General Conference Review - April 2018

This general conference has been an interesting one, to be sure.  If any of you missed it, you can find the talks here; I would encourage you to study them.  The things that were taught will certainly provide me with plenty of topics to write about in the coming weeks.  This time I will highlight the three major announcements made, and also summarize the words and admonitions of each of the prophets and apostles.

Saturday night Pres. Nelson announced in the priesthood session that the elder's quorum and high priest's groups in each ward will be reorganized into a single elders quorum.  This is to enable greater ministering efforts and streamline the bishop's ability to delegate responsibilities in the ward.  Along with this came the announcement that the only coordination meetings in wards will be with the ward council; Priesthood Executive Committee meetings will no longer take place.

This leads very well into the second announcement about ministering.  Pres. Nelson declared that the current ministering efforts known as "home teaching" and "visiting teaching" will be retired, and will be replaced with a broader, "holier" way of ministering to the children of God, known as "ministering."

Thirdly, Pres. Nelson announced plans to build 7 new temples in various countries around the world.  All of these things are a fulfillment that the Lord will "hasten his work in its time".  They represent ways in which we can more fully fulfill the commandment to love our neighbor.

Now, to what I learned from each of the apostles, appearing in the order they spoke.  Some may appear more than once.  Please note that some of these things they said directly, while other things may have been said to me by the Spirit.

Saturday Morning Session

Pres. M. Russell Ballard:

• Don't ever get discouraged, even if things are hard.
• Earbuds block the voice of the Spirit.
• Don't let taking the Sacrament become routine

Elder Gary E. Stevenson:

• teach by love and example

Elder Neil L. Andersen:

• It is logical to follow Pres. Nelson for many reasons, but we have to have a deeper, more spiritual reason.
• "Anchoring our souls in Christ requires listening to those He sends"
• The warnings of the prophets will often counter the opinions of the world, and sometimes even go against our own opinions.

Saturday Afternoon Session

Elder David A. Bednar:

• Meekness is developed by desire, righteous works, and retaining a remission of our sins; it is a gift given to us so we can serve others.

Elder Dale G. Renlund:

• All of our losses will be made up, so that one day it will feel like we've always lived in heaven (C. S. Lewis).
• The temple has a healing effect on those who attend regularly.

Priesthood Session

Elder D. Todd Christofferson: 

• God reveals His will "line upon line," and so it is with the organization of the church.
• Don't use the word "advanced" when referring to someone receiving a new priesthood office/calling.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband:

• The new organization of the Elders Quorum on a ward level will allow for greater ministering efforts.

Pres. Henry B. Eyring:

• Wards and quorums are "successful" when the Saints feel a love for others about their own self-interest, and the Holy Ghost guides their service.
• You must be humble enough to learn from those who are younger than you.

Pres. Dallin H. Oaks:

• Holding the priesthood should not be used as a status symbol
• It is not appropriate to refer to those who hold the priesthood as "the priesthood"
• Harold B. Lee - to magnify one's calling means you consider yourself as "on the Lord's errand"

Pres. Russell M. Nelson: 

• Saying a prayer and giving a priesthood blessing are not the same thing.
• Righteous actions have a ripple effect through those around you, and throughout generations.

Sunday Morning Session

Pres. Henry B. Eyring: 

• How to "receive the Holy Ghost":
• Be humble
• Pray with faith
• Act with obedience
• Pray to know the needs of others
• True ministers have Christ have qualified for the near constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Pres. Dallin H. Oaks:

• How to be "faithful":
• Daily prayer
• Daily scripture study
• Daily family prayer
• Continual repentance
• We must constantly paddle against the "cultural currents" that would carry us downstream to a lower plane.

Pres. Russell M. Nelson:

• It is the privilege of the Saints to have the manifestations of the Spirit every day (Lorenzo Snow).
• "Good inspiration is based on good information"
• How to get answers to prayers:
• Find a quiet place to go regularly
• Humble yourself
• Talk to God about the desires of your heart
• Listen, and take notes
• Repeat every day
• "Let this Easter Sunday be a defining moment in your life"

Sunday Afternoon Session

Elder Gerrit W. Gong:

• Easter celebrates the harmony of covenants with the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Elder Ulisses Soares:

• Following the prophets helps to strengthen our spiritual armor.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:

• We are constantly trying to get closer to the ideal of ministering to "the one"
• Ministering companions represent, not replace, the bishopric
• The motivation to minister should be charity

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

• There is a difference between "seeing" and "beholding."  Do we "behold" Jesus?

Elder Quentin L. Cook:

• What is the purpose of the church?
• To help with the gathering of Israel
• To seal families together in holy temples
• To prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior
• Keys were restored in the Kirtland temple to help accomplish each of these three purposes.
• The only culture we follow in the church is the culture of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pres. Russell M. Nelson:

• Instructions: 
• Review regularly and repeatedly the talks from this general conference
• Set aside some things in your life so you will have more time to spend at the temple and engaged in family history work
• Blessings:
• You will be able to figure out what to set aside
• Greater faith in Jesus Christ and a greater ability to follow Him
• Greater ability to raise our voices in testimony