In 2021, the 191st Annual and 191st Semiannual general conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints saw the Church continue to adapt to the conditions of a pandemic.
Those adaptations turned to strengths as Church leaders shared messages of hope and faith in Jesus Christ in a record number of locations to a record number of individuals this year.
Power of faith
April 2021 general conference took place over Easter weekend and featured many messages that encouraged faith in the Savior and taught how to build that faith as individuals, families and communities.
President Russell M. Nelson opened the April conference, held in the Conference Center Theater, with a call to remove spiritual debris that impedes personal progress.
“Because of the Savior’s Atonement, His gospel provides an invitation to keep changing, growing and becoming more pure,” he said. “It is a gospel of hope, of healing and of progress.”
Recognizing the pain that many have felt this year, President Nelson said growing faith in the Savior can help remove whatever has caused that pain.
“Your growing faith in Him will move mountains — not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth — but the mountains of misery in your lives.”
Six months later, conference returned to the Conference Center auditorium, this time with a limited audience. President Nelson spoke again of change through the pure doctrine of Christ.
“It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life,” he said.
As the Second Coming approaches and the Restoration of the gospel continues to unfold, President Nelson said, now is the time to learn about the Savior.
“There has never been a time in history when knowledge of the Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul.”
Learning through temples
President Nelson shared some of his impressions from touring the site of the Salt Lake Temple renovation. He compared the physical restoration to members’ spiritual renovations.
“It is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures — perhaps measures we have never taken before — to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations,” he said. “Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.”
Temples are a source of inspiration that can help members identify the adjustments needed in their lives, President Nelson said.
“As we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.”
In order to help more people have the opportunity to make those temple covenants, President Nelson said, more temples will be needed.
Between the two general conference weekends, President Nelson announced 33 new temples to be built around the world.
That list included two more each in Utah and Idaho. But some countries had temples announced for the first time — Austria, Belgium, Mozambique, Singapore, Liberia and Madagascar.
“We want to bring the house of the Lord even closer to our members,” President Nelson said in his closing remarks in April.
Apostolic invitations
In both April and October, members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared invitations with conference listeners.
These invitations reflected the gospel principles of peace, faith in Jesus Christ, counseling, obedience, inclusivity, prayer, simplicity and discipleship.
In April, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, said members of the Church have a “unique responsibility” not frequently mentioned in general conference.
“Our belief in divine inspiration gives Latter-day Saints a unique responsibility to uphold and defend the United States Constitution and principles of constitutionalism wherever we live,” he said. “We should trust in the Lord and be positive about this nation’s future.”
In October, President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, encouraged members to do what is necessary to faithfully keep covenants.
“Revelation comes to us in proportion to the degree to which we have sought to take the doctrine of Christ into our hearts and implement it in our lives,” he said. “I pray that you will ask Heavenly Father for the faith in Jesus Christ you need to make and keep the covenants that will allow the Holy Ghost to be your constant companion.”
Teaching from the scriptures
Messages shared in general conference often include verses, stories and teachings from the scriptures. Church leaders used the words of prophets to teach about overcoming adversity and building faith in the Savior prior to His birth and His anticipated Second Coming. They also taught using the words of Jesus Christ during His mortal ministry.
In April, for example, Elder Dale G. Renlund’s message included scripture references in 21 out of 30 footnotes in his message “Infuriating Unfairness.” He taught with verses from the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. The footnotes for those verses often include additional context for the main message and can be helpful in understanding both the message and the scriptures better.
The focus on the Savior during October’s general conference meant that many scriptures used in its messages looked at specific teachings about or from the Lord Jesus Christ.
President Nelson taught about spiritual preparedness as foundational to overcoming “today’s unprecedented challenges.”
“Those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ, and have learned how to draw upon His power, need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era,” he taught.
Global Easter messages
Many members of the Church may remember April’s general conference for a unique reason. President Nelson noted that Sunday morning’s speakers were “leaders who come from every populated continent on Earth.”
Eight speakers on Sunday morning were born in countries outside the United States, where the Church is headquartered. The prayers came from two more Church leaders born outside the U.S. And music came from Mexico, Korea and many other countries around the world. Six speakers throughout the weekend spoke from international locations via prerecorded message.
Looking ahead
“We have been well taught,” President Nelson said near the conclusion of October’s sessions. “Now the question is, how will we be different because of what we have heard and felt?”
The Church News invites you to share how you have been different because of what you heard and felt during general conference in 2021. How will you apply what you learned in 2022? Email us at churchnews@deseretnews.com or send a message on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
