April 2003 General Conference Saturday Afternoon

James E. Faust -The Sustaining of Church Officers

Wesley L. Jones -Church Auditing Department Report

F. Michael Watson -Statistical Report, 2002

• Totally Church Membership - 11,721,548
• Number of Full-Time Missionaries -61,638

Joseph B. Wirthlin -The Unspeakable Gift

• The Light of Christ is the divine influence that allows every man, woman, and child to distinguish between good and evil. It encourages all to choose the right, to seek eternal truth, and to learn again the truths that we knew in our premortal existence but have forgotten in mortality.
• The Light of Christ should not be confused with the personage of the Holy Ghost, for the Light of Christ is not a personage at all. Its influence is preliminary to and preparatory to one's receiving the Holy Ghost. The Light of Christ will lead the honest soul to "hearkeneth to the voice" to find the true gospel and the true Church and thereby receive the Holy Ghost.
• The gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the right to receive the Holy Ghost as a constant companion, is obtained only upon condition of faith in Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands by authorized servants endowed with the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is a most precious gift available only to worthy members of the Lord's Church.
• It enlightens minds, fills our souls with joy, teaches us all things, and brings forgotten knowledge to our remembrance. The Holy Ghost also "will show unto [us] all things what [we] should do."
• The gift of the Holy Ghost "is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world."
• When we are confirmed, we are given the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost, but it is a right that we must continue to earn through obedience and worthiness. We cannot take this gift for granted.
• "We watch, We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When it speaks, wise men and women obey. Promptings of the Spirit are not to be postponed."
• As light penetrates the darkness and makes physical things visible, so does the Holy Ghost penetrate the spiritual darkness that surrounds us and make plainly visible spiritual things that once were hidden.
• Remember that being busy is not necessarily being spiritual. If we are not careful, the things of this world can crowd out the things of the Spirit.
• "Keep the spirit of the Lord, and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach you what to do and where to go, it will yield the fruits of the kingdom."
• "Keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it."
• We should spend more time at the temple and less time in the pursuit of pleasure. We should lower the noise level in our homes so that the noise of the world will not overpower the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost.
• "We need not live in fear of the future. We have every reason to rejoice and little reason to fear. If we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we will be safe, whatever the future holds. We will be shown what to do."

Henry B. Eyring -A Child and a Disciple

• Listen carefully with the look of someone who cares about the answers to questions and who cares about the person.
• You won't need to build up your courage for one great moment to speak to someone and then retreat. The fact that most people are not interested in the restored gospel will have little bearing on what you do and say. Speaking what you believe will be part of what you are.

Craig C. Christensen -Seek, and Ye Shall Find

• "There is so much evil, enticing evil, in the world. Shun it, my brothers and sisters. Avoid it. It is as a dangerous disease. It is as a poison that will destroy you. Stay away from it."
• "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you."

James M. Dunn -Words to Live By

• The world is full of words. Many are shrill and accusatory, and many are sarcastic. Together they are a noise, a blur, and we do not listen to or seriously consider them. Then, once in a while, through the din as it were, we hear precious words, such as in this conference, words to live by.
• "God is a Father. Man is a brother. Life is a mission And not a career."
• The human race is one family, and we are all, therefore, brothers and sisters.
• So our earthly mission hasn't much to do at all with our mortal careers. It has, however, everything to do with preparing for our immortal destiny.

M. Russell Ballard -The Essential Role of Member Missionary Work

• If the standard is to be raised, it is raised for all of us.
• Leaders must lead by example.
• Some members say, "I'm afraid to share the gospel because I might offend someone." Experience has shown that people are not offended when the sharing is motivated by the spirit of love and concern. How could anyone be offended when we say something like this: "I love the way my church helps me" and then add whatever the Spirit directs. It's when we appear only to be fulfilling an assignment and we fail to express real interest and love that we offend others.

L. Tom Perry - The Importance of the Family

• We need to make our homes a place of refuge from the storm, which is increasing in intensity all about us. Even if the smallest openings are left unattended, negative influences can penetrate the very walls of our homes.
• "President Brigham Young explained that our families are not yet ours. The Lord has committed them to us to see how we will treat them. Only if we are faithful will they be given to us forever. What we do on earth determines whether or not we will be worthy to become heavenly parents."

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi