In preparing for General Conference, I wrote four items on my note paper. I asked two questions—one specific to my calling and one specific to something I’ve been pondering. I also asked to see personal strengths/spiritual gifts and weaknesses.
Identifying questions I seek answers to focuses my attention span. I listen more fervently to conference speaker’s words. The Holy Ghost helps me see application to talks in ways I probably wouldn’t have noticed without intentional listening.
Questions Focus My Attention
The exercise focuses my attention on my journey back to God and helps me take stock on my discipleship. Am I living the way I say I believe? What do I believe?
As I continue to ask and decide and feel the Holy Ghost’s confirming guidance, I change bit by bit to become who I’m meant to be.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord….
Seeking God Through Personal Questions
Listening to General Conference with real intent is a way of calling on the Lord. Having questions in mind and seeking answers to them constitutes seeking Him. Searching my heart to see sins, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities opens my capability to hear His guidance and prompts change.
And in seeking, the Lord promises that we will find Him.
It’s so simple. I spent 30 seconds writing out four things that my heart and mind have carried recently.
I sat ready to hear the voice of the Lord to me, prepared with pen in hand to record the spiritual promptings that I knew would come.
The first speaker stood at the pulpit. And in his opening sentences, Elder Ulisses Soares’ words combined with the Holy Ghost and hit each of my four items. All of them! I’m not even sure exactly what he said, but the Holy Ghost revealed to me answers to my questions and magnified my strengths and weaknesses in my eyes according to what I’d asked.
Sister Becky Craven’s talk continued the personal revelation. And so on. Each speaker spoke directly to me as I intently sought the will of God in my life.
It’s a miraculous process that I couldn’t understand until I tried it for myself.
Elder Brook P. Hales promised that when we honor our covenants, we are entitled to streams of revelation. Bishop W. Christopher Waddell gave numerous examples of how those streams of revelation fill our life. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminded that to increase our relationship with Him, the Lord requires the heart and a willing mind. President Henry B. Eyring pled with us to ponder and pray to increase our faith. Sister Craven reminded that through this process and journey, we don’t need to be perfect, just worthy.
Because of my focused attention, each of those talks became personally meaningful. I felt the power of their words. Their challenges to improve and become more holy inspired me instead of overwhelmed me. And I believe Elder Soares’ testimony that we can experience transformation! The Holy Ghost will change and transform our lives.
My hope and faith is that one of those lives that can transform is mine.
Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
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