Last updated on March 20th, 2024 at 04:39 pm
General Conference Applied
S2 E23 – Sunday, March 10, 2024 | “The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day” by Elder Joaquin E. Costa and “Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions” by Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella; October 2023 General Conference
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Podcast Episode Social Media Posts
- Important Quote (“The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day”): Facebook | Instagram
- Important Quote (“Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions”): Facebook | Instagram
- Invitation: Facebook | Instagram
Corresponding Talk Outline: “The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day” and “Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions“
Podcast Episode Outline
REMEMBER THIS
If you remember nothing else from this podcast episode, remember this:
- Elder Joaquin E. Costa has invited us to intentionally seek Jesus Christ every day, and Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella has invited us to bear testimony often of Jesus Christ.
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 “The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day,” I identified Atonement of Jesus Christ as the fundamental doctrine, The Life of Christ as the fundamental principle, and Hope as the fundamental Christlike attribute. In “Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions,” 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 outlines (“The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day” and “Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions“), 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: “I have found that the source of that strength is faith in Jesus Christ as we intentionally seek to come unto Him each and every day.” (“The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Intentionally seek Jesus Christ every day.
1: “My purpose today is to remind us that we can show God that we take the name of His Son upon ourselves by bearing testimony in word and deed, as often as we can, that Jesus is the Christ.” (“Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Bear testimony often of Jesus Christ.
Overview
Bio
Elder Joaquin E. Costa
“Elder Joaquin E. Costa was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2016. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy in the South America Northwest Area. He also previously served as Second Counselor (2017–2018) in the Brazil Area Presidency. Elder Costa previously served at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah and in the Brazil Area Presidency. He currently serves as First Counselor in the South America South Area Presidency.
“Elder Costa has served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, and Area Seventy.
“Elder Costa received a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1987 from Universidad de Buenos Aires and a master’s degree in business administration in 1994 from Brigham Young University. In his professional career he worked in the banking industry in Argentina, the Czech Republic, and the Sultanate of Oman in the Middle East. At the time of his call, he was working in Lima, Peru, with a Danish investment firm focused on microfinance.
“Joaquin Esteban Costa was born in Concordia, Entre Rios, Argentina, on March 8, 1965. He married Renee Beatriz Varela in September 1989. They are the parents of four children.”
Learn more about Elder Joaquin E. Costa
Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella
“Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 2017. He previously served in the Brazil Area presidency and is currently serving at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
“Since joining the Church in 1971, Elder Parrella has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Brazil Porto Alegre Mission, branch president, bishop, high councilor, counselor in a stake presidency, Area Seventy, and president of the Brazil Belo Horizonte Mission.
“Elder Parrella received a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1989 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1991, both from Brigham Young University. He worked as managing director of multinational companies until 2005 and was a partner at Korn Ferry International until 2009 and recently a partner at Caldwell Partners.
“Adilson de Paula Parrella was born in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil, on November 2, 1962. He married Elaine Finholdt in 1988. They are the parents of five children.”
Learn more about Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella
Connection
This was Elder Costa’s second General Conference address. His first General Conference address (“To the Friends and Investigators of the Church“) was delivered in the April 2017 General Conference.
- “After I had finished taking all the missionary lessons, I was still not convinced I needed to change anything in my life. It was Elder Cutler, a young, confident missionary with limited Spanish, who one day said, ‘Joaquin, let’s read together Alma 42, and we will include your name as we read it.’ I thought it was silly, but I did as Elder Cutler asked and read in verse 1: ‘And now, my son [Joaquin], I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand.’ Oh! The book was speaking to me. And we read in verse 2: ‘Now behold, my son [Joaquin], I will explain this thing unto thee,’ and then the Fall of Adam was described. And then in verse 4: ‘And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto [Joaquin] to repent.’ We continued reading slowly, verse by verse, until we reached the last three verses. Then I was struck by a powerful force. The book spoke directly to me, and I started to cry as I read, ‘And now, [Joaquin,] my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you … unto repentance’ (verse 29). I realize now that I had expected to receive revelation without paying the price. Until then I had never truly spoken to God, and the idea of speaking to someone who wasn’t present seemed foolish. I had to humble myself and do what I was being asked to do even if, in my worldly mind, it sounded silly. That day I opened my heart to the Spirit, desired to repent, and wanted to be baptized! Before that moment, I had thought of repentance as something negative, associated only with sin and wrongdoing, but suddenly I saw it in a different light—as something positive that cleared the path to growth and happiness. Elder Cutler is here today, and I want to thank him for opening my eyes. Every decision I have made in my life since then has been influenced by that moment when I humbled myself and prayed for forgiveness, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ on my behalf became part of my life.”
This was also Elder Parrella’s second General Conference address. His first General Conference address (“Essential Truths—Our Need to Act“) was delivered in the October 2017 General Conference.
- “While studying at Brigham Young University as a young, single returned missionary, I attended a priesthood session of general conference in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. President Ezra Taft Benson, then-President of the Church, urged every returned missionary to take marriage seriously and make it a top priority in his life. After the session, I knew I had been called to repentance and needed to act on the prophet’s counsel. Thus, I decided to go to my home country, Brazil, to find a wife. Before leaving for Brazil on a two-month internship, I called my mom and some friends on the phone and came up with a list of about 10 young women—each of them a potential wife. While in Brazil, after much pondering and prayer, I met, dated, got engaged to, and set a date to marry one of the young women on the list. It was not record-breaking time for students in Provo, Utah, to date and become engaged, but it was fast by Brazil standards. A few months later, I married Elaine. She is the love of my life and a choice blessing. I am not suggesting that everyone should make a similar list, but I am suggesting—maybe more than suggesting—that we always act when our living prophets speak.”
How might I consider taking action?
Invitations
1: “I have found that the source of that strength is faith in Jesus Christ as we intentionally seek to come unto Him each and every day.” (“The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Intentionally seek Jesus Christ every day.
Ideas
- Prayer and scripture study first thing
- “When I wake up, instead of looking at my phone, I say a prayer. Even a simple prayer. Then I read a scripture. This helps me with my weekly covenant that I make as I partake of the sacrament to ‘always remember him.’ When I begin my day with a prayer and a scripture, I can ‘remember Him’ when I do look at my phone.”
- Church News Podcast Episode 178: Relief Society general presidency celebrates the 182nd anniversary of the organization: “Well, I start my mornings on my knees. And while I get ready in the morning, I actually listen to the words of President Russell M. Nelson. It’s the very best way for me to start my day, is to hear His voice and His reassurance of the promises that are available to us if we follow the Prophet — the Lord’s mouthpiece and the watchman on the tower.” (President Camille N. Johnson)
- Develop a relationship with Jesus Christ
- “One of the mistakes we often make is to think that keeping covenants, or the promises we make to God, is somehow a transaction we make with Him: I obey, and He protects me from anything bad ever happening to me. I pay my tithing, and I will never lose my job or the fire will not burn my house. But then when things don’t go as we expected, we cry unto the Lord, ‘Carest thou not that I perish?’ Our covenants are not merely transactional; they are transformational. Through my covenants I receive sanctifying, strengthening power of Jesus Christ, which allows me to become a new person, to forgive what seems unforgivable, to overcome the impossible.”
- “What Has Our Savior Done for Us?“, April 2021 General Conference, President Dallin H. Oaks: “The Resurrection gives us more than this assurance of immortality. It changes the way we view mortal life. The Resurrection gives us the perspective and the strength to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and those we love. It gives us a new way to view the physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies we have at birth or acquire during mortal life. It gives us the strength to endure sorrows, failures, and frustrations. Because each of us has an assured resurrection, we know that these mortal deficiencies and oppositions are only temporary.”
- “His Grace Is Sufficient“, July 12, 2011, BYU Speech, Brother Brad Wilcox: “I have born-again Christian friends who say to me, ‘You Mormons are trying to earn your way to heaven.’ I say, ‘No, we are not earning heaven. We are learning heaven. We are preparing for it (see D&C 78:7). We are practicing for it.’ They ask me, ‘Have you been saved by grace?’ I answer, ‘Yes. Absolutely, totally, completely, thankfully—yes!’ Then I ask them a question that perhaps they have not fully considered: ‘Have you been changed by grace?’ They are so excited about being saved that maybe they are not thinking enough about what comes next. They are so happy the debt is paid that they may not have considered why the debt existed in the first place. Latter-day Saints know not only what Jesus has saved us from but also what He has saved us for. As my friend Brett Sanders puts it, ‘A life impacted by grace eventually begins to look like Christ’s life.’ As my friend Omar Canals puts it, ‘While many Christians view Christ’s suffering as only a huge favor He did for us, Latter-day Saints also recognize it as a huge investment He made in us.’ As Moroni puts it, grace isn’t just about being saved. It is also about becoming like the Savior (see Moroni 7:48). The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly (see John 10:10). The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed (see Romans 8). Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God (see Alma 40:26), but, brothers and sisters, no unchanged thing will even want to.”
- Intentionally remember Jesus Christ always
- “Intentionally remembering Jesus Christ always is powerful; it gives me added strength to ‘keep his commandments which he has given [me].’ It helps me to be nicer, to smile for no reason, to be a peacemaker, to avoid conflict, to let God prevail in my life.”
- “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives“, April 2017 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson: “There is nothing easy or automatic about becoming such powerful disciples. Our focus must be riveted on the Savior and His gospel. It is mentally rigorous to strive to look unto Him in every thought. But when we do, our doubts and fears flee.”
- “Not ‘why me?’ but ‘what for?'”
- “We have seen the manifestation of the Savior’s power … in a young woman in Argentina who fell under a train and lost her leg, just because someone wanted to steal her cell phone. And in her single father, who now must pick up the pieces and strengthen his daughter after such an unexplainable act of cruelty. … When our pain or the pain of someone we love is so much that we can’t bear it, remembering Jesus Christ and coming unto Him can lighten the burden, soften the heart, and ease the pain. This is the power that enabled a father beyond his natural capacity to sustain his daughter through the physical and emotional pain of losing her leg. When Elder Soares visited Argentina last June and asked Flavia about her tragic accident, she faithfully replied, ‘I experienced turmoil, bitterness, anger, and hate when [this happened]. Something that helped me was not to ask, ‘why me?’ but ‘what for?’ … This was something that brought me closer to others and the Lord. … Instead of distancing myself from Him, I had to cling to Him.'”
- “Think Celestial!“, October 2023 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson: “As I have wrestled with the intense pain caused by my recent injury, I have felt even deeper appreciation for Jesus Christ and the incomprehensible gift of His Atonement. Think of it! The Savior suffered ‘pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ so that He can comfort us, heal us, rescue us in times of need. Jesus Christ described His experience in Gethsemane and on Calvary: ‘Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore.’ My injury has caused me to reflect again and again on ‘the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.’ During my healing, the Lord has manifested His divine power in peaceful and unmistakable ways.”
- Hope (Christlike Attribute): “As you center your hope in Christ, you have the assurance that all things will work together for your good (see Doctrine and Covenants 90:24). This assurance helps you persevere with faith when you face trials. It can also help you grow from trials and develop spiritual resilience and strength. Hope in Christ provides an anchor for your soul (see Ether 12:4).”
- “The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life” by Robin Sharma: “‘Nelson Mandela wrote, ‘As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” … ‘Mr. Mandela came into this cell as a hot-headed, angry, hostile and militant young man. It was who he grew into here in this prison that made him the icon we all now revere. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu taught us, ‘suffering can either embitter us or ennoble us.’ … ‘All the best men and women of the world have one thing in common,’ said The Spellbinder: ‘extreme suffering. And each of them evolved into their greatness because they chose to leverage their circumstances to heal, purify and uplift themselves.’ … ‘To lead is to inspire others by the way that you live. To lead is to walk through the fires of your hardest times to step up into forgiveness. To lead is to remove any form of mediocrity from infiltrating the quarters of your life in a dazzling celebration of the majesty that is your birthright. To lead is to turn your terrors into triumphs and translate each of your heartbreaks into heroism. And more than all else, to lead is to be a force for good on this tiny planet of ours. Today, you get to accept this grand call to raise the standard by which you live out the remainder of your life.'”
Other Ideas
- Do everything in the Son’s name
- Moses 5:5-8: “And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.”
- “Do all that thou doest in the name of the Son” – what does this look like at work, in your relationships, in the every day moments of life?
- “Love and Belonging“, November 2023 Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, Sister Mary Cook: “Now, be honest with yourself. Ask: Do my actions show my love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? Am I helping others around me to believe? If I were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?”
Invitations
1: “My purpose today is to remind us that we can show God that we take the name of His Son upon ourselves by bearing testimony in word and deed, as often as we can, that Jesus is the Christ.” (“Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions”)
- What This Means (in 6 words or less): Bear testimony often of Jesus Christ.
Ideas
- Our lives are a living testimony
- “As we strive to live our lives in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ, our conduct will be a living testimony of our Redeemer and His name.”
- “There’s something different about you” – my experience on public transit.
- Share what we believe, feel, know
- “We witness of Christ in word by sharing with others what we believe, feel, or know of Jesus Christ. When we humbly share our testimony of the Lord through our words and actions, the Holy Ghost confirms to those with real intent, open hearts, and willing minds that Jesus is indeed the Christ.”
- 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.”
- “We Talk of Christ“, October 2020 General Conference, Elder Neil L. Andersen: “With those around us, let us be more open, more willing to talk of Christ. President Nelson said, ‘True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world.’ 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.’ Be more open on social media in talking about your trust in Christ. Most will respect your faith, but if someone is dismissive when you speak of the Savior, take courage in His promise: ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you … for my sake. … For great is your reward in heaven.’ We care more about being His followers than being ‘liked’ by our own followers. Peter counseled, ‘Be ready always to give an answer [for] the hope that is in you.’ Let us talk of Christ.”
- Testify of Jesus Christ at church
- “When my wife, Elaine, and I went to Spain in 2022, we attended Sunday meetings in a small unit of the Church there. As I sat on the stand and my wife in the congregation, I noticed that she sat by an older woman. When the sacrament meeting ended, I walked toward Elaine and asked her to introduce me to her new friend. She did so and indicated that this woman, who was not a member of the Church, had been visiting the Church for about two years. When I heard that, I asked this God-fearing woman what made her come back and attend our meetings for such an extended period. The woman lovingly replied, ‘I like to come here because you speak of Jesus Christ in your meetings.’ Clearly, members of the Church in that unit in Spain talked, taught, and testified of Christ in their meetings. … What a blessing to see that our Church meetings are choice opportunities for us to testify of Christ and signal to God that we rejoice in taking His Son’s name upon us.”
- “Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus“, October 2023 General Conference, Elder Robert M. Daines: “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.”
- “What Is so Amazing about Grace?“, November 10, 2009, BYU Hawaii Speech, Sister Camille Fronk Olson (Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University):
- “The catalyst for me occurred about 25 years ago, coming in the form of a student’s observation about her former LDS ward. I had been teaching released-time seminary for about five years when a student I had taught when she was a sophomore came back to visit me when she was a senior in high school. After a few pleasantries, she informed me that she was no longer attending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; she told me she now attended a Protestant church in the area. I felt as though she wanted me to react with alarm when she made this announcement, so I remained calm and simply said, Oh, that is interesting, what led you to that decision? Her answer shook me from my calm demeanor because it was not at all what I expected. She said, When I attended my LDS ward, we talked about being honest, the importance of reading scriptures and getting married in the Temple, and the importance of a living prophet, but I never heard much about Jesus Christ. In this new church I attend, Jesus is the heart and soul of all their sermons. My first reaction was denial. In my thoughts I was arguing that she wasn’t listening when she had attended the LDS Church because certainly the Savior is at the heart of all that we believe and understand. In an attempt to validate these assumptions, I asked all of the students in my five classes the next day what they thought of this girl’s observations about her ward. To my amazement, the great majority in every class agreed with her, concluding that we didn’t speak, teach, or mention much about the Savior other than in our hymns and at the end of prayers and talks. I made a silent vow that day that I would never teach a lesson or give a talk without making a connection between the topic or scripture block and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. My motivation in the beginning was to prove to my students that we did indeed teach of Christ and rejoice in Christ. That reason, however, changed rather quickly. In seeking to find connections to the Savior and His Atonement to present in class, I discovered a deeper, more meaningful scripture study experience. Instead of looking first for ways that the passage applied to me, I sought to understand what it taught about the Redeemer. Students responded to our class discussions differently after I consistently made connections to the Atonement. There was a feeling of reverence in the room. After class, students often reported that the scriptures we had explored that day were the very ones that they needed in their personal challenges. Perhaps most dramatic, I noticed a change that was occurring in me. My reverence for the Redeemer increased beyond anything I had previously known. I also found a new sense of confidence that motivated me to action. I wanted to do and say whatever the Lord wanted me to do and say and felt an added energy to actually do it. Too often before this experience, I had looked beyond the mark, or the target upon which to focus. Looking beyond the Savior, I stumbled trying to explain tangents and ancillary principles, getting caught up in faddish topics scintillating stories instead of remembering the foundation of faith in Christ and repentance through the Atonement. During Ezra Taft Benson’s presidency, he often reminded the membership of the Church about the revelation given to Joseph Smith about the Church being under condemnation because of the Book of Mormon. And [the church] shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written (D&C 84:57). Many thought he meant that we needed to read the Book of Mormon more often. Although frequent study of this great book of scripture is always a great habit, my experience with finding connections to Christ in all scripture suggested there was something more. Shortly after President Benson passed away, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve reviewed the many speeches that he gave on the subject and concluded that the President of the Church had something more specific in mind. In my opinion, he wrote, one of the principal reasons our Heavenly Father had His prophet direct us into a more intensive study of the Book of Mormon is to help us counteract [the] modern tendency to try to diminish the divinity and mission of our Savior…. In too many of our classes, in too many of our worship services, we are not teaching of Christ and testifying of Christ in the way that we should.”
- Use the Church’s correct name
- “We all left general conference that day committed and determined to follow the prophet and to use the revealed name of the Church from then on. I really watched myself to make sure I used the correct name of the Church. The first few times, I had to be very conscious and not allow myself to go back to the old ways. After the first attempts, I felt more comfortable with using the revealed name of the Church. I admit that many times, I would speak the name of the Church quickly. I felt concerned that people would not pay attention to the Church’s full name and that they might think it to be a bit long. However, I later realized that speaking the full name of the Church with intent gave me valuable opportunities to speak the name of Jesus Christ and in fact bear testimony of the Savior by declaring His name in the name of His Church. I also noticed that when I spoke the correct name of the Church with others, I more frequently remembered Jesus Christ and felt His influence in my life. By following the prophet, we can all learn to testify more of Jesus Christ by using the correct name of the Church, thus taking upon us more fully the name of the Lord.” (As you listen to Elder Parrella’s address, pay attention to how slowly he speaks the Savior’s name and the name of the Church.)
- “The Name of the Church Is Not Negotiable“, October 2021 General Conference, Elder Neil L. Andersen: “There are thousands and thousands of Latter-day Saints who have courageously proclaimed the name of the Church. As we do our part, others will follow. I love this story from Tahiti. Ten-year-old Iriura Jean resolved to follow the counsel of President Nelson. ‘In her school class they discussed their weekend … and Iriura talked about … church. Her teacher, Vaite Pifao, said, ‘Oh, so you are a Mormon?’ Iriura stated boldly, ‘No, … I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!’ Her teacher replied, ‘Yes, … you are a Mormon.’ Iriura insisted, ‘No teacher, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!’ Ms. Pifao was amazed at Iriura’s conviction and wondered why she was so insistent on using [the] long name of her church. [She decided to learn more about the Church.] [Later, as Sister] Vaite Pifao was baptized [she expressed gratitude] that Iriura heeded the counsel of President Nelson.'”
Other Ideas
- Speak of Christ in our homes
- “Preserving the Voice of the Covenant People in the Rising Generation“, October 2023 General Conference, Brother Jan E. Newman: “For the rising generation, it’s not enough for faith in Jesus Christ to be ‘the tradition of their fathers.’ They need to own faith in Christ for themselves. As the covenant people of God, how can we instill within the hearts of our children a desire to make and keep covenants with Him? We can start by following the example of Nephi: ‘We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.’ Nephi’s words imply a constant, ongoing effort to teach our children about Christ. We can ensure that the voice of the covenant people is not silent in the ears of the rising generation and that Jesus is not a Sunday-only topic. The voice of the covenant people is found in our own words of testimony. It is found in the words of living prophets. And it is preserved powerfully in the scriptures. It is there that our children will come to know Jesus and find answers to their questions. It is there they will learn for themselves the doctrine of Christ. It is there they will find hope. This will prepare them for a lifetime of seeking truth and living on the covenant path.”
- “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.’ ‘We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, … that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.'”
Report on Prior Week’s Action Item
Last week I committed to taking action on this sentence: “Teach your children not to exclude anyone, and make specific family plans about handling bullying over race or differences of appearance, language, or ability.” I anticipated that this would involve writing in my journal, putting thoughts on a whiteboard during a family home evening discussion, and doing some role-playing with my children to help them better understand what was being taught.
Unfortunately, this discussion did not happen this week – it was a busy week! However, I’m going to ask my accountability partner for one more day and I’d like to make this discussion with my family happen tomorrow. I will report back on this action item, in addition to the action item for today’s podcast episode, in General Conference Applied season 2 episode 24.
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
I will post a reel on Facebook / Instagram this week, bearing testimony of Jesus Christ.
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 Costa has invited us to intentionally seek Jesus Christ every day, and Elder Parrella has invited us to bear testimony often of Jesus Christ.
Tags
“The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day”
Adversity | Dedication | Faith | Jesus Christ
“Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions”
Example | Jesus Christ | Missionary Work | Name of Church | Testimony