General Conference Applied
S2 E26 – Sunday, March 31, 2024 | “Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus” by Elder Robert M. Daines and “The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea” by Elder J. Kimo Esplin; October 2023 General Conference
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Podcast Episode Social Media Posts
- Invitation (“Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus”): Facebook | Instagram
- Invitation (“The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea”): Facebook | Instagram
Corresponding Talk Outline: “Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus” and “The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea“
Podcast Episode Outline
REMEMBER THIS
If you remember nothing else from this podcast episode, remember this:
- Elder Robert M. Daines has invited us to help people see and love Jesus, and Elder J. Kimo Esplin has invited us to show love and kindness to everyone.
Introduction
Doctrines, Principles, and Christlike Attributes
As we have discussed in previous episodes of General Conference Applied, it is important to identify the fundamental doctrine, principle, and Christlike attribute of each General Conference address. In “Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus,” I identified Atonement of Jesus Christ as the fundamental doctrine, Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior as the fundamental principle, and Faith in Jesus Christ as the fundamental Christlike attribute. In “The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea,” I identified Ordinances and Covenants as the fundamental doctrine, Repentance as the fundamental principle, and Charity and Love as the fundamental Christlike attribute. I have included a detailed breakdown of this doctrine, principle, and Christlike attribute in the talk outlines (“Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus” and “The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea“), but I will share additional insights during this podcast episode.
In each episode of General Conference Applied, we are attempting to answer two questions:
- What is the speaker inviting me to do?
- How might I consider taking action?
What is the speaker inviting me to do?
Invitations
1: “That is what we all want—we want to see Jesus for who He is and to feel His love. This should be the reason for most of what we do in the Church—and certainly of every sacrament meeting. If you’re ever wondering what kind of lesson to teach, what kind of meeting to plan, and whether to just give up on the deacons and play dodgeball, you might take this verse as your guide: will this help people see and love Jesus Christ? If not, maybe try something else.” (“Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Help people see and love Jesus.
1: “One Japanese brother reflected on the journey: ‘As I looked out of the airplane and saw Pearl Harbor, and remembered what our country had done to these people on December 7, 1941, I feared in my heart. Will they accept us? But to my surprise they showed greater love and kindness than I had ever seen in my life.'” (“The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Show love and kindness to everyone.
Overview
Bio
Elder Robert M. Daines
“Elder Robert M. Daines was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April 2023 general conference. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a stake president.
“Elder Daines has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Switzerland Zurich Mission, early morning seminary teacher, nursery leader, high councilor, and bishop.
“Elder Daines received a bachelor of arts degree in American studies and a bachelor of science degree in economics, both from Brigham Young University in 1989. He earned a juris doctorate degree from Yale Law School in 1992. He has worked as an associate for Goldman Sachs and as Associate Dean and Pritzker Professor of Law and Business at Stanford University. He also taught at New York University and Yale University.
“Robert Merrill Daines was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on July 28, 1964. He married Ruth Ann Glazier in 1988. They are the parents of five children.”
Get to know Elder Robert M. Daines
- “One family member who has always been a stalwart example for Elder Daines is Sister Michelle D. Craig — his older sister — who [was] released in July [2023] as the first counselor in the Young Women general presidency.” Elder Daines quipped that school teachers often thought better of him because they knew her first.”
- “Once Elder Daines knew he wanted to teach, he had a variety of offers all over the country. He had no desire to keep commuting into the city and wanted to return to Provo, but the dean of New York University Law School was persuasive. Sister Daines eventually convinced her husband that if he wanted to be good at his job, he needed to stay and gain experience at NYU. … What he learned there prepared Elder Daines to continue his career at Stanford for the next 20 years, where ‘commuting’ meant going from on-campus housing to the law school on his electric skateboard.”
- “‘A Catholic friend once told me: ‘God doesn’t need you, you need God. It is a privilege to be busy in the service of God,” he [said]. ‘We will try to live by that rule and steer by our temple covenants and the two great commandments.'”
- See an additional story from this Church News article shared later in the podcast below.
Elder J. Kimo Esplin
“Elder J. Kimo Esplin was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April 2023 general conference. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Area.
“Elder Esplin has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Japan Kobe Mission, high councilor, bishop, stake president, president of the Japan Tokyo North Mission, president of the Japan Tokyo South Mission, and Area Seventy.
“Elder Esplin received a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Brigham Young University in 1987 and a master of business administration degree from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management in 1990. He has worked as the vice president of the investment banking division for Bankers Trust Company, as the executive vice president and chief financial officer for the Huntsman Corporation, and as a board member for Savage Companies.
“Jon Ross Kimo Esplin was born in Kahuku, Hawaii, on August 18, 1962. He married Kaye Davis in 1985. They are the parents of eight children.”
Get to know Elder J. Kimo Esplin
- “The night before he was to leave for the mission field, the young elder found an empty janitor’s closet. Kneeling on the hard floor smelling of detergent, young Elder Esplin pleaded with the Lord about whether Kobe, Japan, was really where he was supposed to serve. In his mind, he saw himself and his father the night before he entered the MTC. His father was giving him a priesthood blessing. In the blessing, his father said, ‘Kimo, I bless you that you will teach and testify in Japanese.’ Remembering those words gave him the courage to fly to the Far East in the morning. … Just a few weeks after being assigned to his first area in Japan, he and his companion walked back and forth between shops on a covered street, trying to talk to people. After a while, a 28-year-old man actually stopped. In ‘terrible Japanese,’ Elder Esplin shared what he had memorized from the first discussion about Joseph Smith. Amazingly, the man continued with the missionary discussions and eventually decided to join the Church. At the man’s baptism, Elder Esplin asked the man why he had stopped that day in the market. The man explained that a few weeks prior, he had seen Elder Esplin in a dream. Elder Esplin soon realized that around the time the man had that dream, he was praying in a janitor’s closet in the MTC. That tender experience confirmed to Elder Esplin ‘that the Lord knows us. He knows the end from the beginning, and He’s going to prepare a way notwithstanding our weakness or lack of confidence.'”
- “Both Elder and Sister Esplin came from families that prized the written word, so reading has been an important part of their family culture. ‘Every night, the kids knew to put everything away, lay down on the floor, and I would sit and read for an hour,’ Elder Esplin explained. They read classics and Newberry Award-winning books, the Harry Potter series and the Chronicles of Narnia. ‘It really pulled our kids together,’ Sister Esplin said.”
- “For the past two years, Elder Esplin has been serving as an Area Seventy. One of the miracles of that call has been being part of the process of calling new stake presidents. As a stake president calling a bishop, or as a mission president assigning missionaries, Elder Esplin said he would fast and pray and ‘wrestle’ trying to discern the Lord’s will. ‘But as we’ve gone out and done reorganizations, [revelation] has come immediate and specific and powerful in that process as we’ve come with the authority of the [Quorum of the] Twelve. It has just been miraculous to me to sit and interview 30 amazing men and then just know with certainty in short order who the Lord has called.'”
- “Concerning service in the Church, he’s learned, ‘The Lord isn’t doing it to you; He’s doing it for you.'”
- See an additional story from this Church News article shared later in the podcast below.
Connection
These were the first General Conference addresses delivered by Elders Daines and Esplin.
How might I consider taking action?
Invitations
1: “That is what we all want—we want to see Jesus for who He is and to feel His love. This should be the reason for most of what we do in the Church—and certainly of every sacrament meeting. If you’re ever wondering what kind of lesson to teach, what kind of meeting to plan, and whether to just give up on the deacons and play dodgeball, you might take this verse as your guide: will this help people see and love Jesus Christ? If not, maybe try something else.” (“Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Help people see and love Jesus.
- “We Talk of Christ“, October 2020 General Conference, Elder Neil L. Andersen:
“In our worship services, let us focus on the Savior Jesus Christ and the gift of His atoning sacrifice. This does not mean we cannot tell an experience from our own life or share thoughts from others. While our subject might be about families or service or temples or a recent mission, everything in our worship should point to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Thirty years ago, President Dallin H. Oaks spoke of a letter he had received ‘from a man who said he had attended [a sacrament] meeting and listened to seventeen testimonies without hearing the Savior mentioned.’ President Oaks then noted, ‘Perhaps that description is exaggerated [but] I quote it because it provides a vivid reminder for all of us.’ He then invited us to speak more of Jesus Christ in our talks and class discussions. I have observed that we are focusing more and more on Christ in our Church meetings. Let’s consciously continue with these very positive efforts.” - Faith in Jesus Christ (Christlike Attribute): “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. You also express your faith through diligence, repentance, and love. …
“Your faith in Jesus Christ will grow as you become better acquainted with Him and His teachings. It will increase as you search the scriptures, pray sincerely, and obey the commandments. Doubt and sin undermine faith.”
Ideas for Taking Action
- Get to know Jesus Christ.
- “I also read and reread and reread the four Gospels—this time reading not to extract rules but to see who He is and what He loves. …
“Open the Gospels at random; on almost every page we see Him caring for people who suffer—socially, spiritually, and physically. He touches people considered polluted and unclean and feeds the hungry.
“What is your favorite story of Jesus? I suspect it shows the Son of God reaching out to embrace or offer hope to someone on the margins—the leper, the hated Samaritan, the accused and scandalous sinner, or the national enemy. That kind of grace is amazing.
“Try writing down every time He praises or heals or eats with an outsider, and you will run low on ink before you leave Luke.” -Elder Daines - “Elder Robert M. Daines was working as a law and business professor at Stanford University when he was called to serve as an early morning seminary teacher. As a lifelong Latter-day Saint, Elder Daines knew the gospel. As a college professor, he was comfortable speaking in front of hundreds of students. But something about teaching 15 early morning seminary students pushed him to study the scriptures like never before. His wife, Sister Ruth Ann Daines, said he often went to bed early and arose at 4 a.m. because he needed three hours to prepare for his daily lesson. … Elder Daines said he pored over the scriptures for hours each day because he wanted to know and feel the Savior’s love, then help his students make the same connection. The decade-long experience had a powerful impact on his faith and testimony. ‘I feel like I was truly converted and came to know Jesus Christ as a seminary teacher in Palo Alto, California,’ he said.” (“Provo to Palo Alto: How Elder Daines’ unanswered prayers provided greater blessings than he imagined“)
- “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives“, April 2017 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson:
“Today I would like to speak about how we can draw into our lives the power of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
“We begin by learning about Him. ‘It is impossible for [us] to be saved in ignorance.’ The more we know about the Savior’s ministry and mission—the more we understand His doctrine and what He did for us—the more we know that He can provide the power that we need for our lives.
“Earlier this year, I asked the young adults of the Church to consecrate a portion of their time each week to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works. I invited them to let the scriptural citations about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide become their personal core curriculum.
“I gave that challenge because I had already accepted it myself. I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide. When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, ‘I am a different man!'” - “Jesus Christ Is ‘Deserving of Greater Attention,’ Says President Oaks at Mesa Easter Pageant Devotional“: “Jesus Christ — His life, ministry, atoning sacrifice and Resurrection — is ‘deserving of greater attention,’ said President Oaks.”
- How does getting to know Jesus Christ help people see and love Jesus? It’s hard to really love someone who you don’t know. The more we study about Jesus Christ’s life, the more we will see His love in action. As we get to know Jesus, we will also begin to emulate His example. There is power in studying the lives of inspirational people. Their experiences show the way to greatness.
- “I also read and reread and reread the four Gospels—this time reading not to extract rules but to see who He is and what He loves. …
- Follow Jesus, not just His rules.
- “Prophets invite us to seek His face. I take this as a reminder that we worship our Father, not a formula, and that we’re not finished until we see Jesus as the face of our Father’s love and follow Him, not just His rules.” -Elder Daines
- Footnote 24: “This is an important theme. It’s not just the work of salvation and exaltation but His work of salvation and exaltation (see General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1.2, Gospel Library). I don’t just go to a temple but to the house of the Lord; it’s not the Mormon Church but the Church of Jesus Christ (see Russell M. Nelson, “The Correct Name of the Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 87–89). Our leaders point us to Him and even remind us that there ‘is no amorphous entity called ‘the Atonement’ upon which we may call for succor, healing, forgiveness, or power. Jesus Christ is the source’ (Russell M. Nelson, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 40).” -Elder Daines
- Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast – 2 Nephi 31-33 – Dr. Kerry Muhlestein: “In [2 Nephi chapter 31] verse 10, he’s told us you have to show that you’re willing to follow Jesus who is following God, and that’s a trail that they’re going to make explicit. Jesus follows God, we follow Jesus, therefore we are following God. That’s something Christ has taught so many times, Book of Mormon and New Testament, but we have to do that by keeping the commandments.”
- How does following Jesus, not just His rules, help people see and love Jesus? In my life, I have found that following Jesus Christ’s example is a fantastic way to live – it brings me great peace and satisfaction. But in this age of tremendous abundance and technological advancement, there are many ways of living that lead to a solid terrestrial experience. Perhaps this is why many people have chosen to live without Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. To make it clear to my children who it is that I worship, it behooves me to tie everything in the gospel back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
- Serve others as Jesus serves them.
- “May we seek His loving face and then be vessels of His mercy to His children.” -Elder Daines
- “We Talk of Christ“, October 2020 General Conference, Elder Neil L. Andersen:
“Are there images of the Savior in our homes? Do we talk often to our children about the parables of Jesus? ‘The stories of Jesus [are] like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children.’ When your children ask you questions, consciously think about teaching what the Savior taught. For example, if your child asks, ‘Daddy, why do we pray?’ You might respond, ‘That’s a great question. Do you remember when Jesus prayed? Let’s talk about why He prayed and how He prayed.’ …
“Sometimes we think that a conversation with someone needs to result in them coming to church or seeing the missionaries. Let the Lord guide them as they are willing, while we think more about our responsibility to be a voice for Him, thoughtful and open about our faith. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has taught us that when someone asks us about our weekend, we should be willing to happily respond that we loved hearing the Primary children sing, ‘I’m trying to be like Jesus.’ Let us kindly witness our faith in Christ. If someone shares a problem in his or her personal life, we might say, ‘John, Mary, you know that I believe in Jesus Christ. I have been thinking about something He said that might help you.'” - How does serving others as Jesus serves them help people see and love Jesus? The way we serve others can point them to their Savior. Jared Halverson once shared a story in an ‘Unshaken Saints‘ podcast episode about a woman who was not a member of the Church, but she had met with Elder D. Todd Christofferson when he was serving as a Stake President. I don’t remember the details, but I do remember that the woman later shared that Elder Christofferson was the most Christlike man she had ever met. Have you ever met someone like that? I know I have. There are people who have served me with such Christlike love that they inspire me to be a better man.
Invitations
1: “One Japanese brother reflected on the journey: ‘As I looked out of the airplane and saw Pearl Harbor, and remembered what our country had done to these people on December 7, 1941, I feared in my heart. Will they accept us? But to my surprise they showed greater love and kindness than I had ever seen in my life.'” (“The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Show love and kindness to everyone.
- “Upon the Japanese Saints’ arrival, the Hawaiian members welcomed them with countless strands of flower leis while exchanging hugs and kisses on the cheeks, a custom foreign to Japanese culture. After spending 10 transformative days in Hawaii, the Japanese Saints bid their farewells to the melody of ‘Aloha Oe’ sung by the Hawaiian Saints.” -Elder Esplin
Ideas for Taking Action
- Point others to Jesus and temples.
- “Through temple blessings, the Savior heals individuals, families, and nations—even those that once stood as bitter enemies.” -Elder Esplin
- “The Peace of Christ Abolishes Enmity”, October 2021 General Conference, Elder Dale G. Renlund:
“Even former enemies can become united in their discipleship of the Savior. In 2006, I attended the dedication of the Helsinki Finland Temple to honor my father and grandparents, who had been early converts to the Church in Finland. Finns, including my father, had dreamed of a temple in Finland for decades. At the time, the temple district would encompass Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia.
“At the dedication, I learned something surprising. The first day of general operation had been set aside for Russian members to perform temple ordinances. It is difficult to explain just how astonishing this was. Russia and Finland had fought many wars over the centuries. My father distrusted and disliked not only Russia but all Russians. He had expressed such feelings passionately, and his feelings were typical of Finnish enmity toward Russia. He had memorized epic poems that chronicled 19th-century warfare between Finns and Russians. His experiences during World War II, when Finland and Russia were again antagonists, did nothing to change his opinions.
“A year before the dedication of the Helsinki Finland Temple, the temple committee, consisting exclusively of Finnish members, met to discuss plans for the dedication. During the meeting, someone observed that Russian Saints would be traveling several days to attend the dedication and might hope to receive their temple blessings before returning home. The committee chairman, Brother Sven Eklund, suggested that the Finns could wait a little longer, that Russians could be the first members to perform temple ordinances in the temple. All committee members agreed. Faithful Latter-day Saint Finns delayed their temple blessings to accommodate Russian Saints.
“The Area President who was present at that temple committee meeting, Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, later wrote: ‘I have never been prouder of the Finns than I was at this moment. Finland’s difficult history with its eastern neighbor … and their excitement of finally having [a temple] constructed on their own soil were put aside. Permitting the Russians to enter the temple first [was] a statement of love and sacrifice.’
“When I reported this kindness to my father, his heart melted and he wept, a very rare occurrence for that stoic Finn. From that time until his death three years later, he never expressed another negative sentiment about Russia. Inspired by the example of his fellow Finns, my father chose to place his discipleship of Jesus Christ above all other considerations. The Finns were no less Finnish; the Russians were no less Russian; neither group abandoned their culture, history, or experiences to banish enmity. They did not need to. Instead, they chose to make their discipleship of Jesus Christ their primary consideration.
“If they can do it, so can we. We can bring our heritage, culture, and experiences to the Church of Jesus Christ. Samuel did not shy away from his heritage as a Lamanite, nor did Mormon shy away from his as a Nephite. But each put his discipleship of the Savior first.
“If we are not one, we are not His. My invitation is to be valiant in putting our love of God and discipleship of the Savior above all other considerations. Let us uphold the covenant inherent in our discipleship—the covenant to be one.” - “The Price of Priesthood Power“, April 2016 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson:
“In my last conference message, I related my devastating experience many years ago when, as a heart surgeon, I was not able to save the lives of two little sisters. With permission of their father, I would like to say more about that family.
“Congenital heart disease afflicted three children born to Ruth and Jimmy Hatfield. Their first son, Jimmy Jr., died without a definitive diagnosis. I entered the picture when the parents sought help for their two daughters, Laural Ann and her younger sister, Gay Lynn. I was heartbroken when both girls died following their operations. Understandably, Ruth and Jimmy were spiritually shattered.
“Over time, I learned that they harbored lingering resentment toward me and the Church. For almost six decades, I have been haunted by this situation and have grieved for the Hatfields. I tried several times to establish contact with them, without success.
“Then one night last May, I was awakened by those two little girls from the other side of the veil. Though I did not see or hear them with my physical senses, I felt their presence. Spiritually, I heard their pleadings. Their message was brief and clear: ‘Brother Nelson, we are not sealed to anyone! Can you help us?’ Soon thereafter, I learned that their mother had passed away, but their father and younger brother were still alive.
“Emboldened by the pleadings of Laural Ann and Gay Lynn, I tried again to contact their father, who I learned was living with his son Shawn. This time they were willing to meet with me.
“In June, I literally knelt in front of Jimmy, now 88 years old, and had a heart-to-heart talk with him. I spoke of his daughters’ pleadings and told him I would be honored to perform sealing ordinances for his family. I also explained that it would take time and much effort on his and Shawn’s part to be ready and worthy to enter the temple, as neither of them had ever been endowed.
“The Spirit of the Lord was palpable throughout that meeting. And when Jimmy and Shawn each accepted my offer, I was overjoyed! They worked diligently with their stake president, bishop, home teachers, and ward mission leader, as well as with young missionaries and a senior missionary couple. And then, not long ago, in the Payson Utah Temple, I had the profound privilege of sealing Ruth to Jimmy and their four children to them. Wendy and I wept as we participated in that sublime experience. Many hearts were healed that day!
“On reflection, I have marveled at Jimmy and Shawn and what they were willing to do. They have become heroes to me. If I could have the wish of my heart, it would be that each man and young man in this Church would demonstrate the courage, strength, and humility of this father and son. They were willing to forgive and let go of old hurts and habits. They were willing to submit to guidance from their priesthood leaders so that the Atonement of Jesus Christ could purify and magnify them. Each was willing to become a man who worthily bears the priesthood ‘after the holiest order of God.'” - “President Eyring Dedicates Red Cliffs Utah Temple“: “President Eyring said faith in Christ and family love are increased through temple attendance. ‘As you exercise faith in Jesus Christ and qualify to enter the temple, you will find your heart drawn out in love to the people around you and to your family.'”
- How does pointing others to Jesus and temples show love and kindness? A great way to show kindness to others is to teach them that, because of Jesus Christ, death is not permanent, and we can be cleansed from sin. Another great way to show kindness is to teach others that, through ordinances entered into in the house of the Lord, families can be together forever. The most loving and kind beings in the universe are Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ – and temples are a fantastic place to learn about Them and to feel Their presence.
- Become more faithful after facing hardships.
- “A few months after returning home from his full-time mission, Elder Esplin and his father were traveling on a two-lane highway. Another vehicle crossed the center line and struck them head-on, killing his father. Just a few months later, with his mother sitting beside him, his car was struck from behind by a car going in excess of 100 mph on the freeway. His car rolled, and his mother and baby niece were killed. Elder Esplin called that period a switch point in his life. ‘You start to take life a little more seriously.’ In the wake of his parents’ deaths, his older sisters, who all had young families at the time, chipped in to send him on a study abroad to the BYU Jerusalem Center. There he met Kaye Davis, who would become his wife. Having heard about the recent deaths of his parents, Sister Esplin said she expected to meet a sad or solemn person. ‘But he was just the opposite. I felt like he was ‘all in’ in this experience. It wasn’t just a vacation. It was a real learning experience. And so I admired him and his knowledge of the gospel.’ How was he not crushed by the weight of the tragedies in his life? ‘I definitely have down days,’ Elder Esplin said, ‘but so much of who I am comes from my faith in the Savior and His plan. A faith that was modeled by my parents.'” (“How this former CFO of Huntsman Corp. learned the gospel brings happiness, even amid tragedy“)
- “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead” by Brené Brown:
“Actually, I learned the most about gratitude practices, and the relationship between scarcity and joy that plays out in vulnerability, from the men and women who had experienced some of the most profound losses or survived the greatest traumas. These included parents whose children had died, family members with terminally ill loved ones, and genecide and trauma survivors.
“One of the questions I’m most often asked is: ‘Don’t you get really depressed talking to people about vulnerability and hearing about people’s darkest struggles?’ My answer is: ‘No, never.’ That’s because I’ve learned more about worthiness, resilience, and joy from those people who courageously shared their struggles with me than from any other part of my work.
“And nothing has been a greater gift to me than the three lessons I learned about joy and life from people who have spent time in sorrow and darkness:
“1. Joy comes to us in moments, ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary. Scarcity culture may keep us afraid of living small, ordinary lives; but when you talk to people who have survived great losses, it is clear that joy is not a constant. Without exception, all the participants who spoke to me about their losses, and what they missed the most, spoke about ordinary moments.
“2. Be grateful for what you have. When I asked people who had survived tragedy how we can cultivate and show more compassion for people who are suffering, the answer was always the same: ‘Don’t shrink away from the joy of your child because I’ve lost mine; don’t take what you have for granted; celebrate it; don’t apologize for what you have; be grateful for it and share your gratitude with others… When you honor what you have, you’re honoring what I’ve lost.’
“3. Don’t squander joy. We can’t prepare for tragedy and loss. When we turn every opportunity to feel joy into a test drive for despair, we actually diminish our resilience. Yes, softening into joy is uncomfortable. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s vulnerable. But every time we allow ourselves to lean into joy and give into those moments, we build resilience and we cultivate hope. The joy becomes part of who we are. And when bad things happen, and they do happen, we are stronger.” - How does becoming more faithful after facing hardships show love and kindness to everyone? Every time we face and overcome a challenge, that is one additional opportunity in our arsenal that we can utilize to serve and help others when they face those challenges in the future. Bitterness, resentment, and pessimism are contagious, as are happiness, laughter, and optimism. Hardships will occur in everyone’s lives. And just as water softens a potato but hardens an egg, we can choose how those hardships will affect us.
Report on Prior Week’s Action Item
Last week I committed to developing a process whereby I am periodically reviewing the recent teachings of President Russell M. Nelson, and then identifying how humble I’ve been in following his counsel.
- I found an app – Quizlet – which is a flashcard app. I will create an account and then create flashcards, not only for President Nelson’s invitations, but for the invitations for all General Conference speakers.
This Week’s Action Item
“That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.”
Karl Pearson, an early 20th-century British mathematician
“Those who measure their progress improve. Those who measure and report their progress improve exponentially.”
Dan Sullivan, founder and president of The Strategic Coach Inc.
“Do something, do anything! But to start, just do ONE thing.”
Mitch Peterson
This week, I will commit to getting to know Jesus Christ better by embarking on a quest to study the 2,249 citations of Jesus Christ in the standard works over the next 6 weeks (i.e., 53.5 citations per day for 42 days).
In a February 28, 2017, blog article entitled “I Studied More Than 2,200 Scriptures about the Savior in Six Weeks: Here Is a Little of What I Learned“, President Russell M. Nelson wrote:
- “Now, I realize some of you are probably thinking to yourselves that you couldn’t possibly have time to complete an assignment like this.
“I know how you feel. I thought the same thing of myself—that there’s no way I can have time to do all of this. I needed to remind myself that a comment like this is not a faith-promoted comment. A faith-promoted comment would be ‘I know I don’t have time for this, but I’m going to make time for it. And I’ll fulfill it with what time I have.’
“Each of us who takes this challenge will finish in our own time frames. For me, much of the joy of this came from getting it all done in just six weeks. This intense study over a relatively short period of time allowed me to appreciate the complementary nature of the learnings to be found in the Old Testament, the Book of Mormon, the New Testament, and the Doctrine and Covenants.
“To those of you who feel you don’t have time, if you will make a sacrifice, you will be well rewarded and very, very grateful for the change of perspective, increased knowledge, and improved depth of your conversion. I know this is true because I have seen the same rewards in my own life.
“As I mentioned at the devotional, in a coming day, you will present yourself before the Savior. You will be overwhelmed to the point of tears to be in His holy presence. You will struggle to find words to thank Him for paying for your sins, for forgiving you of any unkindness toward others, for healing you from the injuries and injustices of this life.
“You will thank Him for strengthening you to do the impossible, for turning your weaknesses into strengths, and for making it possible for you to live with Him and your family forever. His identity, His Atonement, and His attributes will become personal and real to you.
“But you don’t have to wait until then. Choose to be one of His true disciples now. Be one who truly loves Him, who truly wants to serve and lead as He did. I promise you that if you will study His words, your ability to be more like Him will increase. I know this is true.”
Let Me Know
How will you take action on this General Conference address? Let me know on social media or email me.
REMEMBER THIS
If you remember nothing else from this podcast episode, remember this:
- Elder Daines has invited us to help people see and love Jesus, and Elder Esplin has invited us to show love and kindness to everyone.
Tags
“Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus”
Covenants | Jesus Christ | Love | Service
“The Savior’s Healing Power upon the Isles of the Sea”
Conversion | Covenants | Healing | Temple Work | Temples
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