193rd Annual General Conference -Sunday Highlights

 Sunday Morning

D. Todd Christofferson

• Let us resolve to never forget what Christ did to redeem us. 
• Where God prevails in hearts and mind, His people will be considered one with Him. 
• If you have a spirit of contention, you are not of Christ.
• Becoming One in Christ happens One by One. We must begin with ourselves.  
• If individually we each put on Christ, then together we can hope to become One in Christ. 
• Unity does not mean simply agreeing that everyone should do their own thing and go their own way. We must submit to the Authority of God to bring to pass his work.
• Unity does not require sameness, but it does require harmony. 
• None of us can control nations, the actions of others, or our own families, but we can control ourselves. End the conflicts in your heart, your home, your life. 

Camille N. Johnson

• Jesus Christ is relief. Through his atonement we may be relieved from the burdens and consequences of our sins and be succorred in our infirmities. 
• Overcome the world and find rest. 
• What burdens are you carrying in your backpack? 1. Rocks of our own doing 2. Rocks because of others. 3. Rocks of being mortal. 
• Our mortal burdens need not feel heavy. Christ can lighten our load and lift our burdens. He provides a way for us to be relieved of the weight of sin. He is our relief. 
• Why are we stingy with giving away our rocks? Let them go. Let the Savior take them away from you. 
• You don't have to go at it alone. You don't need to. Don't. 
• We are a conduit through which God provides relief to His Children. 

Ulisses Soares

• Blesses is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 
• Those who practice works/words of righteousness and strive in the spirit of the Lord will have strength to overcome the commotion of today. 
• Contention violates everything the Savior stood for and taught. 
• Clothe yourself with the bond of Charity, for without Charity we are Nothing. 
• How we treat each other reflects on how well we follow the Savior's teachings. 
• Do not let yourself be stirred up to anger against that which is Good. 
• It is critical to point out that when we have a bad attitude in our lives we allow the Adversary to plant seeds of discord in our hearts and we may end up entagled in the Enemy's tricks and destroy the relationships of those around us. 
• We need to transform ourselves into uplifting and supporting others. Those with understanding in our hearts and look for the best in others. 
• Resist the Urge to take Offense or Hurt those who Offend us. 

Kazuhiko Yamashita

• Partriarchal blessings aren't only for those planning on serving a mission, worthy members can receive their Blessings whenever the time is right for them.
• Your Patriarchal Blessing can give you comfort in times of need.
• A Patriarchal Blessing isn't going to map out your life or answer all your questions. If it doesn't mention an important event don't take it to mean it won't happen. There's no guarantee that everything in your blessing will come to pass in this life. Some blessings are for the eternities. 
• The same Lord who provided a Liahona for Lehi provides for you and me today direction in our lives as well. 
• Seek the Lord's Direction. 
• Our Patriarchal blessing will have different meanings to us throughout different times of our lives. The words don't change. We just see them in a different way. 

Neil L. Andersen

• Are you catching hold upon the truths and gospel of Jesus Christ?
• We should more consciously shape, strengthen, and secure in order to feel and have the sweet joy of the Savior's love. 
• All our thoughts should be circumscribed in God's love. It doesn't have to be our only thought, but should influence all our thoughts. 
• Our love for Christ doesn't shield us from the challenges of our life, but gives us the strength to walk through them.
• Speak the Lord's name more earnestly. 
• There is nothing easy or automatic about becoming a disciple of the Savior. It is mentally rigorous to strive to look unto him in every thought.

Kevin R. Duncan

• Men are that they might have joy. 
• Families are united and sealed to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for eternity. 
• What is common and routine for us can be seen as splendid or majestic to those experiencing those things for the first time. 
• As each temple is dedicated, the saving power of Christ expands throughout the world to counteract the efforts of the adversary and redeem us. 
• We may never overcome the war, but we do have the power to survive it. 
• The Lord will bring the miracles he knows you need as you make sacrifices to help Him, his people, and his work. 

Russell M. Nelson

• Whatever happened in our lives, never lose control of our emotions.
• Never throw anything in anger. Whether it be physical objects or words. 
• Is an infected tool any worse than dealing with infected words that bring contention.
• Civility and decency seem to have disappeared during this era of polarization. 
• It is not acceptable to condemn, malign, or villify anyone who does not agree with you.
• Do not be eager to damage another's reputation. 
• Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions.
• As disciples of Christ we are to be examples of how to interact with others, especially when we have differences of opinion.
• One of the easiest ways to find a true follower of Christ is by seeing how compassionately they treat others. 
• True disciples of Christ are peacemakers. 
• Be not mistaken. Contention is Evil.
• Those who foster contention take a page out of Satan's playbook whether they realize it or not. 
• We cannot support Satan with our verbal assaults and then think that we can still serve God.
• How we treat each other Really matters. 
• People don't need your judgement when they falter or go through trials, they need your understanding, love, and compassion. 
• Build bridges of understanding. 
• Contention drives away the Spirit Every Time. 
• Contention is Never the way to solve differences.
• Contention is a Choice. Peacemaking is a Choice.
• You can choose Contention or Reconciliation. You have the Choice. 
• Differences of opinions are part of life. 
• Charity is the antidote to Contention.
• Charity defines a peacemaker. 
• Help to lift others burdens rather than heap more burdens upon them. 
• Look deeply into your heart to see if there are shards of pride or jealousy that prevent you from becoming a peacemaker. 
• Now is the time to bury your weapons of war. If your verbal arsenal is filled with insults and accusations, now is the time to put them away. You will arise as a spiritually strong Man or Woman of Christ. 
• Peacemakers thwart the adversary. Let us become a true light on a hill. One that can't be hid. Let us show that there is a peaceful respectful way to resolve conflicts and disagreements. 

Sunday Afternoon 

Dallin H. Oaks

• We are given the scriptures to direct our lives. 
• Seek not the things of this world, but seek first to build up the kingdom of God. 
• Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. 
• If any man shall do His will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or Christ. 
• Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be open unto you. 
• Peace I leave unto you. My Peace I give unto you. 
• Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 
• Watch and Pray Always least you be tempted away by the Devil.
• We Believe in Christ.

M. Russell Ballard

• Most Important Relationships: 1. Relationship with our Heavenly Father and Christ. 2. Family Relationships. 
• Some may not have the blessing of a close family. Extended family, close friends, and ward family can also be considered as Family Relationships.
• These relationships can offer love, joy, happiness, and a sense of belonging.
• Follow the promptings of the Spirit in our most important relationships. 
• Don't miss opportunities by reasoning strong promptings of the Spirit. 
• Following the promptings of the Spirit is one of the things that matters most in all of our relationships. 
• Having a testimony alone is not enough. 

Ronald A. Rasband

• Mortality is hard.
• 1. Prophecy 2. Companionship of the Holy Ghost. Discipleship 4. Atonement of Christ
• Christ will not leave you comfortless. You are not alone. 
• We may have lamps, but do we have enough oil? Or are we just getting by. 
• Oil comes from believing and acting upon prophecy and the words of our prophets. 

Vern P. Stanfill

• Remember that perfectionism isn't the same as being perfect in Christ. 
• We are measured by our personal devotion to God that are measured in our efforts to follow Him and His teachings.
• Fear not and worry not. If you could see yourself as Christ can see you, you would not doubt. 
• Christ will always be there to lift you from the depths. 
• Your potential is limitless. 
• Whatever our best but imperfect offering is, Christ can make it perfect in him no matter how meager our offering may be. 
• Self-comparison isn't the same as emulation. When we compare ourselves there's only 2 results. We'll see ourselves as better and feel entitlement or see ourselves as worse off and become discouraged. 
• The Lord loves effort. 

W. Mark Bassett

• Seek the Savior during our greatest worries. 
• During our own trials we may feel that Christ is too late. But he's never too late. He will always come to our aid to raise our hopes back to life. 
• We learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass.
• Christ's divine power won't be used when his disciples have their own hands that can also be used to help out.
• God will provide needed help in all things as we trust in him. 
• We can do this. 

Ahmad S. Corbitt

• Focus more on what matters for Eternal Life.
• The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it.
• Sometimes the way to be healed is more simple than we think it should be. Still. We should look up. Don't doubt. 
• Love. Share. Invite.

David A. Bednar

• Learn to abide in and walk with the son of God.
• Abide -remain fixed, stable, enduring, without yielding. It means to stay. Stay forever. 
• Praying sincerely to the Father in the name of the Son will deepen our connection with the both of them. 
• Abide in Him by serving God as we minister to his Children. 
• Make Christ the Center of our Lives in All that we Do.
• If we Abide in Him, He will Abide in Us. 
• Plant this Word in your Hearts. Nourish it by your Faith. It will become a Tree unto Everlasting Life that your Burdens will be Light. 
• Is the Word in Us? Are the Truths of the Savior's Gospel written in our Hearts? Are we becoming more like Him?
• Important Aspects of Discipleship 1. Obeying God's Commandments. 2. Remembering and Honoring Covenants.
• Christ beckons to each of us. Come follow me. Walk with me. 
• By the power of the Holy Ghost you can Know that the Gospel Truths are For You Individually and Personally. 

Russell M. Nelson

• The main reason why we celebrate Christmas is because of Easter. 
• Christ's arm of mercy is extended to you. 
• Turn to Him. Follow Him.

To read/listen/watch these talks in their entirety, please visit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04?lang=eng

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

-Sarnic Dirchi

193rd Annual General Conference -Saturday Highlights

 Saturday Morning Session

Gary E. Stevenson

• It's okay to adopt traditions of other cultures and religions that help to Celebrate Easter with a focus in Christ.  
• Take Christmas Away and you lose 2 chapters in the front of the New Testament. Take Easter away and you don't have a Testament you don't have a Religion.
• He Is Risen. 
• The Book of Mormon shares the greatest Easter Story Ever Told.
• You can find peace in the Great Plan of Happiness no matter what your age. 
• The Living Prophet bears witness of the Living Christ. 
• Regular study from the Book of Mormon will change your mind. It will open your eyes. Change your heart. Build your charity. Strengthen your Faith in Christ. 
• Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want you to return Home with a Capital 'H.' 
• Because of Christ everything is better, is manageable, is possible. 

Bonnie H. Cordon

• Never Give up an Opportunity to Testify of Christ. 
• Don't let the World Overcome You. 
• Are we as anxious to witness for ourselves as the multitudes in the scriptures. Are the blessings we seek less needful than theirs? 
• Do not Skip like a Stone over the Sessions of Conference Weekend, but instead dive deep into Conference to receive inspiration. 
• As we choose to Seek Christ the Spirit will Witness of Him in many different situations. 
• When you Fast do you simply find yourself going Hungry or do you Feast upon the Spirit of Christ?
• Make Holy Habits less of a Checklist and more of a Witness. 
• Look for Christ everywhere. I promise. He. Is. There. 

Carl B. Cook

• Hang On. Exercise Faith. Have Good Courage. And You can Come out on Top.
• Don't let discouragement overwhelm us. 
• Keep going with Faith. No matter what. 
• What could be seen as a huge obstacle in your way can later become a great blessing in your life. 
• Don't give up. Keep going with faith. 
• The Lord can strengthen our faith when we are weak and faltering. 
• Sometimes you need to undo your plans and instead follow the Spirit. 
• We should not speak words from man's wisdom but the Lord's wisdom. 
• Don't give up. 
• Don't miss an opportunity to increase your faith. 

Gerrit W. Gong

• Lives are Waiting to Change. Seek to Minister others in Christ.
• You change as you draw closer to the Lord. For the better. 
• You may always be a good person, but you can become better in a different way when you're baptized. 
• Don't check boxes. Minister to the Ministers who Care for Our People. 
• As those who honor covenants minister, hearts unlock and hearts open. 
• Faithful Consistency Brings Miracles. 
• We don't want Checklist Concern. Some people need more than a casual hello. 
• Inspired ministering blessings individuals and families but also strengthens wards and branches. 
• Ministering blesses Generations. 
• God enriches everything to all bountifulness. 

Quentin L. Cook

• Any person who has accepted the restored Gospel and seeks to worship the Lord in his own tongue and worship with the saints in their nations has participated in the Gathering of Israel. 
• The voice of the Lord is for All. 
• Anytime you help anyone with anything on either side of the veil, you are helping to gather Israel. It's as simple as that. 
• We cannot be in camouflage. We must be beacons. 

Allen D. Haynie

• With a Prophet, sometimes it only takes a moment to know. 
• We're never spiritually at risk for following prophetic counsel. 
• We do not need to chase after "this or that" to know how to navigate through these troubled times. We do not need to fear. Counsel and Safety are found in the words of the Living Prophet. 
• Follow the Living Prophet. 
• We shouldn't seek to use the words of Past Prophets to dismiss the teachings of Living Prophets. 
• Be prompt in your response to following the Prophet. 
• We cannot be a source of confusion about the importance of following prophetic counsel. 
• You can always begin again. It's never too late to start following the counsel of the Living Prophet.
• We can withstand the heat and even thrive in the Heat of the Latter-Day if we follow the Prophet.  

Henry B. Eyring

• Christ will not leave us comfortless. He will come to you. 
• 1. The Gift of Peace is Given AFTER we have the Faith to Keep his Commandments. 2. The Holy Ghost will Come and Abide with Us. 3. The Savior Promises as we Keep our Covenants we can Feel the Love of the Father and the Son for Each other and for Us. 4. Keeping the Lord's Commandments requires more than obedience. Love the Lord with all our Might, Mind, and Soul. 5. The Lord Loves us Enough to pay the Price of Our Sins so that we can have the gift of Peace.
• Don't let Satan have the strength in your life to take away your Peace. Cling to the Lord and his constant source of Peace.  
• There is an inborn sense of Justice and Truth in every child of God. 
• The Lord Loves You. Always Has. Always Will. Your Promised Blessings are Still in Place. 
• The Savior's invitation to come to Him is an Offer of Peace. 

Saturday Afternoon

Dale G. Renlund

• We have a natural flow to our lives and do what comes naturally, but with Heavenly Help we can seemingly do unnatural things. 
• When we yield to the enticings of the Spirit we can receive the power to do difficult things in our lives. 
• You shouldn't identify yourself as a disciple of Christ UNLESS you decide to represent him well.
• By connecting to God's power, we become able to go against the flow of the world through our lives and into the eternities. 

Peter F. Meurs

• Have you built a firm foundation in faith?
• Christ sees us. He sees what we're going through. What trials we struggle with. And he understands.
• Sometimes the best way to heal yourself is through helping others to heal.  

Randall K. Bennett

• Through the blessings of the Holy Ghost your Patriarchal Blessing can help you understand your Divine Identity. 
• You are Known. You are Loved by your Heavenly Father and your Savior and they're personally involved in your life. 
• Following the Spirit's promptings can help reduce Anxiety. 
• Treasuring your Blessing can help you throughout your life. It can help increase your faith and trust in Christ. Study your Blessing often. 

Craig C. Christensen

• We need to strengthen the connection between joy and repentance.
• We were created to have Joy. 
• Redemption through Christ makes Joy possible. 
• Repentance is a pathway to joy. 
• Joy and Comfort are NOT the same thing. 
• Sin can limit our joy. 
• The nights may seem long, but the morning will come. The Savior's Atonement will save us from sin and suffering and bring us Joy. 
• To be filled with Joy is to be filled with the Holy Ghost. To be filled with the Holy Ghost is to be filled with Joy. 
• Our Joy can multiply as we share the source of our Joy with others. 
• In You Christ has a fullness of Joy. 

Evan A. Schmutz

• He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 
• Trust the Doctrine of Christ more than the Philosophies of Man. 
• Make prayer a priority in your life. 
• The Savior didn't speak about the possibility that Storms will arrive in our lives, but the Certainty that they will. 

Benjamin De Hoyos

• The Church is a Temple Building Church.
• The Lord encourages us to learn from our ancestors and preserve our Family History, and to make the arrangements to help them through the temple. 
• Our purpose is to unite the Family for this life and for eternity. 
• Family history is more than looking for names, dates, and places, it is uniting family. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

• We learn as much from our children about faith, hope, and charity as they learn from us. 
• Children form their opinions on life, the world, and relationships from the people they are surrounded by, especially their parents. 
• The Lord is with you. He loves you. He stands besides you. He is your strength. 
• Accept the responsibilities of parenthood joyfully.
• YOU are the ones to guide your Child in the details of Daily Decisions.
• Just as Christ is the Strength of Youth, He is also the Strength of Parents.
• Your love for your child uniquely qualifies you. It is one of the strongest forces in the universe. It's one of the things that can be eternal. 
• Just as Christ can multiply fish and bread, he can multiply joy and love in your life and your home. 
• You can be the most constant steady influence in your child's life. You are there always. Other influencers are there temporarily. 
• Small and simple things nourish much better than a sudden flood. 
• Don't Give Up. All things will come to pass in Time. 
• God is Eager to pour out his Spirit and Guide Parents if they will just reach out to Him. 
• God can reveal your child's gifts, strengths, and concerns if you would just reach out to Him and rely on him.
• With God's help you can learn about your children in a spiritual and pure way. 
• Your family won't be picture perfect, but they will get better. 
• As a parent you Never Give Up even if you aren't proud of how things went in the past. There's always the chance for a new beginning. 

Saturday Evening 

Mark A. Bragg

• With Faith, be sure to have Poise in every situation. Be a Good Person in Every Situation. 
• Spiritual Poise blesses us to stay calm and focused in what matters most especially under pressure. 
• Focus on what Matters Most. Address the Emergency with Calm. 
• 1. Know who you are and your Divine Mission 2. There is a Great Plan of Happiness 3. Through the Atonement All who Follow Him will be Saved
• Avoid comparing yourself to others or pretending to be someone you aren't. 
• If you don't comprehend the character of God, you don't comprehend yourself. 
• Poise comes when we see things through an Eternal Perspective. 
• As we Focus on Christ we can Hush our Fears.
• Christ is the greatest teacher on how to SURVIVE the storms in our lives. 

Milton da Rocha Camargo 

• Christ can strengthen us to pass through our trials with confidence and peace. 
• Don't focus so much on your problems that you can't see the solution before you. 
• As you keep your Covenants the influence of Satan will decrease in your life. 
• The Change that Christ brings is a Mighty Change. 
• Transform your homes into a Sanctuary of Faith. 
• There is no Prescribed Formula for Scripture Study. Do what works best for you that encourages you to keep up your studies. 

K. Brett Nattress

• Remember to love me. Love yourself.
• Can I really be forgiven? Is there really a way back? YES. 
• Once you repent. Never look back. Keep moving forward. 
• Begin your journey by trusting yourself and changing your heart. 
• Miracles can occur even after you think it's a long shot that it will happen.
• Have you looked in the mirror? Have you seen your eyes? Bright. Beaming. Filled with Love of the Lord. 
• You're not lost. Not to the Lord. He stands at the door waiting for you.

Juan A. Uceda

• You always minister to those under your care one by one. Individually. 

To read/listen/watch these Sessions in their entirety. Please Visit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04?lang=eng

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

-Sarnic Dirchi