Conference Report

I went into this past weekend seeking answers. Like everyone, there are things in my life that I worry about. There are times that require small course adjustments to be made, or completely new paths to take. But no matter what decision I am facing, General Conference always points me in the right direction.

I felt like there was a theme for me this time, and it was parenthood. How can I be a better mother? What can I do to help my kids succeed in this difficult world? How can I make our home a safer, more loving place? How can I better teach my children about Jesus Christ? These are some of the questions that were answered by the inspired leaders of my church.

Tad R. Callister spoke about the role of parents as the prime gospel teachers. Do our children get our best, or what is left over after we have given our best to something else, he asked.

While not necessarily about parenting, I loved Jorg Klebingat's bold address on how we can improve our spiritual confidence before God. He included things like taking responsibility for our physical well-being and becoming "really really good at forgiving" in his five step plan.

L. Tom Perry gave specific advice to mothers and fathers. "Faithful parents have never been needed more," he said. He cautioned us to not let the noise of the world overwhelm the still small voice of the Spirit.

Henry B. Eyring gave an emotional example from his own life about how revelation that comes to a parent on behalf of their children can have a lasting effect on the child's own personal revelation. He said that as parents, we need to pray to know what to say to our children, and they will remember our words.

I loved M. Russell Ballard's caution to stay on the boat! He gave three really good rules to follow to safeguard our faith. It is about doing the simple things everyday (like reading our scriptures and saying our prayers) that will bring us closer to Christ. We cannot let ourselves get distracted by less important things.

Richard G. Scott also talked about simple things we can do in our families to make it through these troubled times. We are here on this earth to be stretched, but there are things we can do to actively exercise our faith, he said. Things like prayer, everyday. Scripture study as a family, even when we think there is no time. He said that scripture study together is more important than anything else, including sleep and homework. He promised that if we take the time to do this, peace will prevail in our homes. He mentioned weekly Family Home Evening, and not as an afterthought, but as something we plan and prepare for. And finally, temple attendance, as often as we can. He said that our struggles will not disappear if we do these things, but we will be better able to endure them.

And for those of you who are not members of our church, I invite you to listen to Elder David A. Bednar's address. It is specifically directed to you. If you've ever wondered why mormons like to talk so much about their faith, or why we like to share our beliefs with others, this is the talk for you.

I hope you are having a wonderful week!