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SALT LAKE CITY -- Final sessions of General Conference for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ended today with a focus on the faith's name and overcoming trials.
President Monson entered greeting colleagues and telling Church members, morality is not passe. "The Ten Commandments are just that -commandments -they are not suggestions," said President Monson. "They are as requisite today as they were when God gave them to the children of Israel."
He went from serious to humorous, telling a story about his hard-earned $5 he almost lost as a child after leaving them in the pocket of his pants. His mother sent them to the launderer and when he realized it was gone he was devastated. He waited two days for them to arrive, and when they did, the $5 bill was still inside the pocked.
The use of the word Mormon was central in Elder Ballard's talk.
"No polygamist group, including those calling themselves Fundamentalist Mormons, or other derivatives of our name, have any affiliation whatsoever with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints," Ballard said.
And Elder Hales spoke of life's challenges. "Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow his son."
As he left, President Monson spoke to young Church members with words of encouragement, asking church members to live their faith and be kind to one another. He bid them farewell for another six months.
Email:cmikita@ksl.com
