Sorta-liveblogging general conference: Saturday morning session

I was going to stop doing these a while back, but then the pandemic hit, and i felt like it would be good to keep going through that. But it turns out to be more distracting to take notes than not to, so this really has to end now as the pandemic does.

So this is the last sorta-liveblog from me.

As with all the rest of these, each session is presented in reverse chronological order by speaker, because that’s the way blogs work, to my neverending annoyance. So now it’s time to scroll down and begin reading upward…

Henry B. Eyring, of the presidency of the high priesthood

• Our temples have the words “holiness to the Lord” placed on them; that is true, the temple is a holy place.
• Temples are places of revelation.
• We need to be worthy and ready for the increased temple opportunities that are coming for us.
• Temple service can change and lift us.

Gerrit W. Gong, of the quorum of apostles

• We should help each other, but too often we pass over to the other side of the road.
• We prepare for the second coming when we do unto the least of these as we would to Jesus—"and ‘the least of these’ is us”.
• God’s church needs to be a space where all are welcome, and all are equal.
• Jesus Christ knows everything about us we don’t want anyone else to know, and yet he still loves us.
• Church members have become increasingly international over the past forty years, and increasingly diverse in a number of ways; all of us, no matter our situations, need to feel welcome at church.

Gary E. Stevenson, of the quorum of apostles

• Kindness is a fundamental healing gospel principle.
• Remember that the second great commandment is to love your neighbor.
• A call to never bully others.
• God expects us to teach inclusion and preach against exclusion.

Jan Eric Newman, of the general presidency of the Sunday school organization

• When we teach like the savior, we help others become more deeply converted
• We cannot force someone else’s conversion, even with our own children—but we can provide an environment where the seed of the gospel can take root.
• We need to improve gospel teaching, which we will do by teaching the doctrine and inviting Spirit-filled discussions.

Joy D. Jones, general president of the primary organization

• We must never harm children physically or emotionally in any way.
• Children are to be taught by word and example while they are free from sin (and continuing thereafter).
• Becoming like our savior will not happen randomly—we need to teach children intentionally.
• We need help children recognize the presence and absence of the Spirit, and what led to those states.
• [Not gonna lie, i’m not a fan of analogies comparing military training (positively) to childrearing. Perhaps oddly, the bit that followed that presented childrearing as needing to be very flexible and not like military training.]

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the quorum of apostles

• The gospel message transcends politics, grievances, and personal agendas.
• When we feel cast off, we can be assured that God has not forgotten us.
• All of our sins can be blotted out, and we can stand pure before God.
• Instead of our failings making us feel hopeless, we should learn from them and feel hopeful.
• When Jesus appears, we will see his countenance in us.
• “God is among us.”

Russell M. Nelson, president of the high priesthood

• During the past while, we have all learned new things.
• We are charged with being worthy and willing to prepare the world for the second coming.