My notes from Stake Women's Conference

Notes from Stake Women’s Conference
12 January 2008

Sister Welch-

When Jesus said “A new commandment I give unto you” what was new about it? The part that was new was “As I have loved you”. Now, besides being commanded to love one another, we had an example of someone who had done it.


She quoted the scripture from Matt. 13:15:

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Is our well-intentioned busyness dulling our eyes? Do we look at others through our own agenda?

Elder Oaks reminded us that “what your children really want for dinner is you.”

Sister Virginia H. Pearce-
She told us of her gratitude for our prayers for her father, the prophet.

Quoting from the foreword of the book Women of Covenant she said that the definition of Relief Society is imperfect saints seeking holiness.

This reminds me of 2 Visiting Teaching messages from last year that really had an impact on me. One talked about “practicing holiness” and the other talked about “exercising faith”. This helps me to remember that we are in this life to learn and we can best learn by doing. So if we want to be holy, we have to practice. If we want to have a great amount of faith, we need to exercise it or, just like a muscle, it will not develop and it may even deteriorate.

There is no special way to say it but just because it is said a lot doesn’t change the significance of the message that:

You and I are of great worth, every single one of us.

She told of an Olympic speed skater that later joined the church, but who had thought her value as a person came from her achievements.

Gain a testimony of your worth, outside of your experiences in this life.

If you have gained a testimony of this, you can receive it over and over.

She quoted from Jacob 4. I think it was Jacob 4:7:

7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

When you have a testimony of your own worth, then you can turn to others.
Sometimes we keep hitting a wall that is a mirror, instead of letting it be a window to see others.

Look for the word “willing” in the scriptures.

Do it first, then if you’re consistent, you can feel it, too.

A hard heart versus a soft heart

Am I looking in a mirror or a window?
Look at the person and the mirror will open to a window. With a window, my love can go out and God’s love can come in easier.

A greeting in India that means “All that is divine in me reverences all that is divine within you.”

Read in Mosiah 18 about love and caring for each others.