| A regional conference was held in
Raleigh, North Carolina, on September 14 and 15
featuring President Thomas S. Monson of the First
Presidency and Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum
of Twelve Apostles. The Saturday priesthood
leadership session was conducted by area authority
Elder John C. Taggart and the Sunday session by
Elder Dale E. Miller, president of the North America
East Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
In the Saturday session, Elder
Miller shared his experiences in helping top-level
executives through using gospel principles.
Emphasizing the role of the Holy Ghost in missionary
work, Elder Miller told of the sister missionary
teaching in his home who told her investigator,
"During this lesson, we’ll feel the Holy
Ghost. I’ll tell you when it comes." After
relating the story of Joseph Smith’s first vision,
the sister missionary stopped and identified the
spirit the investigator was feeling. Receptive to
that spirit, the young woman later was baptized. In
the Sunday session, Elder Miller focused on the
sacrament as the main event of sacrament meeting and
spelled out the elements of the sacramental
covenants. His wife, Sister Miller, told of being
directed to join her husband in going to England.
There, the spirit of Elijah worked with her as she
was led to one place and another in finding her
ancestors—for whom she later did temple work.
Elder Scott taught the priesthood
leaders how Satan works with good people: He gives
them so many good things to do that they can’t
possibly do the essential things. Elder Scott’s
challenge was to study the use of our discretionary
time and focus on using it to accomplish our highest
priorities. He also challenged leaders to ask
themselves: "Is there anything in my life I
would be ashamed of someone else knowing?" If
so, get rid of it. Do a thorough spiritual
housecleaning—and then help others do the same.
Conversion, Elder Scott emphasized, is not the same
as testimony. Testimony can build the faith that
leads to conversion—which involves action. A
converted person has allegiance to God in thoughts
and conduct. Any desire for things contrary to the
gospel has died; substituted for it is a love of God
and a fixed and controlling determination to keep
God’s commandments. In his talk on Sunday, Elder
Scott spoke lovingly to the children and shared
experiences of faith in action. Center your life on
the Savior, he said.
President Monson shared many
personal experiences that revealed this remarkable
leader’s great love and caring. Telling of
challenges in his life, he affirmed the truth of the
saying, "Man’s extremity is but God’s
opportunity." Learn your office and do your
duty, he said; be not weary in well doing. He told
of encountering the motto later adopted by President
Kimball: "Do it. Do it right. Do it right
now." President Monson’s personal anecdotes
especially verified his commitment: "When I
feel a prompting and follow it, and see that I
provide help to someone’s need or prayer, I have
the sweetest feeling I know in mortality." Lift
someone, he urged; bring them to the truth.
President Monson advised the bishops to follow the
same counsel he received from his stake president
when he was a twenty-two year old bishop. President
Child advised Bishop Monson: "Take care of the
poor; have no favorites; tolerate no iniquity."
To the leaders generally, he shared stories to
illustrate the importance of being pure, caring for
the individual, and being united. On Sunday,
President Monson shared passages from his journal
pertaining to previous visits to North Carolina. He
emphasized the power of prayer, and applied to our
lives the elements in the Lord’s plan for building
a house (D&C 88:119). He related how the Lord
worked through him to bless the lives of others.
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