It is another wonderful week where I get to read another General Conference talk and share my thoughts. This week, I focused on Return and Receive by Elder M. Russell Ballard. He started off by saying that his assignment was to speak to us and all we had to do was listen before he finished his assignment. Sometimes, that is tough for me to listen the entire time. I'm so glad that we can study the General Conference talks later so we don't miss anything really important.
So here is what you will receive...
He continued by saying, I have observed that those who accomplish the most in this world are those with a vision for their lives, with goals to keep them focused on their vision and tactical plans for how to achieve them. Knowing where you are going and how you expect to get there can bring meaning, purpose, and accomplishment to life.
So, what is our vision? What are our goals? What is our plan? What is the difference between a goal and a plan?
Goal: A destination or an end. For example: We can have a goal to drive to a certain unfamiliar location. The goal was clear, but there wasn't a good plan in place to reach the destination.
Plan: The route by which you get there.
Goal setting: Beginning with the end in mind.
Planning: Devising a way to get to that end.
How can we be happy? I love this quote that Elder M. Russell Ballard told...
Question: What is Heavenly Father's goal?
"To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."
Question: What is his plan?
The plan of salvation
Our beloved Heavenly Father’s plan includes giving us a growing, stretching, learning, physical mortality through which we can become more like Him. Clothing our eternal spirits in physical bodies; living by the teachings and commandments of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; and forming eternal families allows us, through the Savior’s Atonement, to fulfill God’s goal of immortality and eternal life for His children with Him in His celestial kingdom.
Another key to happiness is...learn how to set our own goals and establish our own plans within the framework of our Heavenly Father's eternal plan.
Question: What are two words that symbolize God's goals for us?
To return to His presence and to receive the eternal blessings that come from making and keeping covenants are the most important goals we can set.
How do we return and receive?
-unshaken faith in The Lord Jesus Christ
-rely upon His merits
-pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ
-having a perfect brightness of hope
-love of God and of all men
-feast upon the words of Christ
-endure to the end
What does M. Russell Ballard do to stay focused?
He regularly takes time to ask himself, "How am I doing?
Have a personal, private interview with yourself. You are the only one that knows yourself the best and you know how you are progressing along the road to returning and receiving.
Challenge:
We must keep the doctrine and gospel of Jesus Christ at the center of our goals and plans. Without Him, no eternal goal is possible, and our plans to achieve our eternal goals will surely fail.
Testimony:
I testify there is no greater goal in mortality than to live eternally with our Heavenly Parents and our beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is more than just ourgoal—it is also Their goal. They have a perfect love for us, more powerful than we can even begin to comprehend. They are totally, completely, eternally aligned with us. We are Their work. Our glory is Their glory. More than anything else, They want us to come home—to return and receive eternal happiness in Their presence.
Challenge:
-Remember Him
-Renew our lifelong commitments to keeping His commandments
-Look deeply into our own lives
-Setting our own goals
-Focusing our plans to align with God's in a way that will ultimately lead us toward our precious privilege to return and receive
Next week: The Power of the Book of Mormon by Thomas S. Monson (HERE).
***The purpose of the 25 weeks of General Conference talks came from our ebook called, Growing up with Conference. In our book, we share an FHE lesson titled: Favorite talk. The purpose is to teach your family to use the general conference talks as part of their personal scripture study. This FHE lesson is found in our “Live it” section of our ebook. You can find our ebook HERE. ***
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