Elder David A. Bednar: Keeping Your Ears Tuned to Him

General Conference of October 2014 Conference Talk:  Come and See

General Conference of April 2005 Comparison: The Tender Mercies of The Lord

I was intrigued as Elder David A. Bednar began to walk up to the pulpit being one of the last speakers on Sunday afternoon for General Conference this October of 2014 to give his talk, Come and See (Oct. 2014) anticipating that he was preparing to address the members of the church. He proceeded to direct his talk to individuals not belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mentally, I almost checked it off my list and thought about taking a nap during his talk because it was not addressed to me. Throughout Elder David A. Bednar’s talk however, he used great examples and scriptures, which kept my ears tuned to his words and made me increasingly curious of what he might be saying.

His October 2014 General Conference address reminded me of another one of his Conference addresses delivered during a Sunday evening session in General Conference, The Tender Mercies of The Lord (April 2005). He gave this address after his induction earlier, in October 2004, to the quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In the earlier years of his induction, Elder Bednar had experiences that he easily shared with the audience. In this  experience his favorite hymn was played right before he gave his address. These personal references, like his favorite hymn being played, makes the pathos more relevant in knowing that God is always putting tender mercies in your life because he knows and loves you. In the Sunday evening session of the October 2014 General Conference, Elder David A. Bednar employed  logos to help others outside of the Church of Latter Day Saints understand why those inside the church are the way they are. For example, Elder David A. Bednar revisited this in the October 2014 address, when he said, “When we invite you to attend church with us or to learn with the full-time missionaries, we are not trying to sell you a product. As members of the Church, we do not receive prizes or bonus points in a heavenly contest. We are not seeking simply to increase the numerical size of the Church. And most importantly, we are not attempting to coerce you to believe as we do. We are inviting you to hear the restored truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ so you can study, ponder, pray, and come to know for yourself if the things we are sharing with you are true.”(October 2014). Elder David A. Bednar shared who, what, why, and how the members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are the way they are. Just as the personal experiences in the earlier message he gave in 2005, his first talk as a twelfth Apostle, Elder David A. Bednar also related a story in the General Conference of October 2014 about his two sons. In the story, the older son was taking care of the younger brother in this year’s General Conference October 2014. He uses stories to help both the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and those who are not a member to understand the logic of his addresses and the understanding of his faith.

 Both talks have very similar style and form throughout his speeches and both use common, contemporary examples which help with logos. Elder David A. Bednar’s talks engage both nonmembers and members not only because he is speaking doctrinal truth but also effectively using logos, pathos, and ethos.