Reverently Quietly: Ponder Pages

Helping the Poor and Distressed Dallin H. Oaks read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: We have been commanded to do good. We can do this through charitable donations of time and effort. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints puts a large emphasis on helping those in need and is extensively involved in humanitarian efforts around the world. Many other organizations and people not affiliated with the church are similarly involved in doing good. "As members of the restored Church, we need to be more aware and more appreciative of the service of others." Quote: "I testify of Jesus Christ whose light and Spirit guide all of the children of God in helping the poor and distressed throughout the world." - Dallin H. Oaks Questions to Ponder: How do I support the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its effort to serve those in need? How do I support other charitable causes? How can I find out the needs of people in my circle of influence and help meet t...

Building a Life Resistant to the Adversary Jorge F. Zeballos read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: As a civil engineering student, Elder Zeballos looked forward to taking a class that taught how to make buildings "anti-seismic" (i.e. earthquake-proof). But when he took the class, the professor explained that it was impossible to make anti-seismic buildings, but earthquakes were inevitable. Instead, the professor explained that the best he could do is teach his students how to build seismic-resistant buildings. Like civil engineering plans that tell builders how to build seismic-resistant buildings, we have the plan of salvation, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and inspired direction of living prophets to teach us how to construct happy lives that are resistant to sin, temptation, and attacks from the adversary. The Savior was tempted by Satan, but he was able to withstand the temptations. How? 1- He fasted and prayed. So although he was physically weak, he was spiri...

In Partnership with the Lord Ulisses Soares read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: Men and women are equal partners in the gospel of Jesus Christ, although men and women have different attributes and responsibilities. Adam was given a "helpmeet" so he wouldn't be alone in the Garden of Eden. "Meet" means equal, so Eve was to be an equal partner with Adam. The following two principles strengthen the partnership between man and woman: 1) We are all alike unto God. We are all invited to come unto Him. Both men and women have the same possibilities for celestial glory. So we are all equal to God.  When couples in a marriage understand this, "There is no superiority or inferiority in the marriage relationship, and neither walks ahead of or behind the other. They walk side by side, as equals, the divine offspring of God. They become one in thought, desire, and purpose with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, leading and guiding the family unit together....

And They Sought to See Jesus Who He Was James W. McConkie III read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: When Elder McConkie was called as a mission president, he and his family and his missionaries acted on President Wirthlin's counsel to spend time with Jesus. They read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John from the New Testament and 3 Nephi from the Book of Mormon. Doing so "changed everything":  "We gained a deeper appreciation for who He was and what was important to Him. Together we considered how He taught, what He taught, the ways He showed love, what He did to bless and serve, His miracles, how He responded to betrayal, what He did with difficult human emotions, His titles and names, how He listened, how He resolved conflict, the world He lived in, His parables, how He encouraged unity and kindness, His capacity to forgive and to heal, His sermons, His prayers, His atoning sacrifice, His Resurrection, His gospel." They "sought to see Jesus, who He was,...

Be Perfected in Him Paul V. Johnson read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: Brother Johnson's grandson's body could not produce red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, so he received a bone marrow transplant. Brother Johnson compares a bone marrow transplant to the atonement. When a person gets a bone marrow transplant, it changes the DNA in their blood to match that of the donor. His grandson, Aaron, did not have the power in himself to overcome his illness. Similarly, we cannot cleanse ourselves from sin, change our bodies into immortal bodies, or exalt ourselves. But Aaron had to be willing to do what the doctors asked him to do. Similarly, we need to be willing to keep our covenants and submit to the Lord's will. "Like the remarkable process of the very DNA of Aaron’s blood cells changing, we can have our hearts changed, have His image in our countenances, and become new creatures in Christ." We have agency and thus have the opportunity to choose ...

Beauty for Ashes: The Healing Path of Forgiveness Kristin M. Yee read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: 1 Samuel 25 tells a story of David, the future king of Israel. He and and his men watched over the flocks and servants of a wealthy man named Nabal. When David sent men to Nabal to ask for provisions, Nabal refused. Offended, David prepared his men to go up against Nabal. A servant told Abigail, Nabal's wife, what was about to happen. Abigail quickly gathered the requested provisions and set off to intercept David and his men. When Abigail came upon David, she took on Nabal's trespass and begged David to accept the provisions she had brought and refrain from shedding any blood. Abigain and David departed in peace. Abigail can be seen as a symbol of Jesus Christ. "Through His atoning sacrifice, He can release us from the sin and weight of a warring heart and provide us with the sustenance we need." Christ took our sins upon himself and made a way for us to "...

Follow Jesus Christ with Footsteps of Faith M. Russell Ballard read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: "as we follow Jesus Christ with footsteps of faith, there is hope. . . . There is hope to overcome our mistakes, our sorrows, our struggles, and our trials and our troubles. There is hope in repentance and being forgiven and in forgiving others." Christ will help us just as he helped the early pioneers. The word "pioneer" is both a noun and a verb. Noun: "a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new territory." Verb: "to open or prepare the way for others to follow." Joseph Smith was a pioneer whose footsteps of faith led him to ask God for truth and to bring the Book of Mormon to the world.  Missionaries are modern-day pioneers. President Nelson is a modern-day pioneer who, as an apostle, has opened many lands for the preaching of the gospel. As prophet, he has urged us to become more spiritually self-reliant. Jesus Christ is t...

What Is True? President Russell M. Nelson read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: Abuse in any form against any person is an abomination to the Lord. Those who perpetrate abuse are "not only accountable to the laws of man but will also face the wrath of Almighty God." The Church has taken extensive measures to protect children from abuse. We should review the resources the Church has published and be alert to and act promptly to protect anyone in danger of being abused. "The Savior will not tolerate abuse, and as His disciples, neither can we." Another disturbing tactic of the adversary is blurring the lines between what is true and what is not true. Many people on earth today do not know where to find truth. Others think that truth is relative. That is wishful thinking. God is the source of all truth. Quote: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints embraces all truth that God conveys to His children, whether learned in a scientific laboratory or rec...

This Day Ronald A. Rasband read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: In the Book of Mormon, the phrase "this day" is used to call attention to counsel, promises, and teachings. We come to General Conference to hear counsel for "this day." Counsel we need to hear "this day" is to renew our commitment to the Book of Mormon.  As a missionary, Elder Rasband accepted a challenge to read the Book of Mormon two times through: the first time marking or underlining everything that pointed to or testified of Jesus Christ, the second time marking or underlining principles and doctrine of the gospel. This practice filled him with "a profound love for the Lord" and a strong testimony of the truth of His teachings and their application to "this day." When President Nelson visits dignitaries, rulers, guests, politicians, leaders, etc., he reverently presents them with a Book of Mormon. He sometimes not only shares the book, but opens it and reads wit...

Let Doing Good Be Our Normal Rafael E. Pino read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: "Edifying customs and traditions are fundamental to our efforts to stay on the covenant path, and those that are an obstacle, we ought to reject." A custom is a practice or way of thinking that is habitual to a person, culture, or tradition. We believe that we should seek after good things.  These four habits should be normal in your life: 1. Personal and family scripture study. We are responsible for learning the gospel and parents are responsible for teaching their children the gospel. 2. Personal and family prayer. 3. Weekly sacrament meeting attendance. "In this ordinance the members of the Church renew their covenant of taking upon themselves the name of the Savior, of always remembering Him, and of keeping His commandments." 4. Frequent participation in temple and family history work. The scriptures (Mosiah 5:!5) give us a model for how to determine what will be the normal t...

A Framework for Personal Revelation Edler Dale G. Renlund read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: Pilots operate within a framework: they fly within the capacity of their aircraft and they follow directions from air traffic controllers when using the runway or flight paths. "No matter how brilliant or talented they are, only by flying within this framework can pilots safely unleash the enormous potential of an airplane to accomplish its miraculous objectives." We receive personal revelation within a framework, too: after we are baptized, we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Here are some elements of the framework: 1.  Reading the scriptures stimulates personal revelation.  " When we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures." -- Robert D. Hales. The scriptures also teach us how to receive personal revelation, e.g. don't ask for things contrary to God's will, have proper motives not personal agendas, ...

Seeing More of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Tracy Y. Browning read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways : Wearing glasses has illustrated Sister Browning's dependence on two things: 1) a tool that helps her to clarify, focus, and ground the world around her; and 2) a need for tangible guidance to continually point her in the right direction. Christ' love for us, His teachings, and His laws are "daily resources that we can depend on" to give us enlightenment, clarity, and understanding. As covenant children of God, we have access to tools to improve our spiritual vision: scriptures, messages from prophets and apostles, revelation through prayer, temple attendance, and taking the sacrament. These tools bring us peace and discernment and guide us through life to our eternal destination. "Jesus Christ is both the purpose of our focus and the intent of our destination. . . . [He] invites us to see our lives  through Him  in order to see  more of Him  in our lives. "...

Jesus Christ is the Strength of Youth Dieter F. Uchtdorf read, listen, or watch the talk Takeaways: This message is from Jesus Christ and is especially for the rising generation. If the Savior were with you right now, He'd probably express His love for you. He wouldn't make excuses for your mistakes, but He would speak words of hope and ask you to repent and change so He can forgive you. He would want you to "see, feel, and know that He is your strength." He would want you to see yourself as He sees you, as having a divine nature and limitless potential. The power of choice is the heart of God's plan of happiness. It is not always easy to choose right because we don't always see things clearly on earth. But we have access to truth through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The revisions to the For the Strength of Youth publication were designed to "help you find the Way and [] help you make Christ's doctrine the guiding influence in your life." "J...