August 13, 2011 Saturday

Single Adult Conference “Overcoming Adversity”

First Workshop – Sister Weisler

Holy Habits and Righteous Routines and the Doctrine of Becoming

Become good spouses and good parents

Family comes first, career’s come second

The Savior and the Adversary both know what we can do

 - The Poster Principle

Be aware – do not judge – discern what is best for us

Is “your way” really the right way?

    See: Mosiah 14:6 – sheep

             John 14:6 – by the Lord

             Isaiah 55:8-9 – thoughts

             Haggai 1:5 – consider your ways

Consider: hearken: listen, obey

We are not just hearers of the word, but doers

3 Main Points:

  1) Use time wisely

  2) Stay Clean and Pure

  3) Trust Him

The Lord can make a lot more of our lives than we can

“Most people miss the real significance of what they might experience from and contribute to this life not because they are bad people or doing bad things, but because they have become distracted from doing the most important things.”

There are a lot of things that we do during the week

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is an even nobler art of leaving things undone.” – Uchtdorf

Things that matter: Temple, Family Night, Prayer, Visiting Teaching (Home Teaching), Scripture Study

Put things that matter most in first, then worry about everything else

Do the essential things first – all other things will follow

“It is the small changed made habitually that make the difference” President Eyring

Make a weekly schedule of what needs to be done and post it where you can see it

Add a Temple trip in as often as you can: weekly, monthly, or daily

1960 – Monday night declared Family Night

Realize that you are in charge of your life

Get a grip on how you spend your time

Know how to organize your thoughts and plan your days

Decide what you want to do, set yourself up, all else will fall into place – everything else will go around that

You can tell people “No”

You do not need to explain, “I have a previous commitment”

Journal writing is important

 - “The weakest ink is better than the greatest memory”

Take an hour on Sunday to go back through the week in detail

Let the internet become your reward (or the “fun” cites)

“We move towards and become that which we consistently think about and believe.”

There are many things to do besides watch TV

Walk away from things of the world

2) Stay Clean and Pure – look away from unwholesome things

Doctrine and Covenants 121:45 Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly

Be who the Lord wants us to be

Have you ever prayed for your future spouse?

    Pray that you will be worthy of them and they be worthy of you

    You will meet at the right time and place

The Lord wants us to succeed

Take the good and the bad into the next generation

Ask, “How do we show we love them?” (The Lord and Christ)

John 14:15

Second Workshop – Brother Johnson

My Anchor in Adversity

The Kite

      The kite is . . . us

      How critical is the air to flying kites?

            What does is represent?    Adversity

Adversity can raise us up – not always, but sometimes

So why Adversity?

Now . . . one of the mysteries

 - one of the greatest secrets ever sought after . . .

 - never found by 99.99% of world

                      The Plan of Salvation

2 Nephi 2:11

Where does adversity come from? Friends, enemies, family, self-inflicted, life

At some time your body will be against you

What is the most gut wrenching adversity experience you’ve ever had?

    (Self-question)

Write down some challenges you may have faced

All a matter of perspective

What have been your greatest Adversities?

      Would you trade?

People’s adversities are different from others. We cannot judge one person, or anyone based on our own trials

Looking at other’s adversities puts our own into perspective sometimes

“Purified by Fire”, President James E. Faust

        “Here, then, is a great truth . . . seek to do right and be faithful . . .” (2^nd paragraph)

“The thorns . . . perfection process”

We want our lives to become soft clay in the master’s hands

How can we be prepared to handle adversity?

     - Holy Ghost, comforter

     - Good attitude

     - Faith

Stress is what you feel when you put the things of the world before God. Peace is what you feel when you put the Lord before the world. – Anonymous

“I don’t want to frighten you . . . part of our belief”, Ballard

Upon What Are You Anchored?

     What is our anchor? Our Testimony of the Atonement

Will your anchor leave you?

If you sever the anchor, the anchor remains, but the Testimony leaves

You must make that anchor strong

James 1:5-6

Helaman 5:12

      Build your Testimony upon the Rock of the Savior

3 Nephi 14:25

Alma 26:6-7 – in the hands of the Lord

Elder Joseph B. Worthlin “Our Father in Heaven does . . . challenges . . . . that kind of . . . our own [works] . . . us ingenuity . . . rest to the Lord.”

Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-9

   “. . . know thou . . . God shall be with you forever and ever”

Third Workshop – Brother Weisler

Diamonds, Dragons and Dipsticks

     How desires, determination and doctrine make the difference

“Charlotte’s Web” movie – most influential movie

“12 Angry Men” – part of Top 5

“Groundhog Day” – part of Top 5

Concession at movie theater = most painful experience at movies

We have a choice to take what we’re handed and make it better

Make an effort

Are you excited about the New Year?

    Have a good outlook

    Be ready for a Great Year!

    Psych yourself up

We get in ruts and keep ourselves there

Don’t beat yourself up all the time

Words are power

The Word = Jesus Christ

The words we speak have an influence on the spirit of the room

“Our lives follow our language”

Words change the way we see things

Sarcasm is not attractive – has to do with wild dogs, originally

Eliminate sarcasm

Cynicism is not beautiful

Innuendo is to be avoided

Fill that space with good words and thoughts

“My year will get better as I do”

Do you have an awareness that what you say, or what people say to you, has either a good (positive) or bad (negative) effect on you

We can’t get better until we overcome adversity

 - more confidence = overcoming adversity

How can your job prospects get better if you don’t

Don’t give in and don’t give up

Let today change you

Don’t just go through the motions

There are a thousand distractions and 1 Holy Ghost

We know challenges can be overcome

We must face adversity head on

Reach your potential

Have a clarity on what you want to become

We have all overcome dragons in our lives

  - don’t let them win, not even once!
  - Don’t let adversities (dragons) overcome us

Dipstick – stick to check the oil in your car

10 virgins – oil, always check

How do you know your spiritual oil is low?

    - Read Alma 5

When your oil is full you are more open, overcomes natural man

You’re low if: you’re worried, you’re low on friends

Matthew 25 – 10 virgins, oil

2 Kings 4:1-9 Elijah and the woman, 2 sons, in debt, oil to sell

1 Kings 17:1-? Elijah and the woman and son, cake, oil

Faith and obedience in the Prophet fills our oil

If you are not reading doctrine, you are cutting yourself short

Book, “Wake up Calls”

1 hour of study in field of your choice makes you an expert in chosen field

Figure a way to spend more than 3 minutes in the scriptures

Truth sets us free

Fourth Workshop – Brother and Sister Haslum

My Anchor in Adversity

The spirit will tell you what you need to know through the speaker

3 Principles of Anchorage

   1) Principle of Mobility – without an anchor the object is at risk of drifting, falling or being harmed

   2) Principle of Connectivity – must be properly connected to anchor

   3) Principle of Solidity – must be secured to a solid foundation

Charts are vital to good anchoring – a skilled mariner would not choose to anchor without them

A skilled child of heaven would not anchor without them

Adversity – there to accomplish the Lord’s own purpose in our life

External – challenged that happen to us

Internal – challenges that happen within us

Scriptional and Personal Examination

“We live in a world of adversity” – Gordon B. Hinckley

2 Nephi 4:34

  “O Lord, I have trusted thee, and I will trust in thee forever. . . .”

2 Nephi 4:17-22-32

Adversity is hard, but it helps us

“Nevertheless, I know whom I have trusted”

“My God hath been my support”

We do something and something is given back to us

Your strength will slacken because of your iniquities

“Why should I yield to sin because of my flesh?”

“Awake my soul! No longer droop in sin.”

“Oh Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul?”

If you don’t like what you’re doing, pray to not do it

2 Nephi 4:cont-35

Becoming Firmly Anchored

 - A good anchorage offers protection from the current weather conditions, and will also offer protection from the expected weather

The Savior is our anchor

Most times, if not always, we are moved by adversity

We may all end up a little bit weathered

Appreciate the small accomplishments you make each day

“Through sorrow and suffering we come through tribulations”

Neal A. Maxwell, “how can you expect to glide through life? as if to ask the Lord for no trials and tribulations?”

Becoming Firmly Anchored

  1. Squarely place our faith in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

Ether 12:6

  “Faith is things . . .  Thus, everytime . . . with even you . . .  Be thankful . . . grow”

Do something, read scriptures, you will get insight

Exercise your faith in prayer, tithing, reading scriptures – he will answer

The Lord knows you

Be thankful for the trials you have

  2. Follow our living Prophets and Apostles

Listen to the words that are spoken

Mosiah 15:10-25, blessings we get for following the prophet

   v.23, they have eternal life through Jesus Christ

  3. Strengthen your testimony

  Share it!

“We gain or strengthen a testimony by bearing it.” – Elder Ballard

   4. Pray Always

Doctrine and Covenants 75:11

It is vital to pray

How does it feel to be Anchored?

   - peace

Doctrine and Covenants 19:23 Learn, Listen, Walk

Mosiah 4:2-3

    - conviction

 - confidence

 - powerful

 - peace

 - assurance

 - trust

 - optimism

 - enthusiasm

 - patient perseverance

 - absolute certainty that the Lord lives and is guiding us

Speakers:

Elder Gay

Learn how to forgive

History of Joseph Smith

   - move forward

The Gospel of Deliverance

All losses shall be made up in the resurrection, if you remain faithful

2 lessons to learn

What do we exchange for our soul?

“Whom do ye say that I am?”

Great teachers don’t lie

What will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Is there anything that comes between us and the atonement?

Take the longer, harder road

Follow the prophets: say prayers, read scriptures

Do things the Lord’s way

The Lord always delivers

Challenges are part of life – it is how we learn and grow

This is the Gospel of Deliverance

Any challenge you have is answered by the gospel of Jesus Christ

Elder M. Russell Ballard

Don’t need all the technology to be successful

Old standards

Perfection is a process – line upon line

Don’t worry about having everything in the perfect order

   - pray together

   - read scriptures together

   - struggle together

What really matters?

   - all things on the Family side

Build a relationship

The Spiritual side of you is more important than the physical

Bring your family along while going to school

Pay Tithing!

Decide what you will allow to appear on your computer

Draw a line on what you will NOT do anymore

We all make mistakes

The Lord will not take away our Agency or Freedom to choose

Doctrine and Covenants 76: “And among other things . . . Now this caused us to marvel . . . glory of the Lord . . . the holy angels . . . he lives . . . unto God.”

Is it worth it?

      the Celestial kingdom

          - those who have married, no singles

          - everlasting faith

          - members of the church of the first born

          - repent of your sins

          - have a family

Some may never marry

        ALL blessings of Righteous children will be given to those children who are true and faithful

Don’t get discouraged

Don’t get despondent

We are potential kings and queens

Is it worth it?

On the Judgment Day our bodies will rise up

Is it worth it

Is it worth drawing the line

President Hinckley’s favorite scripture:

       Doctrine and Covenants 50: “Wherefore I the Lord ask ye this question . . . he that is ordained of me . . . why is it . . . as it is . . . [That which is of God is light . . .”] – perfect day

You can’t teach the spirit if you don’t have it

Keep the light of the Gospel in your eyes

Don’t go this year without showing the gospel to 1 person

Bring one (1) person intot he light by January 1, 20-

Why? Because its worth it

“For behold the Lord, your redeemer . . . bring all men unto him . . . how great is his joy when one soul repents . . .”

Hold Fast

“Who’s on the Lord’s Side, Who?”

Keep a smile on your face

Do the best you can