Jun 2, 2022

General Conference Highlights - April 2022

A few years ago, I started reading all the General Conference talks and pulling out my favourite parts. I then compile that into a document that I read sections of each morning as part of my scripture study. I have found it to be a digestible way to keep General Conference on my mind throughout the year.

I won't share that entire document, but here is a list of my top quotes from each of the talks given at the April 2022 General Conference :

Preaching the Gospel of Peace

By President Russell M.Nelson

“…the gospel of Jesus Christ has never been needed more than it is today.”

Missionary Service Blessed My Life Forever

By President M. Russell Ballard

“When you are released from your mission, remember that you are not released from activity in the Church. Build upon the good habits you learned on your mission, continue to strengthen your testimony, work hard, pray, and be obedient to the Lord. Honor the covenants you have made. Continue to bless and serve others.”

We Are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

By Reyna I. Aburto

“My fellow disciples of Christ, let us not underestimate the marvelous work the Lord is doing through us, His Church, despite our shortcomings. Sometimes we are givers and sometimes we are receivers, but we are all one family in Christ. His Church is the structure He has given to guide and bless us as we worship Him and serve each other.”

But We Heeded Them Not

By Elder David A. Bednar

“Gospel covenants and ordinances operate in our lives much like a compass. … our covenants and ordinances point us to and help us always remember our connection with the Lord Jesus Christ as we progress along the covenant path.”

Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker

By Elder Neil L. Andersen

“…the words of the Lord through His prophets are often contrary to the thinking and trends of the world. It has always been so.”

A Mighty Change of Heart:

By Elder Eduardo Gavarret

“...change of heart is not an event; it takes faith, repentance, and constant spiritual work to happen.”

Ladder of Faith

By Elder Larry S. Kacher

“As our faith in the Savior increases, we observe a subtle shift that includes a divine understanding of our relationship with God—a steady movement away from “What do I want?” to “What does God want?””

Steady in the Storms

By President Henry B. Eyring

“Each of us, wherever we are, knows that we live in increasingly perilous times. … Anyone with eyes to see the signs of the times and ears to hear the words of prophets knows that is true. The perils of greatest danger come to us from the forces of wickedness. Those forces are increasing. And so it will become more difficult, not easier, to honor the covenants we must make and keep to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Fear Not: Believe Only!

By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

“When the Jewish leader Jairus pled for Jesus to heal his 12-year-old daughter, who lay dying at home, the surrounding crowd waylaid the Savior so long that a servant soon came saying to this anxious father, “Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” And she was. And so will you. “Fear not: believe only.””

He Is Risen with Healing in His Wings:

By Elder Patrick Kearon

“If you have experienced any kind of abuse, violence, or oppression, you may be left with the idea that these events were somehow your fault and that you deserve to carry the shame and guilt you feel. … The abuse was not, is not, and never will be your fault … You are not less worthy or less valuable or less loved as a human being, or as a daughter or son of God, because of what someone else has done to you. God does not now see, nor has He ever seen, you as someone to be despised. Whatever has happened to you, He is not ashamed of you or disappointed in you. He loves you in a way you have yet to discover. And you will discover it as you trust in His promises and as you learn to believe Him…”

Lift Up Your Heart and Rejoice

By Elder Marcis A. Aidukaitis

“With His help, we can do hard things.”

We Each Have a Story

By Elder Gerrit W. Gong

“Learn and acknowledge with gratitude and honesty your family heritage. Celebrate and become the positive and, where needed, humbly do everything possible not to pass on the negative. Let good things begin with you.”

Is the Plan Working?

By Elder Adrian Ochoa

“While it is indeed good to be authentic, we should be authentic to our real, true selves as sons and daughters of God with a divine nature and destiny to become like Him. If our goal is to be authentic to this divine nature and destiny, then we will all need to change.”

Conversion to the Will of God

By Elder Quentin L. Cook

"The banquet of consequences and blessings that flow from conversion is true and permanent peace and the personal assurance of ultimate happiness—despite the storms of this life. Conversion to the Savior changes a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus.”

Lessons at the Well

By Susan H. Porter

“Consider the woman at the well. What was her life like? Jesus perceived that she had had five husbands and was currently not married to the man she was living with. And yet, despite her life’s difficulties, one of the Savior’s first public declarations that He was the Messiah was to her. … Her past and present circumstances did not determine her future.”

Do What Mattereth Most

By Rebecca L. Craven

“…it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters.”

Covenants with God Strengthen, Protect, and Prepare Us for Eternal Glory

By Jean B. Bingham

“Happiness is hollow if we exchange the blessings of eternal joy for momentary ease.”

Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny

By Elder Dale G. Renlund

“We cannot create our own path and expect God’s promised outcomes. … Heavenly Father’s prescribed path leads to the best eternal outcomes. We are free to choose, but we cannot choose the consequences of not following the revealed path.”

Our Relationship with God

By Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. … If life doesn’t fall out precisely this way or according to an expected timetable, they may feel betrayed by God. But things are not so mechanical in the divine economy. We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered.”

Christ Heals That Which Is Broken

By Amy A. Wright

“…we all have something in our lives that is broken that needs to be mended, fixed, or healed. As we turn to the Savior, as we align our hearts and minds with Him, as we repent, He comes to us “with healing in his wings,” puts His arms lovingly around us, and says, “It’s OK. … We can fix this together!” I testify that there is nothing in your life that is broken that is beyond the curative, redeeming, and enabling power of Jesus Christ.”

Love, Share, Invite

By Elder Gary E. Stevenson

“Whenever we show Christlike love toward our neighbor, we preach the gospel—even if we do not voice a single word. … Through Christlike love for others, we preach the glorious, life-transforming properties of Christ’s gospel…”

For God So Loved Us

By Elder Michael T. Ringwood

“Why does Heavenly Father’s personalized plan for us include helping others return to Him? Because this is how we become like Jesus Christ.”

To Heal the World

By Elder Ronald A. Rasband

“I invite you to champion the cause of religious freedom. It is an expression of the God-given principle of agency. ... The good of religion, its reach, and the daily acts of love which religion inspires only multiply when we protect the freedom to express and act on core beliefs.”

Teaching Self-Reliance to Children and Youth

By Elder Hugo E. Martinez

“I’ve come to know that adults can best be on the path toward self-reliance when they have been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and have practiced its doctrine and principles since childhood and as youth in the home.”

The Power of Spiritual Momentum

By President Russell M. Nelson

"With frightening speed, a testimony that is not nourished daily “by the good word of God” can crumble. Thus, the antidote to Satan’s scheme is clear: we need daily experiences worshipping the Lord and studying His gospel. I plead with you to let God prevail in your life. Give Him a fair share of your time.”

Divine Love in the Father’s Plan

By President Dallin H. Oaks

“We must seek to share these truths of eternity with others. But with the love we owe to all of our neighbors, we always accept their decisions.”

The Covenant Path: The Way to Eternal Life

By Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran

“Covenants mark the path back to God.”

Valiant Discipleship in the Latter Days

By Elder Jorg Klebingat

"I testify that the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve are good and honest men who love God and His children and who are loved by Him. Their words we should receive as if from the Lord’s own mouth “in all patience and faith.""

Conversion Is Our Goal

By Mark L. Pace

“To be most effective, your experiences with the scriptures must be your own. ... There is no substitute for the time you spend in the scriptures, hearing the Holy Ghost speak directly to you.”

In Awe of Christ and His Gospel

By Elder Ulisses Soares

“…when we truly are in awe of Jesus Christ and His gospel, we are happier, we have more enthusiasm for God’s work, and we recognize the Lord’s hand in all things. … we become more spiritually resilient and protected against falling into the trap of spiritual apathy.”

Come into the Fold of God

By Elder DRandy D. Funk

“My dear friends, please continue the journey—and help others—to come fully into the fold of God. The blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ are immeasurable because they are eternal.”

Our Heartfelt All

By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“…if we want the Savior to lift us heavenward, then our commitment to Him and His gospel can’t be casual or occasional. Like the widow at Jerusalem, we must offer Him our whole souls. Our offering may be small, but it must come from our heart and soul.”

Now Is the Time