The 194th annual general conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one to remember. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, general conference is always a weekend I await anxiously. The messages that are given at conference are ones that always lighten my heart and answer various questions. Spiritual guidance, or just general guidance, is something for everyone, even those who aren’t members! The April 2024 general conference gave many messages, but the big themes I found were about covenants with God, as described in the Bible, and having a firm foundation in Christ.
No matter where you live or what you believe in, I hope these sayings and teachings can be of guidance as they were for me.
One of my all-time favorite speakers at general conference is the apostle, Jeffrey R. Holland. He opened on the Saturday morning session and set the tone for the rest of the morning. Holland talked a lot about praying. He mentioned that God hears every prayer and answers them according to our designed path and cosmic time table. “There are no limits to when, where, or about what we should pray.”
A lesson I have been learning this year is that things will come according to God’s time, not my own. “It’s for reasons known only to God why prayers are answered differently than we hope — but I promise you they are heard, and they are answered according to His unfailing love and cosmic timetable.” said Holland.
Another talk I really enjoyed came from the apostle Gerrit W. Gong. His talk was about being Christlike and looking for good in our trails. Everyone here on earth experiences heartache, pain and suffering. It is inevitable. However, trials are there to teach us things.
I know it can be hard to look for positives in a time full of despair and darkness, but good things will come out of it. Gong said, “What happened there and then can bless us here and now,” he said, speaking of events recorded in the Book of Mormon. “When we trust God and His love for us,” he said, “even our greatest heartbreaks can, in the end, work together for our good.” This teaches that by turning to God in a trial, our burdens will be lifted and things will become easier.
My final message to readers is a quote from the Prophet Russell M. Nelson. He said, “Priesthood keys distinguish the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other organization on earth.”
Priesthood keys, in the church, are the authority God gives to prophets, temple presidents, mission presidents, stake presidents, bishops, and quorum presidents to direct his work on earth. They are the same authority that God gave to New and Old Testament prophets.
Without priesthood keys, the church could only be a “teaching and humanitarian organization, but not much more,”said President Nelson. With these keys and other covenant promises that are made, people can gain a better understanding and relationship with God.
These messages are for anyone and everyone. I invite you, if so inspired, to go back and listen to or read some talks that were given at the April 2024 general conference.
– by Ari Hurdsman
You can read the full talks at churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference.
Feature image courtesy of Abbie Call, The Byway.
Ari Hurdsman – Junction
Ari Hurdsman is a junior journalist at the Byway. She just recently moved to Ephraim, Utah, where she is a freshman at Snow College. She enjoys writing about Piute sports, and she’s really good at it! In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, reading and hanging out with friends and family.