Conference

Querida amorosa familia,

I loved General Conference so much this weekend. I had an interview with President Lewis last Friday, and he told me that for some reason he was especially excited for this conference. Maybe it was the announcement of the missionary age changing (incredible), or maybe it was just the all-around quality of the talks. I was deeply impressed with so many of the talks, I can't come close to choosing a favorite. I was mesmerized by Elder Holland's talk (I think my jaw was dropped for most of the talk) about truly living a Christian life. I love that talk, especially as a missionary when I have the chance to meet so many people who profess to believe in Christ and lead a Christian life. It made me think about how I'm doing each day in proclaiming the gospel that he taught every day of his life and the charge he left with us to take it into all the world. I don't want to be the kind of person who with their mouth draws close to the Savior but whose heart is far from him. I thought a lot of the talks were about living a true Christian life of service and love. I feel like they are really trying to bring us back to the absolute basics--the very first two and greatest commandments of love--because we live in such a complex, advanced society where the simplicity and beauty of the gospel is being overshadowed.

Speaking of going back to the basics, I loved the talks about the family, although Elder Oaks's talk about children was really heartbreaking. I went on an exchange with the English sisters last week in Carmichael, and we met a really beautiful woman named Jane. Yes, Jane--and now I love that name even more. She is not a member of the Church, but boy did she sound like one. She was telling us about how everything in society is affected by the unity or the disparity of the family. And how sad it is that Satan knows that simple fact and is trying to break up the sacredness of the family unit (like breaking up families, telling us it's not economical to have children, causing contention and misunderstanding, and even impeding families from forming). As I was listening to that, I was thinking about how overwhelming it is to try to teach about the family when so many families are broken, struggling and desperate. The only thing I can really do is testify of the principles of the gospel that will make families stronger, like having family home evening, family prayers, scripture study, going to church together, and spending time together. And I guess the other thing I can do is have my own family and apply everything I've learned to be true... soon enough...

And how about that talk from Larry Echo Hawk about the Book of Mormon? Those are the people I am teaching! I was mesmerized by that talk as well and actually read in my scripture study yesterday about how the Lamanites will be rejected, smitten, and scourged.

So it's simply this: we are all children of God. Sadly a lot of people are raised in unfair circumstances without a lot of love and luxuries of life. But we can be a truly Christian people as we look past faults and are patient and strive to be like Christ every day. President Monson didn't say a whole lot at the very end (he never really does), but that's the most important part: love, serve, be a little better. That's my hope.

Love you all,

kates