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I wrote this a bit ago but it didnt send. I will try again. Confrence yesterday was hard foe me. It riminded me of how in the past my activity in the chuch didnt solve my problems. I listen for an hour i called my general confrence watcher mom after the first session and first thing she asked was did you watch confrence. I told her part of it. She than said it was good hugh. I wanted to say no but i couldnt. So i sluggeshly said yes. Its had at times because we usued to have such a close spiritual realtionship. I guess i survived it though So this morning i spen time doing thingd that i felt really bult me up. I found some non LDS music that lifted my soul. Other things too.
I did manage to listen to pres Nelsons talk. When he told us Elder cook would tell us about the changes with Yoyng mens. So i listened to Elder Cooks talk and the talk about the young women changes. I listened to those when i wanted to.
I find when i get to choose to do church related things im okay. Its when I feel pressire i cant handle it. Im glad we can listen to confrence later if we want
When addicts are forced to abstain from addictive substances (like in prison), their recovery comes with an asterisk. It can be very helpful for many to have a controlled environment in which to “get clean”, but it still is forced and not their own active choice. That might be a weird analogy, but I like your point about things being more meaningful and powerful and just acceptable when they are chosen. Agency is important, in all areas of our lives.
I do what I can do in the Church – not what others think I should be able to do. I am “fully active” – but I don’t attend every activity or meeting possible. For example, I missed all of General Conference yesterday in order to spend time with my family and do things my wife normally would do, since she has returned to college to finish her degree and has less time next week to devote to her studies than normal. I had a choice, and I picked the one I felt was the most impactful in a positive way for me and my family. That meant missing GC.
Bless yourself for honoring your Mom yesterday. I don’t know if that is why you did it, but you can truthfully tell yourself that you did. Like Curt I didn’t listen yesterday. Likely won’t today. My plate is too full. One way around that is to wait till it’s over read recaps. Then pick a couple positive topics that I can address authentically and let the rest go.
A strange irony that happens is we faith transitioners pay more attention to every detail of conference than the devout, believing crowd. Cut yourself a heap of slack. Grab the positive messages. Go out and take a walk today. Thank God for the beauty of the world, the blessings in your life.
You are doing just fine.
I like the recap idea. Consequently i was thiinking of that. We sat through all sessions of conference. I was hoping to be inspired and get inspiring lesson R.S. talks for the next 6 months. It was not an easy conference to listen to.
It seems most talks were focused on the “Joys of the Covenant Path”.
The rebel that I am kept mentally asking, “What if I don’t want to be on the covenant path?”
I guess the one thing I learned this conference session is that I don’t want to sit through the April sessions about Joseph Smith and the 1st vision.
I’d recommend listening to the women during the General Women’s Session, just be sure to turn it off once the men come up to the podium. I’ll include a lot of projection in my summary:
My takeaway is that church leaders have a very, very difficult time drawing a line of delineation between “the church” and “the gospel.” This was most noticeable during the Saturday morning session.
One subtle observation, in his address, DFU said the following, “May I remind you that God does not need you to sell the restored gospel, or the church of Jesus Christ.” Which to me implies two distinct things. The restored gospel. The church of Jesus Christ.
Lots and lots and lots of talk about “the adversary.” I mean a lot. That’s always a turnoff for me.
Lots of stories shared about Africa. Presumably because that is where the church has grown the most recently and where it will probably grow the most in coming years. I see this as a positive. It’s helpful to have messages that show that the church isn’t centered in Utah or the USA.
A crazy obsession with “covenants.” There was lots of talk about the “covenant path,” which is understandable, it’s the church’s current buzzword, but even outside of dropping the latest buzzword there was a lot of talk about covenants.
Me projecting, I mentioned that, but given how the talks spoke of covenants I get the impression that church leaders are responding to two challenges:
1) Attrition. People that leave or go inactive.
2) Apathy. People that are at church but don’t (or won’t) hold callings.
I see the church reducing staffing requirements at the ward level. I also heard many talks that felt like they were communicating, “Look, you made a promise to do this stuff. It’s time to man up and do it.” So my guess is that leaders are a little worried about the strength of the church in places where it was once strong.
AmyJ wrote:
I guess the one thing I learned this conference session is that I don’t want to sit through the April sessions about Joseph Smith and the 1st vision.
Those were my thoughts exactly. A special session of general conference on the 200th anniversary of the first vision… well one of them anyway. I’m concerned that it will be a Joseph Smith love-fest and will mark a return to shining the spotlight on whitewashed historical narratives.
Quote:I’m concerned that it will be a Joseph Smith love-fest
I am really hoping we are bringing him back from the dead. I would watch if that’s the case.
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