Favorite Talks

[Marduk]

For reference, question 60596.

I have sooo many favorites, I don't think even Bob has listened to them all. I'll just mention a few. The Inconvenient Messiah is probably my all time favorite for the doctrinal insights to how we should live our lives here, and what we should expect from the adversary.

He Loved Them unto the End, also by Jeffrey R. Holland, is also of great personal significance to me. The way it depicts the savior's love to us, and by association, how we should love others, simply astounds me, still.

What about you guys?

(edited to fix broken links)

[NerdGirl]

My favorite talk is ever talk Elder Holland ever gave. Seriously. There are like 20 in my itunes right now and I listen to them all the time. I think my favorite of all of them is "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence". I'm too tired to look for the link right now, but it's awesome. The ones you said are right up there too, Marduk.

and I was the one who asked that question

[wired]

The question really should have opened it up to BYU Devotionals because I think some of the most life-changing talks I've hear have been given there.

I think "Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments" has to be a definite chart-topper. "Love is not blind" by Bruce C. Hafen is incredible. Actually, anything by Elder Hafen is amazing. His general conference talk, "The Atonement: All for All" is still my favorite General Conference talk from the past decade.

Every time I read this excerpt, the Spirit testifies to me about the true nature of the atonement:

My friend Donna grew up desiring to marry and raise a large family. But that blessing never came. Instead, she spent her adult years serving the people in her ward with unmeasured compassion and counseling disturbed children in a large school district. She had crippling arthritis and many long, blue days. Yet she always lifted and was always lifted by her friends and family. Once when teaching about Lehi’s dream, she said with gentle humor, “I’d put myself in that picture on the strait and narrow path, still holding to the iron rod but collapsed from fatigue right on the path.” In an inspired blessing given just before her death, Donna’s home teacher said the Lord “accepted” her. Donna cried. She had never felt her single life was acceptable. But the Lord said those who “observe their covenants by sacrifice … are accepted of me.” 24 I can envision Him walking the path from the tree of life to lift Donna up with gladness and carry her home.

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?local ... 82620aRCRD

Everyone should read that talk.

Other favorites include Elder Oaks talk on blessings (for the clarity he gave) as well as his talk "The Challenge to Become."

Elder Maxwell gave a tremendous talk on the role of agency - it was his last devotional at BYU.

I love the Church.

[NerdGirl]

Yeah, I meant to include BYU devotionals when I asked it, but somehow that part didn't make from my brain to the keyboard.