"More Than a Hero" Talk Outline

Last updated on February 21st, 2024 at 06:39 am

General Conference Applied

“More Than a Hero” by Bishop W. Christopher Waddell; October 2023 General Conference

Corresponding General Conference Applied episode show notes: S2 E19

Talk Outline

Invitations

“Brothers and sisters, it is by choosing Jesus Christ, the King of kings, that we choose the kingdom of God. Any other choice is the equivalent of choosing the arm of flesh, or a golden calf, and will ultimately fail us.”

Directives (“an official or authoritative instruction”)

“In our most recent general conference, President Russell M. Nelson reminded us: ‘Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him!’ (“The Answer Is Always Jesus Christ“) And I would add, ‘Choose Him.'”
“We choose Him, Jesus Christ, when we choose to honor His day whether we’re at home or traveling on vacation. We choose Him when we choose His words through the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets. We choose Him when we choose to hold a temple recommend and live worthy of its use. We choose Him when we are peacemakers and refuse to be contentious, ‘especially when we have differences of opinion.'” (“Peacemakers Needed“)

Promises

None.

Doctrines

Atonement of Jesus Christ: “Jesus Christ was the only one capable of making a perfect Atonement. His Atonement included His suffering for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, His death on the cross, and His Resurrection from the tomb. In addition to suffering for our sins, He also took upon Himself our pains, sicknesses, and infirmities (see Alma 7:11–13). Jesus Christ overcame physical and spiritual death. Because of His Atonement, everyone will be resurrected (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22). Those who repent, obey the commandments, receive the saving ordinances, and keep their covenants will receive the gift of eternal life (see Articles of Faith 1:3).”

Principles

The Life of Christ: “Jesus taught: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you’ (John 15:13–14). He willingly and humbly went through the sorrow in Gethsemane and the suffering on the cross so we could receive all the blessings of the plan of salvation. To receive these blessings, we must come unto Him, repent of our sins, and love Him with all our hearts.”

Christlike Attributes

Faith in Jesus Christ: “For faith to lead to salvation, you must center it in Jesus Christ (see Acts 4:10–12; Mosiah 3:17; Moroni 7:24–26). When you have faith in Christ, you trust in Him as the Only Begotten Son of God. You are confident that as you repent, you will be forgiven of your sins through His atoning sacrifice and be sanctified by the Holy Ghost (see 3 Nephi 27:16, 20). …

“You express your faith through action. These actions include following the Savior’s teachings and example. They include serving others and helping them choose to follow Christ. …

“Your faith in Jesus Christ will grow as you become better acquainted with Him and His teachings.”

Attribute Activity

“I believe in Christ and accept Him as my Savior. (2 Nephi 25:29)”
“I feel confident that God loves me. (1 Nephi 11:17)”
“I trust the Savior enough to accept His will and do what He asks. (1 Nephi 3:7)”
“I believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost, I can be forgiven of my sins and sanctified as I repent. (Enos 1:2–8)”
“I have faith that God hears and answers my prayers. (Mosiah 27:14)”
“I think about the Savior during the day and remember what He has done for me. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79)”
“I have faith that God will bring about good things in my life and the lives of others as we devote ourselves to Him and His Son. (Ether 12:12)”
“I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true. (Moroni 10:3–5)”
“I have faith to accomplish what Christ wants me to do. (Moroni 7:33)”

Most Important Quote

“Although we admire and respect many talented and remarkable men and women for their abilities and contributions, the degree to which they are revered, if taken to an excess, can be the equivalent of the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf in the desert of Sinai.

“As adults, what was once innocent childhood fun can become a stumbling block when ‘hero worship’ of politicians, bloggers, influencers, athletes, or musicians causes us to look ‘beyond the mark’ (Jacob 4:14; see also “Jesus Christ Is the Treasure“) and lose sight of what is truly essential.

“For the children of Israel, the challenge was not the gold that they brought with them on their journey to the promised land but rather what they allowed the gold to become: an idol, which then became the object of their worship, turning their attention away from Jehovah, who had parted the Red Sea and delivered them from bondage. Their focus on the calf impacted their ability to worship the true God.

“The hero—our hero, now and always—is Jesus Christ, and anything or anyone that distracts us from His teachings, as found in the scriptures and through the words of living prophets, can negatively impact our progress on the covenant path.”

Powerful Stories

“From 1856 to 1860, thousands of Latter-day Saint pioneers pulled their belongings in handcarts for over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) as they traveled to the Salt Lake Valley. One hundred sixty-seven years ago this very week, on October 4, 1856, President Brigham Young was surprised to learn that two handcart companies, led by Edward Martin and James Willie, were still hundreds of miles from Salt Lake, with winter fast approaching. The very next day, not far from where we meet today, President Young stood before the Saints and declared: ‘Many of our brethren and sisters are on the plains with hand-carts, and they must be brought here. … Go and bring in those people now on the plains.’

“Just two days later, the first rescue parties departed in search of the handcart pioneers.

“A member of the Willie company described the desperate situation prior to the arrival of the main rescue team. He shared: ‘[Just] when it seemed all would be lost, … and there seemed little left to live for, like a thunderbolt out of the clear sky, God answered our prayers. A rescue party, bringing food and supplies … , came into sight. … How we thanked God for our rescue.’

“These rescuers were heroes to the pioneers, putting their own lives at risk in extreme weather conditions to bring as many as possible safely home. One such hero was Ephraim Hanks.

“In mid-October, and unaware of the handcart predicament, Hanks was returning to his home in Salt Lake following a trip when, during the night, he was awakened by a voice saying, ‘The hand-cart people are in trouble and you are wanted; will you go and help them?’

“With that question ringing in his mind, he hurried back to Salt Lake City. And upon hearing President Heber C. Kimball call for additional volunteers, Hanks set out the very next day, on his own, to the rescue. Moving quickly, he overtook other rescuers en route, and upon reaching the Martin company, Hanks recalled, ‘The sight that met my gaze as I entered their camp can never be erased from my memory … [and] was enough to touch the stoutest heart.’

“Ephraim Hanks spent days moving from tent to tent blessing the sick. He related that ‘in scores of instances, when we administered to the sick, and rebuked the diseases in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sufferers would rally at once; they were healed almost instantly.’ Ephraim Hanks will forever be a hero to those handcart pioneers.”

The Best Footnote

Footnote 1: “Studies devoted to the Willie and Martin handcart companies include LeRoy R. and Ann W. Hafen, Handcarts to Zion: The Story of a Unique Western Migration, 1856–1860 (1960); Rebecca Cornwall and Leonard J. Arrington, Rescue of the 1856 Handcart Companies (1981); Howard K. and Cory W. Bangerter, Tragedy and Triumph: Your Guide to the Rescue of the 1856 Willie and Martin Handcart Companies, 2nd ed. (2006); and Andrew D. Olsen, The Price We Paid: The Extraordinary Story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Pioneers (2006).”

Questions for Reflection Asked by the Speaker