Counsel from Stake Conference

In bullet points:

• From Matthew - We need to study the scriptures every day at 6:30am, and attend the temple together, despite having a newborn.


• Also from Matthew - story of how (mission president? temple president?) man's grandson died at age 6, mother (man's daughter) felt so much guilt and went into a deep depression, bitter time for family. One day, years later, she was in the celestial room, and prayed to Heavenly Father, that He would remove the burden from her. The response she received was, "Why did you not ask me sooner?" and from that day the burden was removed. (when Matthew told me this story, I cried. I felt like I could relate on some level, because of the amount of guilt I feel, for Elijah being behind on his speech. Part of me knows it's not my fault, but part of me still feels so filled with guilt. I need to ponder this further.)


• From Elder L. Whitney Clayton's talk - (prompting I received) I need to memorize the words to I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus and recite them or sing them in my mind whenever I'm tempted to be contentious. I need to overcome this contention, and have the spirit in my heart and home. It's essential for our family, and I need to focus on this trial/weakness.


• When Elder Clayton was giving his talk, he asked a few Primary kids and music leaders to come up and help him recite and sing I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus and If  the Savior Stood Beside Me, and the choir members on the pulpit began singing along. It's hard to describe the feeling that overcame me, and the spirit that I felt, just feeling the sincerity and beauty of it. I was choking up and trying not to cry, I felt it so deeply.


• During Elder Clayton's talk - he mentioned a couple people he had met/noticed, and how hard they were trying to live the Gospel and raise their families in the way of righteousness. My mind then thought of how Mom had met him, and how great she is, and what he thought of her. It was a silly thought, but I then thought, "I wonder if he knows that she has a daughter-in-law who is trying hard, and what he'd think of me and my efforts if he knew me..." and I felt the Spirit say to me that if he knew me, he would commend me as he had the others, and that I would have his approval. It's hard to describe, because it was more feelings I had rather than words I thought or heard, but it made me feel good, and I knew it was true.


• As the choir was singing the closing song, I had the strongest impression of the conference, I think. I don't even remember my train of thought, but I felt a little choked up, and felt that I'm not going far, but that I'm trying so hard. At almost the same time that I thought that thought, I felt the Spirit say to me that Heavenly Father knows how hard I am trying, that he knows what I'm experiencing and struggling with, and that he doesn't necessarily want me to change overnight. All He wants is for me to try just a little harder. Give just a little bit more than I have been; that's all He's asking of me right now. It took a fair bit of effort to not start crying right in the meeting, and I decided to sit on the experience and ponder it more once I had some quiet time.