Our April 2025 Conference Reflections

Last year our team shared some of our favorite Easter-related scriptures. This year, as I listened to General Conference, I wanted to share some of our insights or highlights from this Conference. Good motivation for me to listen to the talks again, since I can't always listen with my kids around. We are grateful for modern-day prophets and ongoing revelation from heaven!

--Spencer

Russell: "Receive His Gift" by Elder Kearon and "Cherishing Life" by Elder Anderson

I love General Conference and the chance to hear from living prophets and apostles. As Spencer alluded to earlier, children can make paying attention the first time through difficult. I was travelling for much of the Saturday sessions and my daughter held my attention for much of Sunday's sessions. However, I always enjoy going back and reviewing the messages shared. I also cherish the first impressions I get because the Holy Ghost still testifies of the truths shared even when I cannot give full attention. I always love hearing where new temples will be built. It is a testimony to me that the work of God is moving forward. I also loved hearing apostles testify of the living, resurrected Christ. They are called to be special witnesses of Him and hearing them testify of Him is powerful. Those are my general thoughts about conference.

Specifically, Elder Anderson and Elder Kearon's talks stuck out to me. Elder Anderson's story about the couple expecting a child with trisomy 21 made me think of my cousin and his wife who recent had and then subsequently buried their daughter who had trisomy 23. They learned of their daughter's condition fairly early on in the pregnancy and my cousin's wife endured the entire pregnancy and birth. They considered it a miracle that they had 3 days with their daughter. I suppose there is a connection between Elder Anderson's and Elder Kearon's talks. Elder Kearon spoke about the gift of knowing that you are a child of God. This knowledge can be life changing and quite comforting in times of trial, hardship, and difficulty. Heavenly Father knows us and loves us very much. I love that Elder Anderson spoke of the sanctity of life and that Elder Kearon spoke of the gift of knowing what it means to have a life as a child of God.

Spencer: "Right Before Our Eyes" by Elder Rasband

I went into General Conference this year with a more specific prayer than usual. The last few months (and the last year) have been a struggle to keep up with the seemingly increasing number of changes in my life. I've felt for the past year (maybe longer) that Heavenly Father wants me to focus on taking care of myself, instead of exhausting myself to the point of breakdown. As I listened to Conference (and as I've relistened to talks I missed or forgot) I was reminded of the importance of developing a relationship with the Savior. Elder Rasband's talk was one of these, teaching about how our lives, our priorities, and our outlooks change as we come to understand our Heavenly Father and our Savior. Ever since these talks (and whenever I listen to a talk that reminds me of that impression) I try to think of how I can slow down and focus on the basics. How can I let go of my temporal worries and trust in the Father? He's always provided for me and my family in the past. Why not now? Just like any relationship, it's important to keep the relationship strong. It doesn't take long for a relationship to dwindle, so it's vital to take stock of important relationships and keep them close. I'm still trying to figure out what developing that relationship with God means for me, but the frequent reminders from General Conference help.

Michael: "Right Before Our Eyes" by Elder Rasband

As I prepare to defend my dissertation from BYU, Elder Ronald A. Rasband’s April 2025 General Conference talk, “Right Before Our Eyes,” resonated deeply with me. He emphasizes the Lord’s hastening work, highlighting the expansion of the Church through increased membership, missionary efforts, temple construction, and educational opportunities. Elder Rasband notes the fulfillment of Joseph Smith’s prophecy that the Church would fill the world, stating, “That prophecy is being fulfilled ‘right before our eyes.’” His message underscores the significance of education in this divine acceleration, aligning with my own experiences at BYU. Elder Rasband’s counsel to “give the Lord equal time” serves as a reminder to balance secular learning with spiritual growth. As I transition from student life, his words inspire me to continue contributing to the Lord’s work, recognizing the majesty of this moment and the role education plays in preparing us for future service. On a personal note I know that I would not have been able to graduate without the Lord's help and thanks to attending the temple and scripture studying I have been able to do something I know I wouldn't be able to do on my own. I am so grateful that the work of the Lord is being hastened so others can feel of the great joy that God brings to our lives.

 

Phone Home

I cannot remember the last time I saw the movie “E.T.” and truth be told, the last reference to this movie was probably during a visit to the Universal Studios theme park in California during High School when I went on the ride where you sit on a moving set of bicycles and travel with E.T. to/from his dying planet in an effort to save it. They had a set up where riders gave their names and at the end of the ride, E.T. is standing there calling out “thank yous” to each rider by name. It was a fun ride and it is nostalgic to remember that ride that is no longer with us. 

For me, the most memorable moment from the movie was the flying bike scene. Who can forget how E.T. pulls out his glowing finger and causes the bikes to fly! The most iconic phrase that came from this movie that I remember was “E.T. phone home.” Elliot, the little boy who found E.T., teaches him to speak a little bit and is able to determine that E.T. is trying to call home. That is guidance that continues to hold true for us today. We all need to “phone home.”

I don’t remember why E.T. wanted to “phone home,” but the fact that he wanted to highlights a desire we all can seek for, namely to call upon our Heavenly Father and share with Him whatever is on our mind. I love singing both “A Child’s Prayer” and “I Pray in Faith” with my daughter. These songs are great illustrations of how we can “phone home” to Heavenly Father and speak with Him. Here are the lyrics to “I Pray in Faith:”

“I kneel to pray ev’ry day.

I speak to Heav’nly Father.

He hears and answers me

When I pray in faith.

I begin by saying ‘Dear Heavenly Father’;

I thank him for blessings he sends;

Then humbly I ask him for things that I need,

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

I love the simplicity of the prayer structure that is outlined in the second verse. I am grateful that we can call upon Him and speak with Him about whatever is on our mind. E.T. may have referenced using a phone to call home, but we are fortunate in that we do not need a phone to call upon Heavenly Father. Another Hymn, “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire” reminds us that prayer can be “uttered or unexpressed.”

 I loved President Jeffrey R. Holland’s April 2024 general conference talk titled, “Motions of a Hidden Fire.” President Holland recalled the prayers on his and his wife’s behalf and made it clear that even though the outcomes for him and his wife were different (President Holland being restored to life while Sister Holland passed away) prayers are always heard and answered:

“Brothers and sisters, I testify that God hears every prayer we offer and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection. I recognize that at roughly the same time so many were praying for the restoration of my health, an equal number—including me—were praying for the restoration of my wife’s health. I testify that both of those prayers were heard and answered by a divinely compassionate Heavenly Father, even if the prayers for Pat were not answered the way I asked. It is 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.”

My prayer today is that the next time we think about E.T. we will be reminded of the invitation to “phone home” and speak with our Heavenly Father. He wants to hear from us and will always answer our call.

April 2020 General Conference Highlights

During the October 2019 General Conference, President Nelson promised that this conference would be "different from any previous conference".

Well he wasn't whistling Dixie.

This conference was its usual amazing spiritual buffet of talks and insight, which I couldn't do justice to. So if you want to hear the talks themselves, click here.  What I'm going to focus on is what made this conference so monumental in and of itself.

The Effects of COVID-19

The entire world watched conference the same way I do: in jammies with a large chunk of cake in hand. Gathering is currently illegal (or frowned upon) in most of the world right now, so nobody could attend conference in person aside from the speakers. This made for an eerie effect as we saw the speakers sit alone in a large room with six feet between them. There was always a feeling of camaraderie to see the thousands of members crammed into the Conference Center, but here we just had to imagine the crowds at home. In jammies.

Another interesting effect was the music provided by the Choir at Temple Square, which of course for aforementioned reasons could not be live. Instead they chose to use clips from previous conferences. It was interesting to look back at the different conferences and remember where one was at the time, including the clip from 2000 where yours truly was still in junior high and had taken the bus up with a friend to see Conference.


200 Year Anniversary of the First Vision

The main focus of the conference was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the First Vision. The Prophet was shown at the Sacred Grove and the Smith Cabin giving beautiful insights on the early church and First Vision. It felt like the focus we needed right now, since it was something to celebrate in a time where so much is being postponed or mourned.

A New Proclamation

To commemorate the event, a new proclamation was published by the First Presidency. You can check it out here. But spoiler alert: It's powerful and beautiful, to nobody's surprise.

A New Symbol



Since the beginning of the church there hasn't been a symbol like other churches. Usually we use the missionary name tag with the full name of the church on it, or the image of Moroni, but none were official. Now we have one: The churches full name in a cornerstone with the statue of Christ at Temple Square standing over it beneath an arch. Full of symbolism, fully unique and fully us, it's a powerful new symbol of our faith.

Temple Announcements

Eight new temples were announced throughout the world. These were:

• Bahía Blanca, Argentina

• Tallahassee, Florida

• Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Benin City, Nigeria

• Syracuse, Utah

• Dubai, United Arab Emirates

• Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

The temples won't be open for some time. But when they are, the fact that these are in places around the world that were previously thought may never get temples makes this one of the most exciting temple announcements yet.

A Global Fast

The Prophet called for another global fast on Friday, April 10, 2020 for relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. He has called for all members and non-members to participate in whatever way they can in order to petition the heavens for help. The word is already being spread.

When President Nelson first announced that this conference would be "different from any previous conference" we didn't really know what that meant. Imaginations ran wild as to what that meant, but the result was one that nobody could've thought of. Hope in the midst of a crisis, celebration in the midst of terror, this isn't the conference we expected but was the conference we desperately needed.

-JOE

Post-Conference

General Conference is a great spiritual boost every six months. Weather you attended at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, all dressed up and reverent, or listened while in your underwear on your couch trying to roll Oreos from your stomach into your mouth, you'll probably hear something that inspires you to grow as a person.

But what about the day after? 

It's easy to forget the spiritual feeding when you have to return to the real world. Work, school, getting ready for the holidays, whatever you've got going on is going to bring you off the mountain. By the time the next Sunday rolls around the week has destroyed the high and we're back to the same old habits.

About now is usually when I'd start listing a top ten list on how to keep the spirit of conference alive throughout the week, but honestly the only thing I can say is to go back and find that one thing that stuck out to you, that one message that you remember hit you like Mjolnir right in the chest. Whatever that thing is, focus on that. That is where your work is. That is what the Lord needs you to do.

What talk hit you in the chest?
-JOE

How I Stay Engaged During General Conference

 Attending all three days of Salt Lake Comic Con's FanXperience last weekend was a blast for me. As I has always been the case when going to Comic Con or FanX, I had a lot of fun. And like Spencer, I will share about all the exciting things I experienced at FanX in my blog post next week.

As I'm sure you're aware, General Conference is this weekend. And as Conference approaches, I'm looking forward to hearing spiritually uplifting messages from our leaders in the Church.

The First Presidency

If you're like me, and have a fairly short attention span (or perhaps have children that do), staying focused on eight to ten hours of talks over the course of two days can be challenging, even when looking forward to hearing these messages.

For the last couple of years, on the Saturday of General Conference, I have gotten together with some of my other friends who also happen to be Mormons and geeks, and we have had a Conference Game Day.

Before you question the appropriateness of combining spiritual messages from our prophet and the apostles, hear me out.

Basically what is involved in a Conference Game Day is getting friends or family together to play games (preferably those that don't detract from the spirit of Conference) before, between, and after the Conference sessions, and then during the sessions playing Conference Bingo.

At this point, you might be asking, “What is Conference Bingo?”

Conference Bingo is much like regular Bingo, except that instead of having a card filled with numbers, each person starts with a blank Bingo card.

My blank Bingo card

Each person then fills in each space with words that they expect to hear during the session of conference. Common words, such as “the,” “a” “and,” “or,” “for” or “of” are not allowed. The words have to be related to Church or Conference themes, such as “temple” or “family” or “Savior.”

My Bingo card after I've filled words in all the boxes.

Then, while watching the session of General Conference, listen for the words you wrote on your card during the talks.

While you can play to just getting five in a row, I recommend playing blackout (i.e. every space on your card must be checked), as it is far more likely to take nearly the whole session to complete.

The winner then gets some sort of prize, such as choosing a game to play between sessions, or choosing where to go for lunch or something else similar.

I have found that I have come to look forward to these Conference Game Days, and to Conference Bingo in particular. Not only does it help me to pay closer attention to what the speakers are saying, and more likely to remember what the talk was about later, it adds an element of fun to it.

A Session of General Conference inside the Conference Center

What are some of the things that you use to help you better focus on the messages of General Conference? Is there anything you do to add some additional fun to it?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas for how to make General Conference more engaging and fun.