• If you knew that Jesus Christ was coming to speak to you, would you take time out from your playing to go and listen to Him?

Each April and October, the prophet and other General Authorities speak to us in special meetings called general conference. They tell us the things the Savior would tell us if He were here. Their words are like the scriptures and will guide us in our lives.

In the Book of Mormon, we read about a king who was also a prophet. His name was Benjamin.

When King Benjamin was getting very old, he wanted to teach his people about the Savior one more time before he died. He had a tall tower built near the temple, and he climbed upon the tower to speak so that he could be heard by all the people. (Having one boy come to the front and wear robes and stand on a chair like it was a tower)

The people came with their families to hear him.

They pitched their tents around the temple and were ready when King Benjamin spoke to them.

• Have more children come up and sit around the "tower". However, there were so many people that they still couldn't all hear him. So he had his words written down and given to them. (passing out papers with King Benjamin's words on them)

He taught them the things the Savior wanted them to do. He testified to them that the Savior, Jesus Christ, would come to them.

Two weeks ago, our prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, spoke to us, and he will speak to us again in October.

Like King Benjamin, he speaks to us for the Savior.

He tells us the things we should do to live our lives the way the Savior wants us to.

He doesn't need a high tower to speak to us today. He speaks to us from the new Conference Center in Salt Lake City.

The Center holds many people, but not everyone can go there to hear him, so his words are carried by television, radio, computer, and Church magazines to people all over the world. His words, like those of all the Latter-day Saint prophets before him, testify of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is important to listen to his words just as we would listen to Jesus Christ if He were here to speak to us.(show picture of the front of the Friend magazine)

Our prophet loves us just as the Savior loves us. If we do the things he teaches, we can be happier in this life. We can learn how to live again with Father in Heaven and the Savior, Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to know that through our prophet, the Savior is speaking to each of us!

(I have a poster of an apple tree with apples all over it. On the back of each apple is a word identifying each quotation.....my music leader has chosen music to go with each quote......That is her stewardship to choose the songs, so I don't know yet which they will be......I will let the children take turns choosing apples and we will talk about each quote........)

The apple tree quotations:

1.DIVERSITY May 1999
We must never forget that we live in a world of great diversity. The people of the earth are all our Father's children and are of many and varied religious persuasions. We must cultivate tolerance and appreciation and respect one another. We have differences of doctrine. This need not bring about animosity or any kind of holier-than-thou attitude.

2. DO WHAT IS RIGHT May 1999
Simply "do what is right [and] let the consequence follow" So live that each morning you may kneel in prayer, seeking the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit, as well as its protective power, as you go about your work of the day. So live that each night, before retiring, you may come before the Lord in prayer without shame or embarrassment or the need to plead for forgiveness. I do not hesitate to say that God will bless you if you will do so. Someday you will grow old and look back upon your life. You will be able to say: "I lived with integrity. I cheated no one, not even myself."

3. EASTER---THE PROPHET'S TESTIMONY May 1999
He is our triumphant Lord. He is our Redeemer, who atoned for our sins. Through His redeeming sacrifice all men shall rise from the grave. He has opened the way whereby we may gain not only immortality but also eternal life.
As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bear witness and testimony of these things this Easter day. I speak in solemnity and reverence and gratitude, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

4. TEMPLES April 2001
One of the bellwether marks of the growth and vitality of the Church is the construction of temples. I have spoken of this before, but I am so deeply grateful that since we last met in general conference we were able to reach our goal of 100 operating temples by the end of the year 2000; in fact, we exceeded it. We have just come from dedicating a temple in Uruguay, the 103rd working temple of the Church.
The great work of temple building goes on throughout the world. I looked the other day at a list of all the temples which are now in operation or have been announced-121 of them. I was amazed at the length of the list and at the incredible diversity of the areas in which they are located. It is wonderful, but we are not satisfied. We will keep on working to bring the temples to the people, making it more convenient for Latter-day Saints everywhere to receive the blessings which can only be had in these holy
houses.

5. EDUCATION AND SERVICE TO OTHERS April 2001
Where there is widespread poverty among our people, we must do all we can to help them to lift themselves, to establish their lives upon a foundation of self-reliance that can come of training. Education is the key to opportunity It is our solemn obligation, it is our certain responsibility, my brethren, to "succour the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees" (D&C 81:5). We must help them to become self-reliant and successful


6. LET US BE FRIENDLY AND KIND April 2001
We are not without critics, some of whom are mean and vicious. We have always had them, and I suppose we will have them all through the future. But we shall go forward, returning good for evil, being helpful and kind and generous. I remind you of the teachings of our Lord concerning these matters. You are all acquainted with them. Let us be good people. Let us be friendly people. Let us be neighbourly people. Let us be what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ought to be.

7. MISSIONARIES April 2001
On the front row were eight missionaries: six elders and two sisters. The congregation consisted of men and women, boys and girls of various racial strains. A little English was spoken, much of Spanish, and some expressions of other languages. As I looked into the faces of that congregation, I thought of the faith there represented. They love this Church. They appreciate all that it does. They stand and testify of the reality of God the Eternal Father and of His Resurrected Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. They testify of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of the Book of Mormon. They serve where they are called to serve. They are men and women of faith who have embraced the true and living gospel of the Master, and in their midst are these eight missionaries. I am sure that it is a lonely place for them. But they are doing what they have been asked to do because of their faith. The two young women are beautiful and happy. As I looked at them, I said to myself, Eighteen months is a long time to be in this faraway place. But they do not complain. They speak of the great experience they are having and of the wonderful people they meet. Shining through all of their service
is the reassuring faith that the work in which they are engaged is true and that the service they are giving is given unto God. It is so with our missionaries wherever they might serve, whether it be right here in Salt Lake City or in Mongolia. They go and serve with faith in their hearts. It is a phenomenon of great power that quietly whispers, "This cause is true, and to you there is an obligation to serve it regardless of
the cost."

8. FAITH April 2001
Faith? There can be no doubt about it. When doubts arose, when tragedies struck, the quiet voice of faith was heard in the stillness of the night as certain and reassuring as was the place of the polar star in the heavens above.

9. FINAL THOUGHTS FROM PRESIDENT HINCKLEY April 2001
Now, brothers and sisters, let us go forth from this conference with a stronger resolve to live the gospel, to be more faithful, to be better fathers and mothers and sons and daughters, to be absolutely loyal to one another as families, and absolutely loyal to the Church as members. This is God's holy work. It is divine in its origin and in its doctrine. Jesus Christ stands as its head. He is our immortal Savior and Redeemer. His
revelation is the source of our doctrine, our faith, our teaching, in fact the underlying pattern of our lives.
10. TESTIMONIES April 2001
Our individual testimonies of these truths are the basis of our faith. We must nurture them. We must cultivate them. We can never forsake them. We can never lay them aside. Without them we have nothing. With them we have everything.


If time permits...for Junior.....coloring activity of the Conference Counseling Carousel found in the April Friend