Uchtdorf - Living the Gospel Joyful - October 2014

President Uchtdorf speaks to the women of the church.  This talk sparked a little bit of controversy when it was given because President Uchtdorf mentions that this women's conference is the first session of General Conference.  Up to this time, the General Women's Session was not considered a session of General Conference.  After these remarks, the church changed their narrative and have since added this session to the list of General Conference.  I think everyone always saw this meeting as a session of General Conference but the comments by President Uchtdorf prompted an official recognition.

President Uchtdorf discusses the divine calling of women in God's plan of happiness.

• It is good to remember that you are always a child of God. This knowledge will carry you through the most difficult times in your life and will inspire you to accomplish remarkable things. However, it is also important to remember that being a daughter of eternal parents is not a distinction you earned or you will ever lose. You will always and forever remain a daughter of God. Your Heavenly Father has high aspirations for you, but your divine origin alone does not guarantee you a divine inheritance. God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine.

He speaks of keeping the commandments and the struggle this can be sometimes.

• Let’s face it: there may be some that seem harder or less appealing—commandments that we approach with the enthusiasm of a child sitting before a plate of healthy but hated vegetables. We grit our teeth and force ourselves to comply so that we can move on to more desirable activities.

When we struggle with the commandments and why we have to keep certain standards, it is good to remember that God sees things far beyond our current circumstances.

• I think God knows something we don’t—things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours. Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. In other words, He not only knows what is best for you; He also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you.
  

Choosing to follow God will provide blessings and give us peace.

• By choosing Heavenly Father’s path, you lay a divine foundation for your personal progress as a daughter of God that will bless you throughout your life. Part of our challenge is, I think, that we imagine that God has all of His blessings locked in a huge cloud up in heaven, refusing to give them to us unless we comply with some strict, paternalistic requirements He has set up. But the commandments aren’t like that at all. In reality, Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us. It is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us.

Our ultimate goal in keeping the commandments is to change personally and become a better disciple of Jesus Christ.  We grow in our discipleship by keeping the commandments even when we don't understand why.

• When we treat God’s commandments and our part in building His kingdom like something to check off on a to-do list, we miss the heart of discipleship. We miss the growth that comes from joyfully living the commandments of our Father in Heaven.

Despite our struggles to follow the commandments, comprehend all that God wants for us, and our lack of living up to our full potential, God still loves us.  He knows us and has not and will not give up on us.  He loves us despite our challenges and is our biggest support to in our efforts to follow the Savior.

• God loves you this very day and always. He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles. He is aware that you reach up to Him in heartfelt and hopeful prayer. He knows of the times you have held onto the fading light and believed—even in the midst of growing darkness. He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. And still He loves you. And God knows of your successes; though they may seem small to you, He acknowledges and cherishes each one of them. He loves you for extending yourself to others. He loves you for reaching out and helping others bear their heavy burdens—even when you are struggling with your own. He knows everything about you. He sees you clearly—He knows you as you really are. And He loves you—today and always!

Living the gospel should be done with a joyful heart.  We should be happy and eager to live the gospel message.  When times get tough, when our desire to live the gospel is not as strong, when we don't understand why we have rules and guidelines, we will be blessed to follow the teachings of the Savior.  Sometimes we obey because we know it is the right thing to do.  Sometimes that knowledge of why will not come right away.  But it will come in time.  We will understand the "why" of the gospel as we live it and ask God for understanding.  The answers will come, but no matter how long it takes, we should always strive to live as God has asked us to do.