Practically the whole zone comes together, we listen to the spiritual giants that we all look up to, and it's just great.
Unfortunately none of our investigators or even less-active members came to the church, but some committed to watch it on their own online. It's a great opportunity for the brethren (and sisters too) to teach our investigators for us!
Honestly not much else eventful happened this week other than meeting Ben, the brother of Jennie, the wife of Sam, the friend of Ali.
He joined in on the last minute of our discussion in the university cafeteria, where we teach them. He actually said the closing prayer, and it was awesome!
The first 10-15 seconds he just talked to God about how great it was to be able to pray. He said "We are so thankful that we can communicate with you, and we should never cease to be amazed that that is an option." I felt the spirit pretty strongly.
They'd be great additions to the ward here. If they would just get a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith!!!!
After our lesson I had a vision, or probably just an imagination, of Ali, Sam, and Ben all sitting on the stand as a bishopric of the Glasgow Ward. How cool would that be?
Ok so since not much else happened let me talk about what I liked from conference!
I suppose it was good that David, a guy who recently returned to church activity, and who we've been visiting, came to two sessions and liked it a lot.
So the first session, the Saturday Morning or 5pm in Scotland, was very good.
All the missionaries seemed to love when one speaker said that trying to lower God's standards to fit the world's "is apostasy."
It's weird how so many missionaries love the words "apostasy/apostate" and "rebuke." I don't really think it's that cool but hey whatever.
We were really excited when Chi Hong Wong from Hong Kong spoke in Cantonese! Especially because Elder Yip, who is just two months out, is from there and speaks Cantonese.
It was disappointing when they just dubbed an English translation over his voice instead of doing subtitles! IT would have been cool to hear it all in his language.
And the Spanish guy too...You could say this was a momentous conference, the first time they address us in non-English!
In the priesthood session they had a missionary choir from the MTC.
I scanned for anyone I know, but no luck. Except for a guy from Airdrie (In the Glasgow stake!) who was the soloist for "Ye Elders of Israel!" I never met him, but he spoke at stake conference the week before he left for the MTC.
The missionaries and members from his ward were super excited to see him front and centre.
Apparently he's a big deal; he was a main character in the British Pageant last year, and he went to Nauvoo to perform in that pageant as well. He's probably the next famous Mormon or something.
I found it very interesting how Elder Anderson (I think) said to record ourselves reading the Testimony of Joseph Smith, and listen to it. If I remember, he said that it would help us to receive a witness of his calling, and of the Book of Mormon. I suppose it could help to strengthen it for those of us who already know, or to re-affirm for those who may doubt. I might give it a shot...why not?
There were a few talks on helping to poor and needy, but also it seemed to be a lot about self-responsibility and such.
Jeffrey R. Holland's was really good, talking about how we need to help the poor and such...but toward the end he said how he still believes in responsibility and such, and seemed like he said something negative about panhandling.
So now I'm not sure--do we give to beggars or not??? Either way, it was a very good talk about helping others. I just kind of got mixed messages from it.
Well that is it for this week. We have zone conference this week, but next week for district meeting we're gonna watch the last session of conference, the Sunday afternoon session or in Scotland, 9-11pm.
I think we can all get more out of listening to that and seeking revelation for our work, investigators and proselyting areas than we could from me conducting a district meeting. It will be great!
Well I love you all and I hope you all have a great week.
Love, Elder Burt
