General Conference Live

For my birthday Kyle got us tickets to go to the Saturday morning session of General Conference at the Conference Center! Kyle forgot that I had been to General Conference before, but that was 9 years ago so I was happy to go again! This was actually my third time.

So we were there when Elder Uchtdorf announced the new For Strength of Youth booklet and were handed a copy of it on the way out of the session.

It's been interesting to see how excited many people are about how the standards are no longer specific about modesty, tattoos or piercings. But I liked what Elder Uchtdorf said, 

"The Lord is not saying, "Do whatever you want." He is saying, "Live in a holier, higher and more mature way."

I agree that modesty is not only about clothes and it is not only for women. I agree that women are not responsible for men's thoughts. But modesty still does include clothing and I fail to understand what is so wrong about having guidelines. I will probably still teach my children similar standards to what was in the FSY pamphlet before. I don't believe that teaching modesty is shaming girls, objectifying or sexualizing women or promoting harmful purity or rape culture. Maybe I just had awesome leaders, but being modest never made me think anything negative about my body. It's self respect.

They way we present ourselves sends messages and they do matter. I like what Dan Levy said when talking about Schitt's Creek wardrobe, "We as people say so much about who we are, and what we believe in and what we want and what we think of ourselves by the way that we dress." So true, but society wants to act like it doesn't matter at all. It's now members ridiculing and shaming other members for trying to live higher standards and I don't get it.

Anyways, I could go on about how I feel about this, but I'll stop!

I feel like the themes from Conference were Overcoming and Willingness. Overcoming trials, overcoming the world and being willing to do what He's asked of us.

"Personal revelation will be in harmony with the commandments of God and the covenants we have made with Him. When we ask for revelation about something for which God has already given clear direction, we open ourselves up to misinterpreting our feelings and hearing what we want to hear.

I invite you to have the confidence to claim personal revelation for yourself, understanding what God has revealed, consistent with the scriptures and the commandments He has given through His appointed prophets and within your own purview and agency. I know that the Holy Ghost can and will show you all things that you should do."

-Renlund

"The Church is a gathering place for imperfect individuals who love God and who are willing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. That willingness is rooted in the reality that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. This divine truth can be known only by the power of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, our willingness is directly proportionate to the amount of time we commit to be in holy places where the influence of the Holy Ghost is present."

-Pearson

-Take charge of your testimony

-Make your testimony your highest priority

We can know truth, but we have to put in the work to discover it. We can know God, but again we have to do what it takes to have a relationship with Him. All these things that are worth it require effort. Like listening when the Prophet speaks. I'm so thankful for how much I was nourished this time. God really does love His children!