First off, I'll confess something: No, I didn't watch all of General Conference. The Tampa Rays had their opening day on Sunday and after a quick visit with family, I went to the game. Baseball will always be my true religion, and one I'll never stop believing in.
But I like General Conference. I like hearing the prophets and church leaders give up to date, current information about His church and how it should be run. To some degree, all churches do this-even though they might not change dogma they need to adapt to changing times. Having living prophets helps the LDS church determine how and what (if anything) should be changed with the times. It's also nice to hear advice and counsel from people whom all believers in this church have great respect and admiration for. Most of the time, it's like listening to your wise old grandfather give life advice.
I've given General Conference talks to my non-beleiver friends to listen to. Unlike some LDS (and the LDS stereotype) I never preach or proselytize to my friends. If they don't try to change my religion, how dare I do the same to theirs. So I give them GC speeches with the note "Not trying to convert, just thought you'd like this." So far, no one has had a problem with it. That speaks well on my friends and the church.
I really enjoyed general conference. To think that we live in a world where living prophets can give us guidance! To think that in this dark time the world is in, the light of the gospel shines forth to give light and hope to the world.
ReplyDeleteI also love that the savior gives us the gift of choice. He does not force us to follow him. He tells us what each of our choices will result in, but does not push us one way or another. There is an old saying that I like that says: God's gift to us is our agency. What we do with that agency is our gift to God.
I'm not sure we are in a dark time. In fact, I think we are very lucky to live in the time we do today. Are there things wrong with society? You bet. Are we better off than we were at any time in the past? You bet.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good way of looking at it. It does not matter as much what events surround us as how we choose to live the life we have been given!
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