183 Semiannual General Conference Thread

[LA Ute]

DU shooting down the "apostacy = result of sin" line of thinking. Good for him.

It was at that point (when he said "it is not that simple," or something along those lines) that I really sat up and started to listen. That was such an important statement.

[UVACoug]

Pres. Uchtdorf's discussion of why people leave the church will be quoted repeatedly. The acknowledgment that sometimes imperfect people in the church make mistakes is terrific. Maybe I'm just carried away but I this a landmark moment. I don't think I've ever heard anything like this I n General Conference in my life.

"In spite of this the eternal truth of the gospel...is not tarnished, diminished or destroyed."

"My dear friends, there is still a place for you here."

Nurture "the seed of faith in the sometimes sandy soil of doubt."

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."

"If you could see into our hearts you would see that you fit in better then you suppose."

This is one talk that left me choked up. Maybe because I know and love so many people who have left. I hope all of them watch or read this.

So many essential, important things said in this talk. Too bad it was given on Sunday when more people are paying attention ... I'm sure it will get a lot of attention anyways. One of the best things he did, in my opinion, was call out all the jerks that claim everyone that leaves the Church is a sinner or was offended. And then he went a step further and said that we respect everyone that searches for the truth and need to love people even when their search for the truth leads them away from the Church. This wasn't a talk telling those that have left the Church that they are stupid and need to get in line with the gospel. He clearly was intending to reach out to those people to let them know they are wanted and needed. More importantly though, in my opinion, it was a talk to the members of the Church that look down on those people, telling them that doubts about the imperfections in the Church are normal and shouldn't be grounds for driving people away.

[UVACoug]

Yep.

I liked how he said it's the Church that needs a lot of the people who self-select out of the Church.

It's the opposite idea to the stupid and arrogant analogy of the Church as a train that will move forward and you either get on board with the program or are left behind.

The fact is that the Church needs people who don't quite fit in, who have doubts and differences of opinion with the "standard." Great talk.

Yep ... I loved that too. One of the themes that I've seen in his talks over the last few years is the idea of looking outward rather than inward. It is the whole JFK idea of "think not what the Church can do for you, think about what you can do for the Church."

[Moliere]

Nurture "the seed of faith in the sometimes sandy soil of doubt."

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."

Did he reference me? Dieter is stealing my stuff

[LA Ute]

Did he reference me? Dieter is stealing my stuff

Strive for meekness, Bro. Moliere.

[TripletDaddy]

I have long felt that Big D was a once-in-a-generation type leader in the Church. I'm starting to get the feeling that he is a once in a lifetime sort.

His talks are inspiring but they also lead me to a bit of frustration at our internal tradition of tenure-based apostolic succession. I'm fairly confident that DU as President of the Church could have as dramatic an impact on internal attitude and mindsets as Pope Francis is currently having in the Catholic Church. But since DU is still a relative newcomer, we may never get the chance to see him in his prime sitting in the drivers seat.

[Jacob]

Pres. Uchtdorf's discussion of why people leave the church will be quoted repeatedly. The acknowledgment that sometimes imperfect people in the church make mistakes is terrific. Maybe I'm just carried away but I this a landmark moment. I don't think I've ever heard anything like this in General Conference in my life.

"In spite of this the eternal truth of the gospel...is not tarnished, diminished or destroyed."

"My dear friends, there is still a place for you here."

Nurture "the seed of faith in the sometimes sandy soil of doubt."

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."

"If you could see into our hearts you would see that you fit in better then you suppose."

This is one talk that left me choked up. Maybe because I know and love so many people who have left. I hope all of them watch or read this.

I submit that those statements give more comfort to be faithful into the Disaffected.

[FMCoug]

I have long felt that Big D was a once-in-a-generation type leader in the Church. I'm starting to get the feeling that he is a once in a lifetime sort.

His talks are inspiring but they also lead me to a bit of frustration at our internal tradition of tenure-based apostolic succession. I'm fairly confident that DU as President of the Church could have as dramatic an impact on internal attitude and mindsets as Pope Francis is currently having in the Catholic Church. But since DU is still a relative newcomer, we may never get the chance to see him in his prime sitting in the drivers seat.

This. Every time he talks I think if only overall church culture could be like this ... it would be a completely different church.

[TripletDaddy]

Where is Tex? This is about when he usually shows up. Someone make a derogatory comment about a speaker to draw him out into the open.

After Big D's talk, the Tex persona was rendered moot and almost anathema to prophetic counsel. I doubt we ever see him around here again. Probably less of Indy Coug, too. Both are good things.

[Jeff Lebowski]

After Big D's talk, the Tex persona was rendered moot and almost anathema to prophetic counsel. I doubt we ever see him around here again. Probably less of Indy Coug, too. Both are good things.

lol.

[Moliere]

I have long felt that Big D was a once-in-a-generation type leader in the Church. I'm starting to get the feeling that he is a once in a lifetime sort.

His talks are inspiring but they also lead me to a bit of frustration at our internal tradition of tenure-based apostolic succession. I'm fairly confident that DU as President of the Church could have as dramatic an impact on internal attitude and mindsets as Pope Francis is currently having in the Catholic Church. But since DU is still a relative newcomer, we may never get the chance to see him in his prime sitting in the drivers seat.

It's as apparent as ever what TSM is doing. Lowering the age of females to serve missions. Allowing gays to be active/participating members of the church while being open about being gay. The church not taking a stance on the BSA vote on membership. Adding "Care for the poor" as a quasi-fourth mission of the church. Leaving a legacy of talks about caring for the elderly and helpless. Calling DFU into the 1st presidency and thus giving him more influence and time to talk. Allowing Marlin Jensen to apoogize for the church's role in Prop 8.

GBH was great, but he was a hardlining pharisee at times. He also left the Prop 8 stuff (TSM is at fault for some of that) as well as the CCC mall to TSM to finish up as projects. TSM is obvious behind those things, but we was essential left them in a way and that's a tough hand to be dealt.

I think TSM has firmly put himself into my trifecta of favorite prophets along with DOM and JS.

[LA Ute]

I submit that those statements give more comfort to be faithful into the Disaffected.

Maybe, but even if you are right the talk will help the faithful interact more compassionately with the disaffected.

[Jeff Lebowski]

It's as apparent as ever what TSM is doing. Lowering the age of females to serve missions. Allowing gays to be active/participating members of the church while being open about being gay. The church not taking a stance on the BSA vote on membership. Adding "Care for the poor" as a quasi-fourth mission of the church. Leaving a legacy of talks about caring for the elderly and helpless. Calling DFU into the 1st presidency and thus giving him more influence and time to talk. Allowing Marlin Jensen to apoogize for the church's role in Prop 8.

GBH was great, but he was a hardlining pharisee at times. He also left the Prop 8 stuff (TSM is at fault for some of that) as well as the CCC mall to TSM to finish up as projects. TSM is obvious behind those things, but we was essential left them in a way and that's a tough hand to be dealt.

I think TSM has firmly put himself into my trifecta of favorite prophets along with DOM and JS.

How do you pin Prop 8 on GBH? Didn't that all happen after he died?

[Moliere]

How do you pin Prop 8 on GBH? Didn't that all happen after he died?

I only pinned it loosely as GBH was around for Prop 22 which was the precursor to Prop 8. It's obvious the church has started a precedent of getting into these political battles and TSM obviously took us there with Prop 8. The nice thing about TSM is that he obviously learned his lesson and has made the church keep it's distance, for the most part. We live in a much different church now in regards to social issues as evidenced by the letter sent to leaders in Hawaii a couple weeks back which allows for a member to support a SSM measure without fear of retribution.

[LA Ute]

That didn't take long.