Saturday, October 6, 2018

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf on hearing the Lord's voice in general conference

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (born November 6, 1940) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He served as second counselor in the First Presidency from 2008 to 2018.
"On long-range flights, the shortwave radio frequencies are often crowded and static distorts the messages. The same is true for our lives. Everybody wants to get their message across. We have to train and condition ourselves to hear the still, small voice, never to be distracted or stop listening because of too much static on that sacred frequency. This can best be done by internalizing and acting according to the moral and ethical standards we receive from the scriptures and the living prophets.
"From the Prophet Joseph Smith to President Howard W. Hunter [and today to President Russell M. Nelson], we are receiving updated sacred guidance according to our needs and readiness. The general conference messages by our prophets, seers, and revelators are given to us by the Lord in his own time, in his own way, and for a very special purpose."
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Only True And Valid Basis," General Conference, October 1994
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This address, the first conference talk given by Elder Uchtdorf when was a newly-called Seventy in the church leadership, underscores his testimony and loyalty to the Lord's chosen prophets. It was our first chance to hear him give a lesson based on an aviation analogy. His counsel was to learn to "filter" the many messages that are jamming our "listening frequencies" so that we can identify the ones that truly matter most. We can learn to distinguish and choose appropriately as we follow the previous counsel given to us in scriptures and prophetic teachings.


General Conference is a time to fine-tune our listening abilities in order to receive instruction from the Lord that will bless our lives each day. What a sacred opportunity to listen to those "prophets, seers, and revelators"!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

No comments:

Post a Comment

// Customization to close archive widget on first view - DK 3/15