Neil L. Andersen - Children

One day at the grocery store Shirlyn was in the checkout line with five of our little children when the lady in front of her looked at her and asked with haughty distain; “Haven’t you heard of Planned Parenthood?” Shirlyn paused and then responded; “Yes, and we are halfway through our plan.” 

There has not been a time since becoming parents that we have regretted our “plan.” We have know in special ways that each one is precious and has been allowed to be here as part of our family. One day after our fifth child was born, I had one of the dreams that is vivid and remembered. There was a small girl on a swing who told me her name was Patricia. Here she is. A few years later while she was still a small child and riding with us in the Suburban and sitting in the second row she said matter-of-factly; “I have a brother and his name is Timothy.” On her fourth birthday Timothy was born. After that, I’m sure Shirlyn would concur with Elder Andersen’s story, “. . . it’s no picnic!”

I am thankful that our decision to follow the commandment was made together with the prayers that brought concurrence from the heavens. I love Shirlyn for her willingness to be a mother and bear these spirits with their earthly bodies, even knowing the pain and sacrifice that would be required.

Now we are honored to have many grandchildren and this blessing continues. They are much easier to raise and the circle of love is more than just an expression. 

We relate to the story of the Masons who decided to trust faith and have their children in the face of the economic challenge of finishing Medical School. Ours is a different story but no less challenging and full of sacrifice.

We will be careful in our observations of couples who have different situations or challenges regarding children. 

Thank You Elder Andersen for doing such a service with your talk and helping our generations to understand their place with regard to bearing and raising children. 

David A. Bednar - The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn

This talk is different in many respects from others that I have summarized in the past. For example, the references for this talk are not at the bottom of the page, they are embedded in the text. That is important here as I’m sure if he were teaching this as a class of a smaller group and with more time, we would have read each reference as we listened. As a teacher, I would approach this talk to any family or group this way:

• I would ask that each member of the group have access to at least the first five generations of their family on a pedigree chart.
• Then, with that in hand with a parent or class leader, read this talk carefully and glean the actions you each should take, listing them on paper or a board for reference.
• Afterward, over the next years, make available time for reports on progress for you and your family to feel the Spirit of Elijah.

The words in the paragraph before his heading, The Spirit and Work of Elijah, can be documented by what has happened in the world. Almost 50 years ago, Elder Stewart and I were led by the Spirit to encounter the President of the Genealogical Society of Brasil, Salvador de Moya at his home. He was not a member of the Church but had been guided in his interest in gathering and making available records of Brasil. That is a longer story that I would be happy to share at some other time. 

Elder Bednar addressed the youth, young women, young men and children and asked them to get involved. Then he told you how to get involved; “The Lord has made available in our day remarkable resources that enable you to learn about and love this work that is sparked by the Spirit of Elijah. For example, FamilySearch is a collection of records, resources, and services easily accessible with personal computers and a variety of handheld devices, designed to help people discover and document their family history.” We all joke that when we have a problem with a computer or device to “go ask your son or daughter” for help.

These blessings are important to ponder and discuss:

• Your hearts shall turn to the fathers.
• The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts.
• Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you.
• Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase.
• Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding.
• And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary.
• You will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.

What a wonderful program this talk sets out for our families. When Shirlyn and I return to the US we want to use some of our time in this great work. We have many names already but there are challenges on many lines and with all these new great tools we will be more effective.

1. How did your family respond to this talk?
2. Did a member of your family begin to feel the Spirit of Elijah mentioned here? 
3. Which one?

Dieter F. Uchtdorf - You Matter to Him

We all love Elder Uchtdorf even though we can’t seem to spell his name. As expected, there is a story related to pilots and airplanes. His objective in this presentation is to encourage us in whatever stage we are in our life to realize that while compared to the universe around us and our obvious nothingness, we are known and loved by the God who created us. What a blessing it is to hear that “The Lord uses a scale very different from the world’s to weigh the worth of a soul.” I suppose that each of us has periods of self-doubt and lack of confidence in our value and so we face this great “paradox.”

“This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.”

His story in the setting of pilot training and competition with applicants that spoke english better than he did show that when we stay the course and fulfill church assignments well as a priority, “Everything will be alright,” to quote my Grandfather Price. I agree that is the case. In the darkest hours of our lives, it always seemed that as we continued to do our best, things changed to show His care for our real intents.

Here are the four divine principles to consider as we ponder our life:

• First, God loves the humble and meek, for they are “greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
• Second, the Lord entrusts “the fulness of [His] gospel [to] be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world.”
• Third, no matter where you live, no matter how humble your circumstances, how meager your employment, how limited your abilities, how ordinary your appearance, or how little your calling in the Church may appear to you, you are not invisible to your Heavenly Father.
• Fourth and finally, please understand that what you see and experience now is not what forever will be.

I love the promises. They are there in the Scriptures and in the spiritual revelations and understandings that come from prayer and an open heart. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 

Some questions for our pondering:

• When you pray with real intent, do you wait for the confirming feeling of His love for you?
• When you don’t understand why a particular trial is in you path, can you patiently wait for the answer to become evident?
• Pride creeps in when we find success, but how should you deal with that feeling according to Elder Uchtdorf?

Boyd K. Packer - Counsel to Youth

Since we live in and “...you young people are being raised in enemy territory,” it would be good for all of us to memorize the poem about the “old crow.” Remember when we used to play that tickle game "here comes the old crow," as infants? I remember my Grandfather, JR Price playing the same game with me. To refresh here is the poem;

The old crow is getting slow.

The young crow is not.

Of what the young crow does not know

The old crow knows a lot.

At knowing things the old crow

Is still the young crow’s master.

What does the slow old crow not know?

—How to go faster.

The young crow flies above, below,

And rings around the slow old crow.

What does the fast young crow not know?

—Where to go. 

(The cost of a the hard back book containing this and other poems on Amazon is $92.56 so it has great monetary value as well.)

Shirlyn and I love the paragraph where Elder Packer admits that he, like most of us “...did not then have a firm testimony that the gospel was true, but I knew that my seminary teachers, Abel S. Rich and John P Lillywhite, knew it was true. I heard them testify, and I believed them.” I hope that like Elder Packer, all of my grandchildren will be able to lean on the testimonies of their seminary teachers until they gain a testimony for themselves.

We see that happening in the seminaries of the smallest branches of the Church we visit in Brasil. Some of the teachers here have only been out of seminary a few years when they are called to be seminary teachers at an early age. They are giving the youth the opportunity to lean on them.

The principle that Elder Packer teaches about gaining help from the promptings of the Holy Ghost is Family Home Evening material. The fact that the help we receive is most often a feeling rather than the actual sound of a voice. We receive those feelings whenever we are open to truth being offered and if we are not past feeling, we will feel his words. I testify to you, that that experience will be important to everyone of you.

We all make mistakes as part of our passage through life, “...but you will not make a major mistake without first being warned by the promptings of the Spirit. This promise applies to all members of the Church.” Sometimes when you have made a mistake, hindsight helps you to recognize when the prompting was given but that you used your own wisdom to make a choice which turned out wrong.

Here are some points to ponder for your next days and weeks of challenges:

• Dress Modestly
• Talk Reverently
• Listen to Uplifting Music
• Avoid All Immorality
• Avoid All Personally Degrading Practices
• Take Hold of Your Life
• Order Yourself to be Valiant

And for all you “Young Crows,” listen to this promise from a Prophet. “You can look forward to doing it right—getting married, having a family, seeing your children and grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren.”

1. Can you “play” the new Old Crow game by reciting the poem from memory?
2. As a young person, what does the poem indicate for your benefit?

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José L. Alonso - Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time, Without Delay

Hanging above my desk is a sign Shirlyn created which says “Just Do It! - Just Do It! - Just Do It!” She knows that I procrastinate and I admit to this weakness. In his talk we see the approach we must take to live the Doctrine taught by living the Principles which we find in our opportunities from day to day.

I gathered these two questions to help each day:

1. What is the right thing to do?
2. When is the right time to do it?

Since our opportunities at any time are different and often unexpected, if we use these two questions a few times each day it can influence our actions and approach to the events and our plans. He shows how important it is regarding our privilege to help an individual who is lost or in need. He says; “Brothers and sisters, there may be many who, for some reason, are lost from our sight and who do not know that they are lost. If we delay, we could lose them forever.” But then he emphasizes that “... it is not necessary to create new programs or take actions which are complicated or costly. They only need our determination to serve—to do the right thing at the right time, without delay.”

Regarding those who have fallen away as President Monson teaches so well, we must remember that the “Rescue” has not stopped, it is ongoing and the Lord:

• Expects our Thinking
• Expects our Action
• Expects our Labor
• Expects our Testimonies
• Expects our Devotion

What a great opportunity we have each day to draw nearer to Him with this added layer of commitment in our lives. I had such an opportunity this week when an 18 year old convert was struggling with some "afflictions" in her life. He family had abandoned her as a member of the Church. A close friend and confidant had moved to another city. This young woman had made covenants to keep the commandments and to serve in the Church but it was not going well. What a sweet time it was for us to give her encouragement and promises regarding her chosen path and see the light come back into her eyes, knowing that the road would still be difficult but she had the help promised as she persisted through these hard times.

• Can you think of a personal example of the principles taught here that you could share with your family at Family Home Evening? 
• Can you add a “Just Do It!” to your next day? 
• How about someone you have not thought about recently. Is there some action you could do now to help?
• Could another family member discuss a recent personal experience at dinner time?

Thomas S. Monson - As We Meet Again

     President Monson’s talk was about the temples. The important information that we see here is the opportunity for members who live far from at temple to receive financial help for their first visit to a temple through the General Temple Patron Assistance Fund. In the outlying Districts of the Church here in Brasil the leaders organize Caravans to the closest temple, usually by bus. For example, from the District of Ipatinga, Brasil just last week they chartered a bus for the members, but the monetary contribution of each member was still a sacrifice for them. There were about 50 members who made this trip and the testimonies upon return in sacrament meeting Sunday was sweet. We observed however, one member who has and inactive husband (returned missionary) who was not able to go. She is a full participant with here two daughters in all the programs of the Branch here but she works as she can but was not able to find the funds to enable her to go. The trip to the temple in Campinas, Brasil takes over 12 hours and is usually during the night. While she would apparently not qualify for the help from this fund, but it is great to see more temples being announced.

We just had the opportunity to see the temple site that has been purchased for the new temple in Fortaleza, Brasil which will be a great blessing to the growing Stakes and Districts in or near that important area of the country. Thank You President Monson for those special announcements.

What are your feelings about the temple caravans? How long does it take for you to travel to the temple? 

L. Whitney Clayton - The Time Shall Come

This talk certainly hits home with us in Brasil. We are serving right in the middle of this great growth where small groups of new members are striving to live in accord with the covenants they make. They are for the most part learning about the Bible, the apostacy of the early church after the deaths of the early Apostles, and then the restoration foretold by prophets and the Savior. As Daniel saw in the interpretation of the dream, the Church is the Stone rolling forward and while many do not understand or want to change, many are happy with the new life they find here in the teachings they hear from missionaries and members. That event in 1925 in Argentina opened the doors here and actually affected our family greatly. Our family has participated in this great expansion here and in other places. In Brasil the growth began slowly but some wonderful leaders were taught and baptized. Their legacy these many years later is in the leadership of their children who are now often the leaders, becoming the shepherds of these new flocks of followers. The youth of the Church are now qualifying themselves to serve as missionaries here and in foreign countries including the USA. 

What a wonderful, prophetic statement was given to that small group of new leaders in 1834. After hearing them bear their own testimonies of the purpose of the Church he told them; ‘Brethren I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it. … It is only a little hand full of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America—it will fill the world.’

We concur that the political leaders here and even the populace do not yet see this much as members are humble individuals, working out their own salvation without fanfare. Their influence is small for the most part, one individual or family at a time. We love them.

So, did this talk leave us with something to do? As covenant keeping people, what actions can we do as individuals in respect to this prophetic growth? How can our family as a unit participate? What story could you add to those in this talk?

Barbara Thompson - Personal Revelation and Testimony

    There are several good teachings here from this great woman that we can use personally and in teaching our families, or in a class setting, or in conversation with others. Some of the ways that can be used to obtain a revelation and testimony include:

• While listening to a General Conference talk
• Like Nephi, from the teaching of the Gospel by a parent
• Asking the right questions and using prayer to do it
• Desiring to receive revelation and asking in faith
• Believing that you will receive an answer
• Keeping the commandments
• From the words of a song
• Seeking

She points out that there are many ways to receive answers from the Spirit of the Lord or the Holy Ghost. It is important the we understand the ways so that when the answer comes we will recognize it. I suggest you read the references here in context.

• “I did enlighten thy mind.” (D&C 6:15)
• “Did I not speak peace to you mind concerning the matter? (D&C 6:23)
• “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart. Now behold, this is the spirit of revelation.” (D&C 8:2-3)
• “I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.” (D&C 9:8)
• “I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy.” (D&C 11:13)

From my inspiration recently when seeking an approach to reading the Book of Mormon again, Shirlyn and I were talking about it and she said she is using the two new manuals of the Institute program, the Student Manual and the Teacher’s Manual together while she reads each morning. Knowing her great experiences regarding teaching Seminary for those 11 years, I looked up the manuals but I also found the Independent Study Course available in PDF format at http://www.ldsces.org and sure enough by using the manual, I can study the Book of Mormon with that guidance and actually do the assignments in a journal on my laptop. All the while I will be improving my marking of the scriptures as well as being able to ponder by way of fulfilling written assignments and memorization.

Thank you Sister Thompson and Shirlyn for this “revelation” that came at exactly the right time.

Richard G. Scott - The Power of Scripture

  Scriptures here referred to are "...like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high." He says that they can become:

• Stalwart Friends
• Not limited by geography
• Not limited by calendar
• Are always available when needed
• Their use provides a foundation of truth...awakened by the Holy Ghost

  He then teaches us the great power of the appropriate use of these tools in the following manner:

• Learning
• Pondering 
• Searching
• Memorizing

  He demonstrated the power of memorizing scriptures. From my historical reading, it was not unusual for families to memorized many parts of the Bible after it became available in English many centuries ago. He gave this description of the effects of memorization:

• Forge a new friendship
• Like a new friendship
• Like a new individual who can help in time of need
• Give inspiration
• Give comfort
• A source of motivation for needed change

  His demonstration then included a number of scriptures that he had in memory and the benefits.

For an Individual - Make a plan to regularly read, ponder and search those books and then choose a few, perhaps one or two a week and memorize them. Review them in memory when you have personal time, driving, waiting or just alone in the house or at work.

For a Couple - From your own individual study and pondering, explain what you might have learned to your mate and then choose one or more to memorize together, perhaps as a part of your Family Home Evening.

For a Family - Use memorization with the children, perhaps including this as an activity at the dinner table or Family Home Evening. If they are of High School Age, consider using the Scripture Mastery verses for this to help them.

  I love Elder Scott because of his wisdom, but also because of our family personal experience with him in our home years ago.

What have you learned from his talk?