Jan 8, 2012 following Stake Conference

Stake Conference Jan 7-8, 2012

Today the Stake Presidency was released. President John K Frischknecht, Ist Coun. Collin Allan, and 2^nd Coun. Scott Summerfeldt.  The new presidency was then sustained as President Scott Summerfeldt, 1^st Counselor David Jensen and 2^nd Coun. Ryan Moss.

The visiting General Authorities were Elders Marlin Jensen and Christopher B Munday. Elder Munday had a great sense of humor only bested by Elder Jensen’s. It was a lot of fun listening to them. They gave us some great counsel and I have decided to pass it on to you as well.

Pres and Sister Frischnecht both spoke about families first followed by our visiting authorities.

Elder Munday spoke yesterday of the importance of families and most importantly teaching children the gospel. He said that we need to teach not just the what of the gospel principle but also the why. He told a story when one of the general authorities (Elder Nelson) came to his stake in England and asked for two youth speakers to give talks and bear their testimonies of the gospel. He picked the two youth that he knew would best represent the gospel (and make him look good). They got up and both gave the basic same talk about all the things that we do not do in the gospel. After they sat down Elder Nelson looked over at him and simply said, “Interesting.” That dwelt on his mind for some time after conference was over and finally he came to the understanding that those he had chosen knew the whats of the gospel but did not understand the whys. He determined that from that time forth he would teach the whys. The whats of the gospel are the word of wisdom, temple marriage, home teaching, plan of salvation, etc. The whys are the reasons why  the Lord gave them as commandments. Health and strength by obedience to the Lords giving the word of wisdom. Forever families and our becoming Gods are two of the whys for temple marriage. Looking out for the welfare of our fellow men is the why for home teaching and becoming like God the why for the plan of salvation. He admonished us to always teach the whys with the whats as we teach our children and as we minister in the gospel.

Elder Jensen then spoke about our need to tell our stories. He said that as we tell our stories the spirit of the Lord can teach our children and grandchildren and beyond why we have testimonies and where we may have struggled to learn to obey the commandmants. They will be strengthened by knowing our stories.

(I thought about Hayden’s gift two years ago that started me on that very path by starting the blog of my stories. I hope they mean something to you and to your children.) He told about his great grandfather getting a piece of horehound candy in his stocking one year and that was all any of them got that Christmas. So he decided to put a plan into action where he could enjoy that candy all year. He would lick it a couple of times and then wrap it in some tissue and put it by his bed and each night before bed he would take it out and lick it a couple of times and by so doing it lasted a full year.  He then said “And in me is a part of him.” He then told a couple other stories to illustrate things that he had learned form his grandfather and father ad then again said “And there is a part of them in me.”

  

Both talks were really good and we were there a full two hours that didn’t seem that long.

Today several bore testimonies from the former Stake Presidency and the new one as well.

Then Elder Munday spoke about the fact that they had all mentioned that their wives were so much a reason for their being where they were. Then he said that there was a quote that hangs in their home in England that reads, “She who sits and waits also serves.” He then spoke to the youth and admonished them to be faithful to their parents and the gospel and to the young men to serve a mission even if they don’t want to do it. He also spoke about having personal priesthood interviews with each of your children every fast Sunday. He explained that as a Bishop he once had a father and son come to him and the father told him that his son had told him something last night that he needed to tell the Bishop. After the interview he asked the father how he had gotten his son to tell him first about the problem and he then explained that he had always had PPI’s with his children even from before they could really talk and that was why he son came to him first.

Elder Jensen then talked to us and explained that as a Mission President he found that the Bishop’s were not using the Elders to speak in Sacrament meeting and he found out that the Bishops didn’t use them because they couldn’t give good talks. His wife then went to work to find out how they could be taught to speak better He explained that she found out that the best speakers always did 4 things. 1. Give an introduction to the topic. 2^nd. Tell a story and preferably one from your own experience and 3^rd back it up with a scripture that supports the story and then finally bear your testimony in closing about that principle and the gospel.  This is something that might well be taught to your children, especially as they get into their youth talk giving years. Teach it by doing it every time you talk as well so they learn from example also before that time. He then gave his talk following those very steps. It was really good.

At the end he summed up his testimony by saying something to the fact that when all is said and done if he has someone who will call him Honey, and children that he helped to make call him dad and grandchildren who call him Papa that it will be good enough for him. What a testimony to the strength of a family.