General Conference Conversations

President Nelson, once again, urges us to use the messages from this conference in our daily lives, stresses the importance of temples, and testifies of the atonement of Jesus Christ. “Regular worship in the temple will help us. In the house of the Lord, we focus on Jesus Christ. We learn of Him. We make covenants to follow Him. We come to know Him. As we keep our temple covenants, we gain greater...

Elder Egbo stresses the importance - and gives his own testimony - of focusing on Christ. “In a similar way, when we ignore the distractions of the world and focus on Christ and His gospel, we are guaranteed success beyond what we can fully imagine and can feel great joy. President Russell M. Nelson taught: ‘When the focus of our lives is on … Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardles...

Brother Wilcox seeks to answer the question: Why must Latter-day Saints live so differently? “Does your birthright mean you are better than others? No, but it does mean you are expected to help others be better. Does your birthright mean you are chosen? Yes, but not chosen to rule over others; you are chosen to serve them. Is your birthright evidence of God’s love? Yes, but more important, it is e...

Elder Budge speaks powerfully of being still and intentional in our gospel learning and worship. “Perhaps this is why President Nelson has repeatedly pled with us to make time for the Lord in our lives— ‘each and every day.’ He reminds us that ‘quiet time is sacred time—time that will facilitate personal revelation and instill peace.’ But to hear the still voice of the Lord, he counseled, ‘you too...

Elder McKay speaks powerfully about Joseph Smith and his mission to testify of Christ. “Joseph’s life of regular repentance gives me confidence to ‘come boldly unto the throne of grace, that [I] may obtain mercy.’ I have learned that Jesus Christ truly is ‘of a forgiving disposition.’ It is neither His mission nor His nature to condemn. He came to save.” How is repentance comforting to you? If you...

Sister Yee uses a personal story to illustrate the joy of repentance. “Repenting allows us to feel God’s love and to know and love Him in ways we would never otherwise know. Of the woman who anointed the Savior’s feet, He said, ‘Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.’ She loved Jesus much, for He had forgiven her much.” W...

Elder Kearon’s talk is, of course, all about JOY! “Because of the loving plan of our Heavenly Father for each of His children, and because of the redeeming life and mission of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we can—and should—be the most joyful people on earth! Even as the storms of life in an often-troubled world pound upon us, we can cultivate a growing and abiding sense of joy and inner peace becaus...

Elder Villlar’s talk is a powerful testimony of Christ and His Atonement. “If we think celestial, we will recognize Jesus Christ as a flawless example of ministry. There is a pattern for us in the scriptures when He or His disciples reach out to someone in need of help, rescue, or a blessing as they reach out with their hands. As in my story, I knew my brother was there, but being there for me was...

President Oaks’ talk is all about, you guessed it, following Jesus Christ. “Potential adversaries should begin their discussions by identifying common ground on which all agree. To follow our Perfect Role Model and His prophet, we need to practice what is popularly known as the Golden Rule: “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and th...

Elder Casillas’ talk is all about service and the privilege we have to take care of our fellow human beings. “We live in a time of great opportunity. Although we face many difficulties, I know they are there in part to allow us to help others feel the love of our Heavenly Father. President Nelson taught, “In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world...

I know it has been so, so long! And we’re getting so close to April Conference already that I won’t have time to get to all the talks. So, I’ve chosen just a few talks to cover between now and April. And we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming in May. Elder Hirst’s talk is all about love! He speaks powerfully about how personal God’s love is for each of us. And he reminds us of how...

President Nelson runs through the history and significance of priesthood keys - not only for the Church and the world for us individually. “Priesthood keys restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith make it possible for every covenant-keeping man and woman to enjoy incredible personal spiritual privileges.” An invitation: Prepare for Conference next week. What questions are you hoping to have answe...

President Pace speaks about the power and purpose of the scriptures. “We call it “study,” and that’s good because it implies effort. But we don’t always need to learn some new fact. Sometimes reading the Book of Mormon is just about feeling connected to God today—nourishing the soul, being strengthened spiritually before heading out to face the world, or finding healing after a rough day out in th...

Elder Andersen reminds us of the power of the temple in the world and in our lives. “On that sacred occasion in the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet prayed that in the Lord’s holy house, the Saints would be armed with the power of God, that the name of Jesus Christ would be upon them, that His angels would have charge over them, and that they would grow up in the Lord and “receive a fulness of the Hol...

Elder Held reminds of the necessity and beauty of opposition. “Life is all about making choices. Our Father in Heaven gave us the divine gift of agency precisely so that we could learn from our choices—from the right ones and also from the wrong ones. We correct our wrong choices when we repent. This is where growth happens. Heavenly Father’s plan for all of us is about learning, developing, and p...

Elder Stevenson speaks about the two great commandments and how they are intertwined and depend on each other.  “The increasing contention in the world suggests, however, that we at times fail to see or remember this. Some are so focused on keeping the commandments that they show little tolerance of those they see as less righteous. Some find it difficult to love those who are choosing to live the...

Elder Godoy speaks powerfully about the blessing of prayer. “Imagine the feelings of Heavenly Father when in each prayer we make a supplication in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. What power and tenderness, I believe, are displayed when we do so!” “Of course, we need to remember that calling is a matter of faith and action—faith to recognize that we have a Heavenly Father who answers our prayers...

Elder Christofferson speaks about how the importance of having a testimony of Jesus and being valiant in it. “What is the testimony of Jesus? It is the witness of the Holy Spirit that He is the divine Son of God, the Messiah and Redeemer. It is John’s testimony that Jesus was in the beginning with God, that He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and that ‘in him was the gospel, and the gospel was...

President Oaks reminds us of the history, importance, and purpose of covenants. “A covenant is a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities.” “Their purpose is to bless the covenant children of God with temple worship and with the sacred responsibilities and powers and unique blessings of being bound to Christ they receive by covenant.” How do your covenants help you "come together"...

Elder Taylor speaks about how we can change our perspectives to find joy in our trials. “Coming to trust in God’s divine purposes breathes hope into weary souls and kindles determination in seasons of anguish and heartache.” “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’; a...

Elder Kearon speaks powerfully of God's desire to bring us home. He lays out the purpose of the plan of salvation and Christ's role in it and how we are welcomed back with open arms. “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 t...

Elder Pieper talks about putting our trust in the Lord. Trust is a fundamental part of any relationship, and as he we strive to learn God's character, our trust and relationship will grow. “The relationship God seeks with each spirit child is one so close and personal that He will be able to share all He has and all He is. That kind of deep, enduring relationship can develop only when built up...

Elder Renlund shares a story about kayaking and the advice he received from their guide about keeping momentum to avoid flipping over. He relates this to the doctrine of Christ, that as we consistently and diligently follow the doctrine of Christ, we will gain spiritual momentum and stay afloat. “Indeed, the elements of the doctrine of Christ—such as faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, ent...

Sister Porter speaks simply and sweetly about the power of prayer and our ability to pray for knowledge, growth, and how to show love to others. “Do you like to receive gifts? I want to talk to you about a very special gift that Heavenly Father has given to you to help you. It is the gift of prayer. What a blessing prayer is! We can talk to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.” What is your favorite...

Elder Rasband's talk is all about the power of words - the Lord’s words, the words of the prophets, and our own words. “Unfortunately, words can be thoughtless, hasty, and hurtful. Once said, we cannot take them back. They can wound, punish, cut down, and even lead to destructive actions. They can weigh heavily on us. On the other hand, words can celebrate victory, be hopeful and encouraging....