General Conference Reflections, Part 5

I've fallen behind on my General Conference reactions, so it's time to finish this project and move on to something else. I'm working on some thoughts relative to our recent stake priesthood meeting, as well as some ideas I have been mulling over regarding the idea of ministering. So let's hop to this discussion.

The Sunday afternoon session of conference was the hardest to get in to. We were all kind of tired, either physically or emotionally; the kids had sat through six hours of conference addresses over two days, and two more hours was a bit much. We were listening to the online streaming, and the connection cut out a few times during the session. And the work week was looming large, and reality was going to set in soon. All of this together made paying attention a bit difficult.

But I knew were in for some good stuff. President Monson was due to give his closing remarks, and we still hadn't heard from a few members of the Quorum of the Twelve, including one of my favorite conference speakers, Elder Bednar.

I've been a big fan of Elder Bednar since we has called to the Twelve. He's smart and a bit nerdy, and I like how he was called to this position without having been a General Authority previously. And one of his first conference talks focused on what I have called the thesis statement of the Book of Mormon, and I like to think he got the idea from me somehow.

His address at this recent conference was textbook Bednar--doctrinally-solid, a bit dry in delivery, but immensely thought-provoking. And with a decent body of his talks to compare this to, it's possible to see some interesting and important themes that seem to define his teachings.

One of those themes has to be the importance of the Holy Ghost in developing a testimony and learning the things of God. I am convinced that this is among the most important doctrines for our time, as the ever-growing church requires that each member develop a deep and lasting testimony, one that is independent of the individuals who, as missionaries, teachers, or leaders, help with the process of conversion. The simple fact is that at some point these individuals will be released, will move, or will let you down, and you will then need to go it (more or less) alone.

In a hierarchy such as the church, it's easy to overlook this need for individual testimony. Since we have priesthood leaders, we sometimes think we can rely on that inspired leadership. But we can't always. In fact, our attitude ought to be the exact opposite; we should be aiming to develop our own spiritual capacities so that we can serve as that bulwark for others.

And this is where Elder Bednar's discussion of the Holy Ghost becomes so vital to us. Understanding that each of us can and must receive the spirit into our lives, first through the ordinances and covenants for which the church and its priesthood authority are so crucial, and then through ongoing, personal spiritual development gives us a clear sense of our role in personal conversion. In order to accomplish my life's purpose, I must make and then keep sacred covenants, and keeping those covenants requires me to constantly strive to listen to the spirit.