Week #7 - General Conference


 你好!

This past week has flown by and I only have two weeks left in the MTC. I am ready to get out to the field and start teaching although my Chinese still isn't great. I was able to see my family this week at the MTC as they went to the Utah State vs Byu game, and that was awesome. It is too bad the Aggies couldn't pull off a win though. 

Saturday and Sunday I had the opportunity to watch all of General Conference at the MTC. There was so much good shared that taking it all in felt like trying to stop Niagara falls with a straw. I can't wait to reread all the talks and learn from them a 2nd time. My personal favorite talk was Elder Bednar's about the parable of the wedding feast. If any of you did not get the chance to see that talk I would challenge you to find some time to watch it. There were a couple key points that stood out to me this conference that I would like to emphasize:

1. God loves ALL his children and we need to love ALL his children as well. God inspires all types of people in and out of the church to get his work accomplished here on the earth. We need to be kinder and more understanding of all God's children and help serve them in all that we do.

2. We must turn away from the things of the world and turn toward the Savior. We cannot serve God and the natural man. It is one or the other. We are in the world but not of the world. Do not trust the philosophies of man as they do not apply to true lasting joy and happiness.

3. We can use Jesus Christ's Atonement every day. Repentance is an ongoing process that all of us should be involved in. Through Christ's Atonement we can be healed from physical and emotional pain. As we turn to the Savior and use his Atonement we can be blessed with charity, humility, kindness, peace, and rest.

4. Now is the time to grow your testimony. We are the caretakers of our own testimonies. In the current day it is not enough to rely on the light of others to keep us strong in the church. Find ways to build your own testimony especially in aspects of the gospel you are unsure of. We also need to live in a way that we can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Scripture of the Week: 3 Nephi 13:24
No man can aserve btwo masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

I hope all of you are doing well and I am praying for you!

- Elder Rees

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