Good Friends

A friend of mine recorded some songs years ago about several virtues.  One of them is picking good friends. What are some good examples in the scriptures that the friends we pick influence us?

- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego "If it be so [if you cast us into the furnace], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, … we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Dan. 3:17-18
I think they strengthened each other in standing up for the principles God inspired them to follow.

- Samson and Delilah - That did not turn out well

- David and Jonathon

One part of the song is, "If you have to choose between your friends and your standards, Choose your standards don't ever bend".  We must stand with the principles we know to be true.  We cannot risk our own footing for a friend that keeps us from God.  We must always choose love in these situation.  Be prayerful. The scriptures tell us that pure love will never fail.

General Conference Impressions

A favorite story of Sara from Conference. A lady had no more food to feed her family. She had two very hard biscuits. She decided to put them in a pot and cover them with water. She remembered the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. She prayed that the two biscuits would feed her family. When it was done cooking, it here was plenty to feed her family.

Josh said (with a smirk) that the biggest thing he got out of conference was that he can go on a mission at 18 years old.

I liked Russell T. Osguthorpe this afternoon when he talked about a group of people they were teaching. He asked how many of them had the Teaching No Greater Call manual. Then he jokingly asked who studied it every day. There was one person who raised their hand. They said that they read their scriptures then read out of the manual to know how to best teach their children

Don R. Clarke told a story of his childhood. He said that when he was a young man his teachers had them fill out a card asking what were they thinking about during the sacrament. I imagine that this was a card that they kept for themselves. Something as a self accountability to see where there thoughts went during the sacrament.

Quentin L. Cook: Two challenges we have are the unrighteousness in the world and apathy among the members. He then referred to Alma 5. Asking if we had felt to sing the song of redeeming love can we feel so now?

Robert D Hales repeated the same story that Elder Holland told in the morning session today. The one about Peter going back to fishing after Jesus died.

I need someone to feed my sheep. Someone who loves me. Ours is not a feeble message. It will change the world.

Phrases I loved: "healing balm".
"would you sell your soul for a nickel?"
"do not leave the storm cellar just as the tornado approaches"
"Condemn me not because of my imperfections"

Dallin H Oaks spoke boldly about the welfare of children. Those forced to fight as soldiers. Children that are denied birth. The replacement rates in Europe and Asia have fallen. Nations hollowed out and cease to exist. Marriage becoming less about the bearing and raising of children. Children becoming shadowy characters in the background of marriage. Same sex marriage is an experiment. Studies of same sex parenting is mixed and politically charged

D. Todd Christopherson Manning Up

Gary E Stevenson. Skirmishes, silent and solitary in front of a screen.