Dear Elders and Sisters,
The semi-annual conference of the Church will be shown this coming weekend here in the Philippines. This will be a wonderful spiritual feast!
I invite you to watch ALL of the sessions of conference that are shown in your ward or branch. Be sure that sisters watch the General Women's Meeting and that elders watch the General Priesthood Meeting as well. Enjoying all of the sessions of conference and then studying them afterward is a spiritual habit for your mission and for the rest of your lives. The Lord inspires His servants to share the things that will bless is now, in our time and in our callings.
Here is how to get the most blessings from conference:
1. Make a list of at least 3 questions you want to have answered to help you be a BETTER MISSIONARY.
2. Make a list of at least 3 questions you want to have answered that will help you in your LIFE AFTER YOUR MISSION.
As you listen to conference, pray to be able to receive what you need. I promise that the Lord will give you the answers you seek. Remember that sometimes the answer is:
--An invitation ELIMINATE something from your life.
--An invitation of ADD A NEW HABIT.
--An invitation to REPENT of something in the past.
--A DIRECTION and not a destination. (Nephi was commanded to build a boat and set off for "the promised land" but he really had no idea where the promised land was, only that he needed to start in a certain direction and follow the compass/Liahona the Lord had given him.)
I want to share just a few of "diamonds" from the conference so far:
Prayer: "At the very moment we say 'Father in Heaven' He hears our prayers and is sensitive to our needs. And so His eyes and ears are now connected to you. He reads our minds and feels our hearts. You cannot hide anything from Him. Now, the wonderful thing is that He will see you with eyes of love and mercy--love and mercy that we cannot fully understand. But love and mercy are with Him the very moment you say "Father in Heaven." (Elder Juan Uceda)
Am I Good Enough? "The answers to the questions: 'Am I good enough?' and 'Will I make it?' are 'Yes! You are going to be good enough!' and 'Yes, you are going to make it as long as you keep repenting and do not rationalize or rebel." The God of Heaven is not a heartless referee looking for any excuse to throw us out of the game. He is our perfectly loving Father who yearns more than anything else to have all of His children come back home and live with Him as families forever...Our Heavenly Father intends for us to make it!...That is His work and His glory..." (Elder Devn Cornish)
Faith: "The purpose of faith is not to change God's will but to empower us to act on God's will. Faith is trust--trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not. Sometimes trusting our own vision and judgment is not enough...Faith means that we not only trust in Gods wisdom but that we also trust in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does--that every blessing He gives and every blessing that He, for a time, withholds--is for our eternal happiness." (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)
May the Lord bless you to receive the answers to your questions and the strength do His will.
Mahal ko po kayo,
President Creg Ostler