Thoughts on General Conference 15 November, 2010

The General Conference talk that had an impact on me was from one of the newer members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder D. Todd Christofferson.  I remember when he was first called to be an apostle.  I was sitting with my first mission companion in the Missionary Training Center, Elder Woolley.  Apparently, Elder Woolley knew him in person.  I was impressed to say the least.  And while listening to him speak this last general conference of 2010, I was even more impressed.  I loved how he spoke about what we spend our time doing, as the two things life gives us are time, and freedom of choice.  He encourages us to find the happiness that doesn’t “fade with the lights, the music and the crowds.”  I see how many people set their happiness on these things, and end up not having a base to come back to, so that they can find the joy they need so much within themselves.  We often continue trying to find more, more friends, more parties, more food, music and energy.  But as Elder Christofferson said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”    The more we learn of God, the more we see that he is really a father who loves us, who wants our lives to be simple, but meaningful.  He wants us to leave behind the things that carry us away into those “heartless chambers of isolation”, as Elder Uchtdorf puts it, who followed Elder Christofferson in the Saturday morning conference session.  In thinking about these things I thought about how I could turn off the TV. more often, and pick up a good piece of reading material that is worth my time.  It also would be nice to write a letter to an old friend, or call and spend more time with my family.  I know that these things are what matter most in life, and that these are the things they are indirectly encouraging us to do.  In our relationships with family and others, Elder Uchtdorf says that ‘Love ‘ is spelled: T-I-M-E.  In finishing these thoughts, I’d like to end with one more thing that Elder Uchtdorf said.  In my opinion, he helps us to think about what activities, or clutter, we can eliminate in our lives to become stronger individuals. He says, “Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light.  It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.”  I hope I can give enough energy to those things that matter most.