Stake Conference

Today we had Stake Conference. Stakes are made up of wards. At stake conference all of the wards get together for meetings. This Stake Conference was different than others. It only happens every 10 years. We had a new Stake President called. My bishop is his first counselor. So next week we'll get a new bishop in our ward. Lots of changes, but good changes.
Today I wanted to share with you a little about what Elder Duncan talked about. He is in the presidency of the first quorum of the 70.
He talked a little about the Temple and how we should make our lives like the temple. He recently had the opportunity to go into places in the Salt Lake temple that not many people get to see. He talked about a stair case. On this stair case was the most beautiful banister. It was hand carved by one of the pioneers that helped to build the temple. The detail was exquisite and breath taking. He said he thought it was interesting that such care was taken on something that was not going to be seen by very many people. He likened that to our lives asking us these types of questions, "How are the deepest parts of you? The parts that only God sees? Have you taken the care to make them beautiful?" It made me think about how I live my life when no one is looking. Do I make the right choices? Am I doing the things I need to be doing to keep my testimony strong?
He went on to talk about Doctrine and Covenants section 109. This section is the recording of the dedicatory prayer given at the Kirtland Temple dedication. He suggested that while we read some of the verses to replace the word 'house' with 'lives' or 'life'. It made the scriptures change so much. Tonight I went and read them for myself replacing the words like he had suggested. I would like to share with you some of the verses from that section.

Verses 8 and 9 "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a [life], even a [life] of prayer, a [life] of fasting, a [life] of faith, a [life] of learning, a [life] of glory, a [life] of order, a [life] of God; That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High"

Verses 16 through 18"And that this [life] my be a [life] of prayer, a [life] of fasting, a [life] of faith, a [life] of glory and of God, even thy [life]; That all the incomings of thy people, into this [life], my be in the name of the Lord"

Verse 20 "And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into [my life] to pollute it."

There are more scriptures in that section that can be changed. I suggest that you go and read it. It really did make me think about my life and how I live. The temple is supposed to be a reminder to us. It is God's house. A place where we can find peace, receive answers to prayers, and a place where we make special covenants with our Father in Heaven. Now when I see the Temple I can be reminded of those things along with it reminding me to look at my own life and see where I am and how I am doing.