Friday the event began at 6:30pm and ended at 9:00pm (or thereabouts!). The music was provided by David Archuletta and the speakers were Fiona Givens and S. Michael Wilcox. The theme this year was "One Heart, One Faith".
These are some notes from Fiona Givens talk:
- The four "L's" of Creation: Law (order), Life, Light and Love
- Oneness = One heart, one faith, one mind
- D&C 38:1 "...I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine."
- Reconciliation = Bringing things together that were apart
- Revelation 12:6 The woman flees to the wilderness (apostasy & dark ages) where God has prepared a place for her (he nourishes her)
- John Taylor - "If those were the dark ages, I pray God to give me a little more darkness."
- Joseph Smith - "Gather all good and true principles or we shall not come out Mormons."
- Jacob 5 - Jacob shares the words of Zenos and relates the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. Look at the verbs in this allegory: "nourish" used 22 times; "preserve" (save) used 20 times; "grieve" used 8 times; and "wept" is the Lord weeping,.
- Moses 7 tells about Enoch. In this story God also weeps. Enoch says, "How is it God weeps?"
- Sigmund Frued - "No one is so defenseless against suffering as when one loves."
- Dietrich Bonhoffer - "Love is God's power. It makes him vulnerable."
- Eve - When God created things, he started with the lowest life form and goes to the highest....Eve. (Lots of chuckles at this.)
- IF you eat; YOU WILL surely die
- Fruit: Good for food, beauty, wisdom.
- Genesis 3:23 "Become as one of us"
- Life is an ascent, not a fall
- Never had known good and evil
- Never should have had children
- Never known the joy of our redeemption - Robert D. Hales - "Never, never shut the door of your heart to any of your children."
- Atonement = Reconciliation, Healing, Bringing Back
- Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the arms of the angel,
Fly away from here,
From this dark, cold hotel room,
And the endlessness that you fear.
You are pulled from the wreckage,
Of your silent reverie.
You're in the arms of the angel,
May you find some comfort here.
The song sung by David Archuletta can be found at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko-lNqco45A.
He also sang "Bridge over Troubled Waters" which is a blast of my past. Loved listening to this young man sing.
The concluding speaker Friday evening was S. Michael Wilcox. These are my notes from his talk:
- Mike talked of the Savior creating the earth. He noted that after each day the Savior pronounced the work good. On the final day he called the work 'very good'. How many 'goods' before the 'very good'? 6 times. He said we should note not just the big rest at the end but also the rests in between.
- His wife gave him a letter once as a gift. It was a list of the things she felt he had perfected. (This was a great idea to me.)
- Mark 14 relates the story of the woman and the ointment in an alabaster jar. She is chastised by some apostles for using such an expensive ointment when the money could have been given to the poor. The Savior supports what she is doing. Mike used the phrase 'substitute a morality of severity for a morality of sympathy,' He pointed out there were two goods in this story. 1) She hath done what she could and 2) It is the nature of women to break the alabaster jars and it is the nature of Jesus to love them for it.
- He told the New Testament story of the widow giving 2 mites. 1) She gave all that she had. 2) Look for 2 mite moments in people's lives.
- The Lord wants us to hand broken hearts for one another. The Lord will handle broken souls Himself.
- A greeting from the Philippines or Indonesia: "I am well, if you are well."
- You are not in charge of the whole planet.
- Spending the wind without raising the sails. (Do I live life this way?)
- Cause the critical mass to tip toward an unending goal.
- John 13:35 My disciples love one to another.
- Matthew 7:12 The Golden Rule
- Confucius: "My hear responds to yours."
- 13th Article of Faith - We believe in being benevolent.
- Cyrus: "Cherish reciprocal benevolence."
- 13th Article of Faith - We believe in doing good to all men.
- Compassion = The love the Savior has. The love he wants us to have for each other.
- Mosiah 5:2 "Might Change" 1) No more disposition to do evil. 2) To do good continually.
- Afternoon of the 1st Resurrection: 1) Don't measure time. 2) Lots of reunions. 3) When we're helping we're happy.
- D&C 38:25 Esteem brother as self
- Joseph Smith: "It grieves me there is no fuller fellowship. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with him. If one be honored, all the members rejoice with him.
The second speaker Saturday was Lisa Valentine Clark. Here are some notes from her talk.
- "Energy" is our most precious commodity.
- 2 Nephi 31:20 states we should 'press forward'. Press = Measured effort.
- Begin with hope.
Mary Ellen Edmunds, Lisa Valentine Clark and Mary Cook formed a panel to discuss this question: How do you engage with the word of God? Some notes from their comments:
- Feast on the word
- Teach the word given in the scriptures.
- Text each other comments and impressions when reading
- eMail a friend, "What do you think about this verse?"
- Study with emphasis on a topic or word.
- Law of the 'Firsts' (Elaine Dalton quoting Pres. Henry B. Eyring.
- The Lord honors our effort.
- Arise at an early hour (so quiet).
- Read entire book in a short period of time on occasion.E
- In Alma 5, Alma is in Zarahemla speaking to members of the Church. His question to them, "Have you spiritually been born of God?"
- John 20:22 states he 'breathes on them' meaning he gives them the Holy Ghost. This echos Genesis 1 & 2. We become alive as the Holy ghost comes into us.
- Mosiah 2:3 Service, Atonement
- Mosiah 4:1 Have mercy, apply the atoning blood of Christ.
- First, believe in Jesus Christ
- Second, Apply the Atonement
- Mosiah 4:3 Spirit came, filled with joy, peace of conscience
- Mosiah 5:2 Mighty Change of Heart (The heart was changed through faith in Him)
- Big bang conversion = Alma and Paul
- Steady state conversions = Sons of Helaman were taught by their mothers
- Oscillating testimony conversion = Little bangs along the way
- Alma 5:26 Can you feel so now?
- Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony. (Elder David Bednar, "Converted Unto the Lord, Ensign, November 2012)
- Ordinances put covenants into effect.
- Sacrament is the 'heart of the Sabbath'.
- Mosiah 4:11-12 Retain in remembrance
- Sincere Prayer
- Regularly participating in ordinances in Holy Places (Stand in Holy Places)
- Keeping sacred time - Sabbath and Holidays
- Feast on the word
- Uplifting music
- Christ-like Service
The concluding speaker was Mary Cook whose talk was titled "Living Your Circumstances".
- Circumstances - Events which change your life over which you have no control.
- Alma 17:5 Alma meets the sons of Mosiah. Their circumstances for the last 14 years were afflictions and suffering both body and soul
- 3 Principles: 1) Live Ye! (Ezekiel 18:32 Determine God's plan for you); 2) Live gratefully and 3) Life patiently
- Live Ye!
- Look up - Focus on what the Lord would have your do
- Focus on the opportunities the circumstances in your life provide
- Trust in the Lord
- Circumstances are not always our choice but we can choose how to respond to them. - Life Gratefully
- Key to happiness
- What makes you happy: Think about a person; Write why; Call them and share what you wrote.
- Happiness Journal
- It is sufficient (Julie Beck) - Live Patiently
- Circumstances require time
- Patient active waiting and enduring
- Endure well (40 years for the children of Israel; 14 years for the sons of Mosiah; 70 years for the children of Israel in Babylon; Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail)
- Charity Never Faileth. Forgive, forgive, forgive.
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