Recognizing and Responding to the Voice of the Spirit as a Leader | An Interview with Elder Craig A. Cardon

Elder Craig A. Cardon served as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2006 to 2018. He served as a member of the Africa West Area Presidency and the Pacific Area Presidency, as editor of Church magazines, and in the Priesthood and Family Department. He was previously an entrepreneur with multiple business interests, and has served in many callings ranging from institute instructor to bishop, stake president, and mission president. Most recently he authored the book Growing Up Unto the Lord: Recognizing and Responding to the Voice of the Spirit, Living in Peace, and Blessing Generations. Elder Cardon and his wife Deborah live in Gilbert, Arizona and are the parents of eight children. Highlights 7:45 Receiving the call to be a General Authority Seventy and preparing to serve in Africa 12:20 Receiving the confidence to serve along with the mantle of the calling 13:30 Training in Salt Lake City to become familiar with people and operations 16:30 The people of West Africa have so little of what isn't important and so much of what is 19:00 Challenges and blessings that came from the need to grow from centers of strength 24:00 How the patient modeling of leadership has led to a new generation of members in West Africa 26:00 How General Authority Seventy assignments are given 27:30 The Priesthood and Family Department, their responsibilities and structure * 32:30 The revelatory process in the department committees and how this process can translate to local units * 34:30 The inspired development of Come Follow Me 37:20 His approach to presiding at stake conferences 41:30 A bishop's opportunity to preside over the revelatory process in ward council 43:15 The inspiration for his book: conversion occurs within the home and the need families have to receive personal revelation 47:15 Seeking inspiration and revelation as leaders in the church 52:00 Receiving direction when calling leaders: the reality of revelation and the process of gathering information to identify who can serve and be blessed in the position 57:20 His experience of a testimony meeting at a youth conference: the lesson of a strong feeling compared to bearing witness of the Savior * Caution of strong feelings being motivated by an unrecognized personal agenda and the potential to supercede the voices of others * 1:03:10 The great value of councils that can draw out the thoughts and ideas of the members, listen to each other, and let a topic rest before making a decision 1:07:15 Help individuals seek their own revelation by asking inspired questions and teaching them to turn to the Lord 1:09:50 "The hierarchy of heaven is amazingly flat" Links Growing Up Unto the Lord : Recognizing and Responding to the Voice of the Spirit, Living in Peace, and Blessing Generations, by Craig A. Cardon TRANSCRIPT COMING SOON