have had over 6,000 years of practice, to know what is tempting to us mortals to leave the rod of iron, scriptures and teachings of the Gospel
There were several other talks by people in the Stake, but I'll just tell about the talks of those listed above.
Sister Broadbent gave short talks both Saturday night, and Sunday morning, centering on how much God loves us. He loves us so much that he gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and His atonement to us. He also blesses us with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Every decision we make can have His love and approval if we pray and follow promptings. She told of their daughter and her husband who decided to go camping, with a 3 year old, an 18 month old and a baby! The dad was putting up their tent, and he received a prompting to go check and see where Sabrina was, their 3 year old daughter. He thought "I'll go after I get the tent up." Then the prompting came more clearly -- Go check on Sabrina! He threw down the tent stuff, and raced toward the creek close by. He saw her little pink sweater there, and rushed in and picked her up, and got her to breathing again.
Not long ago she was telling this story to Sabrina, now 10 years old, and then Sabrina said "Tell me some more!" So Sister Broadbent told her of other family stories when promptings were received and followed, and someone she knew in her family was blessed. Sister Broadbent even told of one time she hadn't followed the prompting quickly -- she didn't tell that story! But she said it is so important to tell stories to our children, and grandchildren, of times that the Holy Ghost had prompted someone and protected them. We need to do that!
Elder Broadbent Saturday talked a lot on how small things we do, and try to do, as a family will have great consequences for good. He really emphasized many great points of the Family Proclamation. He told of how he wondered how to teach his 3 year old son about Jesus, and then showed him a picture of Jesus. His son grabbed the picture and hugged it, and he realized his little son knew who Jesus is, and that he had underestimated how much his son could understand.
Sunday he talked about the feelings that Christmas brings, and slowing down and taking time to celebrate the Savior and His life. Faith is decreasing in the world, and many don't believe He was the Son of God and that He was resurrected. Many have no faith in His power to redeem. Many do try to help the hungry and depressed, and those with addictions, but forget the Savior.
He quoted Pres. David O. McKay, and each other prophet saying the greatest need today is to have faith and believe in the basic teachings and life of Jesus.
He told of Moroni saying the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convince the world about Jesus Christ. He told of his experience as a teenager that his scriptures were mostly left on the shelf. One time he had some definite worries, and went to his room, and saw his scriptures, and picked them up. He said he got a powerful answer to his problem -- somewhere in Alma. Later he went back to the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, and couldn't find the scripture that had been so powerful to him. He said that as we read the scriptures at times we will get answers that aren't on those pages. They open up the way for Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost to prompt, impress, and teach us! They can be a urim and thummin to us about our problems. He gave several stories of how the Book of Mormon had been powerful in the lives of others -- of giving a book to someone and the impact it had on their lives.
Sister Wendy Watson Nelson, a former Marriage and Family Therapist before she married Pres. Nelson about 11 years ago, talked about how exact obedience brings miracles. She said every day we keep our covenants we are celebrating the Life of Jesus Christ. Sunday her talk centered on the sign we see on the highway of -- 0 fatalities -- (zero fatalities). She emphasized that we need zero contention in our lives to truly feel the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We can't truly come to Christ with any contention. She quoted scripture in 3rd Nephi chapters 11 to 17, with ideas on how to remove contention in our lives.
She expressed the power our thoughts have on others, and how if we have an onery, angry, or contentious person to deal with, the first few minutes of each day, or when we encounter them, we can be so kind it diffuses contention. She said to pray to understand the "heart" of another person, and love them as the Savior loves them. She told the story of Moroni's scorching espistle to Pahoran, and Pahoran's loving answer back, saying he rejoiced in the "greatness of your heart" to Moroni. That is an example of how to answer to an angry outburst to us. She said that she knows even more since Pres. Nelson, her husband, became the President of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles, that the Savior is the one who is the head of this Church, and guides its leaders!
President Nelson Saturday evening mentioned how impressed he was with the leaders of our West Bountiful Stake, and that they didn't need a General Authority to lead this Stake well. He had been to the 2 hour Priesthood session, with the Priesthood leaders in this Stake. He mentioned how we need a Church centered home, with love, prayer, and Scripture study. He talked about Luke 2, and the Christmas story, and urged us all to read it this Christmas --
Just a sidelight -- our Relief Society President in our ward last week said that every December they read the 24 chapters in the Book of Luke, prior to Christmas, one chapter a day. That is such a great idea, and we have done it here!
He talked about how anxious our ancestors are for us to do their Temple worik. He mentioned that in the past year, he and his wife had visited 10 countries, and talked to their leaders! They all complimented him on the behavior of the members, good citizens, etc. One Chinese leader, in a very recent visit there, had talked about his ancestors, and pulled out of his pocket a paper, with names of ancestors back a long way. Pres. Nelson wanted to tell him we would be glad to do their Temple work, but didn't say it! The Chinese are all about family and honoring their ancestors. Won't it be wonderful when the Gospel is taken there?
He talked a lot about the document "The Living Christ" which was made about the year 2000. He named off the Prophet and Apostles who had signed it, and said over half of them are now passed away. He said that when he was born, 93 years ago, there were only 600,000 members of the Church, and none in South America. He talked about how all the prophets from Adam down to our day had seen our day, and testified of it. He had told President Donald Trump, who visited here last Monday and visited Welfare Square, of our Church being now in 180 countries. He said we need to be in many more, and also need more Temples. He talked of his love of President Thomas S. Monson, and said "He is my friend!"
Sunday the Stake center, and 2 other chapels were filled. He visited one chapel at 9 a.m., and the other at 9:30 a.m., before coming to the Stake Center to give his address. He joked about one woman who said he looked better on TV than he did in person! He first commented on the number of Primary children who were there, and asked them to stand. Then he said he couldn't see them very well, and to raise their hands and wave so he could see them. My son, Wayne, who has been the Stake Patriarch since last June 4th, was seated right behind Pres. Nelson on the stand, so he could see the children waving, and there were many! He asked them to sing 1 verse of "I Am A Child Of God", which they did. The pianist hurried and found the music, and started! He quoted Isaiah where it says: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." Most of his talk after was of teaching our children, and the things we should teach them.
He talked both Saturday night and Sunday morning of reading the Scriptures in Greek, and of the difference of some of the terms. For example, the "inn" wasn't an inn as we know it, but a place where people could stay along with their animals, donkeys, dogs, etc., as they couldn't leave them home when they traveled long distances to go pay their taxes. He described it well, as being dirty and smelly, and interestingly mentioned that a manger, in the clean hay was the cleanest place to put a new-born baby! He told of Jesus being anointed in the pre-existence to be our Savior, and that He will be our Judge, Redeemer, and Savior.
He talked about great a responsibility it is to prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior. He doesn't know when it will be, but God knows, as He put the Star of Bethlehem in orbit in the sky millennia (thousands of years) before it was in the sky exactly when Jesus was born. Before His Second Coming, there are many things to be done -- a Temple to be built in Jerusalem, more countries which need to receive the Book of Mormon.
Teach our children about prophets. All past dispensations, including Adam, Noah, Enoch, and Abraham's dispensations all ended in apostasy, but ours will not end in apostasy. Remember the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith on December 23rd! Teach our children about the Prophet. The youth in our Stake have been asked to read the Book of Mormon before the end of June 2018 in 6 months. He told of how Oliver Cowdery and the Prophet Joseph translated the entire Book of Mormon in much less time (just over 60 days) during which time they were tormented by mobs, had to move, ran out of writing paper, etc., all interruptions. In the first Book of Mormon one paragraph would last several pages, but Orson Pratt put it into verses and paragraphs later.
He talked about reading from the actual Book of Mormon to our children, and especially of dads reading to them so they would have the memory of a dad reading to them, and also giving them blessings. He said they hear mothers talk all the time, but not dads! He talked about prophets, and that he hoped the children would be worthy to have their Patriarchal Blessings fro"m Brother Eckman, who is a prophet among you." Let your home be a missionary training center, teaching them how to cook, clean, and do laundry.
He talked about having pictures of Temples on our walls. When his only son (he already had 9 daughters!) was 5 years old, they were in the presence of President Spencer W. Kimball. President Nelson asked his son to tell President Kimball what was on his bedroom wall. His son proudly said "A Temple!" President Kimball very perceptively said "Which temple?" His son thought a minute and then said "The Marriage Temple"! Pres. Kimball smiled and patted him on the head, saying "Good boy!"
He advised parents to take children to Tithing Settlement, and let them say to the Bishop themselves that they are full tithe payers. Help them to get a good education. It's the difference of wishing you would be able to help others, and actually being able to help others. He said we have a plague on this earth today, not the bubonic or black plague, but the plague of pornography. He said we have to be our own filter. Teach your children to do that, and to be able to diagnose it, and reject it. Merely say "NO!" It will bless their lives to be able to do that!
He expressed gratitude to all who came. He said he is the one who assigns the Brethren where to go to speak in Stake Conferences. He assigned himself to come to our stake, saying he could go home at night and sleep in his own bed, and speak in his own language!
He gave an apostolic blessing: Blessed us to feast upon the words of Jesus and apply His teachings. Blessed us to have love at home, and peace and plenty, and to have no contention, and help those you associate with also to have no contention. Let the Temple be your goal and guide. He blessed anyone with any illness, and gave his testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God -- and that he loves you and is grateful for you. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
His mind was so sharp. Wayne, sitting behind him, said he didn't use any notes when he talked! The scriptures he used there and quoted from were a very small set! He could read them, and it seemed without glasses! Perhaps he wore contacts ? He did have 2 hearing aids! He walked without a cane, up and down the steps, etc. He was 93 years old in September! Amazing, and inspiring!
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