General Conference... Why did you end so quickly?

This week had some great opportunities!  Pday we spent the entire day doing laundry.  On Tuesday we were invited to go to transfer meeting even though none of us were getting tansferred. (In my district I mean, yay!)  the WHOLE mission was there at transfers.  It was super packed.  Before we went there we were all guessing different reasons as to why everyone would be invited to go.  One of the Elders said maybe some of the areas boundaries were being changed, I said that we were going to watch the Meet the Mormons movie, another Elder said that maybe there would be an apostle coming to speak to us...the guesses went on and on.  But guess what it was!  We got to watch the prescreening of Meet the Mormons!!! It was so good!  And this is an amazing opportunity for missionary work!  It basically asked what you think Mormons are and what they believe.  Then it showed six stories of different Mormons around the world.  It didn't get super deep into our beliefs, it was more about how we live because of our beliefs.  It was really cool!  It comes out October 10th, so everyone go see it! And then encourage everyone else to see it!  Pres. Calderwood said that if it does well enough they would probably make another, but it has to get a good response opening weekend.  So GO! Haha also, if it is not showing in a theatre in your area, if you get enough people to join you, you can request it be brought to your area.  That is what we want to happen.  Spread the Gospel through out the world! 

Also this week we had the opportunity to teach mutual.  Sister Russell and I made up a missionary jeopardy game to play with the youth.  It was really fun and it made the youth find answers in Preach My Gospel, For the Strength of Youth, and the scriptures.  I think it was a good learning tool for them.  All of the missionaries started calling me Teacher Beecher cause I was the one leading it.  Haha  Not the first time I've heard that one guys... I hope I get to use that jeopardy game later on the mission, it was fun. 

A lot of the people we teach have been kind of flaky the past couple weeks.  So Sister Russell and I have a goal to go do some more finding this next week.  We need to build up our teaching pool and there are too many people out there that still haven't heard of this Gospel!  To the doors it is, I should have some interesting stories by the end of the week.  Knocking always brings stories. Haha 

Of course the best part of the week, General Conference!  We watched all of the sessions at the church with some of the members.  All of the sessions either were really short or they went by really quick!  But wow was it an amazing conference!  Sister Russell and I fasted and came up with questions for the people in our teaching pool, and our own individual questions to take to conference.  A lot of them were answered.  As I'm beginning to find out, I'm not very good at picking "favorite" things.  So no, I did not have a favorite talk.  But here are some of my favorite quotes, a few might be paraphrased...

- "God is not going to make us become something we do not CHOOSE to become."

- "Freedom comes not from resisting, but from applying it"

- "The process of gathering spiritual light is a quest of a lifetime"

- "Why does the Lord allow opposition against the good?  Because it brings the good to their knees in faith."

- Elder Jorg Klebingnat...wow, I loved the whole thing!

- "You are pleasing God, despite your short comings."

- "You are not your brothers keeper, but you are your brothers brother!"

- "Walking where Jesus walked is less important than walking AS Jesus walked"

- "Are we prepared to leave our comfort zones to reach a better place?"

Some important things that I learned:

- We need to sustain with our hearts, not with just our hands.

- Sacrament is said to be one of the holiest ceremonies in the church.  It needs to be made more holy to me.

- Is the way you are living fulfilling your promised blessings in your patriarchal blessing?

- As you turn to Christ, you turn outward to love and service.

There is so much to learn!  I love that our knowledge can always be increased in the Gospel.  Everyone should go read and reread all of the talks by conference.  There are so many answers for so many questions to be found in those inspired words.  

Love you all, have a good one!

Sister B. 

There are really weird street signs here in New York.  There are so many signs that have "fine print" on them.  It's sooo confusing. Haha