“Conference Notes,” Friend, November 2016
Conference Notes
Here are some stories from the October 2016 general conference. What did you like about conference?
Fourth Floor, Last Door
President Uchtdorf talked about two missionaries in Germany who were knocking on doors, looking for someone to teach. They got all the way up to the top floor and the last door of an apartment building before they met someone who would listen to their message. That family got baptized. One of the daughters was named Harriet, and when she grew up, she married President Uchtdorf! President Uchtdorf said he is very grateful that those missionaries didn’t give up. When we seek the Lord, we shouldn’t give up either.
What this teaches me:
Joyful Repentance
Elder Renlund and his family lived in Sweden when he was 12. One Sunday another deacon brought a firecracker and matches to the Church building. Before others arrived, Elder Renlund lit the firecracker! He tried to put it out, but it exploded and filled the chapel with fumes. Nothing was damaged, but the smell distracted everyone in sacrament meeting. Elder Renlund felt so bad that he decided not to take the sacrament. After church, he confessed to his branch president what he had done. Elder Renlund felt joy and happiness when he repented and knew he was forgiven.
What this teaches me:
Golden Blessings
Sister Bingham told the story of a girl who saw a home with shining golden windows. Her own home seemed shabby in comparison. One day, the girl rode her bike across the valley to visit the house. When she got closer, she saw it was abandoned and falling apart. When she turned around, she was surprised to see a house with golden windows across the valley. It was her own house! The sun on the windows made the difference. When we count our blessings instead of comparing ourselves with others, we’ll see the goodness of God in our lives.
What this teaches me:
Believe in Yourself
Elder Cornish told about a time he was very tired and discouraged while learning to be a doctor. He started crying and wondered if he could ever be a good doctor. Just then, one of the senior doctors asked how he was doing. Elder Cornish told him how he was feeling. The doctor said that he was proud of him and believed he would be an excellent doctor one day. The doctor believed in him even when Elder Cornish didn’t believe in himself. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ always believe in us and don’t want us to give up!
What this teaches me: