WEBVTT 00:00:07.620 --> 00:00:09.960 Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:12.320 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:14.279 approach to studying the most recent General 00:00:14.279 --> 00:00:16.980 Conference talks. This is Abbe and Amy. Let's 00:00:16.980 --> 00:00:28.359 jump into it. Today we're covering the talk, 00:00:28.660 --> 00:00:30.820 Reverence for Sacred Things. This is by Elder 00:00:30.820 --> 00:00:32.979 Ulysses S. Suarez of the Quorum of the Twelve 00:00:32.979 --> 00:00:35.759 Apostles. And it's interesting because the story 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.280 that I'm going to start out sharing was actually 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:41.520 kind of like sandwiched. Almost at the end of 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:43.740 the talk. And I remember I was doing laundry 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:45.719 as I was listening to it again. And I was like, 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:48.920 did he just say that? Like, I had to stop doing 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:50.920 laundry and catch my breath for a minute because 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:53.840 it really got my heart. And I was like, wow, 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:56.679 like, it also just helped me to remember that 00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:00.799 he is a real person who's having real, really 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.299 hard life experiences. His discipleship has not 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:06.319 made everything just easy as pie. Exactly. Yes. 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:11.420 And yes, he He is having experiences with God 00:01:11.420 --> 00:01:14.019 and that that always continues in life. That's 00:01:14.019 --> 00:01:17.620 why we're here This is what he says. My wife 00:01:17.620 --> 00:01:20.000 and I have personally experienced some sacred 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:23.609 mountain moments in reverence as we have strived 00:01:23.609 --> 00:01:25.870 to apply these principles in our lives, which 00:01:25.870 --> 00:01:28.030 has caused a meaningful transformation in our 00:01:28.030 --> 00:01:30.250 discipleship. He says, I remember like it was 00:01:30.250 --> 00:01:32.689 yesterday, walking through the cemetery before 00:01:32.689 --> 00:01:35.329 burying our second child who was born prematurely 00:01:35.329 --> 00:01:38.489 and did not survive while my wife was still recovering 00:01:38.489 --> 00:01:41.269 in the hospital. I recall praying to God with 00:01:41.269 --> 00:01:44.010 great fervency and reverence, asking for help 00:01:44.010 --> 00:01:46.950 to cope with that challenging trial. In that 00:01:46.950 --> 00:01:49.909 instance, I received a clear and powerful spiritual 00:01:49.909 --> 00:01:52.269 assurance in my heart. everything will be fine 00:01:52.269 --> 00:01:55.049 in our lives if my wife and I endure holding 00:01:55.049 --> 00:01:57.189 on to the joy that comes from living the gospel 00:01:57.189 --> 00:02:00.030 of Jesus Christ. What seemed like an overwhelming, 00:02:00.689 --> 00:02:09.550 sorrowful challenge at the time turned into a 00:02:09.550 --> 00:02:12.689 sacred, reverent experience, a capstone that 00:02:12.689 --> 00:02:15.229 has helped sustain our faith and has given us 00:02:15.229 --> 00:02:16.930 confidence in the covenants we have made with 00:02:16.930 --> 00:02:19.689 the Lord and in His promises for me and for my 00:02:19.689 --> 00:02:23.509 family. especially knowing he could have become 00:02:23.509 --> 00:02:26.289 bitter and angry and let that turn his life into 00:02:26.289 --> 00:02:28.969 something completely different than it has become. 00:02:29.150 --> 00:02:32.610 We get to see the man that he is now, his wife 00:02:32.610 --> 00:02:34.349 that stands by his side, the things that they've 00:02:34.349 --> 00:02:35.729 accomplished together and the good that they 00:02:35.729 --> 00:02:37.849 do for the world because of the decision that 00:02:37.849 --> 00:02:40.710 he made based on a feeling that he had in... 00:02:40.539 --> 00:02:42.819 in that cemetery on that day. And with a second 00:02:42.819 --> 00:02:45.659 child that tells you that it was earlier in a 00:02:45.659 --> 00:02:47.919 marriage, you know what I mean? So yes, that 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:49.819 was foundation number two. Very young in the 00:02:49.819 --> 00:02:53.280 marriage and they had a lot of years shared experiences 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:56.419 together since that time. So you'll probably, 00:02:56.740 --> 00:02:59.060 maybe you'll notice like we're always experimenting 00:02:59.060 --> 00:03:01.780 with how we outline these talks or how we approach 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:05.530 them. I was impressed to, because I loved this 00:03:05.530 --> 00:03:07.389 talk so much, I was impressed to like paragraph 00:03:07.389 --> 00:03:09.550 by paragraph just pull out some of my favorite 00:03:09.550 --> 00:03:10.930 things that he said and the thoughts that came 00:03:10.930 --> 00:03:13.090 to my mind as I was doing it. And I'm imagining 00:03:13.090 --> 00:03:15.270 that you've all noticed that too on your electronic 00:03:15.270 --> 00:03:17.430 copies. I need to go back to my physical friend 00:03:17.430 --> 00:03:20.550 and see, not friend, enzyme and see if they're 00:03:20.550 --> 00:03:23.169 numbering them in there too. Oh, I don't have 00:03:23.169 --> 00:03:25.150 the physical one. Maybe they wouldn't have, I 00:03:25.150 --> 00:03:27.919 don't think. I'll have to look. No comment on 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:32.439 that. But most of us are using our electronic 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:34.300 devices for this. And I can definitely imagine 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:36.280 Relation Society as an elders quorum. You want 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:38.000 to get to a shared thing if somebody's like, 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:39.719 oh, I read this paragraph and it was super helpful. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:41.560 You don't have to be like, oh, it's five down 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:44.539 on the page you say. Paragraph one, paragraph 00:03:44.539 --> 00:03:47.479 three, five, seven. A friend of ours just started 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:50.879 in a new ward and the gal totally used the paragraph 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:52.979 system. She's like, I want you guys to study 00:03:52.979 --> 00:03:55.620 paragraphs 15 through 17, you one and two, whatever. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:57.639 And they did their group combined thing and then 00:03:57.639 --> 00:03:59.400 they were going to mix it and then put a person 00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:01.900 from each of those groups together to have a 00:04:01.900 --> 00:04:03.840 robust discussion about the whole talk. Not just 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.659 like one representative to go to the top and 00:04:05.659 --> 00:04:08.340 talk to the whole release site about it. each 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:10.080 within each group that there was a discussion 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:11.639 because she was like pinch -hitting, like she 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:13.240 didn't have time to prepare for the talk. It's 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:16.220 not her regular calling. And so what a beautiful 00:04:16.220 --> 00:04:18.459 idea rather than like, you know, in the two minutes 00:04:18.459 --> 00:04:20.319 before church that I'm going to throw this together 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.000 and feel frazzled about it. We all have the opportunity 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.319 to come prepared to these lessons. We have opportunity 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:27.720 to listen through them ourselves and see what 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:30.040 the Spirit, you know, sparks in us to be, stand 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:32.379 out as important to us. And however the sisters 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:34.360 and brothers are deciding to share these talks, 00:04:34.379 --> 00:04:37.069 great, but I'm going to give it a whirl trying 00:04:37.069 --> 00:04:40.170 to go, you know, highlights paragraph by paragraph. 00:04:41.069 --> 00:04:55.930 So, paragraph one, it says, So, when I heard 00:04:55.930 --> 00:04:58.769 that, I thought, what a simple way to show our 00:04:58.769 --> 00:05:01.269 agency. I'm taking off my shoes in preparation 00:05:01.269 --> 00:05:04.050 to approach you, so I want to be taught and learn 00:05:04.050 --> 00:05:06.649 from you. Like, I'm indicating, I've got my listening 00:05:06.649 --> 00:05:09.189 ears on and I want to have what you have for 00:05:09.189 --> 00:05:11.110 me. And he kind of referenced, like, isn't it 00:05:11.110 --> 00:05:12.589 interesting in temples? Like, that's one of the 00:05:12.589 --> 00:05:14.529 first things that we take off our worldly shoes. 00:05:14.649 --> 00:05:19.290 We don't the, you know, really attractive white 00:05:19.290 --> 00:05:22.709 temple shoe. Mine aren't that attractive. This 00:05:22.709 --> 00:05:26.689 is a temple experience, you know, in these scriptures. 00:05:27.949 --> 00:05:30.750 But it can also happen anytime that we pray and 00:05:30.750 --> 00:05:33.910 approach God. Love it. You know, maybe I'm not 00:05:33.910 --> 00:05:35.550 the best at getting on my knees to pray, but 00:05:35.550 --> 00:05:38.029 I can see in the same way, like getting on my 00:05:38.029 --> 00:05:40.930 knees or bowing my head or doing something that's 00:05:40.930 --> 00:05:42.889 a little bit out of the ordinary for my day -to 00:05:42.889 --> 00:05:44.850 -day moments, because I've prayed in a car without 00:05:44.850 --> 00:05:47.290 my eyes closed. Absolutely. Whatever. But if 00:05:47.290 --> 00:05:50.699 I'm showing that I'm coming to you, and he sees, 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:52.600 you know, my willingness to come prepared to 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:55.579 talk to him, maybe his offering to me is going 00:05:55.579 --> 00:05:57.740 to look a little bit different. So taking off 00:05:57.740 --> 00:06:00.079 the shoes feels symbolic, like we're shutting 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:01.939 off the world, we're coming to communicate with 00:06:01.939 --> 00:06:03.779 God, we're going to pause from the things that 00:06:03.779 --> 00:06:05.959 we were normally engaged in doing. I love that, 00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:07.540 Abby. All right, why don't you hit paragraph 00:06:07.540 --> 00:06:20.779 two for us? All right. the virtues of reverence 00:06:20.779 --> 00:06:23.500 for sacred things into our patterns of behavior. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:26.600 That also reminds me of Elder Scott. He always 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.439 said, I went through and read some of his talks 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.439 again, and he said, when you have a notebook, 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:33.800 this is different. It's a different day to day. 00:06:33.819 --> 00:06:35.500 You can have your phone, whatever you use. But 00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:38.339 he said, when you have a notebook and a pen nearby, 00:06:38.459 --> 00:06:41.980 like your bedside table, and then that tells 00:06:41.980 --> 00:06:47.550 the Lord that you are. No, our prophet does this. 00:06:47.610 --> 00:06:49.910 I know he has that. I've heard his wife, Wendy, 00:06:49.990 --> 00:06:51.689 talk about that and it's like things happen and 00:06:51.689 --> 00:06:54.029 it's like he's busy. Yeah, it tells him that 00:06:54.029 --> 00:06:55.930 we are ready. So I like that. It's another way 00:06:55.930 --> 00:06:58.050 of saying, what you are telling me is sacred. 00:06:58.269 --> 00:07:00.370 I understand that. Do you think he thinks my 00:07:00.370 --> 00:07:01.930 phone sitting by the side of my bed that has 00:07:01.930 --> 00:07:03.769 a note section is the same thing? If you tell 00:07:03.769 --> 00:07:06.389 him that that's what it's for, absolutely. Well, 00:07:06.449 --> 00:07:08.310 if you say that's what this means, you know what 00:07:08.310 --> 00:07:11.009 I mean? Yeah. I do get my best thoughts like 00:07:11.009 --> 00:07:12.910 in those early hours of the morning, especially 00:07:12.910 --> 00:07:15.420 if I've gone gone to bed with a prayer, with 00:07:15.420 --> 00:07:17.300 something on my mind, and I'm like, I need some 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:19.279 inspiration on this. It doesn't come in that 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:22.160 moment. I go to bed on it, I'll have some, you 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:24.800 know, sometimes I dream, sometimes I don't, but 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:27.379 regardless of that, in the morning I tend to 00:07:27.379 --> 00:07:29.980 wake up with a piece of what I need. Quiet moments, 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.660 right? It is awesome. And I love how in that 00:07:32.660 --> 00:07:35.019 paragraph, it's just a reminder that yes, Moses 00:07:35.019 --> 00:07:36.620 is a prophet, he's going to have an experience 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:40.319 with God, but what Elder Soros is trying to say 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:43.040 to us is that we all have. because we're children 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.339 of God, we all have the same opportunity to have 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:49.600 those transformative moments with Him. And that's 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:51.660 why He had this so close to the top of the thing, 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:53.879 like, listen, because this is your right and 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:57.459 opportunity. So, paragraph three, He says the 00:07:57.459 --> 00:08:00.680 question, what does reverence mean? And the answer 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:05.560 is to stand in awe. I love that. So, the feeling 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:08.819 or attitude of profound respect, love, and gratitude. 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:12.420 I love how this paired with Elder Kieran's thoughts 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:15.040 on joyful reverence enhances the real meaning 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:18.019 of reverence. Love that. It's not always like 00:08:18.019 --> 00:08:19.980 we have to bow our heads, we have to fold our 00:08:19.980 --> 00:08:25.560 arms, and I'm not going to go... too much into 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:27.459 that, but it does leave me with a renewed desire 00:08:27.459 --> 00:08:29.480 to stop, look around more often in the little 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:31.680 moments of the day and identify the things that 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.980 just make me think, wow, I can't believe this 00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:37.899 is my life that I get to live. And not like I 00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:39.659 have perfect days all the time, but there are 00:08:39.659 --> 00:08:42.620 perfect moments in every day. They either get 00:08:42.620 --> 00:08:44.879 recognized by us or they get swept under the 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.799 rug. And I want to choose to be more of a person 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:51.320 that stands in awe or feels like a deep sense 00:08:51.320 --> 00:08:55.139 of wow at the things that I'm seeing. Like I 00:08:55.139 --> 00:08:56.940 said, there's going to be some days that are 00:08:56.940 --> 00:09:01.159 harder to see those moments, but I even think 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:02.980 in days that I recognize as being harder days, 00:09:02.980 --> 00:09:06.080 if I can just stop for even one moment and center 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:10.100 myself and take another look around, there will 00:09:10.100 --> 00:09:13.399 be something that I can stand in awe of and that 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:17.740 will increase my joy. And now on to paragraph 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:20.159 four. He says, reverence for sacred things is 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:22.659 the greatest manifestation of a vital spiritual 00:09:22.659 --> 00:09:25.340 quality. It's a byproduct of our connection to 00:09:25.340 --> 00:09:27.620 holiness and reflects our love for and proximity 00:09:27.620 --> 00:09:29.799 to our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.299 And I thought there were a lot of words there, 00:09:33.299 --> 00:09:35.419 and I'm like, it's something important, but I'm 00:09:35.419 --> 00:09:36.899 struggling with it, so I thought on that for 00:09:36.899 --> 00:09:40.039 a minute. And what I came to was that feeling 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:43.080 that I get when I witness a baby being born. 00:09:43.779 --> 00:09:45.779 And I'll know something's really wrong with me 00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:49.039 if I ever lose that immense sensation that comes 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:53.700 with the birth of a baby, meaning I mean, not 00:09:53.700 --> 00:09:56.039 even my own baby's births. I love my baby's births, 00:09:56.519 --> 00:10:01.919 but friends' stories, TLC, a baby's story, and 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:06.080 even sadder for me, but I was preparing this, 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.559 you know, my words for this talk, and in my feet, 00:10:08.659 --> 00:10:10.820 I got to watch an elephant give birth and literally 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:13.600 had tears in my eyes. All births of babies are 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:15.960 amazing to me. And if I could just bottle the 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:22.450 sensation that I get. It's like the sensation 00:10:22.450 --> 00:10:26.769 of like hiking a mountain peak and the joy that 00:10:26.769 --> 00:10:28.649 you feel like after that hard thing that you've 00:10:28.649 --> 00:10:30.649 gone to and you're like looking over the valley 00:10:30.649 --> 00:10:32.330 and you're seeing like what you've accomplished. 00:10:33.029 --> 00:10:34.990 Anyway, each of us has something that we I don't 00:10:34.990 --> 00:10:37.009 hike a lot. So I really don't have those moments 00:10:37.009 --> 00:10:38.590 my thing, but I think some of you are hikers. 00:10:38.610 --> 00:10:42.159 But like I said, I was thinking of the emotions 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:43.799 that I get surrounding the birth of anything, 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:46.500 really. Yeah, awe and wonder. Yeah, that's the 00:10:46.500 --> 00:10:48.440 word that we want to really focus on, but we 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:51.279 stand in reverence of it because these things 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:53.200 are created by all of these things. From the 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.639 mountain peak view babies, they're all created 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:58.279 by God and they have His fingerprints all over 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:00.460 them. So this talk made me want to refocus my 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:02.799 efforts on just looking for more opportunities 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:05.820 to communicate to Him, the God that created me, 00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:08.690 that I know. that he was the one that made this 00:11:08.690 --> 00:11:12.789 possible for me. Sometimes you don't really appreciate 00:11:12.789 --> 00:11:15.509 the things like breathing, you take that for 00:11:15.509 --> 00:11:17.909 granted, in and out, but when you get sick, your 00:11:17.909 --> 00:11:19.529 nose is clogged, your throat sore, you notice 00:11:19.529 --> 00:11:22.110 every swallow that you have, you've got excruciating 00:11:22.110 --> 00:11:25.110 pain on your hives or whatever on your skin, 00:11:25.629 --> 00:11:28.570 you get back to health and then all of a sudden 00:11:28.570 --> 00:11:30.009 you're like, oh wow, it's so nice to be able 00:11:30.009 --> 00:11:34.850 to take this breath, it's so nice to... experience 00:11:34.850 --> 00:11:36.610 these things, you know, pain -free, and sometimes 00:11:36.610 --> 00:11:38.450 they never become pain -free, but I do think 00:11:38.450 --> 00:11:40.850 it's still something like, it's great to be able 00:11:40.850 --> 00:11:42.450 to have this breath or that swallow, that would 00:11:42.450 --> 00:11:46.269 be really awful if I didn't. So every time that 00:11:46.269 --> 00:11:49.509 I deep dive into the body system, how they're 00:11:49.509 --> 00:11:51.289 supposed to work and how they're not working, 00:11:51.470 --> 00:11:52.929 or I'm trying to get them back to the way that 00:11:52.929 --> 00:11:55.909 they're working, again, something I can honestly 00:11:55.909 --> 00:12:00.279 stand in awe of the creator's plan. and all those 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:02.539 things that it took to make things, for the most 00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:05.100 part, work the way that they're working, I can 00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:07.039 definitely say that they testify of a divine 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:09.679 creator. Oh, absolutely. And I'm in awe of everything 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:12.639 that he's done. I'm in awe of rocks. I'm in awe 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:16.179 of mountains. I'm in awe of everything. Trees 00:12:16.179 --> 00:12:17.799 and the leaves fluttering in the breeze. Like, 00:12:18.419 --> 00:12:20.200 everything's a work of art. It's just amazing. 00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:24.269 We are invited. This is number five. We are invited 00:12:24.269 --> 00:12:26.629 to cultivate the gift of reverence in our lives 00:12:26.629 --> 00:12:28.970 in order to open ourselves to a deeper communion 00:12:28.970 --> 00:12:31.889 with God and his son, Jesus Christ, simultaneously 00:12:31.889 --> 00:12:34.730 strengthening our spiritual character. So we 00:12:34.730 --> 00:12:37.730 can go through a day and see a sunrise or sunset, 00:12:37.909 --> 00:12:39.690 walk, breathe, jump, just like Gabby was kind 00:12:39.690 --> 00:12:42.129 of talking about, jump, have a myriad of experiences 00:12:42.129 --> 00:12:45.230 without once thinking of the great creator. But 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:48.100 If we choose to cultivate the gift of standing 00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:50.720 in awe of these things, we will strengthen our 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:53.840 relationship with the giver of these gifts. I 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:57.419 know I could do better at this, but I also know 00:12:57.419 --> 00:13:00.460 from just taking opportunities that I have taken 00:13:00.460 --> 00:13:02.639 to do that it has strengthened my relationship 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:06.019 with God. When I take that opportunity, I feel 00:13:06.019 --> 00:13:08.200 stronger and there's a connection there. We must 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:10.159 remember that showing reverence for sacred things 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:12.879 gives meaning to much of what we do every day. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:14.879 And it strengthens our feelings of gratitude, 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:18.139 inspiring awe, respect and love for higher and 00:13:18.139 --> 00:13:22.059 holier things. That's really it, right? It's 00:13:22.059 --> 00:13:24.220 recognizing that everything that we have and 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:27.309 see on this earth is a gift from God. and is 00:13:27.309 --> 00:13:30.029 a gift from our Creator, Jesus Christ. I so appreciate 00:13:30.029 --> 00:13:32.429 the constant reminders in this talk that we aren't 00:13:32.429 --> 00:13:35.070 just looking for big, infrequent experiences, 00:13:35.210 --> 00:13:38.590 but even in the smallest things that happen every 00:13:38.590 --> 00:13:41.330 day and every second of our lives. Like every 00:13:41.330 --> 00:13:43.210 breath we take. Yeah. Like literally, that is 00:13:43.210 --> 00:13:45.960 a gift from God. The autonomic nervous system, 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:48.139 that's what does things automatically. We don't 00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:50.000 even think about it, breathing, things like that. 00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:51.659 But just that nervous system, the more I've been 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:53.779 learning about that, I'm like, oh, wow, there 00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:55.559 are a lot of things that have to be working for 00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:59.580 us to continue on through a day. It's truly awe 00:13:59.580 --> 00:14:01.960 -inspiring. Could be in awe of every breath that 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:07.039 you take. You could. Elder Suarez asked the question, 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:10.059 why is this so hard? It's because we live in 00:14:10.059 --> 00:14:12.320 a world that celebrates the irreverent. If you 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.779 don't believe it, just look about music and the 00:14:14.779 --> 00:14:16.899 movies, the social media space, the magazine, 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:19.740 the list goes on and on. This world that we live 00:14:19.740 --> 00:14:22.440 in encourages us to become very casual and careless 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:24.820 and eventually apathetic to the things that are 00:14:24.820 --> 00:14:28.080 around us. That is exactly Satan's line item 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.299 plan on how to take us farther away from our 00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:32.860 connection with Heavenly Father and His Son, 00:14:33.059 --> 00:14:35.679 Jesus Christ. I do like in this talk here that 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:38.460 he makes the point that it's no wonder that we 00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:40.799 slip out of looking for reverence because we're 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:43.460 just being bombarded constantly with this thing. 00:14:44.019 --> 00:14:47.139 Um, I've noticed it, especially when I'm encouraged 00:14:47.139 --> 00:14:49.539 to take breaks from social media, you know, either 00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:52.960 a challenge that's presented to me or when I've 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:55.419 asked, I, you know, what little steps can I take? 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:57.080 It's like, take a little breather from that, 00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:58.960 put that on pause. Are you on a pause right now 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:01.600 from social media? I'm on it so that I can keep 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:03.200 track of your missionary. He's doing great, by 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:07.279 the way. I do jump on to see his stuff, but it's 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:09.620 very limited. It is like you don't have the app 00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:12.059 downloaded and you have to like seek it out. 00:15:12.659 --> 00:15:18.639 Um, Sometimes I'm not saying like a heavy duty 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:21.240 hike, but sometimes I'm called into nature. And 00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:22.580 that's sometimes even just sitting on my back 00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:24.840 porch and enjoying the things that are out there. 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.740 Sometimes it's like, stop watching the news. 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:30.179 It is not for your betterment. There's nothing 00:15:30.179 --> 00:15:32.879 good out there. Or you have to seek out the better 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:37.860 news. But we can try our hardest to try to mute 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:40.639 some of the resistance. But in combination, the 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:43.190 spirit As I was trying to think, what things 00:15:43.190 --> 00:15:45.289 do I need to try to mute out of my life, the 00:15:45.289 --> 00:15:46.889 Spirit started working on me and teaching me 00:15:46.889 --> 00:15:49.870 that in every day, in every moment, even if it's 00:15:49.870 --> 00:15:54.269 loud and crazy, like I said, kind of to the last 00:15:54.269 --> 00:15:56.549 paragraph, every breath we take is an opportunity 00:15:56.549 --> 00:15:59.269 for reverence. If you have a desire to connect 00:15:59.269 --> 00:16:03.409 with the more reverent things, maybe you'll stop 00:16:03.409 --> 00:16:05.629 whatever you're doing, go take a walk, switch 00:16:05.629 --> 00:16:08.320 off a song that's kind of... creating that turmoil 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:10.500 in you or making you feel like busier than you 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:12.639 want to feel. Maybe you're encouraged to call 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:15.940 a friend. But going back to the first paragraph, 00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:19.879 we prepare ourselves for holy and spiritual experiences, 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.019 and then we allow ourselves to become different 00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:25.440 people by the path that we walk after. So if 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:27.340 we don't feel like we're having those moments 00:16:27.340 --> 00:16:30.340 as often in our life as we would like, then we 00:16:30.340 --> 00:16:33.259 have to assess that and say, there's something 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:35.960 in my life that's preventing me from taking that 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:38.879 opportunity. Am I trying to fill my life with 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:40.759 too much business and too much noise to really 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:42.659 stop and have those conversations with them and 00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:46.240 find that deeper connection? Am I using that 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:48.080 noise to drown out something that I really need 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:51.100 to take care of? I'm like drowning it out. Yeah. 00:16:51.820 --> 00:16:54.059 Well, and it's also like it just helps to bring 00:16:54.059 --> 00:16:56.379 balance back into your life. That's a good way. 00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:59.779 What I realized for me, like I took a break from 00:16:59.779 --> 00:17:02.700 all social media. I didn't realize why. And then 00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:05.220 later I had some diagnoses and it was like my 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:08.339 autoimmune or my immune system is working in 00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:11.039 overdrive. And if that's happening, then I need 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.859 to put more focus and intention in quieting and 00:17:15.859 --> 00:17:18.539 in slowing down and not giving my attention and 00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:22.099 focus to other things that aren't healing my 00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:24.559 body right now. I just didn't really think that 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:27.970 that took some of my focus and attention. away 00:17:27.970 --> 00:17:29.390 from healing. When I thought of it that way, 00:17:29.450 --> 00:17:30.809 I was like, well, of course, Heavenly Father, 00:17:30.829 --> 00:17:31.970 why don't you tell me that in the beginning? 00:17:32.829 --> 00:17:34.369 Tell me that in the first place. But I think 00:17:34.369 --> 00:17:37.970 it really required me quieting and slowing down 00:17:37.970 --> 00:17:41.930 to realize that. We're at seven. Boyd K. Packer 00:17:41.930 --> 00:17:45.029 gave a talk back in 1991 entitled, Reverence 00:17:45.029 --> 00:17:47.269 Invites Revelation. And it's quoted in Elder 00:17:47.269 --> 00:17:50.009 Suarez talks also when he shares, irreverence 00:17:50.009 --> 00:17:53.630 towards sacred things furthers the adversaries. 00:17:55.869 --> 00:17:59.490 aim by disrupting our sensitive channels of revelation, 00:18:00.549 --> 00:18:02.569 which are crucial for our spiritual survival 00:18:02.569 --> 00:18:04.769 in our day. That's funny because that's a different 00:18:04.769 --> 00:18:08.069 way of what I just said. Yes. I didn't realize 00:18:08.069 --> 00:18:12.849 that my channels were being kind of like jammed 00:18:12.849 --> 00:18:17.240 and signal. Yeah. Isn't it such a clever plan? 00:18:17.660 --> 00:18:20.480 And what's crafty about Satan is that he'll throw 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:23.279 in like in my reels, I'll death scroll, and he'll 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:25.200 throw in the prophet talk and I'll like stop 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.960 and listen for a minute and then it's like onto 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:30.319 like the next military homecoming or whatever 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:32.660 political banter that's going on. But like he 00:18:32.660 --> 00:18:34.160 mixes in the things that are like, well, that 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:36.180 was worth my time. Wouldn't have run into that 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:38.339 great quote, but you know, that might be paired 00:18:38.339 --> 00:18:41.599 with 99 other things that I didn't really need 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:44.599 to spend my time watching. It's just interesting 00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:46.799 too, I feel like the Spirit helps us and tells 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:49.099 us when we need to rein it back in. Other times 00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:51.079 it's great and it really does help us with the 00:18:51.079 --> 00:18:52.460 things that we're looking for and sometimes it 00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:56.500 doesn't. When we know how Satan operates and 00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:58.559 what his strategy is, it makes you want to do 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:00.500 everything in your power to thwart that plan, 00:19:00.619 --> 00:19:02.980 right? We open ourselves up to being either under 00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:05.380 his influence or the influence of God and it 00:19:05.380 --> 00:19:07.680 happens in little decisions that we make every 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.869 single day. Love it. Paragraph 8 jumps into some 00:19:11.869 --> 00:19:14.910 scripture, Doctrine and Covenants 76, and we 00:19:14.910 --> 00:19:16.990 just studied that a few weeks ago, so I think 00:19:16.990 --> 00:19:19.769 it's cool to bring that up. But it teaches us 00:19:19.769 --> 00:19:21.529 that reverence towards Heavenly Father and His 00:19:21.529 --> 00:19:24.569 Son Jesus Christ are essential virtues for those 00:19:24.569 --> 00:19:26.670 to attain the celestial kingdom. It is the whole 00:19:26.670 --> 00:19:29.369 reason why we came here, to have the physical 00:19:29.369 --> 00:19:31.950 body that we need in order to become like them 00:19:31.950 --> 00:19:36.210 and to be challenged in strengthening our resolve, 00:19:36.410 --> 00:19:40.640 to be tested with agency. And they lay line it 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:43.640 out in 92, they say, thus we saw the glory of 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:48.079 the celestial which excels all things. 93, before 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.039 who's thrown all things bow in humble reverence 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:52.339 and give him glory forever and ever. 94, it says, 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:54.359 they who dwell in his presence are the church 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:57.140 of the first born. 95, and he makes them equal 00:19:57.140 --> 00:20:00.740 in power and in might and in dominion. Kind of 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:03.099 made me think when I was referencing these scriptures 00:20:03.099 --> 00:20:05.220 about how our prophet has encouraged us to think 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:08.940 celestial and it not something as a far off in 00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:11.940 the distance Get that achieve that it's like 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:14.440 in the moment in the now live so lately now and 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:18.599 this be blessed celestial II now not like when 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:20.880 I get through all of this, am I going to qualify 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:23.660 to be in His presence? It was mind blowing when 00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:26.000 He said it. I agree. Like, claim those blessings 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.539 now. Yeah, now it's been brought up enough that 00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:29.759 you're just like, yeah, why not live in the celestial 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:33.339 in this moment? And I think living more in the 00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:36.619 moments, day to day, in awe of the things around 00:20:36.619 --> 00:20:39.339 us, is when we learn more about the Father and 00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:42.180 the Son, and we get to know them better, and 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:44.299 then we're able to exemplify them more in our 00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:46.960 own traits. And in this way, we get to experience 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:49.819 the celestial here and now. Absolutely. 100 % 00:20:49.819 --> 00:20:52.559 I agree with that. Number nine, a gentle reminder 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.619 to use the Spirit to judge whether the images 00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:57.519 we create do not distract from our primary focus 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:59.819 on our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ 00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:02.859 and their teachings, including how we apply advanced 00:21:02.859 --> 00:21:06.140 tools offered by technology. Loved this, the 00:21:06.140 --> 00:21:08.799 whole AI thing, right? It's part of life. It's 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:11.099 going to be even more. AI will continue to be 00:21:11.099 --> 00:21:13.079 more and more and more part of our life. And 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:16.960 it's so important that we each fine for ourselves, 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:20.859 what the balance is and what the role will be. 00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:23.380 Right. In paragraph 10, he kind of builds on 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:25.680 that. He says, as easy as it would be to come 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:27.819 up with new church material with the use of AI, 00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:30.880 the church leaders do not apply that same standard. 00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:34.140 It's a busy church. It would be very nice to 00:21:34.140 --> 00:21:35.720 offload some of those responsibilities that they 00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:39.000 have. But what are we lacking if we're using 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:41.359 artificial intelligence? And it's this statement. 00:21:41.899 --> 00:21:44.200 Close attention to the Spirit is essential to 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:46.259 make sure the leaders maintain the sacred virtue, 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:48.339 values, and standards of the gospel of Jesus 00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:50.619 Christ, and Elder David A. Bednar taught. To 00:21:50.619 --> 00:21:52.980 navigate the complex intersection of spirituality 00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:55.039 and technology, Latter -day Saints should humbly 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:57.700 and perfectly, one, identify gospel principles 00:21:57.700 --> 00:22:00.359 that can guide their use of AI, and two, strive 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:02.539 sincerely for the companionship of the Holy Ghost 00:22:02.539 --> 00:22:04.940 and the spiritual gift of revelation. And I think 00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:07.299 we must all challenge ourselves when it comes 00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:09.660 to creating lessons or talks. You know, like 00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:12.799 you said, what's the appropriate use of it. Certainly 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.559 you should use AI, you can use AI, sometimes 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:17.119 it helps you kind of create formats if you're 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:19.299 leading a Sunday school. Think like how to put 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.660 your thoughts, especially if you're the one inputting 00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:24.519 the question into the machine, like how do I 00:22:24.519 --> 00:22:26.519 cover these, like what does the arc of the lesson 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:31.019 look like? AI will never be able to duplicate 00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:32.740 your thoughts and your impressions that come 00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:35.460 from the spirit as we take time to really learn 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:37.640 and study for ourselves these important things. 00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:40.799 So calling it a complex intersection is very 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:44.119 fitting and the advice to take it to prayer to 00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:47.000 determine the best use of it, solid advice. Absolutely. 00:22:47.750 --> 00:22:50.309 I also have found that sometimes when I've done 00:22:50.309 --> 00:22:53.150 like an outline, I've noticed that when I say 00:22:53.150 --> 00:22:55.069 an outline, an outline of a conference talk, 00:22:55.170 --> 00:22:56.930 I've noticed that it takes out key points that 00:22:56.930 --> 00:22:59.210 I would want to have in there, like something 00:22:59.210 --> 00:23:01.430 that talks specifically about the atonement of 00:23:01.430 --> 00:23:03.730 Jesus Christ or that talks specifically about 00:23:03.730 --> 00:23:06.829 something that the spirit tells me is important. 00:23:07.130 --> 00:23:09.289 What I do love is I would love to type into it, 00:23:09.289 --> 00:23:11.869 like, what did President Nelson say on this topic 00:23:11.869 --> 00:23:13.690 and have it bring up everything and then put 00:23:13.690 --> 00:23:15.849 that into my talk. Do you know what I mean? But 00:23:15.849 --> 00:23:17.579 if you know a lot about that thing that you're 00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:21.339 asking it, you can see, I don't know if it's 00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:23.119 intentional or not, but sometimes there's lies. 00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:24.960 Like I'll be like, what did he say about this 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.039 thing? And that gives me this answer. And I'm 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:27.839 like, he wasn't even the guy that said it. And 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.500 that wasn't the year that he said it, just because 00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:32.000 I'm trying to test its ability. So I'll tell 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.779 it, I said, you got that wrong. And that's a 00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:35.579 lie. He didn't say that. I'm like, oh, my apologies. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:38.119 I'm sorry about that. That's funny. I'm like, 00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:39.680 I don't know if there's a motivation behind that, 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:43.279 how smart these generations of AI are, but it 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:46.299 has still, regardless of that. It's taught me 00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:51.259 there are so many great uses of it, but the fact 00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:55.240 of the matter is you can't. You're going to miss 00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:57.039 on opportunities for the spirit to impress you 00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:59.099 of what's important to you if you let AI tell 00:23:59.099 --> 00:24:00.680 you. Well, here's the summary. This was the good 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.880 part. I like AI's use of when I say, here's the 00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:05.920 talk, give me an action item. It's done very 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:09.299 well on taking action items or good questions 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:11.599 to pose, but the questions will lead to my own 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:15.259 self -studying reflection. It's not taking that 00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:17.359 revelation out of the mix. Absolutely. And when 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:19.039 I would ask for those things, I would go back 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.640 and be like, oh, this is the starting point because 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:22.240 I couldn't remember like all the different years 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:24.339 or something. be able to know for sure because 00:24:24.339 --> 00:24:26.299 you'd look in the conference talks if that's 00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:29.059 where it was. He says it perfectly here. This 00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:32.500 is 11. My dear brothers and sisters, as sophisticated 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:35.019 as modern technology has become, it simply cannot 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:38.700 simulate the wonder, awe, and amazement found 00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:40.839 in the kind of reverence born from the influence 00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:44.039 of the Holy Ghost. 100 % agree with that. Overuse 00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:48.019 of AI tools is a modern day's tool that Satan 00:24:48.019 --> 00:24:51.220 can use against us. If we get too used to getting 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:54.910 answers through AI, and through the search and 00:24:54.910 --> 00:24:57.210 just take the answer for truth. We have eliminated 00:24:57.210 --> 00:24:59.329 the Holy Ghost from the process. It will reap 00:24:59.329 --> 00:25:01.730 the same benefits to the adversary as jamming 00:25:01.730 --> 00:25:04.269 the signals with a lot of unnecessary noise. 00:25:04.589 --> 00:25:08.069 or use of the irrelevant. This week I was listening 00:25:08.069 --> 00:25:12.210 to different gospel topics and it's really, really 00:25:12.210 --> 00:25:15.869 good. I love that one. Yes. So I was listening 00:25:15.869 --> 00:25:18.049 and the one that's seeking truth and it talked 00:25:18.049 --> 00:25:20.690 about number one, it's a process. Number two, 00:25:20.829 --> 00:25:23.849 when you find something, corroborate that, which 00:25:23.849 --> 00:25:26.750 means don't just take one. Yes. Oh, that confers 00:25:26.750 --> 00:25:28.750 my answer. No, like look for three references. 00:25:28.829 --> 00:25:31.230 And it really starts building your testimony 00:25:31.230 --> 00:25:34.470 on this. And so again, AI is not the you know, 00:25:34.750 --> 00:25:37.009 that the end -all be -all, it can help. But I 00:25:37.009 --> 00:25:40.390 just love that, yeah, get different viewpoints. 00:25:40.410 --> 00:25:42.309 And when they all start to say the same thing, 00:25:42.329 --> 00:25:44.549 you start thinking, oh yeah, like this is definitely, 00:25:44.829 --> 00:25:46.730 I see where this is coming from. It gives you 00:25:46.730 --> 00:25:50.150 a well -rounded view of your approach. That's 00:25:50.150 --> 00:25:53.069 amazing advice. Elder, President Russell M. Nelson 00:25:53.069 --> 00:25:55.450 has strongly emphasized our worship and reverence 00:25:55.450 --> 00:25:57.089 in the sacred temples in the House of the Lord. 00:25:57.329 --> 00:25:59.009 And we're taught about entering into the holy 00:25:59.009 --> 00:26:01.670 presence of the Father and the Son there. Elder. 00:26:02.529 --> 00:26:05.410 Suarez says, I have always found it instructive 00:26:05.410 --> 00:26:07.390 and even inspiring that one of the first things 00:26:07.390 --> 00:26:08.950 that we do upon entering the temple and preparing 00:26:08.950 --> 00:26:11.670 ourselves in preparation for the sacred ordinances 00:26:11.670 --> 00:26:13.430 is to remove our shoes and change into our white 00:26:13.430 --> 00:26:16.269 clothing, like tying back to the first paragraph 00:26:16.269 --> 00:26:19.579 where we talked about what we do to prepare to 00:26:19.579 --> 00:26:21.000 communicate with God through the Spirit, and 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:23.299 doing those things necessary to open those channels 00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:25.039 of communication, or showing our agency that 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:27.559 we're here, we're ready to learn and listen. 00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:30.539 Elder Suarez says, we can be like Moses and take 00:26:30.539 --> 00:26:33.579 off our shoes as a beginning step to be transformed 00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:36.220 to higher and holier ground. This week, as I 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:38.759 was pondering taking off the shoes, I started 00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:40.619 with something simple. Our family prayers are 00:26:40.619 --> 00:26:43.299 before bed and meals, typically, you know, in 00:26:43.299 --> 00:26:45.420 any given day, there's like multiple prayers 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:49.579 that we're going to give. We're a very young 00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:53.619 family, and I think it's fair to say that a lot 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:55.460 of times they lack the reverence that they deserve. 00:26:56.579 --> 00:26:58.200 Kids are running around, they're dishing up their 00:26:58.200 --> 00:26:59.900 food, or at least sounds like we're heathens, 00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:02.900 we kind of are. I think that's pretty normal, 00:27:03.059 --> 00:27:05.480 Addie. I think it is too, but you know. they're 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:07.220 doing age -appropriate things, I would say, for 00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:09.420 the most part. But the four -year -old can come 00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:11.920 up with some pretty funny things unintentionally. 00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:15.940 And what I'm trying to do, recognizing that I 00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:17.740 think that we can improve on it, is just to ask 00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:19.599 the kids to take a moment before we get our prayers 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:21.700 to seriously consider that we are communicating 00:27:21.700 --> 00:27:24.519 with God, even over simple things like the food 00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:26.900 and the night prayers and stuff that we're doing. 00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:29.980 And it's going to take some more focused effort. 00:27:30.299 --> 00:27:32.660 But I love that because I was reviewing this 00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:35.900 talk, it helped me to see kind of a hole where 00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:38.519 we can infuse more reverence into our daily lives 00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:40.740 and be teaching them at that young age that we 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:42.400 are taking this seriously. We're not just praying 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.559 for a checklist moment. We're praying because 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.079 we really do think that we're communicating with 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:47.700 God and those cute little things of your heart 00:27:47.700 --> 00:27:52.599 that you say can be heard by our Heavenly Father. 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:57.140 13. Moses climbed a mountain to have his experience. 00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:59.759 Mountain language is temple language. Though 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:01.579 it is certainly easy to be reverent and commune 00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:03.720 with God and His holy temples, the point of this 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:06.670 talk was to encourage us to seek and expect reverent 00:28:06.670 --> 00:28:08.990 moments in the here and the now, in multiple 00:28:08.990 --> 00:28:11.450 ways throughout the day, protecting our home 00:28:11.450 --> 00:28:13.609 environments as we consider the things we let 00:28:13.609 --> 00:28:16.150 into our homes in prayer and scripture study 00:28:16.150 --> 00:28:18.230 and honoring our covenants by living in obedience 00:28:18.230 --> 00:28:21.009 to the commandments. Have you felt a quiet and 00:28:21.009 --> 00:28:22.769 certain stillness at times you have put more 00:28:22.769 --> 00:28:25.589 emphasis into those things? I know I have. The 00:28:25.589 --> 00:28:28.009 prophet shared in 2020 a talk called Embrace 00:28:28.009 --> 00:28:29.829 the Future with Faith, you may remember this, 00:28:30.089 --> 00:28:32.009 and we all know that time can be filled with 00:28:32.009 --> 00:28:35.359 uncertainty. He said this, Focusing on such actions 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:37.880 can surely help transform our homes into reverent 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:40.680 places of spiritual refuge, personal sanctuaries 00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:46.500 of faith where the spirit resides." Doesn't it 00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:48.500 bring a lot of peace to think about our homes 00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:50.700 being an extension of the temple or a safe place 00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:54.079 for ourselves and our loved ones to be? It brings 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:57.140 me a lot of joy. As I'm reminded, that's exactly 00:28:57.140 --> 00:28:59.519 what they're meant to be. And I also do know 00:28:59.869 --> 00:29:02.250 Probably people listening to this back in 2020 00:29:02.250 --> 00:29:04.210 or people that are listening to podcasts now 00:29:04.210 --> 00:29:06.410 like there will be a fair share of people They 00:29:06.410 --> 00:29:08.609 can't say that they can't say they feel that 00:29:08.609 --> 00:29:11.750 peace and comfort in their own homes because 00:29:11.750 --> 00:29:14.730 of you know circumstances outside of their control 00:29:14.730 --> 00:29:18.869 and I just wanted to testify that our own physical 00:29:18.869 --> 00:29:20.890 body can be a shelter from the storms that we 00:29:20.890 --> 00:29:23.849 experience around us Maybe the spirit will well 00:29:23.849 --> 00:29:26.950 help you see the you know the holes that can 00:29:26.950 --> 00:29:30.480 be filled If your home potentially could be one 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:34.160 of those safe sanctuary places, make the little 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:36.680 changes that can make it an extension of the 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:39.440 temple. Or if it's completely impossible out 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:41.619 of your reach and something you have no control 00:29:41.619 --> 00:29:44.859 over, that he'll help you make whatever changes 00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:46.799 you need to to fill that safety and peace within 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:49.640 yourself. For sure. Again, that's taking back 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:53.299 our agency, right? Right. Paragraph 14, he talks 00:29:53.299 --> 00:29:56.099 about worshiping in church on Sundays, and I 00:29:56.099 --> 00:29:58.099 loved that he used the word worship, or maybe 00:29:58.099 --> 00:29:59.440 it just pricks mayors a little bit different 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:04.819 after we did that talk on worship. Are we being 00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:08.640 distracted? Can we sing with more reverence? 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:12.460 Just focusing on the sacrament, the emblems of 00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:16.819 the sacrament itself will foster a reverent, 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:18.799 renewing moment of our communion with the Savior. 00:30:19.390 --> 00:30:21.269 it will make the Sabbath a delight and it will 00:30:21.269 --> 00:30:23.990 transform our lives. You know how I talked about 00:30:23.990 --> 00:30:26.069 that process of studying the names of Jesus Christ 00:30:26.069 --> 00:30:28.250 in the top of a guide? It was in studying this 00:30:28.250 --> 00:30:30.490 talk that the Spirit taught me that I can tweak 00:30:30.490 --> 00:30:34.029 that a little bit more. So before I was trying 00:30:34.029 --> 00:30:36.170 to manage it in a year and I kept blast through 00:30:36.170 --> 00:30:38.650 it and then like the Spirit modified that to 00:30:38.650 --> 00:30:40.470 like take your time with it like you're learning 00:30:40.470 --> 00:30:43.089 about the Savior Jesus Christ and some of those 00:30:43.089 --> 00:30:44.970 are going to take a little bit longer. So the 00:30:44.970 --> 00:30:47.960 duration of that project stretch this stuff out, 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:51.740 and then in studying this talk this week, this 00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:53.279 paragraph stood out to me, and I thought, you 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:58.299 know what, I can do that study. It's a quick 00:30:58.299 --> 00:31:00.859 pop into the top of the guide, find a title of 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:02.640 Jesus Christ, and then reference some of the 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:05.119 scriptures, but I can do that in my week, at 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:07.539 some point in my study in the week, and then 00:31:07.539 --> 00:31:10.339 maybe be able to keep my phone down as I'm partaking 00:31:10.339 --> 00:31:12.180 of the sacrament, because I don't feel bad about 00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:14.799 having the phone out, but it's a small dumb little 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:17.279 thing. the plan that I'm on, how I want to connect 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:19.099 with Jesus Christ during the sacrament, it's 00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:21.980 still there. But really what he's done in that 00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:23.960 little tweak is to have me thinking about my 00:31:23.960 --> 00:31:26.640 Savior and preparing for the sacrament, like 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:29.579 on a Wednesday. And maybe something will come 00:31:29.579 --> 00:31:33.319 up and I'm trying to strengthen my testimony 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:35.019 and things that I know about Him. So then I get 00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:37.240 to that Sunday worship and my phone is down and 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:39.759 I'm recalling the things that I've gained a testimony 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:43.079 of as that role of the Savior. during that week. 00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:47.119 So I'm going to try to do that. Just my husband's 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:48.819 going to be thrilled. My phone's going to be 00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:51.839 down a little bit more. That's funny. I love 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:54.880 it. Worshipping in the temples regularly is such 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:57.720 a blessing as we try to develop the virtue of 00:31:57.720 --> 00:32:00.599 reverence for sacred things. If you're endowed 00:32:00.599 --> 00:32:04.079 being inside, and reminded of the covenants that 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:06.500 you have made brings covenant confidence and 00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:08.420 nod back to his excellent talk from a year ago. 00:32:08.539 --> 00:32:11.099 I do love that. We suggest reviewing that talk 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:13.819 because man, that talk focused on the preparation 00:32:13.819 --> 00:32:15.819 that we make before entering the Holy Temple 00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:18.900 and then what we're able to bring back out of 00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:22.059 the temple with us and carry on and infuse into 00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:25.299 our daily lives. And then just a reminder, paragraph 00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:27.779 16, we had to bump up to the top of the talk 00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:29.619 because it was such a starter. But when you listen 00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:32.240 to his own words on this talk, you're reviewing 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:35.000 it however you guys manage that, listening to 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:36.900 the podcast and listening to the talks by them, 00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:40.609 the emotion in his voice. And the things that 00:32:40.609 --> 00:32:43.369 he's testifying of come from deep personal experience 00:32:43.369 --> 00:32:45.630 and it kind of just makes them hit even harder. 00:32:45.890 --> 00:32:47.910 He knows these things to be true because he's 00:32:47.910 --> 00:32:50.549 experienced the peace that's come from hard things 00:32:50.549 --> 00:32:53.650 in his life because of the time he's taken to 00:32:53.650 --> 00:32:57.009 have these real meaningful deep moments. Yes. 00:32:57.430 --> 00:32:59.269 I feel like too when I listen to that paragraph 00:32:59.269 --> 00:33:02.609 that the spirit kind of like shook me like there 00:33:02.609 --> 00:33:05.509 is something here and the spirit or the Holy 00:33:05.509 --> 00:33:08.970 Ghost bore. a witness of those things, a truthfulness 00:33:08.970 --> 00:33:11.980 that he does know he's not just talking about 00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:14.279 things, He has, number one, experienced them. 00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:16.160 And number two, He has put these principles to 00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:18.720 practice in His life. And it has changed His 00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:21.519 discipleship, like He said. So I just feel like 00:33:21.519 --> 00:33:23.299 it was almost like the Spirit was underlining 00:33:23.299 --> 00:33:25.460 that and saying, yes. Transformative is the word. 00:33:25.460 --> 00:33:27.599 Transformative, that's what it was. It was transforming 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:31.099 His discipleship. It underlined that part. So 00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:33.940 He references how Moses had a transformative 00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.839 experience. I know that in this talk, He's trying 00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:38.539 to say, we can have transformative experiences 00:33:38.539 --> 00:33:42.650 and without being braggy. I can hear the testimony's 00:33:42.650 --> 00:33:45.549 voice of how. his life experiences have transformed 00:33:45.549 --> 00:33:48.250 him, and I can testify. I've met him physically. 00:33:48.309 --> 00:33:50.349 He came to our temple here when we were in the 00:33:50.349 --> 00:33:52.650 dedication process. Amazing. He's a man of God, 00:33:52.769 --> 00:33:56.869 and he's done great things with these life experiences 00:33:56.869 --> 00:34:00.109 that he's had. Absolutely. 17, my brothers and 00:34:00.109 --> 00:34:02.730 sisters, reverence for the sacred fosters genuine 00:34:02.730 --> 00:34:05.450 gratitude, expands true happiness, leads our 00:34:05.450 --> 00:34:07.750 minds to revelation, and brings greater joy to 00:34:07.750 --> 00:34:10.570 our lives. It places our feet on holy ground 00:34:10.570 --> 00:34:13.989 and lifts our heart to deity. I absolutely love 00:34:13.989 --> 00:34:20.730 this talk, Abby. So good. I loved it too. You 00:34:20.730 --> 00:34:23.389 know, you sit and you think back and you're like, 00:34:23.570 --> 00:34:25.050 are we going to do this perfectly every day? 00:34:25.090 --> 00:34:26.630 Is it going to be easy? And I'm going to say 00:34:26.630 --> 00:34:29.610 no. But I love that the way that he makes me 00:34:29.610 --> 00:34:31.429 feel when I'm looking through the words of this 00:34:31.429 --> 00:34:35.570 talk, he uses the word himself of strive. We 00:34:35.570 --> 00:34:38.329 strive to incorporate virtue into our daily lives. 00:34:38.679 --> 00:34:41.239 and we'll be able to increase our humility and 00:34:41.239 --> 00:34:42.960 expand our understanding of God's will for us 00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:44.900 and strengthen our confidence in the promises 00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:46.599 of the covenants that we have made with the Lord. 00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:50.739 Meaning, strive. We're not going to do it perfectly. 00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:53.159 Nobody expected us to do it perfectly, but we're 00:34:53.159 --> 00:34:56.719 showing a desire to work in the direction of 00:34:56.719 --> 00:35:01.599 doing it than we did before. Any final thoughts? 00:35:01.820 --> 00:35:03.980 I love it too because he just does emphasize 00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:07.500 and underline humility. Like you said, strive. 00:35:07.710 --> 00:35:09.969 Are we going to be perfect? No. But when we're 00:35:09.969 --> 00:35:14.190 humble, and humility is just something that reminds 00:35:14.190 --> 00:35:16.929 us, too, that God has given us everything that 00:35:16.929 --> 00:35:19.949 we have. Everything is a gift. We didn't create 00:35:19.949 --> 00:35:22.349 the air, our breath, the leaves, whatever it 00:35:22.349 --> 00:35:24.909 is. It's all from God. When we remember that, 00:35:25.250 --> 00:35:28.489 it just helps us to remember our relationship 00:35:28.489 --> 00:35:30.750 to Him, that He is our Father, Jesus Christ is 00:35:30.750 --> 00:35:32.690 our Creator, and that we are all on the same 00:35:32.690 --> 00:35:35.840 team. I definitely want to strive towards being 00:35:35.840 --> 00:35:38.340 a better disciple, being a good disciple of Jesus 00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:41.219 Christ. So yes. And that the Savior's role is 00:35:41.219 --> 00:35:43.599 to fill in those gaps in whatever way and part 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:45.739 in peace that we need because we've given our 00:35:45.739 --> 00:35:48.420 best offering to Him, He can magnify and multiply 00:35:48.420 --> 00:35:51.820 and fill in whatever gaps that exist there. So 00:35:51.820 --> 00:35:56.389 I will close with his testimony. He says, embracing 00:35:56.389 --> 00:35:59.630 the gift of reverence for sacred things in temples, 00:35:59.989 --> 00:36:02.510 church houses, and our homes, we connect to the 00:36:02.510 --> 00:36:04.389 perfect love of our Heavenly Father in Jesus 00:36:04.389 --> 00:36:07.030 Christ. I revere and witness these truths in 00:36:07.030 --> 00:36:09.849 the sacred name of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus 00:36:09.849 --> 00:36:12.989 Christ. Amen. Amen. Thanks so much for being 00:36:12.989 --> 00:36:15.030 with us today. We really appreciate you.