This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood Session of the October 2006 Conference.
This priesthood session was a very bracing one for the men! Lots of great talks about "rising up and being men." It was definitely the theme of this session. I'm sure the men who heard it felt energized and inspired to quit whining or being lazy and just be better—President Hinckley and his counselors were so good at helping people feel that way. I feel urged in that direction every time I listen to President Nelson, too.
However, the quote that stuck out to me most is actually not about what we should be doing better, but about the benefits that come as we do. Elder Christofferson said in his talk:
Though he will make some sacrifices and deny himself some pleasures in the course of honoring his commitments, the true man leads a rewarding life. He gives much, but he receives more, and he lives content in the approval of his Heavenly Father. The life of true manhood is the good life.
It's so true. The Lord, and the church, do expect a lot of us, both men and women. We have a lot to do and we should almost always be doing it better. But I love that reminder that really, what else would we want to be doing? This—the life we live in the church of serving others, trying to learn and grow, sacrificing for our families, letting the things of the world go—this IS the good life. It is the best life. And the things we gain far exceed the things we give up to live it.
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