President Monson

Monday, February 04, 2008

President Monson

Today I watched the press conference which announced our new first presidency. It was neat to watch. I felt the spirit in various ways throughout the meeting and am confident the this is the Lord's church and He is at the head. President Monson, President Eyring and President Uchtdorf truly are servants of the Lord.

When I first turned on the TV Carol Mikita was reporting but the conference had not yet begun. She is a good reporter, though, and basically knew, through her own observations what was going to take place. She reported seeing President and Sister Monson, Sister Eyring, and.... Sister Uchtdorf. As soon as she said that, it was an easy assumption of who the new first presidency would be.

Moments later in walked our prophets and apostles: the men who lead the church and bring the words of our Heavenly Father to the world today. At President Hinckley's funeral procession, it was noted how orderly they are in following their order of senority. Well, I didn't have a clear view of the TV because I was tending to Peter, but from the corner of my eye I could see eleven men walking in order to sit in the chairs for the apostles, and three other men walking to the chairs for the first presidency. Before any formal announcement was made, President Monson sat down with President Eyring at his right and President Uchtdorf at his left. I just got chills as I watched this newly formed presidency make themselves known to the world for the first time.

Someone asked President Monson what he did in response to the realization that this responsibility would come upon him. His answer touched me. He said that he knelt in prayer and asked the Lord what is offered in D&C 84:88, that the Lord would "go before my face, and that He will be on my right hand and on my left, and that His Spirit shall be in my heart, and His angels round about to bare me up." I love listening to the Prophets and Apostles because so often they speak the words of the scriptures whether we realize it or not.

The other answer I remember (I can't recall what the exact question was) was that the best thing the youth of the church can do is pray and have confidence that they will receive answers to those prayers. It is my responsibility to live this way, and more importantly to teach my children the power of prayer. I feel like I am already being taught and instructed by President Monson.

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has provided for us these watchmen on the tower who help us find the light in an ever darkening world!

2 comments:

AnonymousFebruary 4, 2008 at 8:08 PM
Thanks for sharing your feelings about this. I really wish I could have caught all or some of the press confrence.
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousFebruary 4, 2008 at 8:08 PM
Thanks for sharing your feelings about this. I really wish I could have caught all or some of the press confrence.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Family Proclamation

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.