Sorta-liveblogging general conference: Sunday afternoon session

So we’ve gotten to the final session. Since anyone coming to this after it goes up will see this first, a note about the way these are set up:

The speakers are listed in reverse chronological order, so to get the full conference in chronological order you can scroll down to the end of the entry for the first session, and then read upwards. (Under each speaker, though, my notes are listed downward, because i tried it once the other way and it was painful.)

Anyway, so now is when you scroll down and begin reading…

My closing thoughts

• So the church will at some point in the relatively near future have two temples in countries where we’re not allowed to actively do missionary work. That’s interesting.
• For all that went on, this felt like a pretty subdued conference. Or maybe that’s because i’ve been under a coronavirus stay-at-home order and my sense of normal is completely messed up. So either way.
• And my favorite address of the conference? Jean B. Bingham’s address from Saturday evening, not least because she called out certain culturally gendered practices as wrong, not as a “the way the world does it is wrong and we do it right” but rather as a critique of our own selves.

Russell M. Nelson, president of the high priesthood

• A lot has happened at this conference, but the one that should remain foremost in your memory is the two-word sequence “Hear him.”
• Even when the temples are closed you can draw on their power by fulfilling your covenants and living a temple-worthy life or becoming temple-worthy.
• New temples: 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.
• And closing with an apostolic blessing.

D. Todd Christofferson, of the quorum of apostles

• There have been great sacrifices made to allow missionary work to go forward, not in self-interest, but as a manifestation of selfless love.
• We need to use the Book of Mormon in preaching the gospel.
• If someone isn’t interested in learning more about the gospel, remember that our love for that person remains constant.

L. Whitney Clayton, of the presidency of the quorums of seventy

• We need to make sure our homes are in order, centered on the gospel.
• The scriptures have stories of families, and so give us insight into how to build a better family.
• Faithful living leads to a better life.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the quorum of apostles

• We speak and preach of Christ—but devotion to Christ requires more than that, it requires discipleship.
• We need to actively participate, but doing so requires (lifelong) practice.
• As members of the church, we are to do things such as immersing ourselves in the words of the prophets and praying to learn to recognize the way the Spirit works.
• To those not of our faith: In our church you will find people who have what you need, and who themselves need you and what you have.
• Prayers don’t need to be flowery or grammatically correct or anything like that to reach heaven.
• Jesus Christ died so that our mistakes wouldn’t stop us from progressing.
• This bicentennial of the First Vision isn’t just a historical commemoration—the restoration is an ongoing event in which we all play a part.
• To play our full part in the restoration, join with us, and come and belong.

Ricardo P. Giménez, of the quorums of seventy

• There are times in our lives that are relatively smooth, but we will face challenges that will press us to our limits.
• When faced with these issues, we often feel fear—but faith is the counter to that fear.
• When we face challenges, we may have questions to which we don’t have any answers—but we can take comfort knowing that if we endure if well and believe in the things Jesus Christ has asked us to do, we will come out of it well.
• When the focus of our lives is on the plan of salvation, we can be joyful in all circumstances, even in great trials.
• Those who put their faith in God will be supported through their trials, and will ultimately be blessed with the strength we need.

Quentin L. Cook, of the quorum of apostles

• The proclamation given earlier today makes it clear that the church owes its history and future to continuing revelation.
• Continuous revelation has been received and will continue to be received through the channels that God has instituted.
• For those who have left the church, we wish for you to come back so that we can welcome you and worship together again.
• Personal revelation is as important as prophetic revelation.
• To receive revelation, pray (seek and ask), prepare (be in harmony with the Lord’s teachings), and take the sacrament worthily.
• Divine guidance often comes to us when we are working to bless others.

Dallin H. Oaks, of the first presidency

• The atonement of Jesus Christ is designed to promote our eternal growth.
• To become what we are destined to become requires both that we reject opposition to good when given the choice, and that we are subject to some opposition we have no choice in.
• The Savior, through the atonement, “revokes the finality of death”.
• Our progress need not conclude with the end of mortality (though we haven’t been told much about what happens in the next life).