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I don’t usually take notes, but my wife does. She doesn’t study them, per se. Sometimes I do refer to them to remind me of something profound I think the person might have said, but that’s actually rare (if it’s that profound I remember it). Anyway, there’s no commandment that we takes notes. If you like to do it, go ahead. If it really does bring back bad memories for you, don’t do it. “Angels above us are silent note taking,” let them do all the work! Instead of it being more like a college class, I like to focus more on what the Spirit is trying to tell me – and that sometimes has nothing to do with what’s being said. And frankly I am sometimes so distracted I don’t get anything either way.
I did take notes at the Givens fireside I attended, as did my wife. I compared our notes afterward when I was writing my missionary son. We got a lot of the same things – but there were things she picked out that I didn’t and vice versa. I think that’s pretty common, that two people sitting next to each other can hear the same talk and get different messages. A few weeks back the bishop said something along the lines of he had researched the last five conferences and Pres. Monson talked about the same thing at all five conference. I was thinking, “Great! I did that, too. He talked about love!” The bishop then said he talked about temples during at each of the last five conferences. Other than saying they weren’t going to announce any new temples for awhile, I don’t recall Pres. Monson saying anything about temples – but I certainly heard the message I wanted/needed to hear.
I often hear counsel to take notes during general, stake, and ward conferences. Usually the counsel is accompanied with recommending that people write the impressions of the spirit and that your impressions may have nothing to do at all with what the person giving the talk is actually saying. I recently ranted on this very subject in a different thread. 
I know this isn’t the motivation behind taking notes but when I was quicker to cast the first stone I had this nagging judgment lingering in the recesses of my brain where I thought the note takers were out to score some brownie points.
😳 It didn’t help that some people probably were taking notes to be seen of man.I’ve taken notes in the past but I’ve never actually gone back to read them. Over the years I’ve found that I learn by writing things down. It’s my learning style. Like in the days before GPS (I still don’t use it
This prompted me to think further….if you take notes during Sacrament are you just living off of someone elses testimony? Or do you think it prompts you to focus on what the Spirit is sharing with you at that moment?
I think it has the potential to benefits the community as a whole. People can share insights that are new to us, we can learn from other people’s experiences and perspectives, etc. It’s like a bunch of doctors getting together to compare notes so they can get better at their
practice. I rarely take notes on talks in any church setting. For General Conference (when I’m awake) I listen and I know that the talks will be available in a month in the Ensign. I’ve never taken notes in a Sacrament meeting. I do occasionally take notes during a Stake Conference or some other special training when there is a visitor I respect and whose teachings I want to remember. I find that if I go back and look at notes more than a few months after the original talk that I don’t really understand the notes or the context they were taken in. As time progresses, my notes become less helpful and less meaningful.
My wife takes copious notes. It helps her focus on things that impress her. I almost never take notes. It distracts me from hearing and processing.
We all learn differently. I don’t begrudge anyone the things that work for them, and I feel no need to do things that don’t work for me.
When I was on my mission, my mission president told us missionaries in a talk to when writing notes from a talk to not write down word for word what was being said, but to write down things that the Holy Spirit impresses on our minds. That was great advice, although I haven’t taken notes during talks in years I have never taken notes on talks. There are talks given in sacrament meetings that were so good that I have thought about them for many, many years after.
Over time the details have slipped from my memory. I wish I had taken notes.
Some of the most meaningful were given by women in the ward who were very unassuming & had deep insights into
the basic ideals & principles of being christian. At times, they haunt me. (In a good way.)
sue wrote:I’m curious Nibbler what was the title of that thread? I would like to read it.
Nothing earth shattering, I said pretty much the exact same thing, I was just letting people know that I was aware that I was starting to repeat myself.
Here’s the thread:
http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6361 ” class=”bbcode_url”> http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6361 The context was that the spirit can communicate something completely different than what the speaker is saying, even when a prophet is speaking.
I have also heard that we are requested not to write down word for word, nor are we to share them around. This came up I’m the context of a GA giving some advice (not all that wise) and someone bringing up the details to show someone else just how wrong they were. The GA was 😮 and said they shouldn’t be quoting him.I too have seen people in my ward take notes during Sacrament Meeting. It was not my thing, but it has allowed me to whip out a notebook and write my own notes, or read LDS Universalist quotes I keep, and not look conspicuous. Sometimes I rewrite a talk if it really bugs me, sometimes I write down hymns I like, sometimes I scream in my notebook. No one knows, they can’t read it and I spare myself the explosion I might have if I didn’t.
As to the idea of it helping testimonies, it may, but I think there also maybe people who do it because it’s a very LDS habit. Because of counsel to write down impressions, etc, we’ve become accustomed to it. Meeting started, grab your pen and paper.
Funny, just last week I made a note during sacrament meeting, and wondered if others saw and thought I was taking notes on the talk. I was actually making a note about something else. My mind had wondered and I was quite engrossed in my thoughts and wanted to remember! I remember as a counselor in the ward YM presidency being verbally berated for not coming prepared with a pen and paper to a stake leadership training session. I know take notes in a variety of situations. About half of the time I do it to show the person that is talking that I am taking their words seriously.
In SM I will draw a maze for my children and have them take turns finding the solution.
journeygirl wrote:Funny, just last week I made a note during sacrament meeting, and wondered if others saw and thought I was taking notes on the talk. I was actually making a note about something else. My mind had wondered and I was quite engrossed in my thoughts and wanted to remember!
When I was a counselor in the bishopric the SP was in our ward. On the Sundays he actually came to the ward he would sit between me and the bishop. I had long noticed that he took notes at meetings, and he seemed to always be writing something down. Sitting next to him I realized (because I could see what he was writing) that he was never actually taking notes on the talk. Sometimes he would be writing his impressions, but sometimes he’d be writing a “to do” list or ideas for talks and lessons or questions to ask the bishop afterwards. And sometimes he just doodled.
I have heard that for some people (I think I am one of them) I actually listen better when I am doodling. Now I also doodle when I am bored out of my mind. Mike wrote:I have never taken notes on talks.
There are talks given in sacrament meetings that were so good that I have thought about them for many, many years after.
Over time the details have slipped from my memory. I wish I had taken notes.
I’ll jot something down that strikes me, but I don’t write while talks down. Mostly because I’ll forget what was so interesting from the talk if I don’t.
A little secret. Taking notes can make a boring talk more palatable.
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