We Thank Thee

When President and Sister Nelson visited the mission home for lunch, President Nelson left these breath-taking pictures for us to enjoy.  He said they were, "hot off the press."  We are so excited to be able to hear our Prophet's voice.  One of the things President Nelson asked the missionaries was how long they thought it took for a talk to be written.  The answer was 6 months.  The topic is prayerfully selected, pondered, written, reshaped, rewritten, reviewed and ready to be shared with all of us.  That makes each talk that is given all the more meaningful.  

These two great quotes help us to understand how valuable it is to prepare one's self to hear the words of our loved servants.

“Wherever we are in this world, however we receive these proceedings, I testify that we are gathered in His conference. I also testify that we will hear His word, for He has said, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”  These conferences are always under the direction of the Lord, guided by His Spirit.  Through fasting, praying, studying, and pondering, we learn the message that He wants us to give.”   Elder Robert D. Hales

“In order for the messages of general conference to change our lives, we need to be willing to follow the counsel we hear. The Lord explained in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith “that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know … how to act upon the points of my law and commandment.”   But knowing “how to act” isn’t enough. The Lord in the next verse said, “Ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me.”   This willingness to take action on what we have learned opens the doors for marvelous blessings.”   - Elder Paul V. Johnson