“Charity—a Sign of True Discipleship”

Posted on by Mitch Peterson

Last updated on September 6th, 2025 at 02:57 pm

General Conference Applied

S5 E43 – Sunday, August 31, 2025 | “Charity—a Sign of True Discipleship” by Elder Michael B. Strong; April 2025 General Conference

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Podcast Episode Outline

Introduction

As we begin this podcast episode, if you have not recently listened to or read Elder Strong’s April 2025 General Conference address, please pause this podcast episode and go review his address.

Bio

  • “Elder Michael B. Strong was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April 2024 general conference. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Area. He is currently serving in the Philippines Area Presidency.

    “Elder Strong has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission, bishop, stake president, and president of the Perú Lima Central Mission from 2018 to 2021.

    “Elder Strong received a bachelor of science degree in microbiology and a minor in chemistry from Brigham Young University in 1989 and a medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 1993. He worked both as a physician and also as the chief medical information officer for the University of Utah.

    “Michael Brent Strong was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 6, 1965. He married Cristin Connelly in 1987. They are the parents of six children.”
  • This was Elder Strong’s first general conference address.

Invitations

  1. “To be the Lord’s disciples, we must intentionally imitate His thoughts and actions every day—for example, His obedience, humility, and patience.”
    • In our own words: “[I]ntentionally imitate [Jesus Christ’s] thoughts and actions – His obedience, humility, and patience – every day.”
    • Application Idea #1: This is our second episode in a row about discipleship and what being a disciple means. Do a topical study of general conference – for example, looking at the topic of “discipleship”. (Elder McCune focused on covenants and Elder Strong focus on charity)
    • Application Idea #2: Study the Christlike attributes of obedience, humility, and patience in chapter six of Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and share what you learned with someone you love and/or on social media.
    • Clay Application: I will complete the Christlike Attribute Activity in Preach My Gospel chapter six.
  2. “As followers of Jesus Christ, we should seek to emulate the way our Master demonstrated His pure love for others.”
    • In our own words: Emulate the way Jesus Christ “demonstrated His pure love for others.”
    • Application Idea #1: Elder Strong shared four stories in this address of how Jesus Christ “demonstrated His pure love for others” (1. The Savior’s “ministry among the Nephites”; 2. “[T]he man who had been lame for 38 years”; 3. “[T]he woman caught in adultery”; 4. “[T]he man with paralysis who was lowered from the roof”). Study these stories and share what you learned with someone you love and/or on social media.
  3. “As President Nelson observed, ‘One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people.'”
    • In our own words: Treat everyone with compassion.
    • Application Idea #1: Study each verse of scripture listed under the heading of “Compassion” in the Topical Guide. Then share what you learned with someone you love and/or on social media.
  4. “[Notice] the unspoken need and [act] in love.”
    • In our own words: “[Notice] the unspoken need and [act] in love.”
    • Application Idea #1: Recognize that just because a need is unspoken to you doesn’t mean a person hasn’t expressed it to somebody. They might just not know who can help them. Find ways to be integrated into your communities without being nosy. Maybe ask your Bishop whether there are any needs you can assist with by donating your means or talents.
    • Application Idea #2: Think about the less-obvious family or other needs at church. It’s easy to spot a Bishop’s wife struggling alone to wrangle her family. Definitely consider sitting with them and keeping their kids reverently entertained, but branch out. Who else is in that or a similar situation? E.g. other callings that require a spouse to be on the stand or speak in other wards, single parents, parents alone that day due to spouse illness or work, families with crying babies who force a parent to walk the halls, that one primary class that’s always out of hand and could benefit from some additional adults (assuming you’re cleared to help with the youth and have taken the youth protection course), etc.
    • Application Idea #3: Study Elder David A. Bednar’s May 10, 2005, BYU Devotional that was entitled “‘Quick to Observe’“. In particular, consider this statement: “Before attending her sacrament meetings, Sister Bednar frequently prays for the spiritual eyes to see those who have a need. Often as she observes the brothers and sisters and children in the congregation, she will feel a spiritual nudge to visit with or make a phone call to a particular person. And when Sister Bednar receives such an impression, she promptly responds and obeys. It often is the case that as soon as the ‘amen’ is spoken in the benediction, she will talk with a teenager or hug a sister or, upon returning home, immediately pick up the phone and make a call. As long as I have known Sister Bednar, people have marveled at her capacity to discern and respond to their needs. Often they will ask her, ‘How did you know?’ The spiritual gift of being quick to observe has enabled her to see and to act promptly and has been a great blessing in the lives of many people.” Write in your journal about what you learned from this address, and then share what you learned with someone you love and/or on social media.
    • Mitch Application: I will study Elder David A. Bednar’s May 10, 2005, BYU Devotional that was entitled “‘Quick to Observe’“. I will write in my journal about what I learned from this address, and then share what I learned with someone I love and/or on social media.
  5. “As we become more like our Master, our desire to help our brothers and sisters along the covenant path will naturally increase. … There are countless ways to encourage and assist others in their progression if we deliberately and prayerfully seek heaven’s help to have eyes to see and a heart to feel how Jesus Christ sees and feels for them.”
    • In our own words: “[E]ncourage and assist others in their progression” along the covenant path by “deliberately and prayerfully [seeking divine] help” to see and feel for others as the Savior “sees and feels for them.”
    • Application Idea #1: Pray for those over whom you owe God a stewardship. For example, if you teach a class, pray to know how to magnify your calling. Consider praying by name for guidance how to help specific individuals.
    • Application Idea #2: Study the lyrics of Hymn number 1019 – “To Love like Thee“. Also consider studying the “About the Hymn” description for the hymn. Then share what you learned with someone you love and/or on social media.
  6. “[D]iscipleship of Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain enduring happiness. It is a path filled with deliberate and purposeful acts of love toward others.”
  7. “I earnestly pray that we may follow President Nelson’s invitation to prioritize our discipleship. May we ‘pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart’ to ‘be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; … that when he shall appear we shall be like him.'”
    • In our own words: “[F]ollow President Nelson’s invitation to prioritize our discipleship” by praying with all our hearts for charity – the pure love of Christ.
    • Application Idea #1: Look for scriptural examples of “praying with all the energy of heart.” What patterns do you recognize that you could implement to improve your prayers?
    • Application Idea #2: Pray with a notebook beside you. Specifically ask: “Who can I share Your love with today?” Write down the names of those who God needs you to touch this week.
    • Application Idea #3: Study President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2023 General Conference address “Peacemakers Needed“. In particular, write in your journal about how you will take specific action on this invitation from President Nelson: “I invite you to examine your discipleship within the context of the way you treat others. I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful, and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ. I bless you to replace belligerence with beseeching, animosity with understanding, and contention with peace.” Then share what you learned with someone you love and/or on social media.
    • Landon Application: I will pray with a notebook beside me. I will specifically ask: “Who can I share Your love with today?” I will write down the names of those who God needs me to touch this week.

Discussion Questions

  1. What is the Lord, through Elder Strong, inviting us to do? And how do we intend to take action?
  2. “President Nelson taught, ‘Our adoration of Jesus is best expressed by our emulation of Jesus.'” Has Elder Strong’s address inspired you to emulate Jesus in some specific way?
  3. What do you learn about compassion from the example of Elder Brian Kochevar?
  4. Elder Strong shared the story of the Agamata family and the missionaries who helped them plant rice. Can you think of any similar experiences – either in your own life or in the life of another – of “an unconventional act of service”?
  5. Elder Strong stated: “While the path of discipleship may be difficult and challenging, and while at times we may struggle and fall short, we can take comfort that God is mindful of us and yearns to help us every time we try.” Do you believe that? Why?

External Resources Referenced In This Episode

  1. The foundation of faith that helped fuel Elder Michael B. Strong’s testimony: ‘The Lord truly cares about us’
  2. April 2025 General conference addresses focused on discipleship (GCA S5 E1)
  3. Four stories about the Savior from the address
  4. “Compassion” in the Topical Guide
  5. Elder Ballard story of wrestling the kids in church to his wife’s delight, “Daughters of God“
  6. Elder Bednar, BYU Devotional “‘Quick to Observe’“, 2005
  7. Hymn number 1019, “To Love Like Thee” and about this hymn
  8. Enos
  9. Lehi (tree of life)
  10. Christlike Attribute Activity
  11. Instagram reel: if someone followed you around all day, would they find Jesus?
  12. True Millennials Instagram reel
  13. Benjamin Franklin’s virtues system from the Art of Manliness Podcast
  14. Truman Madsen with Hugh B. Brown, (“Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham“), “Joseph Smith Lecture 6: Joseph Smith as Teacher, Speaker, and Counselor”

What will you do?

How will you take action on the invitations extended in this General Conference address?

Conclusion

The focus of our next podcast episode will be the April 2025 General Conference address that was delivered by Elder Scott D. Whiting and was entitled “Beware the Second Temptation.”

As we conclude this episode, we would invite you to refer to the podcast episode details for this podcast episode where we have provided important information for connecting with us and further supporting the General Conference Applied Podcast. The best ways to help us are to like and subscribe to the podcast, to share the podcast with others, to like and share our content on social media, to share your own experiences with us on social media, and especially to contact us on our website.

Please remember that General Conference Applied is meant to be a supplement for your review of General Conference Addresses. We promise that you will get more out of each General Conference Applied episode when you study the General Conference address first.

Thank you for joining us in this effort to become doers of the word and to take action on general conference invitations.

Tags

Charity | Compassion | Discipleship | Jesus Christ | Love

Additional Content

Previous Podcast Episode (“Joy Through Covenant Discipleship” by Elder John A. McCune)

Next Podcast Episode (“Beware the Second Temptation” by Elder Scott D. Whiting)

All Podcast Episodes

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