LDS Conference afternoon theme: Keep the commandments
Thousands of people gathered for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 185th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday, October 3, 2015.
Thousands of people gathered for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 185th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday, October 3, 2015.
Elders Dale G. Renlund, from left, Gary E. Stevenson and Ronald A. Rasband, join Neil L. Anderson as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 185th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday, October 3, 2015.
Thousands of people gathered for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 185th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday, October 3, 2015.
SALT LAKE CITY — Images of seat-belts, shark barriers and a mud-covered boy outlined the importance of keeping the commandments and repenting as espoused by Sunday afternoon speakers at the 185th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sister Carole M. Stephens, first counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency, told a story about her young granddaughter who would not keep her seat-belt buckled until Stephens said a prayer and was inspired to teach the granddaughter about why the device was important.
“Grandma, you want me to wear my seat-belt because you love me,” she said, quoting the granddaughter after the discussion. After that, the granddaughter then agreed to wear her seat-belt.
“As I drove back onto the road that day, a scripture filled my mind: ‘If you love me, keep my commandments,'” she said, quoting New Testament Scripture John 14:15.
She offered four principles to get back on the road of life with the safety restraints of the gospel. They were: Trust God, trust Jesus, trust the whisperings of the Spirit, and trust the counsel of living prophets.
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Elder Von G. Keetch, of the Quorum of the Seventy, spoke of keeping the commandments by comparing them to a barrier he saw during a visit to an Australian beach.
When surfers were complaining about a barrier keeping the larger waves from breaking in the bay, a man shared his binoculars with them, showing them that large sharks were feeding on the other side of the barrier.
“The group quickly became subdued,” Keetch said, reciting how the man pointed to the barrier as the safety net keeping the surfers from being eaten.
He said commandments offered similar spiritual protection.
“As we trust in the Lord, exercise our faith, obey His commandments, and follow the course He has charted for us, we become more the person the Lord wants us to become. It is this ‘becoming’ — this conversion of the heart — that is all-important.”
Elder Allen D. Haynie, of the First Quorum of Seventy, spoke of an experience when he was 9 and his grandmother would not allow him into the house because he was covered in mud. He said he was not allowed inside until she squirted him off on the lawn with a hose.
“Standing outside of my house being sprayed off by my grandmother was unpleasant and uncomfortable,” he said. “Being denied the opportunity to return and be with our Father in Heaven because we chose to remain in our dirtied-by-a-mud-hole of sin would be eternally tragic. We should not deceive ourselves about what it takes to return and remain in the presence of our Father in Heaven. We have to be clean.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke about becoming better people through participation in a church that exists to perfect the members.
“The ancient purpose remains, that is, to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and administer the ordinances of salvation — in other words, to bring people to Christ,” he said.
“A major reason the Lord has a church is to create a community of saints that will sustain one another in the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life,” he said, quoting Book of Mormon Scripture 2 Nephi 31:18.
Devin G. Durrant, first counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, spoke about “ponderizing” scriptures. He defined “ponderize” as 80 percent extended pondering and 20 percent memorization.
He talked about each week putting a scripture somewhere that can be seen each day to facilitate pondering and memorizing.
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“Imagine the uplifting results of doing this weekly for six months, a year, 10 years, or more,” he said. “As you make this effort, you will feel an increase in spirituality. You will also be able to teach and lift those you love in more meaningful ways.”
An investor by profession, Durrant compared the activity to saving money each week. But he said the differences in investments of time in such spiritual activities are benefits that may not be taken away.
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