Elder Anderson

So today we had a special stake conference. It was announced two weeks ago that Elder Anderson from the Quorum of the 12 would be visiting us and wanted to speak to us. We had our stake conference in January, and I think it was the kind that's broadcast from Utah to all of northern CA. I forget what those are called. I might remember before I finish this, but due to the state of mind it is highly unlikely. Anyhoo, I just wanted to write down my thoughts before I forget them or they flutter out my ears. So the first speaker was from New Zealand and he spoke about going on a mission to the young men and told the young women that they needed to tell their men that they won't marry them until they've gone on a mission. And when the men ask them to marry him to pause for a moment to give him butterflies in him tummy (not his words) and then ask where. And then say yes only if he says to the Temple of our God. The next speaker said something, but I must have zoned out. I just can't remember. Then Elder Anderson spoke. He talked about President Monson and how he remembered Santa Rosa and sent his love. He told a bunch of stories about how he was always there to help people right when they needed it, to give an encouraging word or blessing, or to give service at just the right time. Then he told a story about how he was at a stake conference and felt impressed to go to the hospital, but he wanted to stay and support his stake president so he stayed until his talk ended and bolted out the door headed right for the hospital. When he got there he asked for the man and the nurse said, "Are you Bishop Monson? The man just passed away, he asked for you just before he died." So Elder Anderson said that since then President Monson has been very faithful in following each and every prompting he receives as soon as he feels it. The greatest work here besides going to the Temple is to serve each other and to not ignore the Holy Ghost. He went on to talk of other things, mostly related to that topic, but I forget. But the impression on my mind is that there is very little in this life that truly matters, Family, Friends, Others, the Gospel. I had a lesson on Honesty last week that's been bugging me this whole time. One thing they talked about was are you honest all the time, or just when you think you'll get caught. Someone was saying they asked the teachers they teach with if they would be dishonest if no one would know they were doing it. And all of them said yes. They think, it's not hurting anyone. And the speeder is only sorry when the cop pulls him over. The kid with his hand in the cookie jar is only sorry if he's caught. I see it all the time with little kids. They want something so bad that even if they've been told not to do it they do it anyway when no one is looking, but cry their eyes out when they've been caught. It could possibly be the most angering topic I've thought about this year. I've stopped copying music because dad would always tell me not to, that it's stealing. I told him the composer makes plenty of money, they don't really need mine. But it's not about the money, it's about being honest. How important is it to have those things? Not really. So why can't we just throw away all those programs we recorded off tv, or radio, or internet, or whatever? Why is it so hard? There's a ton of free entertainment we can enjoy without having to do those things. And it isn't all that impertinent to watch tv anyway. The important things are teaching our children and serving others. I really need to work on that personally even if my family doesn't want to follow me. Ok. I'm off now.