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Ballard - God Is at the Helm - October 2015

7/30/2017

Elder Ballard follows up on his talk from the October 2014 General Conference where he spoke to us about getting aboard the Good Ship Zion and holding on. Since that conference, people have asked him what they need to hold on to when they are on the ship. He shares several things that will steady us and give us balance when we are on the ship.

Clearly, our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have outfitted the Old Ship Zion with clear and simple eternal truths that will help us stay the course through the troubled waters of mortal life. Here are just a few.

Elder Ballard gives us several items that will help us through troubled times in our lives. He begins by talking about living prophets and apostles.

The Church of Jesus Christ has always been led by living prophets and apostles. Though mortal and subject to human imperfection, the Lord’s servants are inspired to help us avoid obstacles that are spiritually life threatening and to help us pass safely through mortality to our final, ultimate, heavenly destination.
It has always been a challenge for the world to accept living prophets and apostles, but it is so essential to do so in order to fully understand the Atonement and the teachings of Jesus Christ and to receive a fulness of the blessings of the priesthood that are given to those He has called.

A second truth is the doctrine of the plan of salvation.

By understanding who our Heavenly Father is and our relationship to Him and to His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, we will accept Their commandments and make covenants with Them that will lead us back into Their eternal presence.

Another key truth in the Church is that Heavenly Father created Adam and Eve for a lofty purpose.

It was their charge—and, subsequently, the charge of their posterity—to create mortal bodies for God’s spirit children so they could experience mortality. By this process, Heavenly Father sends His spirit children to earth to learn and grow through the experiences of earth life. Because He loves His children, God sends heavenly messengers and Apostles to teach them about Jesus Christ’s central role as our Savior.

Another important doctrine that we should cling to is to observe the Sabbath day.

This helps us remain unspotted from the world, provides us with physical rest, and gives each of us the spiritual refreshment of worshipping the Father and the Son every Sunday. When we delight in the Sabbath day, it is a sign of our love for Them.
The presentation of the ordinance of the sacrament is when we renew our covenants and reconfirm our love for the Savior and remember His sacrifice and His Atonement.

Elder Ballard concludes with these comments encouraging us to receive the full blessings that the gospel brings into our lives.

Now, as we ponder just these few truths that exist within the Old Ship Zion, let us stay on board and remember that, by definition, a ship is a vehicle, and the purpose of a vehicle is to take us to a destination. Our ship’s destination is the full blessings of the gospel, the kingdom of heaven, the celestial glory, and the presence of God!

Elder Ballard provides us gospel truths that will assist us on staying on the path to eternal life. Following these truths will allow us to have the Spirit in our lives. Having the Spirit will allow us to be led through the troubling times in our lives. I am grateful for the blessings that the gospel brings into my life. I have focused on each of these things in my life and see that there are great blessings that come from following the Savior. If we cling to these things, and implement changes in our lives that bring us in line with the Savior, we will be on the right path that leads to eternal life.

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Causse - Preparing the Way - April 2017

7/29/2017

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Bishop Causse speaks about the great preparations that he made as a youth that benefited him in his future career. He speaks about an employer of his finding out that he studied in seminary and being offered a promotion due to this. He said his employer knew he could trust him because he knew the type of person he was for making and keeping this commitment to study the gospel. Bishop Causse talks about the need for unifying our efforts in the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods to being about the great work of salvation.

This gathering of generations offers a marvelous vision of the unity and brotherhood that exist between the two priesthoods of God. Even though they are vested with different missions and authority, the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood are inseparable partners in the work of salvation. They go hand in hand and have great need of each other.

He speaks about the need for watching over each of the young men of the church and how the ward counsel has responsibility to help prepare our young men for future priesthood service. He shares the example of one young man who had very little support at home and how the ward took him into their lives and included him in all their activities. The service that he was able to provide to all the ward members was great preparation for being called as a full-time missionary. Bishop Causse speaks to other bishops in the church and their responsibility to make sure none of these young men are lost.

My dear bishops, you have, included in your ordination and setting apart as bishop of your ward, the sacred calling to serve as president of the Aaronic Priesthood and of the priests quorum. I am aware of the heavy burdens you carry, but you should make your duty toward these young men one of your highest priorities. You cannot neglect it or delegate your role in this responsibility to others.

He counsels us to make activities with our youth meaningful and with a heavenly purpose. Our youth need activities that will build testimony and character and that have an impact on the work of the church.

Too often we try to entertain our young men and relegate them to a spectator role, when their faith and love for the gospel can be best developed by magnifying their priesthood. By actively participating in the work of salvation, they will be connected with heaven and they will gain awareness of their divine potential.

Bishop Causse's comments are important to me as my son will be of priesthood age in the coming year. I want him to have leaders that help build him personally as well as spiritually. I want him to have leaders that understand that fun is appropriate and will teach him that spiritual things are part of our everyday lives. My son will have the chance to serve in his quorums, in the temple, and in the ward and if all these are balanced, he will see great blessings come to himself and those he serves.

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Ballard - The Greatest Generation of Young Adults - April 2015

7/28/2017

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Elder Ballard says that is use to be tradition of a member of the Quorum of the Twelve to interview each missionary called to church service. Since the church is so large now, this is not practical but he wants to talk about what that would have been like. He starts by explaining the process of a member of the Quorum of the Twelve assigning missionaries to their service area.

A member of the Quorum of the Twelve assigns every missionary to his or her mission. Although this is done without a traditional face-to-face interview, technology and revelation combine to provide an experience that is remarkably intimate and personal. Let me tell you how this happens.
Your photograph comes up on a computer screen, together with key information provided by your bishop and stake president. When your picture appears, we look into your eyes and review your answers to the missionary recommendation questions. For that brief moment, it seems as if you are present and responding to us directly.
As we look at your photograph, we trust that you have cleared in every way the “raised bar” required today to be a faithful, successful missionary. Then, by the power of the Spirit of the Lord and under the direction of President Thomas S. Monson, we assign you to one of the Church’s 406 worldwide missions.
No, it isn’t the same as a personal, face-to-face interview. But it’s close.

Elder Ballard asks that we have a personal interview with him right now during conference. He encourages us to consider we are sitting with him and to ponder our answers to the questions he presents to us.

I would like those of you preparing to serve missions, those who have returned, and all of you young adults to spend a few minutes with me as though we were having a personal video chat right now. Please look at me for a few minutes as though you and I were the only ones in the room, wherever you are tonight.
It’s time to raise the bar not only for missionaries but also for returned missionaries and for your entire generation. To that end, please ponder in your heart your answers to these questions:
- Do you search the scriptures regularly?
- Do you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning and each night?
- Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?
- Do you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the sacrament?
- Do you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?
- Are you honest at home, school, church, and work?
- Are you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?
- Are you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual sensitivity?
- Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning tonight?

He says if we find areas where we need improvement, to make those necessary changes right away.

If you find yourself lacking in any of these simple principles, then I urge you to courageously repent and bring your life back in line with gospel standards of righteous discipleship.

He concludes by shares a few thoughts with those that have returned from their mission and are preparing for life after.

Please use the skills you learned on your mission to bless the lives of people around you every day. Do not shift your focus from serving others to focusing exclusively on school, work, or social activities. Instead, balance your life with spiritual experiences that remind and prepare you for continued, daily ministering to others.

The last line here speaks to me. Elder Ballard's encouragement to balance life with spiritual experiences is vital to our eternal happiness as well as our daily journey through life. Spiritual experiences remind us that there is a bigger picture that we need to focus on and not just the daily struggles through life. Finding a balance of everyday life and mixing it with spiritual experiences will allow us to find peace in this life and encourage our continued discipleship going forward.

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Ballard - God Is at the Helm - October 2015

Causse - Preparing the Way - April 2017

Ballard - The Greatest Generation of Young Adults - April 2015

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