Priesthood session Oct 2007

beefche · Profuse Pontificator

Priesthood session Oct 2007

PollyAnna · Senior Bucketkeeper

Well... you have to at least WAIT till they get back!

beefche · Profuse Pontificator

I'm just getting a head start.....

PollyAnna · Senior Bucketkeeper

Poncho29 · Senior Bucketkeeper

My 10 year old daughter wanted to go with Cat, cuz the men were having pizza right before the session. I just laughed and said, "What are you going to do? Pretend you're a boy and you're 12?"

Euphrasie · Senior Bucketkeeper

Heh. Cute.

I was just thinking about those poor men. For the RS Broadcast, we all had dinner beforehand. I don't think the men were doing any thing 'extra.' I thought about how fun it would be to make a boatload of brownies and run to the store for ice cream, and then just hide out in the kitchen till it was over...with my kids...asking for brownies... Anyway. It was a fun mental picture. I would have loved to see their faces at the surprise. If it weren't such a last-minute idea, I might have tried it out.

nitasmile · Senior Member

Poncho- that is so cute. Once awhile ago, I had thought if I had the courage of Lucy and Ethel I would want to go to PRiesthood meeting all disguised as a guy, to sneak in and hear what they said.

Euphrasie- I like your idea, if we're ever in the same ward, I'll help you w/your great idea!!

My old ward the men would go to icecream before.

OK guys- Beefche, Poncho, Euphrasie and PollyAnna and I are waiting for the scoop!!! :)

-- Edited by nitasmile at 19:49, 2007-10-06

dilbert · Senior Member

I didn't take extensive notes, but here is what I have:

The speakers and their topics:
Elder Perry--missionary work
Elder Hallstrom--procrastination
Elder Clayton--pornography
Elder Gonzalez--preparation
Pres. Eyring--answering a call to serve
Pres. Monson--qualities of a servant of God
Pres. Hinckley--Anger

Things not discussed:
There was no call to move to Missouri.
Polygamy was not reinstated.
Neither was the United Order.
The church did not announce that they are endorsing the candidacy of Mitt Romney.
The church also did not announce that they are endorsing the candidacy of Hilary Clinton.

Things discussed:
Having red hair is good.
How to catch fish with a fish trap.
Don't look at pornography.
Raise the bar.
Pray.
Prepare.
Don't procrastinate.
Easy Street is a dead end.
Don't look at pornography.
Pray.
Prepare.
Priesthood leaders in Peru responded well to the earthquake to help the people there.
High jumping over a broom stick supported by stacked chairs in your living room is not a good idea.
Don't look at pornography.
Pray.
Control your temper.
Anger is the mother of a whole brood of evils.
You look silly when you throw a fit.
Do it.
Look ahead and make good decisions.
Trust in God.

I enjoyed all of the talks, but my favorite was President Eyring's. He talked about the answers he has received to his prayers over the last few days since he received this new calling and said that we can all expect these answers from the Lord when He calls us to do hard things.

First he said that we can receive assurance in the memory of previous help we have received from the Lord. One message he received was, "Haven't I always looked after you?" He noted that he has received a lot of help in the past in fulfilling callings and can expect that help to continue.

As he was praying about how inadequate he felt for this calling, he received what he termed almost a rebuke: "forget yourself and start praying for the people you are to serve." Our service in the church isn't about us. It's about those the Lord wants us to serve.

And third: go to work. Go out and do things, and miracles will happen.

He added that we need a broken heart.

He advised priesthood leaders to be careful where their eyes go, and what their mouths say (pornography and swearing).

And he reiterated that we need to pray for help.

PollyAnna · Senior Bucketkeeper

dilbert wrote:
Things discussed:
Having red hair is good.

I am relieved... don't ask! biggrin

Jen · Senior Bucketkeeper

Things not discussed: There was no call to move to Missouri. Polygamy was not reinstated. Neither was the United Order. The church did not announce that they are endorsing the candidacy of Mitt Romney. The church also did not announce that they are endorsing the candidacy of Hilary Clinton.

arbilad · Head Chef

Dilbert, I think that they also mentioned something about not looking at pornography.
Actually, I think that that subject was addressed very well. People get tired of being told the same thing over and over, even if they need to hear it again. But the speakers still really addressed it well. One speaker talked about fish traps: wire metal cages with holes cut in them and the wires pointed inward. The fish goes in to get the free lunch, barely squeezing past the wires. After it's brief repast, it finds that it can't get out because the wires are poking at it. He talked about how King David committed adultery and murder because he didn't avoid the obvious trap, and once he got in, he didn't take the measures he needed to in order to get out of the trap.
There was a really cool interstitial comment that Dilbert alluded to. I don't think that it will be in the transcripts, because they only record the actual talks. But Pres. Monson, after finishing his talk, mentioned that he had told a flaming red headed kid in the tabernacle once that when he had been mission president, he would have liked to have a flaming red head in every district, because they are go getters and accomplish a lot. He later got a note from that kid's mother thanking him for changing that kid's entire outlook on life. Earlier he had been ashamed for having flaming red hair because the kids always teased him. But now he would stand in front of the mirror admiring his hair and combing it. Then, when the Prophet got up to give his talk on anger, he began by saying, "President Monson, I'll be looking for you to dye your hair." I love the prophet's sense of humor.
Pres. Monson bore his testimony about what a wonderful person the prophet is, and how much of himself he gives to help others.
I liked the Prophet's talk on anger. While he acknowledged that there are very rare occasions when anger is justified, mostly it is a poison that can destroy you. He said that you should always be in control of your emotions. He never argued with Sister Hinckly. He related a story of someone who had a newspaper article written about him when he turned 100 or something, and they asked him what was his secret for long life. He said that when he got married, his wife and he agreed that one of them would go outside and cool off whenever they had an argument. He attributed his long life to the plenty fresh air he received over his life.

PollyAnna · Senior Bucketkeeper

thanks guys for the recounts...

Hubby headed off to work right after... and my boys had plans...

It's nice to get the scoop... oh, and I figured the red hair reference was some kind of inside joke... But I am still glad Pres. Monson and Pres Hinckley like red hair, cause I made a drastic change in my appearance this last week...

beefche · Profuse Pontificator

Wow! Polly, your appearance changed dramatically with your hair color! You look wonderful!

beefche · Profuse Pontificator

dilbert...thanks for the very succinct and humorous summary! I just have one question...did anyone talk about pornography? That's usually a topic of discussion.

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

I really like Pres. Hinckley's talk on anger. It made me think about some of my motives lately and my strange behaviors... and whether or not I've been letting anger get into my heart... even a little...

Outside of the flaming red-hair bit which was hysterical (Pres. Hinckley has an amazing mind if I have half that mind at half that age... to come up with something so funny so quick), the best moment was when Elder L. Tom Perry suggested to the Young men of the church that being emotionally healthy and socially capable were important skills for being missionaries, and perhaps instead of playing videogames and texting people all day long, they ought to get a job.

It was a classic moment that made many of the men in the room hug their young sons... and laugh out loud... though I don't know if that happened in the conference center.

--Ray

PollyAnna · Senior Bucketkeeper

sorry... I realized I should take my derail somewhere else...

-- Edited by PollyAnna at 00:42, 2007-10-07

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

There was a very specific and direct talk about pornography. I appreciated the directness of it... It was given by a GA elder Clayton, though the topic was mentioned by others, and Pres. Hinckley mentioned Clayton's talk in his talk.

--Ray

nitasmile · Senior Member

Thanks guys for sharing. I also found this link, someone took really good notes and put them on his blog:

http://messengerandadvocate.wordpress.com/2007/10/06/177th-semiannual-general-conference-saturday-priesthood-session/#comment-12595

-- Edited by nitasmile at 07:34, 2007-10-07

dilbert · Senior Member

I agree that Elder Clayton's pornography talk was very good. You can just about always count on a talk directed specifically to pornography in the priesthood session. That topic wasn't the overwhelming theme of the session, but it did get one talk dedicated to it (you can pretty much count on that in the priesthood session) and several mentions by others besides Elder Clayton. I did think that Elder Clayton addressed the topic very well.

One other thing Pres. Hinckley included in his talk on anger was this story: A man (I don't remember who) was slandered by a newspaper story. He consulted with another man (don't remember him either) about what to do about it. The second man said to do nothing. He pointed out that half of the people who bought that copy of the newspaper didn't see the story. Half of those who saw the story didn't read it. Half of those who read it didn't understand it. Half of those who understood it didn't believe it. And half of those who believed it are of no account anyway.

Pres. Hinckley's point was that we should not make a great fuss about things that are of little consequence.

Euphrasie · Senior Bucketkeeper

Very good. I'm so glad President Eyring got to speak again.

Mahonri · Senior Bucketkeeper

The Aaronic Priesthood in our ward are talking about all of them dying their hair red!

Pres. Monson has no idea what he has started!!

Poncho29 · Senior Bucketkeeper

Cat was a red head as a kid and it turned darker, but it still has some shades of red in it.
We have one child with red/auburn hair and another with shades of red in his hair. Is that close enough?

Mahonri · Senior Bucketkeeper

Dil,

I am so very grateful that the Church didn't endorse the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.

....

You crack me up

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

I agree with Dilbert about Pres. Eyring's talk. It was the first time I can recall a talk mentioning just how difficult it would be to fulfill a priesthood calling. Often that aspect is glossed over by talking about how you just have to have faith... Well, sure, but it's also supposed to be difficult. It was strangely comforting to me. Now I just have to guage myself and how well I can rise to that difficulty.

His talk about keeping the Spirit and Journals was amazing too. He put the need to record one's spiritual impressions in such a way that I'd never considered as well. Maybe it's the calling, maybe I'm just more receptive, but clearly the Lord has blessed Pres. Eyring in his newfound duties. It is a real miracle.

--Ray

LoudmouthMormon · Profuse Pontificator

dilbert wrote:
You look silly when you throw a fit.
Do it.
Trust in God.

Um, well... Okay... I guess if it comes from GC, I'd better do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxHEkjaAfOo

-- Edited by LoudmouthMormon at 11:46, 2007-10-08

Valhalla · Profuse Pontificator

I also remember from Elder Clayton's talk on porn that looking at women can become that if you don't look away when you should. The problem is at work sitting in a meeting where tight clothing and low cut shirts are the norm. Kind of hard to keep the thoughts focused, chaste when she can't keep her girls from jumping out. I spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling and think I am a child of God.

Jen · Senior Bucketkeeper

What's with the avatar, then?

Cat Herder · Understander of unimportant things

Val, maybe she deserves a response in kind... plumber's buttcrack!

just kiddin...

Valhalla · Profuse Pontificator

I think it is funny and sounds like Calvin. I already carry a powerful handgun, now I just need to get my wife to wear tight clothes!

hiccups · Future Queen in Zion

Valhalla, it does sort of look odd next to a post complaining about women in tight clothing. And would you like your wife to wear tight clothing to places where there are other men? It's just not so funny to me.

-- Edited by hiccups at 15:29, 2007-10-08

Valhalla · Profuse Pontificator

I never said the tight clothes on her were to be worn out of the house! I guess I should use more smilies to show when I am being just silly.

I like the avatar. I like Calvin, it is him, I think it is funny.

PollyAnna · Senior Bucketkeeper

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