10/7/13 Comments on General Conference

I absolutely loved conference this last week! It has got to be the conference from which I've felt the Spirit strongest ever and got so much from it. I don't know how, but it seemed like each session was only a half an hour, and not two, which was pretty sad, but at the same time, It's nice when you don't get too sore in your chair. I was really surprised by Elder Uchtdorf's talk to less actives. It seems like I haven't ever heard a talk like that ever before, but it really needed to be given. Too many people I've met here have questions just for the sake of having questions and don't actually look for the answers as a way to grow, more of an excuse even after they've learned the answers. Anyway, I also really loved how so many talks were focused on "hastening the work" of the Lord. Dad [as Bishop] probably knows and has heard a lot about that, including from the four missionaries [at home in Crescent City], (and if he hasn't, then that would be a great idea for them to get member appointments. "Hastening the Work" is for the whole ward, not just the ward council, and I find it sad when members have no idea about the new website set aside for it. We've been introducing our members to that website and "Hastening the Work" in every single one of our appointments for the last couple transfers). I especially liked how Elder Dube talked about it, he said it wasn't the big impressive oxen who won the contest, but the old weak oxen who hit the yoke at exactly the same time and worked together. I was reminded just now of a quote that says, "A poor plan that everyone agrees on is better than a great plan that nobody agrees on." The Lord is hastening His work, and it's not some great thing that He's asked us personally to do, instead He has asked us to do a simple thing through His servant the prophet, like washing in the Jordan river 7x.

One thing I've wondered about those missionaries back home: since there's 2 companionships, do the ward members ever invite one pair to dinner and then forget which one they invited and accidentally talk to the other pair as a reminder? I've begun to learn that happens sometimes here in the Darmstadt ward, although it's probably even harder with 2 sets of Elders, Sisters, and a Senior Couple.

[By the way--] I usually take pictures of my emails on P-Day to read them later, instead of printing them out, because it's faster and free-er.

love,

Elder Standring

PS I'm not sure if I mentioned this already, but of the other set of Elders here, one of them played baseball with Elder Stacey on the BYU Baseball team and grew up with my golden, Elder Hawker. He's from Las Vegas as well, his name is Elder Hutchings.