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Even before Pres. Eyring’s talk, this has been one of my favorite sessions, overall, in quite a while. I would recommend this one for anyone who wants to focus on just one session to watch or read. Pres. Eyring: All of us have family members who are being tempted and tried – by Satan. We have tried to help them. (I understand and respect where I think this is going, but I immediately react to any implication that those who are not seen as “faithful” are following Satan and need to be changed by the “faithful” – and he immediately went to repentance being preached. I don’t like “calling others to repentance” due to how it too often is done.) That is where it went. I like the concept of teaching simply, but I still don’t like the implication that those who believe and act differently than we do are deceived and need to repent. That approach too often leads to self-righteousness and being judgmental. I prefer sharing joy over calling to repentance, since calling others to repentance only focuses on criticism and judgment, with the example of his ancestor being an exception to the general rule – because she did both.
This probably is one most here will want to skip.
Old-Timer wrote:
Even before Pres. Eyring’s talk, this has been one of my favorite sessions, overall, in quite a while. I would recommend this one for anyone who wants to focus on just one session to watch or read.
I mostly agree, most of the talks were fairly run of the mill and non-triggering. I’m not sure which talk you’re referring to in your next post after this one, but I did doze off a bit.
I am not really a fan of Wilcox’s talk. He said that today’s youth are not better than others, but then went on to expound how they are, including asserting that their rewards would be greater. I also found his “passionate” speaking style over the top and it struck me as insincere (or acting, although I do think he’s generally sincere in his messages).
I did really like Holland’s talk, and it was a great start to the session. You can’t get more Christ centered than he was. I’d like to say I wish every talk were like that, and part of me does – but 10 hours of that would get old, but then again it all gets old anyway (so maybe they should shorten conference
:thumbup: ).Again, I did doze off, but I didn’t catch any of the catchphrases.
I agree that Elder Wilcox came across as performing or preaching. It would fit with many religions, but it is at odds with Mormon expectations. The special / not special aspect hit me, as well. It was like he was trying to say we should be proud and humble at the same time – just not striking a balance that worked. Elder Uchtdorf: My personal journey of discipleship. Talked about his youth, including a view of stained glass windows at church. (That would be cool for all of our churches.) Contrasting our meetinghouses with our testimonies. Buildings will disappear, but Christ will not. What is eternal, and what is not, is critical. The Gospel embraces all people and all truth. Fundamental is testimony of Jesus; everything else are only branches. Branches are important but only healthy if connected to the root. **We sometimes focus too much on the branches and not enough on the roots.**
Look for the Lord in everything and work to find connection through him. That takes intentional effort.
I really love the examples he is giving. He is using real situations that are not “the ideal”. Deep roots in personal experience is important. Testing and trials of faith are important to growth and understanding.
Jesus has been there for me,p, which is more important than losing my beautiful childhood chapel.
LOVED this talk.
Elder Wada: Basic testimony so far. Recounted his own conversion and the example of his Buddhist parents. Felt lost as a teenager. Read the Bible. Found verses about finding rest to my soul. (Matthew 11:28-30) Felt like Jesus was speaking to me. Found friends who were LDS. Learned to pray, and felt God in my life – and that God would speak to me. There was a time I listened to the missionaries pray for me in simple, non-fluent Japanese. I then prayed with sincere intent. Got answer.
“How you think about who you are affects everything you do.”
This is a simple testimony, and I loved it.
Elder Rasband: Testimony of Jesus. Love is evident when we sustain each other in God’s work. This feels like it is moving toward, “Do what you are told to do.,” but he hasn’t said that directly. He is talking about helping and comforting and strengthening, which I appreciate. Nevermind. He just went there. “Support his prophetic priorities.” Your safety and ours depend on it.
This is one most here will want to skip.
I can’t comment on the talks. We had nonmember relatives from out of state this weekend. I need to read them in order to give a fair opinion. Otherwise, I will comment only on emotion
and the speakers I feel a connection with.
I noticed I got one prediction right. Wisconsin is getting a temple.
Old-Timer wrote:
Elder Wilcox – “Children’s Letters to God” Question to address: Why must Latter-Day Saints live so differently than others?Many valiant disciples of Christ who are not LDS. I like that direct statement. I like his reference to forefathers AND foremothers.
Inheritance as a joint-heir of Christ to love and serve others. The birth right does not mean better; it means to serve and be trusted.
The cruise ship example of crew members to serve and care for the other passengers is a good one for a lot of people. My only real issue is him implying it automatically brings peace and happiness.
I like the overall framing. My biggest wording issue was the statement that there is a greater portion of his grace for faithful members. I see that as a misapplication of that key word. Other than that, I have no deep issues with this talk.
This was the only talk that I listened to and I definitely heard some of the EFY Brad Wilcox from my youth and the more recent “His Grace is Sufficient” Brad Wilcox. I felt that this talk was strong and would be especially impactful for church youth.
I also noted that he talked about the crew of the cruise ship being paid. I think that it is an unfortunate result of our belief in a tiered heaven. I imagine that if the cruise ship analogy were overlaid with Mormon cosmology, the passengers would arrive at their destination at the Terrestial or Telestial spheres and the crew would move on the the Celestial sphere.
I have long been troubled by the sort of self-righteous judgementalism that this approach brings (again not Brother Wilcox’s fault, he is working with the cards he has been dealt). The birth right does not make us better … but in the end the birth right/crew member status does make you better. You serve others while the journey is underway but when we arrive at the final destination, we will be exalted above all.
It is also to be noted that lots of religions yearn for the religions adherents to be vindicated in the hereafter and for the adherents’ oppressors to get their long delayed comeuppance. That’s one of the major draws of religion.
The central point of the talk was why we are different and this correlated to why the crew wear uniforms etc. I think that point was effective.
[After initially writing this post, I have since read the additional comments from DJ and Old Timer and see that my interpretation was shared.]
I totally get what you mean about how valuable everyone’s comments are during General Conference—it’s always great to see the variety of perspectives. I don’t expect anything super “revelatory” either, like a change to the Word of Wisdom or something, but I do think it’d be nice if the focus stayed on Jesus Christ, like you said. I actually wouldn’t mind if we heard less of terms like “Covenant Path,” but I think a contest to guess how often it’s used would be kind of funny.
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