How to Prepare for General Conference and Hear the Lord
TL;DR: How to Prepare for General Conference and Receive Personal Revelation
The best way to prepare for General Conference is to come with questions, pray sincerely, listen with faith, and write down the thoughts and impressions that come to your mind and heart. The video also reveals that General Conference speakers are not assigned specific topics. Instead, they seek revelation to know what the Lord wants them to teach. President Milton Camargo shares that his own conference topic became clear while praying in the temple, reinforcing the idea that General Conference messages can be inspired answers for individuals throughout the world.
Watch the Full Video About Preparing for General Conference
How Are General Conference Talks Prepared?
Many members of the Church have probably wondered how General Conference speakers know what to talk about. Are they assigned a topic? Does the First Presidency coordinate every message? How far in advance do speakers prepare?
President Milton Camargo, who served in the General Sunday School Presidency and has spoken twice in General Conference, explained what the process was like for him.
According to his experience, the invitation to speak normally arrives several months before conference. The speaker is told:
- The session in which he will speak
- The amount of time available
- Who will speak immediately before him
However, one thing is notably missing: the topic.
President Camargo explained that he was not assigned a subject. Instead, part of his preparation was seeking revelation to understand what the Lord wanted him to teach.
General Conference Topics Are Sought Through Revelation
President Camargo described this as one of the most spiritual parts of conference preparation. A speaker may initially have several ideas in mind, but the central question becomes:
What does the Lord want me to say?
In one of his General Conference experiences, President Camargo decided to go to the temple and pray specifically about the message he should prepare.
While there, he felt a clear impression that he should speak about focusing on Jesus Christ.
That experience became the foundation of his message.
For members listening to General Conference, this offers an important perspective. The speakers are not merely selecting topics they personally find interesting. They are seeking to understand what the Lord would have them teach.
Why General Conference Can Bring Personal Revelation
The video emphasizes that General Conference is not simply a series of Church speeches. It can become a spiritual experience in which the Lord communicates personally with those who listen with faith.
Doctrine and Covenants 21 teaches members of the Church to receive the words of the Lord’s servants with patience and faith, with the promise that the powers of darkness will not prevail and that the Lord will act for the good of His people.
This creates a powerful reason to prepare intentionally for General Conference.
If the Lord guides His servants in preparing their messages, then those messages can contain answers to questions that individual listeners are already asking.
President Milton Camargo’s Experience Speaking in General Conference
President Camargo described speaking in General Conference as both sacred and intimidating.
The invitation itself brought a sense of responsibility because he understood that he would be addressing members of the Church throughout the world.
After receiving inspiration about his topic, he prepared his message well in advance.
General Conference talks must be submitted early because they are translated into many languages. For that reason, speakers generally do not improvise their talks at the pulpit.
The written message is prepared carefully so it can be translated and distributed around the world.
What It Feels Like to Walk to the General Conference Pulpit
President Camargo also described the moments immediately before speaking.
Speakers know who will speak before them. When that person begins speaking, the next speaker moves into position and waits nearby.
President Camargo recalled feeling nervous as he waited. He thought about practical things, including simply walking safely to the pulpit.
His heart was beating quickly.
But when the previous speaker finished and President Camargo began his message, he described experiencing a profound peace.
He felt that the Lord was guiding the experience and that everything would be all right.
That contrast between nervousness beforehand and spiritual peace while speaking became one of the most memorable parts of his experience.
General Conference Messages Point Us to Jesus Christ
The message President Camargo received inspiration to teach centered on Jesus Christ.
He testified that Jesus Christ lives and can be an active presence in daily life.
Rather than becoming so focused on problems that we lose sight of the solution, disciples are invited to lift their eyes toward the Savior.
The video emphasizes the scriptural invitation:
“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
As individuals focus on Jesus Christ, make and keep covenants, and allow Him to become the strongest influence in their homes and families, they become spiritually prepared to follow Him more fully.
4 Ways to Prepare for General Conference
The final portion of the video gives four practical recommendations from prophets and apostles for preparing spiritually for General Conference.
1. Pray About the Questions You Need Answered
Elder Neil L. Andersen taught that one of the most important things we can do before General Conference is pray.
Think about what is weighing on your mind.
Ask yourself:
- What am I worried about?
- What decisions am I facing?
- What spiritual questions do I have?
- What does my family need right now?
It can be helpful to write those questions down and then pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, asking for guidance.
This transforms General Conference from passive listening into an active search for revelation.
2. Trust God Enough to Listen for His Message
President Henry B. Eyring taught that if we trust God enough to listen for His message in every talk, hymn, and prayer, we can hear it.
This means answers may not always come in the form we expect.
A phrase in a prayer, a hymn, or a message that seems unrelated to our original question may suddenly bring clarity.
The important thing is to listen spiritually, not just intellectually.
3. Listen by the Spirit
President Jeffrey R. Holland taught that if we listen by the Spirit, someone speaking in General Conference may address our personal situation in a way that feels like a prophetic message written specifically for us.
This does not mean every talk will directly answer every question.
It means the Holy Ghost can personalize inspired teachings.
The same message can reach millions of people and still speak differently to each individual according to his or her needs.
4. Write Down the Impressions That Come to You
President Russell M. Nelson strongly encouraged members to record the thoughts that catch their attention and remain in their hearts.
During General Conference, inspiration may come as:
- A thought
- A feeling
- A scripture
- An idea about something to change
- A person to contact
- A decision to make
- A spiritual confirmation
Writing those impressions down helps preserve revelation that might otherwise be forgotten.
Afterward, individuals can pray and ask the Lord to confirm the truth of what they felt and heard.
How to Receive Answers During General Conference
These four principles form a simple pattern for receiving personal revelation during General Conference:
- Pray before conference
- Bring sincere questions
- Listen with faith and trust in God
- Pay attention to spiritual impressions
- Write those impressions down
- Pray afterward for confirmation
When General Conference is approached this way, it becomes more than a Church event on the calendar. It becomes an opportunity to receive direction from heaven.
Why Preparing Before General Conference Matters
Spiritual preparation changes the way we hear inspired messages.
If we come to conference distracted or simply waiting to be entertained, we may miss personal guidance.
But when we come prayerfully with real questions, we become more prepared to recognize answers.
The video compares General Conference messages to words from a loving Father who wants to comfort His children during difficult moments and counsel them as they make important choices.
That perspective gives conference preparation greater meaning.
How the Lord Guides General Conference Speakers
President Camargo’s experience provides a valuable look behind the scenes.
Different speakers may address similar themes during the same conference even though they were not coordinating those messages with one another.
For believers, this can become evidence of the Lord guiding His servants through revelation.
President Camargo explained that speakers do not necessarily know what the others are preparing. Yet themes can still come together in remarkable ways.
The unity comes through individual speakers seeking the Lord’s guidance.
How to Hear the Voice of the Lord Through His Servants
The central invitation of the video is not simply to watch General Conference.
It is to prepare to hear the voice of the Lord.
That requires more than turning on a broadcast.
It involves:
- Prayer
- Faith
- Spiritual attentiveness
- Humility
- A willingness to act on what we receive
The Lord can use prophets, apostles, hymns, prayers, and the quiet impressions of the Holy Ghost to guide His children.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing for General Conference
How should I prepare for General Conference?
Pray about the questions and concerns in your life, write them down, listen with faith, pay attention to spiritual impressions, and record the thoughts that stay in your heart.
Are General Conference speakers assigned topics?
According to President Milton Camargo’s experience, he was not assigned a specific topic. Instead, he sought personal revelation to understand what the Lord wanted him to teach.
How far in advance do General Conference speakers prepare?
President Camargo explained that his invitations came several months before conference. Talks also needed to be submitted well in advance so they could be translated into multiple languages.
Do General Conference speakers improvise their talks?
Generally, the talks are prepared beforehand and read from a system at the pulpit because the messages must be translated into many languages.
Can General Conference give me answers to personal questions?
Yes. The video emphasizes teachings from Church leaders that when individuals pray, listen by the Spirit, and come with sincere questions, the Holy Ghost can personalize conference messages and provide guidance for their circumstances.
What should I write down during General Conference?
Write down thoughts, impressions, scriptures, feelings, or ideas that capture your attention and remain in your heart. Those impressions may be personal revelation from the Lord.
Final Thoughts: Prepare to Hear the Lord During General Conference
General Conference can become one of the most meaningful spiritual experiences of the year when we prepare intentionally.
President Milton Camargo’s experience reminds us that those who speak are also seeking revelation. They pray, study, prepare, and ask what the Lord would have them teach.
Our responsibility is to prepare on the other side of that process.
We can pray about our questions, trust God enough to listen, seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and record the impressions that come.
When we do, General Conference becomes much more than a series of talks. It becomes an opportunity to hear the Lord’s voice, receive personal revelation, and draw closer to Jesus Christ.