Teachings of Church Leaders 7

This lesson has two parts. The first part will teach you two skills that can help you have a more meaningful experience studying general conference messages.

In the second part of this lesson, you will use the skills you learned to study the general conference talk assigned by your teacher. If a message wasn’t assigned, choose one from the most recent general conference.

One way to make meaningful connections is to focus on how what you are learning relates to what you already know. A doctrinal mastery passage can be a great place to start.

For example, as you read the following passage from Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, think of doctrinal mastery passages that might relate to what he taught.

13:17

Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. They might think, “If I diligently serve a full-time mission, God will bless me with a happy marriage and children” or “If I refrain from doing schoolwork on the Sabbath, God will bless me with good grades” or “If I pay tithing, God will bless me with that job I’ve been wanting.” If life doesn’t fall out precisely this way or according to an expected timetable, they may feel betrayed by God. But things are not so mechanical in the divine economy. We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered. (“Our Relationship with God,” Liahona, May 2022, 78)

tithing, blessings, commandments

You might have connected this statement with one of the following doctrinal mastery passages from this year.

• Malachi 3:8–10: The blessings of paying tithing

• Exodus 20:3–17: The Ten Commandments

• Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart … and he shall direct thy paths”

As you find meaningful statements in the talks you study today, use the doctrinal mastery scripture passages list to find scriptures that relate to what you are learning. When you find a good fit, create a link between the statement and the doctrinal mastery passage. This will help you better understand the talk you study, as well as the doctrinal mastery verse you choose.

Another way to make sense of large amounts of information is by using lists. Some speakers structure their talks in list format. For example, in the April 2013 priesthood session, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, gave a talk that was titled “Four Titles.” In it, he taught about four specific titles that help us understand our role in God’s plan:

Son of Heavenly Father …

Disciple of Jesus Christ …

Healer of Souls …

Heir of Eternal Life (“Four Titles,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 58–60)

Other times, speakers may simply provide many examples and leave you to make the list. For example, in his talk “Peacemakers Needed,” President Russell M. Nelson mentioned many ways to be a peacemaker. While his examples were not numbered, a careful reader could easily create a list of five ways to be a peacemaker.

Even if the author didn’t intend to make a list, you can often create one yourself. For example, the following steps could help you make a list from almost any talk:

1. Prayerfully study the talk, and mark phrases that stand out to you.

2. After you finish reading, review the phrases you marked.

3. Make a note next to the talk, using your own words and outlining the five most important ideas the author shared.

Following this pattern can help you process what you learned and make meaningful connections with the teachings.

As you study a general conference talk today, create at least one list. It can be a list the speaker presented or one you create based on their talk.

Today you learned two skills:

1. Linking teachings to what you know

2. Looking for and creating lists

Use these skills to study the general conference talk assigned by your teacher. If a message wasn’t assigned, choose one from the most recent general conference.