Oct 14 2013

General Conference was awesome! Here are some of my favorite talks from the conference:

Come, Join with Us By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Hastening the Lord's Game Plan! By Elder S. Gifford Nielsen

Put Your Trust in the Lord By Elder M. Russell Ballard

You Can Do It Now! By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Bind Up Their Wounds By President Henry B. Eyring

To My Grandchildren By President Henry B. Eyring

“I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee” By President Thomas S. Monson

Among others. Priesthood session was my favorite session overall.

It feels good to be back in Eight Mile Plains! Although things are very different this time around. Perhaps it only feels different because I am different -- I actually have an idea of what to do as a missionary now, whereas I didn't before. Whatever the case may be, I am EXCITED! =D

My overall impression of general conference (i.e., what I think the tone of the next 6 months will be), is that the next months will be full of hardships and trials, from individuals to families to countries and cultures. Just think of how many talks mentioned the latter days as a period of people who are lovers of themselves and not others. Also think of how many talks mentioned the importance of keeping true to your own testimony, despite opposition or even personal doubts. They spoke of healing and preparation and repentance.

And yet -- it struck my how much that the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, was to reach out to someone else. No matter the medium, the way will overcome out trials ahead is by simply setting them aside for a moment and helping someone else in their trial. After we help them (through service, missionary work, the Rescue, or any other way), we will turn back to our own struggles and find that they are no longer there. Please not, however, that this service should not strain us beyond our capacity, as many noted -- many speakers also told of the importance of our own spiritual rest and wellbeing.

My direction for the next weeks is to work with the less-actives. There are quite a few -- the tragedy is that many of the less-actives were active merely 10 months ago when I was in the ward last. I think by helping them all see this trend -- that they need to get their lives in order to help others, that they need to serve others to find their own faith -- we will grow in strength.

Take care everyone! Forget yourselves, and go to work!

Elder J. Colton. Ladd

Elders Lunt and Ladd