General Conference: Inspired Questions, Personalized Answers

By Lauren Madsen

Waiting for the text to come out after General Conference for me is a lot like waiting for water to boil or cookies to bake. It is the same every six months--I just want to dig in and study the messages of our leaders. Over the past couple of years, I would read the talks looking for two things: invitations and promises. Along with teaching truth and bearing testimony, church leaders also invite us to apply what they have taught, and often describe the blessings that will follow when we do.

When the text for the October 2021 talks came out, I felt a nudge to search not only for invitations and promises, but for questions as well. I remembered writing down a few questions some of the speakers had posed while I watched Conference live and I wanted to make a list of them. I quickly discovered that there were different types of questions throughout the sessions. Many questions were directly from scripture, often from the Savior himself. Some questions were asked and then immediately answered, while others led the listener to reflect and answer for themselves.

Self-reflection through pondering upon our own personal answers to these questions can make the difference between simply listening to a message and actually applying the counsel given to our own life. It requires being honest with ourselves and having a desire to reach our fullest potential. Below are several of the inspired questions I came across in my study. I invite you to take some time to answer them. As you do, the Spirit will testify of truth and guide you to the actions that will bless you in the days ahead.

Sister Bonnie H. Cordon https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/13cordon?lang=eng

• Who will you bring to Christ?

Elder D. Todd Christofferson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/15christofferson?lang=eng

• In acknowledging that God loves us perfectly, we each might ask, “How well do I love God? Can He rely on my love as I rely on His?” 

Sister Susan H. Porter https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/24porter?lang=eng

• Do you know how completely God, our Heavenly Father, loves you? Have you felt His love deep in your soul?

Ronald A. Rasband https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/26rasband?lang=eng

• What things do you ponder? What things really matter to you? What are the things of your soul?

Elder Moisés Villanueva https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/28villanueva?lang=eng

• How do we react to our afflictions? Do we murmur before the Lord because of them? Do we feel thankful in word, thought, and deed because we are more focused on our blessings than on our problems?

Elder M. Russell Ballard https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/31ballard?lang=eng

• How would we answer the question “Lovest thou me more than these?” What things can you do within your own life to show that you love the Lord first?

Sister Camille N. Johnson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/42johnson?lang=eng

• What kind of personal narrative are you writing for your life? Is the path you describe in your story straight? Does your story end where it began, at your heavenly home? Is there an exemplar in your story—and is it the Savior Jesus Christ? Will you invite Him to be the author and finisher of your story?

Elder Dale G. Renlund https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/43renlund?lang=eng

• What can I do to foster unity? How can I respond to help this person draw closer to Christ? What can I do to lessen contention and to build a compassionate and caring Church community?

Elder Michael A. Dunn https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/54dunn?lang=eng

• Rather than being stymied by the churn and dramatic swings between sin and repentance, what if our approach was to narrow our focus—even as we broadened it? Instead of trying to perfect everything, what if we tackled just one thing?

President Russell M. Nelson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/59nelson?lang=eng

• So I ask each of you, how firm is your foundation? And what reinforcements to your testimony and understanding of the gospel are needed?