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General Conference: “Commitment to the Lord”

In his talk “Commitment to the Lord” Elder John B Dickson speaks specifically to the youth of the church. Elder Dickson emphasizes the strength of today’s youth and the importance of following the plan of salvation. He says: “You have come into this world at a time that has been anticipated from the beginning—a time prior to the Second Coming of the Lord, in which, on one hand, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fullness and, on the other, there is great turmoil, confusion, and wickedness. The proving ground that you were born into is wonderful, … Continue reading →

General Conference From the Past: Living Water to Quench Spiritual Thirst

This week, we will examine a talk given by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quroum of the Twelve Apostles. He presented the talk, “Living Water to Quench Spiritual Thirst” during the April 1995 session of General Conference. Elder Wirthlin starts his talk by discussing the Samaritan woman Christ met at the well. With this woman, He taught “powerful, eternal truths,” testifying as His role as the Savior of the world. The woman focused on the physical nature of the living water Christ offered. Similarly, Elder Wirthlin notes that many in the world today seek out the easy way, the … Continue reading →

General Conference from the Past: “Conversion and Commitment”

As I researched some scriptures for this week’s lesson by President Kimball, I found an old General Conference talk that caught my attention. Since it is over a decade old, I thought it would be an excellent time to review and summarize it. The talk was given by Elder W. Mack Lawrence of the Seventy during the April 1996 General Conference. Focusing primarily on our conversion to the gospel and the subsequent commitment we have to obedience to its principles, Elder Lawrence emphasized our need to “strengthen our conversion to Christ.” Elder Lawrence started out by quoting Elder Romney of … Continue reading →

General Conference: “Discipleship”

In his talk “Discipleship” President James E Faust speaks about what it means to be a disciple of Christ. He opens by sharing the story of when the Savior called Peter, James and John to follow him. They left their nets behind and followed. President Faust goes on to say, “What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good for us. Everything in life has a price. Considering the Savior’s … Continue reading →

President Faust Passed Away

President James E Faust, the second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, passed away this morning from natural causes. He has been serving in the First Presidency since 1995. He has served as a General Authority for thirty-five years. He was with his family when he passed away. President Faust has been loved for the stories that he shared during his talks. These stories were wonderful illustrations of gospel principles. Many of the stories came from his personal life. He spent his life serving and helping others. In a recent talk he … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: “I Know Him Not”

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This week’s Sunday School lesson focuses on the trial and crucifixion of Christ. After His arrest, the disciple Peter followed Him from afar. When recognized, he denied knowing Jesus three times, as Jesus had earlier predicted. When the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, the disciple remembered his vow to follow Jesus to prison and to death (Luke 22:33), and he “went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). Here we have a man, a disciple who loved Christ earnestly and sincerely, and who had already given up so much to follow Him. Why would he then deny the Savior? President … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: “Whosoever Killeth You…”

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As I reviewed the Gospel Doctrine lesson for this week, the second half of John 16:2 stood out to me. Here, Jesus tells His disciples that “whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” Given that today is the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith, these words took on a special significance to me. Of course, Joseph was not the only person in the restored church who died because of his faith. Early church history is filled with a number of Saints who gave their lives because of their faith. One story that stood out … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: The Faithful and Wise Servant

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For the last blog on this week’s Sunday School lesson, I’d like to examine the parable of the servants given in JS-M 1:49-55. In this parable, the master departs, leaving a servant in charge of his household. The wise servant is anxiously engaged in doing the work the master left for him, but the evil servant is slothful and spends his time in riotous living. When the master returns, the servant receives his reward. Elder Bruce R. McConkie states in his book Doctrinal New Testament Commentary that “Jesus speaks here of his ministers, his servants, the holders of his holy … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: Climb the Tree!

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As we read Luke 19:1-10, we watch Jesus enter Jerusalem for the last time. But we are not the only ones watching. A sinner named Zacchaeus also wanted to turn in eye to the Savior, and as a reward for his diligence, he was able to take Christ into his home as well as his heart. After three years of ministering, Jesus is greeted by a large crowd when he enters the city. The throng was so deep that Zacchaeus, a man of little stature, was unable to see the Savior. Instead of complacently accepting that the Lord was hard … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: “Give ye them to eat”

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Circumstances did not allow for posting these lessons the weeks they were completed. However, it is my hope that you will still be able to take something from them. Today’s posts address lesson 12, “I Am the Bread of Life.” As I studied the miracle of the loaves and fishes for this week’s Sunday school lesson, I was touched by one important factor: who distributed the meal. Although most lessons seem to focus on the miracle itself, or the relationship to the Savior as the bread of life, I confess that this small technical detail intrigued me. Turn with me … Continue reading →