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A sister in our ward spoke about “The Love of God” in Sacrament Meeting, and her talk included some quotes and comments that I thought everyone here would like to read – if for no other reason than to realize that not all things you believe are rare or unique to you actually are. Much of it is being preached in various places in the Church – and nobody is disagreeing when it is preached. This sister sent me a copy of her talk, and I have excerpted the parts I want to share. Everything not in quotes is from her:
Feeling and recognizing the Spirit takes effort, and to hear people talk about their experiences, it seems as though the Spirit communicates with each individual differently. When I was a teenager and young adult, I used to worry because in the scriptures it talks about a burning in your bosom. I also heard many members of the church talking about that burning. I worried because I wasn’t feeling that. Since then I have learned that the Spirit communicates with me mostly through feelings of peace and happiness and clarity of mind. I do sometimes feel a burning in my bosom, but that’s really not typical for me. I really do think that we need to put effort into feeling and hearing the Spirit and learning how the Spirit communicates with us as individuals. In my personal prayers, as well as in family prayers, I ask that my family and I will learn to recognize the Spirit when He is speaking to us.
Quote:President Uchtdorf said: “The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things he asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible–and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.”
Quote:President Uchtdorf also said, “… Those who receive Christ Jesus walk with him.
“But this may present a problem for some because there are so many ‘shoulds’ and ‘should nots’ that merely keeping track of them can be a challenge. Sometimes, well-meaning amplifications of divine principles–many coming from uninspired sources–complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with man-made addenda. One person’s good idea–something that may work for him or her–takes root and becomes an expectation. And gradually, eternal principles can get lost within the labyrinth of ‘good ideas.’
“This was one of the Savior’s criticisms of the religious ‘experts’ of His day, whom He chastised for attending to the hundreds of minor details of the law while neglecting the weightier matters.”
In Mormon culture there are many things that are nice but not necessary. We cling to traditions that really have nothing to do with our eternal salvation, but it’s “always been done that way,” so we continue doing it that way. Perhaps we should all examine our lives and prayerfully consider if we are doing things out of tradition that are actually taking us away from focusing on the basics of the Gospel. Clinging to traditions will not ultimately save us if they are distracting us from the “weightier matters.”
Quote:Joseph Smith said, “I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them … will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions.”
Quote:Spencer J. Condie of the First Quorum of the Seventy said, “Sometimes members become so fond of certain traditions within the church that a change in a given policy or procedure becomes a test of their faith.”
Let’s not be among those who are so attached to our traditions that our faith is tested when church policies change or Prophets of God tell us some of these traditions may be more of a hindrance than a help.
There were no comments on this post when it was published last year, so I am bumping it up for consideration now. If there are no comments on it now, I’ll get the hint. 😆 Okay. I will comment. If the COJCOLDS truly believes this, and the leaders of said church truly believe it — than why do we not follow it, and teach it and live it?
Why are we not hearing this from the pulpit every single week, and every single conference? Throw out all the nonsense and lets start teaching and living the gospel the way it’s suppose to be done – the way the Jesus prescribed. We (the LDS church) are not doing it.
What the lady was addressing in this talk is my entire problem with the LDS church in a nutshell.
Eckhart Tolle would say it’s the collective ego in the church. It is madness, yes. But it is how things are, too. I increasingly am seeing that the only end to the collective ego is in my own awakening and becoming free of the personal ego. And paradoxically, that is increasingly likely to happen when the madness is at its maddest.
It’s a tall order, but I signed up for the 10 dollar ride.
Quote:then why do we not follow it, and teach it and live it?
Maybe because we are mortals who have a hard time leaving our comfort zone and embracing risk and uncertainty – or, at least, because that’s who makes up at least 70% of any organization.
Quote:Why are we not hearing this from the pulpit every single week, and every single conference?
I think this message is preached much more regularly now than most people realize (and than in the past) – even if it isn’t preached enough to compel everyone to understand and internalize it. It certainly is being preached regularly by Pres. Uchtdorf now, in one form or another, as well as by other apostles, in one form or another. I’ve heard this basic message at least 4 or 5 times in the last couple of years in General Conference.
Remember, it only takes one negative experience to overshadow up to seven positive ones, so Elder Packer’s recent talk stands out even if six or seven other talks were wonderful and included a message similar to this one.
Finally, cwald, I apologize if this comes across as apologetic to you, but complaining when a message like this is delivered that it isn’t delivered enough seems like a result of the other end of what you decry here – the “half-empty” side of what you see as a “half-full” focus. We all believe messages like this should be given at all levels of the Church, but how can it be a bad thing when they are given from the top?
We don’t live it because we are just human and subject to failure and selfishness. I think we hear this a lot at church but that doesn’t make it easier to live. Ray, you are right, Urtchdorf (and maybe Monson and Jensen) are preaching this “gospel message” I just wish the other 13 and 70ish, would figure it out too. You are correct as well – Urtchdorf’s conference talk was brilliant – but it doesn’t make up for the fact that 80% of the other conference talks were insulting, negative, “false”, and put the church’s spiritual progress back AT LEAST 20 years. Urtchdorf can’t do it by himself. Are these guys all getting their revelation from the same source? (cynical – I apologize) Anyway, I would love to have the whole talk, because one of these days inevitably, I will get put on the spot and have to preach from the podium. This is the message I want to hear – so I suppose it will be the message I deliver. Can you email it to me? Perhaps there should be a file where we can have these kind of talks on the website that we can use when needed. This one and the one that Flowerdrop gave would be a good start to that file.
October 2009 General Conference talk, “The Love of God”: ( http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-7,00.html April 2010 General Conference talk, “You Are My Hands”: (
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1207-23,00.html Old-Timer wrote:A sister in our ward spoke about “The Love of God” in Sacrament Meeting, and her talk included some quotes and comments that I thought everyone here would like to read –
Quote:President Uchtdorf also said “…this may present a problem for some because there are so many ‘shoulds’ and ‘should nots’ that merely keeping track of them can be a challenge. Sometimes, well-meaning amplifications of divine principles–many coming from uninspired sources–complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with man-made addenda. One person’s good idea–something that may work for him or her–takes root and becomes an expectation…This was one of the Savior’s criticisms of the religious ‘experts’ of His day, whom He chastised for attending to the hundreds of minor details of the law while neglecting the weightier matters…In Mormon culture there are many things that are nice but not necessary.
We cling to traditions that really have nothing to do with our eternal salvation, but it’s “always been done that way,” so we continue doing it that way.
cwald wrote:…If the COJCOLDS truly believes this, and the leaders of said church truly believe it — than why do we not follow it, and teach it and live it?…Why are we not hearing this from the pulpit every single week, and every single conference? Throw out all the nonsense and lets start teaching and living the gospel the way it’s suppose to be done – the way the Jesus prescribed. We (the LDS church) are not doing it…this talk is my entire problem with the LDS church in a nutshell.
I think the main reason we don’t hear this kind of message more in Church is simply because the majority of active members and leaders don’t really believe this and are largely oblivious to this problem that has developed. To me it looks like most active members and Church leaders are typically TBMs first and Christians second (if at all) so they still basically just assume that all these traditions are truly important and will continue to focus on one trueness, following the prophet, temples, tithing, the WoW, having a testimony, etc. instead of what should be considered “weightier matters” mostly because that’s what we have always done up to this point.
I’m glad to see that President Uchtdorf understands what is going on to some extent; now if we could just get some more leaders like this to replace some of the old-school hardliners like Boyd K. Packer we might actually start to see some real progress but until then I expect to see more of the same old cult-like and Pharisee-style attitudes about all these rules, policies, and doctrines of questionable origin and value. Seriously, whatever happened to the idea of teaching people correct principles and then letting them govern themselves or allowing them the privilege of following their own conscience? That isn’t what I see in the Church at all nowadays.
Thanks Ray, but I was interested in the Sister’s talk mostly. I already have Urtchdorfs. Are you willing to share it? Excellent talk Ray, thanks for bumping this thread up… I missed it the first time around. cwald wrote:Why are we not hearing this from the pulpit every single week, and every single conference? Throw out all the nonsense and lets start teaching and living the gospel the way it’s suppose to be done – the way the Jesus prescribed. We (the LDS church) are not doing it.
When I gave my talk the other week I couldn’t believe how many people commented to me about how “brave” and how “courageous” my talk was. After I got thinking about this it really bothered me. I didn’t say anything in my talk that was outrageous in any way. All I said was that we need to be more like Christ, and to love everyone. The fact that it was “brave” to give the message to love everyone it really quite pathetic. You are right… these are the kinds on messages that we need to be hearing every week. This is exactly why it might be good for people like us to remain a part of the church. We need to be the messengers of the gospel of Christ. We need to be the change that we seek.
It can be frustrating, and after conference I was about ready to call it quits, but I think I still have a little more in me.
cwald wrote:80% of the other conference talks were insulting, negative, “false”, and put the church’s spiritual progress back AT LEAST 20 years.
Time will tell, but I actually think that these GC talks may have actually lit a fire in a lot of our unorthodox members, and they are ready to come out, and speak out! Maybe progress was actually propelled!
DevilsAdvocate wrote:I think the main reason we don’t hear this kind of message more in Church is simply because the majority of active members and leaders don’t really believe this and are largely oblivious to this problem that has developed…
IMO DA – you have hit the nail on the head, especially this sentence, but your entire post as well.
Quote:“flowerdrops”
When I gave my talk the other week I couldn’t believe how many people commented to me about how “brave” and how “courageous” my talk was. After I got thinking about this it really bothered me. I didn’t say anything in my talk that was outrageous in any way. All I said was that we need to be more like Christ, and to love everyone. The fact that it was “brave” to give the message to love everyone it really quite pathetic. You are right… these are the kinds on messages that we need to be hearing every week. This is exactly why it might be good for people like us to remain a part of the church. We need to be the messengers of the gospel of Christ. We need to be the change that we seek.
Good point.
Flower – can I get a copy of your talk? If so, either send it on facebook or email it to me. My email is
cwald71@yahoo.com cwald, flowerdrops posted the link to her blog in her post about the talk. I am reposting the link here: http://tinymosquito.blogspot.com/2010/10/through-gods-eyes.html Hmm, if I was going to tell you, Flowerdrops, that you were brave to say what you did it would be the part about confessing that you are unconventional and different. You said the words sexual orientation, and that alone is brave. So maybe they were thinking some of the phrases you used were brave but not the entire concept of “God’s love.”
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