Amazing Fireside

I don't know if it was due to the fact that I hadn't been to a Matis Fireside in a year or if it was really just that amazing but I loved the fireside tonight.  Brother Walsh is an incredible man and I think I'd really enjoy taking a class from him if the chance ever arose.  I tried to take some good notes from the fireside so let's see what I can recap:

• He referenced Alma 13:1-6 to start things off and made the point that there was only one person who fully understand the potential of mortality and that was God.  He shared the very true sentiment of "there are days in this life when enduring well means you got out of bed".  How true that is!  As part of this scripture reference he reminded us how truly noble and great we are and that we must have truly had exceedingly great faith to be on the earth at this time.
• He discussed briefly tonight that we should be reading our Patriarchal Blessings.  He made the point that those blessings are really just the Lord's statement of our potential.  "Take your strengths and use them against your weaknesses" he advised us.
• He shared a quote by George Q Cannon from 1900 that I can't find but look forward to getting the source on
• He talked a lot about the book "Joseph Smith: The Prophet" written by Truman G Madsen.  He made the point about Joseph Smith that while he may have been killed by his enemies he was also killed by his former friends.

This was one of my favorites:

• He read D&C 82:10 "I, the Lord, am bound when you do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."  We've all heard that a million times. We're always taught that if we don't do what we're covenanted with the Lord we won't receive those particular blessings.  He helps us understand this verse a little better than perhaps we've understood it before.  The Lord doesn't say that he won't bless us if we do not what he says, he simply says that we have no promise of his blessing. 

Here's some more:

• Justice is really going to be what exalts us.  One of the greatest things about the judgement day is the fact that when we are judged, nothing will be taken out of context.  How great is that!!
• He made the observation that there is way to much guilt in the church today.  God wants us to live our life the best we can and not the best that others think we can or want us to.
• He shared the quote: "Make no judgements where you have no compassion" and then continued to share this statement that he shares in all of his classes: "When you are struggling in a turbulent sea the keep your head above water, the last thing you need is someone to tell you how ugly your swimming suit is."
• We began listing the characteristics of God and he stopped us at #5: just.
• The term eternal does not just mean forever but more importantly "like God".  He shared D&C 19:4 "And surely every man must repent..." and then started a discussion of justice & mercy.  He made the point that when God refers to justice and mercy, justice is always on his left hand and mercy is always on his right.  He then further pointed out that Christ is always on the right hand of God signifying mercy.
• He reminded us that we can't repent without restoration.  He drew an interesting diagram of the plan of salvation had it not been for Jesus Christ.
• He referenced a talk by Elder Oaks on sins vs mistakes (I couldn't find it right off hand so if someone knows of the talk let me know and I'll update this.)
• He drew a line representing the spectrum of justice & mercy and then asked where God & Jesus Christ are on that spectrum?  In all reality, they are the spectrum.  God's punishment, he shared, is eternal punishment.
• He made an interesting point that the Lord could have chosen to have the events of the atonement revealed to him but he chose to go through it personally and experience everything as we would experience it.  To suffer, he reminded us, also means to run to and offer assistance.
• Speaking to parents of children who are wayward and/or lost, he reminded us that as much as we love our children, do not worry because you can't even begin to love them as much as he (God) does.
• He encouraged us to take some time to ponder and write down the things that we know because of our experience and also write down the things that the Savior knows because of his experience.  Review them and compare the two lists and you will be surprised at how much you know about him and he about you.
• He identified three things that are always found together using the first verse of the Book of Mormon as a reference point: 1. Having a great knowledge of the goodness & the mysteries of God; 2. Having been highly favored of the Lord; 3. Having seen many afflictions
• He shared this quote from Khalil Gibran: "I have learned silence from the talkative, tolerance from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind.  I should not be ungrateful to these teachers."  I thought this was such a strong, amazing statement.
• He encouraged us to read the last chapter of the 4 major authors of the Book of Mormon.  You should read that.  It's an interesting thing.

He closed with reading verses 4, 5, & 7 of Hymn 85.

What an incredible fireside.  I feel so blessed to have had the chance to be taught by such an amazing servant of our Heavenly Father.  I hope that all those who were in attendance felt the same way.  If you weren't able to be there, hopefully this gives you a small glimpse into the lessons taught.  When more of his references and sources become available I'll try and update this accordingly.