My Favorite Weekend

Most belief systems seem to have certain times of the year they hold special or sacred - Ramadan, Lent, Hanukkah, Dawali, March Madness, etc. I love several different holidays. Some I hold sacred (Christmas, Easter) and others I really enjoy (Thanksgiving, Halloween, playoffs). But this weekend is quite unique for me. Twice a year I get the chance to listen to men I believe to be inspired and try to find nuggets in their messages that will make me a better person.

I've spent the last week or two reading the 21 messages from April to prepare myself to learn more this time. Each conference seems to have a central theme or special event. Last time the tabernacle was rededicated. Today we'll sustain a new apostle and member of the first presidency.

As I've read, I've been struck by how profound many messages were last time. I'm a sucker for ratings, so here I give you a short thought from what for me were the top five discourses given last time.

5.
"What do you do when you have prepared carefully, have prayed fervently, waited a reasonable time for a response, and still do not feel an answer? You may want to express thanks when that occurs, for it is evidence of his trust." - Scott

4.
"The best way to avoid divorce from an unfaithful, abusive, or unsupportive spouse is to avoid marriage to such a person."
"Often the cause [of divorce] is not incompatibility but selfishness. The first step is not separation but reformation." - Oaks

3.
"I make you two promises. Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day with your whole heart. Your circumstances may not be improved in all the ways which you desire. But you will have been given new strength to carry your burdens and new confidence that when your burdens become too heavy, the Lord, whom you have served, will carry what you cannot. He knows how. He prepared long ago. He suffered your infirmities and your sorrows when He was in the flesh so He would know how to succor you.
"The other promise I make you is that by choosing to serve Him this day, you will feel His love and grow to love Him more." - Eyring

2.
"Hearing of this tragedy, many people sent money to the Amish to pay for the health care of the five surviving girls and for the burial expenses of the five who were killed. As a further demonstration of their discipleship, the Amish decided to share some of the money with the widow of the milkman and her three children because they too were victims of this terrible tragedy." - Faust

1.
"No misfortune is so bad that whining won't make it worse."
"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." - Holland

Honorable Mentions:
Decade of Decision - Hales
Pickles - Bednar
Repentance and Conversion - Nelson

My Picks:
H. David Burton
L. Tom Perry