Please forgive a ‘bloke’ for commenting on this talk directed to sisters – I thought it was too important an address to ignore and one that can benefit brethren as well as sisters.

This talk is noted for the 4 challenges or invitations that President Nelson gave the sisters – social media fast, read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year, establish a pattern if regular temple attendance and participate fully in Relief Society. However, there is morr to the talk than these 4 things (and more invitations and challenges!)

President President Nelson talks about spiritual gifts and propensities. He outlines some of the spiritual gifts that he believes women often have:

• the ability to communicate the love of Heavenly Father and the Saviour to others
• the capacity to sense what someone needs
• comforting
• teaching
• strengthening

Do you recognise those gifts in yourself or in women who are close to you?

Here comes a challenge:

‘Tonight I urge you, with all the hope of my heart, to pray to understand your spiritual gifts—to cultivate, use, and expand them, even more than you ever have. You will change the world as you do so.’

Do you know what your spiritual gifts are?

Do you know how to cultivate, use and expand them?

How would using these spiritual gifts change the world?

THE FOUR INVITATIONS

‘First, I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind.’

If you have done or are doing this fast – what has been your experience? Was it easy or difficult? Have you experienced any benefits?

As well as the headline invitation, notice that President Nelson also invited those who take up the challenge to:

• pray to know which influences to remove
• record your impressions
• follow up on those impressions

‘Second, I invite you to read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year.’

If you started immediately the challenge was issued, this means reading about 6 pages or 2.8 chapters a day.

What blessings are promised? (Increased inspiration and revelation, be drawn closer to the Saviour, miracles will happen)

Again, note that there is more to this invitation than the headline:

• mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Saviour
• talk about the Saviour with family and friends
• teach those you love what you are learning from the scriptures

‘Third, establish a pattern of regular temple attendance.’

What specific blessing does President Nelson promise?

(More regular time in the temple will allow the Lord to teach you how to draw upon His priesthood power with which you have been endowed in His temple.)

‘My fourth invitation, for you who are of age, is to participate fully in Relief Society.’

What do you think it means to participate fully? What could you do to participate more fully or to encourage sisters who are close to you to participate more fully?

It seems to me that the Brethren are increasingly trying to teach us what we need to do and become to be ready for the Second Coming. The things that President Nelson talks about here – developing spiritual gifts, withdrawing from social media, reading the scriptures, attending the temple and participating in Church programmes will all help us to be prepared and to know what we must do to be prepared. They will also help us be prepared to participate in the gathering of Israel. Indeed, President Nelson closes with this statement:

‘I love you and thank you and now bless you with the ability to leave the world behind as you assist in this crucial and urgent work. Together we can do all that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to prepare the world for the Second Coming of His Beloved Son.’