Dieter F. Uchtdorf on personal revelation during conference

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (1940- ) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He has served as second counselor in the First Presidency since 2008.

"Members of the Church are entitled to personal revelation as they listen to and study the inspired words spoken at general conference.

"As you prepare for general conference, I invite you to ponder questions you need to have answered. For example, you might yearn for direction and guidance by the Lord regarding challenges you are facing.

"Answers to your specific prayers may come directly from a particular talk or from a specific phrase. At other times answers may come in a seemingly unrelated word, phrase, or song. A heart filled with gratitude for the blessings of life and an earnest desire to hear and follow the words of counsel will prepare the way for personal revelation."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "General Conference—No Ordinary Blessing," Ensign, September 2011, p. 2
Click here to read the full talk

I love the spirit that accompanies General Conference. It's wonderful to anticipate the coming weekend of instruction. President Uchtdorf provides an encouraging perspective on the meetings, and our preparation for them.

So we prepare by pondering and anticipating. Answers to our questions may come directly in the words of the speakers, or indirectly as a prompting arises from the setting. But so much depends on our preparation! If we are "filled with gratitude for the blessings of life" and with "an earnest desire to hear and follow" the counsel we receive, then personal revelation is sure to come.

Dallin H. Oaks on finding happiness in life

Elder Dallin H. Oaks (b. August 12, 1932) served as president of BYU from 1971-1980.  He was then appointed as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and resigned when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984.

"Much of the misery encouraged by Satan comes from losses. Satan experienced that kind of misery when he lost his first estate. Now he tries to inflict similar losses on those who have proceeded to mortality, the second estate. Satan encourages a loss of virtue, a loss of integrity, a loss of reputation, a loss of ideals, a loss of wholesome associations, and even a loss of life.

"In contrast, our Heavenly Father created us to resist and to overcome such losses, to be whole, to have joy. He wants us to return to him, and he has provided a way for that reunion to be achieved. No wonder we say that his gospel is 'a voice of mercy from heaven; ... a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy.' (D&C 128:19.)

"Our Creator wants us to be happy in this life. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that 'happiness is the object and design of our existence.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 255.) The things of the earth were created for our happiness. Modern revelation tells us that 'all things which come of the earth... are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart.' (D&C 59:18.) Even on the Sabbath, a day of worship, the Lord expects us to have 'a glad heart and a cheerful countenance.' (D&C 59:15.) A prophet has called the gospel plan 'the great plan of happiness.' (Alma 42:8.)"

- Dallin H. Oaks, "Joy and Mercy," Ensign, Nov. 1991, p. 73
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Oaks teaches that one of Satan's greatest efforts is to take things away from us — virtue, integrity, reputation, ideals, relationships, even our very lives. But Heavenly Father's greatest desire is to add: to complete us, to make us whole, to bring joy. His Gospel is good news, "a voice of gladness" for us as we strive to counter Satan's efforts to bring us down.

Gordon B. Hinckley on the power of believing in yourself

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1961, served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1981-1995, then as Church President until his death in 2008 at age 97.

"Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great and good things. Believe that no mountain is too high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is too great that you cannot weather it. You are not destined to be a scrub. You are a child of God, of infinite capacity.

"Believe that you can do it, whatever it is that you set your heart on. Opportunities will unfold and open before you. The skies will clear when they have been dark with portent."

- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Not Afraid, Only Believe," Commencement Address at BYU-Hawaii, December 11, 2004
Click here to read the full talk

President Hinckley always spoke with unstoppable optimism and confidence — born out of his deep and abiding faith in God and the potential of each individual. This example of encouragement is very typical of his belief that self-confidence and success stem from a correct understanding of who we really are.

Spencer W. Kimball on adding substance to our souls through service

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was ordained an apostle in 1943 and served as President of the Church from 1973 to 1985.

"First, service to others deepens and sweetens this life while we are preparing to live in a better world. It is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves! In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves!

"Not only do we 'find' ourselves in terms of acknowledging divine guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to 'find' ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!"

- Spencer W. Kimball, "The Abundant Life," address Weber State College, Ogden, UT on Nov 4, 1977; see Ensign, July 1978 pp. 2-7
Click here to read the full talk

What a marvelous perspective President Kimball shares! As one who spent his entire life in service to others, he knew of the benefits it can bring. And those benefits aren't just to the recipients of the service; they come readily to the person offering as well, as our own concerns are lifted or put into "fresher perspective":

The second paragraph is fascinating. Service brings "more substance" to our souls! What a wonderful thought.

Neil L. Andersen on the spiritual journey of life

Elder Neil L. Andersen (1951- ) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We treasure the principles and ordinances of repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon. (The Book of Mormon is powerful spiritual nourishment.)

"We then remain steady and patient as we progress through mortality. At times, the Lord's answer will be, 'You don't know everything, but you know enough'—enough to keep the commandments and to do what is right. Remember Nephi's words: 'I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things' (1 Nephi 11:17)."

- Neil L. Andersen, "You Know Enough," Ensign, Nov 2008, pp. 13-14
Click here to read the full talk

It's important to learn, and then to remember, this principle. Life is a journey, and one where we sometimes don't clearly see the end or all the steps that lead us there. That process comes "step-by-step, line upon line." But we have to be moving forward to have those steps occur! And it depends on the proper foundation of "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

But the insight Elder Andersen gives is particularly important: we don't know everything along that path of mortal progress; but we know enough. We must learn to trust in the knowledge we have and move forward with faith and hope. That is the only way to complete the journey!

Richard G. Scott on compensatory blessings

Elder Richard G. Scott ((November 7, 1928 – September 22, 2015) served as a Seventy from 1977-1988, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.

"The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not. When you trust in the Lord, when you are willing to let your heart and your mind be centered in His will, when you ask to be led by the Spirit to do His will, you are assured of the greatest happiness along the way and the most fulfilling attainment from this mortal experience. If you question everything you are asked to do, or dig in your heels at every unpleasant challenge, you make it harder for the Lord to bless you....

"Find the compensatory blessings in your life when, in the wisdom of the Lord, He deprives you of something you very much want. To the sightless or hearing impaired, He sharpens the other senses. To the ill, He gives patience, understanding, and increased appreciation for others' kindness. With the loss of a dear one, He deepens the bonds of love, enriches memories, and kindles hope in a future reunion. You will discover compensatory blessings when you willingly accept the will of the Lord and exercise faith in Him."

- Richard G. Scott, "Finding Joy in Life," Ensign, May 1996, pp. 24-26
Click here to read the full talk

For me, this is one of Elder Scott's most memorable messages. He spoke from his heart and personal experience; among his challenges were the loss of his beloved wife more than 20 years before his own passing. He taught that what we perceive as a challenge can bring happiness and blessings if our hearts are right. I love the contrast he presents; too often we symbolically "dig in [our] heels at every unpleasant challenge" as we struggle and complain. Instead, he encourages us to

• trust more in God
• be centered in God's will
• ask to be led by God's spirit

Then, we can be assured that we will find the greatest possible happiness throughout this mortal journey. This statement is a foundation of Elder Scott's philosophy:

The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not.

If we truly believe that, it changes everything. And then this promise is clear and reassuring:

D. Todd Christofferson on seeking daily help from God

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (1945- ) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"Asking God for our daily bread, rather than our weekly, monthly, or yearly bread, is also a way to focus us on the smaller, more manageable bits of a problem. To deal with something very big, we may need to work at it in small, daily bites. Sometimes all we can handle is one day (or even just part of one day) at a time....

"The Spirit can guide us when to look ahead and when we should just deal with this one day, with this one moment. If we ask, the Lord will let us know through the Holy Ghost when it may be appropriate for us to apply in our lives the commandment He gave His ancient Apostles: 'Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof' (3 Nephi 13:34; see also Matthew 6:34).

"I have suggested that asking for and receiving daily bread at God's hand plays a vital part in learning to trust God and in enduring life's challenges. We also need a daily portion of divine bread to become what we must become. To repent, improve, and eventually reach 'the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Ephesians 4:13), as Paul expressed it, is a step-by-step process. Incorporating new and wholesome habits into our character or overcoming bad habits or addictions most often means an effort today followed by another tomorrow, and then another, perhaps for many days, even months and years, until victory is achieved. But we can do it because we can appeal to God for our daily bread, for the help we need each day."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread," CES Fireside, BYU, 9 January 2011
Click here to read the full talk

This talk by Elder Christofferson included some interesting reflections on dealing with the challenges that sometimes befall our mortal experiences. He encourages us to consider a narrow, limited focus at times, just confronting the immediate needs and challenges:

There are, of course, appropriate times for long-term planning and seeing things in greater perspective; but Elder Christofferson reminds us, "The Spirit can guide us when to look ahead and when we should just deal with this one day, with this one moment." This is all part of our growth experience, line upon line, gradually and steadily moving forward in life, "learning to trust God" in the process.