April 2025 General Conference Applications – Return and Report: Elder James R. Rasband, Elder Vargas, Elder Shumway, and Elder McCune

Last updated on September 28th, 2025 at 08:48 am

General Conference Applied

S5 E50 – Thursday, September 25, 2025 | April 2025 General Conference Applications – Return and Report: Elder James R. Rasband, Elder Vargas, Elder Shumway, and Elder McCune; April 2025 General Conference

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Podcast Episode Outline

Invitations

Elder James R. Rasband – “The Plan of Mercy“

“President Russell M. Nelson invited us to study the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, recorded in section 109 of the Doctrine and Covenants.“
- Clay (Bonus) Application: Read The Savior in Kirtland by Karl Ricks Anderson.
  - Two days after we recorded this episode, the Church History Matters podcast released a great interview with the author, “Mr. Kirtland” himself. Interested in the book, but no time for it, listen to that episode!
- Mitch Application: I will study President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2024 General Conference address, “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys“, as well as Doctrine and Covenants section 109.
“For those who sometimes struggle to feel answers to prayer, seeking the Lord’s mercy is one of the most powerful ways to feel the witness of the Holy Ghost.”
- Clay Application: Try starting your prayers by considering the mercies you and others have received and expressing gratitude for them along with a plea for forgiveness of sin. Then, start in with items on your mind and see whether you notice the spirit more.

Elder Sergio R. Vargas – “Our Heavenly Guidance System“

“At that very moment, a concerned priesthood holder stood in front of me. He lovingly invited me to focus on Christ and not on the situation we had experienced in class. As I looked back on the experience with him, he shared with me that he heard a voice tell him, ‘Go after him; he is important to me.'”
- Mitch Application: I will prioritize having a meaningful gospel-centered conversation soon with the families to whom I am serving as a ministering brother.
“The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that ‘a man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.'”
- Clay Application: It is no longer difficult to reach the whole world. The trick is getting the world’s attention. The quickest way in 2025 to range through the whole world and bless the human race is social media. I’ve signed up for a course to learn how to make more engaging video content. I plan to start that course and practice what I learn to extend the reach of General Conference Applied. I’ll commit to posting one short-form video before the Return & Report episode on Elder Vargas’ talk.

Elder Steven D. Shumway – “Participate to Prepare for Christ’s Return“

“[S]erve because we love God and want to live our covenants.”
- Clay Application: Prayerfully seek to figure out how my service in the primary is connected to living my covenants. Ponder how magnifying my calling to help these kids grow in the gospel is a way to live my covenants.
“[A]ct in faith to do something beyond our abilities.”
- Mitch Application: I will take action on this invitation from President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2021 General Conference address, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains“: “What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith.”

Elder John A. McCune – “Joy Through Covenant Discipleship“

“As we make and keep covenants, we will naturally turn outward and have a desire to help others feel the measure of joy and love we feel in our covenantal relationships. We can be part of the greatest cause on the earth today—the gathering of Israel. We can help to bring God’s children to Christ.”
- Clay Application: I will begin learning and applying the best marketing and social media practices to share GCA as a missionary tool and will start posting at least once per week.
- Mitch Application: I will read The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert by John M. Gottman, PhD.

External Resources Referenced In This Episode

Elder Bednar April 2024
Truman G. Madsen Lectures on Joseph Smith
Utah Area Presidency
The Anxious Generation
YouTube video for President Nelson’s 101st birthday
President Nelson April 2025
August 2025 GC+
Doctrine and Covenants 93
Jesus Christ let the children come unto me
Elder Shumway bonus episode
Mosiah 5:13
Anxiously engaged in a good cause
1 Nephi 1:1
Elder Kearon relentless pursuit

What will you do?

How have you taken action on the invitations extended in these three General Conference addresses?

Conclusion

The focus of our next podcast episode will be the April 2025 General Conference Applications – Return and Report: Elder Strong and Elder Whiting.

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.