General Conference
In President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's general conference address, entitled A Yearning for Home, he talks about a familiar topic to everyone. Home. However he didn't talk about the smell of baking cookies, laughter, and movie nights, he was talking about our heavenly home.
He starts his talk with images of animals, and their amazing ability to find their way home. This brings his audience into what he is saying, animals are something we all can relate to. Most people have their favorite animal, or a family pet they can imagine searching for it's way home. This also gave a concrete example for people to compare themselves to, for we are also searching for our way home, and as President Uchtdorf suggests we may even share this innate sense of direction.
Uchtdorf does not end on this sense of direction, but instead calls the listeners attention to Heavenly father, and how he wants his children to return home is well. He also emphasizes God's ability to work through you and with you despite imperfections, something we all have and struggle with. While we, as members of the church, often feel our imperfections are debilitating and render us useless or even unwanted he reminds us that no matter our downfalls we are wanted and needed. His examples of early church members, even those who strayed, prove once again that no one is too far gone, or too imperfect for God. This helps those listening to feel appreciated and worthy, despite any past mistakes they may have made.
However, he is careful to mention through another comparison that though we are loved no matter what mistakes we make we can not return home through "autopilot." His comparisons to various things, the ocean, planes, and more, reiterate that we must consciously choose to repent and try harder to follow the Savior's example. That we can drift our way home to live with our Heavenly Father. This idea allows listeners to go away from his talk feeling validated, but encouraged to work harder on returning home.
He starts his talk with images of animals, and their amazing ability to find their way home. This brings his audience into what he is saying, animals are something we all can relate to. Most people have their favorite animal, or a family pet they can imagine searching for it's way home. This also gave a concrete example for people to compare themselves to, for we are also searching for our way home, and as President Uchtdorf suggests we may even share this innate sense of direction.
Uchtdorf does not end on this sense of direction, but instead calls the listeners attention to Heavenly father, and how he wants his children to return home is well. He also emphasizes God's ability to work through you and with you despite imperfections, something we all have and struggle with. While we, as members of the church, often feel our imperfections are debilitating and render us useless or even unwanted he reminds us that no matter our downfalls we are wanted and needed. His examples of early church members, even those who strayed, prove once again that no one is too far gone, or too imperfect for God. This helps those listening to feel appreciated and worthy, despite any past mistakes they may have made.
However, he is careful to mention through another comparison that though we are loved no matter what mistakes we make we can not return home through "autopilot." His comparisons to various things, the ocean, planes, and more, reiterate that we must consciously choose to repent and try harder to follow the Savior's example. That we can drift our way home to live with our Heavenly Father. This idea allows listeners to go away from his talk feeling validated, but encouraged to work harder on returning home.
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