Converted to His Gospel through His Church

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I loved this talk. I hadn't ever thought of it before, but it's true. The church and the gospel are not the same thing. But they are very very closely related and help each other. The purpose of the church is to help us assimilate the gospel.

Quote 1: "Some have come to think of activity in the Church as the ultimate goal. Therein lies a danger. It is possible to be active in the Church and less active in the gospel. Let me stress: activity in the Church is a highly desirable goal; however, it is insufficient. Activity in the Church is an outward indication of our spiritual desire."

Thought: I can't get complacent and start to think that just because I attend church each week that I am an active member of the church. There are so many things in my life that measure my activity that cannot be marked down on an attendance chart.

Quote 2: "By contrast, the things of the gospel are usually less visible and more difficult to measure, but they are of greater eternal importance. For example, how much faith do we really have? How repentant are we? How meaningful are the ordinances in our lives? How focused are we on our covenants?"

Thought: I want to keep these questions around and ask myself them periodically. Where do I stand? It's not something that can really be measured quantitatively but it's important to stop and check yourself. I don't want to get complacent again and forget to be progressing.

Quote 3: "1. Deepen our understanding of Deity. 2. Focus on the ordinances and covenants. 3. Unite the gospel with the Church."

Thought: These are three areas I can work on. I like it when people put things in numbers for me. I know I'm not supposed to turn everything into To-Do lists, but it makes it easier for me to manage in my brain and put it into context.

Quote 4: "As we come to each meeting prepared to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118), the Holy Spirit will be our teacher. If we come to be entertained, we often will be disappointed. President Spencer W. Kimball was once asked, “What do you do when you find yourself in a boring sacrament meeting?” His response: “I don’t know. I’ve never been in one”

Thought: There was a hidden message for me here. If I'm not enjoying church, perhaps my heart's in the wrong place. We should go to church joyfully because we go to show we love the Lord and want to do what we says. We go because we want to learn and we want to teach. Do not expect to be taught and entertained by the speakers. If you go with your heart in the right place, you will be taught by the spirit.