Could it be? Have we reached the end of our General Conference Review lessons?!
Whew, that was sort of a lot of work, but totally worth it. And it's not an end but only a beginning to what will hopefully become a long-standing tradition of keeping our minds and lives centered on the teachings of our modern-day prophets.
Today, we talked about Elder Perry's talk "Obedience to law is liberty." We actually discussed this talk earlier in the summer, and it's the one-liner that my kids learned pretty easily and repeat often.
We made this little framed key creation to remind us that obedience is the key to liberty.
Here are two things that I'd like my children to remember from this talk:
1. The laws of the land won't always agree with the laws of God. But that doesn't change what is right and wrong for us.
2. There is a difference between agency (which is a gift from God to all men) and liberty (which we earn as a natural consequence to being obedient to God's laws.)
Elder Perry said, "God reveals to His prophets that there are moral absolutes. Sin will always be sin. Disobedience to the Lord's commandments will always deprive us of His blessings. The world changes constantly and dramatically, but God, His commandments, and promised blessings do not change. They are immutable and unchanging. Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws."
We also noted that Scarlett was given an award at her school's "Anti-bullying" assembly yesterday for displaying the qualities of "good citizenship."
I asked her what she did to earn this special award, and she wasn't sure, but Scarlett did say that there is a girl in her class whose pencil box keeps falling out of her desk. When it does, her pencils go all over the floor, and Scarlett has helped her pick them up twice now during class.
I asked Scarlett if there is a law saying that she has to pick up this other girl's pencils. She, of course, said no. But we know that Scarlett picks them up because God teaches us to be kind, to serve others, and to go the extra mile.
If she doesn't help this girl pick up her pencils, she will not be punished under school laws, but if she does help her, Scarlett is being obedient to God's laws, and will be rewarded with happiness and liberty.
And I think that is the point that Elder Perry is really trying to get at here.
Quoting from his church-issued military manual, he said:
"If you wish to return to your loved ones with head erect,...if you would be a man and live abundantly--then observe God's law. In so doing you can add to those priceless freedoms which you are struggling to preserve, another on which the others may well depend, freedom from sin; for truly 'obedience to law is liberty."
I know that obedience to God's law brings liberty. Following even the seemingly smallest suggestions given by our prophets in General Conference has GREATLY blessed my life.
It has helped me to forgive others, to strengthen tattered relationships, to recognize and rectify my own faults, to treat my children well, to love my husband, to see my worth, and to be wise in big and small matters that I face every day.
It has helped me to "be a [woman]" and live abundantly...and to hopefully return to my Eternal Home with head erect.
I cannot thank God enough for sending us prophets! What would we do without them? I don't want to find out!
Catch the Wave - Elder Nelson
His Doctrine Will Not Change - Elder Hales
Fan the Flame of Your Faith - Elder Holland
Stay in Condition - President Packer
A Christ-centered Home - Elder Scott
The Importance of a Body - Elder Bednar
With Christ, Darkness Cannot Succeed - President Uchtdorf
"Eye" Will Be Tolerant as Well as Kind - President Monson
Teaching General Conference to Children - President Packer
Miracles in Missionary Work - Elder Andersen
Personal Peace - Elder Cook
Drawing Closer to Him - President Eyring
Owl Be Wise and Honor the Priesthood - Elder Ballard
Christ is the source of Ultimate Justice - Elder Christofferson
good visual reminders of important lessons!
ReplyDeleteYou are seriously awesome. I am so blessed to have found your blog. I look forward to your posts so much! I absolutely love the way you have taught the conference talks! It is a fabulous idea and something that I never would have thought to do. I look forward to teaching the upcoming talks this way.
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