Ainda Não Assisti Conferência! (Still have not watched conference!)

Week #45

I still haven't watched anything of the Saturday Sessions of General Conference I heard that the Priesthood Session was incredible, but I probably won't get to know what was said until next month with The Liahona. It's really weird to think that all you Americans have The Friend, New Era, and The Ensign. Out here in the rest of the world, it's just The Liahona, but it's basically The Ensign with a few activities for children. They're good activities.

Having just typed "their" when I wanted to type "they're", please forgive other errors. Portuguese is so natural now. The rules make so much more sense than those of English.

I spent a lot of time on buses this week and a lot more time in beach cities. I met a lot of members of other branches and saw the difference between members of the Church and Converts to the Gospel. There is a difference.

I've been doing a lot of reading of old Conference Reports. This week was November 2004. The words of the modern prophets are incredible and it's even better to read the words of those that have already ended their earthly missions (President Hinckley, President Faust, and others). I especially like Elder Ballard's talk entitled "Pure Testimony." He called the Church to replace "stories, travelogues, and lectures with pure testimonies."

He related a story from Brigham Young to illustrate this point. 

"Many years ago Brigham Young told of an early missionary in the Church who was asked to share his testimony with a large group of people. According to President Young, this particular elder “never had been able to say that he knew Joseph [Smith] was a Prophet.” He would have preferred to just say a prayer and leave, but the circumstances made that impossible. So he started to speak, and “as soon as he got ‘Joseph’ out, ‘is a Prophet,’ was … next; and from that, his tongue was loosened, and he continued talking until near sun-down.”

After, he stated "the Lord pours out His Spirit upon a man, when he testifies that [which] the Lord gives him to testify of."

I learned this when I was still in Lafeyette. One of the last things I learned there was that if you don't have something to say, testify. We always have something to say. We need not worry about revealing deep doctrines or explaining every point about the organization of the priesthood. We should explain simply the basic truths of the Gospel, testify of them. One of the problems that we have seen many times this week is members of the Church sharing everything or starting with a deeper doctrine. This doesn't work. How can we expect somebody to understand the doctrine of vicarious baptism if they don't understand the necessity nor the correct form of baptism? 

The pattern is simple. The pattern is inspired. Who are we to improve what the Lord established? Alma, seeing the corruption of his people didn't resort to deep doctrines and complicated proofs in the scriptures. He used the greatest tool that he had. As it says in Alma 4:19, he saw nothing more he could do than bear pure testimony. The biggest gun he had was to say, "I know."

To members of the Church, remember that we know. Remember that we are the covenant people of The Lord. We have made promises with Him and He will send His Spirit to carry our words into the hearts of the children of men. 

To the youth (especially young men) do not make the mistake of thinking that the Aaronic Priesthood is just something for boys and the real responsibility comes when you are ordained an Elder. John the Baptist held the Priesthood of Aaron, the same authority with which he baptized The Messiah. When you were ordained Teachers, you received the authority to teach. What a coincidence! You are home teachers, not, as President Faust taught, "a yawning appendage to an Elder making a social call." The responsibility is to help the spiritual strength of your brothers and sisters. What a wonderful responsibility! Deacons, you help renew sacred covenants that cannot be done without your authority. Remember that you hold responsibility and power for the salvation of souls as a Deacon of twelve years than any worldy power or leader of any other religious organization in the world. 

Remember that the Priesthood, which is the power of God given to men to bring about their salvation, was restored and will not be lost. 

Remember that to teach is to testify. 

To others that may not be members, listen to the testimonies of those who bear them. The Holy Ghost testifies to all those who allow him to. We are more than happy to share what we know to be true.

Until next week and Happy Easter. 

Elder Dickson