WEBVTT 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:09.779 Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, 00:00:10.039 --> 00:00:12.099 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:12.099 --> 00:00:13.880 approach to studying the most recent General 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:16.579 Conference talks. This is Abbey and Amy. Let's 00:00:16.579 --> 00:00:29.620 jump into it. Welcome. Today we are talking about 00:00:29.620 --> 00:00:32.719 My Love for the Savior is My Why by Elder Ricardo 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:35.600 Jimenez of The Seventy. What motivates you to 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:37.960 do the things you do? Responsibility, obligation, 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:40.200 expectations, money, fear, or letting someone 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.780 down. He talks about how our dear prophet, Russell 00:00:42.780 --> 00:00:46.000 M. Nelson, continuously extends invitations to 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.060 us, as does the Savior. Do you hear the invitations 00:00:49.060 --> 00:00:52.429 when they come? Sometimes they feel subtle. Sometimes 00:00:52.429 --> 00:00:55.289 they are front and center. I can attest to that. 00:00:55.450 --> 00:00:58.130 You know when the Spirit is speaking to you, 00:00:58.130 --> 00:01:02.310 right? One such invitation was him inviting us 00:01:02.310 --> 00:01:05.150 to study and ponder the messages shared at the 00:01:05.150 --> 00:01:08.129 last two conferences. In April 2024, he said, 00:01:08.409 --> 00:01:10.730 I hope you'll repeatedly study these messages 00:01:10.730 --> 00:01:13.450 of this conference throughout the coming months. 00:01:13.909 --> 00:01:16.810 Then in October 24, he said, I urge you to study 00:01:16.810 --> 00:01:19.609 the speaker's messages. Use them as a litmus 00:01:19.609 --> 00:01:22.709 test of what is true and what is not during the 00:01:22.709 --> 00:01:24.769 next six months. We've heard this before, right 00:01:24.769 --> 00:01:27.170 Abby? Yeah, I can't tell you how much those invitations 00:01:27.170 --> 00:01:29.890 excited me because I was like, we've done this 00:01:29.890 --> 00:01:34.030 actually. I was so proud. Doing this, doing as 00:01:34.030 --> 00:01:36.670 he's asked, reflecting on the conference talks 00:01:36.670 --> 00:01:38.629 past just the weekend that they're delivered 00:01:38.629 --> 00:01:41.329 has changed me, helped me through difficult times. 00:01:41.730 --> 00:01:43.609 And more than any other time in my life, these 00:01:43.609 --> 00:01:45.609 last couple conference sessions in particular, 00:01:45.989 --> 00:01:49.209 you and I have put in the effort to make. make 00:01:49.209 --> 00:01:51.650 more out of conference than just a wonderful 00:01:51.650 --> 00:01:56.010 conference weekend. And we get to track who's 00:01:56.010 --> 00:01:58.090 tuning in and we have friends across the world 00:01:58.090 --> 00:02:00.109 that are joining us weekly to do the same thing. 00:02:00.549 --> 00:02:04.469 So we share some thoughts. I'm going to share 00:02:04.469 --> 00:02:08.770 a thought from a review that we got. People are 00:02:08.770 --> 00:02:10.949 welcome to leave reviews. It does help us to 00:02:10.949 --> 00:02:14.069 be seen. a friend of Amy's messaged her the other 00:02:14.069 --> 00:02:15.849 day and I kind of took an excerpt out of that. 00:02:16.210 --> 00:02:18.030 The friend said, even though I'm not talking 00:02:18.030 --> 00:02:20.110 with you, I love to see what stands out to you. 00:02:20.250 --> 00:02:22.289 I just listened to your podcast, Simple Teachings 00:02:22.289 --> 00:02:24.169 of the Doctrine of Christ. I've listened to it 00:02:24.169 --> 00:02:25.909 a couple of times and the Spirit was teaching 00:02:25.909 --> 00:02:29.669 me things besides listening to you guys. And 00:02:29.669 --> 00:02:32.310 that's my favorite part. We know that what we're 00:02:32.310 --> 00:02:35.419 saying, it's just... It's commentary on an already 00:02:35.419 --> 00:02:37.740 great talk. We always recommend that the talk 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:40.439 itself is really where you go to, and hopefully 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:42.879 it's sometime right before or right after you 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:44.400 listen to the podcast that you're hearing it 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:46.699 right from their words. But we know more important 00:02:46.699 --> 00:02:48.740 than anything we're saying is what the spirit 00:02:48.740 --> 00:02:52.199 touches and impresses you with, how it's going 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:53.900 to deepen your own understanding, how it's going 00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:56.460 to give you the direction that you need. that's 00:02:56.460 --> 00:02:58.460 more exciting than anything we could ever explain. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:00.919 Or just most pertinent, right? I love that, Abby. 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:04.300 We often pour our action items. We go over our 00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:06.379 action items and we hear in the conference talk, 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:09.979 but we also love when you hear a different message 00:03:09.979 --> 00:03:13.099 or take a different direction. As Elder Jimenez 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:16.020 explained, we may feel or think these invitations 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:18.479 are another thing we need to add to our to -do 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:21.080 lists, simply because we are invited or asked 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.919 to do it. But could there be more to it? we've 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:28.060 mentioned in another podcast, but sometimes things 00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:30.580 bear repeating. What we've learned about invitations 00:03:30.580 --> 00:03:32.699 and action items is that when the spirit prompts 00:03:32.699 --> 00:03:35.620 a person to do something specific, it's because, 00:03:35.780 --> 00:03:38.180 you know, you've grown to a certain point and 00:03:38.180 --> 00:03:40.639 you're ready to hear and learn in a certain way 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:42.699 when the invitation's made and you decide to 00:03:42.699 --> 00:03:44.099 pick it up. It's because you're ready for that. 00:03:44.419 --> 00:03:46.360 Sometimes there might be an invitation, you're 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:48.900 like, it just goes in one and out the other, 00:03:49.159 --> 00:03:51.599 but there's maybe a few other steps that you 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.099 could do before you hit that action item to grow 00:03:54.099 --> 00:03:58.840 in the best way possible for you. So if an invitation 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:01.039 is heard in the right place, in the right time, 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:03.360 the Spirit can teach us something with that. 00:04:04.219 --> 00:04:07.159 That's the direction that we are looking for. 00:04:07.340 --> 00:04:10.259 There were 32 talks in this conference. The way 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:12.599 that we read them, I see two to three action 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.560 items in every talk. So if conference was just 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.689 a list of to -do items that we were adding to, 00:04:18.769 --> 00:04:21.129 we'd have somewhere between 64 and 96 things 00:04:21.129 --> 00:04:23.889 to do after every conference. Yeah. If you look 00:04:23.889 --> 00:04:25.529 at it that way, that's a lot. It's overwhelming, 00:04:25.769 --> 00:04:29.050 right? Right. And he's asking a rhetorical question, 00:04:29.250 --> 00:04:32.209 is that the best way to do things? We believe 00:04:32.209 --> 00:04:34.610 that there is a much better way to look at it. 00:04:35.209 --> 00:04:39.050 Yes. The best way to go about deciding what you 00:04:39.050 --> 00:04:41.569 want to do with your life is to consider the 00:04:41.569 --> 00:04:44.759 why. And if the why is because of Jesus Christ 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:47.300 and our love for Him, this is the real and most 00:04:47.300 --> 00:04:50.060 powerful reason why we do what we do. I would 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:52.779 also say that when we listen to like Abby, when 00:04:52.779 --> 00:04:55.600 you gave us the numbers of 64 to 96 things, that's 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:57.920 a lot to... Someone's looking at their plate 00:04:57.920 --> 00:04:59.160 and they're like, it's already full. How am I 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:02.079 going to fit that in? And like most of us, if 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.560 it's overwhelming, the whole thing is overwhelming 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:06.379 rather than assuming that it's going to be a 00:05:06.379 --> 00:05:08.600 bite at a time. Sometimes you just walk away 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:10.939 from the invitation because you're like, if I'm 00:05:10.939 --> 00:05:12.839 not going to do it all, the Midas will not do 00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:15.300 any of it. Yeah. And one thing that I've learned 00:05:15.300 --> 00:05:19.480 through my years is that the Lord is really good 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:21.720 at helping me to filter through and say this 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:24.399 one thing, you can get really good at it or you 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:27.319 can do this thing because it's the time in my 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:29.500 life to do it the season in my life to do it 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:33.439 and because you have that um the draw or the 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:36.360 pull um, from our father in heaven or Jesus Christ. 00:05:36.379 --> 00:05:38.879 And you also have the Holy Ghost witnessing that 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:41.240 to your heart. I am a hundred percent fine, Abby, 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.240 to just let go of the 64 to 96 and focus on that 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:47.399 one or two things for six months. I'm more than 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:49.980 happy with that. So I am now too. Yeah. And it's 00:05:49.980 --> 00:05:51.660 a beautiful thing. I thought that's a gift. Or 00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:53.160 I think I probably would have been more like, 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:55.139 man, it's overwhelming to do. Right. It's just 00:05:55.139 --> 00:05:57.339 too much. Yeah. So I feel like that's a gift 00:05:57.339 --> 00:05:59.579 that the Lord gives to those who come to Him 00:05:59.579 --> 00:06:03.639 and say, Hey, what is for me right now? into 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.680 lists that we're maybe coming up with, you could 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:09.699 say good, better and best. So are all of the 00:06:09.699 --> 00:06:11.680 things that we could be doing great? Yes. But 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:14.139 if we try to take on too many and we overload 00:06:14.139 --> 00:06:18.360 ourselves, then all of a sudden, the best things 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:21.699 are barely even good for us anymore. Yeah, I 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:24.319 love that Abby. And also you did mention, you 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:26.339 take it to prayer as to like, I've heard all 00:06:26.339 --> 00:06:28.160 of these suggestions, maybe what is the thing 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.060 that I should be focusing on the most? And he 00:06:30.060 --> 00:06:33.759 helps you see. through his eyes, the capacity 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:35.740 that you have to do something. And it may seem 00:06:35.740 --> 00:06:38.000 overwhelming, but all I see in that is that he's 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:41.420 saying, you came to me for this, I'll work with 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:43.920 you to achieve that thing. It's okay if it feels 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:45.959 a little bit overwhelming, but you asked and 00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:48.620 I suggested this is the thing that would be the 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:51.899 best. the best effort could be put into this 00:06:51.899 --> 00:06:53.699 right now. Absolutely. So I love that. Also, 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:56.540 he sees exactly where we are right now and how 00:06:56.540 --> 00:06:58.720 old our kids are. So for example, right now I 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:00.839 have a son who's leaving on a mission. Would 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:04.220 it not be in my best interest to give like prayerfully 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:06.279 go to the Lord and say, what is the best use 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:09.180 of my time right now in these next two months 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:11.540 or one month now before he leaves? It's going 00:07:11.540 --> 00:07:13.259 to hit different, Abby, than when he was seven 00:07:13.259 --> 00:07:15.579 and there was random stuff going on, right? So 00:07:15.579 --> 00:07:17.720 the Lord knows these things, and I love that. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.339 Elder Jimenez's invitation to each of us as we 00:07:20.339 --> 00:07:22.699 listen and ponder on this talk is this. I hope 00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:25.579 you will consider my words as a sincere invitation 00:07:25.579 --> 00:07:28.040 to seek to understand the opportunity to link 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:30.910 everything we do. with our love for the Savior. 00:07:31.350 --> 00:07:33.709 Doing this will help us understand the real why 00:07:33.709 --> 00:07:36.670 behind everything we do as disciples of the Savior. 00:07:36.829 --> 00:07:39.230 And I would say the real why, too, to ask Heavenly 00:07:39.230 --> 00:07:42.370 Father, again, what is the best use of my time 00:07:42.370 --> 00:07:44.889 and what will bring the biggest impact? This 00:07:44.889 --> 00:07:46.769 will help us strengthen our covenantal connection 00:07:46.769 --> 00:07:49.410 with God, understanding His divine and eternal 00:07:49.410 --> 00:07:51.810 truths, His eternal and absolute truths that 00:07:51.810 --> 00:07:54.689 will never change. Eternal truths, for example, 00:07:55.149 --> 00:07:57.410 for God so loved the world that He gave His only 00:07:57.410 --> 00:07:59.930 begotten Son. that whosoever believeth in him 00:07:59.930 --> 00:08:02.569 should not perish but have everlasting life. 00:08:03.209 --> 00:08:04.990 I love that and I think that's such a good question 00:08:04.990 --> 00:08:07.230 that it is one that should come up more often 00:08:07.230 --> 00:08:10.470 than not when you ask you know what what's needful 00:08:10.470 --> 00:08:13.509 of this time that I have right now is a good 00:08:13.509 --> 00:08:17.649 question to ask and in a month or two as you 00:08:17.649 --> 00:08:19.649 make those adjustments and done it that you're 00:08:19.649 --> 00:08:21.189 not just like well he already gave me the answer 00:08:21.189 --> 00:08:24.920 about that. things have changed. The situation 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:26.899 in front of you has changed. Nothing wrong with 00:08:26.899 --> 00:08:29.339 circling back to that question. Now what is most 00:08:29.339 --> 00:08:31.480 needful? Have I finished the thing that you told 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:33.419 me to work on? Are we ready for the next layer? 00:08:33.860 --> 00:08:37.179 Have I not quite got it? So it's a question worth 00:08:37.179 --> 00:08:39.879 repeating. Sometimes we get in routines with 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:42.179 life. We do this so well because we've done them 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:45.539 so many times before. there is a chance of that 00:08:45.539 --> 00:08:48.019 becoming like monotonous. It's a task that we 00:08:48.019 --> 00:08:51.059 lose sight of the why. Maybe when I said that, 00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:52.720 you were thinking of how your scripture study 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.440 looks. It's important that we read a chapter. 00:08:56.419 --> 00:08:59.440 No, the way I want to say that is sometimes we 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:01.860 say, this is so important, I have to read a chapter 00:09:01.860 --> 00:09:07.460 a day. But why? Am I trying to learn more of 00:09:07.460 --> 00:09:11.159 my Savior? Am I trying to see what areas I can 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:14.570 improve in? Am I pondering a question? Is it 00:09:14.570 --> 00:09:16.830 more important to say we're going to do specific 00:09:16.830 --> 00:09:19.909 things, or is it a better way to look at it that 00:09:19.909 --> 00:09:22.230 you say, I'm turning to the scriptures with this 00:09:22.230 --> 00:09:25.710 time that I have, help me learn what I need to 00:09:25.710 --> 00:09:28.629 about the Savior? Kind of go into it to break 00:09:28.629 --> 00:09:31.289 up the monotony that definitely can exist. Yeah, 00:09:32.929 --> 00:09:35.049 you got your morning and your night prayers, 00:09:35.409 --> 00:09:39.070 check a box. Or did we take time to commune with 00:09:39.070 --> 00:09:42.070 Father, ask him questions, listen, have a conversation? 00:09:42.769 --> 00:09:44.570 reflect on that at some point during the day. 00:09:44.970 --> 00:09:48.149 Those look a little bit differently, right? Absolutely. 00:09:48.350 --> 00:09:51.830 So I've reevaluated some goals I've had for myself. 00:09:51.889 --> 00:09:54.110 When I feel like it has a checkbox component 00:09:54.110 --> 00:09:56.950 to it, that I've done it, then I try to step 00:09:56.950 --> 00:10:00.070 back and I say, that's my personality is to like 00:10:00.070 --> 00:10:01.970 checkboxes. I like things clean and tidy, but 00:10:01.970 --> 00:10:03.789 that's not when I grow. That's not when I get 00:10:03.789 --> 00:10:05.710 the most out of what he's suggesting that I do. 00:10:05.870 --> 00:10:09.070 And so it's just an opportunity to look at it 00:10:09.070 --> 00:10:12.950 again and see. How is this going to draw me closer 00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:15.169 to the father? And then because I've turned to 00:10:15.169 --> 00:10:19.710 the father, learn more about his son. I think 00:10:19.710 --> 00:10:22.690 the why behind church assignments, temple attendance, 00:10:22.970 --> 00:10:25.990 service in our community, all of those are such 00:10:25.990 --> 00:10:27.850 good things. But if we come back to the why, 00:10:27.950 --> 00:10:29.649 it's not just like, well, they said go to the 00:10:29.649 --> 00:10:31.370 temple as often as possible. What does that mean? 00:10:31.590 --> 00:10:34.809 Once a month, once a week, once a day, you know, 00:10:35.049 --> 00:10:37.990 if we put it into that category of like, I heard 00:10:37.990 --> 00:10:39.450 it, they said to do it and I'm checking that 00:10:39.450 --> 00:10:43.509 off. I do believe that there is less value in 00:10:43.509 --> 00:10:45.190 that than just to say, you know, Father, help 00:10:45.190 --> 00:10:47.889 me to recognize the time when, you know, when 00:10:47.889 --> 00:10:50.850 I can make time for the temple. My schedule looks 00:10:50.850 --> 00:10:53.909 crazy and I can't really see a way for it, but 00:10:53.909 --> 00:10:56.230 I put it to him, like, if there's an opportunity 00:10:56.230 --> 00:10:58.769 here, like, let me know so that I can seize it. 00:10:59.250 --> 00:11:00.629 Then it's like, all of a sudden a thought comes 00:11:00.629 --> 00:11:01.929 to my mind, like, should go to the temple. And 00:11:01.929 --> 00:11:03.269 I kind of look through the day, I'm like, yeah, 00:11:03.309 --> 00:11:05.889 I actually have a minute here. And I do it. It's 00:11:05.889 --> 00:11:12.620 so great. But if your life is feeling a little 00:11:12.620 --> 00:11:14.740 bit stressed out and you have to be a checkbox 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:16.960 person for a time till you get to that point, 00:11:17.019 --> 00:11:19.659 that's great. I'm not trying to diminish that. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:22.080 I'm just saying there are a few of these components 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.320 in my life that I'm seeing the value that's come 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:30.000 from asking the why. I haven't really thought 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:32.860 of it as asking the why, but It's always nice 00:11:32.860 --> 00:11:34.320 to know why you're doing the things that you 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.580 do. Is it for the praise of man? Like am I doing 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:38.240 that service project because I really want the 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.620 world to be like, man, that was so good that 00:11:39.620 --> 00:11:42.000 you did that. Or because I've experienced the 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.460 blessings that have come to myself, to my children 00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:46.779 as we have helped them participate in service 00:11:46.779 --> 00:11:49.539 activities. And I like to think it's the second 00:11:49.539 --> 00:11:55.100 reason for us. I don't say his name as good as 00:11:55.100 --> 00:11:58.779 you, so I'm calling him. He posed a question. 00:11:59.070 --> 00:12:01.570 I tweaked it a little bit, but the way that I 00:12:01.570 --> 00:12:04.129 wrote the question out is what impact on our 00:12:04.129 --> 00:12:08.870 covenantal connection with the Savior do the 00:12:08.870 --> 00:12:13.490 things that we do have? Love that. We get comfortable 00:12:13.490 --> 00:12:16.110 making lists and checking items, like you said, 00:12:16.250 --> 00:12:18.429 off that list when they're important things. 00:12:18.789 --> 00:12:20.889 And we know that we want to get them done. We 00:12:20.889 --> 00:12:23.980 find joy in being the type of just being the 00:12:23.980 --> 00:12:26.480 type to accomplish things. Some seasons of our 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.860 lives we are just trying to get by so much that 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:31.120 the lists and checking marks are the only way 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.720 that anything really gets done and the only way 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:35.919 we can feel good about ourselves. When we understand 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:37.919 the why behind the things we do, we enter into 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.559 the spiritual sphere and we have the opportunity 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.320 to go beyond just doing the things or achieving 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:47.120 goals by understanding the why again. Here's 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.279 a direct quote about that. He said, if we can 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.600 understand and connect the reason behind our 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:53.659 actions, how it relates to our love for the Savior 00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:55.919 and our Heavenly Father by taking advantage of 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:58.039 these opportunities, we will understand that 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:00.460 even though doing righteous things like having 00:13:00.460 --> 00:13:04.120 church activities or traditions and appropriately 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:06.860 doing them is a good thing, when we connect them 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:09.559 with the why, we will be blessed to understand 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.860 the reason. It won't be just doing things or 00:13:11.860 --> 00:13:17.210 doing them right. get them right. Love that. 00:13:17.789 --> 00:13:19.909 That doesn't mean they go perfectly. It means 00:13:19.909 --> 00:13:21.330 that we knew the why. Eventually we get it right. 00:13:21.590 --> 00:13:23.169 Yeah. I think we're less concerned about exactly 00:13:23.169 --> 00:13:25.669 how they get executed in the heart of the reason 00:13:25.669 --> 00:13:28.970 we were doing it for our savior. There's time 00:13:28.970 --> 00:13:31.330 for practice. Yeah. Different church callings 00:13:31.330 --> 00:13:33.250 and things that I've been like, well, that didn't 00:13:33.250 --> 00:13:35.809 really go like I planned. Well, did it bring 00:13:35.809 --> 00:13:38.389 someone closer to the savior? Still a win, right? 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.399 It's a good point. How different do the tasks 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.740 we take on become when we make the Savior our 00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:47.139 focus of our lives? Is the goal to read scriptures, 00:13:47.419 --> 00:13:49.879 say prayer, prepare and execute activities like 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:52.399 you were just saying, Abby, for the family or 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.259 the ward, or are they the actions to achieve 00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:58.970 the true goal, which is connecting yourself or 00:13:58.970 --> 00:14:01.309 those in your circle of influence to the Savior. 00:14:02.629 --> 00:14:04.350 Like it's interesting, you know, like if I went 00:14:04.350 --> 00:14:05.990 to the Lord and said, Heavenly Father, spiritually, 00:14:06.070 --> 00:14:07.769 what's the best thing I could do right now with 00:14:07.769 --> 00:14:11.269 my son? I would say that reminding him that the 00:14:11.269 --> 00:14:14.309 Lord is his why of going on a mission and just 00:14:14.309 --> 00:14:16.649 filling him as much as I can with my testimony 00:14:16.649 --> 00:14:20.309 of the Savior and how he really is at the center 00:14:20.309 --> 00:14:23.470 of everything we do. He's the purpose of everything. 00:14:23.950 --> 00:14:25.769 He's the reason we can have healing in our life. 00:14:25.870 --> 00:14:28.190 He's the reason we can have joy and hope and 00:14:28.190 --> 00:14:30.570 why the reason or he's the reason that the people 00:14:30.570 --> 00:14:34.429 that he's going to find and teach or find and 00:14:34.429 --> 00:14:37.269 just buoy up is just to put more Jesus into their 00:14:37.269 --> 00:14:40.889 lives. And if I'm being honest, if I think back 00:14:40.889 --> 00:14:42.649 of, you know, I said, you know, maybe what might 00:14:42.649 --> 00:14:44.649 not have been as impactful as when he was seven, 00:14:44.929 --> 00:14:48.480 if the Lord is my focus, then it's just as impactful 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.120 as when he was seven at his level to be talking 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:53.460 to him about how much Jesus loves him, knows 00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:55.340 him, and will walk with him in his hard times. 00:14:55.620 --> 00:14:57.559 Now, I was more talking about the type of things 00:14:57.559 --> 00:15:00.399 like remember to get the flag or remember to 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:02.379 take family pictures. Right now, like I'm in 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:04.440 a season of my health has been a big concern. 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:06.580 It's been taking up a lot of time. So I've really 00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:09.200 appreciated the spirit reminding me, literally 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.580 reminded me, oh, yeah, he has to have his suit 00:15:11.580 --> 00:15:14.279 before you take family pictures so you can take 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:16.100 small things like that. Like that was not on 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:19.000 my, on my mind. My mind was make sure I call 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:21.159 this doctor and do this and this so that everything 00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:24.580 aligns. Again, my point is no matter what you're 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:27.220 going through right now, the spirit will help 00:15:27.220 --> 00:15:29.840 you through and know what is most important for 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:32.120 you to do right now. I will say because the opportunities 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:34.799 presented itself as we've taught mission prep 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:39.159 for many years now, we always want to reiterate 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:41.919 time and time again that the purpose of a mission 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:44.879 is not to baptize people. and have these numbers. 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.960 I know we keep track, we're record -keeping people, 00:15:47.779 --> 00:15:50.940 but the purpose of a missionary is to bring or 00:15:50.940 --> 00:15:52.860 invite people to come closer to Jesus Christ. 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:55.860 You might be one of the people that gains a stronger, 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.620 firmer testimony of our Savior, and you may contact 00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:02.139 somebody 20 times, and yeah, they don't enter 00:16:02.139 --> 00:16:04.500 the waters of baptism, but if you can say that 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.980 your encounters with them, your experiences with 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:09.779 them, you were able to bring them closer to your 00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:13.340 Savior, you were successful. And that's achievable. 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:17.000 You can't decide what they do with the knowledge 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:20.200 that they have of the Savior, or that they're 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:23.279 really going to listen. But again, you testifying 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:26.220 in a multitude of ways, time and time again, 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.860 it's going to strengthen your own testimony. 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:31.120 I totally agree. You can't help it. It says, 00:16:31.299 --> 00:16:33.480 is the purpose merely to hold an activity because 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:35.940 we have done it for many years and then check 00:16:35.940 --> 00:16:39.139 the box that we have? completed it? Or once again, 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:42.539 are these the means we use to learn to feel and 00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:45.580 to connect with the Savior? Good question. I 00:16:45.580 --> 00:16:47.820 feel like he kind of worried that his words were 00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:50.460 going to make us feel bad if we find that looking 00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:52.940 back, we're in that monotony of life and going 00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:54.500 through the motions and doing things that we 00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:56.879 do with little to no thought. I think what he's 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.980 actually saying is it's a great place to start. 00:16:59.299 --> 00:17:00.840 Get in the habit of doing the little things, 00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:03.320 and then once it's a habit, consider these tasks 00:17:03.320 --> 00:17:06.619 that we're doing. and look for the opportunity 00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:09.579 to dig in to the spiritual blessings that are 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:13.079 available to us as we recognize what we do on 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:15.599 a daily or weekly or monthly basis. Are we doing 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:18.299 it because we love the Savior and He loves us? 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:20.160 I don't think Father's sitting there waiting 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:23.339 around to punish us because we aren't doing things 00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:26.079 exactly right or we didn't check that box, but 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:28.900 He is prepared to bless us more fully when we 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:30.940 recognize that the whole point was to draw closer 00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:33.160 to the Son through the things we do and therefore 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:36.420 closer to Him also. What a neat practice to look 00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:38.539 over the things that stand in front of you and 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:40.500 say, am I going to do this thing just to get 00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:43.160 it done versus how would it look to see the same 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:45.900 task with open hearts and minds to the opportunity 00:17:45.900 --> 00:17:48.039 and the blessings of coming closer to the Savior 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:51.740 after the task. I love that. He reminded us of 00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:54.319 President Dallin H. Oaks on behalf of the First 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:57.880 Presidency, inviting us to make our Easter traditions 00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:01.930 Christ -centered. So, he brings it back because 00:18:01.930 --> 00:18:04.650 he's like, I don't want to negate these traditions 00:18:04.650 --> 00:18:06.430 and these habits that we have for ourselves. 00:18:06.630 --> 00:18:09.549 I'm just asking you to, so I would say I wasn't 00:18:09.549 --> 00:18:11.910 like the greatest at like setting Easter traditions. 00:18:11.970 --> 00:18:15.170 And now I've gotten better at kind of planning 00:18:15.170 --> 00:18:17.170 that in advance, making Easter look a little 00:18:17.170 --> 00:18:21.130 more special. And I have to kind of schedule 00:18:21.130 --> 00:18:23.029 time into the crazy weeks that we have, like, 00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:26.779 how are we going to achieve that? but reminded 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:30.720 in this talk in so many ways that those traditions 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:33.640 will become most valuable and important being 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.480 Christ -centered if I do stop and remember, that's 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.839 the why. It's for that, not just all I can say, 00:18:39.099 --> 00:18:41.099 well, He asked us to make Easter more important, 00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:44.200 so I made a list of these 15 things that I would 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:46.900 achieve. I would say we had big intentions of 00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:48.799 certain things we wanted to do. We didn't necessarily 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.839 achieve all of those things, but when I look 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:52.740 back on the week, it was one of the best that 00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:55.720 we've experienced. like mission accomplished. 00:18:57.180 --> 00:18:59.759 And effort well, I feel like effort well received 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:01.700 on the part. Yeah. The Lord received that effort. 00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:04.880 Let me quote what President Oaks just said, just 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:07.019 so people can remember, he said, as we enter 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:09.799 this new year, let us prepare for an Easter celebration 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:11.980 of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No 00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:14.799 matter what others believe or do, we should celebrate 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.880 the resurrection of our living Savior by studying 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.880 His teachings, helping to establish Easter traditions 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:22.420 in our society as a whole, especially within 00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:25.839 our own families. As you see, it is not just 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:28.400 an invitation to have traditions. Instead, we 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:30.680 use these traditions as a means to learn more 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.150 about the Savior and remember His resurrection. 00:19:35.430 --> 00:19:39.049 Amy, you spent time preparing for that invitation 00:19:39.049 --> 00:19:42.869 to elevate your Easter traditions. Are you comfortable 00:19:42.869 --> 00:19:45.529 reflecting back on maybe any changes that you 00:19:45.529 --> 00:19:48.349 noticed to your week? Well, I'll say it again. 00:19:48.349 --> 00:19:52.390 I feel like every year my family looks a little 00:19:52.390 --> 00:19:55.130 bit different. And this year, Holy Week looked 00:19:55.130 --> 00:19:58.509 a little bit different. I went into it with already 00:19:58.509 --> 00:20:02.900 being, I think I was sick for almost two months 00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:09.240 at this point. And there was a lot of things 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:11.119 I needed to change about my diet because it was 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:14.390 making me really, really sick. That's kind of 00:20:14.390 --> 00:20:16.549 hard when you're looking at like a meal for the 00:20:16.549 --> 00:20:19.289 family or whatever well And when my traditions 00:20:19.289 --> 00:20:22.269 always center around food well because the Passover 00:20:22.269 --> 00:20:24.609 meal I wanted to do right yeah for sure and then 00:20:24.609 --> 00:20:27.109 the dinner on Sunday I wanted to do that so yeah, 00:20:27.109 --> 00:20:29.730 it was a little bit. I definitely put more thought 00:20:29.730 --> 00:20:32.109 into it I actually put more prayer into the food 00:20:32.109 --> 00:20:35.650 than I ever have before because I needed to just 00:20:35.829 --> 00:20:38.990 I wasn't in that mode of life right then. So 00:20:38.990 --> 00:20:41.710 yes, it looked different. Number two, yes, I 00:20:41.710 --> 00:20:44.630 still involved the Lord in my planning. And I 00:20:44.630 --> 00:20:47.269 would say that with what I was able to put together 00:20:47.269 --> 00:20:49.970 with the Lord's help, that even though it wasn't 00:20:49.970 --> 00:20:53.059 as much as what I've done in years past, I feel 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:55.359 like the Lord totally consecrated my efforts 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:58.079 and was like, well done with where you are right 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:00.079 now, Amy. It's not going to look the same as 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:02.339 other years. And that's okay because you gave 00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:04.380 your full heart. And I take that. That made me 00:21:04.380 --> 00:21:06.539 feel good. If I was judging it by other years, 00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:09.480 I'd be like, oh, two thumbs down. That was lousy, 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:12.319 Amy. And I might've gotten stuck in that. But 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:14.220 if I look at where the Lord was, he was like, 00:21:14.359 --> 00:21:16.119 I don't look at that. I look at, did you give 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:19.119 me your whole heart? And it was a yes. So it's 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:21.420 okay if it didn't look like it was quote supposed 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:24.599 to. And we've talked a few times in this about, 00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:27.000 you know, the checkbox, like, yeah, it can be 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:28.619 a checkbox thing. If that's what you're able 00:21:28.619 --> 00:21:31.019 to do, that's just fine. But that it's like a 00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:33.319 spiritual component to the blessings of these 00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:35.480 things that we're doing that really tap in. Why 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:37.180 don't you say that that's exactly what you got? 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:39.859 You got confirmation that it was enough. You 00:21:39.859 --> 00:21:41.859 did enough. And you were Christ -centered the 00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:44.839 whole time. Right. And I would also say that 00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:47.660 something I would very happily wish away, which 00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:49.640 is my health issues for the past few months, 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:53.460 when I just listened to myself say what I said, 00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:58.799 my whole life really. But yeah, it's been very 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:02.579 intense the past three months. When I say that, 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:07.259 the Spirit testified to my heart that the Lord 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:10.279 gives us these weaknesses. so that we can turn 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:14.180 to Him and acknowledge our lacking and whenever 00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:17.039 we choose to yoke with Him, it's going to be 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.079 the best for our spiritual progression. So I 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:22.180 think that's another thing to remember is that 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:25.420 the Savior is always focused on what is best 00:22:25.420 --> 00:22:28.819 for us spiritually and eternally in the long 00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:31.200 run. And maybe it's not having a perfect dinner, 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:34.980 but it is interning to Him with the whole family 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:38.140 and bringing our hearts closer to Him. There's 00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:40.940 a quote in the talk. And I love it, Abby. The 00:22:40.940 --> 00:22:43.660 more we connect the reason with our love for 00:22:43.660 --> 00:22:46.180 the Savior, the more we will be able to receive 00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:48.359 what we need or are seeking. So that's a great 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:50.660 way he said it. President Nelson said, whatever 00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:53.019 questions or problems you have, the answer is 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:55.980 always found in the life and teachings of Jesus 00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:58.140 Christ. And then he extended this invitation 00:22:58.140 --> 00:23:00.740 to each of us. Learn more about his atonement. 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:04.640 his love, his mercy, his doctrine, his restored 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:08.640 gospel of healing and progression. Turn to him, 00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:11.980 follow him. So I feel like I just gave a testimony 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:15.539 of what he just said. If we allow our trials 00:23:15.539 --> 00:23:17.380 and just the things that happen in our lives 00:23:17.380 --> 00:23:20.000 to soften our heart and to turn to him, we are 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:23.230 going to be better for it. You've pondered on 00:23:23.230 --> 00:23:25.329 this. You've testified of this. I think it's 00:23:25.329 --> 00:23:27.589 a good invitation to share with our audience, 00:23:27.670 --> 00:23:29.390 to ponder this in your own hearts and minds. 00:23:29.569 --> 00:23:31.609 Do you believe President Nelson's invitation 00:23:31.609 --> 00:23:33.990 had the intention of helping us to prepare a 00:23:33.990 --> 00:23:36.049 checklist where we will accumulate more knowledge 00:23:36.049 --> 00:23:38.609 and complete tasks so that we can check off his 00:23:38.609 --> 00:23:41.190 invitation from our to -do lists? Or is he inviting 00:23:41.190 --> 00:23:43.470 us to consider the aspects of these eternal truths 00:23:43.470 --> 00:23:45.750 and principles as an opportunity to understand 00:23:45.750 --> 00:23:48.390 the why, connect with the Savior's covenant to 00:23:48.390 --> 00:23:52.259 love, and for us, to become lifelong disciples 00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:56.259 in this journey? Kind of a rhetorical question. 00:23:56.420 --> 00:24:01.759 The answer is yes. So I went back to the beginning 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:05.579 thinking, is it our job to just say, oh, another 00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:07.599 conference is coming up. I need to really quickly 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:09.640 go through the talks and listen to them one more 00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:12.740 time in preparation for, so you put it on like 00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:14.400 two and a half speed and you just blast through 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.240 the last conference session. Compare that to 00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:20.430 maybe spending a little bit of time each week 00:24:20.430 --> 00:24:25.190 pondering a particular talk. Depending on what 00:24:25.190 --> 00:24:27.329 circumstances are going on in your life, you're 00:24:27.329 --> 00:24:29.650 hearing different things, different things are 00:24:29.650 --> 00:24:31.789 standing out, the spirit's teaching you, and 00:24:31.789 --> 00:24:34.670 you're encouraged to make some change. If you 00:24:34.670 --> 00:24:36.690 contrast those very two different ways of looking 00:24:36.690 --> 00:24:38.750 at how we can get the most out of conference, 00:24:39.390 --> 00:24:41.430 it illustrates the principle that they're trying 00:24:41.430 --> 00:24:44.730 to convey. One option is... Um, it's kind of 00:24:44.730 --> 00:24:47.009 extreme, you know, probably we're not blasting 00:24:47.009 --> 00:24:49.369 through it in a day to get ready for it, but 00:24:49.369 --> 00:24:52.450 trying to exaggerate it to say what happens when 00:24:52.450 --> 00:24:54.650 we say, yeah, I've checked that box. I listened 00:24:54.650 --> 00:24:56.809 to conference. I listened to it again as they 00:24:56.809 --> 00:24:59.289 suggested, but it was in such a quick fashion 00:24:59.289 --> 00:25:03.470 with little to no thought. And when you're done, 00:25:03.589 --> 00:25:05.930 you certainly can check the box that you did 00:25:05.930 --> 00:25:11.559 the assignment, but What happens to a person 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:14.119 when they do take him more of a bite -size approach? 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:18.339 Listen check in let the spirit touch you Find 00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:20.759 something that it's suggesting you do from the 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:22.720 talk that the spirit tells you yeah That's the 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:25.019 thing you're gonna grasp on to take some time 00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:28.480 to make those adjustments and do them You can 00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:30.480 see those are very different scenarios of what 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:33.140 can be done with conference I would say to Abby 00:25:33.140 --> 00:25:35.440 that if you do take the time and the effort to 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:37.279 blast through it at two and a half and you listen 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:40.299 right before you're gonna get like for as long 00:25:40.299 --> 00:25:43.400 as you're listening to conference, you have the 00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:47.599 Holy Ghost's ear, or what is it? You have access 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:49.660 to the Holy Ghost and he can bless you in those 00:25:49.660 --> 00:25:52.440 ways. However, if you, like you said, are going 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:55.220 throughout it every week and putting time into 00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:59.700 it, it's a slower way and there is much more 00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:02.960 time that the Lord and the Holy Ghost can speak 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:04.940 to your heart. So I do believe that whatever 00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:07.079 effort you put in - It can be diffused more slowly, 00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:11.099 more gently. And over time, you need to like 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:13.319 learn and live it and then like it becomes part 00:26:13.319 --> 00:26:15.500 of your life more. Do you know what I mean? I'm 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:18.220 speaking from experience. I know I have definitely 00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:20.920 been like, Oh my goodness, conferences in a couple 00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:23.440 of weeks. And so I, you know, use those two weeks 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:25.200 of time to say, yeah, I got to the conference 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:27.559 talks. I have been that so I can speak from experience 00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:30.400 and saying, if I hear things that are suggestions 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.160 of things that need to be done, it's kind of 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:34.259 unfortunate because rather than having spent 00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:36.569 the last six months on it. the spirit's pricking 00:26:36.569 --> 00:26:38.230 me like you could have worked on that thing. 00:26:38.410 --> 00:26:39.730 Yeah, or maybe next time we're gonna do better, 00:26:39.730 --> 00:26:42.150 Abby. But then two weeks later, I've got another 00:26:42.150 --> 00:26:45.190 set of session of conference. And there's like 00:26:45.190 --> 00:26:47.109 all these other things that I also could be doing. 00:26:47.730 --> 00:26:51.410 And if yes, doing what I heard in the previous 00:26:51.410 --> 00:26:53.390 conference session and starting them then there's 00:26:53.390 --> 00:26:55.009 nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying it's 00:26:55.009 --> 00:26:58.150 such a more gentle tender process. It's more 00:26:58.150 --> 00:27:00.490 doable. It is if you just kind of take them off 00:27:00.490 --> 00:27:04.539 in a more bite size approach. It's a smaller 00:27:04.539 --> 00:27:06.680 accounting to the Lord, you could say. I like 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:08.180 that. Rather than boom, throw it all out there. 00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:09.259 What do you got for me? Well, when the next thing 00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:10.700 pricks you that you should be doing, you're kind 00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:12.240 of like, oh, it kind of plays off of the thing 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:14.140 I was already doing. I so felt that. I love that. 00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:16.740 Like it's in steps and layers and there's a deeper 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:18.779 meaning in it. Totally. And it kind of is the 00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:21.019 confirmation that he recognizes that I'm on that 00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:22.799 track doing that one thing. He's like, she can 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:26.119 have more. She can take more. She'll feel good 00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:31.720 about it. Love that, Abby. and ponder the messages 00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:34.160 from the general conference and then use them 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:36.220 to determine and understand what we each can 00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:39.599 do to improve. This is going to look so different 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:42.799 for each of us, even though in print the words 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.039 are all the same, right? The message is the same. 00:27:45.500 --> 00:27:47.920 When we tap into the spiritual sphere, especially 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:49.880 when we have entered conference with a question 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:52.619 in mind or in our hearts, we will each have the 00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:55.240 opportunity to develop a stronger covenantal 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:58.640 connection with the giver of gifts. That's a 00:27:58.640 --> 00:28:02.650 cute title. When we accept the invitation, understanding 00:28:02.650 --> 00:28:06.490 the why behind what we're doing, we have more 00:28:06.490 --> 00:28:08.390 opportunities to become closer to the Savior. 00:28:08.549 --> 00:28:11.589 We will begin to understand that because of our 00:28:11.589 --> 00:28:13.990 love of the Savior, we want to learn more about 00:28:13.990 --> 00:28:15.950 Him by studying the words of the living prophet. 00:28:16.150 --> 00:28:18.049 And because of our love of fellow man, we can 00:28:18.049 --> 00:28:20.289 share those teachings of prophets, seers, and 00:28:20.289 --> 00:28:22.789 revelators with them, you know, usually starting 00:28:22.789 --> 00:28:25.450 with ourselves. then our family is usually affected. 00:28:25.970 --> 00:28:28.109 Maybe we have responsibilities in our callings 00:28:28.109 --> 00:28:31.430 that we're preparing these lessons. So, you know, 00:28:31.430 --> 00:28:33.890 we're going to share in those ways. And maybe 00:28:33.890 --> 00:28:36.930 just conversation with strangers, because we 00:28:36.930 --> 00:28:38.650 have these words on our heart and our minds, 00:28:38.769 --> 00:28:40.809 it helps us to say the right thing at the right 00:28:40.809 --> 00:28:46.490 time. When I have my own struggles, I'm often 00:28:46.490 --> 00:28:48.369 finding that I can recall truths that I've learned 00:28:48.369 --> 00:28:50.349 because of the study that I put into the general 00:28:50.349 --> 00:28:52.700 conference talks. Okay we're going to pass over 00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:54.680 this one more time. What if you are at a season 00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:57.119 in your life where playing a conference talk 00:28:57.119 --> 00:28:59.960 once through is all you can imagine or sorry 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:03.759 all you can manage. That's okay. What if you 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:05.839 challenge the Lord to help you with your challenges 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.039 by pointing you to the in the right direction. 00:29:08.410 --> 00:29:10.710 or asking to be given ears to hear the message 00:29:10.710 --> 00:29:13.369 that has been customized for your specific need 00:29:13.369 --> 00:29:15.890 while you're listening to it that one time. He 00:29:15.890 --> 00:29:19.029 is willing and He is able to be whatever we need 00:29:19.029 --> 00:29:21.930 and whatever we ask for. And again, if you listen 00:29:21.930 --> 00:29:24.789 to the conference talk once through with all 00:29:24.789 --> 00:29:27.069 of your heart and truly give like the widows 00:29:27.069 --> 00:29:29.690 might say, this is all I have to give right now, 00:29:30.670 --> 00:29:32.490 the Lord is going to bless you with all that 00:29:32.490 --> 00:29:36.119 He is able. When have you ever? tried to connect 00:29:36.119 --> 00:29:38.000 yourself with the Savior and been disappointed 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:41.799 by the outcome? Probably never, right? We're 00:29:41.799 --> 00:30:13.869 continuously Love that, Abby. I know for myself 00:30:13.869 --> 00:30:15.829 that the Church Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints 00:30:15.829 --> 00:30:18.789 is the means established by Heavenly Father to 00:30:18.789 --> 00:30:21.109 access covenants that enable us to return home. 00:30:21.630 --> 00:30:23.450 We work toward having a personal relationship 00:30:23.450 --> 00:30:25.750 with the Father and with the Son. And because 00:30:25.750 --> 00:30:27.650 of this beautiful restoration, we have the privilege 00:30:27.650 --> 00:30:30.410 of performing essential priesthood ordinances 00:30:30.410 --> 00:30:33.009 through which we make covenants with them. This 00:30:33.009 --> 00:30:35.130 provides a covenantal connection. I love that 00:30:35.130 --> 00:30:37.349 he kept saying covenantal connection. I love 00:30:37.349 --> 00:30:39.529 that covenantal was part of each of the things 00:30:39.529 --> 00:30:41.980 because it does. caused me to pause and think 00:30:41.980 --> 00:30:44.579 a little bit and say, that's why I do that thing. 00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:44.740 That's true. It's not just a friendship that 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:47.740 we can create with Him. It is a breakable bond. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:50.880 Yep. That is what came to my mind, bond. The 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:53.339 covenantal connection with them that grants us 00:30:53.339 --> 00:30:55.880 access to their covenantal love, making it possible 00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:59.019 to attain the highest kingdom of glory prepared 00:30:59.019 --> 00:31:01.579 for all those who are true and faithful to their 00:31:01.579 --> 00:31:04.430 covenants. Any final thoughts, Amy? I feel like 00:31:04.430 --> 00:31:06.029 I've shared them all. This was so great. And 00:31:06.029 --> 00:31:08.750 I'll just say this one last thing is that, again, 00:31:09.069 --> 00:31:13.230 speaking with you and I in real time, as we talk 00:31:13.230 --> 00:31:15.329 about this talk and as we talk about the things 00:31:15.329 --> 00:31:18.430 that we've learned from it, I just want to say 00:31:18.430 --> 00:31:21.349 over and over again that the Holy Ghost really 00:31:21.349 --> 00:31:23.529 does testify to our hearts, the things we've 00:31:23.529 --> 00:31:26.640 learned. and helps us to draw a connection with 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:29.359 what the Lord is teaching us in our lives. But 00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:32.480 it's not just happenstance. It's not just, holy 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:34.839 cow, what are we doing here? There's that quiet 00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:36.960 confirmation that you're on the right track as 00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:39.539 you continue to have an accounting and to learn 00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:42.559 of Him. I love it. I couldn't say it better myself. 00:31:43.549 --> 00:31:46.170 I'll close with his testimony. He said, with 00:31:46.170 --> 00:31:48.250 all the energy of my soul, I bear witness to 00:31:48.250 --> 00:31:50.450 the reality and divinity of our Savior, Jesus 00:31:50.450 --> 00:31:53.049 Christ. He loves you. He knows what is happening 00:31:53.049 --> 00:31:55.569 in your life. His arms are wide open, extending 00:31:55.569 --> 00:31:58.309 the invitation. Come unto me and I will give 00:31:58.309 --> 00:32:01.849 you rest. I love the Savior and I love him. My 00:32:01.849 --> 00:32:04.829 love for him is my why. And this he said in the 00:32:04.829 --> 00:32:07.490 name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen, Abby. Thank 00:32:07.490 --> 00:32:09.750 you for being with us. We will see you next time. 00:32:09.890 --> 00:32:10.789 See you next time.