How to Use General Conference Talks in Your Personal Scripture Study

General Conference talks can be one of the best resources for personal scripture study.

They help us see familiar scriptures in new ways, understand gospel principles more deeply, and learn how those principles apply to the challenges we're facing today.

But instead of simply reading a conference talk from beginning to end, try studying it alongside your scriptures.

Here are six simple ways to do it.

1. Start With One Talk

You don't need to study an entire session of General Conference at once.

Choose one talk that interests you or addresses something you want to understand better.

Maybe you're looking for help with faith, parenting, forgiveness, revelation, temples, prayer, or becoming more like Jesus Christ.

Start there.

2. Look Up the Scriptures

As you read, pay attention to every scripture the speaker references.

Instead of skipping over the citation, stop and open the actual scripture.

Read a few verses before and after it, too.

Then ask:

Why do you think the speaker chose this scripture?

You may discover something you wouldn't have noticed by reading the talk alone.

3. Mark Words and Ideas That Repeat

Notice when the same word, principle, or invitation appears several times.

Maybe you keep seeing words such as:

Trust.

Remember.

Come unto Christ.

Covenant.

Choose.

Repeated ideas can help you recognize the central message of the talk—and sometimes the message you personally need most.

4. Write Down One Question

Good scripture study doesn't always give us immediate answers.

Sometimes it gives us better questions.

As you study a conference talk, write down something you want to understand more deeply.

For example:

How can I better recognize personal revelation?

What does it really mean to trust the Lord?

How can I make the temple a greater part of my life?

Then use that question to guide your scripture study during the coming days.

5. Pay Attention to Invitations

Conference speakers frequently invite us to do something.

When you find an invitation, pause.

Write it down.

Then ask:

What would this actually look like in my life?

A talk about prayer might inspire you to change the way you pray.

A message about the Savior might encourage you to study one of His attributes.

A talk about service might bring a particular person to mind.

This is where studying can begin to become discipleship.

6. Finish With One Thing You'll Remember

You don't need pages of notes from every talk.

At the end of your study, choose one thing you want to carry with you.

It might be a scripture.

A quote.

An impression.

An invitation.

Or simply a feeling you don't want to forget.

Write it somewhere you'll see it again.

Let General Conference Lead You Back to the Scriptures

One of the beautiful things about studying General Conference is that it continually points us back to the word of God.

A single talk can lead to a scripture.

That scripture can lead to another question.

That question can lead to another chapter.

And before long, you're not simply reading a conference talk anymore.

You're studying the gospel.

And through that study, you can come to know Jesus Christ more deeply.

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