We just returned home from a road trip to Palmyra, New York, and Kirtland, Ohio. I felt so strongly the testimony I have that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet.

I also finished reading the newly published book The Saints, which is about the early history of the church. And then I just tuned in to the first session of general conference. I was struck by how quickly the Spirit confirmed to me that President Russell M. Nelson is the prophet for this day and age.

The new change right off the bat is that our church meetings are going to be shorter….two hours instead of the 3-hour block. My mind and heart is so full right now. So hard to think through all that is swirling through my mind.

I’ve been so overcome this week by the changing roles of motherhood throughout the history of the church. I’m talking about this new dispensation as started by Joseph Smith. I’m also feeling I should take notes on what I hear so that I can process all my thoughts.

Elder Rasband focuses on overcoming fear in this day and age and our need to stand in Holy Places. Perfect love casteth out all fear. This day is full of temptations and discouragement. His message is perfectly timely because as I listened to President Nelson’s encouragement to  make our home a place of gospel learning. I felt a twinge of fear. All the difficult things the early Saints faced came right after amazing revelations about God and spiritual blessings. Right now there is such an outpouring of blessings and inspiration coming to us.

What will happen in the next years? To prepare for the coming of the Savior? Our society is going to get more and more difficult. Can I keep the spirit in my home? Can I teach my kids what they need to learn?

“You must!” realized Elder Spencer W. Kimball when he worried upon his call to the Council of the Twelve. He had to rely on the Lord for the strength he needed to be worthy and qualified. We need to do the same. I can’t let fear get the best of me.

Elder Bednar brings up ropes, just as I did in my lesson last month. Even ordinary materials can be made strong when combined. His reminder is that our Sunday meeting schedule is not shortened….it’s rearranging our time so we can better make the Sabbath a delight. We need to work on converting our hearts in our homes.

Checklists for our Sabbath may distract us from yielding our hearts unto God. Focus on what is most important. Focus on the Savior. We need to become a unified, complete whole. For example, fourth Article of Faith shows how all things are combined in one for Christ.  All of the revelations of the last 40 years are comprehensive to make a stronger homes and conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is all one great world-wide work.

President Dallin H. Oaks counsels us to not listen to popular stars to get our information when we conduct a search. “Priestcraft” may be found from the wrong sources. Use qualified sources that are free from selfish motivations. Use spiritual resources when searching for truth. Secular teachings can be self-inflicted spiritual blindness. Scientific truth is not all of life. Consider spiritual truth, by study and by faith. Don’t put your souls at risk.

He reminds us that restored gospel truths should be considered carefully. Reread the Proclamation to the World on the Family. God has given us His plan. The family is ordained of God. Mortal life is safe to us.

So why all this? I don’t think our generation really is any better than those in Joseph’s day. His work and the line by line learning they experienced from New York to Ohio to Missouri to Illinois to Utah was what they needed. I read the revelations from the Doctrine and Covenants and I know that they were not any more privileged to revelation than we are. Our prophet is just as amazingly in tuned to revelation in our day.

So if these revelations are just as significant as those Joseph and Sidney Rigdon had (in Sec 76 for example), then WOW. That was teaching doctrine. This is showing us what we need to do to live the doctrine.

So much to think about.