General Conference Applied
General Conference Applied is a podcast focused on building faith in Jesus Christ. Every six months, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather to share messages in General Conference. This podcast consists of an in-depth look at each of these messages, including the invitations and promises presented by the speakers.
The hosts for this podcast are Mitch Peterson (https://mitchellryanpeterson.com) and Clay Soelberg, both of whom are active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The views expressed in this podcast are those of its creators.
Latest episodes
Jun 23, 2024 • 59min
"Words Matter"
6/23/2024: Elder Ronald A. Rasband, April 2024 General Conference, "Words Matter".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. "We ‘hear Him’ in the words of scripture, but do we let them just sit on the page, or do we recognize He is speaking to us? Do we change?”
2. "Elder George Albert Smith, long before becoming President of the Church, spoke of sustaining the prophet and heeding his words. He said: ‘The obligation that we make when we raise our hands … is a most sacred one. … It means … that we will stand behind him; we will pray for him; … and we will strive to carry out his instructions as the Lord shall direct.’ In other words, we will diligently act upon our prophet’s words.”
3. "Our words on the internet, texting, social media, or tweets take on a life of their own. So be careful what you say and how you say it. In our families, especially with husbands, wives, and children, our words can bring us together or drive a wedge between us.”
4. "Let me suggest three simple phrases that we can use to take the sting out of difficulties and differences, lift, and reassure each other:
“‘Thank you.’
“‘I am sorry.’
“And ‘I love you.’
“Do not save these humble phrases for a special event or catastrophe. Use them often and sincerely, for they show regard for others.”
5. "Let me share a personal example. Husbands, take heed. Sisters, this is going to help you too. Before my full-time assignment in the Church, I traveled widely for my company. I was gone a fair amount of time to far reaches of the world. At the end of my day, no matter where I was, I always called home. When my wife, Melanie, picked up the phone and I reported in, our conversation always led us to expressing ‘I love you.’ Every day, those words served as an anchor to my soul and my conduct; they were a protection to me from evil designs. ‘Melanie, I love you’ spoke of the precious trust between us.”
6. "We are Heavenly Father’s children and He is our God, and He expects us to speak with ‘the tongue of angels’ by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Jun 16, 2024 • 1h 2min
"Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth"
6/16/2024: Elder Neil L. Andersen, April 2024 General Conference, "Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. "Regularly performing ordinances for our ancestors in the temple brings a sweet and sure confirmation that life continues beyond the veil."
2. "Each week as we worthily partake of the bread and water in remembrance of our Savior, we are promised His Spirit will always be with us."
3. "My beloved friends, if we are able and have not already increased our attendance at the temple, let us regularly find more time to worship in the house of the Lord."
4. "Let us pray for the temples that have been announced, that properties can be purchased, that governments will approve plans, that talented workers will see their gifts magnified, and that the sacred dedications will bring the approval of heaven and the visit of angels."
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Jun 9, 2024 • 52min
"The Testimony of Jesus"
6/9/2024: Elder D. Todd Christofferson, April 2024 General Conference, "The Testimony of Jesus".
Mitch identified the following invitation and shared ideas for taking action:
1. "My invitation is to act now to secure your place as one who is valiant in the testimony of Jesus. As repentance may be needed, 'do not procrastinate the day of your repentance,' lest 'in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.' Be zealous in keeping your covenants with God. Do not be 'offended [by] the strictness of the word.' 'Remember to retain the name [of Christ] written always in your hearts, … that ye [may] hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.' And finally, 'settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which [Jesus] shall teach, and command you.'"
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Jun 2, 2024 • 1h 6min
"Be One with Christ"
6/2/2024: Elder Quentin L. Cook, April 2024 General Conference, "Be One with Christ".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. "Given our 'likeness' before God, it makes little sense to emphasize our differences. Some have wrongly encouraged us 'to imagine people to be much more different from ourselves and from each other than they actually are. [Some] take real but small differences and magnify them into chasms.'"
2. "In this extremely competitive world, there is a constant effort to excel. Striving to be the best we can be is a righteous and worthwhile endeavor. It is consistent with the Lord’s doctrine. Efforts to diminish or deprecate others or create barriers to their success are contrary to the Lord’s doctrine. We cannot blame circumstances or others for a decision to act contrary to God’s commandments."
3. "In today’s world, it is easy to focus on material and occupational success. Some lose sight of eternal principles and choices that have eternal significance. We would be wise to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to 'think celestial.'"
4. "The most significant choices can be made by almost everyone regardless of talents, abilities, opportunities, or economic circumstances. An emphasis on putting family choices first is essential."
5. "We should strive to include others in our circle of oneness. If we are to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s admonition to gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil, we need to include others in our circle of oneness."
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on X here
May 26, 2024 • 1h 7min
"'Be Still, and Know That I Am God'"
5/26/2024: Elder David A. Bednar, April 2024 General Conference, "'Be Still, and Know That I Am God'".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. “Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, our Mediator, and our Advocate with the Eternal Father and the rock upon which we should build the spiritual foundation of our lives."
2. "Every Sunday, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior."
3. "If we will, we can 'be still' in our holy places of worship and know ever more surely that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior."
4. "In His holy house, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior."
5. "Today I repeat a principle I previously have emphasized. Our homes should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can 'be still' and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior. Leaving our homes to worship on the Sabbath and in the house of the Lord certainly is essential. But only as we return to our homes with the spiritual perspective and strength obtained in those holy places and activities can we then sustain our focus upon the primary purposes of mortal life and overcome the temptations so prevalent in our fallen world."
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on X here
May 19, 2024 • 52min
“A Higher Joy”
5/19/2024: Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2024 General Conference, "A Higher Joy".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. “If you feel there could be more of this kind of joy in your life, I invite you to embark on the journey of following Jesus Christ and His Way. It is a journey of a lifetime—and beyond. Please let me suggest a few beginning steps on this worthy journey of discovering pure joy.” …
“Draw near unto God. … I have learned that if we draw near to God and reach out to touch Him, we can indeed find healing, peace, and joy.
“Look for [joy]. …
“Bear one another’s burdens. … Like praying for someone with all our heart. Giving a sincere compliment. Helping someone feel welcome, respected, valued, and loved. Sharing a favorite scripture and what it means to us. Or even just by listening.”
2. “During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to:
-“Spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God.
-“Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy.
-“Bring joy to others around you.
“My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, as you search the word of God for a deeper understanding of God’s eternal plan, accept these invitations, and strive to walk in His Way, you will experience ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,’ even in the midst of sorrows.”
3. “May we all seek and find the higher joy that comes from devoting our lives to our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.”
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on X here
May 12, 2024 • 52min
"Motions of a Hidden Fire"
5/12/2024: President Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2024 General Conference, "Motions of a Hidden Fire".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. “We are to 'pray always.' We are to pray, Amulek said, for 'those who are around you,' with the belief that the 'fervent prayer of a righteous [people] availeth much.' Our prayers ought to be vocal when we have the privacy to so offer them. If that is not practical, they should be carried as silent utterances in our heart."
2. "We are to employ prayer as a shield against temptation."
3. "When we don’t know how or exactly for what to pray, we should begin, and continue, until the Holy Spirit guides us into the prayer we should be offering. This approach may be the one we have to invoke when praying for our enemies and those who despitefully use us."
4. "Against that backdrop of Christ’s victory over death and His recent gift to me of a few more weeks or months in mortality, I bear solemn witness of the reality of eternal life and the need for us to be serious in our planning for it. I bear witness that when Christ comes, He needs to recognize us—not as nominal members listed on a faded baptismal record but as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples. This is an urgent matter for all of us."
5. "We need to believe in angels and miracles and the promises of the holy priesthood. We need to believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the influence of good families and friends, and the power of the pure love of Christ. We need to believe in revelation and prophets, seers, and revelators and President Russell M. Nelson. We need to believe that with prayer and pleading and personal righteousness, we really can ascend to 'Mount Zion, … the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.'"
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on Twitter here
May 5, 2024 • 46min
"All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants"
5/5/2024: President Henry B. Eyring, April 2024 General Conference, "All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. “Give children opportunities to pray for each other. Discern quickly the beginnings of discord, and positively recognize acts of unselfish service, especially to one another.”
2. "There is nothing more important than honoring the covenants you have made or may make in the temple. No matter where you are on the covenant path, I urge you to qualify and become eligible to attend the temple. Visit as frequently as circumstances will allow. Make and keep sacred covenants with God."
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on Twitter here
Apr 28, 2024 • 54min
"Covenants and Responsibilities"
4/28/2024: President Dallin H. Oaks, April 2024 General Conference, "Covenants and Responsibilities".
Mitch identified the following invitation and shared ideas for taking action:
1. “Persons who have been endowed in a temple are responsible to wear a temple garment, an article of clothing not visible because it is worn beneath outer clothing. It reminds endowed members of the sacred covenants they have made and the blessings they have been promised in the holy temple. To achieve those holy purposes, we are instructed to wear temple garments continuously, with the only exceptions being those obviously necessary. Because covenants do not 'take a day off,' to remove one’s garments can be understood as a disclaimer of the covenant responsibilities and blessings to which they relate. In contrast, persons who wear their garments faithfully and keep their temple covenants continually affirm their role as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on Twitter here
Apr 21, 2024 • 1h 5min
"Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys"
4/21/2024: President Russell M. Nelson, April 2024 General Conference, "Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys".
Mitch identified the following invitations and shared ideas for taking action:
1. “I hope you will repeatedly study the messages of this conference throughout the coming months.”
2. “Jesus Christ then declared that He had accepted the temple as His house and made this stunning promise: ‘I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.’ This significant promise applies to every dedicated temple today. I invite you to ponder what the Lord’s promise means for you personally.”
3. “Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth.”
4. “I invite you to consider carefully the following three statements: 1) The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. 2) The gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. He invites all to come unto Him—’black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.’ 3) The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.”
5. “Joseph Smith’s dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple is a tutorial about how the temple spiritually empowers you and me to meet the challenges of life in these last days. I encourage you to study that prayer, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 109.”
6. “We are also promised that in the temple we may ‘receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost.’ Imagine what that promise means in terms of having the heavens open for each earnest seeker of eternal truth.”
Show notes for the episode are located here
To access show notes for previous episodes, visit here
To subscribe to Mitch's 'What? Eye. Read. Newsletter', utilize the subscribe field here
Follow Mitch on Facebook here
Follow Mitch on Instagram here
Follow Mitch on Twitter here
