Talk Within A Talk

Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God April 2020

In many church messages, additional treasures, fruits are found:

Renlund-

“When we consider the goodness of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, our trust in Them increases. Our prayers change because we know God is our Father and we are His children. We seek not to change His will but to align our will with His and secure for ourselves blessings that He wants to grant, conditioned on our asking for them. We yearn to be more meek, more pure, more steadfast, more Christlike. These changes qualify us for additional heavenly blessings.

By acknowledging that every good thing comes from Jesus Christ, we will communicate our faith more effectively to others. We will have courage when confronted with seemingly impossible tasks and circumstances. We will strengthen our resolve to keep the covenants we have made to follow the Savior. We will be filled with the love of God, want to help those in need without being judgmental, love our children and raise them in righteousness, retain a remission of our sins, and always rejoice. These are the remarkable fruits of remembering God’s goodness and mercy.”

Two Centuries

“We know that two centuries after the Restoration, the spirit world now includes many mortally experienced workers to accomplish the preaching that occurs there.”

Dallin Oaks

As words spoken at my Father’s funeral. In reference to his service at the Temple-  with my Mom.

“Separation of families, with families torn apart...What will happen to us? Then to add a perdition deeper than perhaps even that is the systemic destruction of the archives or the records- the records of their families of their properties as though to erase their identities.

...together have labored to seal them,(these families) together.”

Boyd K. Packer 

As workers, They most likely provide a similar service there- in the spirit world. 

Word Definitions

Finding meaning to uncommon words within a scriptural message expand broader dimensions, for example

Cook-The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives April 2020

“The Holy Ghost is the revealer and testifier of all truth, especially that of the Savior. Without the Holy Ghost, we could not really know that Jesus is the Christ. His seminal role is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and Their titles and Their glory.” Seminal meaning: strongly influencing later events.

Marvel

Mosiah 25, And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

Who would had thought Marvel in scriptures, even speaking to become new creatures- an manifestation of one’s faith.

The book of Alma describes the profound faith of Abish, “one of the Lamanitish women” working as a servant in the king's house, who had been converted to the gospel “on account of a remarkable vision of her father” (Alma 19:16). Abish played a pivotal role in the account of King Lamoni’s conversion, as it was she who “ran forth from house to house, making it known unto the people” of Lamoni’s miraculous experience (v. 17). 

Additional Footnote

Additional footnote- expansive insight: about defining moments, like interweaving yarn or heavy thread...

From a prophet (Smith) to an apostle (Maxwell) then to another apostle (Anderson)...like tying thoughts together, perhaps lacing your new converse or Nikes- ready and fit.

#5

“We sometimes speak of defining moments. Long ago in May 1945 there was such a moment for me on the island of Okinawa at age eighteen. There was certainly no heroism on my part but rather a blessing for me and others during the shelling of our position by Japanese artillery. After repeated shellings which overshot our position, the enemy artillery finally zeroed in. They should have then fired for effect, but there was a divine response to at least one frightened, selfish prayer. The shelling halted. The prayer was accompanied by my pledge of a lifetime of service—a pledge which, though imperfectly, I’ve tried to keep. With this blessing and pledge, I was nudged toward discipleship without realizing what service would be required.

“ I had been blessed, and I knew that God knew that I knew. “”

Neil A. Maxwell

“These experiences may come at pivotal times in our lives or in what may at first seem as uneventful happenings, but they are always accompanied by an exceptionally strong spiritual confirmation of the love of God.

Remembering these spiritually defining experiences takes us to our knees, declaring as did the Prophet Joseph:...“What I received was from heaven. I know it, and I know that God knows that I know it.””

Message delivered, Neil Anderson 

“Mar 27, 1994 · Each of us has been called to serve in God's kingdom. ... I knew I had been blessed, and I knew that God knew that I knew. “

Neal A. Maxwell

“I remembered the pledge after the war when my overseas savings gladly went to finance a mission. This mission, of course, was yet another step in the direction of discipleship.

Many subsequent and subtle moments have been at least as important to me as that defining moment in Okinawa. Unlike the roar and crash of artillery followed by a delivering silence, these smaller moments involve the Lord’s periodic whisperings to my mind. Over the years, these whisperings have guided me and reassured me. They give me, from time to time, in the words of the Prophet Joseph, sudden strokes of ideas and occasionally the pure flow of intelligence (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 151). These moments are as real for me as what happened on Okinawa. These are inward things, often taking the form of a directing phrase. I have found that the Lord gives more instructions than explanations.”

Neal A. Maxwell

Footnotes

In reading scripture or spiritual literature, footnotes identified can be an excellent source of heighten perspective from the author, and expanded direction, plus counsel to the reader.
For example:

“Embrace your sacred memories. Believe them. Write them down. Share them with your family. Trust that they come to you from your Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.“ see 24
Anderson, April 2020 General Conference-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints