Category Archives: General Conference Book Club

General Conference Trivia Answers and Winners!

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Reminder:  If you haven’t added your voice to General Conference Book Club: Week 1 yet, you still can.  Don’t be shy.  🙂

Well, you people deserve little general conference trophies or something.  Man, you were good listeners!  There were 28 questions.  Everyone who answered at least 27 questions correctly was entered into the prize(s) drawing– also known as Random.org.  (There were 11 people in the high-scoring category!)  Rest assured that I was not a tyrant grader; there was plenty of wiggle room when someone obviously had the right idea about an answer.  All the talks are available online to watch and listen to, so if you have issues with any of my questions and answers, feel free to submit a complaint form through the mail.  (All complaint forms must be accompanied by a handling fee of one bag of peanut butter M&Ms.)  Anyway… the winners!

Congratulations to KIMBERLY T. who won the temple print and SIERRA A. who won the Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD!  Send me an email with your mailing address by Sunday, and your prizes will be in the mail by … well, definitely by the next general conference.  I’ll do my best.  Thanks also to Lesa at Notes About Music who helped me host all this conference craziness and donated the CD for the trivia contest.  (If you don’t remember what these lovely prizes look like, go back here to peek.  I’m feeling a little too lazy to upload photos today. It’s been a busy week on the blog, people.)

Would you like to see the answers now?  Drumroll………..  Ta Dah!

GENERAL CONFERENCE TRIVIA CONTEST

 SPOKEN WORD

When President Monson addressed the congregation for the very first time in this conference, what was the first thing he said?            HELLO!

How many new temples were announced?  And which one does President Monson want to dedicate himself?      5-6: (PROVO TABERNACLE,COLOMBIA, SOUTH AFRICA, CONGO, WYOMING, +PARIS);  STAR VALLEY, WYOMING.

Finish this clever rhyme from President Uctdorf’s talk.  “The Lord doesn’t care if we work in marble halls or      (?)     .      STABLE STALLS

What kind of bird did President Packer refer to when teaching youth to learn from their elders?       CROW

Elder Perry spoke about the Church in the media.  He asked us to share the church and the gospel with the outside world the same way that volunteers do at what kind of event?      TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE

What did Elder Scott give his family as a Christmas gift in 1991?       AUDIO RECORDING OF HIMSELF READING THE BOOK OF MORMON

According to Elder Scott, what endeavor/achievement is “like forging a new friendship”?      MEMORIZING A SCRIPTURE

Elder Bednar suggested that young people are gifted in technology for a purpose.  What does he encourage them to do instead of video games, Facebook and surfing the Internet?            FAMILY HISTORY

Elder Christofferson said that we should smile when we speak about what principle?      REPENTANCE

Which apostle quoted a mommy blogger who said, “Motherhood is not a hobby; it is a calling.”?      ELDER ANDERSEN

 In Sister Thompson’s talk, she told the story of a woman during WWII who was asked how she kept a testimony through all her suffering.  Complete the woman’s response:  “I didn’t keep a testimony, …….”      A TESTIMONY KEPT ME.

Elder Whitney L. Clayton was able to go into the presidential palace that he had once taught in front of on his mission.  In what country?      PERU

Elder Ian Ardern gave a great talk about managing our time.  Finish this wise piece of counsel:  “Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to _______.”      TEXT

Elder Carl B. Cook found himself riding in an elevator with President Monson when he was feeling very discouraged.  What was the prophet’s advice?  IT’S BETTER TO LOOK UP.

What did President Monson lose as a child that helped him gain his testimony of prayer?      $5 BILL

What are the three points that President Eyring reminded us are part of our baptism covenant?      1. BE CHARITABLE   2. BE A WITNESS  3. ENDURE TO THE END

According to Elder Ballard, what 9 words explain exactly who we are and what we believe? THE CHURCH  OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

According to Elder Tad Callister, why are there so many Christian churches?  THEY INTERPRET THE BIBLE DIFFERENTLY

On Sunday morning, we were taught about fatherhood in one of the best talks on the matter I’ve ever heard.  Who was the speaker?      SISTER DALTON

Elder Russell M. Nelson said that the greatest compliment that can be given in this life is to be known as a    (what?)   ?      COVENANT KEEPER

 Brother Richardson told a story about mountain hiking with his children.  What did he do when they wanted to know how much further they had to go?      THEY TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED HOW FAR THEY CAME

  What happened to Elder Randall K. Bennet when he ignored a warning sign?      HE ALMOST DROWNED

When Elder Cornish wanted to eat a piece of chicken, how was his prayer answered?      HE FOUND A QUARTER ON THE GROUND

 MUSIC

Where was the children’s choir from?      PleasantView and North Ogden, Utah

What primary song did the Tabernacle choir sing during the Saturday morning session?      I am a child of God

During the Saturday morning session we were asked to sing the congregational song with full hearts. What was the name of the hymn? Redeemer of Israel

The women in the tabernacle choir wore two dresses during conference.  What colors were they?      BLUE AND PINK

What Hymn did Sister Dalton refer to in her talk?            RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD

Thanks for participating.  It was fun!

In case you missed it, the general conference photo contest winners are up now, too.  Go here to vote for your favorite.

General Conference Photo Contest– Vote for Your Favorite

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One of the (many, many) cool things about General Conference is how it gathers a family all together for something that really matters.  And any kind of successful family gathering requires one really important ingredient– an intentional mother.

I love these photos because they witness that there are mothers who have prepared the way for their children to hear and experience the word of God from living prophets.  And they’ve done it in way that build lasting memories.  This is the kind of influence that Sister Julie Beck is always talking about:  mothers who know, lionesses at the gate, disciples of watchcare and ministering– it’s all there in the small efforts we make to bring our families to Christ.

So, the contest.  Here are the Honorable Mentions.  Thank you so much to everyone who sent me photos.  I loved looking at all of them. Click on any of the photos to see them larger.

Carrie.  Watching from his tent with a Lego temple.

Amy. Reaching for treats when they hear the keywords.

Cheryl.  All prepared and ready to roll.

Crystal M.  Basking in the words of the prophet.

Brooke.  Her children painted on canvas during one session.  So cool.

Kimberly.  Baby loves the prophet.

The FINALISTS.

Please vote for your favorite.  You’re welcome to write in another if your favorites were different from mine.  The winner will receive Hilary Weeks’ book, Believe in What You’re Doing.

Lara.  Concentrating on the task at hand.  A beautiful image.

Diane. Sustaining the Lord’s Annointed.  Over donuts.  I love it.Amanda. A session-long’s effort to create a prophetic masterpiece.  Isn’t that a great First Presidency?Vote here:

Poll will close at midnight on Friday night.  The winner will be featured on Sunday’s GCBC post.  🙂

General Conference Meme and Blog-Share

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Does anyone else feel like the last amen at conference is like saying goodbye to a dear friend?  Sigh.  So to help us through our withdrawal, let’s reflect on what conference meant to us.

I’m sorry it took me a while to get this up today, but here are eleven questions that you can answer on your own blog.  Then come back here and post the link for us.  (Please share the link that goes directly to the meme post, not just your blog.) I’m trying out that fancy linky thing at the bottom of this post, but if it doesn’t work, then linking up in the comments works just fine too.  I will come and visit every single one.  I’m excited to hear what you learned.  Thanks to Lesa for helping me both write and host the meme.

The questions below have my own answers, so if you want a cleaner version to cut-and-paste on your blog, you can get it here.

General Conference Highlights, October 2011

1.  Who were your three favorite speakers?

I think I had 4 (or more):  Sister Dalton, Elder Ardern, Elder Andersen, and Elder Carl Cook

2.  Which talk spoke to you the most?

Even though it was for fathers, I loved Sister Dalton’s talk.  It made me grateful for my father and my husband, and taught me a lot about being a better mother too.

3.  What was your favorite Hymn and why did it move you?

When the choir sang “Consider the lilies” I really felt the message.  It seemed a perfect fit with Pres. Uctdorf’s conference and RS talks.

4.  Which speaker was the best dressed?  (Come on, we can have a little fun.)

President Uctdorf had a kickin’ purple striped tie on Saturday morning.

5.  Were there any topics that you felt like were repeated often?  Any conference “themes”?

Were there like 10 talks about reading scriptures?  Because it sure felt like it to me.  Such a great reminder I needed.

6.  Share a few of your favorite quotes from any of the talks (paraphrasing is fine).

Loved Elder Andersen’s reaffirmation of the importance of the family.

Loved Pres. Monson’s declaration that we are unapologetically different from the morals of the world.

Also really liked when Pres. Eyring quoted Marion G. Romney (I think) about true conversion means that your desire to do anything contrary to the gospel is dead.

7.  Name something(s) that made you smile or laugh during conference.

President Monson’s cute faces and humor.  The 29-cent chicken story.  Pres. Eyring remembering what happened to Abinadi when he testified of Christ against his audience’s will.

8.  Was there any evidence that your children paid attention?

Oh gosh, they did so great.  Really.  Tonight my 4-year-old Natalie said to me in the kitchen while we were setting the table, “I’m going to miss General Conference.”  Me too, Natalie, me too.

9.  What doctrine did you learn as you listened to the choir(s) sing?

I felt the simple truth and reminder of my divinity as I heard “I am a child of God,” plus what I already said about “Consider the lilies.”

10.  Did the music enhance your General Conference experience? How?

Yes, of course.  I love the parts where me and the kids get to sing along.

11.  What are some of your post-conference goals?

Oh heavens, so many.  Foremost, I will adapt a no-excuses policy when it comes to reading scriptures.  I want to pray more fervently and sincerely.  I want to teach my children about family history.  I want to be more careful and more purposeful in all my online time.  So many things I want to work on, not out of guilt, but out of true desire to serve the Lord and receive his blessings.

Also, week 1 of General Conference Book Club is up and running too, so don’t miss it.

Okay, let’s try this.  Link up:

Click here to enter your link and/or view all the participants.

[Update: This fancy linky thing seems to be having some technical difficulties, so if it’s not working for you, just leave your link in the comments below.  We’ll find it. 🙂 ]

General Conference Book Club Week 1: Repetition and Favorites

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genconfbutton1Welcome to another round of General Conference Book Club (a.k.a. GCBC).  Wow, what a feast and what a blessing to experience another two days of counsel from the Lord.

To anyone who is checking out GCBC for the first time, the goal is to read one General Conference talk a week and discuss it together as an on-line “book club.”  If you want more information about how it works, go here.  And then join us.

A new talk will be posted each Sunday, but this week we’ll just share some general impressions from this weekend’s General Conference.  Once all the talks are posted online in their entirety (some time later this week), then we’ll be able to dive into the talks and study them one by one.

Two things to discuss this week:

1.  President Eyring taught that “When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention.” What topics did you notice were repeated often, either throughout the various sessions or as a carry-over from the previous general conference?

2.  What was your favorite talk?  What principles from that talk stood out to you?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.  Thanks for being a part of this GCBC discussion.

General Conference Book Club: An Open Invitation

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[GO HERE FOR LATEST UPDATE ABOUT GENERAL CONFERENCE BOOK CLUB]

This may be old news to some of my regular readers, but come conference time, it’s probably no surprise that there’s a lot of search-engine contact and link-sharing that leads to temporarily increased traffic here on Diapers and Divinity.  For that reason, I want to take the opportunity to invite you, long-time reader or new, to participate in our General Conference Book Club.

This Sunday, after conference, we’ll begin Week 1 of a new round.  Here’s how it works:

The goal is to read one General Conference talk a week and discuss it together as an on-line “book club.”

(If you’re not familiar with General Conference or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, go here and here and here for more information.)

A new talk will be posted each Sunday.

You don’t have to do anything to “join” the club– You can just visit the Sunday post at any time during the week and share thoughts, findings, favorite quotes, applications, even questions from the talk of the week. Personally, I think it would be a good idea to subscribe to comments from the post so that we can read each other’s insights and have a “real book club” conversation.  (One way to do this is to click the little box under the comment form that says “Notify me of follow-up comments via email.”)   Or of course, you can just check back often to see Continue reading →