6

activities, lay[ing] aside the things of

this world, [to] seek for the things of a
better.
5
Then we gather our families
to hear the word of the Lord, as King
Benjamins people did.
6
Children and youth love to be
included. We make a serious mistake
if we assume that the conference is
above their intellect and spiritual
sensitivity. To the young members
of the Church, I promise that if you
will listen, you will feel the Spirit
well up within you. The Lord will tell
you what He wants you to do with
your life.
In conferences we can receive the
word of the Lord meant just for us.
One member testifed: As I listened
to your address, I was astounded.
... Your talk was personal revelation
directly from the Lord to my family. I
have never experienced such a strong
manifestation of the Spirit in my life as
those minutes when the Holy Ghost
spoke directly to me.
Another said, I have never before
felt so profoundly that a talk was
being given to me.
This is possible because the Holy
Ghost carries the word of the Lord
unto our hearts in terms we can
understand.
7
When I take notes at
conference, I do not always write
down exactly what the speaker is say-
ing; I note the personalized direction
the Spirit is giving me.
What is said is not as important as
what we hear and what we feel.
8
That
is why we make an effort to experi-
ence conference in a setting where the
still, small voice of the Spirit can be
clearly heard, felt, and understood.
Oh, how we need general confer-
ence! Through conferences our faith is
fortifed and our testimonies deep-
ened. And when we are converted, we
strengthen each other to stand strong
amid the fery darts of these last days.
9
conferences have continued to this
very day.
These conferences are always
under the direction of the Lord,
guided by His Spirit.
3
We are not
assigned specifc topics. Over weeks
and months, often through sleep-
less nights, we wait upon the Lord.
Through fasting, praying, studying,
and pondering, we learn the message
that He wants us to give.
Some might ask, Why doesnt
the inspiration come more easily
and quickly? The Lord taught Oliver
Cowdery, You must study it out in
your mind; then you must ask me if
it be right.
4
Conference messages
come to us after prayerful preparation,
through the Holy Ghost.
This principle is true for all mem-
bers of the Church as we prepare
to participate in ward, stake, and
general conferences. We study out in
our minds what we need and desire
from Heavenly Father, and we pray
to understand and apply that which
we are taught. As the time for con-
ference arrives, we sacrifce other
By Elder RobertD. Hales
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
T
hank you, President Monson, for
your teaching and example of
Christlike service and your charge
for all of us to be missionaries. We
ever pray for thee.
In our dispensation, the Savior
Jesus Christ referred to a gathering of
Saints as my general conference.
1
Wherever we are in this world, how-
ever we receive these proceedings, I
testify that we are gathered in His con-
ference. I also testify that we will hear
His word, for He has said, Whether by
mine own voice or by the voice of my
servants, it is the same.
2
Conferences have always been part
of the true Church of Jesus Christ.
Adam gathered his posterity and
prophesied of things to come. Moses
gathered the children of Israel and
taught them the commandments he
had received. The Savior taught multi-
tudes gathered both in the Holy Land
and on the American continent. Peter
gathered believers in Jerusalem. The
frst general conference in these latter
days was convened just two months
after the Church was organized, and
General Conference:
Strengthening Faith
and Testimony
Oh, how we need general conference! Through conferences
our faith is fortifed and our testimonies deepened.
7 No v e m b e r 2 0 1 3
In recent decades the Church
has largely been spared the terrible
misunderstandings and persecutions
experienced by the early Saints. It will
not always be so. The world is moving
away from the Lord faster and far-
ther than ever before. The adversary
has been loosed upon the earth. We
watch, hear, read, study, and share the
words of prophets to be forewarned
and protected. For example, The
Family: A Proclamation to the World
was given long before we experienced
the challenges now facing the family.
The Living Christ: The Testimony of
the Apostles was prepared in advance
of when we will need it most.
We may not know all the reasons
why the prophets and conference
speakers address us with certain top-
ics in conference, but the Lord does.
President HaroldB. Lee taught: The
only safety we have as members of
this church is to ... give heed to the
words and commandments that the
Lord shall give through His prophet.
... There will be some things that
take patience and faith. You may not
like what comes from the authority
of the Church. It may contradict your
[personal] views. It may contradict
your social views. It may interfere
with some of your social life. But if
you listen to these things, as if from
the mouth of the Lord Himself, with
patience and faith, the promise is
that the gates of hell shall not prevail
against you; ... and the Lord God will
disperse the powers of darkness from
before you, and cause the heavens to
shake for your good, and his names
glory (D&C 21:6).
10
How did President Lee know what
we would be facing in our day? He
knew because he was a prophet,
seer, and revelator. And if we listen
and obey the prophets now, includ-
ing those who will speak in this very
conference, we will be strengthened
and protected.
The greatest blessings of general con-
ference come to us after the conference
is over. Remember the pattern recorded
frequently in scripture: we gather to
hear the words of the Lord, and we
return to our homes to live them.
After King Benjamin taught his
people, he dismissed the multitude,
and they returned, every one, accord-
ing to their families, to their own
houses.
11
In his day, King Limhi did
the same.
12
After teaching and min-
istering to the people at the temple
in Bountiful, the Savior entreated the
people, Go ye unto your homes, and
ponder upon the things which I have
said, and ask of the Father, in my
name, that ye may understand, and
prepare your minds for the morrow,
and I come unto you again.
13
We accept the Saviors invitation
when we ponder and pray to under-
stand what we have been taught and
then go forward and do His will.
Remember President Spencer W.
Kimballs words: I have made up
my mind that when I go home from
this [general] conference ... there are
many, many areas in my life that I can
perfect. I have made a mental list of
them, and I expect to go to work as
soon as we get through.
14
President
Monson recently said: I encourage
you to read the talks ... and to ponder
the messages contained therein. I have
found in my own life that I gain even
more from these inspired sermons
when I study them in greater depth.
15
In addition to inviting us to hold
personal and family scripture study,
Heavenly Father wants us to regularly
study and apply what we have learned
in conference. I testify that those who
put their trust in the Lord and heed
this counsel in faith will gain great
strength to bless themselves and their
families for generations to come.
Heavenly Father has provided the
way. At this conference, 97 percent of
the Church can hear these messages
in their own language. Millions of
members in 197 countries will watch
this conference in 95 languages. In
just two or three days the messages
will appear on LDS.org in English, and
within one week they will begin to
be available in 52 languages. Now we
receive the printed Church magazines
within three weeks of the general con-
ference. No longer do we have to wait
months for the talks to arrive by mail.
On a computer, phone, or other elec-
tronic device, we can read, listen to,
watch, and share the teachings of the
8
prophets. Anytime, anywhere, we can
enlarge our knowledge, strengthen
our faith and testimony, protect our
families, and lead them safely home.
The messages of this conference
will also be woven into the online
youth curriculum. Parents, you may
access youth lessons for yourself on
LDS.org. Find out what your children
are learning, and make it the subject
of your own study, family discussions,
family home evenings, family councils,
and personal interviews with each of
your children concerning what they
need to be taught individually.
I encourage all members to use the
resources on the Churchs websites
and mobile apps. They are continually
being refned so that they are easier
to use and more relevant to our lives.
On LDS.org you will fnd resources to
help you study the gospel, strengthen
your home and family, and serve in
your calling. You can also fnd your
ancestors who need temple ordi-
nances and resources to support you
in the work of salvation, including
sharing the gospel. Parents can take
the lead in preparing their children for
baptism, the priesthood, full-time mis-
sions, and the temple. They can help
us walk the strait and narrow path of
temple ordinances and covenants and
qualify for the blessing of eternal life.
In last Aprils conference, in the
general priesthood meeting, I told
about my father drawing a picture of
a knight in armor to teach me about
putting on the whole armor of God
and the spiritual protection it brings.
After that session was over, a father
reported to his family what he had
learned. Inspired, their young son
Jason searched LDS.org to hear the
message for himself. A few days later
he appeared in family home evening
to share the lesson with his brothers
and sisters. Here he is.
A simple conference message,
inspired of the Lord, received by a child,
was taught to a family in a personal,
powerful way. I love his breastplate of
righteousness. I love his shield of faith
to thwart the fery darts of the adversary.
These are the blessings of conference.
My brothers and sisters, I bear my
special witness that the Lord Jesus
Christ lives and stands at the head
of this Church. This is His general
conference. I promise you in His name
that if you pray with a sincere desire to
hear your Heavenly Fathers voice in
the messages of this conference, you
will discover that He has spoken to you
to help you, to strengthen you, and to
lead you home into His presence. In
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1. Doctrine and Covenants 124:88; emphasis
added.
2. Doctrine and Covenants 1:38.
3. See Doctrine and Covenants 46:2.
4. Doctrine and Covenants 9:8.
5. Doctrine and Covenants 25:10.
6. See Mosiah 2:5.
7. See 2Nephi 33:1.
8. See SpencerW. Kimball, in Conference
Report, Tonga Area Conference 1976, 27.
9. See Luke 22:3132.
10. Teachings of Presidents of the Church:
HaroldB. Lee (2000), 8485.
11. Mosiah 6:3.
12. See Mosiah 8:4.
13. 3Nephi 17:3.
14. SpencerW. Kimball, Spoken from Their
Hearts, Ensign, Nov. 1975, 111.
15. ThomasS. Monson, God Be with You
Till We Meet Again, Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2012, 110.
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