Conference Correction

Although I did not get to see as many sessions as I would have liked (my family was visiting), I did especially like Elder Christofferson's talk on Saturday afternoon ("Come to Zion"). It really struck me when he talked about the saints being a "beacon of righteousness" to help those who are searching for the blessings & comfort of Zion. I realized that most of the time I am just concerned about myself and thinking "What do I need to do better?" or "Am I being a good example?" I never actually reach out and try to help someone, try to bring them into the 'fold.' Sometimes I might include someone in our activity, or ask if they need help, but often times it is just not to seem rude and isn't actually sincere.

Elder Christofferson read from Doctrine & Covenants the Lord's explanation for the failure of the saints: they had not been obedient to his requirements, and had not given aide to the poor and afflicted. This sent a jolt down my spine! Sharing with others and being selfless is a big weakness of mine. I tend to hold on to all my things, whether I need it or not, or even want it! I am constantly trying to be more generous and help those in need, because I know that I have been abundantly blessed beyond what I deserve. So when Elder Christofferson read that scripture it really got me thinking, since I want to do all I can to return to live with our Father in Heaven!

I really listened to when he talked about not judging the early saints, and instead reflecting on our own lives. Perhaps we are more like those rebellious saints than we think? The words that stuck out to me most were "contentions" and "envy" because they describe me perfectly. More often than not I was involved in an arguement with one or both of my little sisters, usually about something dumb or insignificant. And I was constantly jealous of everyone around me - my sister for her voice, my friends' skinny-ness, other girls athletics, even tiny things that no one else would really care about. Hearing this talk, I had to take a step back and ask myself "How am I doing?" Because the Lord's people must be unified in order for Zion to be extablished, and my thoughts and actions certainly aren't working towards that goal. It really made me re-evaluate myself and determine to work harder at that.

I really liked this talk, because it is something that is so crucial for the Saints in these last days! The Second Coming is getting nearer every day, and we need to be doing all we can to establish Zion and bring the faithful together. Elder Christofferson addressed this issue effectively, made you want to do better, to be better. This is our greatest objective in this life, and we should place it at the top of our priorities, not set it aside for the missionaries or another day. It needs to be done now.