Priesthood General Conference

[Anonymous]

This perspective of seeing people as projects is disturbing to me. Our perspective of what other people can be is not God’s, and it’s way outside of our stewardship to know what that is. Ministering is about providing a nourishing environment, not dictating and shaping their growth.

The core of seeing people as more than they currently are is good, though.

[Anonymous]

Ydeve, I completely agree in regards to seeing others as projects and projecting what we think they should be onto them as the focus or motivation of our ministering. However, I maintain that we all have the potential to be more, whatever thay may mean for each individual. But the focus of our ministering should simply be to love others for who they are NOW and provide that nourishing environment that you mentioned so each of us can become our best version of ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Coming from the slim pickings of the women’s broadcast, these talks struck me as great. DFU’s was especially timely in our house. I like that HBE never runs out of examples of correcting himself/being corrected by the Spirit.

[Anonymous]

DarkJedi wrote:

Thanks for starting the thread. Pres. Monson in attendance. Jesus Once of Humble Birth is one of my favorites. (I’d like it played a bit faster and with a bit more power, though. It seems all the songs today have been slower than I like.)

What’s your take on this line?

Quote:

But he now will bear no more.

There are a few interpretations that I’ve come up with. One of the interpretations kinda ends the hymn on a sour note for me the other interpretation offers a more favorable ending but I think the former is the most widely interpreted meaning. So as to not seed thoughts I won’t say what my interpretations are.

PH session.

1) New 90 minute format, even when Monson speaks first. :thumbup:

2) I keep getting hung up on “if ye have not charity, ye are nothing” and that’s the second time this was said today. It’s too black and white for my tastes… and does a person claiming another person is “nothing” have charity? Meh.

3) Mostly boring. :yawn: Heard a few “evens.” Anyone call out bingo yet?

4) IMO Uchtdorf gave the standard don’t aspire to callings, (implied) don’t say no to callings talk but it had some window dressing to make it less boring. I did like the reminder that leaders are to serve, not tell people what to do.

5) Elder Eyring saved an otherwise :thumbdown: conference day for me. I know Elder Holland moved the needle but I struggled with the first portion of his talk. I really, really liked some of the things Eyring said. Saved the day, for me at least. And yes I still 🙄 through some of his emotional moments. Hey, he made it really far into his talk before the first one.

[Anonymous]

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8Xrv5VXsAAL-Zv.jpg[/img]

[Anonymous]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/ndxZJbd.jpg[/img]

There was also a place for Rosa Parks on the bus. Just sayin’

:angel: :angel: :angel:

[Anonymous]

Quote:

There was also a place for Rosa Parks on the bus. Just sayin’

And look what she did with it.

I have no illusions that suddenly all the walls will come tumbling down. I don’t believe everything just 180ed. But I also believe that each crack in any wall helps bring it down. Just like Rosa Parks and other individual efforts.

This may take forever, but ignoring the single moments and not helping them grow is no better. Today I received two direct talks about full inclusion. I plan to keep them and use them where-ever and when-ever I can.

[Anonymous]

nibbler wrote:

DarkJedi wrote:

Thanks for starting the thread. Pres. Monson in attendance. Jesus Once of Humble Birth is one of my favorites. (I’d like it played a bit faster and with a bit more power, though. It seems all the songs today have been slower than I like.)

What’s your take on this line?

Quote:

But he now will bear no more.

There are a few interpretations that I’ve come up with. One of the interpretations kinda ends the hymn on a sour note for me the other interpretation offers a more favorable ending but I think the former is the most widely interpreted meaning. So as to not seed thoughts I won’t say what my interpretations are.

Again, it’s one of my favorites so I have spent some time pondering it. I honestly don’t know how other people interpret it, I hadn’t thought about that.

Quote:

Once all things he meekly bore, but he now will bear no more.

The whole song is a back and forth, then and now (actually mostly future). Humble birth> glorious return. Meek and lowly lamb> the Lord and Great I Am.

So in the garden, at his trial and scourging, and on the cross in some way we don’t understand he somehow suffered all that we can know and do and therefore understands. And somehow that suffering made it possible for all of us to be forgiven. I think that aspect of the atonement was a one time event that took place 2000 years ago. Upon his return as triumphal King (Lord of Lords, he shall reign forever and ever, all that stuff – the Hallelujah Chorus is actually about Easter even though we sing it at Christmas) all of the rest is behind him. It has been done, his work is finished. There’s nothing left to bear.

[Anonymous]

nibbler wrote:

PH session.

1) New 90 minute format, even when Monson speaks first. :thumbup:

2) I keep getting hung up on “if ye have not charity, ye are nothing” and that’s the second time this was said today. It’s too black and white for my tastes… and does a person claiming another person is “nothing” have charity? Meh.

3) Mostly boring. :yawn: Heard a few “evens.” Anyone call out bingo yet?

4) IMO Uchtdorf gave the standard don’t aspire to callings, (implied) don’t say no to callings talk but it had some window dressing to make it less boring. I did like the reminder that leaders are to serve, not tell people what to do.

5) Elder Eyring saved an otherwise :thumbdown: conference day for me. I know Elder Holland moved the needle but I struggled with the first portion of his talk. I really, really liked some of the things Eyring said. Saved the day, for me at least. And yes I still 🙄 through some of his emotional moments. Hey, he made it really far into his talk before the first one.

1. I also like the 90 minutes. It’s what the sisters get, it’s only fair.

2. I don’t like the without charity you are nothing either. I know that’s what Paul said, but I think we often take it out of context. There are clearly degrees of charity. I suppose if one were completely without any compassion on his fellow man he would be without charity – but I think there are very few, if any, who can be completely without charity. I suppose those who manage to accomplish that would be nothing. But I’m not a huge fan of humans being compared to nothing and mostly think it is discouraging.

3. Agreed, I dozed a couple times.

4. I think Uchtdorf was giving a message that none of us are any better or more special than anyone else, especially just because we’re a bishop, SP, temple worker, or whatever. We’ve all met a few of those guys who were too full of themselves.

5. I generally agree the day was a dud. I liked Holland’s talk, Renlund turned out OK. I did like Monson’s short talk because I like that he talks about love all the time. Unfortunately I dozed during Eyring’s priesthood talk. I appreciate his gentleness. I did hear him repeat the story of seeing people how God sees them, and it’s a good one and it seems that was his theme. I’ll have to catch up on that one this week. And his crying/choking up does generally bug me, but I noticed in the first session he made it quote far as well. Maybe he’s working on it.

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

And look what she did with it.

Good point(s).

Re: Jesus Once of Humble Birth

Once all things he meekly bore, but he now will bear no more.

There’s the interpretation you mention, the one I like, that Jesus has borne all suffering, now there’s nothing left to bear, the suffering part is behind him.

Maybe it was the word meekly or the various definitions for bear that was channeling my toughs for the other interpretation? Jesus put up with a lot of stuff, he always turned the other cheek, he allowed himself to be crucified but when he comes back, look out! He’s not gonna be turning any more cheeks. That’s all he can stands and he can’t stands no more.

I’m super sensitive to the conflict themed hymns, like Onward, Christian Soldiers.

Edit: The Spanish language version of the hymn makes it clear. It’s the suffering is behind him interpretation.

[Anonymous]

nibbler wrote:

2) I keep getting hung up on “if ye have not charity, ye are nothing” and that’s the second time this was said today. It’s too black and white for my tastes… and does a person claiming another person is “nothing” have charity? Meh.

I just happened upon 1 Peter 4:8, (I think, lost my quote to paste) about how charity covers a multitude of sins. That’s less poetic but more real to me.

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, I have interpreted the idea that we are nothing without charity as being a refutation of the natural tendency to value things that make us feel better than others. So many other things we tend to value so much separate us from others by elevating us above them and making us worth more (or, interestingly, “more worthy”); charity levels the field and truly sets us as equal in worth.

Someone publicly gives away lots of money out of extreme narcicism? Fine, they have their reward, but nothing else. Someone prophesies constantly but does nothing to give actual help to those who need help? Fine, they have their reward, but nothing else. Someone gives phenomenal talks in church, full of poetic and inspiring imagery, but is a selfish jerk otherwise? Fine, they have their reward, but nothing else. Someone serves their entire adult life in highly visible church callings but despises everyone else due to their pride? Fine, they have their reward, but nothing else.

Love as the foundation of all else (the glue holding everything else together) is something I like, so I am okay with statements that say everything else falls apart or crashes to the ground without that foundation. (“on this hang all the law and the prophets”)

It helps that I view it as a process, not an event – a pathway, not a destination – an issue of effort, not full accomplishment. It’s not that I need to be perfectly charitable right now or I’m worthless, but rather that I value charity above everything else and am trying to be charitable.

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