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?
