15. Today I am grateful to have attended a fireside

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we often have firesides. These are meetings with one or more speakers and include an opening and closing hymn and sometimes a musical number. They can also be on any day of the week but are most often on a Saturday or Sunday evening. Anyone may be invited to speak at a fireside; they may live in the area or be a visitor from across the world.

Tonight, I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to attend a fireside tonight in Dunfermline, Fife in which the young single adults (single members aged 18-30) from all of Scotland were invited to attend. The speakers were Elder Gerald J. Causse, From France, a counsellor in the Europe Area Presidency and Presiding Bishop of the church H. David Burton, from Salt Lake City, Utah; along with their wives.

I am grateful for the messages that were shared by the speakers as they reminded me of the important things in life (those things of an eternal nature) and in making decisions and following the promptings of the spirit. I loved Elder Causse’s message, especially when he mentioned that often when making decisions we spend more time thinking with our heads instead of feeling with our hearts. I find that is true for me, I try to process things in order to make a rational decision. Although, I will admit that sometimes I make un-rational decisions or those without really thinking (or feeling) but most often I spend a lot of time thinking.  However, as Elder Causse wisely counselled that sometimes you don’t have time to think about how you’re going to answer a question or react to a situation, you have to do what you feel is right. In pondering this talk I know that it is important to be prepared to act on what I feel is right which is done by living in such a way to be guided by the spirit.

Bishop Burton counselled us to focus on the things of Eternal Value, in particular our family and the gospel. He stated that we will know if the activity we are involved in is of an eternal nature because it will bring us closer to Christ. In pondering this talk, I know that it is through the gospel that I can receive Salvation and it through having an eternal family that I can receive exaltation. This reminds me of the scripture found in D&C 14:7 - “And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God”. This is a gift I want to claim.  

I also thought it was pretty neat to be listening to Bishop Burton speak in Scotland because in the last General Conference (in April) he spoke about President David O. McKay's missionary experience in Scotland.  You can find the talk here.