Welcome to Closer to Christ, the General Conference, where two friends share our own approach to
studying General Conference. Today, we get to study Elder Patrick Kieran's talk called
God's Intent is to Bring You Home, and I certainly enjoyed listening to this talk.
How about you, Amy?
I think everyone does.
Yeah. So, the short and sweet of this talk was that God is in relentless pursuit of you.
He wants all of His children to bring or to choose to return. I love that word, choose.
We need to emphasize that more than anything. And He employs every possible measure to bring
you back. That was comforting. It seems that this talk is broken up into three categories.
You probably recognize the same thing. I felt like there was a piece of it that focused
on Heavenly Father's role in that plan, Jesus Christ's role in that plan, and then what
our own role is in that plan. So, if we kind of think of that as we're going through it,
why don't we just start with Heavenly Father's role in the plan?
Sounds good.
I'll just say He's the creator of the plan. There was only one plan. And then God's
messengers, His prophets, they call this plan different things in the Restoration Scripture.
We hear it being called the plan of redemption, the plan of mercy, the great plan of happiness,
and the plan of salvation, which is unto all through the blood of mine only begotten. So,
let's do a question here. What's one thing that really stood out to you as we're thinking
of that piece of it, Heavenly Father's role in the plan? What stands out to you the most?
So, yeah, one of the things that stood out to me, Abby, was as I listened to it, I just
kept hearing intent, intent, intent. And 11 times He said intent, along with His design,
plan, purpose, wish, and hope, which is all essentially the same thing. He says the intent
of the Father's great plan of happiness is your happiness. The intent of Father's plan
of redemption is in fact your redemption, like He's not leaving anybody out. The intent
of the Father's plan of mercy is to extend mercy. The intent of the Father's plan of
salvation is in fact your salvation. So, I did like that, that He just laid out very
plainly what His intent is. And this is what I love. I like clear speech. I like clear
words. And when we have something as clear as this, it makes it very simple to go back
to it and read it because the adversary also has words that tend to jumble the way we think
about God. And I love coming back to read this. So, one faith exercise I do when my
thoughts feel jumbled or when I don't know what to do about a certain thing is I write
down on the top of a piece of paper what I know about. So, with this, I would just say
what I know about God's nature. And then what I do is I do my part, which is I pray
and ask Heavenly Father, please help me to know or just start gathering things for this.
So, I'll go back to my priesthood blessings and I'll write down anything that comes to
mind through this. And then I'll go and read my patriarchal blessing and I'll write down
anything that has to do with that or that comes from that. I'll read scripture. I'll
listen to conference talks, all of these things. And it's essentially through the lens of
this particular…in this case, it would be looking for what the nature of God is. And
I mean, we just…in the last talk that we talked about, it was Elder Piper and he was
talking about trusting God. There was so much in there. I would definitely file that under
what I know about God and His nature. I would file this talk about what I know about God
and His nature. His intent is to bring us home.
Nicole So, you said this is like very tactile. Like,
this comes out…all of these thoughts come out into a piece of paper.
Danielle Or a Word document.
Nicole And you start the document with something
that says like, what I know.
Danielle Yes.
Nicole And I'm glad that you clarified like for this
particular talk, you were going to say what's God's intent and then the things you know
about that. Because, I mean, can you share…did this talk kind of stir your feelings, like
make you want to dig deeper? Did you employ this with this particular talk or were we
reading through it, you thought, oh, this is a good thing to share with people about…
Danielle In my mind, it was just kind of, again, I
thought, you know, going back to President Nelson's words when he invited us to learn
about God and how He works. That's what I would file this under because it is His
intent. All these wonderful things, His mercy, His redemption, the plan, everything about
it is His intent. So, it just gives me more trust in God.
Nicole Such a different way to look at the scenario,
like we came to this earth life to gain experience and I feel like a lot of times when we're
doubting God or when we're lacking faith in Him, it's in the midst of a trial that
He and I feel like we agreed to that would grow us, bring us closer to Him. And again,
that agency, that choice is ours, whether that's going to drive a wedge between us
or if it's going to draw us closer to Him. You see people definitely react in different
ways, but that would be such a good thing to have in your arsenal of thoughts and the
truth and the testimony that you have just to know, like, is this trial on my path because
He hates me or actually what do I know of Him? What do I know about His intent? He wants
to get me back. And so then how does this trial eventually… how did this trial lead
to bringing me closer to Him? Or I guess maybe we could see the misstep that we had if we're
like, oh, that put a wedge between us and then it took some time to repair that if you're
back in that relationship.
Nicole Maybe so. Yeah. So one of the… I only giggle
when you said, does He hate me or something? Because I understand sometimes it does feel
like that, right?
Nicole I do think that's the automatic response to be like, He must hate me because this hard
thing is going on.
Nicole Right. And that's not… if you are reading
about what His intent is, quickly you realize, oh, does He hate me is coming from the adversary
that is not coming from Heavenly Father, that is not His intent, that is not the plan. I've
also done this in a couple of other times. I mean, truly times where I was like, is this
really ever going to happen? Let's say like one time we were looking for an employment
and we were looking for quite a few months and I was like, man, we might just be stuck
in this situation forever. Like this would be a dismal life. You know what I mean? It
just felt like that. It felt gray. It felt dark. It was hard. And so I started writing
down everything I knew about my husband's employment and what future promises to us
were. And I literally would go back and read those like, I think for about eight months
straight, I was reading the things that I compiled. And even when I read scripture,
it was like if there was anything, you know how when you read scripture, when you're
going through one thing, it doesn't hit you the same as it does another time. So it's
like through that lens. And I just wrote it down.
Nicole Qualfax talks would be the same way.
Nicole Absolutely.
Nicole If you're specifically having a period of unemployment
and then you, I don't know exactly what you would search, but maybe something on work
you really could just turn to Heavenly Father and just say, direct me to the conference
talks that I need to hear. He knows your intent and then they can definitely appear in your
gospel library search bar. I don't even have to tell you what words to say, like the right
things will come out. And then like family and friends, they'll maybe have this opinion
about something. It didn't really matter to you at the time, but like if you're going
through like specifically, does unemployment think something might peek your ears that
you're like, oh, that's-
Nicole For sure.
Nicole That would have been a specific challenge. Whereas
before when it was nice information, but you didn't really need it kind of, it was there,
but it wasn't like, it didn't like hit your heart like, oh, that's great, great information.
Nicole I agree. It's almost like I'm asking Heavenly Father
to put a specific antenna on my ears and a filter on my eyes or a, I don't know, magnifying
glass on my eyes. That helps me to find the things that are very particular to that. And
I kid you not, I mean, it's not like it happens in one day or anything. This is a steady effort
that I might pick up a few times a week. Maybe I'll pick it up every day, but over time,
it's something that grows clearer and clearer and clearer. And then when the adversary comes
with his words, you're like, I have words of like from God about this specific thing,
and I'm going to read this and that's going to become part of my testimony and my trust
in God.
Nicole I love that. We didn't post an episode that we had prepared
because we got off on this tangent about like the 10 versions, the story of the 10 versions.
And we were talking about those daily things that you need to fill your vessel, and you
can't really share that. But there's a piece of that story that actually talks, so the
lamp, I'm sorry, the lamp, there's a piece of that story that actually refers back to
the vessel. So for me, when we take time to strengthen our testimony and these questions,
like not because we're just in the middle of a trial, but we're just right now, you
guys are listening to a general conference talk and you're learning some skills and maybe
you're not in the middle of a trial. This is one of those vessel moments where you're
filling that reserve with the truth that you know about Jesus Christ and his intent. Or
I'm sorry, about Heavenly Father's intent with the plan and how he utilized Jesus Christ
in that plan so that when the next trial comes your way, you have your reserve of oil ready
for your lantern.
Nicole You don't have to backtrack or just…
Nicole Learn all the things. Yeah, learn all those
things in trial. You can recall in that trial and just make that just much more easy to
bear. So that's awesome. Anything else that came to your mind?
Nicole That was everything on that.
Nicole That was Heavenly Father's part in that. So what do you think we can take as
an example from Heavenly Father's intent?
Nicole Again, I think just re-emphasizing that his
intent really is to bring us home. I think we pretty much hit it as far as that goes.
I love how Elder Kieran reminds us of this point, the intent of the Father's great
plan of happiness is your happiness right here, right now, and in the eternities. I
love that part because it says it's not to prevent you from your happiness and cause
you instead worry and fear. So many times in… maybe it's our culture. I'm not
sure exactly, but I feel like we misunderstand if we believe that there's only happiness
to come.
Nicole After this earth life.
Nicole Right. Like right now it's drudgery.
Nicole We'll just get through it now.
Nicole But happiness is coming. It's like, yes,
happiness is coming and why not find it now? Because probably the skills of finding happiness
now are going to also help you in the skills of finding happiness in the hereafter.
Nicole I agree. I felt that message in many talks of
general conference. Now we're getting to the tail end of conference. And so as I'm
reflecting back on the things we've learned, that's absolutely a message of this conference.
Enjoy what we have with this life right now, especially as we're making covenants and
keeping covenants, he's got blessings to abound in that covenant relationship in the
now, not just to be like, maybe that's going to qualify me for the eternities with him.
No, right now we can abide with him right now on this side.
Nicole I love that, Abby.
Nicole So let's move on to the role of Jesus Christ
in Father's plan. It makes me think of 2 Nephi 26, 24. He does not anything save it
be for the benefit of the world, for he loveth the world even that he layeth down his own
life that he may draw all men unto him, wherefore he commandeth none that they shall not partake
of his salvation. So Christ steps forward as the Savior to perform the great atonement.
And he was put into play his part of the role under the direction of the Father, but then
he had his own agency to say, yeah, like he stepped up.
Abby Right, whom shall I send?
Nicole Yeah, he stepped forward. It wasn't just like,
you have to do this or there's no way around it. He got to use his own agency.
Abby Yeah, he answered a question there.
Nicole Being part of that, I don't really know what
question to ask other than what thoughts do you have on Jesus Christ's role in the plan?
Abby You know, I did like the part also where he
talked about his atoning sacrifice itself is harder for us to understand beyond our
mortal capacity to comprehend. But, and he said this is an important but, we do understand
and comprehend the Holy saving intent. So here we are again, with intent of his atoning
sacrifice. So now it's Christ's intent, right, which will always echo the Father's,
whatever Heavenly Father did. Christ followed that example.
Nicole He sought from the Father.
Abby He's sought from the Father.
Nicole He's second witness all those things. And this is the cornerstone of the talk for
me. Oh, I love this part so much, Abby. Okay. This part, the veil of the temple was rent
in twain when Jesus died upon the cross, symbolizing that access back to the presence of the Father
had been ripped wide open to all who will turn to him, trust him, cast their burdens
on him and take his yoke upon them in a covenant bond. Jesus Christ is at the very center of
God's plan. He made good on his word to fulfill this atonement. We had so much faith and trust
in him. And we've talked about this before. Like, I truly feel like I listened to everything
and was like, that's wonderful. That's great. But when Jesus Christ stepped forward
and said, I'm going to do it, I know that's when I stood up and was like, if he's doing
it, I'm in 100%. Because I know his character. I love him and his word is his bond. So I
love that part that really Jesus Christ, he is everything. He is central to the plan.
And I love imagining that when the veil was rent, it truly, he's the gate to the Father.
It wasn't there. It could not have been there without Jesus Christ. So I just love that.
I love that I know more about his nature.
And as we're in the temple and we approach the veil, with representative of Jesus Christ
and having the right information to say that veil grants us access into the celestial kingdom,
which is with our Father. And so I've thought on that. But like the emotion just hit me
hard thinking about him on the cross and the veil renting. Right? And what a moment in
time we were in our pre existence at that. But like, he'd promised to do this thing.
And we had witnessed this and like, the sadness of like, the pain that he was, you know, going
through on the cross, but like the absolute joy that he did. He did it. He did all that
he'd promised to do in that moment. Yeah, just can't even.
I love that. I also love, you know, as you were just talking about that, Abby, when you
said, you know, imagine that moment when he's on the cross. I have actually prayed before
to ask, I've recognized in Jesus that when he said it is finished, I have prayed often
and said, Heavenly Father, like, what were the things that needed to be finished? Clearly
one of them was signifying to us that you know, when the I guess I should say this,
a physical manifestation of what happened was that he rent the veil and that literally
we could now have access to the Father. That was one of the things that had to happen.
The other things that had to happen were clearly he atoned for our sin, our happiness, all
of those things. But I just think that that's one other thing I prayed for is I've asked
Heavenly Father to help me. Like when I'm working on a project or when I'm doing something,
I want to have that spiritual gift of knowing when it is finished. Oh, that's you know,
because then after that, it's like, what, why am I continuing to spend my time on this?
Like it is sufficient. I have done what I needed to do. And I move on knowing that I
completely fulfilled that thing. So actually just did that this week. Now that I'm saying
that out loud, but I do appreciate doing that because then I can move on to something else
and give my full attention and all of my heart to that other thing because I know that that
phase is over. I finished that thing.
Wonderful. That's great information. I will say as you were talking, I did think it is
hard to comprehend like the depths of the atonement of Jesus Christ. It's really hard
to get that full picture. But what I did feel as you were reading that quote was that I
might not know all of it, but I've known the pieces that have affected my life. When
I've turned, you know, my things, my sorrows or my shortcomings over to him and he's made
them right. That gives me a glimpse of the possibilities of it. Great way to put it.
I love that Abby. That's a start. Oh, it totally is. So we have our own role in Father's Plan.
Absolutely. It kind of points out like we can make any choice with our agency. We can
do anything. We can make any choice that we want, but does anything go with regards to
how we live our lives? You know, I think you wrote like this, that the way we choose to
use our agency doesn't matter, that we can take or leave God's commandments. Like, is
that an option?
It's always an option. It depends on what our end goal is, right? One of Jesus's most
consistent invitations, and I like that word, invitation, and pleas during his mortal ministry
was that we change and repent and come unto him. So really, that's it. Fundamentally,
you know, fundamental to all of his teachings was to live a higher and holier law. And really,
that is what we do when we repent and turn to Christ and also make covenants.
I love it. So the talk, it's fairly short and sweet. It is, but there's a lot there.
There's a lot to contemplate and there's a lot of things that we can put into practice
based on that, that we just sit and reflect on what's our peace and part in that. And
like you said, if the prophets asked us to really understand the nature of God, we can
look to him, we can look to his son for those things. This is a really good opportunity
to learn a lot about Heavenly Father and his son. So in wrapping up, what would you say?
Do you feel like we, what are the final thoughts? Maybe the final thought you'd like to leave
us with today?
I really did like, you know, that these are some of the final words in his talk. The Elder
Cain reminds us, if you're prone to worry that you'll never measure up or that the loving
reach of Christ's infinite atonement mercifully covers everyone else, but not you, then you
misunderstood. Infinite means infinite. Infinite covers you and everyone you love. I just love
that. Again, it's another testament of the nature of God. It's infinite. It's bigger
than all of us and we've never dropped lower than Christ's atonement. So those are my
last words.
That's a truth that we all should work to know that that is a truth for us too. So I'll
add my testimony to that, Amy. It kind of feels like a little heavier of a topic today,
but it's just, I just, I'm thinking about my savior and all that he's done for us. And
I'll keep thinking on that as I, as I read this, but I, as I was studying this talk,
I would, I did a cross country trip. It's like 20 hours to see my sisters there and
back and I've never been through Nebraska without road construction happening. Really
any state, everybody's always got a road project going on and this is going through my mind.
Like sometimes, you know, like it detours us or it makes our progress slower, but we
were directional. We were, we were moving along that path the whole time. And I guess
it just kind of that drive looking out the window for 20 hours. It made me just think
like sometimes we see, we see roadblocks and detours and, and we're slower getting somewhere
that we're trying to go to, but some reflection on other talks that it was like, it's a directional
thing. We're still moving in the right direction and we may feel like it's, it's slower progress,
but it doesn't matter. We're still getting to where we're going to eventually. Right.
With those experiences along the way. And then with, with the cheerleader, that's total
intent is to bring us to the final destination back home with him. And I love that. So, so
good. Thank you so much for being with us here today. We'll catch you next time.