What General Conference Means to Me: Patricia M.

Thank you, Patricia, for sharing your thoughts!

Elder Bednar gave a talk in the October 2007 conference that particularly touched me. He spoke of repentance and renunciation of sin. In his way he set down the stepping stones upon which I could walk in order to make small, steady incremental spiritual improvements.

He says:

The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also essentially entails doing good, being good, and becoming better. Repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness are spiritually necessary, and we must always do so. But remission of sin is not the only or even the ultimate purpose of the gospel. To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that “we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin’s people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin.

The idea of walking in the newness of life to obtain the mind of Christ resonated significantly with me then as it still does today.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/clean-hands-and-a-pure-heart?lang=eng