Category Archives: General Conference Book Club

GCBC Week 21: “The Lord’s Richest Blessings” by Elder Carl B. Pratt

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As I looked over this talk again, I quickly remembered the great story he told about the bag of coins.  It’s worth studying one more time:

“The Lord’s Richest Blessings”

by Elder Carl B. Pratt

Of the Seventy

I love to pay my tithing because I need to pay my tithing.  With many years of schooling between Matt and I, there have been many (and will still be many) years of financial instability.  I love to write that check and turn it into the bishop because I don’t even want to know what would happen to our budget without paying off that debt to the Lord.  And though I can testify that our monetary needs have often been miraculously okay thanks to tithing, in my heart I also know that this is true:

He fulfills His promises, and if we faithfully pay our tithing, we will not lack for the necessities of life, but He does not promise wealth. Money and bank accounts are not His richest blessings. . . . I have come to understand that the Lord’s richest blessings are spiritual, and they often have to do with family, friends, and the gospel.

What stands out to you as you study this talk?  I would love to hear some of your experiences and testimony related to tithing.  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you’re new to GCBC, go here to learn more about it, then join us!

GCBC Week 20: “Called to Be Saints” by Elder Benjamín De Hoyos

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Week 20, folks.  TWENTY.  🙂  If you’re still following along, consider yourself among the few, the proud, the …. GCBC hall of fame.  (Trust me, it’s a great honor.)

My husband’s side of the family has a couple generations of a Catholic tradition.  This past week in the car, my niece asked, “How come we don’t have Saints in our [LDS] church?”  I explained to her the best I could that we do have saints, but it means something different in our religion.  It means a sincere and dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ, and it’s what all members should strive to be.  This talk explains it better:

“Called to Be Saints”

by Elder Benjamín De Hoyos

Of the Seventy

I loved this simple, profound truth.  I know it’s right:

To the degree that members of the Church live the gospel and follow the counsel of the prophets, they will, little by little and even without noticing it, become sanctified.

What stands out to you as you study this talk?  What does the talk make you understand about your role as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?  Please share your ideas in the comments below.

If you’re new to GCBC, go here to learn more about it, then join us!

GCBC Week 19: “Hope” by Elder Steven E. Snow

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Welcome back to another week of General Conference Book Club.  Our comments were a little sparse last week, so I’d love to have more of you tune in on this talk and share some of your favorite parts or best insights.

“Hope”
by Elder Steven E. Snow
of the Presidency of the Seventy

This was my favorite quote from the talk because I thought it was a great reminder about acting on our hope and desires:

As parents, we find our fondest hopes center around our children. We hope they will grow up to lead responsible and righteous lives. Such hopes can be easily dashed if we do not act as good examples. Hope alone does not mean our children will grow in righteousness. We must spend time with them in family home evening and worthwhile family activities. We must teach them to pray. We must read with them in the scriptures and teach them important gospel principles. Only then is it possible our fondest hopes will be realized.

What stood out for you?  What does the talk make you want to do or change?  Please share your ideas in the comments below.

If you’re new to GCBC, go here to learn more about it, then join us!

GCBC Week 18: “Followers of Christ” and “The Essence of Discipleship”

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I’m back, so we might even have actual links this week.  🙂  I picked two talks this time because they seemed a good fit to study together.

“Followers of Christ”
by Elder Walter F. González
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

and

“The Essence of Discipleship”
by Sister Silvia H. Allred
First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

I thought it was really interesting to read each talk’s emphasis on different characteristics of discipleship.  The two things that stood out to me (and were consistent in both talks) were covenant keeping and charitable kindness.

I’d love to hear your thoughts as you study these talks.  What were the highlights for you?  What are some practical ways you feel like you can apply these principles in your life?  Please share your ideas in the comments below.

If you’re new to GCBC, go here to learn more about it, then join us!