Today I enjoyed watching a a few noisy gulls goals competing for a stiff, stale piece of bread in a parking lot. “Mine . . . mine . . . mine . . . .” We humans are equally monotonous and predictable in our greed for material goods. Sometimes it’s so silly, but the results can be so sad. When we trample over others to cling to our precious crumbs, throwing away all that really matters for something stale and worthless, it would be funny if the harm to others weren’t so great.
Today in our Stake Conference meeting we were pleased to participate in a regional conference in which Elder Thomas S. Monson was the main speaker. How I love that man! I think he is the General Authority who most inspires me. I admire his focus on love, on Christlike compassion, on reaching past our greed and biases and petty needs to consider others and serve. Who can look into the life and teachings of Elder Monson and not see a true Christian seeking to follow Christ?
May we be ready to share our crumbs of time, food, and wealth with those around us and follow the teachings of Christ and the inspired teachings of His living servants, the apostles and prophets.
I was reminded this conference just what a profound message Pres. Monson has been sharing with us over and over again. You will rarely hear him talking about doctrinal minutia or exegesis. He is instead concerned with the real meat of the gospel, pure religion, the end of the law, and the true mysteries of godliness.
President Monson talks are usually focused on being sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost such that you can be used as an instrument in God hands to deliver food to a needy family or deliver a word of comfort to a lonely heart, to visit the widows and fatherless, and to lift the hands that hang down and strenghthen the feeble knees.
Are seagoals oceanic endzones?
Not long ago, my sister was in a nursing home recuperating from an auto-pedestrian accident (she was the pedestrian 🙂 ). One Sunday she rolled into the meeting room in her wheelchair for Sunday worship service and who should show up but President Monson, who spoke at the meeting and also with each person and brightened her day considerably. God bless you, President Monson.
Anon @ 7:20 is hilarious. Sort of. I’m pretty sure Jeff meant to write “a few noisy gulls.”
I sadly missed this Stake Conference message. My youngest daughter just wouldn’t sit still and stop fidgeting and talking and acting out enough for me to even hear one word of what he was saying. I hope there is somewhere that I can get a copy of it. I think she was getting even with me. The day before I left my kids with grandma and went to the temple for the first time to do baptisms and then was able to attend the adult session of our stake conference meeting (first time–I rarely get to participate since I have the kids). So basically I traded one message for another…..
–Single mom of two
Jeff,
I have a recording of this talk if you want me to upload it.