My Favorite Talk

This past weekend was General Conference for our church. This is where our prophet, apostles, and leaders speak, and tell us what the Lord wants us to know right now. It is held twice a year, and the speakers are not given topics, but are led by inspiration as to what they speak about.

This conference, my favorite talk was given by Elder Jeffrey Holland. His talk was all about the importance of the words we speak about ourselves and to others. I struggle with this a lot. Especially around 6:30 every night. For some reason that is when the kids seem to melt down. And if Rob isn’t home to keep me in line, sometimes I melt down with them. There is such a great message here, and I hope you can learn something from it too. I have linked to the MP3 of the talk, so you can listen to it. It isn’t long, but since I know not all of you will want sit through it all, I have included some of the highlights below. There isn’t a printed version available yet, so this is from listening and transcribing on my own. I hope there are not mistakes!

I wish to caution us, if caution is needed, regarding how we speak to each other and how we speak of ourselves:

“The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh, but the stroke of the tongue breaketh bones.”

What we say or don’t say, how we say it, and when, is so very very important in shaping a child’s view of himself or herself. But it’s even more important in shaping that child’s faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child, always.

Praise each child individually for what that child is and help him or her escape our culture’s obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are enough.

Negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. Before long we, and everybody around us, are miserable.

The spirit of the gospel is optimistic. It trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things.

Speak hopefully, speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly.

Life has its problems, and there are negative things to face. But please accept one of Elder Holland’s maxims for living: No misfortune is so bad, that whining about it won’t make it worse.

Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity. The three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today.

Ephesians 4:29-32:
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers… Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”