Last updated on March 23rd, 2025 at 12:12 pm
General Conference Applied
S4 E31 – Thursday, March 20, 2025 | “The Man Who Communed with Jehovah” by Elder Kyle S. McKay; October 2024 General Conference
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Podcast Episode Outline
Introduction
Bio
- “Elder Kyle S. McKay was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 2018. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah North Area. He is the Church Historian and Recorder and Executive Director of the Church History Department. He also serves on the Scriptures Committee.
“Elder McKay has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Japan Kobe Mission, elders quorum president, ward Young Men president, high councilor, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, and stake president.
“Elder McKay received a bachelor of arts degree in English from Brigham Young University in 1984. In 1987 he received a juris doctor degree from Brigham Young University. From 1987 to 2018 Elder McKay practiced law in Oregon and Utah.
“Kyle Stirland McKay was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 14, 1960. He married Jennifer Stone in 1984. They are the parents of nine children.” - This was Elder McKay’s second general conference address. His most recent address was “The Immediate Goodness of God” from the April 2019 General Conference.
- New General Authority Seventy Elder Kyle S. McKay finds God in the Lord’s mountains
- Meet the new Church historian and recorder Elder Kyle S. McKay: ‘Church history has the capacity to strengthen faith’
- Elder Kyle S. McKay, “A Sure and Certain Foundation“, April 25, 2023, BYU-Idaho Devotional
“Stand By My Servant Joseph”
- “The Lord commanded Oliver and all of us, ‘Stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully.’ I testify that the Lord stands by His servant Joseph and the Restoration wrought through him. -Elder McKay
“My purpose this day and always is to testify of Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, the Creator and Savior of the world, our Deliverer and Redeemer. Because ‘the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ,’ today I share with you my knowledge and testimony of the Savior as they have been strengthened and deepened by the life and teachings of one key apostle and prophet.
The Beginning of Wisdom
“On the morning of a beautiful clear day early in the spring of 1820, 14-year-old Joseph Smith entered a grove of trees near his family’s home to pray about his sins and to ask which church to join. His sincere prayer, offered with unwavering faith, received the attention of the most powerful forces in the universe, including the Father and the Son. And the devil. Each of these had an intense interest in that prayer and in that boy.
“What we now call the First Vision marked the beginning of the Restoration of all things in this last dispensation. But for Joseph, the experience was also personal and preparatory. All he wanted was forgiveness and direction. The Lord gave him both. The instruction to ‘join none of [the churches]’ was directive. The words ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee’ were redemptive.
“For all the beautiful truths we might learn from that First Vision, perhaps Joseph’s main takeaway was simply, ‘I had found the testimony of James to be true—that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain.’
“As one scholar noted: ‘The real resonance of the First Vision today is to know that it’s the nature of God to give to those who lack wisdom. … The God that reveals Himself to Joseph Smith in the sacred grove is a God who answers teenagers in times of trouble.’
- Note that the quote from this scholar comes from one of the Joseph Smith Papers Podcasts which are a great resource to learn more about the history of the Church and the Prophet Joseph Smith.
“Joseph’s experience in the grove gave him confidence to ask for forgiveness and direction for the rest of his life. His experience has also given me confidence to [INVITATION] ask for forgiveness and direction for the rest of my life.
What is the speaker inviting me to do?
- In my own words: Trusting Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is a lifelong pursuit. Never arrive at the point where I think I know more than God and His prophets and apostles.
Why does it matter, or why is it important? (Doctrines, Principles, Christlike Attributes)
- Christlike Attribute: “I seek to understand the truth and find answers to my questions. (Doctrine and Covenants 6:7)” (Knowledge)
- “[7] Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.”
What’s in it for us? (Promises)
- None.
How will we take action? (Directives, Personal Revelation)
- 2 Nephi 9:27-30 – “[27] But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! [28] O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. [29] But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. [30] But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.”
- Note that a later invitation in this address (“The Lord commanded Oliver and all of us, ‘Stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully.'”) is directly related to this invitation. It has been my experience that when individuals become disenchanted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they not only walk away from the Church of Jesus Christ, but many eventually walk away from Jesus Christ. They may still consider Him to be a good teacher or role model, but they no longer consider Him to be their Savior and Redeemer.
- Mitch: I will commit to more diligently studying the life of the current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (i.e., currently President Russell M. Nelson), starting by studying one section per week of Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Russell M. Nelson. President Nelson is a fantastic example of someone who achieved tremendous intellectual and professional success, but allowed that success to draw him nearer and nearer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Regular Repentance
“On September 21, 1823, Joseph earnestly prayed for forgiveness, confident that because of his experience in the grove three years earlier, heaven would respond again. And it did. The Lord sent an angel, Moroni, to instruct Joseph and inform him of an ancient record he would later translate by the gift and power of God—the Book of Mormon.
“Almost 13 years after that, Joseph and Oliver Cowdery knelt in solemn, silent prayer in the newly dedicated Kirtland Temple. We do not know what they prayed for, but their prayers likely included a plea for forgiveness, for, as they arose, the Savior appeared and declared, ‘Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me.’
“In the months and years after this experience, Joseph and Oliver would sin again. And again. But in that moment, for that moment, in response to their plea and in preparation for the glorious restoration of priesthood keys that was about to happen, Jesus made them sinless.
“Joseph’s life of regular repentance gives me confidence to ‘come boldly unto the throne of grace, that [I] may obtain mercy.’ I have learned that Jesus Christ truly is ‘of a forgiving disposition.’ It is neither His mission nor His nature to condemn. He came to save.
Inquiring of the Lord
“As part of the promised ‘restitution of all things,’ the Lord, through Joseph Smith, brought forth the Book of Mormon and other revelations that contain the fulness of His gospel. [INVITATION] Vital truths were given clarity and completeness as Joseph repeatedly inquired of the Lord for direction. Consider the following:
- “The Father and the Son have bodies ‘as tangible as man’s.’
- “Jesus took upon Himself not only our sins but also our sicknesses, afflictions, and infirmities.
- “His Atonement was so excruciating it caused Him to bleed from every pore.
- “We are saved by His grace ‘after all we can do.’
- “There are conditions to Christ’s mercy.
- “As we come unto Christ, He will not only forgive our sins, but He will also change our very nature so ‘that we have no more disposition to do evil.’
- “Christ always commands His people to build temples, where He manifests Himself unto them and endows them with power from on high.
What is the speaker inviting me to do?
- In my own words: Consider seven “vital truths” that were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Why does it matter, or why is it important? (Doctrines, Principles, Christlike Attributes)
- Christlike Attribute: “I cherish the doctrine and principles of the gospel. (2 Nephi 4:15)” (Knowledge)
- “[15] And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.”
What’s in it for us? (Promises)
- None.
How will we take action? (Directives, Personal Revelation)
- Mitch: I will ask my coworker who does not belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but with whom I have monthly gospel-related discussions what he thinks of these “vital truths.”
“I testify that all these things are true and necessary. They represent only a fraction of the fulness that was restored by Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith in response to Joseph’s recurring requests for direction.
Rolling on This Kingdom
“In 1842, Joseph wrote of amazing things that would come to pass in this last dispensation. He declared that during our day, ‘the heavenly Priesthood will unite with the earthly, to bring about those great purposes; and whilst we are thus united in the one common cause, to roll forth the kingdom of God, the heavenly Priesthood are not idle spectators.’
“To his friend Benjamin Johnson, Joseph said, ‘Benjamin, [if I die] I [would] not be far away from you, and if on the other side of the veil, I [would] still be working with you, and with a power greatly increased, to roll on this kingdom.’
- Power in the Name of Jesus Christ | 3 Nephi 23-27 | Class 43 from The Book of Mormon: A Master Class, by John Hilton III: “President James E. Faust taught: ‘We do not consciously realize the extent to which ministering angels affect our lives. … Their ministry has been and is an important part of the gospel.’
“So who are these angels? Many of them are our own ancestors. President Joseph F. Smith wrote: ‘When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends.’ President Joseph F. Smith also taught: ‘Our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends … may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again.’
“So let’s combine the idea that our ancestors are among the angels watching over us with the statement from Elder Holland, who taught that when facing difficult circumstances, we should ‘pray without ceasing. Ask for angels to help you.’ Adding ‘we should pray for angels to help us’ to ‘our ancestors are among those angels who are ministering to us’ equals ‘we can find great power in praying for our ancestors to help us.’
“To be clear, I’m not saying we should pray to our ancestors. Rather, we pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and we can ask for our ancestors to help us with specific challenges we face. And I am definitely not the first person to suggest this approach. Sister Wendy Watson Nelson wrote that she prays for ‘those on the other side to be ‘dispatched’ … to assist us,’ and said: ‘Perhaps a departed loved one could be sent to help you with whatever you need.’ …
“I know we can find great strength as we pray and ask for the help of our ancestors. Even right now as I’m sharing these insights in the Master Class, I’m thinking about some problems and challenges I’m having in my life right now, and I’m realizing this is probably something that I could pray to Heavenly Father about and ask if there are any ancestors that I have that would be interested in this problem that could come and assist. My wife and I have seen this in our own lives as we’ve faced difficult challenges in our family and in other areas of life where we’ve prayed for angelic support, for ancestors to come.
“We have seen miracles that we can only attribute to divine intervention, help that we honestly believe came through the direct assistance of our ancestors. Remember, just as our hearts turn to our ancestors, their hearts are turned to us. When we face serious struggles, we have heavenly help.” (Also shared in Mitch’s October 20, 2024, What? Eye. Read. 💡 Newsletter).
“On June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered. Joseph’s body was laid to rest, but his testimony continues to reverberate around the world and in my soul:
“‘I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.’
“‘I never told you I was perfect; but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught.’
“‘The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.’
“What was said of John the Baptist might also be said of Joseph Smith: ‘There was a man sent from God, whose name was [Joseph]. … He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light,’ ‘that all men through him might believe.’
“I believe. I believe and am sure that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I testify that the living God is our loving Father. I know this because the voice of the Lord has spoken it to me, and so has the voice of His servants, the apostles and prophets, including and beginning with Joseph Smith.
“I testify that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, a witness and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was ‘blessed to open the last dispensation,’ and we are blessed that he did.
“[INVITATION] The Lord commanded Oliver and all of us, ‘Stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully.’ I testify that the Lord stands by His servant Joseph and the Restoration wrought through him.
What is the speaker inviting me to do?
- In my own words: Testify of the Prophet Joseph Smith and, when necessary, defend him.
Why does it matter, or why is it important? (Doctrines, Principles, Christlike Attributes)
- Christlike Attribute: “I do not lower my standards or behavior so I can impress or be accepted by others. (1 Nephi 8:24–28)” (Integrity)
- “[24] And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree. [25] And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed. [26] And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth. [27] And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit. [28] And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.”
What’s in it for us? (Promises)
- None.
How will we take action? (Directives, Personal Revelation)
- followHim Podcast – Voices of the Restoration – Episode 1 (Joseph Smith’s Family) – Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat: “These people that are closest to Joseph [Smith], the people that are around him in difficulties and in happiness, they are the ones who are most certain that Joseph Smith is receiving revelations from God. …
“Alvin and Hyrum and Sophronia, well, they’ve known Joseph since Joseph was a baby. They’ve seen Joseph before his sickness and after his sickness. They see Joseph as he becomes studious, inquiring about which religion he should join. They know Joseph after the first vision. They see his response to persecution. They hear him speak.
“Why don’t his siblings just simply declare to others, ‘Look, my brother wrote a book that he thinks came from God, but he obviously didn’t.’ That’s actually a much more natural thing when you’re being hated and persecuted for the fact that your brother claims something. All of us have an extended family member who says things that you’re like, ‘You can’t listen to aunt so-and-so because she’s crazy.’
“All of us have had that experience of distancing ourselves from someone who’s saying something that puts us at odds with society and his family just leans right into it. If Joseph says it, then it’s true. Well, this is contrary to all religious doctrine that exists. For a historian, it very much speaks to the fact that whether you believe Joseph Smith saw God or not, you have to believe that the people who were closest to him believed that he did, that they saw him as honest, that they saw this as real, and they reordered their entire lives because of it.” - The Piano Guys’ interview with Elder Neil L. Andersen on Instagram
- Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge, “Stand Forever“, January 22, 2019, BYU Devotional: “Begin by answering the primary questions. There are primary questions and there are secondary questions. Answer the primary questions first. Not all questions are equal and not all truths are equal. The primary questions are the most important. Everything else is subordinate. There are only a few primary questions. I will mention four of them.
“1. Is there a God who is our Father?
“2. Is Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Savior of the world?
“3. Was Joseph Smith a prophet?
“4. Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the kingdom of God on the earth?
“By contrast, the secondary questions are unending. They include questions about Church history, polygamy, people of African descent and the priesthood, women and the priesthood, how the Book of Mormon was translated, the Pearl of Great Price, DNA and the Book of Mormon, gay marriage, the different accounts of the First Vision, and on and on.
“If you answer the primary questions, the secondary questions get answered too, or they pale in significance and you can deal with things you understand and things you don’t and things you agree with and things you don’t without jumping ship altogether.” - Truman G. Madsen – Joseph Smith Lectures (and other BYU speeches)
- Mitch:
- 1) I will commit to more diligently studying the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the history of the Church, starting by studying one chapter per week of Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith.
- 2) I will journal for 15 minutes on this topic: “What does it look like in my life to stand by the Prophet Joseph Smith and the current prophet?”
“Joseph Smith is now part of that heavenly priesthood of which he spoke. As he promised his friend, he is not far away from us, and on the other side of the veil, he is still working with us, and with a power greatly increased, to roll on this kingdom. With joy and thanksgiving, I raise my voice in ‘praise to the man who communed with Jehovah.’ And above all, praise to Jehovah, who communed with that man! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
What will you do?
How will you take action on the invitations extended in this General Conference address?
Conclusion
The focus of our next podcast episode will be the October 2024 General Conference address that was delivered by Elder Jorge M. Alvarado and was entitled “Embrace the Lord’s Gift of Repentance.”
As we conclude this episode, we would invite you to refer to the podcast episode details for each podcast episode where we have provided important information for connecting with us and further supporting the General Conference Applied Podcast. The best ways to help us are to like and subscribe to the podcast and to share it with others.
Please remember that General Conference Applied is meant to be a supplement for your review of General Conference Addresses. We promise that you will get more out of each General Conference Applied episode when you study the General Conference address first.
Thank you for joining us in this effort to become doers of the word and to take action on general conference invitations.
Tags
First Vision | Joseph Smith | Repentance | Restoration
Additional Content
Previous Podcast Episode (“The Wind Did Never Cease to Blow” by Elder Aroldo B. Cavalcante)
Next Podcast Episode (“Embrace the Lord’s Gift of Repentance” by Elder Jorge M. Alvarado)