19 February 2012

Provo 5th Stake

Stake Conference

19 February 2012

Mina Usharawadi:

There are a lot of things that we do know, but there are things that we do know. Our testimony is based upon things that we know with a surety. 

The Lord know's what our spirit needs to hear and how we can learn from it. 

"Footprints in the Sand"

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

Doctrine and Covenants 52:14

    "And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations--

The Lord has and will continue to reveal truths through patterns; He is ever present in our lives. He is here even if you do not see or notice Him. The principles of the Lords church are true. 

Articles of Faith 3 and 4

     "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

       We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

As you come to know the Lord, you will begin to notice the pattern of opposition. Satan does not want us to learn about the gospel and he will do whatever he can to stop us from finding out if the church is true.

Pride will isolate you. When you isolate yourself, it is easier to let your standards slip; you begin to rationalize decisions and your life will go from different, beautiful pastels to one dull grey color. If we have made bad decisions, we have to remember that our futures are not set in stone, we can make changes in our lives, and that our Heavenly Father loves us very much. He wants us to repent of our sins and move on with our life; do not hold on to the past. . .remember to let it go. No matter what, Heavenly Father will always listen to our prayers, He doesn't want us to feel alone in the world. Do not get to the point in your life where you do not care anymore; you are the only thing stopping YOU from changing. 

The light of Christ that is inside of us all, is attracted to GOODNESS and HOPE. It is not attracted to wrong decisions or impure thoughts. We are to be friendly to all people, however we must remember not to  let any of our relationships bring us down. If you have relationships that are bringing you down or encouraging bad behavior, you need to give them up. 

Talking to your Bishop can be one of the hardest things you can do BUT it is the best thing you can do. To make right decisions can be a struggle, but we must remember that the Lord will carry us through. Heavenly Father is a merciful and a loving God. 

Pattern of the Adversary: Pain and hopelessness

Pattern of the Lord: Pain and peacefulness

Temple preparation blesses you with undeniable confidence and help you understand your readiness and whether or not you are in good standing with the Lord. 

We all get to a point in our life when we feel inadequate (all throughout our lives) and not good enough, when we feel this way, we need to get down on our knees and pray to Him. We are of worth to our Heavenly Father and He loves us very much. We were given weaknesses so that we may be humble. 

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Megan Smith:

If the timing doesn't seem right for something, then it is probably a really good decision to make. Satan doesn't want us to make good decisions, he would rather discourage and distract us by making the timing wrong so that we will give up. We also must remember that it isn't in our time, but in the Lord's time that things will come to pass. 

The only way for us to be truly happy, we must have the temple in our lives. If we understood the temple ordinances, we would crawl 1,000 miles in the sun, rain, or snow just to go to the temple. 

Doctrine and Covenants 109: 22-23

     "And we ask the, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them;

         And from this place they may bear exceedingly great and glorious tidings, in truth, unto the ends of the earth, that they may know that this is thy work, and that thou hast put forth thy hand, to fulfill that which thou hast spoken by the mouths of the prophets, concerning the last days."

If you are feeling alone, needing guidance, and wanting to be surrounded by other worth temple recommend holders, then GO to the temple!

Make the temple the center of your life!

3 Nephi 13:30-34

     "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

      Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

      For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

      But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

      Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof."

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Sister Barnes:

Think of the hundred of things that YOUR hands do. Whether it is texting, turning pages in the scriptures, or holding hands with that special someone. Ask yourself, is your spirit safe in YOUR hands? Are they idle, or being cruel?

Hands reflect what is in our heart, they carry out the work of our "inner eye."

Take a look around you at the hands that willingly serve you; remember that you have been given much, but where much is given, much is required.

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Sister Wilkinson:

Matthew 7:7-8

3 Nephi 14:7-8

     "Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; know, and it shall be opened unto you. 

       For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

The Lord loved His Biblical children, and He loves us just a much. 

Everything that the Father has, we can have. We must have courage to ask for it. It takes courage to follow the Lord's will. 

We need to accept the will of the Lord. Remember that you will always receive an answer to your prayers, it just may not be the way YOU were hoping for. The Savior is a personal Savior for each of us!

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Sister Robison:

The temple is like the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is a passageway that has locks with water adjusting in each lock. The ships are at different levels. Just like with the temple, we go in there and either perform endowments or baptisms, and receive a spiritual rise throughout your visit, and when you leave, you will hopefully be on another level. 

Make sure you are wearing clothes NOW that you can wear with garments. Wear the garment day and night; they are holy garments of the priesthood. Garments are protection from our Heavenly Father. Do not take advantage of them!

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President Barnes:

"What's in your wallet?"

Temple recommends mean that you have met with a servant of the Lord and have been found worthy to enter the temple. You must ensure that you are worth to have a temple recommend. It is important to have, even if you are not able to attend the temple. 

If you want to go from point A to point B, you need the iron rod. Use it to keep you on the straight and narrow. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we must always keep our standards higher than society's! 

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President Wilkinson:

"I love them, and you will love them." If we respond to the Spirit and act upon the promptings, with time we can help with all God's children. The Spirit speaks to us everyday, do we choose to follow it's promptings or do we ignore them?

Consider that there are places in our lives where we can choose to draw down Heavenly Father's love. 

"Choose ye this day whom ye shall serve." Today we can commit to be modest, being virtuous, and to keep the commandments that Heavenly Father has given us. Be peculiar and unique! Live the covenants to exactness.