188th Semi-Annual General Conference -Sunday Sessions Highlights

Sunday Morning

M. Russell Ballard

• Sometimes you are given tasks that you feel you are not big enough for, old enough for, adequate enough to perform. Yet you can do great things if you go and do.
• When you're not sure what to do, turn to God, ask for aid. He will help you.
• I have not lived alone, I have dwelt in the Spirit of prayer, supplication, faith and determination, and I have had my communication with the Spirit of the Lord continuously. 
• All spirits retain the likeness of their mortal body and are anxiously awaiting the day of their promised resurrection.
• May you come to more fully understand and appreciate God's love for his Children. 
• We will be together again, with our family, for eternity. May the peace of the Lord sustain us all now and forever. 

Bonnie H. Cordon

• We all want to be recognized. To matter. To be remembered, and to feel love. Remember. Each of you matter. The Savior knows you and loves you. 
• Lovest Thou Me?
  Then Feed My Lambs/Sheep.
• We must develop a Shepherd's heart and understand the needs of the Lord's sheep.
• We must know and number the Lord's Sheep. We've been assigned specific individuals to attend to to ensure none is forgotten. 
• It is not about the numbers, but about recognizing, knowing and coming to love the other sheep in the Lord's fold.
• As you pray you will feel the love of Jesus Christ towards those whom you minister to. 
• We can move, fix, repair and build just about anything. Go and Do. 
• The righteous SAW those in need because they were WATCHING and NOTICING.
• We need to figure out how to walk 'into the moment' with honesty and love...and not with just a plate of brownies. 
• The world is more hopeful and joyful because of the acts of kindness you perform. 
• Whether our sheep are strong or weak, rejoicing or in anguish, we can make certain that no one walks alone. We can help them with each step forward.
• We have the opportunity to be the angels in other people's lives. 
• We can see many wonders if we minister side by side with older/younger generations.

Jeffrey R. Holland

• Don't wait for more instructions. Just jump in the pool and swim towards those in need.
• Agree with thine adversary quickly and don't let the sun go down upon thy wrath. 
• Anger if not restrained, is frequently more destructive than the injury that provoked it. 
• Because you were hurt once, this whole family has been hurting for years because you won't let it go. We're broken,  you're the only one who can fix this. Please, after all this time, can you find it in your heart to forgive the incident and once again lead? 
• The consequence of a ministering plea made in love to one who is willing to listen and forgive can bring continuous blessings.
• Live together in love. 
• We need to make efforts to heal the wounds we carry so that we can move forward and be uplifted.
• Let us not burden our remembrance with a heaviness that is gone. 
• Don't let the rotten and out-of-date issues continue to take up place in your heart and soul. Learn to forgive. Learn to move forward.
• We can rise above our pain. 
• You, who are letting miserable misunderstandings continue on for year after year...You, who are keeping this wretched quarrels alive...sacrifice your pride. Forgive. Move forward. Be better.
• Cease to contend one with another. If you know of an old injury. Repair it. Care for one another. In love. 
• Love Peace, Seek Peace, Cherish Peace, and Create Peace.

Shayne M. Bowen

• In our Day, Questions are focused not only on the Savior, but on His Church that he restored through Joseph Smith. 
• Those who gain a divine witness of the Book of Mormon through the Spirit will also come to know that Christ is the Savior of the World. 
• As we better understand who we are and the purposes of the Book of Mormon, our conversion is strengthened. 
• We are saved as we come unto Christ through living His gospel. 
• We are the Latter-day Gatherers. Our mission is clear. 
• Ye are the children of the Prophets, ye are of the House of Israel, ye are of the Covenant. 

Neil. L. Andersen

• The Savior knows where you are, what transpires in your life, and what you're experiencing in every moment in your life. 
• We search for happiness, we long for peace, we hope for love, and the Lord showers us with an abundance of blessings. But one thing is certain, there will be moments, hours, days, years, when your soul will be wounded. 
• Wounds in the soul are not unique to the rich/poor, one culture, one nation, or one generation. They come to all.
• Difficulties are part of life. We understand that. But when they come to us personally, it can take our breath away. Without being alarmed we need to be ready. 
• You need both bright colors of joy/hope and dark colors of trial to weave the tapestry of life. 
• Each of us will be wounded in the battle of life, whether spiritually, physically or both. Never Give Up. No matter the wounds, no matter their source. Never Give Up. You are not meant to perish spiritually. You are meant to survive and blossom. 
• The Savior stands ready to save us from the sorrows and pains that mar our wounded souls. He will come to you when others pass you by and will heal you, help you, care for you.
• My strength is made perfect in weakness. 
• Look forward. Your troubles and sorrows are very real but will not Last forever. Your dark night will pass. 
• You may be exhausted, but Don't Ever Give Up.
• By keeping God's commandments we can find joy, even in the worst circumstances.

Russell M. Nelson

• This effort is not a 'name change' or 'rebranding' or 'cosmetic' or a 'whim' or 'inconsequential' Instead it is a correction. It is the command of the Lord. 
• When the Savior clearly states what the name of his church should be; He's Serious. 
• The most glaring omission in the nicknames for the church is the neglect of mentioning the Savior's Name.
• When we omit Christ's name from His church we are inadvertently removing him as the Central Focus in our lives. 
• If we are to have access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we must clearly acknowledge him as the source of that Power. 
• The name of the Church wasn't chosen by Man, but Given by the Savior. 
• If we will do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord's church. His blessings and powers will pour down upon the heads of his Saints, the likes of which we have never seen.

Sunday Afternoon

Henry B. Eyring

• When you meet someone, treat them as if they're in serious trouble and you'll be right half the time.
• Since the beginning, the tests have not been easy. We face trials that come from having mortal bodies. We all live in the world where Satan's war against truth and our personal happiness is becoming more intense.
• God designed a sure way to pass through the world's tests. He sent his Son Jesus Christ to help us.
• The Father and I are one. I am in the Father, and the Father in me. And inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I am you. Wherefore I am in your midst.
• You may be momentarily disheartened, remember life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne, and grief endured along the way. As you remember that with God nothing shall be impossible. Know that He is your Father and you are His Child. 
• The Savior is the Rock upon which we can stand safely and without fear throughout every Storm that we face.
• When we speak for Christ, we Serve Him.
• Speaking for Christ requires a prayer of faith.
• If a man have faith, he must needs have hope. He cannot have faith & hope save he be meek and lowly of heart. None else is acceptable before God. 
• If he hath not Charity he is nothing. For Charity is the Pure love of Christ. 
• Try. Try. Try.

Brian K. Ashton

• The Father's plan works. He is personal invested in our success and provides us with the lessons and opportunities we need to help us grow and become closer to him.
• A correct understanding of Heavenly Father's character can change how we see ourselves and others. 
• Eventually, all things will work for the good of those who love Him. 
• Ultimately all of our blessings come from the Father. 
• Heavenly Father is a man of counsel who will counsel with us if we only ask.
• Heavenly Father is ALWAYS there for us. 
• Heavenly Father is more intelligent than us all.
• God wants our eternal happiness even more than we do, and won't require us to a moment more of difficulty than we have to. 
• Those who strive to be obedient will receive grace to grace and will ultimately receive his fulness. 
• Striving to become like the Father is worth every sacrifice, no matter how great. 
• The Father has prepared great blessings for you. 

Robert C. Gay

• Am I taking upon myself the Savior's name as he would have me do so?
• Can't you see that everyone around you is a sacred Being?
• God won't turn away from anyone, no matter their doubts or their afflictions.
• We must see as God sees, but we must Do his great work and Serve as He Serves.
• Do I know anyone who does not need the power of Heaven in their lives? 
• So many lives around us are at stake. Administer to all, regardless of how or where they stand. Lives are saved as we do so. 
• If your life is not built upon my Gospel but upon the works of man, you will have joy...for a season...but then the trials will come. There is no enduring joy in the ways of the world. 
• Christ's love is greater than our fears, doubts, temptations, sins, illnesses, etc. There is Nothing and NoOne he is unable to heal and bring to great joy.
• In any of life's travels, why would you turn away from the Savior who has power to heal and deliver you? Let us choose to increase our faith in him that he will help us. 

Matthew L. Carpenter

• Our Heavenly Father is all powerful and all knowing.
• There is no physical, emotional, or spiritual ailment that Christ cannot heal.
• Even though you may feel like there is no one around to help you when you need it most, know that Christ is always there to help.
• Once the Savior becomes involved, healing can be immediate.
• We cannot control when the healing will occur, but Christ will heal us in his timing.
• Christ can change our hearts, heal us from the effects of injustice or abuse we experience. He can bring us peace to help endure the trials in our lives. 
• Spiritual healing is not onesided. It requires the Savior's redemptive power and sincere repentance on the side of the sinner. 
• It is never a good idea to procrastinate your repentance.
• Christ can also heal the innocent victims of sin when they come to Him. 
• The faster we repent and bring the Atonement into our lives, the faster we can be healed from the effects of Sin. 
• We must not delay, we must act today. Act now. So the spiritual paralysis does not prevent your progression.
• We must choose to take the healing medicine Christ offers. Take it today. Do not delay. 

Dale G. Renlund

• I can't help them if they won't let me, and there is no one who is so hard to teach as the child who knows everything. So they got to do the next bit on their own. 
• Sometimes we too need to do the next bit on our own. That's why we came to earth on our own to make our own choices in this mortal life. 
• The Goal isn't about Doing what's right but Choosing to Do what's right. 
• We aren't pets needing training, but equals who will eventually take upon the Family Business. 
• Christ won't champion anything that the Father hasn't wanted all along.
• No one is excluded from the reach of God's mercy.
• Satan seeks to drag us down, he wants us to experience endless woe, he is the one who tells us we aren't good enough. He is the ultimate bully who kicks us when we're down.
• The Father of Lies is the ultimate proveyer of falsehood.
• Christ is the helper and consoler. His ways bring joy and hope eventually and always. 
• Obedience to God's commandments is not blind. We knowingly choose his pathway.
• God gives us the dignity of choosing. 
• We cannot be forced to disobey or to obey.
• When we discover we are off the path we can either choose to stay off....or repent and get back on the path.
• No matter how long we've been off the path or how far away we've wandered, the moment we decide to change, God helps us to return.
• Exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, receiving help from him...are not one time things, but a constant repetitive process.
• God wants us to become mature adults who have grown and learned in his ways. 
• We need to be willing to be tutored. 
• Our choices determine who we are and what we will become.

Jack N. Gerard

• How are we doing as a family and individually? Are we living our lives consistent with the covenants we made with the Lord's expectations?
• If there is anything in your life you need to consider. Now is the time. 
• Unless we take the time to reflect, we may not realize the impact the fast paced environment is having on our daily lives.
• As we progress down the covenant path with our hands on the iron rod, we hear and see those who mock us. We may not consciously intend to do so, sometimes we pause and shift our gaze to see what all the commotion is about. 
• Modern revelation reminds us that many are called but few are chosen. They are not chosen because their hearts are set on the world, but because they're set on the Lord.
• How do we rise above the distractions of the world, and stay fixed on the vision of eternity before us?
• We need to forgo some good things in order to choose things that are better or best. 
• As we seek to know the Savior, we should not overlook the fundamental truth of who we are and why we are here. We are here to prepare to meet God and for eternity. 
• The truth will make you free. 
• If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices of the world to find truth we must learn to receive revelation. To receive the spirit of truth. 
• The Spirit speaks truth and lies not. 
• Now is the time to consider what changes we need to make. 

Gary E. Stevenson

• Small efforts can have eternal consequences. 
• Ministering is more than just being nice. That is not to say that just being nice is inconsequential, but just that ministering goes far beyond being nice. It can have a far reaching influence for good.
• Serve out of love.
• Tending a large flock of sheep can be difficult and can't really be done alone. We all need help. 
• Most of the missing sheep aren't lost to sickness or death, but to predators who found the lambs who had strayed from the safety of the flock. 
• Everyone in the kingdom of God is a Shepherd. No calling is required as we are Shepherds from the moment we rise from the waters of baptism. 
• Our greatest challenges and our greatest rewards may come as we minister to lost sheep.
• The Lord will stay on the mountain to protect you from the storms, predators and more until you can be brought safely back to the flock. 

Russell M. Nelson

• We look to the future with enthusiasm. 
• As you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of learning, overtime your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. 
• Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. 
• TWELVE NEW TEMPLES! And the SLC temple is being renovated along with other pioneer era temples.

To read/watch/listen to the full talks given today. Please visit the site below. 

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

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi