Blogging General Conference (Late) Saturday A.M. (got the 2nd half)

A notice for my many fans and readers (both of you). I will not be able to live-blog Saturday Sessions of LDS General Conference as I have to go to Logan (Logan! Of all places!) to support my boy's high school marching band.

I will comment later in an authentic and uplifting manner.

Oh, and I have to mow the lawn before we go to Logan (because nobody else will) so I have to go finish.

Here are some links to watch live, get updates, videos, and text, etc.

https://www.lds.org/church/events/october-2014-general-conference?cid=HPTU093014451&lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng

OK, Maybe I do get a bit live now:
Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong of the Seventy
General Conference talk in Chinese! (Cantonese)
Let me catch the guy's name.
I just wish they would let him talk and put up subtitles as in the Conference Center.
Bishop's should counsel with their ward councils (as ours does).
"When Jesus saw THEIR faith" our combined faith has power to bless others
(The New Testament story of the man with palsy lifted up on the roof and let down for the Lord to bless - group effort like a ward counsel).
We can all help one another - be anxiously

Elder Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve
Quoting Henry V wandering among his troops in the night (with the Welsh - ok, and others)
"Every subjects duty is the Kings, every souls salvation is his own." -Henry of Monmouth
Lord doesn't compel but guides
Plan to make choices
Atonement overcame original sin.
We begin life innocent before God
Justice demands our agreement
our existence on earth is by our choice (pre-mortal and forgotten decision - counsel in Heaven)
Justice & Mercy.
Moral Relativism defined as every individual setting themself up as the ultimate authority (i.e., God).
(That kind of makes sense. And by that definition, not something I believe in or practice as I still attempt to take responsibility for self and exercise charity and nonjudgmental attitudes towards others. And I believe in God.)
It's God's will that we be free men and women - free from poverty and sin. NOt by our own effort alone but with his help. There's no minimum level of goodness required to ask for God's help. We must still act. Take responsibility and go to work so there is something for God to help us with.
"Awake and Arise from the dust."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency
Will he speak in German?
No, Not likely. Maybe a greeting like Elder Cristofferson's "Buenos Dias"
Speakin' English. Will he speak in German? "No, but it may sound like it." (Good one, Dieter)
Pilot story and space pictures. (Go NASA!)
We can see distant galaxies. They have been there for a very long time.
Before we could see them we did not believe such a thing was possible.
Truth didn't change but our ability to see did.
How could we explain the present to our ancestors of the past? Some might believe. Most would probably try to harm us. Some might try to apply facts they knew to prove we were wrong.
(This is an updated version of Alma's - and others' - argument that the heavens testify of the existence of God).
Are we floating on a raft of our own biases?
Proclaiming that God Himself has given his children the promise that they can know truth for themselves.
He will speak in a way that in unmistakable and is beyond human experience.
God cares about you. He will listen. He will hear you and answer your personal quesitons.
You need to learn to listen to His voice.
He wants you to find the way back to Him and the Savior is the way.
A fairly straightforward experiment. First, read the words of God (scriptures) with a sincere desire to discover truth. Ponder - prepare your minds to believe - desire to believe. 2. Ponder, strive to believe. Be grateful for what God has done since the days of Adam
3. Ask God having faith in Christ
4 - important step - Do God's will and know if it is of Him. You must live the principles. Put them to the test in your own life. Do it with intent and enduring faith in God. If you do it, God promises to provide truth to you by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Testimony - the most important thing you can earn in this life.
Just like using a telescope, you can't get spiritual truths without using the right instrument.
The more we incline our lives towards God, the more his light distills on our souls
And we indicate our readiness to receive more light.
If we remove ourselves from the light of the gospel, our own light begins to dim until we look baack and can't quite understand why we ever believed. It becomes hazy and distant.
That's why Paul said the gospel is foolishness to those who don't believe.
The church is a home for all to come together regardless of the the depth or height of our testimony
No sign on the door that our testimony must be of this level to enter.
The church is a place of welcoming and nurturing not criticizing.
In the end we are all pilgrims seeking God's light.
We do not don't condemn others for lacking light.
Testimony is not a process of a moment - the quest of a lifetime.
It may take a lifetime.
He has experienced it for himself by the power of the Holy Ghost.
(So have I).