conference

since i still haven't posted anything here about conference (i'm getting to it, promise!) i figured i'd try and stem the tide (is that the right way to use that?) and offer up something about conference that i read on another blog and liked:


One of the things I value most about the LDS church is how much emphasis they put on the importance of gaining personal confirmation of a doctrine or teaching. Contrary to the culture LDS doctrine ironically (and sadly) produces in some cases, LDS doctrine strongly discourages blind reliance on other people’s spirituality, instead, it spurs us on to faithfully question the doctrines presented in order to have personal understanding and conviction regarding them. I liked what Nate H. said about this on his blog. He mentioned the bizarre fallacy, unfortunately sustained by many, that a prophet’s method of discerning truth is somehow exclusive to them, when in fact the process of identifying with truth is identical for all, be you prophet or not. Nate specifically quoted some scriptures that serve as excellent reminders of this:

• John 7:17 (If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself)
• Moroni 10:4-5 (And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may aknow the btruth of all things)
• God’s response to Oliver Cowdrey in D&C 9:7-8 (“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right)

Conference provides me with increased motivation try harder to combine my God-given rationality, knowledge, and spirituality in the good ol’ perpetual quest for eternal verity. So did Nate’s blog post, apparently. Cool.