Last updated on September 1st, 2024 at 12:46 am
General Conference Applied
S3 E21 – Thursday, August 29, 2024 | “In Support of the Rising Generation” by Brother Michael T. Nelson; April 2024 General Conference
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Podcast Episode Outline
Introduction
Doctrine: Commandments: “We have also been commanded to become as our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, in our desires, thoughts, words, and actions (see 3 Nephi 12:48). The Lord has given us eternal truths, or principles, that help govern our decisions and actions. These principles lead us to live as the Savior and receive His promised blessings.”
Principle: Family Responsibilities: “Some responsibilities must be shared by the husband and the wife. Parents should teach their children the gospel. The Lord warned that if parents do not teach their children about faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the sin will be upon the heads of the parents. Parents should also teach their children to pray and to obey the Lord’s commandments. (See D&C 68:25, 28.)
“One of the best ways parents can teach their children is by example. Husbands and wives should show love and respect for each other and for their children by both actions and words. It is important to remember that each member of the family is a child of God. Parents should treat their children with love and respect, being firm but kind to them.
“Parents should understand that sometimes children will make wrong choices even after they have been taught the truth. When this happens, parents should not give up. They should continue to teach their children, to express love for them, to be good examples to them, and to fast and pray for them.”
Christlike Attribute: Patience: “Patience is the capacity to trust God as you face delay, opposition, or suffering. Through your faith, you trust God’s timing for His promised blessings to be fulfilled.
“When you are patient, you look at life from an eternal perspective. You do not expect immediate blessings or outcomes. Your righteous desires will usually be realized ‘line upon line, … here a little and there a little’ (2 Nephi 28:30). Some righteous desires may not be realized until after this life.
“Patience is not idleness or passive resignation. It is ‘cheerfully [doing] all things that lie in [your] power’ as you serve God (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17). You plant, water, and nourish the seed, and God gives the increase ‘by and by’ (Alma 32:42; see also 1 Corinthians 3:6–8). You work in partnership with God, trusting that when you have done your part, He will accomplish His work in His time and according to individual agency.
“Patience also means that when something cannot be changed, you come to accept it with courage, grace, and faith.”
Bio
- “Brother Michael T. Nelson was sustained as Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 2023.
“His previous Church service includes president of the California San Bernardino Mission (1998–2001), stake president, counselor in a stake presidency, stake executive secretary, bishop, ward and stake Young Men president, and missionary in the Chile Santiago Mission.
“Brother Nelson is a partner and chief financial officer in a commercial and residential real estate investment company. He studied organizational communications at Brigham Young University and the University of Utah.
“Michael Terry Nelson was born June 10, 1956, in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he also grew up. He and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of nine children.” - This was Brother Nelson’s first general conference address.
What is the speaker inviting me to do, and how might I consider taking action?
“In preparing to speak to you, I have been drawn to the story of Helaman and the stripling sons of the people of Ammon. I have felt the power of Book of Mormon prophets teaching parents, bishops, and ward members through studying this account.” -Brother Nelson
Invitations
1: “Helaman loved these young men like sons and saw their potential. Elder Dale G. Renlund taught that ‘to effectively serve others we must see them … through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all … His children.’ Bishops today are blessed with discernment to see the divine identity of the youth in their care.
“Helaman ‘numbered’ the young men in his care. He prioritized building strong relationships with them.”
- Pray for the gift of discernment and the blessing of seeing others ‘through Heavenly Father’s eyes’.
- “It is relationships in the lives of the youth that have the greatest influence on their choices.” -Brother Nelson
- Questions:
- What does the phrase ‘effectively serve others’ mean to you?
- Is it just bishops who ‘are blessed with discernment’? Or can any member of the Church of Jesus Christ be blessed with that important gift?
- If ‘we [could] sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children’, would we treat them differently?
- “‘Walk with Me’“, President Henry B. Eyring, April 2017 General Conference: “On another occasion a phone call came when I was a bishop—this time from the police. I was told that a drunk driver had crashed his car through the glass into the lobby of a bank. When the bewildered driver saw the security guard with his weapon brandished, he cried, ‘Don’t shoot! I’m a Mormon!’
“The inebriated driver was discovered to be a member of my ward, baptized only recently. As I waited to speak to him in the bishop’s office, I planned what I would say to make him feel remorseful for the way he had broken his covenants and embarrassed the Church. But as I sat looking at him, I heard a voice in my mind say, just as clearly as if someone were speaking to me, ‘I’m going to let you see him as I see him.’ And then, for a brief moment, his whole appearance changed to me. I saw not a dazed young man but a bright, noble son of God. I suddenly felt the Lord’s love for him. That vision changed our conversation. It also changed me.
“I learned important lessons from these experiences walking with the Lord in doing His work. I would like to share with you three of them. The first is that God notices and will support even the newest and youngest deacon. You need never feel that you are too small or too insignificant for Him to take notice of you and the service you are giving in His name.
“The second lesson is that the Lord’s work is not just to solve problems; it is to build people. So as you walk with Him in priesthood service, you may find that sometimes what seems like the most efficient solution is not the Lord’s preferred solution because it does not allow people to grow. If you listen, He will teach you His ways. Remember that God’s work and glory is not simply to run an effective organization; it is ‘to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39). This is, after all, why He gives His priesthood authority to flawed mortals like you and me and invites us to participate in His work. Our progress is His work!
“Now the third lesson: Walking with the Savior in priesthood service will change the way you look at others. He will teach you to see them through His eyes, which means seeing past an outward appearance and into the heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7). This is how the Savior was able to see Simon not as an impulsive fisherman but as Peter, the rock-solid future leader of His Church (see Luke 5:1–11). This is how He was able to see Zacchaeus not as the corrupt tax collector others saw but as an honest, upright son of Abraham (see Luke 19:1–9). If you walk with the Savior long enough, you will learn to see everyone as a child of God with limitless potential, regardless of what his or her past may have been. And if you continue walking with the Savior, you will develop another gift He has—the ability to help people see that potential in themselves and so repent.”
- “‘Walk with Me’“, President Henry B. Eyring, April 2017 General Conference: “On another occasion a phone call came when I was a bishop—this time from the police. I was told that a drunk driver had crashed his car through the glass into the lobby of a bank. When the bewildered driver saw the security guard with his weapon brandished, he cried, ‘Don’t shoot! I’m a Mormon!’
- Why is it important to see the rising generation’s potential?
- Thinking back on your teenage years, did any of your Church leaders build strong relationships with you?
- ‘Number[ing]’ the youth reminds me of Jesus Christ’s parable of leaving the 99 sheep to go after the one. Can you think of any other scriptural accounts that highlight the importance of ‘number[ing]’?
- How can we get to the point where the ‘[youth] in [our] care’ can sense how much we love them without us even having to tell them?
- What could we learn and experience if we focused on the potential of everyone with whom we interacted?
- Are we ‘prioritiz[ing] building strong relationships’ in our own lives?
- How might you prepare differently for a youth Sunday School class, a Young Women class, or an Aaronic Priesthood Quorum if you strived to ‘see the divine identity of the youth in [your] care’?
2: “The needed guidance for leaders and parents is found in the Gospel Library and the Gospel Living apps. In these inspired resources, we can find the scriptures, teachings of modern prophets, and the General Handbook. The Youth tab in the Gospel Library has many resources for quorum and class presidencies and has For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices. As all members of the ward study these inspired sources and seek guidance from the Spirit, everyone will be directed by the Lord in strengthening the youth.
“The entire ward will be blessed and strengthened as members focus on the rising generation.”
- No matter your current Church calling, seek for divine assistance in strengthening the rising generation.
- “No one serving in the Lord’s kingdom serves alone. The Lord has blessed us with wards and stakes. Through His restored organization, we have the resources, wisdom, and inspiration to meet any challenge.” -Brother Nelson
- 8/24/2024: Bluffdale Independence Stake Conference Adult Session: We were invited by a member of our stake presidency to study For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices. This same stake presidency member also shared that the Gospel Living app has ‘a ton of potential’ to bless the lives of members of the Church of Jesus Christ.
- Questions:
- Do you utilize the Gospel Library and / or the Gospel Living app?
- Have you made the time to study the new For the Strength of Youth pamphlet?
- In what ways might non-youth leaders ‘be directed by the Lord in strengthening the youth’?
- When we study the gospel, are we ‘seek[ing] guidance from the Spirit’ to bless others’ lives?
- How might your ward ‘be blessed and strengthened as members focus on the rising generation’?
- At times, we refer to our Church unit as a “ward family”. Do we treat it as such?
- “Preserving the Voice of the Covenant People in the Rising Generation“, Brother Jan E. Newman, October 2023 General Conference: “One of our most sacred responsibilities is to help our children come to know deeply and specifically that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, their personal Savior and Redeemer, who stands at the head of His Church! We cannot allow our covenant voice to become muted or silent when it comes to Him.
“You may feel a bit inadequate in this role, but you should never feel alone. For example, ward councils are authorized to organize teacher council meetings for parents. In these quarterly meetings, parents can gather to learn from each other’s experiences, discuss how they are strengthening their families, and learn key principles of Christlike teaching. This meeting should be held in the second hour of church. It is led by a ward member selected by the bishop and follows the format of regular teacher council meetings, using Teaching in the Savior’s Way as the primary resource. Bishops, if your ward is not currently holding teacher council meetings for parents, work with your Sunday School president and ward council to organize yourselves.” - 6/28/2024 journal entry: Do we know the names of every member of the ward, the youth included, who stood during ward conference (6/23/2024) to be sustained? And did we know where they were serving? Just as I am benefiting from interacting with others at Merit through the Merit Book Club, how might knowing all members of the ward and where they are serving make the ward even more effective?
- “God Will Support and Preserve Us“, Elder Dale G. Renlund, August 2024 Liahona: “We can collectively gain strength and prepare for our spiritual battles as we join in communities of Saints. Our stakes and districts provide such a place of refuge and defense. We can nourish each other spiritually, help each other to keep the commandments of God, and encourage each other to rely on Christ, always and especially in times of challenge. When we gather, we realize that we do not fight our battles alone. We have friends, teachers, and leaders who can help and protect us. We are all stronger when we prepare together.”
- “Preserving the Voice of the Covenant People in the Rising Generation“, Brother Jan E. Newman, October 2023 General Conference: “One of our most sacred responsibilities is to help our children come to know deeply and specifically that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, their personal Savior and Redeemer, who stands at the head of His Church! We cannot allow our covenant voice to become muted or silent when it comes to Him.
- What value can we contribute to the rising generation?
- Do we know the names of our fellow ward members, including the youth?
- What does it really mean to build Zion in our wards and stakes?
- Why is it so important to focus on the rising generation?
3: “The youth will learn the pattern of revelation as they participate with us in the process of seeking and acting upon promptings to serve others. …
“We express our confidence in the youth by offering support and direction without taking over. As we step back and allow the youth to learn through counseling together, choosing an inspired course, and putting their plan into action, they will experience true joy and growth.”
- We prepare youth best when we allow them to lead from start to finish, ‘offering support and direction’ as the Spirit directs.
- “The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives” by William Stixrud PhD and Ned Johnson: “Our aim is to move away from a model that depends on parental pressure to one that nurtures a child’s own drive. That is what we mean by ‘The Self-Driven Child.’ We start with the assumption that kids have brains in their heads and want their lives to work, and that with some support, they’ll figure out what to do. …
“We hope to convince you that you should think of yourself as a consultant to your kids, rather than their boss or manager. We will try to persuade you of the wisdom of saying – ‘it’s your call’ – as often as possible. We’ll offer ideas to help you help your kids find their own internal motivation. And we’ll coach you in navigating an educational system that is often at odds with giving kids autonomy. We will help you move in the direction of being a non-anxious presence, which is one of the best things you can do for your kids, your family, and yourself. …
“Remember that your job is not to solve your children’s problems, but to help them learn to run their own lives. This reframing means that while we should guide, support, teach, help, and set limits for our kids, we should be clear with them, and with ourselves, that their lives are their own.” - Questions:
- Why is it so hard for adults to let children lead?
- What does ‘the pattern of revelation’ mean?
- How have you modeled ‘the process of seeking and acting upon promptings to serve others’ to your children?
- Are our quorums, classes, and families safe places for our youth ‘to learn through counseling together, choosing an inspired course, and putting their plan into action’?
- I understand the growth comment, but why would ‘counseling together, choosing an inspired course, and putting their plan into action’ help the youth ‘experience true joy’?
- “The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness” by Morgan Housel: “The highest form of wealth is the ability to wake up every morning and say: ‘I can do whatever I want today.’ People want to be wealthier to make them happier. Happiness is a complicated subject because everyone’s different. But if there’s a common denominator in happiness, a universal fuel of joy, it’s that people want to control their lives. The ability to do what you want, when you want, with who you want, for as long as you want, is priceless. It’s the highest dividend money pays…
“The most powerful common denominator of happiness was simple. [Angus] Campbell summed it up: ‘Having a strong sense of controlling one’s life is a more dependable predictor of positive feelings of well-being than any of the objective conditions of life we have considered.’
“More than your salary, more than the size of your house, more than the prestige of your job. Control over doing what you want, when you want, with the people you want to is the broadest lifestyle variable that makes people happy. Money’s greatest intrinsic value, and this can’t be overstated, is its ability to give you control over your time. To obtain, bit-by-bit, a level of independence and autonomy that comes from unspent assets that give you greater control over what you can do and when you can do it…
“Use money to gain control over your time, because not having control of your time is such a powerful and universal drag on happiness. The ability to do what you want, when you want, with who you want, for as long as you want to, pays the highest dividend that exists in finance.”
- “The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness” by Morgan Housel: “The highest form of wealth is the ability to wake up every morning and say: ‘I can do whatever I want today.’ People want to be wealthier to make them happier. Happiness is a complicated subject because everyone’s different. But if there’s a common denominator in happiness, a universal fuel of joy, it’s that people want to control their lives. The ability to do what you want, when you want, with who you want, for as long as you want, is priceless. It’s the highest dividend money pays…
- Can you share an experience where you allowed a young man or a young woman to lead and it didn’t go well?
- Can you share an experience where you allowed a young man or a young woman to lead and it went well?
- What do you want most for your children?
- What do we want most for our youth?
- How might seeing the rising generation’s potential help us to better ‘express our confidence in the youth’?
4: “We can be powerful examples to the youth of how disciples of Christ live today. Faithful parents are praying for these examples in the lives of their children. No program can replace the influence of loving, covenant-keeping adults.
“As the president of the priests quorum, the bishop can set an example for the youth of how to be a loyal husband and a loving father through protecting, providing, and presiding in righteous ways. Bishops, with a ‘laser-like focus on [the] youth,’ will have an influence that will last for generations.”
- Prioritizing covenant keeping and becoming powerful examples will bless the youth for generations.
- “We learn from Helaman that these young men were supported by their parents. These faithful parents knew they had the primary responsibility for teaching their children. They taught their children to keep the commandments and ‘walk uprightly’ before God. Their mothers taught them ‘that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.’ Their fathers set a powerful example of covenant making. These former warriors knew the horrors of battle. They entrusted their inexperienced sons to Helaman’s care and supported them by sending ‘many provisions.'” -Brother Nelson
- “Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan“, Elder David A. Bednar, June 2006 Ensign: “As men and women, as husbands and wives, and as Church leaders, one of our paramount responsibilities is to help young men and women learn about and prepare for righteous marriage through our personal example. As young women and men observe worthiness, loyalty, sacrifice, and the honoring of covenants in our marriages, then those youth will seek to emulate the same principles in their courting and marriage relationships. As young people notice that we have made the comfort and convenience of our eternal companion our highest priority, then they will become less self-centered and more able to give, to serve, and to create an equal and enduring companionship. As young women and men perceive mutual respect, affection, trust, and love between a husband and a wife, then they will strive to cultivate the same characteristics in their lives. Our children and the youth of the Church will learn the most from what we do and what we are—even if they remember relatively little of what we say.”
- Questions:
- Are you and I those ‘faithful parents [who] are praying for [powerful] examples in the lives of [our] children’?
- How do ‘disciples of Christ live today’?
- What can we learn from the example of the ‘covenant-keeping’ parents of Helaman’s two thousand stripling warriors?
- Have any of your former bishops and / or young men and young women leaders had ‘an influence’ on you ‘that will last for generations’? If so, why?
- What does ‘protecting, providing, and presiding in righteous ways’ look like in your life?
- Why is it so important for the bishop to ‘focus on the youth’?
- Do you pray for the members of your ward by name who may teach your children on Sundays, or who are currently serving in the Young Men or Young Women organizations?
- Can you think of any scriptural accounts where someone was an excellent example to someone else?
- How might your life change if you considered that someone is always looking to you as an example?
- Looking back on your life, who were your greatest examples? Why?
| The People of Ammon | The Stripling Warriors |
| “And they began to be a very industrious people.” (Alma 23:18) | “They were exceedingly valiant … for strength and activity.” (Alma 53:20) |
| “They never did look upon death with any degree of terror.” (Alma 27:28) | “They did not fear death.” (Alma 56:47) |
| “They were firm.” (Alma 24:19) | “They were firm.” (Alma 57:19) |
| “They were perfectly honest and upright in all things.” (Alma 27:27) | “They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness.” (Alma 57:21) |
| “They were firm in the faith of Christ.” (Alma 27:27) | “Their faith is strong.” (Alma 58:40) |
Take Action
How will you take action on the invitations extended in this General Conference address?
Conclusion
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Tags
Bishops | Example | Parents | Teaching | Youth
Additional Content
Next Podcast Episode (“Pillars and Rays” by Elder Alexander Dushku)