IN TUNE WITH THE MUSIC OF FAITH Summary

182nd Annual General Conference of

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

Saturday afternoon, 31March 2012

Key Doctrines and Principles:

Elder Cook particularly recognized, and expressed gratitude  for, “many [members who] render long hours of devoted service . . . [and] are exemplary in their selfless sacrifice. This service and sacrifice extend through the entire membership . . ..” Elder Cook teaches that God loves and wants all of his children to return to him and acknowledged that  “administering the Church depends on [these] consecrated members.”

Elder Cook, aware—as are many other religious leaders—that “many individuals are not in tune with sacred things,” quotes Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks of England as noting, “One culprit is ‘an aggressive scientific atheism tone deaf to the music of faith.’ (Jonathan Sacks, “Has Europe Lost Its Soul?”(address delivered on Dec. 12, 2011, at the Pontifical Gregorian University), chiefrabbi.org/ReadArtical.aspx?id=1843.”

He reminds us that “Lehi’s prophetic dream of the tree of life (1 Nephi 8) . . .  starkly describes the challenges to faith that exist in our day and the great divide between those who love, worship, and feel accountable to God and those who do not.”

“A dividing line between those who hear the music of faith and those who are tone-deaf or off-key is the active study of the scriptures. . . . Spencer W. Kimball, emphasized: . . . “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006), 67).”

Elder Cook emphasized, “Family scripture study and family home evenings are not always perfect. Regardless of the challenges you face, do not become discouraged.”

He said, “My own children . . . [observe] 

     First, persistence in reading the scriptures daily as a family is the key. . . . Persistence is the answer, and a sense of humor helps. It requires great effort from every family member every day, but it is worth the effort. Temporary setbacks are overshadowed by persistence. . . .

    Second is how our youngest son and his wife are reading the scriptures with their young family. Two out of their four children are not old enough to read. For the five-year-old, they have five finger signals to which he responds in order for him to participate fully in the family scripture reading. The signal for finger 1 is for him to repeat, “And it came to pass” whenever it appears in the Book of Mormon. I have to admit that I love the fact that the phrase appears so often. Incidentally, for the interest of young families, finger signal 2 is “And thus we see”; fingers 3, 4, and 5 are chosen by the parents based on the words contained in the chapter they are reading.”

Favorite Quotes:

“Mothers and fathers praying with children may be more important than any other example.”

“The message, ministry, and Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Savior, are our essential family curriculum. No scripture characterizes our faith better than 2 Nephi 25:26: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

“When we inculcate into our lives scriptural imperatives and live the gospel, we are blessed with the Spirit and taste of His goodness with feelings of joy, happiness, and especially peace (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23).”

So What?

“It needs to be taught and understood that we love and respect all of the people

(Matthew 18:12–14).”

 “Remember, it is not up to us to judge. Judgment is the Lord’s. (John 5:22; Matthew 7:1–2).”

“President Monson has specifically asked us to have the 'courage to refrain from judging others (May We Have Courage, General YW Meeting, April 2009)'. He has also asked every faithful member to rescue those who have tasted of the gospel fruit and then have fallen away, as well as those who have not yet found the strait and narrow path . . . We pray that they will hold to the rod and partake of the love of God, which will fill their 'soul[s] with exceedingly great joy' (1 Nephi 8:12).”

“We are to be positive and of good cheer. We emphasize our faith, not our fears. We rejoice in the Lord’s assurance that He will stand by us and give us guidance and direction (Doctrine and Covenants 68:6).” [Emphasis mine.]

“Let us, therefore, wherever we are on the path of discipleship in Lehi’s vision, resolve to awaken within us and our families a greater desire to claim the Savior’s incomprehensible gift of eternal life.”