It’s time for General Conference! I love the opportunity to sit and learn from prophets and apostles and leaders who serve around the world. Aside from setting aside the time to be present during conference, the most important thing I do is decide on some questions I’d like to have answered during conference.
For me, General Conference is an opportunity to have a long conversation with God. So I ask myself, “If I had a chance to sit and talk to God one-on-one uninterrupted, what would I ask Him? What would I want to talk about?” Those conversation starters become my questions during conference. These conversation starters aka questions range from concerns in my personal life to doctrinal clarification. Almost always I receive answers to my questions during General Conference because I really try to tune in to hear the answers to my questions.
Conversation Starters for Conversations with God
Several recent chats with friends indicated some desired conversations with God. For example: I miss my loved ones. How are they doing in the Spirit World? And, why am I afflicted with this health problem again? And, I’m worried about making the wrong decision at a critical juncture of my life, what should I do? And, do I have to settle? And, does it really matter if I keep this covenant?
As I’ve gone teaching with the missionaries, I hear some different questions to start a conversation with God. Was there really a life before this one? Am I a child of God? Why is priesthood authority so important? What is the nature of the Godhead?
God’s Conversation with Moses
In my scripture study, I went with Moses to the mountain. God taught Moses amazing things and left Moses to ponder what he’d learned. Satan came, tempting Moses to worship him. One of my favorite lines from Moses 1 is when Moses replies to Satan’s combat by saying, “I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of Him.”
Moses called upon God and his next question started a glorious conversation. “Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?” Then, Moses talked with the Lord face to face. And He answered Moses’ questions—creations without number, created and known, all-encompassing. His “work and glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
Conversations with God can happen everywhere! On a mountain, in the car (I’m always praying about/for traffic ☺), while folding laundry, and during General Conference.
An Example
A verse that inspires questions for me is from John 17. In His prayer, Jesus asked Heavenly Father “keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” I have at least 20 questions from this verse, in context, that I’ve been thinking about and studying about over the past few years.
During one conference, something a speaker said brought one of my questions to mind. I suddenly saw an image in my mind (I’m a visual learner). I saw the beginnings of an answer. I drew it. My mind came alive and I began to be taught, step by step, an answer to my question.
Another speaker mentioned a scripture which would have never sparked the mental stimulation if I hadn’t been thinking in this context—IE: I would never have looked up that scripture while studying this subject. But it blew me away as it became a confirmation of what I was drawing and led me to another step. The following speakers each shared at least one scripture that led my learning into deeper insight. I couldn’t tell you what all of their topics were, but each speaker’s scriptural references are all over my illustrations. As I sat there wanting to learn and listen, I went to my own mountain and had a conversation with God.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God
And this is how I know that if I—who am of no particularly spectacular level of righteousness or spirituality—can ask question after question after question and get answers, that everyone can. He answers the eternally significant questions. And He answers curious, piecing the puzzle together questions. At the right time for me, and according to my level of faith and understanding, answers to my questions come.
I know that God wants to answer us, will answer us, and especially loves to have conversations with us. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
I invite you to take the General Conference conversation starter question challenge!
What do you want to know? Will you ask Him?
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