PG Stake Conference & Handout

We had our #StakeConf (yep you know there's a hashtag for it) last week and I ended up with 10 pages of notes including the Hub's notes from Priesthood Leadership Session.

WHAT? Who takes that many notes? I guess the Winegars do. I promise we didn't write it word for word. Ok Well...maybe the Hubs came close to doing that actually. Guess that's what happens when he doesn't have kids on his lap and crawling all over him. ;)

I'll spare you all 10 pages but here are some faves and some thoughts to go with some of them. Such an amazing conference and grateful we got to go to each session. I finally decided to obey and make it a handout for the sisters & even families we Visit Teach & Home Teach, because well... honestly the spirit told me to! Seriously, sometimes you get those promptings and you can't get it out of your head until you do them! Most of our peeps are not active and haven't come back to church yet. Now they don't have to miss out! And it's a great way to always remember our thoughts and fave quotes too.

Our theme was LIGHT! Which I love of course!

“That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” - D&C 50:24

“What are we doing to create spiritual chlorophyll so we can absorb the spiritual light from God.” - President Duane Cutler. [link to meme for this quote and more info]

“Parents: plan, organize, & drive your kids to the temple!” - President Cutler

He visits us IN our afflictions! - President Anderson

Mosiah 24:13-14 “And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people IN their afflictions.”

I ABSOLUTELY loved this and had a new view on this. As we've personally been succored by the Lord during our trials, we've learned what it truly means to succor those in need and those who suffer. Had we not been 'visited IN' our own afflictions and taught, by friends and family, we wouldn’t know what we know now. As we continue to learn to succor and be like the Savior, we know we can share that same love with others as He has with us. And we are excited to do so!

Young Sis. Platt (age 16) was going to a school dance (with a friend we actually know!) when she saw her friends a far off and decided to run to them, she ran straight through some streamers into a metal pole. :'( Similarly, Sis. Roney had the same experience but with a glass door during a school dance. They've learned a lesson and I just love how Sis. Plat says:

'SATAN CAN DISGUISE POLES WITH STREAMERS.' - Lauryn Platt

Sis. Platt repeated that she felt loved when she goes to the temple, 3 times during her talk! I don't know if she did it on purpose or on accident. It’s so perfect and obvious that she would say that so many times though, because all Young Women need that, ALL women need that. We all need & want to feel the love of the Lord!

Elder & Sis. Roney

Sis. Roney described parenting and said it is hard and it’s not perfect. She remembers bringing a lunch to her son at his school because he forgot it. She saw him down the hall, he loved football so she said, "go long," she chucked it at his forehead and knocked him out cold. She said she makes it an analogy these days, that 'you never know what life will throw at you!' LOL classic. Something I'd probably end up doing someday.

“He builds trust, until we do all that He says.” - Elder Blake M. Roney

This statement got me thinking about parenting. How much time do we spend serving our children when they are babies vs. when they get older? I feel like the time we spend serving them lessens as we help them to become more self sufficient. Self sufficient, contributing and driven youth is the goal, however that is also how they may start to lose their trust in us and their ability to obey decreases because they don't rely on us as much anymore. The amount of service rendered to our children is evident in the decreasing amount of trust they have in us.
What if we served our children more? Would they obey us? Not serve them in ways that remove their ability to learn skills, talents & no, I don't mean doing all of their chores for them again. They wish! What if like the Savior, we spent time with them?
My friend from the 7th Ward, Dilya (also one of my awesome #TempleTuesday sistas) told me about a time with her not so obedient teenage son. She decided to play a video game with him and he ended up being more receptive and agreeable with her the rest of the day. Do you think that's what did it? Should we do things THEY want or need us to do? I think she and Elder Roney are onto something. I'm going to try some things and then I'll let you know how it goes next month.

Other Fave quotes from Elder Blake M. Roney

Does your nose hurt? Pray to have a 'divine rendezvous!'

The more we do the things He’s taught, the more we remember Him.

The birth of Christ was the beginning of the plan of salvation.

Study the Scriptures & pray everyday! It's more important never to stop.

The way to happiness is, to learn what He taught and then do it.

Forgiving someone who doesn’t deserve it or someone who doesn’t seek it, is our ticket to heaven!

Do something today that will bring you closer to the Savior.

You’ll like me better when you meet my wife. (LOL we did!)

Peter Vidmar

Elder Roney shared a story of an Olympian, who is also LDS. Former Olympic gymnast Peter Vidmar who won three medals at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Vidmar helped the U.S. men win their only team gold medal in history then he won a second gold medal on the pommel horse with a perfect 10.0 score. He then won the silver medal in the men's all-around individual gymnastics competition. Vidmar now works as a motivational speaker. He first invited him back 25 yrs ago to speak to his company then again 25yrs later. He did the same Pommel Horse routine in both motivational speeches. He said the reason he can still do the routine on the pommel horse (now that he’s over 45yrs old and the only man his age who can do that) is because he has done that routine everyday of his life except Sundays. He has the same muscles because he has been doing it every day throughout his life. That’s how we must continue in the scriptures. It’s more important never to stop!

Fave Quotes from Priesthood Session:

“Are we planning and doing things intentionally or just showing up and going with the flow?” His talk focused on being an “intentional priesthood holder” and the importance of creating a framework for our service." - Bishop Dustin Erekson. "I think the same principles of planning apply to all our lives. We must live the gospel intentionally!" - Clark Winegar's thought.

As we help others become celestialized, we become celestialized ourselves. - Patriarch Greenwood

"At 16 yrs old, I received a home teaching assignment. My companion was 84 yrs old. One of our families was a Sr. Couple both in their late 80s. What was I going to do with a companion who was retired before I was even born?
Each visit was over an hour long. Each time the sister would cry and say what a good message it was. I wasn’t so sure. I’d been there for over an hour and I had heard a lot of stories about what life was like before electricity.
But over the 3 yrs I was their home teacher, my attitude changed and I began to appreciate what kind of struggles they had gone through and to know what it meant to be a home teacher."
(Gave 5 tips but I'm putting my fave here for space)
Please be converted to home teaching yourselves. Our words are hollow if we don’t do it ourselves.
There is a reason we do home teaching and there is a reason it happens in the homes of our members, not a classroom here at the church. Satan is attacking homes and families. As we do our home teaching we fight back.
- Pres. Veenker (used to be our Bishop!)

Be more intentional in your service. - Bishop Dustin Ericsson

Thoughts from my Hubs, Bro. Clark Winegar.
I’m not sure if this is in the scriptures, but life experience has taught me an important true principle: Empty space fills up! Your calendar will fill up with tasks to be done, events to attend, places to go, and things to see. And without even trying, you’ll find yourself busy, hurried, and stressed.
I’ve been reading about and pondering this concept for a few weeks and so a few things stood out to me at our amazing Stake Conference that I want to share:

1. In the Adult Session, Elder Roney talked about how we sometimes plan an amazing activity for the Youth or a heartfelt program for the primary, but do we plan special Spiritual experiences for our own selves and our family?
2. In the priesthood leadership session, Bishop Dustin Erekson asked: “Are we planning and doing things intentionally or just showing up and going with the flow?” His talk focused on being an “intention priesthood holder” and the importance of creating a framework for our service. I think the same principles of planning apply to all our lives. We must live the gospel intentionally.
3. Finally, in the General Session of Stake Conference, Sis. Lauryn Platt said, ”If you don't have time to pray & read scriptures, you are busier than God ever intended you to be.”

There’s so much more, but for this message it boils down to this: If you want to make Christ a part of your life, you must purposely plan for Him. You must make space and schedule time for Him. If you don’t, the world, Satan, and even your well-intentioned friends and neighbors will fill up that space and time for you.

Elder Roney mentioned the opening hymn (The Priesthood of our Lord) must have been from the sealed portion because he’d never heard it before. Weird to me because I knew every word. Thanks President Moody! :) - My Hubs, Clark Winegar

Other Fave Quotes:

The natural man must be molded and shaped so the spiritual man can dominate. - Pres. Anderson
Today’s test is tomorrow’s testimony. - Pres. Anderson
Satan doesn’t care what side of the path you fall off, just as long as you fall. - Sis. Eads
Faith is not about everything turning out OK. Faith is about being OK no matter how everything turn out.” - Sis. Eads
Primary songs are what the scriptures sound like. - Sis. Eads
"Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield & add layers of protection to each of us and as a people." - Sis. Anne Hale
We need to get over ourselves and go and do it and just go and invite others to come. - Pres. Cutler [I was reminded of the scripture in Luke 22:32 “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”]

We can be THAT happy! - Elder Roney

Thoughts by one of my Visiting Teaching Companions Sis. Egbert: "I remember a conference talk, that was also brought up during a talk at church, that was a needed reminder that God wants us to have Joy, and be happy. That our purpose isn't to be sad, lonely, weary, depressed, but to Be Happy. I think people get lost & forget, so it is good to be reminded that Joy and happiness is always at the end of the tunnel, we just need to have Faith." Here is a scripture “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”— 2 Nephi 2:25

After adult session which we got to actually watch from the Alpine Care Center, we went out to eat Never-on-Sundaes with our amazingly selfless neighbors the Olsens, we need to do that more often and should have invited more people! BTW the spirit at the Alpine Care Center was amazing, I was crying at all the hymns, I didn’t know it would be such a great experience and the Hubs (AKA Nerdy Hubby who made it possible for them to watch by setting up equipment for the live-stream) didn’t even know why they bothered with them over there, but after he saw the sweet sisters who could sing, sing with tears in their eyes and then feel of their spirits, he told me he knew it was worth all of the time and energy so they could partake of Stake Conf too, our boys got to come with us for Sunday's general session and were such good boys and so well behaved!