General Conference Thoughts: Becoming a more Disciplined Disciple

General Conference Thoughts: Becoming a more Disciplined Disciple

Okay, so I have a confession. A few months ago (alright, so around a year ago), I realized I had a problem with self-discipline. I had a hard time controlling desires such as my desire for chocolate, my desire for sleeping in (which I couldn’t do anyway :( ), and my desire to NOT run. At first I ignored it, because that’s what I do when I initially see my weaknesses-- I hide from them. Then I decided it needed to be faced and fixed.

But how do you fix a problem with self-discipline? You need the very virtue you’re struggling with in order to strengthen it!

So I tried a few different things. I tried rewarding myself.

Epic fail!

Whenever I didn’t do what I was trying to do (which was frequently) I had created a whole new battle for myself. “Oh, but I tried.” “But it looks so good.” “I’ll get it now to motivate myself for next time.” etc. etc. etc.

I tried making lists, schedules, and plans. There were some pretty good ones, too. However, there wasn’t the accountability that I was needing.

So this year, for the October session of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had two questions prepared. 1) How can I develop more discipline? 2) How can I become a better disciple?
One of the talks that stood out the most to me was by Devin Durrant, "My Heart Pondereth them Continually." In it, he invites us to take a verse of scripture each week, print it out, and put it somewhere where we will see it.
Well, one of the aspects of my struggle with discipline has been doing things daily. So, I decided to put my mini-scriptures in my work bag so I could read them and look at my verse during my breaks.
The verse I opened up to was in Mormon 9: 28 Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.
(this is where my jaw drops open)
In one scripture, I had my answers. As I "ponderized" the verse, a plan of action came. This plan was unlike my other ones for two reasons. God was in this one, and He wanted me to include my mom and brother. 

I know that through the spirit I was guided to my answer. God could have given me the plan a year ago when I started trying to overcome my challenge. But I needed to be listening and acting on words of the prophets, reading my scriptures, and showing that I was ready to listen and obey.

General Conference!

Sorry. I'm bad at keeping up with my blogs :S.
But at least I'm here now, right?

I just finished listening to the first session of General Conference. I'd been advised by leaders to write down questions that I had, but I couldn't think of any questions. Finally, as this session was starting, a big question that I've been pondering came to mind, and I wrote it down. I havn't recieved any direct answers to it, but I've been feeling more at peace about it.

If anyone wants to listen/watch the remaining sessions, they're on the radio at FM 102.5, or somewhere around there :S. (my radio doesn't show exactly where I'm at) Or you can watch it from the church website
Watch https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng&cid=HPTU040114644
Listen http://www.mormonchannel.org/radio

The First Great Commandment

After a joyful reunion with the resurrected Jesus, Peter had an exchange with the Savior that I consider the crucial turning point of the apostolic ministry generally and certainly for Peter personally, moving this great rock of a man to a majestic life of devoted service and leadership. Looking at their battered little boats, their frayed nets, and a stunning pile of 153 fish, Jesus said to His senior Apostle, “Peter, do you love me more than you love all this?” Peter said, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”10 The Savior responds to that reply but continues to look into the eyes of His disciple and says again, “Peter, do you love me?” Undoubtedly confused a bit by the repetition of the question, the great fisherman answers a second time, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”11 The Savior again gives a brief response, but with relentless scrutiny He asks for the third time, “Peter, do you love me?” By now surely Peter is feeling truly uncomfortable. Perhaps there is in his heart the memory of only a few days earlier when he had been asked another question three times and he had answered equally emphatically—but in the negative. Or perhaps he began to wonder if he misunderstood the Master Teacher’s question. Or perhaps he was searching his heart, seeking honest confirmation of the answer he had given so readily, almost automatically. Whatever his feelings, Peter said for the third time, “Lord, … thou knowest that I love thee.”12 To which Jesus responded (and here again I acknowledge my nonscriptural elaboration), perhaps saying something like: “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world...“Were you as foolhardy as the scribes and Pharisees? As Herod and Pilate? Did you, like they, think that this work could be killed simply by killing me?"...To all within the sound of my voice, the voice of Christ comes ringing down through the halls of time, asking each one of us while there is time, “Do you love me?” And for every one of us, I answer with my honor and my soul, “Yea, Lord, we do love thee.” And having set our “hand to the plough,”17 we will never look back until this work is finished and love of God and neighbor rules the world.--Holland

I love this talk. Elder Holland really helps the scriptures become real to me.

I know that if we truly love God, nothing else will matter to us. We will pray to have His guidance, and we will act for Him and with Him in everything we do.
I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen

General Conference/Young Women's Broadcast

For those interested, each year, on the first Saturday and Sunday of April and Oct, the prophet, and other leaders in the church broadcast a General Conference, so that all the people in the church all over the world can hear what Heavenly Father wants them to hear.
This is translated into many different languages, and is an amazing thing.
In addition to the main sessions, there is always a priesthood session on Saturday evening, and either a Young Women's session, or a Women's session the week before.
I love General Conference, and think that there can be messages in it of anyone, even if you are not LDS (aka, Mormon).
This year's April conference is coming up, if you want to listen to it.
Here's a link to all of the conferences.
The General Young Women's Meeting was held, also, and has wonderful speakers, and musical numbers.