There are so many things to love about General Conference. Let’s be real: not having to get ready for Church is a perk in itself. I’ll take wearing my pajamas over a dress any day. (Remember when Elder Holland gave a talk in which he said that he could picture all of us at home listening to Conference, wearing our Sunday best? Good one, J. Holl!)
But that’s not the reason I love Conference. I mean, hey, it doesn’t hurt — but even aside from the wonder that is eating cinnamon rolls from the comfort of my own home while listening to incredible speakers, there’s more to it than that. I love General Conference because I love being taught how to grow closer to the Lord.
That being said, though, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: sometimes it makes me feel a tad overwhelmed.
I love General Conference, but sometimes I wonder how I can possibly incorporate all of it into my life.
Yes, I love hearing the word of the Lord via modern-day prophets and apostles. I love the strength of the Spirit as I listen to sagely wisdom and advice. But sometimes after listening to 30 different talks, I’m like, “Wow. I will never be able to be or do everything that was talked about today.”
And that, friends, is okay! Turns out, the Lord doesn’t expect overnight perfection. He expects improvement; for us to be, as the wise Gordon B. Hinckley once said, “a little better” each day.
I remember once talking with a close friend after conference. While she acknowledged the importance of what was said and the goodness that was shared during the sessions, she also expressed that watching conference often left her feeling like a terrible person.
“It makes me realize all of the things I’m doing wrong,” she lamented through tear-filled eyes. That statement broke my heart, but I understood why she felt this way. Hearing all of the attributes that she needed to gain made her feel like she wasn’t doing enough.
I also understood, however, that discouragement is not a tool of the Spirit. It’s a tool of the adversary.
The Spirit will never make us feel incapable, insufficient, or undeserving. He will never make us feel fear or crippling doubt. He will help us to realize that we can improve, but will also acknowledge the progress we’ve made and the things that we are excelling at.
Discouragement, disillusionment, and distortion are all tools in the adversary’s vast arsenal of weapons. But that is NOT what Conference is about, and we don’t need to ever walk away from Conference, church, or any other Christ-centered activity feeling bad about ourselves.
Focus on a specific principle from General Conference and how you can implement it into your life.
Heavenly Father is pleased with the progress we’re making, and He doesn’t expect us to focus on a thousand different Christ-like attributes at once. My dad once suggested to me that we take one or two principles from Conference (recognizing that we won’t be able to implement everything all at once), and work on those traits until we feel that we have mastered them or that we are at least significantly improving. Then, pick another one or two to focus on.
Wash, rinse, repeat. You get the drill.
Conference is supposed to be a time of edification, answers, and peace — so work on experiencing those things while you participate in conference (whether that’s watching, listening, or reading). Work on a few things, but don’t try to do everything at once. Remember King Benjamin’s words: don’t run faster than ye have strength.
Because at the end of the day, there’s only one thing we need to be concerned about: was I a little better today than yesterday? If not, how can I be better tomorrow?
Don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect, because none of us is — and God doesn’t expect us to be.
Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.
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