WEBVTT 00:00:07.479 --> 00:00:09.599 Welcome to Closer to Christ, a general conference 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:12.080 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:13.960 approach to studying the most recent general 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:16.879 conference talks. This is Abby and Amy. Let's 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:28.679 jump into it. Today we're talking about Receive 00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:31.059 His Gift. This is by Elder Patrick Kieran of 00:00:31.059 --> 00:00:33.179 the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Hey, Abby, 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:36.240 how are you today? Good. Thanks for doing this 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:39.259 with me. You bet, Abby. We're glad our listeners 00:00:39.259 --> 00:00:42.719 are here too. Gift -giving, I loved this talk. 00:00:42.820 --> 00:00:44.880 Gift -giving is a social custom that spans all 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:48.359 cultures, civilizations, and millennia. Throughout 00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:50.159 time, people have given gifts to each other to 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:52.939 strengthen relationships, express love and gratitude, 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:55.219 and mark important events like weddings, birthdays, 00:00:55.399 --> 00:00:59.340 and holidays. I am possibly one of the worst 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:02.219 gift receivers of all time. So this talk might 00:01:02.219 --> 00:01:06.000 have hit me like between the eyes. When has somebody 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:08.379 ever given you the perfect gift? What was it 00:01:08.379 --> 00:01:12.420 like to receive it? That's a serious question. 00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:16.159 For me? Yeah. When I was a little girl, I think 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:21.209 I was like six or seven. Santa gave me a dollhouse, 00:01:21.390 --> 00:01:24.349 but it was a homemade one, like made out of wood 00:01:24.349 --> 00:01:26.629 as tall as me with all the rooms and they were 00:01:26.629 --> 00:01:32.069 all decorated taller than me. It may have been 00:01:32.069 --> 00:01:34.849 like. four feet i don't know what it was but 00:01:34.849 --> 00:01:37.790 um yeah all the rooms were different and they 00:01:37.790 --> 00:01:40.150 were all decorated like there was a red and white 00:01:40.150 --> 00:01:42.650 heart room and there was a telephone on the wall 00:01:42.650 --> 00:01:45.030 that like rang and a vacuum and i mean it was 00:01:45.030 --> 00:01:47.370 like definitely santa put a lot of time and effort 00:01:47.370 --> 00:01:50.269 into this gift so yeah i touched my heart it 00:01:50.269 --> 00:01:52.109 was my favorite ever all of these years looking 00:01:52.109 --> 00:01:54.010 back on it can you tell why that gift was so 00:01:54.010 --> 00:01:56.609 special to you definitely because the time into 00:01:56.609 --> 00:01:59.280 it yeah And it was actually like a family project. 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:01.200 All the older siblings like totally helped and 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.500 did all the things and they like put their love 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:05.620 and heart into it. Clearly, I felt that as a 00:02:05.620 --> 00:02:07.680 kid. I wish you had it still. I know. Does it 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:11.419 exist? No, it doesn't. It doesn't exist. It's 00:02:11.419 --> 00:02:14.439 funny, actually. I didn't play with it. I would 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:16.300 just, my mom didn't realize that I just wanted 00:02:16.300 --> 00:02:18.400 to decorate each of the rooms and then just watch 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:20.319 it. Like, I just like to look at it. So she's 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:21.520 like, well, you don't play with it. So we gave 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.419 it to another family. But that's your, that's 00:02:24.419 --> 00:02:26.500 your thing. And I, we didn't know that. My mom 00:02:26.500 --> 00:02:27.919 didn't know that at the time. Yeah, you were 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:29.879 awfully young. That is like, that is your thing. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:31.860 And it's part of your love language. I think 00:02:31.860 --> 00:02:34.599 the effort that you put into kind of the filling 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:36.840 that your house puts off. Isn't that funny? That 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:41.460 is wild. Okay. Tell me something. Tell me the 00:02:41.460 --> 00:02:43.979 best gift you've ever been able to give somebody 00:02:43.979 --> 00:02:46.960 or a group. Oh, my gosh, Abby. I don't know. 00:02:48.939 --> 00:02:55.780 So we just. Could we get a vacation? Yeah. You 00:02:55.780 --> 00:02:57.520 know what? That probably when our family. Is 00:02:57.520 --> 00:02:59.419 that coming to mind? Yeah. When our family like 00:02:59.419 --> 00:03:03.250 saved up and we went to. Hawaii after Alex's 00:03:03.250 --> 00:03:07.169 mission, that was like the best thing ever. I 00:03:07.169 --> 00:03:08.849 was going through cancer when Bailey got back. 00:03:08.889 --> 00:03:10.449 That didn't work. We didn't do anything before 00:03:10.449 --> 00:03:11.949 she left. We didn't, you know what I mean? So 00:03:11.949 --> 00:03:14.110 it was kind of like all the things we hadn't 00:03:14.110 --> 00:03:16.229 done for years and years, like that was it. And 00:03:16.229 --> 00:03:19.750 it was truly the best thing ever. I think of 00:03:19.750 --> 00:03:22.150 it all the time. This morning, I was like, Abby, 00:03:22.349 --> 00:03:25.090 you would not believe what my feed keeps showing. 00:03:25.129 --> 00:03:27.860 I'm like, what? And he's like, Hawaii. We need 00:03:27.860 --> 00:03:31.159 to go back. I'm like, yeah, find me $15 ,000 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:34.240 and I'll be right there, buddy. Right. For real. 00:03:35.259 --> 00:03:38.939 He has us kind of be thinking about gifts. And 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:41.280 I sat and thought about some of the best gifts 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:44.860 that I've ever been given. I'll tell you what 00:03:44.860 --> 00:03:47.740 one of them is. I got, when I was probably in 00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:50.490 high school, I got the... cassette tapes for 00:03:50.490 --> 00:03:53.889 Anne of Green Gables trilogy, right? Like I brought 00:03:53.889 --> 00:03:57.189 tears to my eyes. I loved that. I loved the movie. 00:03:57.270 --> 00:03:59.509 And then I got all like three. So it was six 00:03:59.509 --> 00:04:01.870 tapes worth of Anne of Green Gables, Anne of 00:04:01.870 --> 00:04:05.129 Avonlea and the continuing story. You know, they 00:04:05.129 --> 00:04:07.229 don't have to be like the craziest things, but 00:04:07.229 --> 00:04:10.110 that somebody like they know you and they want 00:04:10.110 --> 00:04:12.939 to do something that means. will mean something 00:04:12.939 --> 00:04:14.879 to you like they've kind of been listening their 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:16.920 ears are perked up people some people don't like 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:20.500 gifts so sometimes time is is the thing that 00:04:20.500 --> 00:04:22.399 they're gifting but whatever the case may be 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:24.240 as you're kind of thinking about gifts you want 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:26.339 to give somebody you're really trying to imagine 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:28.519 how they'll respond when you give them the gift 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:30.420 right would you say that's true for sure like 00:04:30.420 --> 00:04:32.540 so like on a on a trip reveal like we've taken 00:04:32.540 --> 00:04:34.639 our kids to st george we're like we're not actually 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:36.949 stopping here we're going to disneyland and They 00:04:36.949 --> 00:04:38.490 weren't as excited as I was hoping that they 00:04:38.490 --> 00:04:40.189 would be. But, you know, sometimes you have to 00:04:40.189 --> 00:04:42.730 process these things. And I'm like, was kind 00:04:42.730 --> 00:04:44.449 of building to this moment to be like, oh man, 00:04:44.529 --> 00:04:47.050 that's the best gift. Hopefully, you know. I 00:04:47.050 --> 00:04:49.089 love it. Hopefully they love these things. But 00:04:49.089 --> 00:04:53.750 this was basically a great opener to get our 00:04:53.750 --> 00:04:57.189 minds thinking about why we have these customs. 00:04:57.230 --> 00:04:59.689 Even animals have these customs of gift giving 00:04:59.689 --> 00:05:04.540 because of how the person is going to. accept 00:05:04.540 --> 00:05:07.279 that gift that we're talking about. I love this 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:09.720 so much. So as a child, Elder Kieran lived in 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:13.639 Arabia and he wanted a toy replica of the magical 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:15.620 car from Chitty Chitty Bing Bing. Do you know 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:18.019 that? Honestly, when he... One of my favorites 00:05:18.019 --> 00:05:20.480 as a kid. So when I heard this, I was like, oh 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:22.439 my gosh, even more. It's a little bit before 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:24.980 my time. When his father returned home from a 00:05:24.980 --> 00:05:26.639 trip to England without it, he felt disappointment. 00:05:26.899 --> 00:05:28.639 But then a short time later at his birthday, 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.699 he received that toy car as a surprise gift. 00:05:32.379 --> 00:05:34.139 Overjoyed, this toy was treasured for years. 00:05:34.420 --> 00:05:36.300 Elder Kieran reflected that his father found 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:39.459 as much joy in giving the gift as he did in receiving 00:05:39.459 --> 00:05:42.730 it. I love that a lot. All these years later, 00:05:42.750 --> 00:05:45.129 as he reflects on this perfect gift, it conjures 00:05:45.129 --> 00:05:47.449 up many fond memories between he and also the 00:05:47.449 --> 00:05:50.170 gift giver. That one gift embodied a deeper love 00:05:50.170 --> 00:05:52.470 that was always there. He used this story to 00:05:52.470 --> 00:05:54.769 introduce a three -part process for this gift 00:05:54.769 --> 00:05:57.290 giving. Abby, do you want to touch on those? 00:05:57.490 --> 00:06:01.870 Absolutely. Okay, the three parts of gifts gifting 00:06:01.870 --> 00:06:06.490 is the actual giving of the gift and then accepting 00:06:06.490 --> 00:06:08.990 and opening the gift. And then the third part 00:06:08.990 --> 00:06:11.529 being receiving. So he breaks it down like this. 00:06:11.610 --> 00:06:14.529 He says the gift of the giving of the gift is 00:06:14.529 --> 00:06:16.490 where the giver selects, makes or prepares the 00:06:16.490 --> 00:06:18.850 gift and presents it to the loved one. It involves 00:06:18.850 --> 00:06:20.930 thoughtful intention on the part of the giver 00:06:20.930 --> 00:06:24.930 to give something meaningful. And I think certainly 00:06:24.930 --> 00:06:27.250 there's times when it's like there's a gift obligation 00:06:27.250 --> 00:06:29.170 and you just grab the first thing that comes 00:06:29.170 --> 00:06:34.540 to mind. But there's actually, you know. Gift 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:36.620 giving where you're thinking about that person 00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:38.959 really methodically and really thinking what 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.240 they would like. The second piece, accepting 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.500 and opening the gift. This is where the recipient 00:06:44.500 --> 00:06:46.920 accepts the gift from the giver, often with expression 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.259 of surprise, gratitude, or excitement. Before 00:06:49.259 --> 00:06:52.220 opening it, sometimes untying a box, unwrapping 00:06:52.220 --> 00:06:54.120 a package to discover what that gift is going 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:57.199 to be. So sort of an anticipation. And then third, 00:06:57.379 --> 00:07:00.680 perhaps the most important part, is the receiving 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:04.370 of the gift. To receive a gift sincerely given 00:07:04.370 --> 00:07:07.029 is so much more than just accepting and opening 00:07:07.029 --> 00:07:10.589 it. I love that. It is more even than recognizing 00:07:10.589 --> 00:07:12.949 the worth of the gift and expressing gratitude 00:07:12.949 --> 00:07:18.470 to the giver. To truly receive a gift, we come 00:07:18.470 --> 00:07:21.129 to value it for ourselves. We put it to full 00:07:21.129 --> 00:07:23.889 use in our lives and remember with thankfulness 00:07:23.889 --> 00:07:26.949 the giver. To receive is not a passive act, but 00:07:26.949 --> 00:07:32.790 it shows actual intention. and receiver so you 00:07:32.790 --> 00:07:34.610 know that he's doing this to lay a foundation 00:07:34.610 --> 00:07:38.569 for this gift giving process or and what he's 00:07:38.569 --> 00:07:40.689 going to talk about is the way that we receive 00:07:40.689 --> 00:07:43.949 or can receive gifts from heavenly father eventually 00:07:43.949 --> 00:07:46.790 talking about the greatest gift the father has 00:07:46.790 --> 00:07:50.600 ever given Perfect, Abby. Every good gift and 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:53.220 every perfect gift is from above and it cometh 00:07:53.220 --> 00:07:56.180 down from the Father of lights. It's our covenant 00:07:56.180 --> 00:07:58.220 relationship with the Father that makes Him the 00:07:58.220 --> 00:08:00.879 giver and we the humble recipient. We could receive 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:03.779 nothing without the greatest of all the Father's 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:06.639 gifts, His beloved Lamb, His Son, Jesus Christ. 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:09.819 All of our Father's gifts flow from and are actually 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:12.519 activated by the Savior's willing offering in 00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:16.149 Gethsemane and also on the cross. and His triumphant 00:08:16.149 --> 00:08:19.009 resurrection. Jesus Christ, our merciful Redeemer, 00:08:19.050 --> 00:08:24.290 is the supreme gift from our Father of lights. 00:08:24.889 --> 00:08:27.490 In the gift of His Son hath God prepared for 00:08:27.490 --> 00:08:29.829 us a more excellent way. I love that he's saying 00:08:29.829 --> 00:08:34.389 Father of lights. It's good. It is. I love names 00:08:34.389 --> 00:08:36.149 and like that. If you just stop and think on 00:08:36.149 --> 00:08:38.830 that, Father of light, that is a beautiful title 00:08:38.830 --> 00:08:41.649 to give him. It is. The excellent way or the 00:08:41.649 --> 00:08:44.620 plan is to... is to journey in this mortal life, 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:47.139 but not to do it alone. His greatest desire is 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:49.399 to have us with him and to return to him and 00:08:49.399 --> 00:08:51.860 have eternal life with him. And we ask ourselves, 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:54.240 why? Well, it's because we are his children, 00:08:54.419 --> 00:08:57.240 cherished daughters and precious sons. It is 00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:59.299 a truth that not all understand, but once they 00:08:59.299 --> 00:09:01.740 do grasp this truth and receive it deep in the 00:09:01.740 --> 00:09:04.629 soul, it overshadows. all the hardships of this 00:09:04.629 --> 00:09:06.570 life, knowing that we are meant for eternal blessings 00:09:06.570 --> 00:09:10.110 and eternal rewards. It hits me differently when 00:09:10.110 --> 00:09:13.049 Elder Karen talks about these things because 00:09:13.049 --> 00:09:15.309 he learned these truths for himself as an adult 00:09:15.309 --> 00:09:17.269 convert to the church. That's true. There's been 00:09:17.269 --> 00:09:21.570 multiple times when he has called out truth as 00:09:21.570 --> 00:09:27.529 he sees it from those eyes. And I honestly stop 00:09:27.529 --> 00:09:30.370 and think, man, I've taken... taken this for 00:09:30.370 --> 00:09:33.149 granted to a point. I've always had it. And so 00:09:33.149 --> 00:09:35.029 it hits differently when he talks about like 00:09:35.029 --> 00:09:38.210 the wow or the awe in the moment when he had 00:09:38.210 --> 00:09:41.590 learned that truth for himself. We have these 00:09:41.590 --> 00:09:43.610 precious truths and the opportunity to shout 00:09:43.610 --> 00:09:46.730 it to the world. We are children of God. We are 00:09:46.730 --> 00:09:49.370 so good and knowing it and feeling it as little 00:09:49.370 --> 00:09:52.009 children. And it's such an important truth. It's 00:09:52.009 --> 00:09:53.850 no wonder that Satan wants to work his hardest 00:09:53.850 --> 00:09:56.409 to make us second guess it. It's the thought, 00:09:56.429 --> 00:09:59.029 it's fast in testimony meeting when we're recording 00:09:59.029 --> 00:10:01.850 this. And, you know, I was thinking, what would 00:10:01.850 --> 00:10:04.590 I bear testimony of if I'd felt the urge to do 00:10:04.590 --> 00:10:06.970 it? And it was this truth that I'd studied in 00:10:06.970 --> 00:10:09.389 this talk this week, that simple truth that makes 00:10:09.389 --> 00:10:12.629 everything else just so much more understandable. 00:10:13.070 --> 00:10:16.389 That if at our core, we know we have loving parents. 00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:19.519 that want the best for us, that we can look at 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.539 even the hard times and the good times, both 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:25.059 as being gifts, given opportunities, and that 00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:28.159 we'll see the help that's extended for us if 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:30.559 we just reach for it. So it changes, it changes 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:32.600 everything. And it kind of took him to say it 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:35.139 in his way to remind me, like, don't take that 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:37.100 for granted. Don't take that truth that I know 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:39.519 for myself for granted. Just because you've known 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:42.000 it all your life, right? With his omniscient 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.639 love, he knows exactly who you were before you 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:46.379 were sent to earth and what you have experienced 00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:49.279 so far in your mortal life. And he has mercifully 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:52.340 planned for your every tomorrow. That's so good. 00:10:52.500 --> 00:10:54.960 The question is not whether this gift of truth 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.759 is real, but whether we will discover and receive 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:01.259 it. Again, I really love how he is differentiating 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:06.100 receive from opening it. The gift, you know what 00:11:06.100 --> 00:11:09.080 I mean? I really like. The gift was already given, 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:10.820 and a lot of times when we talk about this, we 00:11:10.820 --> 00:11:13.299 really focus on being the atonement of our Savior 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:15.519 Jesus Christ. But it's a piece and part of the 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:17.820 greatest gift that the reason that we had the 00:11:17.820 --> 00:11:20.700 Savior provided is because, backtrack a little 00:11:20.700 --> 00:11:23.240 bit, we're all His sons and daughters, beloved. 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:27.440 So God has already given us the greatest gift, 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:29.379 and Jesus has already paid the price for it. 00:11:29.419 --> 00:11:32.179 But when we've heard this truth so many times, 00:11:33.629 --> 00:11:36.250 maybe it makes it feel less exciting or powerful 00:11:36.250 --> 00:11:38.970 to us. If we don't accept this gift and make 00:11:38.970 --> 00:11:41.409 it part of our lives, we definitely miss out 00:11:41.409 --> 00:11:43.470 on the peace and hope and joy that it can bring. 00:11:43.710 --> 00:11:46.429 And also, it saddens the one who gave it to us. 00:11:46.509 --> 00:11:48.350 After all, what good is a gift if it's never 00:11:48.350 --> 00:11:50.929 opened or received? Or what about those gifts 00:11:50.929 --> 00:11:54.830 we receive fully and we do recognize for a time 00:11:54.830 --> 00:11:56.769 that we're a worthy recipient of them and then 00:11:56.769 --> 00:11:58.909 we forget how great that gift made us feel when 00:11:58.909 --> 00:12:01.100 it gets shelved. Yeah, that's a good point. I 00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:03.840 don't think knowing that truth, it's good to 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:06.240 just stop there. It's something Satan's always 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:07.580 going to try to attack, and it's something that 00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:09.879 we always have to keep, hold dear to ourselves. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:13.440 Yes. Yes and yes. Let's remind everyone of the 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.120 invitation Elder Kieran gave to us. He says, 00:12:16.179 --> 00:12:18.360 I invite you to receive, either for the first 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:21.279 time or to a greater extent than ever before, 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:24.559 the magnificent realization that you truly are. 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:28.059 God's beloved child. This is a foundational truth 00:12:28.059 --> 00:12:29.960 and the Holy Spirit can bear witness to your 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:33.080 heart that you indeed are a child of the Most 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:35.799 High. There are a myriad of challenges we can 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:39.039 hear and accept in a conference session or the 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:41.259 months following, but I would suggest that letting 00:12:41.259 --> 00:12:44.840 the truth sink deep into the recess of your heart, 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:48.840 that you are a child of God is the most important 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:52.639 thing a person can do. I love that. When you 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:55.080 realize that as an individual, that you are a 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:58.679 child of God, what tends to follow is the realization 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:02.299 that even the person you struggle the most with 00:13:02.299 --> 00:13:05.340 is also a child of God. The one that you find 00:13:05.340 --> 00:13:08.100 the hardest to love. is also a child of God. 00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:11.159 Doesn't that change our interaction with them? 00:13:11.779 --> 00:13:14.840 When we welcome the majestic reality into our 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:16.960 very soul and feel both the comfort and thrill 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.620 of it, the entire paradigm shifts. You can feel 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:23.080 his love, hear his voice, recognize his hand, 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:24.980 no matter what is happening or not happening 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:27.820 in your life. You can redefine how you see yourself 00:13:27.820 --> 00:13:32.940 in others. Very good. Called me out there. Redefine. 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:36.000 Stop and reflect a moment how knowing you are 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.039 a child of God makes the gift of the atonement 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:40.639 even make more sense. Why wouldn't he want us 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:43.159 to have every ounce of help that we could receive? 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:47.659 And honestly, it's not measured in ounces. When 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:50.179 we truly understand this truth, you'll be showered 00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:53.299 in the abundance of gifts that come with that 00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:56.019 truth. And it's true. He is a God of abundance. 00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:59.299 Some may ask, what do I have to do? to receive 00:13:59.299 --> 00:14:01.460 this gift from God? Guess what the answer is. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:05.720 Not a thing. It's a gift from the giver. It is 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:08.460 simply a fact. Just let it in. You are his child. 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:10.899 You are beloved of him. Don't complicate it. 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:13.019 Don't block receiving this gift with thoughts 00:14:13.019 --> 00:14:15.440 that you are somehow undeserving. The reality 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.639 is none of us is deserving. All the Father's 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.419 gifts are received only through the merits, mercy, 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.220 and grace of the Holy Messiah. But how his generous 00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:25.419 heart longs for each of his children to receive 00:14:25.419 --> 00:14:28.919 them. Then, as your new or renewed understanding 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:32.720 dawns on you, rejoice in the giver of this gift. 00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:35.940 That's so great. And honestly, if so many blessings 00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:38.659 follow from the internalization of this truth 00:14:38.659 --> 00:14:40.600 that we're talking about right now, it's no wonder 00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:43.559 that Satan uses the tactic of blocking that realization 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.120 as a way to block us. from all that the Father 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:48.720 wants to give to us. Elder Karen shared this. 00:14:48.779 --> 00:14:51.279 He said, or some of the things that helped him 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.039 come to this knowledge and constantly be a receiver 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:55.759 of this gift. He said, some things that have 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:58.240 helped me grow in understanding are the words 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:01.159 of scripture, my patriarchal blessing, temple 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:03.620 worship, serving others, expressing gratitude, 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.840 and also sacred prayer with my Father. And again, 00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:09.460 Abby, it is beautiful listening to him say these 00:15:09.460 --> 00:15:13.080 words because we know that he has And there were 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:14.720 some things that he had before his conversion 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:16.720 to the church. And then also like the patriarchal 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.019 blessing and temple worship, those are going 00:15:19.019 --> 00:15:21.460 to be things that he has added to his worship 00:15:21.460 --> 00:15:23.500 since becoming a member of the church. And I 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.940 love that because it's been in his adulthood. 00:15:25.259 --> 00:15:30.919 And then as he also, he says, I marvel at how 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:33.679 earlier sorrow, pain and grief in my life would 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:37.590 have been reframed, soothed and much. have it 00:15:37.590 --> 00:15:39.889 overcome had he known this beautiful truth. So 00:15:39.889 --> 00:15:42.330 again, talking about learning these things later 00:15:42.330 --> 00:15:44.269 in life, he's looking back. I've done that so 00:15:44.269 --> 00:15:46.409 many times before. Like I've learned something, 00:15:46.490 --> 00:15:47.830 you know, this past week or whatever. I'm like, 00:15:47.889 --> 00:15:49.950 where has this been all my life? You know what 00:15:49.950 --> 00:15:52.850 I mean? And so I honestly feel like though, every 00:15:52.850 --> 00:15:55.389 single thing we learn is preparatory for the 00:15:55.389 --> 00:15:57.889 next thing. Maybe I wasn't ready for it. I don't 00:15:57.889 --> 00:16:00.309 know. But that's exactly what I would say. I 00:16:00.309 --> 00:16:01.769 mean, I'd love to hear you complete the thought, 00:16:01.850 --> 00:16:06.279 you know, the why. And the why to ask, if you 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:07.919 stop and think on that, you're like, oh, I had 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:09.360 to have this experience so that I could learn 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.240 this piece of it so that when he was ready to 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:13.080 hit me with this other, this added knowledge 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:16.320 that I was in a place. And also when I hear that 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:18.539 God is a God of order, I truly do believe there 00:16:18.539 --> 00:16:21.019 is, every person has their own order, but there 00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:23.100 are orders that things happen in so that they 00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:25.419 are a building experience. And if there's not 00:16:25.419 --> 00:16:27.159 a foundation, it's not going to land. He knows 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:29.879 that. Right. And he's giving you like the calculus. 00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:34.200 solution to a problem and we need to learn the 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.840 basic yeah and i'm an algebra right um when we 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:41.639 talk when we talked about receiving the gift 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:43.559 of knowledge that we are children of god and 00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:46.460 how this gift turns on the faucet of blessings 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:50.480 love that yeah um maybe we're grasping for what 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:52.940 those might be and he kind of started the list 00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:55.779 for us he says his gifts of joy and peace hope 00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:58.659 light truth revelation knowledge and wisdom those 00:16:58.659 --> 00:17:01.279 came to mind love that and I think it's good 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:05.420 if we just allow ourselves the opportunity to 00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:08.039 experience these things because we're sons and 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:10.759 daughters of God. Like, stop and reflect back 00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:12.839 on some of these things that He's done for us. 00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:14.539 What moments have you had in your life that have 00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:17.220 brought joy, peace, and hope, like truth? We 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:19.440 know that it comes from Him, and there's an abundance 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.519 more of those things that He wants to share with 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:23.619 us. Absolutely. That's just the start of a list, 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:27.180 but it's a good start. You are a child of God. 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:30.730 It isn't up for debate, and it's not... waiting 00:17:30.730 --> 00:17:33.269 to be something that's determined. It's a fact 00:17:33.269 --> 00:17:35.490 and it's our challenge to receive the knowledge 00:17:35.490 --> 00:17:38.970 of that truth. Elder Karen's plea is this. Will 00:17:38.970 --> 00:17:42.369 you please accept, open, and receive this gift 00:17:42.369 --> 00:17:44.549 of knowledge and understanding from him? Will 00:17:44.549 --> 00:17:47.349 you hold it close as the precious treasure that 00:17:47.349 --> 00:17:51.509 it is? Any last thoughts? I just love this talk 00:17:51.509 --> 00:17:53.569 and I love the way that he talks about receiving 00:17:53.569 --> 00:17:56.289 the gift. I appreciate his perspective on things 00:17:56.289 --> 00:18:01.150 and I... I love Chitty Chitty Bing Bing. Of course, 00:18:01.150 --> 00:18:03.309 that drew me in. But yeah, the whole gift thing 00:18:03.309 --> 00:18:06.009 was just really beautiful. And it's caused me 00:18:06.009 --> 00:18:08.670 to reflect more on what it looks like to receive 00:18:08.670 --> 00:18:11.250 and to actually make it be part of your life 00:18:11.250 --> 00:18:13.970 so that you even say to yourself, I don't even 00:18:13.970 --> 00:18:15.990 remember not having it. It's always been part 00:18:15.990 --> 00:18:18.670 of me. You know what I mean? And I think he knows 00:18:18.670 --> 00:18:20.210 he's talking to people who have had a glimpse 00:18:20.210 --> 00:18:22.609 of that at some point. So his challenge to us 00:18:22.609 --> 00:18:26.410 is to re -receive this gift or perhaps receive 00:18:26.410 --> 00:18:29.369 it truly for the very first time. Whatever your 00:18:29.369 --> 00:18:31.170 case may be, there's something for everybody 00:18:31.170 --> 00:18:34.190 here. And then what? He said, let it transform 00:18:34.190 --> 00:18:37.269 every aspect of your life. This is the more excellent 00:18:37.269 --> 00:18:39.430 way God has prepared for you through the gift 00:18:39.430 --> 00:18:42.369 of his son. You really are that you might have 00:18:42.369 --> 00:18:44.809 joy. And he closes in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:18:44.890 --> 00:18:47.630 Amen. Amen. That's great. I love the transform 00:18:47.630 --> 00:18:50.490 part, Abby. I do too. Thanks for being with us 00:18:50.490 --> 00:18:53.109 today. Have a great week. Because you're children 00:18:53.109 --> 00:18:55.150 of God. We'll catch you next time.