Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference,
where two friends who love Jesus share our own
approach to studying the most recent General
Conference talks. This is Abbie. And Amy. Let's
jump into it. Today we're talking about Blessed
Are the Peacemakers by Elder Gary Stevenson of
the Quorum of the Twelve. General Conference
talks are months in the preparation, and as Elder
Stevenson mentioned, the weeks leading up to
conference play a significant role in how the
words of the talk are finalized. Many of us experienced
profound tragedy and violence leading up to conference
around the world, and even our sacred spaces
were under attack. We happen to be in America
and these tragedies struck close to home, but
you can tell that the way that he's talking,
he does have a worldview of the different tragedies
that are going on. We never know all of the hard
things that people are going through, but he
does have a perspective of a worldwide church.
And he felt like the last six months had their
own fair share of heaviness. And, you know, I'm
typically excited about General Conference coming
up when it's just a few weeks away. I'm like
anticipating it. I'm looking so forward to it.
But again, being here, the heaviness that I was
personally experienced made this conference kind
of one for the books for me and kind of etched
upon my heart. It'll be a memory that I take.
The difference between the feelings that I was
feeling kind of leading up to conference, excited
to have conference, but like a heaviness of just
world matters around me and then having just
the peace. that I felt listening to the words
of apostles in our day, not erasing any of the
challenges that are around us, but just for that
brief moment, feeling that reprieve and knowing
that there are things that we can do to extend
that peace in our lives. Worldly cares were set
aside. I filled a book with great advice that
will prepare my studies over the next six months.
Didn't allow myself to become overwhelmed by
all of the things that I should be doing, but
instead I went into conference considering these
suggestions as a myriad of opportunities to combat
the darkness that we are currently experiencing
in this world. I love that, Abby. Thank you for
sharing. Okay, let's step back in time. You're
a young teen in Capernaum. You joined a crowd
to hear Jesus teach near the Sea of Galilee.
As the crowd whispers that he may be the Messiah,
you listen and you are deeply moved by his message
of love, forgiveness, and peace. Teachings that
go beyond the law of Moses, including turning
the other cheek and being a peacemaker. I always
like to put myself in scripture stories like
that. I think it was cute that he put us there.
So cute. And being a teen, I love that. If I
was there, would his teachings pierce my own
heart? How would they differ from what I was
already being taught? Would I have been looking
for a mighty warrior to come free myself and
the people that I loved? Would I have felt that
same commotion in that time as I'm feeling in
this day and time? Would those words that he
spoke so long ago be the exact answer to the
challenges that we face today? I'm sure they
would. So Matthew 6, 9 is the verse that referenced
being a peacemaker. And it's followed in the
next two verses about being persecuted and reviled.
in Jesus's time and also in our day being peacemakers
doesn't necessarily promise peace but if we do
receive the promises is that we will be called
the children of God inherit the kingdom of heaven
and then also earn a great reward there you never
know if you know intentionally trying to be a
peacemaker is going to affect the other side
of that equation or sure like the world that
you're in because yeah but this talk was so great
because it was like there can be peace in yourself
that can bleed into your families, that can bleed
into your communities. He sets this whole thing
up and it's great because when you look out in
the whole world and you see all the commotion
that's going on, you think you have to fix that
to feel peace. It's way too overwhelming. So
he brings it in from all of the problems of the
world to... something that you really can manage
and focus and do. Absolutely. So let's go back
to Capernaum. You arrive home breathless. Your
family gathers. Your father asks, tell us what
you heard and feel. You share that he invited
you to let your light shine before others, to
seek righteousness even when persecuted. Your
choice, your voice catches as you repeat, blessed
are the peacemakers for they shall be called
the children of God. You ask, can I truly become
a peacemaker when the world is in commotion,
when my heart is filled with fear and when peace
seems so far away? Your father glances at your
mother and answers gently, yes, we begin in the
most basic place in our hearts. Then in our homes
and families, as we practice there, peacemaking
can spread to our streets and our villages. That
was my favorite part of the whole talk, just
that can I truly become a peacemaker when the
world is, I mean, he's setting it up so beautifully.
because it's exactly how they felt then. And
it's exactly how we all felt moving into conference.
Does the message he shared over 2000 years ago
have application in our day? What challenges
are we facing? Here's some of the list, polarization,
secularization, retaliation, road rage, outrage,
and social media pylons. And where can we go
to have an encounter with Jesus in our day to
combat our own challenges? Seminary for the Strength
of Youth conferences and Come Follow Me. Can
you make, can you see that list? Yeah, and I
think there's more. I think temples, sometimes
our meetings, you know, if done with a focus
on Jesus Christ, sacred meetings can help be
those special moments. General conference is
always for me on the top of that list. you know,
a moment to spend time with Jesus. And honestly,
we've talked in so many other podcasts about
the opportunity to infuse more Jesus into our
days. I mean, there's a whole talk in this conference
on the one with the Creole seasoning. Yes. But,
you know, more Jesus. And I was just thinking
the monotonous daily tasks that we have when
we pop on a podcast or put our scriptures on
play. we're looking for, we can have a myriad
of opportunities to commune with, um, commune
with God, learn more, you know, learn more. We
can make all of those things, folding laundry,
and you're like playing something in the background.
You can make that a special experience. And really
anytime we hear and receive an invitation to
be more. like our Savior, we get our own Sermon
on the Mount opportunity. In recent times, we
still receive the same enduring invitations from
the Lord. So to let our light shine before others,
seek righteousness even when we're persecuted,
and then also to love our enemies. Living prophets
and also our beloved President Nelson have asked.
peacemakers needed. It is something that is so
needed in this world to combat what is happening.
When he said that line, did you just automatically
think President Nelson? I did. There were so
many talks that echoed the words of... of the
prophet. And President Nelson, you know, he just
didn't come to that idea recently, but he did
have a conference talk recently that did stress
the idea of peacemakers being needed. And just
the recent events highlight how much better off
the world would be if there were more peacemakers
in it. And the fact that the Savior brought this
up thousands of years ago is a good reminder
that it's always been a challenge. It's always
been something that we've struggled with, and
it's always something we're striving for. And
it's great that we have the perfect example of
a peacemaker to look to. Totally. Tale as old
as time, right? Let's look at the examples of
where peacemaking comes into play. He reminded
us that we can disagree without being disagreeable.
Love that. Social media gives people an added
sense of security that they can say anything
they want from, let's say, the safety quote of
their keyboard. If I wouldn't say it in person
to your face, what gives me the right to say
it in print? Elder Stevenson asks. And I love
this part. Can we replace contention and pride
with forgiveness and love? Build bridges of cooperation
and understanding, not walls of prejudice and
segregation. And the same promise, blessed are
the peacemakers for they shall be called the
children of God. I love the building bridges.
I love the, he said, you know, if it's not building
a bridge, then don't push send. You know what
I mean? It's just the way to be on online right
now. We're sending missionaries throughout the
world to teach of Jesus, but do you ever think
about the reach that we have individually? When
we're on our social media platforms, the best
opportunity for teaching others about who we
believe in, who we trust, who we look to for
guidance, being our Savior Jesus Christ, is seen
in the way that we're interacting with others
and how we're treating others. And I think we
all have to find this for ourselves, but I'm
myself trying to find that balance between you
know, my interactions with social media, sometimes
it's just like, I'm going to shut it down. I'm
going to step away from it. I'm going to be off
of it. Sometimes I'm like, no, he wants me to
be engaged, be doing, you know, be on there.
It's an opportunity to testify. I personally
don't respond on people's comments that get me
up in arms. Sometimes I'll type in a response,
but I usually delete it. 99 % of the time, it
gets deleted. I'm like, really, what's the point
there? That's not really going to change anybody's
opinion on the fact. But then I'm like, well,
if it's something that's contradictory to real
beliefs that I have, then I'm like, am I just
being a coward? And should I step up and say
something? And so... What I've decided for myself,
and I don't know that this is for everybody,
if I read something that's off -putting, you
know, I'm not going to spell out. exactly like
what things get get me but rather than commenting
on that post and and being contradictory to the
thing that they're saying on my own page i can
testify of something that i know to be true like
that's a good you know like if we're going to
talk about like an abortion thing and they're
like women it's their body and i happen to believe
that you know the child is its love a life of
itself rather than getting into a unnecessary
and a fruitless debate on their post i can go
to my own page and just say every life is important
You know what I'm saying? Yes. So also a question
we can ask each of us is what he said before.
Can I truly become a peacemaker when the world
is in commotion? My heart is filled with fear
and peace seems so far away. I feel like that
is such a great question and it's powerful. Let
us embrace the words of the Savior. Peace I leave
with you. My peace I give unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid.
You know, in social media world, you're never
going to really change the way that people think
in one encounter or like getting into a heated
keyboard debate with them. What we can change
is the way that we interact or react to the things
that we're seeing. For sure. I think with our
heart. Exactly. I think that we've all felt that
blessing when things like there's turmoil and
chaos around us that we've felt in control and
we felt some peace. Maybe initial thoughts of
fear kind of creep in, but we like we put that
at bay. We say no. And somehow like you get in
the moment and you feel that peace, even though
it's just a disaster around you. Not that it
happens every time for us, but if we've done
it before that we know that that's something
that's achievable for us again and again. So
sometimes we can't provide that calming experience
for others, but we put ourselves in a circle
of people that can provide that calm for us.
He shared lots of references of little children,
things that they choose to do to become peacemakers
in their lives. And I think the point that he
is making is that young children, they have a
special inclination towards being peacemakers.
Something happens to us over the years and we
get grown up, we complicate things and we forget
that divine inclination to be kind. They were
small examples, but it was like, if there's one
cookie, share the cookie, one toy, you know,
split time. it's that's how life's designed small
and simple ways like in our family units that
we maybe have experiences where we have to figure
out that give and take and yeah like i'd be lying
if i didn't act like my kids don't fight all
the time but they also that's like it's kind
of a laboratory for learning on at the end of
the day sharing the space and sharing the time
and sharing the toys and sharing the treats and
whatever Absolutely. When we make real efforts
to find peace in our own heart, like you said,
first we start with our heart, then our own life.
It has the natural effect of changing our homes
and our families. So that's like the ripple effect.
But like you said, we bring it back to us and
then it will go out from there. And as our homes
have the spirit of peace, we can then have a
greater effect in our neighborhoods and then
in our communities. The gospel of Jesus Christ
nurtures and knits this trait of peacemaking
into our hearts, blessing us. in this life and
also in the next. I think from scripture we read
earlier, we have to remember so many times being
a peacemaker won't reap immediate results and
obvious blessings, but sometimes those blessings
will extend into the eternities. Again, this
is a long game. And anytime we follow the spirit,
anytime we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ,
that is the best thing to be doing. Once we've
cultivated that peace in our own hearts. You
may question, is that going to have an effect
on our own home or will that affect our home?
And by using the Lord's pattern to influence
our relationships with one another, which are
persuasion, long -suffering, gentleness, kindness,
meekness, and love unfeigned. For the relationships
in our lives that matter the most, there's really
no better adjectives used to describe the type
of relationship we're trying to create. Like
I said before, we're the typical family that
we fight about chores and the TV remote and sharing
toys. do see the home as being the perfect laboratory
for learning these things. And I'm confident
that the experiences for myself, they were the
same for me growing up. And I would say probably
I fought with my siblings. dozens of times, but
they're my best friends now. Yep. Enduring relationships,
right? They are enduring. And I know not everyone
gets to experience that joy with their own siblings.
But, you know, if you're in a situation where
you don't have those relationships, you have
the opportunity to change it in your family from
here forward. And you can even reference the
hard examples that you went through to say, and
that's not what I want for you guys. And so I
want you to get along here and share here and
make friends here and put forth effort. Effort's
a great word for what we're doing. Anyway, basically,
we get the opportunity to either duplicate what
we had in our families or completely change it
if it was crappy. Right. Okay, so we saved the
hardest for the last, and that is peacemaking
in our communities, right? Yeah, save that last
one. John A. Woodsoe once said, the only way
to build a peaceful community is to build men
and women who are lovers and makers of peace.
Each individual by the doctrine of Christ holds
in his hands the peace of the whole world. That's
pretty profound. Spelled P -E -A -C -E. Yeah.
Peace, I know, but I mean, the way that I hear
it when it sounds, it's like a piece of the whole
world, but it's true too. I'm just saying, when
you look at the whole world and all of the things
that are going and it's chaotic, you think, I
need to fix the world. You can't, but you can
fix P -E -A -C -E in your heart and it will change
a P -I -E -C -E of the world. Absolutely. I love
something that I was reminded of this week and
it's when Jesus was, there was a group of people
that were kind of trying to, get his goat, I
guess you could say. And it says, um, Jesus kept
his peace. And I love that part because yeah,
he, he could have taken the bait and, and, um,
had a conversation about it, but he realized
not one time keeping my peace. And also he was
able to do that because he knew at all times
who he was. and what his focus was. And he didn't
get derailed from that. When we come to know
the glory of God, then we will not have a mind
to injure one another, but to live peaceably,
just like Jesus Christ did. In our congregations
and also in our communities, may we each choose
to see one another as children of God. I think
each of us has to decide where we are. Like,
are we naturally peaceful people? Is there something
turmoil in us? Is there anything that's... kind
of out of whack in our in our own life that we
need to focus on but um once we get that figured
out our first job is to extend that into our
families and then we look out into the communities
but um it honestly can't follow until we have
that peace for ourselves for sure there could
be a myriad of things going on the community
they're not a problem until we have our personal
self short up and our home short up um he did
offer a cute little one week peacemaker plan
wouldn't that be cool if that's all it took one
week for peacemaking for sure why don't you share
what he said about that a contention free home
zone i love that when contention starts pause
there's power in the pause right and reboot with
kind words and deeds Number two is a digital.
We introduced our kids to this at Fem Home Evening.
Yeah, how'd it go, Abby? We were seven of us
on a king -sized bed. And I have growing children,
and I have a wild four -year -old that likes
to jump off the window seals and all sorts of
things. Like, there was a bit of contention,
right? I'm like, man, you know, we need to get
going on this, and it's already off to a really
poor start. But anyway, I'm laughing thinking
about it. So two, again, we talked about this.
Digital bridge building before posting, replying
or commenting online. Ask, will this build a
bridge? If not, stop. Do not send. Instead, share
goodness. Publish peace in the place of hate.
Oh, my gosh. That was so that like hit my heart.
Publish peace because that. It just brought on
a different meaning for me, and I think it's
a beautiful way to look at things and my publishing
piece in all things. Then number three is repair
and reunite. That is so important in families
because there's always going to be an opportunity
to repair. There's always an opportunity to reunite.
Each family member could seek out a strained
relationship in order to apologize, to minister,
to repair, or to reunite, or all of them. Peacemaking
is a Christlike attribute, and as children, We
already said, I think that we're born with a
sense of natural peacemaking. And sometimes peacemakers
get labeled as naive or weak, but you just shared
the example of the Savior when he chose to keep
his own peace. It did not make him weaker. It
made him divine, made him strong. And it's a
divine characteristic. So even if the world looks
at a person's actions as weak, It actually requires
a lot of courage and compromise to execute it.
Peacemaking is leading with an open heart, not
a closed mind. That was his words. It is to approach
one another with extended hands, not clenched
fists. Peacemaking is not a new thing. Hot off
the press. It was taught by Jesus Christ himself,
both to those in the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
And I'll add taught by example, not just word.
Absolutely, Abby. Is there anything else you
want to add? Well, I was toying. Amy and I kind
of approached conference with the thought, like,
are we going to keep doing the podcast? This
will be season four for us. We finished three
seasons. Season four, if it was going to look
a little bit different, if we were going to maybe
cut out doing some of the talks or do a little
snippet instead of covering the whole thing.
And I feel like we got the impression to proceed
as we're doing, but did get the impression that
maybe a Facebook. page would be appropriate.
And this kind of feels like a good talk to introduce
that. And it isn't going yet, but maybe by the
time this broadcasts on Sunday, it will be. And
my hope is that it will be called Closer to Christ
through General Conference. And what it would
be is an opportunity to post the links to the
talk, probably not the platform you'll listen
to it from, but that we can have like some dialogue
and some sharing of thoughts because we're better
when we hear from each other and we hear the
things people are doing to implement these or
the action items that you're seeing from these
talks, or maybe you took a totally different
tangent or something. something really stood
out to you and sharing that or testifying of
that may be just what, you know, somebody else
needs that's on that same platform. So we'll
give it a whirl. Maybe we'll abandon it after
some time, but it is the impression that we think
we can add just to further the conversation.
That's great. I love it, Abby. Everyone, thanks
for being with us. May you begin to make peace
in your heart today and may that bless your homes,
your families, and your communities. Have a great
week.