You're the best!

Elder Neil L. Andersen was one of the many great speakers at this year's General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  With describing discipleship, he used many tools that helped encourage the audience to believe and even act on his words.  One of these tools was story telling.  Throughout his talk he told three stories, including two that made a strong impact.  With Thomas S. Monson in one, and little children nearly escaping a deathly situation in the other, he was able to encourage pathos among the crowd.  Most in his audience have a strong love and testimony of Thomas S. Monson anyways, but the story shows him being thoughtful, kind, loving, and taking time out for even the smallest, and perhaps unimportant person.  It shows him as a great man, which although most of the audience already knows, he is building their testimony not only of the principle of discipleship but a testimony of the prophet.  And of course, the story of the children shows what great faith can do, how miracles can happen. It's hard not to get emotional when talking about a family perhaps losing their children.  There isn't much sadder circumstances.  He also used lots of questions in a way to make us think individually about how we are doing, "What thinks Christ of me?," he asked multiple times, using repetition as another tool.  He referred to scripture, other talks, and even Jesus Christ, gaining credibility or ethos by this tool.  And lastly in general he used a lot of words that sounds nice together, nice alliterations, as well as using a lot of opposites: friend or foe, approvingly/disapprovingly, etc.  Overall, through using these strategies, Elder Andersen was persuasive and was able to move the audience with great power and authority.

Some favorite quotes from his talk:
"Discipleship is not a competition for all, rather an opportunity for all"
"Be not afraid, only believe"
"We are on the right road"
"He did not forget her"