“Peacemakers Needed”

Last updated on August 2nd, 2023 at 11:00 pm

General Conference Applied

S1 E1 – Sunday, July 30, 2023 | “Peacemakers Needed” by President Russell M. Nelson; April 2023 General Conference

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Powerful Stories

“During my surgical internship many years ago, I assisted a surgeon who was amputating a leg filled with highly infectious gangrene. The operation was difficult. Then, to add to the tension, one of the team performed a task poorly, and the surgeon erupted in anger. In the middle of his tantrum, he threw his scalpel loaded with germs. It landed in my forearm!

“Everyone in the operating room—except the out-of-control surgeon—was horrified by this dangerous breach of surgical practice. Gratefully, I did not become infected. But this experience left a lasting impression on me. In that very hour, I promised myself that whatever happened in my operating room, I would never lose control of my emotions. I also vowed that day never to throw anything in anger—whether it be scalpels or words.”

1. “President Russell M. Nelson is a wonderful example of spiritual poise. One time, while then-Dr. Nelson was performing a quadruple coronary artery bypass, the patient’s blood pressure dropped suddenly. Dr. Nelson calmly assessed the situation and identified that a clamp was accidentally removed by one of the team members. It was replaced immediately, and Dr. Nelson comforted the team member, saying, “I still love you,” and then added jokingly, “Sometimes I love you more than other times!” He showed how an emergency should be handled—with poise, focused only on what matters most—addressing the emergency. President Nelson said: “It’s a matter of extreme self-discipline. Your natural reaction is, ‘Take me out, coach! I want to go home.’ But of course you can’t. A life is totally dependent on the whole surgical team. So you’ve got to stay just as calm and relaxed and sharp as you ever were.”” (Elder Mark A. Bragg; “Christlike Poise” – April 2023 General Conference)

Most Important Quote

“How we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work, and online really matters. Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully. “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” that we can say about another person—whether to his face or behind her back—that should be our standard of communication.”

1. (Note that the word ‘censure’ means: “express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement”) Hymn Number 235: “Should You Feel Inclined to Censure” – “Should you feel inclined to censure, Faults you may in others view, Ask your own heart, ere you venture, If you have not failings, too. Let not friendly vows be broken; Rather strive a friend to gain. Many words in anger spoken, Find their passage home again. Do not, then, in idle pleasure, Trifle with a brother’s fame; Guard it as a valued treasure, Sacred as your own good name. Do not form opinions blindly; Hastiness to trouble tends; Those of whom we thought unkindly, Oft become our warmest friends.”
2. With those lyrics in mind, I wanted to share a quote from the book “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” by Adam Grant. “Our instinct is to sever our bad relationships and salvage the ambivalent ones, but the evidence suggests we ought to do the opposite: cut our frenemies and attempt to convert our enemies. In efforts to challenge the status quo, originals often ignore their opponents. If someone is already resisting a change, the logic goes, there’s no point in wasting your time on him. Instead, focus on strengthening your ties with people who already support you. But our best allies aren’t the people who have supported us all along, they’re the ones who started out against us, and then came around to our side. Half a century ago, eminent psychologist Elliot Aronson conducted a series of experiments suggesting that we’re often more sensitive to gains and losses in esteem than the level of esteem itself. When someone always supports us, we take it for granted and can discount it. But we regard someone who began as a rival and then became an enthusiastic supporter as an authentic advocate. ‘A person whose liking for us increases over time will be liked better than one who has always liked us,’ Aronson explains. ‘We find it more rewarding when someone’s initially negative feelings toward us gradually become positive than if that person’s feelings for us were entirely positive all along.’ While we’ll have an especially strong affinity toward our converted rivals, will they feel the same way toward us? Yes. This is (an) advantage of converting resisters. To like us, they have to work especially hard to overcome their initial negative impressions, telling themselves, I must have been wrong about that person. Moving forward, to avoid the cognitive dissonance of changing their minds yet again, they’ll be especially motivated to maintain a positive relationship. It is our former adversaries who are the most effective at persuading others to join our movements. They can marshall better arguments on our behalf, because they understand the doubts and misgivings of resisters and fence-sitters. And they’re a more credible source, because they haven’t just been Pollyanna followers or “yes men” all along.”
3. I couldn’t help but think of Alma the Younger and Saul of Tarsus as I pondered this quote. In Acts 9:15, after the Savior has visited Saul, He tells Ananias that Saul is a “chosen vessel.” And in Acts 9:17, Ananias calls Saul “Brother Saul.” We might consider the words we use when we speak of others, especially those who think differently than us.
4. Pamela Jo Brubaker; “Jesus Christ, the Greatest Influencer in Your Life” – BYU Devotional, July 18, 2023 (also available on the Recent Speeches BYU Speeches podcast). I listened to this podcast episode this week, and Sister Brubaker shared some excellent thoughts on how we should speak to others online.
5. Anytime the Prophet states “please listen carefully,” we would be wise to tune in.

The Best Footnote

Footnote 18 – “Being a peacemaker does not require us to agree with the ideas or beliefs of others.”

1. This footnote was attached to the following phrase that President Nelson shared in his talk: “Now, I am not talking about “peace at any price.””
2. I have found that it is powerful to consume General Conference talks in three different formats – video, audio, and print. Thus, I watch General Conference live each General Conference weekend, I listen to each talk multiple times after General Conference weekend utilizing the Gospel Library app, and I also read each talk. It is actually sitting down and reading the talks that has led to the creation of the General Conference Applied podcast. If I only watched and listened to talks, I would miss out on footnotes.
3. An impression that has come to me is that our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ do not want us to only interact with those who believe what we believe. Rather, to gather Israel, it is requisite that we associate with those who believe differently than us, and we find ways to learn from those individuals. In turn, those individuals might find ways to learn from us as well. An interesting example of this is the YouTube channel Hello Saints. In a recent video, Pastor Jeff McCullough shared his reaction to President Nelson’s “Peacemakers Needed” talk.

Questions for Reflection Asked by the Speaker

None

Action Items

Utilize Time Better

1: “Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully. “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” that we can say about another person—whether to his face or behind her back—that should be our standard of communication.”

1. It’s a fact that we have more free time at our disposal than ever before. It may not feel that way, but I believe this to be true. Because of technology and the efficiencies that these inventions have introduced, we are not engaged in constant manual labor like our ancestors experienced. The challenge is: how are we utilizing this time?
2. Gossip is a poor use of our time. And unfortunately, anytime someone gossips about someone else to me, my only thought is: what is this person saying about me to other people? President Nelson is encouraging us to only say those things about other people, whether they can hear us or not, that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.” How might we respond to this prophetic counsel? What could we talk about instead of the perceived faults of others?
3. There are so many different things we could talk about instead of the faults of other people. Later in the episode I will be discussing journaling. But perhaps one place we could start is by making a list in a journal of 20 topics we could discuss instead of the faults of others. Gossip is the path of least resistance, and if we’re not careful, we’ll find our conversations being dominated by it.

Decide Now

2: “I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.”

3: “Cast [Satan] out of your relationships!”

1. Sister Wendy W. Nelson gave a talk at the May 2022 Worldwide Devotional entitled “One Question That Can Change Your Life.” What, you might ask, is the “one question that can change your life?” It is: “What would a holy young adult do?” Sister Nelson said: “I asked them to do the following: “In just one situation a day for each of three days, ask yourself, ‘What would a holy young adult do?'””
2. This concept thrills me, and I find application for it in the directives (i.e., “an official or authoritative instruction”) from President Nelson. Thus, we might ask ourselves similar questions “in one situation a day for each of three days” – “What would a peacemaker do?” or “How can I cast Satan out of my relationships?”
3. Dr. Benjamin Hardy shared his thoughts on an implementation intention, which is a “pre-planned response to a specific obstacle.” In this article, and in his book “The Gap and the Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success,” Hardy shares the story of the 2000 British rowing team who won gold at the Sydney Olympics. Hardy writes: “With every decision or opportunity, every member of the team asked themselves: Will it make the boat go faster?… If the answer is no, then the decision is no.” Thus, one idea to become a peacemaker and to cast Satan out of our relationships is to develop an implementation intention such that, “if the answer is no, then the decision is no.”

Remember Jesus Christ

4: “In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would.”

1. Perhaps the most well-known implementation intention is “What would Jesus do?” This is a powerful concept – to think of Jesus Christ in tense situations. What would happen in my life and in your life if, each morning, we prayed “to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what [Jesus] would?”
2. This directive from President Nelson reminds me of what I found to be the most important quote from Elder Neil L. Andersen’s April 2023 General Conference talk entitled “My Mind Caught Hold upon This Thought of Jesus Christ“: “My prayer at this Easter season is that we will more consciously shape, strengthen, and secure this preeminent thought of Jesus Christ in the chambers of our soul, allowing it to eagerly flow into our mind, guide us in what we think and do, and continually bring the sweet joy of the Savior’s love. Filling our mind with the power of Jesus Christ does not mean that He is the only thought we have. But it does mean that all our thoughts are circumscribed in His love, His life and teachings, and His atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection. Jesus is never in a forgotten corner, because our thoughts of Him are always present and “all that is in [us adores] him!” We pray and rehearse in our mind experiences that have brought us closer to Him. We welcome into our mind divine images, holy scriptures, and inspired hymns to gently cushion the countless daily thoughts rushing through our busy lives. Our love for Him does not shield us from the sadness and sorrow in this mortal life, but it allows us to walk through the challenges with a strength far beyond our own.”

Journal

5: “I also hope that you will look deeply into your heart to see if there are shards of pride or jealousy that prevent you from becoming a peacemaker. If you are serious about helping to gather Israel and about building relationships that will last throughout the eternities, now is the time to lay aside bitterness. Now is the time to cease insisting that it is your way or no way. Now is the time to stop doing things that make others walk on eggshells for fear of upsetting you. Now is the time to bury your weapons of war. If your verbal arsenal is filled with insults and accusations, now is the time to put them away.”

6: “Today I invite you to examine your discipleship within the context of the way you treat others. I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful, and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ. I bless you to replace belligerence with beseeching, animosity with understanding, and contention with peace.”

1. These directives from President Nelson – looking deeply into my heart, examining my discipleship, and making adjustments – inspire me to journal. Journaling is a powerful way to make sense of the world, and it’s also a tangible way in which we can act on President Nelson’s directives. You might consider writing down one of the directives (i.e., “examine your discipleship within the context of the way you treat others”), and then start writing. Be creative. Who will you become by taking action?
2. Lastly, I wanted to share a quote from the book “Stillness Is the Key” by Ryan Holiday. “Take the time to feel wisdom flow through your fingertips and onto the page. This is what the best journals look like. They aren’t for the reader. They are for the writer. To slow the mind down. To wage peace with oneself. Journaling is a way to ask tough questions… It’s a few minutes of reflection that both demands and creates stillness. It’s a break from the world. A framework for the day ahead. A coping mechanism for troubles of the hours just past. A revving up of your creative juices, for relaxing and clearing.”

Share Best Practices

7: “Let us as a people become a true light on the hill—a light that “cannot be hid.” Let us show that there is a peaceful, respectful way to resolve complex issues and an enlightened way to work out disagreements.”

1. How do you personally cope with complex issues and work out disagreements in your life? What are some of your best practices in this space? You might consider sharing your thoughts on this topic, as well as any others discussed in this podcast episode, on social media utilizing the hashtag #generalconferenceapplied .