Elder Carlos A. Godoy, a Brazilian member of the Seventy, spoke during the Sunday Afternoon session. His talk was centered around each member's divine potential and how we can follow God's individual plan for us. I decided to use this talk and one from General Conference October 2008 for my comparisons.
Elder Godoy's talk in 2008, entitled 'Testimony as a Process,' (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/testimony-as-a-process?lang=eng) was given in English. It relayed that to receive the witness of the “still small voice” sometimes can have a stronger impact on our testimonies than the visit of an angel. His talk last Saturday, entitled 'The Lord Has a Plan for Us!,' (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/the-lord-has-a-plan-for-us?lang=eng#watch=video) was spoken in Portuguese and dubbed over in English. It asked each of us to ponder this question: If we continue to live as we are living, will the promised blessings be fulfilled?
As I listened to both talks, I realized the differences between them and began to better appreciate the literary aspect of them. Because it was easier to listen to the 2008 talk, (because it was in English), I did not gain as much insight because I was less focused on his words. He has a very thick accent so it was difficult for me to understand him at some points. During his 2014 talk, though, I was intrigued by his native language, and had to listen and read more closely to understand him. However, because he was dubbed over in English, no accent, I did not have to listen and comprehend nearly as much as before.
I also noticed that he had much more confidence and power to his words when he spoke in Portuguese. His jokes were funnier because they were understood, and the Spirit during his testimony was stronger because you could hear his authentic, heartfelt tone as he solemnly bore testimony of truth.
This assignment helped me see and appreciate the differences between his speaking in English versus Portuguese. I gained a lot of insight from both of his talks. Did Godoy or any of the other foreign speakers strike you as unique during General Conference this year?
I am curious if i you speak Portuguese? I remember on my mission here in the United States we had a missionary from Mexico arrive. He didn't speak great English, but it progressed over time. I attended a spanish baptism were he and his companion stood and that Elder from Mexico was able to speak in his native tongue. I have no idea what he said, but the power and vigor he spoke with exceeded that of his experienced companion. I would like to see the church find a way for options to have foreign speakers dubbed or supply subtitles.
ReplyDeleteI am curious to see over time what effect the native language talks will have. I think it will open the doorway to many more General Authorities speaking because they can do so confidently and without a strong accent. There are some that probably cannot speak English at all, we may have been missing out on some more very powerful speakers! Maybe there is a seventy who is a powerhouse like Elder Holland or sincere and sweet like President Eyring. I think we will see many come through the woodworks who dosnt have the opportunity before
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent observation about his levels of confidence in the different addresses; it makes sense that speaking in his native language would put him more at ease, though he did point out he was worried about going too fast for the subtitles haha! Delivery is a huge part of your rhetorical appeal as a speaker, and I wonder how the Brazilian and Portugese audiences responded to Elder Godoy's address in Portugese?
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