I’m always so interested in what stood out to people during General Conference. No one ever really comes away with all the same things. It’s one of the great testimony builders for me, actually, because it’s clear that God can inspire His servants to say what needs to be said in a way that allows many people to feel that their needs were directly spoken to. God is truly aware of us all, and what stands out to a person during Conference is evidence of that.
That being said, there are usually some common or repeated themes during Conference, and I’ve highlighted several of these from April 2024 below. But if there’s something you think I missed, please share it! My goal here is to give you a quick highlights reel to review last April’s General Conference, and I’d love to hear your thoughts about it as well.
President Nelson: Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys
I feel like I say this after every Conference, but don’t you just love hearing the words of our prophet? Everything he said is truly inspired. I love knowing that we have someone who can give us revelation for the world directly from God.
In his talk, President Nelson talked about the Kirtland temple dedication and invited us all to study the dedicatory prayer that Joseph Smith gave at the Kirtland temple dedication (Doctrine and Covenants 109). President Nelson also invited us to consider three important statements:
1. “I invite you to consider carefully the following three statements: The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere.
2. The gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. He invites all to come unto Him—“black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.”
3. The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.
Priesthood keys restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith make it possible for every covenant-keeping man and woman to enjoy incredible personal spiritual privileges. Here again, there is much we can learn from the sacred history of the Kirtland Temple.”
Making covenants with God – and helping others to do the same – is the gathering of Israel. President Nelson has spoken about the gathering of Israel many times, and he’s spoken about covenants a lot as well. These three statements that President Nelson made simplify the doctrine around the gathering of Israel to its most key component: God loves ALL His children.
Covenants aren’t just rules or promises that guide our lives. They are pure evidence that God knows us and loves us. Temples prove that God wants to be near us, and that is more and more evident as over 300 temples have been built, announced, or are under construction at this time.
Something that was made clear during President Nelson’s talk is that it is essential to understand the promises of the temple.
Things like how being endowed in the temple means we don’t have to face life alone. Or that time in the temple will help us know who we are and how we fit in God’s plan. Or that making and living covenants gives us a fulness of the Holy Spirit.
I especially loved President Nelson’s promise:
Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing!
The temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has in store for each of us, for the temple is the only place on earth where we may receive all of the blessings promised to Abraham.
The temple is one of our most direct connections with our Father in Heaven, and it teaches us so much about our relationship with Jesus Christ and with our Father. What might you learn in the temple that you really need? What message might God have for you that going to the temple would allow you to receive? And what strength might you gain as you serve the dead and draw closer to your Father and your Savior?
Covenants
Many people in General Conference spoke about covenants, so that’s definitely something to be thinking about, especially when we go into October’s Conference.
Sister J. Anette Davis spoke about making covenants part of our lives. She said:
We have the privilege and blessing of being invited into a covenant relationship with God, in which our own lives can become a symbol of that covenant. Covenants create the kind of relationship that allows God to mold and change us over time and lift us to become more like the Savior, drawing us closer and closer to Him and our Father and eventually preparing us to enter Their presence (Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ).
I love the idea that our lives can symbolize the covenants we’ve made. It makes me wonder what differences have come into my life as I’ve made covenants. What in my life shows that I’ve made covenants? What might need to be changed or removed from my life to better symbolize the covenant relationship I have with God?
One change that comes into our lives because of covenants is confidence. Elder Ulisses Soares explained the impact of this confidence in our lives:
Such confidence is the pinnacle of our divine connection with God and can help us increase our devotion to and gratitude for Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. It fortifies our ability to love and serve others, and it strengthens our souls to live in an unholy world that is increasingly dark and discouraging. It empowers us to overcome the seeds of doubt and despair, fear and frustration, heartache and hopelessness that the enemy tries to drive deep into our hearts, especially when life is hard, trials are long, or circumstances are difficult (Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ).
Confidence can change our whole life perspective. How we approach daily tasks, how we rely on God, how we perceive those around us – all of these things can change and become better because of covenant confidence given to us by Jesus Christ.
This also extends to how we perceive our family relationships. President Henry B. Eyring, in his talk “All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants,” shared a story about when the Teton Dam broke. He and his wife were separated from their children when the dam broke and weren’t able to find out if their children were okay. President Eyring and his wife spent the night in a motel, and despite the stressful situation, President Eyring was able to fall asleep. His wife was not, however, and woke him to ask how it was possible he could sleep at that time. His response was simple: “[W]hatever the outcome, all will be well because of the temple. We have made covenants with God and have been sealed as an eternal family.” President Eyring had covenant confidence, so he knew that no matter what happened to their family in mortality, they were sealed and would be together forever.
We can have that same confidence when we rely on our covenants as well. Or, as Elder Gerrit W. Gong put it, “as we walk uprightly and remember our covenants, ‘all things shall work together for your good.’ All things for our good. A remarkable promise! Comforting assurance from God Himself!” (All Things for Our Good)
Covenants are truly beautiful things. And they are, as President Dallin H. Oaks reminded us, a key thing that makes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints distinct from other churches. In the gospel we are asked not just to believe, but also to make commitments about what we will do and who we will follow. As President Oaks put it in his talk “Covenants and Responsibilities“:
Covenants were foundational in the Restoration of the gospel… Covenants are inherent in each of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation this restored Church administers. The ordinance of baptism and its associated covenants are requirements for entrance into the celestial kingdom. The ordinances and associated covenants of the temple are requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom, which is eternal life.
So much was said about covenants that I really feel I can’t cover it all well here. But with this topic receiving so much attention, I think it’s more important than ever that we consider our covenants – and how our covenant influence our lives – more carefully than ever before.
Rely On Christ and Face Trials with Faith
One of the talks I feel really leads into this topic well was Elder Patrick Kearon’s talk “God’s Intent is to Bring You Home.” Life can bring many challenges and difficulties, and often it might feel as though we have too many obstacles in our way for it to be possible to keep going. But Elder Kearon pointed us to the truth of the matter when he said:
[O]ur Father’s beautiful plan, even His “fabulous” plan, is designed to bring you home, not to keep you out. No one has built a roadblock and stationed someone there to turn you around and send you away. In fact, it is the exact opposite. God is in relentless pursuit of you. He “wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,” and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.
I think it’s so essential to remember God’s purpose or goal in all of this – to bring us home to Him – because knowing and remembering that makes it so much easier to trust and rely on Him.
It is remembering this truth that leads us to do as Elder Taylor G. Godoy encouraged in his talk “Call, Don’t Fall.” In his talk, he illustrated the importance of turning to the Lord in prayer, no matter the circumstances, by telling a story about when he and his wife (then fiancee) were getting ready to get married, but ran into several obstacles. At each critical juncture, Elder Godoy prayed for help, and each time, help came. It may not have come in the way he expected, but help came just the same.
This was also illustrated in Elder Shayne M. Bowen’s talk “Miracles, Angels, and Priesthood Power.” He discussed several instances in which calling out to God and using the gift of the Priesthood brought about true and significant miracles. Such miracles cannot come about without relying on Christ in faith. Elder Bowen testified:
I know that while not all circumstances turn out like we may hope and pray for, God’s miracles will always come according to His will, His timing, and His plan for us.
Faith is challenged, strengthened, and rewarded in our times of struggle. And yes, things may not always turn out as we hope and expect, but if that weren’t the case, how could our faith ever grow? When would we have to rely on Christ? We become our best selves when we give all we have to Christ and trust Him in all things, not when everything goes our way.
President Holland’s thoughts really sum this up. In his talk, “Motions of a Hidden Fire,” he said:
I testify that God hears every prayer we offer and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection. I recognize that at roughly the same time so many were praying for the restoration of my health, an equal number—including me—were praying for the restoration of my wife’s health. I testify that both of those prayers were heard and answered by a divinely compassionate Heavenly Father, even if the prayers for Pat were not answered the way I asked. It is for reasons known only to God why prayers are answered differently than we hope—but I promise you they are heard and they are answered according to His unfailing love and cosmic timetable.
God is fully aware of us. He knows our needs, wants, fears, and questions. Whatever the end result, we can trust that He is not deaf to us. He has not forgotten us, nor will He.
Testimony
A talk that really stood out to me during Conference was “Pillars and Rays” by Elder Alexander Dushku. He spoke about how many of us will not have dramatic spiritual experiences in our lives. However, we all have simpler spiritual experiences that can build on each other.
You have had your own experiences—your own light-filled bursts of testimony. As we recognize, remember, and gather these rays “together in one,” something wonderful and powerful begins to happen. “Light cleaveth unto light”—“truth embraceth truth.” The reality and power of one ray of testimony reinforces and combines with another, and then another, and another. Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a ray and there a ray—one small, treasured spiritual moment at a time—there grows up within us a core of light-filled, spiritual experiences. Perhaps no one ray is strong enough or bright enough to constitute a full testimony, but together they can become a light that the darkness of doubt cannot overcome… That means, brothers and sisters, that in time and through “great diligence,” we too can have our own pillar of light—one ray at a time. And in the midst of that pillar, we too will find a loving Heavenly Father calling us by name, pointing us to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and inviting us to “Hear Him!”
When we remember and treasure the many spiritual experiences we have had – no matter how small and simple those experiences may seem – we develop significant and powerful testimonies. This doesn’t happen overnight or without effort though.
Elder Dale G. Renlund spoke about this in his talk “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.” In this talk, he emphasized the need for spiritual momentum, reminding us that it takes continuous forward effort to remain spiritually steady.
Indeed, the elements of the doctrine of Christ—such as faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, entering a covenant relationship with the Lord through baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end—are not intended to be experienced as one-time, check-the-box events… When we assume responsibility for our own testimonies, we gain spiritual momentum and gradually develop bedrock faith in Jesus Christ, and the doctrine of Christ becomes central to the purpose of life. Momentum likewise builds as we strive to obey the laws of God and repent. Repentance is joyful and allows us to learn from our mistakes, which is how we progress eternally.”
Spiritual progress builds spiritual momentum which builds testimony which builds spiritual progress, and so on. It is this consistent, repetitive, and upward cycle that gives us a strong testimony, one that can withstand the obstacles and trials of our lives.
As our testimonies build, we can say with Elder Brent H. Nielson that:
I declare my witness and make a record of what I have both seen and heard during my sacred ministry as a Seventy of the Lord Jesus Christ. In doing so, I testify to you of a loving Heavenly Father and His benevolent Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered, died, and rose again to offer eternal life to God’s children. I testify of “a marvelous work and a wonder” and that the Lord has set His hand once again to restore His gospel on the earth through His living prophets and apostles. I testify that based upon what I have both seen and heard, there has never been a better time to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than today. I know this of my own knowledge, independent of any other source, because of what I have both seen and heard (A Record of What I Have Both Seen and Heard).
We don’t need to expect that our testimonies will be complete and perfect immediately. We can simply pursue the goal of perpetually strengthening our testimonies. Doing so will still bring great miracles, and I think we’ll all be surprised at how strong and sure our testimonies can be.
Joy
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf brought us a lesson about joy in his talk, “A Higher Joy.” He said:
In this life, at least, joy and sorrow are inseparable companions. Like all of you, I have felt my share of disappointment, sorrow, sadness, and remorse. However, I have also experienced for myself the glorious dawn that fills the soul with joy so profound that it can scarcely be kept in. I have discovered for myself that this peaceful confidence comes from following the Savior and walking in His Way… The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly the “good news of great joy”! It is a message of matchless hope! A message of yoke-bearing and burden-lifting. Of light-gathering. Of heavenly favor, higher understanding, holier covenants, eternal security, and everlasting glory! Joy is the very purpose of God’s plan for His children. It’s what you were created for—“that [you] might have joy”! You were built for this!
I especially love that last line, “You were built for this,” for joy. Though we experience heartache, sorrow, fear, and more, the thing we were truly built for is joy. How lovely is that?! When we experience joy, we are experiencing what we were made for!
Having joy doesn’t mean that all things in our lives are great or that we have no problems. Elder Brian K. Taylor explained:
During eternity’s most crucial, agonizing hours, our Savior did not shrink but partook of the bitter cup. How did He do it? We learn, “For the joy that was set before him [Christ] endured the cross,” His will “being swallowed up in the will of the Father.” This phrase “swallowed up” deeply moves me. My interest was heightened when I learned that in Spanish, “swallowed up” is translated as “consumed”; in German, as “devoured”; and in Chinese, as “engulfed.” Thus, when life’s challenges are most painful and overwhelming, I remember the Lord’s promise—that we “should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it [be] swallowed up [consumed, devoured, and engulfed] in the joy of Christ.” I see in so many of you this joy, which “[defies] … mortal comprehension,” even though your bitter cups have not yet been removed. Thank you for keeping your covenants and standing as witnesses for God. Thank you for reaching out to bless us all, while “in [your] quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye can’t see.” For when you bring the Savior’s relief to others, you will find it for yourselves, taught President Camille N. Johnson. (Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ)
There is great power in standing with Christ in times of difficulty, and it is doing so – trusting fully in Him and in the plan of our Father – that brings us joy. Again, that doesn’t mean we have no problems; it simply means that we can see past those problems to a more hopeful day. And it means that we feel and receive the immediate succor of our Lord in these times.
We can continue on with joy.
Final Thoughts
I never feel like I can cover anywhere near enough of General Conference in these articles. There is so much richness, depth, beauty, and truth in the messages of Conference that a single little summary article is insufficient to do it justice. However, the goal of this article isn’t really to hit every awesome detail of Conference, but to give you a broad sense of the teachings we received and direct you back to those talks. Follow the Spirit, and you’ll be led to the messages and truths you need most at this time.
There are many talks I didn’t touch on in this article. Don’t miss reviewing those on your own! You can do so here at “April 2024 General Conference.”
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