Elder Neil A. Andersen is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is ordained to the office of Elder as a distinction of his status as an apostle and disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Elder Andersen has the opportunity to speak to members of the LDS Church and other viewers when he speaks at the Church's General Conferences, which are semiannual sessions when Church leaders assemble to deliver inspired messages from God.
Elder Andersen follows a specific form and style when he speaks at General Conference: he speaks to the youth and he does so by using media to appeal to their interests and skills. His most recent address, "Joseph Smith" (October 2014) and “Spiritual Whirlwinds” (April 2014) both follow this pattern.
Elder Andersen follows a specific form and style when he speaks at General Conference: he speaks to the youth and he does so by using media to appeal to their interests and skills. His most recent address, "Joseph Smith" (October 2014) and “Spiritual Whirlwinds” (April 2014) both follow this pattern.
Because he chooses the youth as his audience,
Elder Andersen crafts his talks in a way that appeals to them and their
interests. One way he does this is through his use of form and style,
specifically regarding his use of media.
In "Whirlwinds" he features images of
a tornado, a tree with its roots growing underground, and a cellphone that
displayed a text about the need of the recipient to catch up with the times. In
his most recent address, Elder Andersen used a movie clip of a man and his son
on an airplane putting on oxygen masks.
Youth in this “chosen generation” are tech savvy,
and they respond well to messages delivered in their language: the language of
media.
Texts, tweets, pins, status updates, photos, and
clips appeal to youth because they help them feel engaged. Using the form and
style his audience most resonates with through the images and videos helps Elder Andersen's message reach its intended listeners effectively.
Speaking to youth through media is not a new practice for Elder Andersen. He was the key devotional speaker for youth attendees in February at the RootsTech Conference, the largest family history conference in North America. Continuing to use media to engage youth and to inspire them to take action (in the devotional he calls on them to find their cousins, and in his most recent address he asks them to find favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon and share them) helps Elder Andersen establish credibility with his audience and gives them a form they can look forward to in the future.
Speaking to youth through media is not a new practice for Elder Andersen. He was the key devotional speaker for youth attendees in February at the RootsTech Conference, the largest family history conference in North America. Continuing to use media to engage youth and to inspire them to take action (in the devotional he calls on them to find their cousins, and in his most recent address he asks them to find favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon and share them) helps Elder Andersen establish credibility with his audience and gives them a form they can look forward to in the future.
I enjoyed reading your analysis of Elder Anderson's teaching style. I have noticed that trend as well. For many youth, general conference can be monotonous and long. Elder Anderson does a good job of engaging his audience through media in his talks. He definitely establishes ethos through his warm smile and use of modern terms that youth can relate to. I have never thought of the language of media as being a different language but it truly is.
ReplyDeleteIts true, the way in which Elder Andersen appeals to younger generations has worked effectively...considering I still remember both of those talks vividly.
ReplyDeleteI believe thats why it is important the brethern continue following their pattern of discourse year after year.