General Conference Retrospective
All impressions idiosyncratic or your money back.
Guaranteed to be too ill-written to have been generated by ChatGPT
Themes:
- Being built upon the Rock requires some connection to the Rock, not just resting on it. Elder Bednar and Sister Muñoz both.
- Loneliness and being on your own. Sister Porter’s story of the little girl on the playground; Elder Rasband choking up when he talked about calling home at the end of a long day on a business trip; Brother Bangerter’s counsel about being honorable when no one is aware of you.
- And, wow, temples. Everybody.
- UPDATE: also prayer
- UPDATE: also loving others not being the same as embracing their sins.
Stories:
I don’t look these up, so its just what made enough of an impression to stick in my head. Brother X on having the Spirit tell him to sit down and shut up while at a baptism. Brother Bowen’s intense stories of bringing back the dead—and then his little baby died. The Teton Dam disaster from Elder Eyring. Elder Renlund’s kayaking story. The temple recommend-puppy story, goodness.
Quotable quotes and insights
(based on my notes, guaranteed to be inaccurate or your money back)
Let Christ know you!
-Elder Holland
When revelation doesn’t come as pillars of light, it comes as ray after ray of sunshine.
-Brother ___
Covenant confidence. Home-centred, church-supported, temple-bound.
-Elder Soares
Kindness cannot substitute, the 2nd commandment does not override the 1st
-Brother Gerard (sp?)
It’s easy to be carefree is you have a short memory.
-Brother ___
He loves, He knows, He cares, He rules
-Brother Alonso
God’s openness to all is not a conduct waiver.
-Elder Cook
Creating barriers to others success is ungodly.
-Elder Cook.
(A form of exploitation more common in the modern world than anciently, probably because then the exploitation was more direct.)
Foreordination is your true identity.
-Brother Bangerter
Words can celebrate victory
-Elder Rasband
A covenant is a role that combines rights and responsibilities
-Elder Oaks
Valiant in testimony of Christ = strong in testimony of Christ = strengthening your testimony of Christ
-Elder Christofferson
seriouslypleasedropit
April 8, 2024
I needed this conference. For me the most comforting impression I got was that the Lord is not *dependent* on the membership; people will stay the course or depart the path, but the Kingdom of God will continue right on. I am a hanger-on! May I contribute more than I do.
E.C.
April 8, 2024
I noticed lots of talks about prayer – several all about it, and several where examples were given of earnest prayer or answers to prayers. Brother Godoy is not going to forget his wedding date!
Definitely a lot of emphasis also on covenants – how they work, what they are, why we need a relationship with God. And yes, temples. Also stillness and joy in Christ.
Elder Holland quoting G.K. Chesterton: “Thanks is the highest form of thought.”
Elder Renlund: “Live the gospel of Christ repeatedly, iteratively, and intentionally.”