The Temple is always closed on General Conference Saturday--so we were able to have a very relaxing weekend as we watched both Saturday Sessions with and ate lunch in our friends, the Heideman's apartment on Saturday (they have a 60" TV in their apartment that their son-in-law bought for them!) so of course we're gonna go there!! I love to listen and take notes--it helps my mind stay focused. I don't know that I ever go back to those notes after a few days have passed and my post-Conference "resolutions" begin to wane; but I do know I get more from those messages as I write down things which "stir my heart". Then on Sunday, we just watched from our apartment with the Conference Sessions "streaming" from our computer onto the TV via HDMI cord. It was a glorious 2 days and I felt that Elder Neil L Andersen's talk was so tender in his references to Elder Hales- - from his talk--Elder Andersen shared that the First Presidency had told Elder Hales that he could give a brief message in the Sunday morning session of the Conference if his health permitte'd it. While his health did not permit it, he prepared a message which he did share with Elder Andersen and Elder Andersen shared these 3 lines from his talk with the Conference Audience: (and as I re-read those lines I quickly realized that he was "preparing himself for what was imminent") in his (Elder Hale's) next steps in life).
Quoting Elder Hales: “When we choose to have faith, we are prepared to stand in the presence of God. … After the Savior’s Crucifixion, He appeared only to those ‘who had been faithful in the testimony of [Him] while they lived in mortality.’ [D&C 138:12.] Those ‘who rejected the testimonies … of the … prophets [could not] behold [the Savior’s] presence, nor look upon his face.’ [D&C 138:21.] … Our faith prepares us to be in the presence of the Lord.”
Elder Andersen also gave a few lines from some of his other fellow Apostles and their messages. Then he promised that as we listen, the messages we receive of Conference "may be very literal or they may be customized just for us" personally. In a summarization of points of his talk, his words ring out that there is a treasure chest of heavenly direction awaiting our discovery in the messages of general conference. The test for each of us is how we respond to what we hear, what we read and what we feel! And then he encouraged us to heed the voice of the Lord through His Servants--take heed, take time to study And to follow them. He quoted Pres Monson's words from other Conferences--that are important for us now Then Elder Andersen closed with something that made me a little tear-eyed--he reiterated Pres Momson's counsel:
“Take the time to read the conference messages.”
“Ponder [them]. … I have found … that I gain even more from these inspired sermons when I study them in greater depth.”
And Pres Monson's words to us from his April 2017's General Conference message "My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven's help in our lives. . . ".
Now I wait patiently for the Ensign we lovingly refer to as "Conference Recap" and how we love to re-read and listen to the talks all over again.
Yet we are so blessed to have this inspiration and guidance from these modern-day Apostles and Prophets--due to technology--and already have access to their words and counsel thru digital means. This is truly a glorious time . So whether we read or listen on our "electronic devices" or wait for "hard copies"--I hope we can also use the messages from General Conference to bless our lives in the coming months. I know they are true and say, as did Elder Andersen, "I testify that in this conference we have heard the voice of the Lord". Amen.
One more thing I would like to include here has come in an e-mail to me from one of my (our) Granddaughters, Millie June Mumford. It's apparently a little writing assignment that she did at school the first week of October--and it really touched my heart!! Here is the copy if it:
Thank you so much, Millie!! I really treasure that note and you and your Family's visit to NEW YORK CITY last Spring!! It was so delightful!!
Thought I would include a few pics of the Activities she mentions here, as they must have been "extra-special" to her.
Here we are on the Bus taking us to the American Girl Cafe in Rockefellar Plaza in NYC
At our table at the Daisy Room of the American Girl Cafe.
L to R--Mia and her American Girl Companion doll, Millie and her Doll and Grammy Mumford
Plus--they each had a Mini American Doll that they could keep. What a FUN TEA-TIME !
See the "mint food" Millie so enjoyed!
Outside "Ellen's Stardust Dinner" (that's bigger than a trailer) where we went inside and had dinner while "Singing Waiters/Waitresses" entertained and brought our food to our table(s)
This pic and the one below are the trip to see "Statue of Liberty" on such a rainy cold day--everyone was glad to get back to our Apartment (hotel😉) to get warm and dry!!
Such cute pics here and below of our "Friday Night Activity" at the Church next door to the Temple, where we all went to get some "energy out of us".
Priceless memories of Millie June Mumford and her family (Duke & Kate and Max, McKay, Mitchell, Mia and even little Miles Mumford) and their trip over Spring Break 2017 to see Grammy and Papa Mumford--aka Elder and Sister Mumford as they served in the Manhattan New York Temple Mission. Oh how we loved it!!
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