Category Archives: General Conference Book Club

General Conference Book Club Week 13: Elder Ballard

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02_04_ballaI have noticed, even as I’ve observed my own immediate and extended family, that it is so easy to repeat the past, even when we didn’t like it the first time around.  I love that the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about finding the strength to do what’s right, notwithstanding our traditions or culture or long-time habits.  There are many righteous traditions and predecessors upon which we can build our futures.  Elder Ballard of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles spoke about this topic in the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference.  He stated, “”Learning the lessons of the past allows you to build personal testimony on a solid bedrock of obedience, faith, and the witness of the Spirit.”

We’ll study his talk this week for General Conference Book Club.  You can find the text here:

>>Click here to read “Learning the Lessons of the Past” by Elder M. Russell Ballard.<<

If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club, click here to learn more about it. You’re welcome to join us at any point along the way, and we’d love to welcome back many of you that we haven’t heard from in a while.

And if you didn’t get the chance to watch this video, it’s worth your time.

General Conference Book Club Week 12: Elder Hales

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dnews halescesfiresideThis week’s talk is the first talk that was given in April 2009 Conference.  Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about relying on the Lord and taking steps to overcome any addictions, excesses, or patterns that can harm our spirits and our relationships.  This was a great talk, and oh, so timely.

>> Click here to read “Becoming Provident Providers Both Temporally and Spiritually” by Elder Robert D. Hales<<

This talk was the topic of our Relief Society lesson at Church today.  Most of the talk appears to focus on finances and staying out of debt and such, but our teacher did an excellent job of encouraging us to look at all of that counsel and figure out what the spiritual application is.  The title, after all, suggests that message is there.

I think so many of us have some kind of addiction or excess that keeps us from greater success and happiness, even if it is negative patterns of thought or mood, so I loved reading the article in that light and realizing that we have been given tools to overcome those challenges.  Great article.  I’m anxious to hear your thoughts as well.

If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club, click here to learn more about it. You’re welcome to join us at any point along the way, and we’d love to welcome back many of you that we haven’t heard from in a while.

General Conference Book Club Week 11: Elder Nelson

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nelsonElder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles, explained, “Our prayers follow patterns and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. He taught us how to pray.”    This week, we will study his recent General Conference talk, “Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers.”  As always, I love to read your thoughts and comments.  (Mostly your comments, since I can’t actually read your thoughts.)

If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club, click here to learn more about it. You’re welcome to join us at any point along the way.

>>Click here to read the talk “Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers” by Elder Russell M. Nelson <<

General Conference Book Club Week 10: Elder Bednar

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05_02_bednaFirst of all, thank you for your kind and very supportive comments on my last post.  I want to address that some more, but I’ll save it for tomorrow I think.

Welcome back to General Conference Book Club, Week TEN!  I’m not sure I’ve stuck with many goals for ten weeks before, so congratulations to all of you who are still with me on this little study journey.  Even if you’re not participating in the actual club readings, go back and read people’s great comments on the GCBC posts because they really do have some amazing insights and testimonies.

This week’s talk is “Honorably Hold a Name and Standing” by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  To be honest, I don’t remember much about this talk, but I do remember how he powerfully expressed his testimony at the end.  I look forward to going back and studying it more carefully.

If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club, click here to learn more about it. You’re welcome to join us at any point along the way.

>>Click here to read the talk “Honorably Hold a Name and Standing” by Elder David A. Bednar <<

I’ve included this video produced by the Church as a reminder of how our lives are blessed by the temple.

Have a great week.  God Bless.

General Conference Book Club Week 9: Elder Perry

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05_06_perryThis post will be brief and boring, but the GCBC talk for this week is

by Elder L. Tom Perry
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

For more info on how the General Conference Book Club works, go here.

And I never got around to making my comments for last week, but I read it, and you should read all the great comments that people have left on previous GCBC posts.  You continue to amaze me with your insights.

I’m frantically getting it together; I leave *early* in the morning for EFY.  See you in a few days.