We had a great time at General Conference. This was the first time that Katie was able to attend because of the time restriction. Many people may not know but youth under the age of 8 are not allowed to attend. My guess is that they want silence in the conference center so that the speakers can be heard for television and radio. Anyway, it was a great experience. I think my kids were able to feel the awesome reverence that everyone has for the 12 apostles and especially for the Prophet of God. When President Monson walked in the room, everyone stood, everyone was silent. It was something to see, that many people in a huge conference room standing silently until President Monson sat was great to witness.

Below I have posted a video of some of the Highlights from April Conference.

So, I decided to take my flip video along with me to the Priesthood Session of General Conference. After putting it all together I submitted it. We will see if they actually use it somewhere. There are a number of problems with my video so lets see if you can find all of the “legal” issues I might encounter.

Here is the video:

The first video is from Mormon Messages which talks about the 400 year anniversary of the Bible being translated into English. Then, I showed snippets from President Packer’s address at General Conference in April of 2011.

Below are the vids.

I think the Elders in the quorum liked the change in the lesson format. Who doesn’t like watching a little video here and there.

President Henry B. Eyring:
School of the Priesthood
He has mastered the eternal curriculum.

President Thomas S. Monson:
What do I deal with every day that causes me to weep sometimes late into the night? I thought that I would try to address a few of those.
In the three years since I was sustained as President of the Church, oddly the saddest and most discouraging responsibility I have each week is the handling of cancellations of sealings.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf:
Through the Priesthood, the very power of godliness is manifest.
Somewhere between the hearing, the writing of a reminder on our smart phone, and the actual doing, our “do it” switch gets rotated to the “do it later” position.
Find Joy in Priesthood service. During my career as an airline pilot I had the opportunity to be a check and training captain. Part of my training was to test and train experienced pilots. I found that there were pilots who, after even after many years of flying professionally, never lost the thrill of climbing into the atmosphere.

Below is a video for Young Men in the Mormon Church. The video talks about the important need for Young Men to be a Priesthood man and fulfilling your Duty to God. The Video is called “Becoming a priesthood man: Priesthood duty”.
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It has also been announced that an “Interactive Book” will be available early 2011. I’m not sure what the means but I really do hope that it will be a way that youth and parents will be able to keep track of their youth’s progress on the web. I used to use a website called http://www.ymyw.org to track my son’s and daughter’s progress but with the new Duty to God Program, the requirements have completely changed and the website I used is no longer helpful. So, I’m excited to see what the LDS Church has come out with in it’s “interactive book” announcement.

Here is a link directly to the “Materials” section of the Duty to God website on www.lds.org

http://lds.org/dutytogod/materials.html

This is a set of slides that someone put together for a presentation on the DTG program.
http://www.putonthearmoroflight.com/2010/08/new-young-men-duty-to-god-program.html

Here is another article written about the new Duty to God program. It breaks down each section and each activity very nicely. It talks about how the new DTG program focuses on plan, act and share.
http://bystudyandfaith.net/2010/08/new-duty-to-god/

The Mormon Church has also updated their website with a bunch of new Videos and a PDF Copy of the new DTG booklet.
http://lds.org/dutytogod/

This is a direct link to the “Materials” page of the LDS website for DTG. You will find the links to the PDF file, videos, Q&A.
http://lds.org/dutytogod/materials.html

This is a direct link to the “Implementation video for you men, parents, and leaders.  It is a WMV file.
http://broadcast.lds.org/aaronic-priesthood/duty-to-god/2010-05-1010-overview-128k-eng.wmv

This is a direct link to the “Implementation video for Quroum presidencies.  It is in WMV format.
http://broadcast.lds.org/aaronic-priesthood/duty-to-god/2010-05-1010-overview-128k-eng.wmv

FAMILY HOME EVENING

www.ayearoffhe.blogspot.com – FHE

www.fheinasnap.blogspot.com -FHE

www.fheplanner.blogspot.com – FHE -link to – www.youpublish.com

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

PRIMARY

www.christysclipart.com – Primary music, Primary, YW, RS

www.emmasplacetobe.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries, handouts

www.jackandjillofalltrades.blogspot.com – YW, Primary, celebrations

www.latterdaychatter.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries lesson aides, cute handouts

www.ldsactivitydayideas.blogspot.com – activity days

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.wendy’sactivities.blogspot.com – activity days

PRIMARY MUSIC

www.basicprimarymusic.blogspot.com

www.beehivemessages.blogspot.com – Primary music, YW girl’s camp

www.christysclipart.com – Primary music, Primary, YW, RS

www.emmasplacetobe.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries, handouts

www.jollyjenn.com

www.primarysingingtimeideas.blogspot.com

www.primarysingingtimewithmatilda.blogspot.com

www.thechildrensing.blogspot.com

PRINTABLES – DIGITAL PAPER

www.pinkigloodesigns.blogspot.com – digital paper

www.steadfast-and-immovable.blogspot.com – YW handouts, digital scrapbooking

www.summertimedesigns.blogspot.com – digital paper

RELIEF SOCIETY

www.christysclipart.com – Primary music, Primary, YW, RS

www.emmasplacetobe.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries, handouts

www.enrichmentcottage.com – RS activities, crafts, recipes, homemaking, humor

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

SELF RELIANCE

www.plentyofpicnics.blogspot.com – self reliance, storage, bible stories

www.preparednotscared.blogspot.com -preparedness, planners

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

VISITING TEACHING

www.alittletipsy.com – YW, VT, gifts, tutorials

www.emmasplacetobe.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries, handouts

www.latterdaychatter.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries lesson aides, cute handouts

www.ldshandouts.blogspot.com – YW, VT

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.visitingteachingblog.blogspot.com – VT

www.visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com – VT

www.visitingteachingtips.blogspot.com – VT

YOUNG WOMAN

www.alittletipsy.com – YW, VT, gifts, tutorials

www.beehivemessages.blogspot.com – Primary music, YW girl’s camp

www.christysclipart.com – Primary music, Primary, YW, RS

www.emmasplacetobe.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries, handouts

www.jackandjillofalltrades.blogspot.com – YW, Primary, celebrations

www.jillsldsyw.blogspot.com – YW

www.latterdaychatter.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries lesson aides, cute handouts

www.ldshandouts.blogspot.com – YW, VT

www.papercakesandicing.blogspot.com – YW lesson aides $$

www.steadfast-and-immovable.blogspot.com – YW handouts, digital scrapbooking

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

OTHER – CRAFTS / SEWING

www.alittletipsy.com – YW, VT, gifts, tutorials

www.controllingmychaos.com – recipe cards, crafts

www.deckthehalls-christmas.blogspot.com – craft ideas

www.enrichmentcottage.com – RS activities, crafts, recipes, homemaking, humor

www.jackandjillofalltrades.blogspot.com – YW, Primary, celebrations

www.makingitfun.blogspot.com – sewing, tutorials

www.mormonchic.com – gospel, recipes, mommy, style, crafty, healthy, deals

www.plentyofpicnics.blogspot.com – self reliance, storage, Bible stories

www.preparednotscared.blogspot.com -preparedness, planners

www.skiptomylou.org – crafts, recipes, teacher appreciation

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.thecottagehome.blogspot.com – sewing tutorial

www.theideaattic.blogspot.com

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.thequiltingdiaries.blogspot.com – quilting ideas

www.threebears.wordpress.com – sewing tutorials

OTHER – MISCELLANEOUS

www.christmasintheair.blogspot.com – Christmas stories

www.educationaltoysplanet.com – wooden toys

www.etsy.com – shopping

www.executivehomemaker.com – kids, parties, holidays, gifts

www.family.go.com – Disney site

www.lds.about.com – 150 wrappers for Life Savers

www.mormonchic.com – gospel, recipes, mommy, style, crafty, healthy, deals

www.mycreativestirrings.blogspot.com – ideas

www.partiesandholidays.blogspot.com – lots and lots of ideas

www.room-mom101.blogspot.com – lots and lots of ideas

www.skiptomylou.org – crafts, recipes, teacher appreciation

www.wonderwoman.blogspot.com

ALL AUXILLIARIES

www.emmasplacetobe.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries, handouts

www.jackandjillofalltrades.blogspot.com –  YW, Primary, celebrations

www.latterdaychatter.blogspot.com – all auxiliaries lesson aides, cute handouts

www.lds.com.about – clip art, visuals

www.ldshandouts.blogspot.com – YW, VT

www.mormonshare.com – all auxiliaries, clip art, activities, primary talks

www.plentyofpicnics.blogspot.com – self reliance, storage, Bible stories

www.sugardoodle.net – all auxiliaries, much stuff

www.theideadoor.com – all auxiliaries, much stuff

The LDS Church just came out with a NEW Duty to God Program. I’m just now starting to read through the requirements. The New DTG booklet is way different than the old booklet. As I read through the requirements, I’ll let you know if the similarities and the differences.

The first major difference I found was that all 3 sections of the Duty To God program are all bound together. There are no longer 3 separate books. The Deacons, Teachers and Priests sections are all bound together by a spiral binding. So, each young man will have one book for all 6 years of his Aaronic Priesthood years.

The Deacons Duty to God section is split up into 3 categories. Spiritual Strength, Priesthood Duties, For the Strength of Youth. In each category there are requirements to follow. For example for the Spiritual Strength category there are 3 requirements which include a “Learn” section, “Act” section, and “Share” Section. At the end of each category, there is a “Review” section that allows the Young Man to talk about what they have learned while working on these items in their lives. For example, the first requirement is entitled “Pray and Study the Scriptures”. The Deacon is then given several scriptures to read and advised to make a list of words and phrases that describe how he should approach studying and what blessings will come from studying the scriptures. He would then “ACT” and develop a habit of regular prayer and scripture study. There is a section where he can write down this goal. Then, at the end of this section the Deacon is invited to “Share” what he has learned with a family member of church leader to strengthen his testimony.

One of my first questions was, “What do we do with Aaronic Priesthood holders that are more than half way through the old program?” A number of questions just like this one have been answered in a memo that was sent out several months ago. This memo is also available on the LDS website. Here is the link to Commonly Asked Questions. In general, the answer is that young men can continue in the old program until the program has been fully implemented in their Ward or Stake. From what I understand, if they are close to finishing, they can continue with the old program and finish what they were working on and then move into the new DTG program. That is not the official church policy but it is what I understand. You will need to go to the DTG website to get the exact wording.

As I learn more, I’ll post more information.

This week my son Coby is up at Scout Camp. This is not the regular camp that most scouts go to earn a bunch of merit badges. This is a special camp called NYLT which stands for National Youth Leadership Training. When I was a youngster it was called Dan Beard Rangers. I have a few memories of this week of camp in the South Hills of Idaho. One of my best friends convinced me to go because of all of the fun he had when he went. I found out later that he really didn’t enjoy Dan Beard until the last 3 days. The first couple of days, he said he cried.

My experience was not great up at Dan Beard but it did help to build me into a man. As you might already know, the Scout Master over all of the scouts splits everyone into Patrols. They try not to put you with people that you already know so that you make new friends. That in itself is a little hard. I remember having to make our own meals every day and for 13 – 15 year olds, this is no easy thing. By day three I had gathered a small group of boys ready to decent. We had devised a plan where we would sneak out of camp, hike down to the nearest Ranger Station, and figure out how to call our parents to come pick us up. Seriously, we had a whole group ready to leave at a moments notice. I was a couple of years older than most of the boys there at camp and I was older than some of the staff, so many of the younger kids rallied around me as their leader. Fortunately I did not lead a rebellion and decided to stick it out for the whole week. I was reassured over and over again that things would get much better. They didn’t, but we made it. I still remember that the ride home was the longest ride of my life. It seemed like I was gone a month and my body ached to be home.

One of the things I got out of going to this camp was the realization that I could do hard things. In fact, I remember looking back on times on my mission to Cali Colombia and Quito Ecuador and remembering that I could do hard things because I survived Dan Beard Rangers. I know, it seems kinda silly but it helped me stay focused and gave me confidence.

So, my mind keeps returning to my son Coby up at NYLT this week. My hope is that he will have a good time, but more importantly, he will find an inner strength that might give him a foundation from which to grow. Maybe there will be some lessons that he will learn that will help him as he serves in the Aaronic Priesthood and when he serves a mission for the LDS Church. Maybe it will help him in a calling or just help him to be a better Father. That is my hope and prayer today. Go get’em Coby!