1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,940 Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, where two friends who love Jesus 2 00:00:14,940 --> 00:00:19,180 Christ share our own approach to studying the most recent General Conference talks. 3 00:00:19,180 --> 00:00:20,880 This is Abbey and Amy. 4 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,600 Let's jump into it. 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,140 We're excited today to go over the Church of Joy, what talk that was shared by Elder 6 00:00:29,140 --> 00:00:35,120 Kieran in the Saturday afternoon session. 7 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,880 Definitely wrote this with joy in his heart. 8 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,080 It was such a happy talk. 9 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,320 There were words like this all throughout it. 10 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,320 Celebrate, rejoice, give thanks, good news, exquisite and sweet joy, gaining peace, tomb 11 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,920 bursting open, the defeat of death and Christ's victory overall. 12 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:52,480 We're just a few that we pulled from there. 13 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,240 We can't help but feel the joy coming from this talk. 14 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:56,320 Agreed, Abbey. 15 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,240 The premise of this talk is that because of the loving plan of our Heavenly Father for 16 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:05,640 each of His children and because of the redeeming life and mission of our Savior, Jesus Christ, 17 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:10,060 we can and should be the most joyful people on earth. 18 00:01:10,060 --> 00:01:13,760 So does that summarize to you what he's focused on? 19 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:14,760 That sounds great. 20 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,280 Maybe a specific takeaway from this talk. 21 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:22,000 I would say that he specifically focused on our Hour of Sacrament. 22 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,480 He reminded us that we gather the ward and branch members to celebrate the Sacrament 23 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:27,840 of Jesus Christ. 24 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,080 He said nowhere should our joy as a people be more apparent than when we gather together 25 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:36,840 each Sabbath in our sacrament meetings to worship the source of all joy, who is Jesus 26 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:37,840 Christ. 27 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,480 I do love that he said celebrate. 28 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:44,340 I've never, ever thought of the sacrament meeting being a celebration. 29 00:01:44,340 --> 00:01:48,560 So that definitely invited me to rethink the way that I look at it. 30 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,960 And I really like the thought of infusing joy into more of my worship. 31 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,080 Yes, he used that a ton. 32 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:57,080 You're giving me things to think about. 33 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,320 I'm going to try to just shelf that when I listen back to the podcast. 34 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,520 I'll explore those thoughts because we each have our part in that. 35 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,880 We don't organize the sacrament meeting, but the way that we attend it and that we come 36 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:12,200 to it and the way that we, like I'm still raising little children, the way that I invite 37 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,160 them to approach that can be with reverence, but with joy. 38 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,800 I think too often we're trained up in this church that reverence means something different. 39 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,240 And he definitely touches that in this talk. 40 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:22,240 For sure he does. 41 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:23,240 For sure. 42 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,240 Well, let's talk about that. 43 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,640 Yeah, he used the phrase joyful reverence and said, yes, it's a thing. 44 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:35,600 And I think, I don't know if we go into this, but Karen's a convert to the church. 45 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:37,160 Do you know how old he was? 46 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:38,200 I don't know how old he was. 47 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,520 He just said that it was Christmas Eve of 1987. 48 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:43,520 That's when his baptism was. 49 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:44,520 Yeah. 50 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:45,520 So let's say it was joyful. 51 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:46,520 He was 30 years. 52 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,240 Let's say he was around 30, let's say. 53 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,560 I don't like whatever if he's older, younger than that, but let's just roughly say he didn't 54 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,080 just learn about Jesus Christ in that moment. 55 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,680 He'd definitely been practicing other faiths. 56 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:02,800 And so he comes to this church, this gospel with an experience different than an upbringing 57 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:03,800 of the church. 58 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,640 And so he brings perspective and different eyes to the situation. 59 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:14,200 That I think we need this eye-opening opportunity to look at what joyful reverence looks like. 60 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,740 So he taught us a bit about what joyful reverence is not. 61 00:03:17,740 --> 00:03:20,160 He said, is not a grim face on a stand. 62 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:24,840 It is not hands folded over our chest with heads bowed and a stern look on our face, 63 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,560 which may be nice to teach energetic children, but that we can learn and grow in our quest 64 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:29,640 for reverence. 65 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:33,240 And then he ended that section by saying, for many of us, this transformation in sacrament 66 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:34,600 services will take practice. 67 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,760 And I'm thinking, yeah, absolutely. 68 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:37,760 Right. 69 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,760 And the great thing is that we have lots of time to practice every single week. 70 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:43,800 They shared that in some sort of training. 71 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,240 They, and Elder Brower just re-addressed it in our state conference. 72 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,920 I don't know if it was in a leadership session or the general, but talking about the way 73 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,600 that the people that are sitting on the stand should look, like too often they're up there, 74 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:57,720 they're focused on things. 75 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,920 Maybe their mind wanders or maybe they're really in concern looking over the congregations. 76 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,000 It also could have been like, they've had five meetings before this. 77 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:06,000 Totally. 78 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Middle of their day. 79 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,000 Totally. 80 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,680 And so it's going to take some effort, but it makes all the difference when they don't 81 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,360 look like they're angry at the world and mad about those five meetings they had, if they 82 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,060 can try to put a little smile on their face. 83 00:04:15,060 --> 00:04:19,000 So when Adam told me about that, you know, if I find myself in a situation where he's 84 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:23,280 on the stand and I'm in the crowd, sometimes I'll, you know, we put an exaggerated smile 85 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:28,120 on my face and remind him, like, look like you're having some fun up there. 86 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:29,520 Does he ask you where your smile was? 87 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,040 It doesn't go both ways because I'm not facing the whole congregation. 88 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,760 Just the back of my hair needs to look good. 89 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:43,120 So when I kind of summarized that joyful reverence, did you, do you have any thoughts on that? 90 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:44,360 I do actually. 91 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:49,280 So one reason I'm grateful for family history, and there are many of them, is in when I'm 92 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:54,360 reading my stories about my people or talking to someone who knew someone that I never knew, 93 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,800 my great grandpa, so it's my dad's maternal grandpa, was born a hundred years before me 94 00:04:58,800 --> 00:04:59,800 in 1876. 95 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:01,120 That's a long time. 96 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,960 So also relationships were strained and I never got to meet him. 97 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:06,240 Like exactly a hundred years. 98 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:07,240 Exactly. 99 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:08,240 Because she has a birthday tomorrow. 100 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:09,240 I sure do. 101 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:10,240 1976. 102 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,680 So yeah, that's a long time, I'm like, wow, that's a lot of difference, right? 103 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:18,240 So sitting in church listening to truth being spoken or singing words of joy and celebration, 104 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:23,040 I've had times where I want to sing a little bit louder or give an amen out loud as someone 105 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,200 is speaking or sharing their testimony of Christ. 106 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:31,000 And it's interesting because I learned just this past summer that my grandpa John was 107 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:32,600 a devout Southern Baptist. 108 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:33,640 I knew that part. 109 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:38,320 But in speaking with my almost 90-year-old uncle, who spent a lot of time with him, my 110 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:43,120 great grandpa never missed a Sunday and he sang every song with the choir. 111 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:44,760 That's where he found joy. 112 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:45,760 That's where he was. 113 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:46,760 He loved the gospel hymns. 114 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,960 You better believe the meetings were a bit livelier than there is tend to be. 115 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,240 So just, I mean, I say this in jest, but this story helped me to see that I may not fit 116 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,560 into my ward so well, but that I definitely fit into my family tree. 117 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,400 And I don't yell out an amen, but instead you'll definitely see me gently nodding my 118 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,280 head throughout most of the meetings. 119 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:06,740 Like that's how I found a joyful reverence is just nodding. 120 00:06:06,740 --> 00:06:08,800 Like, I feel what you're saying. 121 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,320 This resonates with me and I love it. 122 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,080 That was like a trick I would play in college though. 123 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,720 I would sit eye level with my professor and I would nod my head and I would find that 124 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:18,640 they'd be like, oh, she is way into it. 125 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,480 I am teaching and it worked well for me. 126 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,480 So it's not a game. 127 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,040 I don't realize I'm doing it. 128 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:26,760 I think it's a good thing. 129 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:31,160 I say that sort of jokingly, but what I feel like yours is it's like acknowledging to your 130 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:32,160 spirit. 131 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,000 Your physical body is acknowledging to your spirit. 132 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:35,320 I'm hearing what's being shared. 133 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,880 I'm filling it in my soul and I'm like shaking my head like, yeah, I'm feeling this. 134 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:39,880 Totally. 135 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:44,080 And I mean, there is so much good worship music out here these days and it totally makes 136 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:45,960 you want to like put your hand up in the air and like- 137 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,840 Do a little more, right? 138 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:50,100 Yeah, like reach out and feel it. 139 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:54,720 So Elder Kieran touches on several ways that we worship during our one hour of sacrament 140 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,720 meetings, ultimately ending with the most important reason that we come to church. 141 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:04,760 And obviously I'm speaking about actually partaking of the sacrament. 142 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:09,440 We, I think we would probably spend a lot of time on this if you were teaching a Relief 143 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:13,440 Society lesson, we would say something like, what's the difference between attending a 144 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,120 meeting and worshiping at that meeting? 145 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,120 You're right. 146 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,720 There could be, like you could really unpack that. 147 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:19,720 There'd be a lot there. 148 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:20,720 Yeah. 149 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:21,720 What would you say about that? 150 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,680 What he said was to attend means just to be present. 151 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:29,500 Worship is to intentionally praise and adore our God in a way that transforms us. 152 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,440 And Abby, as I was reading that, I'm like, hey, that's one of your favorite words. 153 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,000 How do you intentionally worship? 154 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,040 Yeah, I don't think that I do. 155 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:37,240 Sure you do. 156 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:38,240 I don't know. 157 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:43,440 I'm like, it's giving me pause to think like, I'm so concerned about being quiet. 158 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:44,440 Oh, for sure. 159 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:45,440 You have young kids. 160 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:46,440 Yeah. 161 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,440 How about, have you ever thought of like, preparing beforehand? 162 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:54,280 If we pack things in advance, like I've seen people, I've done quiet books of family members 163 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,560 or you know, C stands for church and S stands for scripture. 164 00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:59,240 Like I've done that in the past. 165 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:04,240 And yeah, like there are some pieces to that, that I'm trying to be like, focused on Jesus 166 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,180 Christ and help the littles do that. 167 00:08:06,180 --> 00:08:07,300 And it's a way different experience. 168 00:08:07,300 --> 00:08:09,360 Like sometimes I'll go with Adam on his assignments. 169 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:14,520 If we've already finished our sacrament, you know, our word time and he's speaking like 170 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,720 in a singles word or something and it's outside of our church hours, I'll pop over and I'll 171 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:19,840 enjoy that with him. 172 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:20,980 It's a way different experience. 173 00:08:20,980 --> 00:08:21,980 It's much quieter. 174 00:08:21,980 --> 00:08:22,980 So it's all about me. 175 00:08:22,980 --> 00:08:25,440 I have been there because your youngest now is three. 176 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:26,440 Yeah. 177 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:27,440 Oh gosh. 178 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:31,160 And my instruction is focused on like, you know, getting what we can out of that meeting. 179 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:36,880 But it's like what I have intentions to study, like, you know, stuff about Jesus Christ during 180 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:37,880 the sacrament. 181 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,440 I'm finding like, yeah, only a small piece of that's happening in the actual sacrament 182 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,840 because I'm more like, you know, managing the kids. 183 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:45,840 Okay. 184 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:47,340 When I was like, sure you do. 185 00:08:47,340 --> 00:08:51,320 In my mind, I see you as someone who worships more than just on Sunday. 186 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,560 And I think that's what I was thinking. 187 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:54,560 But I understand what you're saying. 188 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:58,120 I asked you about your, you know, the hour of sacrament. 189 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:02,560 And when you have young kids, like I remember with mine, I was just like, my job here is 190 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:05,480 just to make sure he doesn't ruin everything for everyone else. 191 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,080 I have a kid that's thrown matchbox cars. 192 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:09,080 Yeah. 193 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:10,800 You know, like, I mean, not just don't know what's going to happen. 194 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,560 They're playing it slips and it's like, oh, I'm sorry. 195 00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:14,560 They're exuberant. 196 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:15,560 Yeah. 197 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:16,560 And now we just try to sit really far in the back. 198 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:20,880 I love, I do miss watching your family because now you're a little behind me. 199 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:21,880 Way behind. 200 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,400 I do love watching it, but I, my heart goes out to those who are living that. 201 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:26,400 Okay. 202 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:27,400 I will say I'm good at this part. 203 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:28,400 The hymns. 204 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:29,400 Yes. 205 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,720 You referenced that as a point of where we can either love it, you know, to use the word 206 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:35,480 either attending or worshiping in our hymns. 207 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:40,120 So I'm either opening the page and I'm singing begrudgingly, not really letting the words 208 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,060 pass through me or I'm actually invested in the song. 209 00:09:43,060 --> 00:09:47,360 Like that is how I most often feel the spirit or how I can testify of Jesus Christ. 210 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,320 The best is hymns. 211 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,480 And you can be, you can use your voice or everything else. 212 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:53,480 You be quiet. 213 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:54,480 You know what I mean? 214 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:55,480 Exactly. 215 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,880 So hymns, that was good. 216 00:09:57,880 --> 00:09:59,680 What do you have on that piece of worship? 217 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:06,020 I just love that it referenced DNC 2512 where it says for my soul delighteth in the song 218 00:10:06,020 --> 00:10:11,520 of the heart and the song of the heart of the righteous is a prayer unto me and it shall 219 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,800 be answered with a blessing upon their heads. 220 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:19,080 So I just like that part that we can opt in and use our agency to have that be a prayer 221 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:20,080 because you're right. 222 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,320 Maybe that's the one thing that we say the whole time is the hymns. 223 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,600 And so, you know, during the whole meeting, that's pretty much what we say. 224 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:28,080 Unless we're speaking. 225 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:33,000 For a long time, because music does, like that does speak to me, I would use that. 226 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,920 We'd be singing the hymn and then I would read the hymn in my head as the sacrament 227 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,720 was going and add my testimony to it. 228 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:44,540 I would read it and be like, yeah, I believe those small and simple things about the great 229 00:10:44,540 --> 00:10:53,080 and atoning sacrifice, the talks and the testimonies, those can either be, you know, they can be 230 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,960 worshipful or I don't know, I'm not really using it attending verse worshiping, but I 231 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,640 guess when I talk about talks and testimonies. 232 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:04,920 Yeah, like what our aim is, is we center our talks and testimonies on Heavenly Father and 233 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:09,000 Jesus Christ and the fruits of humbly living the gospel. 234 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,120 So that's what the aim is. 235 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:12,600 Does it always happen? 236 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,480 And if the assignment is done well, then all of the other things fall into place. 237 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,160 Like if Adam's assigned to give a talk and there's no mention of Jesus Christ in there, 238 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:21,600 I'm like, we both agree. 239 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,440 Like he's taught me this and then I just remind him of this thing that we do and it's like, 240 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,840 you tell me how to do that assignment and make Jesus Christ the center of it. 241 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,360 That's going to be a great talk. 242 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:32,480 And I've done the same thing. 243 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,880 It's like, would you talk on such and such? 244 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:36,100 Yep. 245 00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:41,520 And then I say, with some freedom, we're going to talk about Jesus Christ in that role, in 246 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:42,520 that context. 247 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:43,520 I've seen all of those things. 248 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,000 Like I've never found an assignment that I'm like, I really can't cover. 249 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,060 I really can't focus on Jesus Christ. 250 00:11:48,060 --> 00:11:53,800 And if that's the case, then I'd be like, politely, respectfully modify it. 251 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:54,800 I love that. 252 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,320 Politely is polite and respectfully together. 253 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:58,320 Thank you. 254 00:11:58,320 --> 00:11:59,320 It is. 255 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,920 My mind went a little bit, I'm like, yeah, that wasn't a word, but you can't go back 256 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:03,920 and change it. 257 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:04,920 Or carrot? 258 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:05,920 No, just kidding. 259 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:06,920 The sacrament. 260 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:07,920 Okay. 261 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:08,920 Yes. 262 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,960 So that is the glorious focal point. 263 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,280 What we're building to in that one hour. 264 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,400 You know, 15 minutes of that one hour meeting. 265 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,000 What do you have to say about that? 266 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:21,000 Right. 267 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,360 So yeah, the blessing and receiving of the sacrament itself, the bread and water representing 268 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:29,400 the atoning gift of our Lord, are the whole purpose of our gathering. 269 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,480 This is a sacred time of spiritual renewal. 270 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:34,920 And I like how he says this. 271 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,400 He says, when we witness anew that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus 272 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:44,480 Christ and make again the covenant to always remember the Savior and keep His commandments. 273 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:50,200 I like that he said the anew and again, because it really is something that we do every single 274 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:51,200 week. 275 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,640 And when you do something as often as that, sometimes it can feel like it's rote or it 276 00:12:55,640 --> 00:13:01,120 feels like it's, there's not a lot of heart in it, but that's the reason we're there. 277 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,000 So it is a chance to do it again. 278 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,600 And doesn't that stand as a reminder of the fact that he knows that we're going to need 279 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:08,720 him again and again, repetitively? 280 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,320 And hopefully we get iteratively better as we go. 281 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,400 But I remember getting baptized. 282 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,960 I happened to have been eight when I was baptized and I came out of that water and I did feel 283 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:18,960 so clean. 284 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,760 I did honestly feel clean at that young age and thought I never want to mess up again. 285 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,360 And I don't know if I made it past the car ride home that, you know, some things that 286 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,000 was said that shouldn't have been. 287 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:34,240 As I've matured and come to understand that that sacrament is an opportunity weekly that 288 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,960 I can utilize to renew my covenants as though I'm back in the baptismal waters. 289 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:39,960 Yes, isn't that beautiful? 290 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:44,840 And by Sunday afternoon, I do need it again already. 291 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:51,680 But it's such a great, it's great to have the opportunity to be made new in Jesus Christ 292 00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:52,680 frequently like that. 293 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:53,680 I love that. 294 00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:55,320 Yeah, that's a really good way to look at it too. 295 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:56,560 So we each come to the table. 296 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,520 I like that he said this. 297 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,480 This is summarizing, but essentially we each come to the table of the sacrament in different 298 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,480 times with a heavier grieving or burdened or grateful and joyful heart. 299 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,780 However we come, it's the best place to be at the feet of our Savior who succors us in 300 00:14:10,780 --> 00:14:11,780 every moment. 301 00:14:11,780 --> 00:14:13,560 Love that part. 302 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:16,320 And then he turns to this part. 303 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,480 Want me to quote what he said? 304 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:19,480 Sure. 305 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,360 We may have been conditioned to suppose that the purpose of the sacrament is to sit in 306 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:27,880 the pew thinking only about all the ways we messed up during the week before. 307 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,240 But let's turn that practice on its head. 308 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:31,760 I like that he said that. 309 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,040 Like there's no mincing those words. 310 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:35,520 Let's turn that practice on its head. 311 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,880 Like when I hear that, it's like, oh, you know, come to the edge of my seat. 312 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:39,880 What's he going to say? 313 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:40,880 This is going to be good. 314 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,240 Because I like turning things on their head. 315 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:44,240 You know? 316 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:45,240 Yes. 317 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,320 Let's get into that. 318 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:55,480 I will say, because it was making me think when we were doing meditations, there was 319 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,600 one that you would like reflect on the end of your day. 320 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,600 So you would almost like, you would almost rehearse your day. 321 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,720 So on Monday, Monday evening, you're going to bed and you're thinking like, what went 322 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:04,720 well today? 323 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,040 What did I really like about how this day went and what do I wish that I could redo? 324 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:12,200 So you would kind of rehearse those and then you would make it your intention for the next 325 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,200 day. 326 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,900 If you know you snapped at your children or you weren't as patient or you wasted your 327 00:15:16,900 --> 00:15:19,400 time and death scrolling or whatever. 328 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,520 I'm just making things up on top of my head. 329 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,800 That you can as good as wash those away. 330 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:26,640 Like you've thought about it and you've fixed it. 331 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:31,040 So basically then I don't need to carry that garbage with me and bring that into the sacrament 332 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:35,320 room on Sunday that I just basically say, you gave me a chance to reflect, to improve 333 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,700 and to make the next day a little bit better. 334 00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:40,080 That in my sacrament practice, it's going to look differently. 335 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:41,080 Oh, that's great. 336 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:42,080 Yeah, I like that idea. 337 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,360 I think that's what it made me think of when we said, let's turn this practice on our head. 338 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:48,600 I'm like, that was a game changer because I do feel like for a time that it was like, 339 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,640 you know, maybe encouraged. 340 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:55,200 I'm not saying any church leaders too, but that's maybe the way I understood it. 341 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,120 Think of all the bad things that you've done and ask Him to forgive those things individually. 342 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,160 Yeah, that is how I used to look at it. 343 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:02,840 So what do you have to share? 344 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,480 What action item can you present us? 345 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,600 So some of the things He shared, and these are so, I mean, He literally gave these to 346 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:08,600 us. 347 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,680 We can ponder the many ways we've seen the Lord relentlessly pursue us with His wonderful 348 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,560 love that week, which that was His talk last time. 349 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:17,280 I love that. 350 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,960 We can reflect on what it means to discover the joy of daily repentance, which is the 351 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:22,520 word of our prophet. 352 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,480 We can give thanks for the times the Savior entered into our struggles and our triumphs. 353 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,280 I love that, struggles and triumphs. 354 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,560 So because for me, I'm like, oh yeah, He also like totally came and saved the day multiple 355 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:34,560 times. 356 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,560 And the occasions when we felt His grace, forgiveness and power, giving us strength to overcome 357 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:44,000 our hardships and bear our burdens with patience and even good cheer. 358 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:49,320 That is such a great place to spend your time and your effort, you know, while you're sitting 359 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:50,320 there on the pew. 360 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:51,320 I love that. 361 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:52,320 You know what this indicates to me? 362 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,680 It's that He has taken the prophet's challenge to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ 363 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:58,120 in a different way. 364 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,960 Right, and to apply it here while He's sitting in church, which is our most important part 365 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:03,960 of the week, really. 366 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,400 Yeah, and He's had half as much time to be good at it than me. 367 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:08,400 And He's here. 368 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,600 And I'm not going to feel down on myself about it, but He's giving me something to aspire 369 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:17,380 to that I can think of the positive things that the atonement of Jesus Christ, rather 370 00:17:17,380 --> 00:17:21,600 than like being down on myself for the times I've needed to rely on Him. 371 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:22,600 I love that. 372 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:23,600 Yeah. 373 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,280 Because He was born with the intent that we would need to rely on. 374 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:27,280 Right, like that was the whole purpose. 375 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,400 He's not catching by surprise and He's not sad that we have to utilize the atonement. 376 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,440 No, He's not Plan B for sure. 377 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:35,920 Do you want to share? 378 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,560 There's a quote that He shared that essentially sums up what you just said. 379 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,820 He said, we sometimes get stuck there in the garden at the cross inside the tomb. 380 00:17:43,820 --> 00:17:48,280 We fail to move upward to the joy of the tomb bursting open, the defeat of death and Christ's 381 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,960 victory over all that might prevent us from gaining peace and returning to our heavenly 382 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:52,960 home. 383 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,000 Whether we shed tears of sorrow or tears of gratitude during the sacrament, let it be 384 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,040 an awesome wonder at the good news of the Father's gift of His Son. 385 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:01,040 Love that. 386 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:02,040 Yeah. 387 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:03,800 I feel like He really taught us well. 388 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:04,800 Exclamation point. 389 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:05,800 Yes, exclamation point. 390 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:11,480 Well, I mean, like it's just another way of Him like really being joyful in this talk. 391 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:12,480 Yes, right. 392 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,560 He's very exuberant. 393 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:15,720 He really wants this idea. 394 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,880 He really wants to see a change. 395 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,280 He wants to see our practices turn on their heads. 396 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:21,280 For sure. 397 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,680 He wants to see Amy like, woo hoo! 398 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:26,280 Not a little more. 399 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,740 Okay, so yes. 400 00:18:29,740 --> 00:18:35,820 So to help with this practice, so Elder Kieran invited us to ponder, reflect, give thanks 401 00:18:35,820 --> 00:18:38,120 and celebrate, which is what we just talked about. 402 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:40,680 The many ways our Savior has redeemed us. 403 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:45,400 And to help you, you could listen to the guided visualization in this talk, linked in the 404 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:46,400 show notes. 405 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:50,640 And I walk you through your own sacrament meeting experience and also ask His questions 406 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,480 in the context of sitting in the pew. 407 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,340 Would you say, because I haven't listened to this visualization yet, is this something 408 00:18:57,340 --> 00:18:58,800 you do preparatory to Sunday? 409 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,120 This is the best part about it. 410 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:03,160 While I was preparing this, I had the thought, because you know, there is a section where 411 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:07,280 He talks about those with young children and those with special needs, you know, having 412 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:08,560 someone special needs. 413 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:10,320 So my thought was, yes. 414 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:12,960 When your attention in sacrament meeting has to be turned to somebody other than yourself. 415 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,380 Right, like it's not yours right then, right? 416 00:19:15,380 --> 00:19:19,600 So essentially, you can do it in preparation for because there is a, and I don't have the 417 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:20,600 quote right here in front of me. 418 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,320 And then you just physically perform the act, the symbolic act of the sacrament in the sacrament 419 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:25,320 moment. 420 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:26,320 Yes. 421 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:30,920 And I love the part where He says, we can anticipate and expect joy in our Sunday worship. 422 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:36,080 And so that is a way I feel like as we do this, that's part of the guided visualization, 423 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:37,200 that that's part of it. 424 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,320 Then also, like you were saying, the do-over, it's also a do-over for the weeks where you've 425 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:46,680 gone and like, you know, you had all the best intentions to have it be a great Sabbath, 426 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,600 but for some reason, I don't know, maybe your kids needed this or did that or whatever. 427 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:50,980 So it's also a do-over. 428 00:19:50,980 --> 00:19:55,280 So I love that because I feel like whenever we reach for Christ, He reaches our reaching 429 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,860 and He will be there every time. 430 00:19:57,860 --> 00:20:02,680 This is definitely hitting right now for me because tomorrow is our ward's primary program. 431 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:04,040 Oh, it's my favorite Sunday. 432 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,640 I've been anticipating this for 11 months. 433 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,520 And there's no question in my mind that it's going to be fantastic meeting. 434 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:11,520 For sure. 435 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,400 I already can joyfully anticipate it. 436 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,080 Some Sundays it's like, oh, I want to maybe invite a friend to church. 437 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,120 I wonder what they're going to be talking about. 438 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:23,160 Usually our ward's totally great, but like, you know, you don't know. 439 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,200 Like you imagine how you want things to go for them. 440 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,920 You're like, is this going to be, you're going to bring them in on a fast and testimony meeting? 441 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:29,920 And you never know. 442 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,720 Or also sometimes you don't have your husband sitting on the pew with you. 443 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:33,720 You know what I mean? 444 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:34,720 Yeah. 445 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,600 And so sometimes that, I don't know, I'm not you, but that might add a little bit of anxiety 446 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:43,200 for me as well where you're not able to keep everyone just in arms, within arm's reach. 447 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:48,640 It's an interesting thing because I wouldn't say that I have the experience of a single 448 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,840 sister or brother that's managing all the children. 449 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:56,600 But I will say having had at least five and a half years of my life managing the bench 450 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:03,640 by myself, it has given me a perspective to see the Lord compensated for taking my husband 451 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:04,640 away from me. 452 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:05,640 Oh, I love that. 453 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,200 And I think that all the sisters and brothers that are by themselves and managing the kids 454 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:10,400 have the chance to rely on that. 455 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,720 Like you, you know, sometimes that's, you know, Adam's parents, they definitely stepped 456 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,800 up to the plate and they would sit close by or help. 457 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:19,800 Yeah. 458 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,760 Pulled them off the back row and we had like kind of up row three to be as close to our 459 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:24,760 dad as we could. 460 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,200 But I don't know, it gives you different eyes at how to look through it. 461 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,000 And sometimes I'm like, I've got Adam there. 462 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,920 I'm like, we should, we're not so outnumbered. 463 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:35,840 And I'm like, sometimes they're worse. 464 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,800 You're like, this isn't a clear indication of what's always happening. 465 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,400 Cause he doesn't have to compensate. 466 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:42,400 He's given me my husband. 467 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,800 I'm like, I think I'd rather have you just kidding. 468 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:46,800 That's a lie. 469 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:47,880 No, but it's true though. 470 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,000 When the Lord compensates, it's perfect compensation. 471 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:51,000 It really is. 472 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:52,000 There's nothing that's. 473 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,120 When I look back over time, I'm like, those were some hard years. 474 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:56,800 Like I might have to, there were a couple of kids that like I was responsible for feeding 475 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,240 and wasn't just doing that in the middle of the sacrament room. 476 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:01,240 So I'd have to leave. 477 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:02,240 For sure. 478 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:03,240 I'm like, I'm going to take care of that. 479 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:04,240 Okay. 480 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,920 Any good questions that we can consider for ourselves as we go through here? 481 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,320 Abby, did you notice like he asked great questions. 482 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,080 So we already talked about action items, which were absolutely his. 483 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:13,080 These questions were his too. 484 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:14,480 I love how his brain works. 485 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:15,480 How is the savior? 486 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:16,480 Oh, sorry. 487 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:22,240 Um, we can think and ask ourselves how the savior would want our sacrament hour to be. 488 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,880 That's I don't think I've ever asked myself, what would the savior want this to look like? 489 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:34,280 Um, how would he want each one of his children to be welcomed, care for, nourished and loved? 490 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:38,520 And then how would he want us to feel when we come to be renewed through remembering 491 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,120 and worshiping him? 492 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:41,120 Those are so good. 493 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:42,120 Yeah. 494 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:47,120 Reflect on those, you know, have a self reflection on those and how we think that he would want 495 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:49,080 the sacrament to be. 496 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:50,080 We need to emulate. 497 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:51,080 Yeah. 498 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,660 You know, does, does he want that person to go and notice to be sitting by themselves 499 00:22:53,660 --> 00:22:55,760 or would he have loved somebody to be sitting by them? 500 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:57,040 Would that person be you? 501 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:58,040 Yes. 502 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,360 When you're singing, are you just kind of going through the words? 503 00:23:00,360 --> 00:23:03,480 Is there a way to worship him or lovingly, deeply? 504 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,900 Is there more of the way that you can let the words go through you? 505 00:23:05,900 --> 00:23:11,520 If the talk gets a little bit off kilter in your own mind, you can, you can still focus 506 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:13,060 on the savior and still feel that connection. 507 00:23:13,060 --> 00:23:18,040 You can, you, the, the meeting doesn't have to be set up for perfect success to, to change 508 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,960 you and be just what the, just what we need and just what the savior wants for us. 509 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,080 You like the compensation again. 510 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,520 So last thoughts or concluding thoughts? 511 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:30,480 I loved how he ended. 512 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,640 You knew he was just like ready to, I don't know. 513 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,080 He just felt like Tigger in this talk. 514 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:37,120 He just couldn't contain his excitement and joy. 515 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:39,300 And I love that he went to Alma 26. 516 00:23:39,300 --> 00:23:42,240 He says, now have we not reason to rejoice? 517 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:48,060 Yea, I say unto you, there never were a people that had so great reason to rejoice as we. 518 00:23:48,060 --> 00:23:52,700 Since the world began, yea, and my joy is carried away even unto boasting in my God, 519 00:23:52,700 --> 00:23:56,160 for he has all power, all wisdom and all understanding. 520 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:01,520 He comprehendeth all things and he is a merciful being even unto salvation to those who will 521 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,360 repent and believe on his name. 522 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:08,200 And then this, now, if this is boasting, even so will I boast for this is my life and my 523 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,160 light, my joy and my great Thanksgiving. 524 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,940 And I think this is fantastic as we head into Thanksgiving. 525 00:24:14,940 --> 00:24:17,680 This will probably post what the week before? 526 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:18,680 Probably a solid week. 527 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:19,680 Yea, love it. 528 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:24,560 It gives you a week to be reflective on Thanksgiving and you'll get one Sunday in the mix to see, 529 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:29,200 you know, do these thoughts help you turn sacrament meeting on its head as has been 530 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,480 invited by an apostle of the Lord. 531 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:33,040 In the most reverent and joyful way. 532 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,040 You did it so cute. 533 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:35,920 Alright, we'll catch you on the next one. 534 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:50,280 Thanks for being here.