Sorta-liveblogging general conference: Priesthood session

So priesthood session is men and boys aged 11 (if they’re turning 12 this year), but the general women’s session is girls and women aged 8 and up. Just kind of wondering if they’re ever going to adjust things so that the ages match, you know?

Anyway, as with the rest of these entries, the first speaker is at the bottom of the post, and then you can read up to follow chronologically.

Russell M. Nelson, president of the high priesthood

• The scriptures often tell us to say “nothing but repentance unto this generation”.
• Does everyone need to repent? Yes!
• Repentance isn’t a punishment—the idea that it is is a deception of Satan’s.
• When God invites us to repent, we are invited to change our mind, knowledge, spirit, even the way we breathe; we are invited to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, even treat our bodies.
• Repentance is a process in which we invite the Lord to help us change so that we become more like Jesus Christ.
• God doesn’t expect us to be perfect at this point, but does expect us to become pure—and daily repentance is the path to purity.
• All of us can do better and be better than we were before.
• The way we take care of our bodies is important—and we can do better at that (and this includes [this is directed toward the men, remember!] dressing in appropriate ways).
• Another way we can do better is the way we treat the women in our lives (for example, watching sports and playing video games should never come before them).

Dallin H. Oaks, of the first presidency

• The restored gospel reminds us to think about the future, to guide our actions today.
• As we see threats creeping up on those we love, we have a opportunity to warn them—or we can do nothing.
• We need to consider opportunity costs when we’re deciding what to do. (See also his “Good, Better, Best” address from some years ago.)
• We are children of God; everything else pales in comparison to that.

Henry B. Eyring, of the first presidency

• Thank you for your service in the church—and move forward in using your power to bless the lives of others.
• Each time you sustain someone the Lord calls, it is an expression of trust.
• Do we truly sustain others? We are commanded not to judge unrighteously, but we find it difficult to do.
• No man, however high he may be in the priesthood, can speak ill of another without incurring God’s wrath.
• As we repent, our confidence in the Lord and each other will grow stronger, and we will move toward truly becoming one.

Kim B. Clark, of the seventy

• Jesus did what he should have done, doing the will of God the Father in all things.
• We are called to trust in Jesus completely, and ultimately become like him.
• We “rivet” our focus on Jesus by living our covenants.
• Jesus Christ goes with us when we do what we are supposed to do.

Carl B. Cook, of the presidency of the seventy

• When a young man joins the church, what is going to keep him active? His priesthood quorum!
• With the focus on gospel instruction in the home, will those without active family members be left behind? No—we cannot allow that to happen (and the quorum should help with that).
• Wherever you are, your quorum can grow through activation and sharing the gospel.

Gary E. Stevenson, of the quorum of apostles

• Just as sports players have an assignment and playbook, we have assignments and we can build our own playbook of plans based in the gospel.
• He asked a bunch of church-member professional athletes, and found it interesting that they didn’t define themselves by what they do, but rather who they are as children of God.
• Along the way you will stumble and fall sometimes, but that’s not a problem—that’s part of the qualifying process, and you need to simply repent and learn from it.