Last updated on February 21st, 2024 at 06:40 am
General Conference Applied
S2 E19 – Sunday, February 11, 2024 | “More Than a Hero” by Bishop W. Christopher Waddell; October 2023 General Conference
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Podcast Episode Social Media Posts
Corresponding Talk Outline: “More Than a Hero“
Podcast Episode Outline
REMEMBER THIS
If you remember nothing else from this podcast episode, remember this:
- Bishop Waddell has invited us to choose Jesus Christ, not the world.
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 “More Than a Hero,” I identified Atonement of Jesus Christ as the fundamental doctrine, The Life of Christ as the fundamental principle, and Faith in Jesus Christ as the fundamental Christlike attribute. I have included a detailed breakdown of this doctrine, principle, and Christlike attribute in the talk outline, 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: “Brothers and sisters, it is by choosing Jesus Christ, the King of kings, that we choose the kingdom of God. Any other choice is the equivalent of choosing the arm of flesh, or a golden calf, and will ultimately fail us.”
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Choose Jesus Christ, not the world.
Overview
Bio
“Wayne Christopher Waddell was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 28, 1959. He married Carol Stansel in July 1984. They are the parents of four children.
“Bishop Waddell received a bachelor’s degree in 1984 from San Diego State University.
“Bishop Waddell has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in Spain, bishop, high councilor, mission president’s counselor, stake president, president of the Barcelona Spain Mission, and Area Seventy.
“Prior to his call as First Counselor, he had served for five years as Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric (2015–2020) and four years as a General Authority Seventy (2011–2015).
“Beginning in 1984 he worked with Merrill Lynch in several positions, including first vice president of investments.”
Jesus Christ
- How does this message help me become more like Jesus Christ?
- Jesus Christ consistently sought to do Heavenly Father’s will, no matter the obstacles and the pressure to do otherwise. Like our Savior choosing Heavenly Father instead of the world, I can choose Jesus Christ instead of the world.
- What does this message teach me about Jesus Christ?
- Who was Jesus Christ’s hero? Our Heavenly Father.
- John 5:30: “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
The Life of Christ (Gospel Principle): “Jesus taught: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you’ (John 15:13–14). He willingly and humbly went through the sorrow in Gethsemane and the suffering on the cross so we could receive all the blessings of the plan of salvation. To receive these blessings, we must come unto Him, repent of our sins, and love Him with all our hearts.”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
“When our family arrived in Spain to begin our service as mission leaders, we found a framed quote shared by Elder Neal A. Maxwell that has relevance to the heroes we choose to follow. He stated, ‘If you have not chosen the kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.'” (“Response to a Call“, April 1974 General Conference)
- “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change” by Stephen R. Covey (“Put First Things First”): “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least. … What one thing could you do (something you aren’t doing now) that, if you did it on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life?”
- Personal Daily Big 5: Don’t engage in entertainment until my Personal Daily Big 5 are complete. (This was in part inspired by my wife, Morgan’s, friend who does not access social media until she has read the scriptures for the day).
“The Hero of Ages”
“No leader has ever shown more courage, no humanitarian has shown more kindness, no physician has cured more disease, and no artist has been more creative than Jesus Christ.
“In a world of heroes, with monuments and museums devoted to the exploits of mortal men and women, there is One who stands above all others.”
- Atonement of Jesus Christ (Gospel Doctrine): “Jesus Christ was the only one capable of making a perfect Atonement. His Atonement included His suffering for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, His death on the cross, and His Resurrection from the tomb. In addition to suffering for our sins, He also took upon Himself our pains, sicknesses, and infirmities (see Alma 7:11–13). Jesus Christ overcame physical and spiritual death. Because of His Atonement, everyone will be resurrected (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22). Those who repent, obey the commandments, receive the saving ordinances, and keep their covenants will receive the gift of eternal life (see Articles of Faith 1:3).”
- “The Hero of Ages” by Brandon Sanderson: “It wasn’t until that moment that Sazed understood the term ‘Hero of Ages.’ Not a hero that came once in the ages, but a hero who would span the ages. A hero who would preserve mankind throughout all its lives and times. Neither preservation nor ruin, but both. God.”
- Jesus Christ is our “Hero of Ages.”
Connection
Bishop Waddell has delivered six General Conference addresses (most recently in the October 2020 General Conference).
When Bishop Waddell delivered this address, I immediately thought of a certain musician. It worked out perfectly that the day this podcast episode is being released (Sunday, February 11, 2024) is the same day as that musician’s boyfriend is playing in the Superbowl!
How might I consider taking action?
Invitations
1: “Brothers and sisters, it is by choosing Jesus Christ, the King of kings, that we choose the kingdom of God. Any other choice is the equivalent of choosing the arm of flesh, or a golden calf, and will ultimately fail us.”
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Choose Jesus Christ, not the world.
- Hymn no. 323 “Rise Up, O Men of God“:
- “Rise up, O men of God!
“Have done with lesser things.
“Give heart and soul and mind and strength
“To serve the King of Kings.”
- “Rise up, O men of God!
- Most Important Quote:
- “Although we admire and respect many talented and remarkable men and women for their abilities and contributions, the degree to which they are revered, if taken to an excess, can be the equivalent of the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf in the desert of Sinai.
“As adults, what was once innocent childhood fun can become a stumbling block when ‘hero worship’ of politicians, bloggers, influencers, athletes, or musicians causes us to look ‘beyond the mark’ (Jacob 4:14; see also “Jesus Christ Is the Treasure“) and lose sight of what is truly essential.
“For the children of Israel, the challenge was not the gold that they brought with them on their journey to the promised land but rather what they allowed the gold to become: an idol, which then became the object of their worship, turning their attention away from Jehovah, who had parted the Red Sea and delivered them from bondage. Their focus on the calf impacted their ability to worship the true God.
“The hero—our hero, now and always—is Jesus Christ, and anything or anyone that distracts us from His teachings, as found in the scriptures and through the words of living prophets, can negatively impact our progress on the covenant path.”
- “Although we admire and respect many talented and remarkable men and women for their abilities and contributions, the degree to which they are revered, if taken to an excess, can be the equivalent of the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf in the desert of Sinai.
- President Russell M. Nelson, October 2023 General Conference, “Think Celestial!“:
“As you think celestial, you will find yourself avoiding anything that robs you of your agency. Any addiction—be it gaming, gambling, debt, drugs, alcohol, anger, pornography, sex, or even food—offends God. Why? Because your obsession becomes your god. You look to it rather than to Him for solace.” Choose Jesus Christ, not addiction.
Directives (“an official or authoritative instruction”)
- “In our most recent general conference, President Russell M. Nelson reminded us: ‘Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him!’ (“The Answer Is Always Jesus Christ“) And I would add, ‘Choose Him.'”
- President Russell M. Nelson, April 2017 General Conference, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives“:
“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.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 131:6) The more we know about the Savior’s ministry and mission (Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-41)—the more we understand His doctrine (2 Nephi 31:2-21) 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!’ …
“As you seek to learn more about Jesus Christ, I urge you to study ‘The Living Christ.’ …
“When you reach up for the Lord’s power in your life with the same intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and gasping for air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours. When the Savior knows you truly want to reach up to Him—when He can feel that the greatest desire of your heart is to draw His power into your life—you will be led by the Holy Ghost to know exactly what you should do. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63)” - Instead of binge-watching the latest show or mindlessly scrolling through social media, choose Jesus Christ instead. About 9 years ago, a woman in our ward stood and bore her testimony about how she and the young women in the ward had memorized ‘The Living Christ,’ and how that exercise had helped her draw nearer to her Savior. Instead of memorizing lyrics to the latest hits, perhaps we might focus instead on memorizing the Savior’s words and His parables.
- Faith in Jesus Christ (Christlike Attribute): “For faith to lead to salvation, you must center it in Jesus Christ (see Acts 4:10–12; Mosiah 3:17; Moroni 7:24–26). When you have faith in Christ, you trust in Him as the Only Begotten Son of God. You are confident that as you repent, you will be forgiven of your sins through His atoning sacrifice and be sanctified by the Holy Ghost (see 3 Nephi 27:16, 20). …
“You express your faith through action. These actions include following the Savior’s teachings and example. They include serving others and helping them choose to follow Christ. …
“Your faith in Jesus Christ will grow as you become better acquainted with Him and His teachings.”
- President Russell M. Nelson, April 2017 General Conference, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives“:
- “We choose Him, Jesus Christ, when we choose to honor His day whether we’re at home or traveling on vacation. We choose Him when we choose His words through the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets. We choose Him when we choose to hold a temple recommend and live worthy of its use. We choose Him when we are peacemakers and refuse to be contentious, ‘especially when we have differences of opinion.'” (“Peacemakers Needed“)
- (“We choose Him, Jesus Christ, when we choose to honor His day whether we’re at home or traveling on vacation.”) Church News episode 122: Cotopaxi founders Davis and Asialene Smith on stepping away from their company to serve as mission leaders in Brazil:
“When we were newly married, we did an internship in Grand Cayman in the Caribbean on a small island. And there was just a small branch. There was no church, we met in the courthouse. And we had a wonderful branch president, but the counselor there was called after two months of being a member of the Church. And so just a lot of new members there. But they did a great job. There’s one young man, one young woman, no Primary. But obviously, it’s a beautiful island in the Caribbean, and so there are a lot of tourists. And every Sunday, we always had tourists come.
“And the ones that stood out to us were the ones that were in their Sunday best and stayed for the full three hours, back then it was three hours. And that was such a great example to us, because when you’re on vacation, you don’t have much time anyway, and there are the beautiful beaches and the sun. It was not only just seeing them but what it was was seeing how they contributed to the branch, because the branch relied upon those members. They would give wonderful comments in the lessons. They would bear their testimonies. And this is what the branch needed, because there were so few members, and they were just learning how the Church works. And so that always stood out to us. And that’s something that we try to do when we travel.” We choose Jesus Christ when we honor our covenants, even on vacation. - (“We choose Him when we choose His words through the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets.”) Conversation with my 8-year-old son this evening. When he expressed that I read The Book of Mormon more than he does, I indicated that it’s not because I have more time than him, it’s because I read The Book of Mormon before I do other things. We choose Jesus Christ when we study the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets every day.
- (“We choose Him when we choose to hold a temple recommend and live worthy of its use.”) Elder Ronald A. Rasband, October 2020 General Conference, “Recommended to the Lord“:
“My father-in-law, Blaine Twitchell, one of the best men I have ever known, taught me a great lesson. Sister Rasband and I went to visit him when he was nearing the end of his mortal journey. As we entered his room, his bishop was just leaving. As we greeted the bishop, I thought, ‘What a nice bishop. He’s here doing his ministering to a faithful member of his ward.’
“I mentioned to Blaine, ‘Wasn’t that nice of the bishop to come visit.’
“Blaine looked at me and responded, ‘It was far more than that. I asked for the bishop to come because I wanted my temple recommend interview. I want to go recommended to the Lord.’ And he did!
“That phrase, ‘recommended to the Lord,’ has stayed with me. It has put a whole new perspective on being interviewed regularly by our Church leaders. So important is a temple recommend that in the early Church, until 1891, each temple recommend was endorsed by the President of the Church. …
“I remember hearing President Howard W. Hunter in his first general conference address as the 14th President of the Church. He said: ‘It is the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple. It would please the Lord if every adult member would be worthy of—and carry—a current temple recommend.’ (“The Temple—The Great Symbol of Our Membership“) ( I would add that a limited-use recommend will set a clear path for our precious youth.
“President Russell M. Nelson recalled President Hunter’s words: ‘On that day, June 6, 1994, the temple recommend that we carry became a different object in my wallet. Before that, it was a means to an end. It was the means to allow me to enter a sacred house of the Lord; but after he made that declaration, that became an end in itself. It became my badge of obedience to a prophet of God.'” (Teachings of Russell M. Nelson (2018), 373.) We choose Jesus Christ when we prioritize attending the House of the Lord. - (“We choose Him when we are peacemakers and refuse to be contentious, ‘especially when we have differences of opinion.'” (“Peacemakers Needed“)) We choose Jesus Christ when we take action on His Prophet’s invitations.
- (“We choose Him, Jesus Christ, when we choose to honor His day whether we’re at home or traveling on vacation.”) Church News episode 122: Cotopaxi founders Davis and Asialene Smith on stepping away from their company to serve as mission leaders in Brazil:
Report on Prior Week’s Action Item
Last week I committed to taking 10 minutes to contemplate Stephen R. Covey’s “begin with the end in mind” exercise and jot down my thoughts in my journal.
Here are some of the ideas I wrote in my journal: “If I attended my own funeral, I would want family members to say that I was their biggest cheerleader. I would want friends to say that I listened much more than I talked. I would want co-workers to say that I was the hardest worker on the team. And I would want fellow members of the Church to say that I was a powerful example of a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
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 studying ‘The Living Christ.’ I will then take 20 minutes to write my testimony of Jesus Christ in my journal.
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:
- Bishop Waddell has invited us to choose Jesus Christ, not the world.
Tags
Heroes | Idol Worship | Jesus Christ | Pioneers
Additional Content
Previous Podcast Episode (“For the Sake of Your Posterity” by Elder Carlos A. Godoy)