Sunday, October 3, 2010

Following The Prophet - 14 Fundamentals by Ezra Taft Benson



[This amazing Video was created by MoSop.  You'll want to check-out her Blog post here!]

Pres. Ezra Taft Benson
and here's the link to Pres. Ezra Taft Benson's address: 

"In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.


1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.


2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.


3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.


4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.


5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.


6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.

7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.


10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.

11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.


12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.


13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.


14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.


I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.

May God bless us all to look to the Prophet and the Presidency in the critical and crucial days ahead is my prayer."

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Glorious Conference Day at Bevan on Earth!

I'm in Heaven!  I don't know everything about the Internet and Computers, but I DO know that I've been blessed with Understanding and Skills to be used in the work of the Lord!

For me, this was THE most Spiritually Encompassing General Conference ever!  (And I'm sure it will only continue with the same feelings, only even more enhanced as I progress day by day through life.)

The NEW Church site explains it as this: 

"Sharing the Gospel



Content on the new site is media rich, using video, audio, photography, gospel art, and other graphics to communicate the gospel message. But the content isn’t only there to benefit members of the Church. It, like the gospel, is to be shared."

That's the Spirit that attended me for the morning and afternoon sessions of Conference. I felt that 'weight' upon my shoulders - the same one when I'm doing genealogy - to push me forward and let the Spirit lead me.
 
My General Conference Experience today ended up being GLORIOUS!
 
While watching and listening to Conference, my lap top had multilple Windows pre-opened and logged-in (Each page)  for quick and easy access. 
 
Preparation:
 
1st Window:  Open to the NEW LDS General Authorities Page with Photos and Share buttons.
 
2nd Window:  Open to the NEW LDS Interactive SCRIPTURES, for easy Highlighting, Notes, Tags, Linking, and Sharing.
 
3rd Window: Open to the NEW LDS YW Personal Progress area for my PERSONAL JOURNAL to record my thoughts as the Spirit spoke to me while listening to the words of the Living Prophets, Brethren and Sister.
 
4th Window: Open to the NEW LDS Newsroom for quick access to up to the minute news from the Prophet. The news on the 5 NEW Temples was posted with-in minutes after Pres. Monson made the announcement!!
 
5th Window: Open to Facebook where I planned to share my thoughts and posts.
 
The Actual LISTENING and WATCHING:
 
As the Speaker began, I typed their name into my Journal, and listened for the thought or message from the Spirit meant for me.
 
Then, I clicked on their Photo which opened to a page ready to SHARE. Leaving that Page open
 
I'm back on my Journal. Listening and finding that I can type the key thoughts and phrases MUCH faster than I could ever physically write into my hard-bound Journal. If I want to look-up a scripture, I can. It's one click away!  After writing an acceptable thought in my Journal, I COPY it.

Shared Post at Facebook
Now, back to the photo window to SHARE. Another Window pops-up and I PASTE my thought as given to me while listening with the Spirit, Click on Share and it's posted to Facebook just like that!!! 
 
Back to my Journal for any final personal thoughts whispered to my heart.
 
Next Speaker. Same routine. Type His Name in Journal, Click on Photo, Type Key Thoughts and Words from the message. Copy. Paste. Share. Continue to Listen, Watch and Type.
 
Elder Scott said words to the effect that "A strong testimony is not emotion but a conviction of Moral Strength, Peace, Hope and Happiness."
 
I've been tearful, emotional (because that just happens) and so HAPPY for having the COURAGE to go where the Spirit led me. Whether anyone ever sees or read my small Missionary efforts to SHARE, I feel the Arms of the Lord around me, holding, and encircling to sooth my aching heart and give me PEACE. I know that I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me, giving me much HOPE.
 
 
 

AMAZING NEW THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT THE CHURCH SITE

I started by logging on to the Church's NEW YW Personal Progress site and was hooked immediately!

I'm not serving in the YW (and haven't for years), but found the site very inviting and welcoming - even encouraging for me, just a normal sister in the Church to participate, too, for my OWN Personal Progress.

So, I clicked and began right at the the beginning: on my first required experience under the FAITH Value.

The site is very inter-active! It's wonderful! It's great!
It's soooo inspired! 

The FAITH Value Experience begins with a definition and some required scriptures to read - which you can click on and you are taken to a NEW interactive online Scripture page - which you can Highlight    and ADD NOTEs, TAGs and then SAVE everything in your own Personal STUDY NOTEBOOK!!
It's all on-line, on the Internet and it's FABULOUS! AND there's a JOURNAL attached to the Personal Progress Value Experiences for you to write down your thoughts and testimony as you work through and accomplish the tasks.

But, this is ONLY the prelude to what I wanted to write about now. 

After reading the selected required Scriptures, the next step is to read two General Conference addresses on FAITH.

With the Click of the mouse, you can search the talks and choose one that looks interesting, and it also opens to a completely NEW interactive page that ALSO allows you to HIGHLIGHT    , TAG, Write NOTES and SAVE to your Personal Study NOTEBOOK. 

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
I chose Elder D Todd Christofferson's talk: "The Blessing of The Scripture" mostly because it just seemed to leap out at me.


Elder Christofferson began with an expose about William Tyndale who was burned at the stake in 1536 because he had translated the scriptures into English so that the common man could read them.


And I stopped right there.

Something told me to check our genealogy. I discovered that William Tyndale was our 11th GG Uncle! - But, I hadn't included any of William's history or biographical information in our genealogy file.

Here's a 'clip' from the talk (that I've highlighted) with the inserted NOTE that I was able to create on the NEW pages that gives you an idea of what I've been doing ALL day! 

As it turns out, Uncle William's brother-in-law was Rev Rowland Taylor, our 10th GGrandfather, who was ALSO burned at the stake about 19 years later in 1555 for denouncing several practices of the Catholic Church that he knew weren't Scriptural!

At day's end, I've been able to gather life stories on both Uncle William and Grandfather Rowland and also add images to our Family Genealogy File that I maintain for ALL of our family!

Words cannot describe the spectrum of emotions and feelings that I have experienced this day as I've learned to love Uncle William and Grandfather Rowland!


I can only hope that they will both smile upon us now as we reverence our Scriptures with more devotion and treasure their examples with greater loving gratitude.

Rowland Taylor Parts From
His Wife And Children
William Tyndale Translates the Bible