Anna McEntire: GC Awards or Adding to my Toolbox

I have to thank Melissa for putting this blog together and inviting so many excellent sources of strength and inspiration. When thinking about how I might contribute to such a great compilation, I kept coming back to how I get and keep my favorite quotes and scriptures. Here’s the answer:

As much as I love my two children, they have forever changed the face of our bi-annual General Conference weekends. I rarely have the chance anymore to just sit and watch the words of the prophets, with notebook in hand and pen at the ready. I am refereeing squabbles, shooshing errant conversations, assembling toys, helping to play scripture bingo. Conference is still one of my favorite events of the year, but I’ve often arrived at 6 p.m. on Sunday evening, wondering, out of the eight hours of broadcasts, what I had learned.

Instead of trying to recreate my note-taking, pre-children days, about four years ago, I decided to take a play from my kids’ book and turn Conference into a game. And thus was born GC Awards, where I created category recognitions to help me mentally parse out the torrent of counsel spoken throughout the weekend.

I don’t take notes. I don’t stress over absorbing every word. I enjoy our family time, and I listen. Then, in the days following, I go back in my head (and on the internet, if needed) to remember the talks and assign out my awards. Some of the categories are straightforward (My Favorite Talk), and others are more silly (The Humor Award, The Best Metaphor), but they all help me mentally tag the content. I post them on my blog so I’ll have a place I can frequently revisit them.

At first, I was apprehensive about writing and posting my GC Awards. I don’t want to make light of General Conference nor fail to give it the reverence it deserves. Since I’ve started, however, I’ve noticed a dramatic increase in the amount of content I remember from each session of General Conference—even more than during my note-taking days. It’s almost like I’m carrying a little toolbox around with me now. Because I can remember my favorite talks, I can call them to my aid during lessons, during trials, and just during daily life. It has become a treasure to me.

My latest edition of GC Awards is here. And, just to add something to Melissa’s list of Conference talks, here’s my favorite quote from this April’s talk by Neil L. Andersen:

     Jesus’s call “Come, follow me” is not only for those prepared to compete in a spiritual Olympics. In  fact, discipleship is not a competition at all but an invitation to all. Our journey of discipleship is not a dash around the track, nor is it fully comparable to a lengthy marathon. In truth, it is a lifelong migration toward a more celestial world.

Another one for the toolbox.
ann

 This was contributed by my friend Anna McEntire. We were only in the same ward for a little over a year, but became good friends regardless. I love how Heavenly Father helped her find a way to glean "tools" from conference in a way that worked for her. What are some ways that you have found to internalize conference talks? For me, I try to pay attention during conference itself, but most of what I actually learn and remember comes by reading the talks individually. (I usually substitute this for my scripture study until I have gone through all of the talks).

If Men Come Unto Me: Kirsten Duncan

I love how scripture passages and verses become an inspiration in different ways at different times. I had read and heard quoted Ether 12:27 many times at church, seminary, institute and religion classes. Mostly I responded to the section that says “…. then will I make weak things become strong unto them” I loved and still love that promise. I also gained understanding of my weaknesses from “… I give unto men weakness that they my be humble…” But it wasn’t until several months into my mission that I really listened to the message in the first sentence.

As a full time missionary I was frustrated that I had so many weaknesses. I thought that as a missionary I should be stronger and less weak. When I read this verse as a part of my personal scripture study I was struck with the phrase "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness…" I suddenly understood that my weaknesses were always there, I was just able to see them more clearly as I tried to be as close to Him (and His inspiration) as I could. This experience has been important in my life because I learned 1) Answers to prayers are found in the scriptures 2) Regular scripture study is critical for me personally and 3) I learned to have hope.

Kirsten is one of my new friends here in CA. I was very grateful for this story (that she shared in Relief Society) one recent morning as I was feeling down about all of my failings -the things I do wrong, or not at all. "..If men come unto me I will show unto them their weaknesses". Like she said, it gave me hope. Maybe I'm not doing as poorly as I thought, maybe I'm just in the process of coming closer to HIm.

Lean not unto thine own understanding: Helena Bitter

Helena Bitter is a sweet lady in my ward here in Santa Clarita. She is originally from England. As part of a Relief Society activity she wrote this: "When we lived in Las Vegas we were contemplating moving to California, but couldn't see how we could financially afford it. I was watching conference and this scripture convinced me that we were supposed to move and that everything would fall into place". I loved the story she shared with us, and she very kindly agreed to expand it a bit and let me share it with all of you.

Dean and & I moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles area in 1970. After living there for 13 years he decided he missed California and wanted to move back. It just so happens that there was an opening in his company in Westlake Village, so he applied and much to his surprise he was picked. After checking out the real estate market we discovered that there was such a disparity in the economy and we couldn't see how we could possibly afford to move here. Dean was able to stay with his brother for a while and try to find someplace for us to stay. I was watching General Conference one weekend and there was one scripture quoted that seemed like it was just for me at that moment. It was Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

The most profound part was "and lean not unto thine own understanding." I took that to mean, don't worry about how you are going to make it or find a place to stay - just forge ahead with your plans. So forge ahead we did and it wasn't easy, we had many trials along the way - and many once we moved here. But we knew that this would be a spiritual move for our family and not a financial one. Financially we would have been better off staying in Las Vegas, but we know that this is where we should be. The Lord paved the way for us and our faith was strengthened and continues to be. Our move took us 13 months to accomplish and our home in Las Vegas sold 3 times before finally closing. IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS. 

P.S. Helena shared with us in Relief Society is that they went back to the neighborhood they had been in and discovered that the majority of their childrens' friends had wandered from the fold. It was a testimony to her that they had indeed made the right choice for their family.