Sorta-liveblogging general conference: Priesthood session

And now, priesthood session. I do, in what i’m sure some readers will see as simply further evidence of me being a heretic, wonder how the relative importance of priesthood session (and the women’s session) is seen among the general authorities, given their smaller audiences balanced with what is presumably a greater focus.

Anyway, as with all of these, the first speaker is at the bottom of this post leading to the last speaker at the top, with comments under each speaker’s name going from the first at the top going downwards.

Thomas S. Monson, president of the high priesthood

• For those who hold the priesthood, remember that that priesthood goes everywhere you do—so take care to go places where the priesthood should go.
• [Very short address—it clocked in at less than four minutes—so not a lot to report, i’m afraid.]

Henry B. Eyring, of the first presidency

• Our great work is to believe in the gospel, create and maintain an eternal family unit, and help others do likewise.
• It is a priesthood obligation to put our family at the center of everything we do.
• One can go through the duties listed for each priesthood office in the book of Doctrine & Covenants and find how they apply to family life. [Basically, this is what he did, as well as talked about things to do at different stages of life. Lots of content, but not a lot that lends itself to summary in this sort of presentation.]
• Quoting N. Eldon Tanner: “The parents you should honor more than any other are the parents of your children to be.”
• Those who are married must be completely faithful to their spouse, and children must honor their parents.
• All church responsibilities are important, but the most important responsibilities are those done within the walls of our own homes, no matter how small or insignificant they might appear at the moment.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the first presidency

• Families don’t exist just to make things run more smoothly here on earth, but rather exist in eternity.
• Keeping our families strong requires constant attention and effort, and those who do so deserve praise.
• When looking for someone to marry, we shouldn’t be looking for someone “perfect”, but rather for someone we can create an eternal and lasting bond with—and creating such a bond requires charity.
• Making a marriage strong takes work, but it is not cheerless work.
• “Every family needs saving…The reality is that there are no perfect families.” However, despite our families’ imperfections, they are still worthy of our best efforts.
• “What is right for one family might not be right for another.” [Can i get this tattooed on the foreheads of people who claim otherwise in church classes? Please?]
• That said, in all cases charity is needed to help marriages and families succeed—which means that we need to avoid pride.
• Pride is a failing that is common to all of us, but that doesn’t mean we should make it our legacy.
• Let love conquer pride even when you are not at fault—perhaps even especially when you are not at fault.

Stephen W. Owen, general president of the young men organization

• What does it mean to lead, and what does it mean to follow?
• Jesus Christ is the greatest leader that ever lived—but he was also the greatest follower, and followed the father’s will perfectly.
• The world teaches that leaders must be powerful, but the gospel teaches that they must be meek—in God’s eyes, the greatest leaders are also the greatest followers.
• Gospel leadership is leading others to come to Christ, which is, at core, discipleship.
• The more thoroughly you come to Christ, the more thoroughly you will desire to bring others to feel the same thing.

Russell M. Nelson, president of the quorum of apostles

• In the last conference he spoke to the women of the church about their divine role as women of God, so now he’s speaking to the men of the church about their divine role as men of God.
• Men in the church bear the priesthood of God—the same power that creates worlds and brings salvation.
• There are too many in the church who have been ordained to the priesthood but have no priesthood power due to their sins. [And he included laziness in his list of sins!]
• Demeaning your wife or children will cut off the flow of priesthood power.
• To receive priesthood power, we must fervently pray, search the scriptures, study earnestly, worship in the temple regularly, listen for and follow spiritual promptings, and honor and cherish our wives.