Conference by the Numbers: October 2018

What was emphasized in the October 2018 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Each listener has his or her own talks that stood out personally. But if you just want to count words and see which words were used more often than in past conferences, look at the chart below.

Ministering, healing, grace, individuals, and the Savior's name are all used more than in past conferences. The name of President Russell M. Nelson also occurs more frequently. Why is fear on the chart? Read Elder Rasband's talk "Be Not Troubled."

In addition to words of emphasis, President Nelson used some words of exhortation, invitation, promises and blessings. To see the context of those phrases, see the lists below.

President Nelson's Talks:
Opening Remarks
Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
The Correct Name of the Church
Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints

Urge:

• 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. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• I urge you to record and follow through with each impression. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• I urge you to study the current Relief Society purpose statement. It is inspiring. It may guide you in developing your own purpose statement for your own life. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• I urge you to study these messages, commencing this week. They express the mind and the will of the Lord for His people, today. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints
• If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints

Invite/Invitation:

• 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. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel 
• Second, I invite you to read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• Third, establish a pattern of regular temple attendance….For those of you who don’t live near a temple, I invite you to study prayerfully about temples in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets. Seek to know more, to understand more, to feel more about temples than you ever have before. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• My fourth invitation, for you who are of age, is to participate fully in Relief Society. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• Then I invite you to worship in the temple and pray to feel deeply the Savior’s infinite love for you, that each of you may gain your own testimony that He directs this sacred and ageless work. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints

Encourage:

• As you read, I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then, be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• To those who have long been absent from the temple, I encourage you to prepare and return as soon as possible. Then I invite you to worship in the temple and pray to feel deeply the Savior’s infinite love for you, that each of you may gain your own testimony that He directs this sacred and ageless work. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints

Promise:

• My dear brothers and sisters, I promise you that if we will do our best to restore the correct name of the  Lord’s Church, He whose Church this is will  pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen. The Correct Name of the Church
• And, as you prayerfully study [the Book of Mormon], I promise that the heavens will open for you.  Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints
• I promise you that our rigorous attention to use the correct name of the Savior’s Church and its members will lead to increased faith and access to greater spiritual power for members of His Church. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints
• I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints

Bless you:

• The Lord will bless you with increased inspiration and revelation. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• 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. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• I bless you with increased faith in Him and in His holy work, with faith and patience to endure your personal challenges in life. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints
• I bless you to become exemplary Latter-day Saints. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints
• I so bless you and bear my testimony that God lives! Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints

If:

• …if you will accept this invitation [to read the Book of Mormon] with full purpose of heart, the Lord will help you find a way to achieve it. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel
• If we as a people and as individuals are to have access to the power of the  Atonement of Jesus Christ—to cleanse and heal us, to strengthen and magnify us, and ultimately to exalt us—we must clearly acknowledge Him as the source of that power. The Correct Name of the Church
• If we will be patient and if we will do our part well, the Lord will lead us through this important task. The Correct Name of the Church

Past "Conference by the Numbers" blog posts:
April 2018
October 2017
April 2017
October 2016
April 2016
October 2015
April 2015
October 2014