188th Semi-Annual General Conference -Saturday Sessions Highlights

Saturday Morning

Russell M. Nelson

• We are inspired by your goodness and extraordinary efforts to bring the Savior's love to all those around you. 
• You are setting a standard for the rest of us to follow. What a difference you are making! 
• It is time for a "Home" Centered Church, supported by what takes place in our buildings. 
• The long-standing objective of the church is to assist all members to increase their faith in Christ.  To strengthen and seal their families. 
• Parents have the primary responsibility to teach the Doctrine to their children, while the Church will assist each member in that role.

Quentin L. Cook

• The Sunday Meeting Schedule will be adjusted in Jan 2019.
  60 min Sacrament meeting.
  10 min Transition
  50 min Class alternating each Sunday Sunday/School and PH/RS 
• The purposes and blessings associated with these adjustments are: Deepening Conversion, Strengthening Individuals and Families, Honoring the Sabbath Day, & Helping ALL of God's Children.
• FHE doesn't necessarily need to be held on Mondays. Just whenever you have time.
• In recent years the Lord has guided us to focus on related core concerns. 
• The Traditional Church Curriculum has emphasized Sunday Church Experience. Now we want to focus on a more Home Centered and Church Supported Curriculum.
• The influence of the Holy Ghost most often accompanies Individuals when they are at the home.
• We strongly recommend using social media and online resources to keep Members updated on lesson plans and study sessions at home/church.
• Second meeting of Sunday need only have a closing prayer. 
• Goal is to have more wards meet earlier in the day. 
• Sunday can be a day of Gospel Learning and Teaching both at Church and at Home. 
• The way we study the scriptures at home will change as we come together to learn.
• It's the hope that we'll progress from just reading the scriptures to actually studying and learning from the scriptures. 
• We need to rely on Christ to help us change our hearts. 
• We trust you to counsel together and to seek revelation. No need to look beyond the mark or regiment individuals/families.

M. Joseph Brough

• One: Do not throw your food out the window.
  Two: Sometimes we have to face hard things. 
• Everyone faces hard things. You are not alone in that. 
• I have given you this trial so that you may teach my people with authenticity. 
• We must face hard things by first forgiving others. 
• Blaming our circumstances on others, is not a solution.
• With God, nothing is Impossible. 
• Children can often teach their parents how to do Hard Things.
• Stand out. Be Different from the World. Do it with Joy. 
• We can always rejoice when we keep the Commandments. 
• In the world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good Cheer. I have overcome the world. 

Steven R. Bangerter

• Jesus Christ is the CornerStone of Our Foundations. 
• We need to make our homes Sanctuaries of Faith. 
• Many of our traditions are subtle, but meaningful. 
• Our lives have been blessed by setting aside time on a regular basis by setting aside time to have one on one time with members of our family. 
• Consistent, Wholesome, Family Traditions create a culture of love, respect, unity and security.
• It is upon the Rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, that ye must build your foundation, so when the Devil sends forth his storms, it shall have no power over you to drag you down. Because of the Rock upon which you are built.
• Train up a child in the way he shall go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 
• Are we exercising faith enough to diligently live and teach the expectations set forth in the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Ronald A. Rasband

• Fear is not new.
• We fear failure, rejection, disappointment and the unknown. We fear natural disasters that ravage the land and our lives. We fear not being chosen. Flip side. We fear being chosen. 
• Since ancient time, Fear has limited the potential of God's children. 
• Alas, My Master! How shall we do?
  Fear Not. For they that be with us be more than that be with them. 
• We may or may not have chariots of fire sent to dispel our fears and conquer our demons. But the lesson is clear. God is with us. He is mindful of us. And will bless us in ways only he can do. 
• Be of Good Cheer. Do not Fear. Doubt Not. Fear Not. 
• When we listen to the Prophet and harken to his Counsel, we are standing with a Prophet of God. 
• In coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, and comforting influence of the Holy Ghost.
• Be not Troubled. For when all these things come to pass, know that the promises that have been made unto you will be fulfilled. 
• There is no room for fear in the hearts of the Children of God. Why? Because of Love. God loves us always and we love him. Our Love of God counters all fears. 
• When we stand in Holy Places we can feel God's love. That love will cast out all fear. 
• If we actively trust in the Lord and HIS ways and are Engaged in His work, we will not fear the trends of the world or be troubled by them. 
• Love what the Lord Loves. 
• Optimism, Hope, Charity, come from a Heart not burdened by troubles or turmoil.
• To receive Personal Revelation we must place Priority in Living the Gospel. 
• The battles will rag
• e on, but we will face them with the Spirit of the Lord. We will not be troubled. For when we stand with the Lord, we stand on Holy Ground. 
• Take Heart. Yes we live in perilous times. But as we stay on the Covenant Path. We Need Not Fear. 

David A. Bednar

• We live in a remarkable and revelatory season in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
• We should use our time to enhance the Sabbath as a delight at home and at church.
• Please do not focus primarily on the logistical aspects of what has been announced. We must not allow procedural details to overshadow the spiritual changes being made. 
• We must be careful because a focus on checklists can divert us from drawing closer to the Lord. 
• The Power of the Savior's Gospel to Transform and Bless us comes from Discerning and Applying the Gospel Doctrine, Principles and Practices. 
• True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Exercising faith in Christ is trusting and placing our confidence in him as our Savior. 
• Repentance is trusting in and relying upon the Redeemer to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
• God has revealed a pattern of spiritual progress through ordinances, teachings, and programs that are family focused and church supported. 

Dallin H. Oaks

• Expertise in one field shouldn't be taken as expertise in truth in other field.
• We should be cautious of the motivation behind the person who provides us information. If the source is Anonymous or Unknown, the information may also be suspect.
• Those who once had spiritual vision can suffer from self-inflected spiritual blindness.
• Their problem doesn't rely in what they think they see, but in what they cannot see.
• We find true and enduring joy in coming to know and acting upon the truth we know.
• We find true and enduring joy by coming to know and acting upon the truth about who we are, the meaning of mortal life, and where we are going when we die. Those truths cannot be learned by scientific or secular methods.
• God established a plan so that ALL of his Children can progress.
• A loving God reaches out to each of us.
• The purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ is to help God's children achieve exaltation.
• There has to be opposition, an adversary, to help us learn how to make choices in God's plan. 
• Eternal relationships are fundamental to our theology. The family is ordained of God. 
• We honor individual agency.
• We are a missionary people.
• We help ALL of God's children. Not just the ones who are members of our church.
• The ultimate treasures on Earth and in Heaven are our children and posterity.
• The work of the Lord is going forward despite the organized and constant opposition against it.
• Hold fast to what you already know, and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.
• What we know will always trump what we do not know.
• Keep on the Covenant Path.

Saturday Afternoon Session

D. Todd Christofferson

• Either the Book of Mormon is the word of God or it is not. But if it is, draw nearer to God by studying the scriptures and learning from them. 
• Regardless of what others say or do, no one can take away the witness that was borne to your heart and mind. 
• With God. Comfort replaces pain. Hope replaces Sorrow. 
• When facing a difficult trial. Turn to the Lord. 
• Be ye faithful before me unto my name, and after much temptation and tribulation I will come after them and they shall become converted and I will heal them.
• Always remember the promise of good things to come for those who are firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ.

Dean M. Davies

• The Prophet has the gift of Prophetic Seership where he can see the Lord's will and know where temples are to be built.
• The foundation is just the beginning. A temple is composed of many building blocks of different shapes and sizes conjoined together in order to make the large majestic temple resistant to the storms of the world. 
• Those who gain a divine witness from the Holy Spirit that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, will also know by the Same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World. 
• Begin with the end in mind. Stay on the Covenant Path.
• We are strengthened, we are more assured, we feel God's love, we will know how to conduct our lives with purpose if we listen to the living Prophet's voice.

Ulisses Soares

• As followers of Jesus Christ, flowing as one in the river of goodness, we'll be able to provide the freshwater of the gospel to a thirsty world.
• We all need Brothers and Sisters in the church, true Friends, who are truly interested in our welfare.
• Look out for new faces in your wards, for your potential new friends that you could have.
• New friends need an opportunity to serve others. Service is one of the great geniuses of the Church. It's a process by which we all can grow stronger. 
• We all need to be nourished by the Good word of God. New friends can help us see new perspectives and we can help new friends to receive personal guidance through regular scripture study.
• You are not alone. God will bless you as you exercise faith in His promises.
• I believe we can do much better and should do better at welcoming new friends into the Church.

Gerrit W. Gong

• Painting helps to observe and create.
  Attempt to be creative even if the results are modest.
  If ye choose wisely, it doesn't have to absorb a lot of time. 
• God is a creator of the heavens and the earth and all things that within them that all things in nature bear testimony of them and there is a harmony between the gospel and science.
• A nebula is an anthill of stars.
• On long lonely nights our campfire faith can give hope and assurance until the dawn. 
• The light will come when we desire to seek it. 
• Find Joy in Wholesome Creativity. There is joy in imaginative learning. Doing worthwhile new things. 
• Our Savior knows our circumstances.
• No matter where we are or what we have done. There is no point of no return. He waits, ready to embrace us.
• Gospel Joy and Blessings come when we seek to love the Lord and others with all our hearts and souls. 
• Perfection is in Christ. Not in ourselves or in the World but in Christ. 

Paul B. Pieper

• Thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of thy Son.
• Heavenly Father wants to make it clear that Jesus Christ is not one name among many. It is the Only name by which Salvation is possible. 
• Our action is required. We all must take upon the name of Jesus Christ by humbling ourselves before God and coming forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits.
• Baptism is just the beginning.
• In reality taking upon the name of Christ is both liberating and enlarging. 
• It is important to remember that taking the Savior's name upon us is a Covenant Commitment.
• The Holy Ghost can only be with us to the degree we keep our lives free from Sin. 
• Those who believe on the name of Jesus Christ and worship the Father in his name will be saved in the Kingdom of God. 

Dieter F. Utchdorf

• What is the cause of Christ? To believe in Him. Love as He Loved and Do as He Did.
• Everywhere he went the Savior taught the good news of the Gospel.
• Those who dedicate themselves to Christ's cause, discover the truth of the Savior's promise, whoever shall lose their life for my sake, shall find it.
• Life is not vanity. To the contrary it can be full of purpose, meaning and peace. The healing hands of Jesus Christ reach out to all who seek him.
• Discipleship begins with three simple words. Belief. Love. Do.
• As our love grows, we are inspired to emulate the Savior as we continue our own path of discipleship.
• It is the love of God that rescues, restores, and revives. God knows you. You are his Child. He Loves You.
• Even when you think you are not loveable, God reaches out to you. He loves you regardless. Desiring to heal you, lift you up, and replace the emptiness in your heart with an abiding joy.
• This very day. Every day. He reaches out to you.
• Without faith it is impossible to please God.
• Belief is not so much like a painting that we look at and admire. It is more like a plow that we take into the fields that will soon bear fruit.
• Draw near unto God and God will draw near unto you.
• The more we love God and his children, the happier we become.
• Through the lens of pure love, we see infinite beings of great potential and worth.
• It is often by small and simple means that great things are brought to pass. And often requires repetitive practice to become good at anything.
• It is through practice that we become better and better.
• Come and see. Come and join with us. We need you. Come. Add your strength to ours.
• Come help us build and strengthen a culture of healing, kindness, and mercy to ALL of God's children.
• Let us all work together to become the people that God intends us to become. 
• God chose the direction for us to move. Forward and Upward.

Women's General Session

Joy D. Jones

• We approached with a plate of Chocolate Chip cookies, confident that the chocolate would melt their hearts. 
• Rejection is never comfortable. 
• We need to ask ourselves. Are we really serving out of love from the Lord? Or for our own personal goals? 
• The highest manifestation of Love is Devotion to God. 
• The Lord can make our struggles no longer a struggle.
• Ye are only the service of your God. Rather than building resentment, we can build, through service, a more perfect and loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. 
• When we focus on all that God has done for us, our service comes out of a heart full of gratitude. 
• I am the Lord Thy God, Thou Shalt have No Other Gods before me. 
• Look unto me in every thought. 
• We can make item on our to-do list a way to Glorify God.
• As to my strength I am weak, but in the strength of my God I can do all things. 
• Give the Lord the best you've got. 

Michelle Lynn Craig

• I knew I would need to do hard things. I knew I would need to prepare for the future. 
• We can Do and Be more. 
• We all feel a gap between where and who we are and where and who we want to become. 
• Don't allow Paralyzing Discouragement to stop you from seeking a higher path. 
• Our Discontent can become Divine...or Destructive. 
• Don't focus on what you are not. Focus on what you can be. 
• Act in Faith. Turn to the Scriptures. Turn to God for Help.
• As we walk the path of discipleship we will receive spiritual nudges to reach out to others. 
• Never suppress a Generous Thought. 
• Whether they are direct promptings or just impulses to help. A good deed is never wrong. Charity never Faileth. 
• Peace comes from the knowledge that Being more doesn't necessarily equate to Doing more. 
• Don't see people as interruptions but as opportunities. 
• Alone. We are not Enough. But with the Grace of God. We ARE Enough. With Christ's Help we can do ALL things. 
• Have you ever felt your gifts and talents were too small for the task ahead? But if you can give what you have to offer to Christ he can multiply your efforts. 
• We can be made equal to the tasks that lay ahead. 

Cristina B. Franco

• Sometimes as we serve we get to sit in different seats. Some are quite comfy. Others are not. But we should serve to the best our abilities regardless. 
• Are we giving our all to the Lord without reservation? Are we sacrificing our time and talents so that the rising generation can learn to love the Lord? 
• We are happier and more fulfilled when we act and serve for what we give and not what we get. 
• We don't have to make a chocolate cake to be a successful and dedicated teacher. It's not about the cake. It's about the love behind the action. 

Henry B. Eyring

• The Daughters of Heavenly Father will play a primary role in the acceleration of God's work. 
• Fathers and Mothers are obligated to help one another as Equal Partners. 
• All must receive a Knowledge of Truth coming from Heaven. 
• The Lord strengthened the Sons of Helaman through the teachings of their Mothers. 
• If you do not Doubt, God will deliver you. 
• It takes Great Love to feel and help out with the needs of someone else. 
• Treasure up in your minds continually the words of life. 
• Behold the Lord requires a heart and a willing mind. Those who are willing and obedient shall eat the good of Zion in the last day.
• If you pray to know what to do or what to say you will receive an answer. 

Dallin H. Oaks

• Mothers, beloved Sisters, we love you for who you are and what you do for all of us. 
• Today we need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and are courageous defenders in a sin sick world. 
• We need women who teach fearlessly. 
• Why do you cope best with the difficulties of growing up? It is because you understand Heavenly Father's Great Plan of Happiness.
• You can have the Lord's help in overcoming all the difficulties in regards to 'growing up.' 
• God delights to bless us as we strive to do what's right. What comfort in the midst of our trials. You are blessed you are wonderful. 
• It will bless your lives if you will limit your use and dependence on cell phones. 
• Be kind to others.
• Stand out. Be different from the World. The Lord needs you to look like, sound like, and act like a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
• Our world needs your goodness and love. Be kind to one another. Love one another. Treat others as we want to be treated. Strive to be kind. 

Russell M. Nelson

• No one else can do what a righteous woman can do. No one can duplicate the influence of a mother.
• You have the capacity to sense what someone needs and when they need it. You can reach out comfort, teach and strengthen someone in their very moment of need. 
• It was our Mother Eve with her wise and courageous choice and Adam's supporting decision that moved God's plan forward.
• Pray to understand your spiritual gifts. To cultivate and expand them more than you already have. You will change the world as you do so.
• Each decade of life brings unique challenges that can be shared across generations. 
• Women shape the future.
• Take a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit. 
• Read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. 
• We need you. We need your strength, conversion, conviction, ability to lead, your wisdom and your voices. We simply cannot gather Israel without you. 

To read/watch/listen to the General Conference talks in their entirety, please visit the link below. :D

https://www.lds.org/general-conference?cid=HP16GC&lang=eng

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

-Sarnic Dirchi