He Simplified Before He Said To Simplify

Putting aside the ethos Uchtdorf has established over time in his position as the second counselor of the First Presidency, his simple talk given in the Women's Conference session showed a great deal of thought on his part, as well as his awareness of his audience.  In a session that included mainly women, ages eight through one hundred and eight, Uchtdorf delivered a talk that could be understood by the masses.  Using a modern humorous style (nicknaming a "stalker cat"), and the appropriate storytelling intonations, he told of a young girl named Eva who had to stay with her Great Aunt Rose.  Throughout the story, Uchtdorf uses simple terminology and a tone that carries with it the expectation for you to be looking for your own story in his parable.

Uchtdorf understood his audience: he knew that little girls and tired mothers and parallel great aunts were going to need the simplicity and excitement of a straight forward story in order to understand a little more about faith.  The comparison, a topic of invention, was not done explicitly, but was done by the audience as per his request.  I thought it fascinating that his introduction and conclusion were so short and succinct, and that he really allowed the story and imagery involved speak for themselves.  As Christ taught, so did Uchtdorf, telling us the parable of Great Aunt Rose and Eva and saying nothing more as we had to "awake and arouse [our] faculties" on our own to gain such insight.

What I got out of the talk: The trials we go through are specific for us, and we can be happy through and despite them.