Church guide

President Henry B. Eyring First Counselor in the First Presidency My purpose tonight is to build your faith that God directs you in your service to Him. And even more importantly, my hope is to build your faith that the Lord is inspiring the imperfect persons He has called as your leaders…. Your leader in the Lord’s Church may seem to you weak and human or may appear to you strong and inspired. The fact is that every leader is a mixture of those traits and more. What helps servants of the Lord who are called to lead us is when we can see them as the Lord did when He called them. The Lord sees His servants perfectly. He sees their potential and their future. And He knows how their very nature can be changed. He also knows how they can be changed by their experiences with the people they will lead. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/the-lord-leads-his-church?lang=eng

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward. It goes to those who serve without fanfare; those who quietly go about seeking ways to help others; those who minister to others simply because they love God and God’s children. . . . To be effective Church leaders, we must learn this critical lesson: leadership in the Church is not so much about directing others as it is about our willingness to be directed by God. . . . My dear friends and brethren in the priesthood, lift where you stand! . . . Paul taught the Philippians, “Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself." https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/the-greatest-among-you?lang=eng

Elder M. Russell Ballard Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles As we focus our attention on the Savior . . . let us remember Him and renew our lifelong commitment to keeping His commandments. Let us look deeply into our own lives, setting our own goals and focusing our plans to align with God’s in a way that will ultimately lead us toward our precious privilege to return and receive. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/return-and-receive?lang=eng

Listen to the voice of the prophet. President Thomas S. Monson General Priesthood Meeting https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/media/session_3_talk_3/5381947833001?lang=eng#share-drawer Sunday Morning https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/media/session_3_talk_3/5381947833001?lang=eng#share-drawer

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, speaks on fathers. Perhaps the most essential of a father’s work is to turn the hearts of his children to their Heavenly Father. If by his example as well as his words a father can demonstrate what fidelity to God looks like in day-to-day living, that father will have given his children the key to peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. A father who reads scripture to and with his children acquaints them with the voice of the Lord. . . . In 1833, the Lord reprimanded members of the First Presidency for inadequate attention to the duty of teaching their children. To one He said specifically, “You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction.” . . . We recognize the agony of men who are unable to find ways and means adequately to sustain their families. There is no shame for those who, at a given moment, despite their best efforts, cannot fulfill all the duties and functions of fathers. “Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.” . . . Some men are single fathers, foster fathers, or stepfathers. Many of them strive mightily and do their very best in an often difficult role. We honor those who do all that can be done in love, patience, and self-sacrifice to meet individual and family needs. It should be noted that God Himself entrusted His Only Begotten Son to a foster father. Surely some of the credit goes to Joseph for the fact that as Jesus grew, He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Regrettably, due to death, abandonment, or divorce, some children don’t have fathers living with them. Some may have fathers who are physically present but emotionally absent or in other ways inattentive or nonsupportive. We call on all fathers to do better and to be better. We call on media and entertainment outlets to portray devoted and capable fathers who truly love their wives and intelligently guide their children, instead of the bumblers and buffoons or “the guys who cause problems,” as fathers are all too frequently depicted. To children whose family situation is troubled, we say, you yourself are no less for that. Challenges are at times an indication of the Lord’s trust in you. He can help you, directly and through others, to deal with what you face. You can become the generation, perhaps the first in your family, where the divine patterns that God has ordained for families truly take shape and bless all the generations after you. . . . To all the rising generation, we say, wherever you rank your own father on the scale of good-better-best (and I predict that ranking will go higher as you grow older and wiser), make up your mind to honor him and your mother by your own life. . . . To my brethren, the fathers in this Church, I say, I know you wish you were a more perfect father. I know I wish I were. Even so, despite our limitations, let us press on. Let us lay aside the exaggerated notions of individualism and autonomy in today’s culture and think first of the happiness and well-being of others. Surely, despite our inadequacies, our Heavenly Father will magnify us and cause our simple efforts to bear fruit. . . . https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/fathers?lang=eng

What does it mean to lead—and what does it mean to follow? The world teaches that leaders must be mighty; the Lord teaches that they must be meek. Worldly leaders gain power and influence through their talent, skill, and wealth. Christlike leaders gain power and influence “by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned.” Caring adults like these see young men not just as they are but as they can become. . . . I invite you to see yourself this way. There will be times in your life when you are called upon to lead. At other times, you will be expected to follow. But my message to you today is that regardless of your calling, you are always a leader, and you are always a follower. Leadership is an expression of discipleship—it is simply a matter of helping others come unto Christ, which is what true disciples do. If you are striving to be a follower of Christ, then you can help others follow Him and you can be a leader. Your ability to lead does not come from an outgoing personality, motivational skills, or even a talent for public speaking. It comes from your commitment to follow Jesus Christ. It comes from your desire to be, in Abraham’s words, “a greater follower of righteousness.” If you can do that—even if you aren’t perfect at it, but you’re trying—then you are a leader. Stephen W. Owen, Young Men General President https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/the-greatest-leaders-are-the-greatest-followers?lang=eng

Elder Vern P Stanfil-- As we gathered in front of the massive stone opening of the Taft Tunnel, a caretaker explained some of the dangers of the trail, including deep ditches along the edges, rough walls, and complete darkness. Impatiently, we pushed forward into the tunnel. After we had ridden only a few minutes, the predicted darkness engulfed us. The lights I brought proved inadequate, and the darkness soon overwhelmed them. Suddenly, I began to feel anxious, confused, and disoriented. . . . Brothers and sisters, we have not been left alone to be influenced by every whim and change in the world’s attitude, but we have the power to choose belief over doubt. In order to access the promised compensatory spiritual power, we must choose to heed prophetic counsel, recognize and act upon spiritual promptings, be obedient to God’s commandments, and seek personal revelation. We must choose. May we choose the light of the Savior. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/choose-the-light?lang=eng

Pablo learns from his father. "Pablo, who was it that helped you come to this point in your life standing so uprightly before the Lord?” He said, “My dad.” I said, “Pablo, tell me your story.” Pablo continued: “When I was nine, my dad took me aside and said, ‘Pablo, I was nine once too. Here are some things you may come across. You’ll see people cheating in school. You might be around people who swear. You’ll probably have days when you don’t want to go to church. Now, when these things happen—or anything else that troubles you—I want you to come and talk to me, and I’ll help you get through them. And then I’ll tell you what comes next.’” “So, Pablo, what did he tell you when you were 10?” “Well, he warned me about pornography and dirty jokes.” “What about when you were 11?” I asked. “He cautioned me about things that could be addictive and reminded me about using my agency.” Here was a father, year after year, “line upon line; here a little, and there a little,”10 who helped his son not only hear but also understand. Pablo’s father knew our children learn when they are ready to learn, not just when we are ready to teach them. I was proud of Pablo when we submitted his missionary application that night, but I was even prouder of Pablo’s dad. “It’s never too early and it’s never too late to begin this important process.” Elder Bradley D. Foster https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/its-never-too-early-and-its-never-too-late?lang=eng

LDS members are encouraged to help migrants and refugees around the world. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-members-encouraged-assist-refugees

Friends may be curious what it means to be an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. New members of the Quorum of the Twelve introduced. http://youtu.be/aR9AbEG_Kbg

Prepare for General Conference. https://www.lds.org/church/events/october-2015-general-conference?lang=eng

Beautiful images of the interior of the Indianapolis Indiana Temple. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/open-house-begins-for-the-indianapolis-indiana-temple?cid=HP_TU_7-14-2015_dPAD_fMNWS_xLIDyL2-3_

“Meet the Mormons” is a feature-length documentary film produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that will be released on 10 October 2014. This film is an opportunity for people to meet — in a very. Filmed on location around the globe, “Meet the Mormons” takes viewers on a journey into the day-to-day lives of six Church members in the U.S., Costa Rica and Nepal. From their individual passions to their daily struggles, each story paints a picture as rich and unique as the next while challenging stereotypes that surround the Mormon faith. To request a screening go to http://meetthemormons.com/request Net proceeds from the film will be donated to charity. http://meetthemormons.com/request

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMJ6ZDCAp4

http://www.lds.org/topics/christmas?lang=eng