A List of EVERYTHING Our Leaders Counseled Us to Do at General Conference (April 2020)
After ten hours of general conference it can be difficult to keep track of all of the counsel our leaders give us. Never fear! We’ve searched through every single talk from the April 2020 general conference and have compiled a comprehensive list of counsel from each speaker. And FYI, they gave a lot of advice. Check out the table of contents (organized by session, in order of appearance) and click on whose counsel you’d like to jump to. Enjoy!
Saturday morning session
President Russell M. Nelson: “Opening Message”
President M. Russell Ballard: “Shall We Not Go On in So Great a Cause?”
Elder James R. Rasband: “Ensuring a Righteous Judgment”
President Joy D. Jones: “An Especially Noble Calling”
Elder Neil L. Andersen: “Spiritually Defining Memories”
Brother Douglas D. Holmes: “Deep in Out Heart”
President Henry B. Eyring: “Prayers of Faith”
Saturday afternoon session
Elder Ulisses Soares: “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon”
Elder John A. McCune: “Come unto Christ—Living as Latter-day Saints”
Bishop Gerald Causse: “A Living Witness of the Living Christ”
Elder Dale G. Renlund: “Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God”
Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai: “The Power of the Book of Mormon in Conversion”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson: “A Good Foundation against the Time to Come”
Saturday evening session
Elder Garrit W. Gong: “Hosanna and Hallelujah—The Living Jesus Christ: The Heart of the Restoration and East”
Sister Laudy Ruth Kaouk Alvarez: “How the Priesthood Blesses Youth”
Brother Enzo Serge Petelo: “How the Priesthood Blesses Youth”
President Jean B. Bingham: “United in Accomplishing God’s Work”
President Henry B. Eyring: “He Goes before Us”
President Dallin H. Oaks: “The Melchizedek Priesthood and the Keys”
President Russell M. Nelson: “Opening the Heavens for Help”
Sunday morning session
Elder Ronald A. Rasband: “Fulfillment of Prophecy”
President Bonnie H. Cordon: “That They May See”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “A Perfect Brightness of Hope”
Elder David A. Bednar: “Let This House Be Built unto My Name”
President Russell M. Nelson: “Hear Him”
Sunday afternoon session
President Dallin H. Oaks: “The Great Plan”
Elder Quentin L. Cook: “The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives”
Elder Ricardo P. Gimenez: “Finding Refuge from the Storms of Life”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Come and Belong”
Elder L. Whitney Clayton: “The Finest Homes”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: “Sharing the Message of the Restoration and the Resurrection”
President Russell M. Nelson: Going Forward in Faith
President Russell M. Nelson: Opening Message
- “How can we endure such trials? The Lord has told us that ‘if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings. But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony.”
- “Our ultimate quest in life is to prepare to meet our Maker. We do this by striving daily to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. And we do that as we repent daily and receive His cleansing, healing, and strengthening power. Then we can feel enduring peace and joy, even during turbulent times. This is exactly why the Lord has implored us to stand in holy places and ‘be not moved.'”
- “‘This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!’ That admonition given to Joseph is for each of us. We are to seek, in every way we can, to hear Jesus Christ, who speaks to us through the power and ministering of the Holy Ghost.”
- “We have prayed, and invite you to pray, that the Spirit of the Lord will be with us in such rich abundance that you can hear the messages that the Savior has especially for you—messages that will bring peace to your soul. Messages that will heal your broken heart. Messages that will illuminate your mind. Messages that will help you know what to do as you move ahead through times of turmoil and trial.”
- “The most important lasting effects of this historic conference will be as our hearts change and we commence a lifelong quest to hear Him.”
- “I know that God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, are mindful of us. They will be with us throughout the proceedings of these two glorious days as we seek to draw closer to Them and honor Them.”
President M. Russell Ballard: Shall We Not Go On in So Great a Cause?
- “As we celebrate this joyous occasion, the 200th anniversary of the First Vision, we should always remember the price Joseph and Hyrum Smith paid, along with so many other faithful men, women, and children, to establish the Church so you and I could enjoy the many blessings and all of these revealed truths we have today. Their faithfulness should never be forgotten!”
- “Before his death in 1844, Joseph wrote a spirited letter to the Saints. It was a call to action, which continues in the Church today: ‘Brethren [and sisters], shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren [and sisters]; and on, on to the victory! … Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.'”
- “As we listen to the Spirit during this 200th anniversary celebration this weekend, consider what offering you will present to the Lord in righteousness in the coming days. Be courageous—share it with someone you trust, and most important, please take the time to do it!”
- “I know that the Savior is pleased when we present Him an offering from our hearts in righteousness, just as He was pleased with the faithful offering of those remarkable brothers, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and all other faithful Saints.”
Elder James R. Rasband: Ensuring a Righteous Judgment
- “The more we understand about the Savior’s supernal gift, the more we will come to know, in our minds and in our hearts, the reality of President Nelson’s assurance that ‘the truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls.'”
- “Of course, where there is a law given, where we are not ignorant of the will of God, we are accountable. As King Benjamin emphasized: ‘Wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.'”
- “Not only does the Savior heal and restore those who sin in ignorance, but also, for those who sin against the light, the Savior offers healing on the condition of repentance and faith in Him.”
- “As natural men and women, we all bump, or sometimes crash, into each other and cause harm. As any parent can testify, the pain associated with our mistakes is not simply the fear of our own punishment but the fear that we may have limited our children’s joy or in some way hindered them from seeing and understanding the truth. The glorious promise of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice is that as far as our mistakes as parents are concerned, He holds our children blameless and promises healing for them. And even when they have sinned against the light—as we all do—His arm of mercy is outstretched, and He will redeem them if they will but look to Him and live.”
- “Although the Savior has power to mend what we cannot fix, He commands us to do all we can to make restitution as part of our repentance. Our sins and mistakes displace not only our relationship with God but also our relationships with others. Sometimes our efforts to heal and restore may be as simple as an apology, but other times restitution may require years of humble effort.”
- “Yet, for many of our sins and mistakes, we simply are not able to fully heal those we have hurt. The magnificent, peace-giving promise of the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel is that the Savior will mend all that we have broken. And He will also mend us if we turn to Him in faith and repent of the harm we have caused.”
President Joy D. Jones: An Especially Noble Calling
- “…the Prophet Joseph Smith counseled the sisters to ‘live up to [their] privilege.’ Their example teaches us today. They unitedly followed a prophet’s voice and lived with steadfast faith in Jesus Christ as they helped lay the foundation we now stand upon. Sisters, it is our turn. We have a divine errand from the Lord, and our faithful, unique contributions are vital.”
- “President Spencer W. Kimball explained: ‘To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times.'”
- “President Nelson has likewise implored: ‘I plead with my sisters of [the] Church … to step forward! Take your rightful and needful place in your home, in your community, and in the kingdom of God—more than you ever have before.'”
- Video of President Nelson talking with children: “Everything to do with becoming more like the Savior is difficult. For example, when God wanted to give the Ten Commandments to Moses, where did He tell Moses to go? Up on top of a mountain, on the top of Mount Sinai. So Moses had to walk all the way up to the top of that mountain to get the Ten Commandments. Now, Heavenly Father could have said, ‘Moses, you start there, and I’ll start here, and I’ll meet you halfway.’ No, the Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.”
- “The Lord loves effort, and effort brings rewards. We keep practicing. We are always progressing as long as we are striving to follow the Lord. He doesn’t expect perfection today. We keep climbing our personal Mount Sinai. As in times past, our journey does indeed take effort, hard work, and study, but our commitment to progress brings eternal rewards.”
- “As women of faith, we can draw principles of truth from the Prophet Joseph’s experiences that provide insights for receiving our own revelation. For example:
- “We labor under difficulties
- “We turn to the scriptures to receive wisdom to act.
- “We exert our power to plead with God to help us thwart the adversary’s influence.
- “We offer up the desires of our hearts to God.
- “We focus on His light guiding our life choices and resting upon us when we turn to Him.
- “We realize He knows each of us by name and has individual roles for us to fulfill.”
- “In addition, Joseph Smith restored the knowledge that we have divine potential and eternal worth. Because of that relationship with our Heavenly Father, I believe He expects us to receive revelation from Him.”
- “The Lord instructed Emma Smith to ‘receive the Holy Ghost,’ learn much, ‘lay aside the things of this world, … seek for the things of a better,’ and ‘cleave unto [her] covenants’ with God. Learning is integral to progression, especially as the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost teaches us what is needful for each of us to lay aside—meaning that which could distract us or delay our progression.”
- “President Nelson said, ‘I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.’ Our prophet’s words are continually with me as I contemplate women’s ability to step forward. He pleads with us, which indicates priority. He is teaching us how to survive spiritually in a sin-sick world by receiving and acting on revelation. As we do so, honoring and living the Lord’s commandments, we are promised, even as Emma Smith was, ‘a crown of righteousness.'”
- “In this conference, we will hear truths that inspire us to change, improve, and purify our lives. Through personal revelation, we can prevent what some call ‘general conference overwhelm’—when we leave so determined to do it all now. Women wear many hats, but it is impossible, and unnecessary, to wear them all at once. The Spirit helps us determine which work to focus on today.”
- “Heeding personal revelation leads to personal progression. We listen and act.”
- “The Lord said, ‘Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient.’ Our continuing role is to receive continuing revelation.”
- “As we attain a greater degree of proficiency at [receiving revelation], we can receive more power in our individual roles to minister and accomplish the work of salvation and exaltation—to truly ‘lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.’ We can then more effectively inspire our rising generation to do the same.”
- “President Nelson taught us, ‘Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God.'”
- “Sisters, I pray that we will recognize and cherish priesthood power as we ‘cleave unto [our] covenants,’ embrace the truths of the scriptures, and heed the words of our living prophets.”
- “Let us boldly declare our devotion to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, ‘with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.’ Let us joyfully continue this journey toward our highest spiritual potential and help those around us to do the same through love, service, leadership, and compassion.”
- “In the final analysis of women’s continuing roles in the Restoration, and for us all, what role is preeminent? I testify that it is to hear Him, to follow Him, to trust Him, and to become an extension of His love.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen: Spiritually Defining Memories
- “Reflect on your own spiritually defining memories…”
- “President Dallin H. Oaks, in responding to a sincere man who claimed never to have had such an experience, counseled, ‘Perhaps your prayers have been answered again and again, but you have had your expectations fixed on a sign so grand or a voice so loud that you think you have had no answer.’ The Savior Himself spoke of a people with great faith who ‘were [blessed] with fire and with the Holy Ghost, [but who] knew it not.'”
- “We have recently heard President Russell M. Nelson say: ‘I invite you to think deeply and often about this key question: How do you hear Him? I also invite you to take steps to hear Him better and more often.’ He repeated that invitation this morning.”
- “We hear Him in our prayers, in our homes, in the scriptures, in our hymns, as we worthily partake of the sacrament, as we declare our faith, as we serve others, and as we attend the temple with fellow believers. Spiritually defining moments come as we prayerfully listen to general conference and as we better keep the commandments. And children, these experiences are for you as well. Remember, Jesus ‘did teach and minister unto the children … and [the children] did speak … great and marvelous things.'”
- “While we cannot choose the timing of receiving these defining moments, President Henry B. Eyring gave this counsel in our preparation: ‘Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my [family]?’ Faith, obedience, humility, and real intent open the windows of heaven.”
- “You might think of your spiritual memories this way. With constant prayer, a determination to keep our covenants, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, we navigate our way through life. When personal difficulty, doubt, or discouragement darken our path, or when world conditions beyond our control lead us to wonder about the future, the spiritually defining memories from our book of life are like luminous stones that help brighten the road ahead, assuring us that God knows us, loves us, and has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to help us return home. And when someone sets their defining memories aside and is lost or confused, we turn them toward the Savior as we share our faith and memories with them, helping them rediscover those precious spiritual moments they once treasured.”
- “Some experiences are so sacred that we guard them in our spiritual memory and do not share them.”
- “Embrace your sacred memories. Believe them. Write them down. Share them with your family. Trust that they come to you from your Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. Let them bring patience to your doubts and understanding to your difficulties. I promise you that as you willingly acknowledge and carefully treasure the spiritually defining events in your life, more and more will come to you.”
- “Jesus is the Christ, His gospel has been restored, and as we remain faithful, I witness we will be His forever…”
Brother Douglas D. Holmes: Deep in Our Heart
- “One of those needed things is the new Children and Youth initiative. Many of you are familiar with this program’s emphasis on setting goals, new emblems of belonging, and For the Strength of Youth conferences. But we must not let those cloud our view of the principles the program is built on and their purpose: to help get the gospel of Jesus Christ deep in the hearts of our children and youth.”
- “I believe as we come to see these principles more clearly, we will recognize this as more than a program for members ages 8 to 18. We will see how the Lord is trying to help us—all of us—get His gospel deeper in our hearts.”
- “Because they are such a natural part of the Church of Jesus Christ, we sometimes forget the importance of relationships in our ongoing journey to Christ. We are not expected to find or walk the covenant path alone. We need love and support from parents, other family members, friends, and leaders who are also walking the path.”
- “These kinds of relationships take time. Time to be together. Time to laugh, play, learn, and serve together. Time to appreciate each other’s interests and challenges. Time to be open and honest with each other as we strive to be better together. These relationships are one of the primary purposes of gathering as families, quorums, classes, and congregations. They are the foundation for effective ministering.”
- “Elder Dale G. Renlund gave us a key to developing these relationships when he said: ‘To effectively serve others we must see them … through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children.'”
- “Seeing others as God does is a gift. I invite all of us to seek for this gift. As our eyes are opened to see, we will also be able to help others see themselves as God does. President Henry B. Eyring emphasized the power of this when he said: ‘What will matter most is what [others] learn from [you] about who they really are and what they can really become. My guess is that they won’t learn it so much from lectures. They will get it from feelings of who you are, who you think they are, and what you think they might become.’ Helping others understand their true identity and purpose is one of the greatest gifts we can give. Seeing others and ourselves as God does knits our hearts ‘together in unity and in love.'”
- “With ever-increasing secular forces pulling at us, we need the strength that comes from loving relationships. So as we plan activities, meetings, and other gatherings, let us remember an overarching purpose of these gatherings is to build loving relationships that unite us and help get the gospel of Jesus Christ deeper in our hearts.”
- “To connect our hearts with heaven, we need individual spiritual experiences, as Elder Andersen just eloquently spoke to us about. Those experiences come as the Holy Ghost carries the word and love of God to our mind and heart.”
- “The word initiates and increases our faith in Christ and fuels within us a desire to become more like the Savior—that is, to repent and walk the covenant path.”
- “Last April, President Russell M. Nelson helped us understand the central role of repentance in this revelatory journey. He said: ‘When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. … We choose to become more like Jesus Christ!’ This process of change, fueled by the word of God, is how we connect with heaven.”
- “We must choose repentance for ourselves. The gospel can’t be forced into our hearts. As Elder Renlund said, ‘Our Heavenly Father’s goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right.'”
- “In the programs replaced by Children and Youth, there were over 500 different requirements to complete in order to receive various recognitions. Today, there is essentially one. It is an invitation to choose to become more like the Savior. We do this by receiving the word of God through the Holy Ghost and allowing Christ to change us into the best version of ourselves.”
- “Finally, to get the gospel of Jesus Christ deep in our hearts, we need to engage in it—to give our time and talents to it, to sacrifice for it.”
- “President Ezra Taft Benson said: ‘We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is the cause that must unite us today.'”
- “Elder David A. Bednar promised, ‘As we empower the youth by inviting and allowing them to act, the Church will move forward in miraculous ways.’ Too often we have not invited and allowed the youth to sacrifice for this great cause of Christ. Elder Neal A. Maxwell observed, ‘If [our] youth are too underwhelmed [by God’s work], they are more likely to be overwhelmed by the world.'”
- “The Children and Youth program focuses on empowering the youth. They choose their own goals. Quorum and class presidencies are placed in their proper role. The ward youth council, just like the ward council, focuses on the work of salvation and exaltation. And quorums and classes begin their meetings by counseling about how to do the work God has given them.”
- “President Nelson said to the youth of the Church: ‘If you choose to, if you want to, … you can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic! … You are among the best the Lord has ever sent to this world. You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation!'”
- “Parents and adult leaders, I invite you to see the youth as President Nelson does. As the youth feel your love and trust, as you encourage and teach them how to lead—and then get out of their way—they will amaze you with their insights, abilities, and commitment to the gospel. They will feel the joy of choosing to engage in and sacrifice for the cause of Christ. His gospel will get deeper into their hearts, and the work will move forward in miraculous ways.”
- I promise, as we focus on these principles—relationships, revelation, agency, repentance, and sacrifice—the gospel of Jesus Christ will sink deeper in all our hearts. We will see the Restoration move forward to its ultimate purpose, the redemption of Israel and the establishment of Zion, where Christ will reign as King of kings.”
- “May we see His hand in this glorious work as we all strive to ‘come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.'”
President Henry B. Eyring: Prayers of Faith
- “…the Prophet Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency declared the following… ‘“We feel disposed to go forward and unite our energies for the upbuilding of the Kingdom, and establishing the Priesthood in their fullness and glory. The work which has to be accomplished in the last days is one of vast importance, and will call into action the energy, skill, talent, and ability of the Saints, so that it may roll forth with that glory and majesty described by the prophet [Daniel] [see Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45]; and will consequently require the concentration of the Saints, to accomplish works of such magnitude and grandeur.'”
- “How, then, can each of us participate in this work of such magnitude and grandeur? President Nelson has taught us how to grow in spiritual power. When we take repentance as a joyful opportunity because of our growing faith that Jesus is the Christ, when we understand and believe that Heavenly Father hears our every prayer, when we strive to obey and live the commandments, we grow in our power to receive continuing revelation. The Holy Ghost can be our constant companion. A feeling of light will stay with us even as the world around us becomes darker.”
- “Throughout his prophetic ministry, Joseph Smith used prayers of faith to obtain continuous revelation. As we face today’s challenges and those yet to come, we too will need to practice the same pattern. President Brigham Young said, ‘I do not know any other way for the Latter-day Saints than for every breath to be virtually a prayer for God to guide and direct his people.'”
- “These words from the sacrament prayer should then describe our daily life: ‘Always remember him.’ ‘Him’ refers to Jesus Christ. The next words, ‘and keep his commandments,’ suggest what it means for us to remember Him. As we remember Jesus Christ always, we might ask in silent prayer, ‘What would He have me do?'”
- “Such prayer, offered in faith in Jesus Christ, ushered in this last dispensation. And it will be at the heart of the part each of us will play in its continuing unfolding.”
- “Satan’s attempt to thwart the beginning of the Restoration was so severe because Joseph’s prayer was so important. You and I will have smaller parts to play in the ongoing Restoration. Yet the enemy of the Restoration will try to stop us from praying. The example of Joseph’s faith and his determination can strengthen us in our resolve.”
- “Enos in the Book of Mormon is another model for my prayer of faith as I try to play my part in the continuing Restoration. Whatever your part will be, you could take him as a personal mentor. Like Joseph, Enos prayed in faith.”
- “Our ability to make our vital contribution to the wonderful continuing Restoration will increase as we grow in our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and our Heavenly Father as our loving Father. As we pray in faith, we become a vital part in the Lord’s work as He prepares the world for His Second Coming. I pray that we all may find joy in doing the work He invites each of us to perform.”
Elder Ulisses Soares: The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon
- “As we study the coming forth of this holy book of scripture in these latter days, we come to realize that the entire undertaking was miraculous.”
- “The Lord’s help in the translation of the plates—or revelation, so to speak—is also evident when considering the miraculously short time Joseph Smith took to translate them.”
- “Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, who were some of Joseph’s initial companions in the establishment of God’s marvelous work in this dispensation, were the first witnesses called to bear a special testimony of the Book of Mormon to the world. … Then they were commanded to testify of it to the entire world.”
- “The promise contained in the first pages of the Book of Mormon still echoes in my mind: ‘Ponder in [your] hearts … , and then … ask God [in faith] … in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course … will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.’”
- “The Book of Mormon indeed became the keystone that sustains my faith in Jesus Christ and my testimony of the doctrine of His gospel.”
- “My dear friends, my testimony of the Book of Mormon came line upon line as a miracle to my heart. To this day, this testimony continues to grow as I continuously search, with a sincere heart, to more fully understand the word of God as contained in this extraordinary book of scripture.”
- “I invite you to be part of the marvelous coming forth of the Book of Mormon in your own life. I promise you that as you prayerfully and consistently study its words, you can partake of its promises and rich blessings in your life.”
- “Your experience will be as glorious and sacred for you as Joseph Smith’s experiences were for him.”
- “I testify that the Book of Mormon is God’s instrument to bring about the gathering of Israel in our day and to help people to come to know His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Elder John A. McCune: Come Unto Christ—Living as Latter-day Saints
- “Nephi knew that if he continued to stay focused on the Lord, he would be successful in fulfilling what the Lord commanded him. He remained focused on the Savior throughout his life even though he suffered temptations, physical trials, and even the betrayal of some in his immediate family.”
- “As we accept the Savior’s invitation to ‘come unto me,’ He will provide the support, comfort, and peace that are necessary, just as he did for Nephi and Joseph. Even in our deepest trials, we can feel the warm embrace of His love as we trust Him and accept His will. We can experience the joy reserved for His faithful disciples, for ‘Christ is joy.’”
- “As we remain focused on Christ, we will feel peace and see God’s miracles, whatever they may be, in His time and in His way.”
- “There may be times that the only hope we have is in Jesus Christ. What a blessing to have that hope and trust in Him. Christ is the one who will always keep His promises. His rest is assured for all who come unto Him.”
- “Our leaders deeply desire all to feel the peace and comfort that come through trusting in and focusing on the Savior Jesus Christ.”
- “As members of the Savior’s Church, we have made covenants with Him and have become His spiritually begotten sons and daughters. We have also been given the opportunity to labor with the Lord in inviting others to come unto Him.”
- “As we labor with Christ, our most deeply focused efforts should be within our own homes.”
- “Our ability to help others come unto Christ or return to Christ will largely be determined by the example we set through our own personal commitment to stay on the covenant path. If our true desire is to rescue those we love, we ourselves must stay firmly with Christ by embracing His Church and the fulness of His gospel.”
- “Lehi did not leave the tree of life. He stayed spiritually with the Lord, and invited his family to come where he was to partake of the fruit.”
- “Most importantly, through His Church we are provided with all the essential blessings of Christ’s Atonement that can only be realized through participation in sacred ordinances.”
- “I bear witness that as we come unto Christ and live as Latter-day Saints, we will be blessed with an added measure of His love, His joy, and His peace.”
Bishop Gérald Caussé: A Living Witness of the Living Christ
- “The entire ‘good news’ of the gospel is contained in this image of the Savior tenderly extending His ‘arms of mercy’ to invite each individual to come unto Him and receive the blessings of His Atonement.”
- “The central message of the Book of Mormon is to restore the true knowledge of the essential role of Jesus Christ in the salvation and exaltation of mankind.”
- “Receiving the full blessings of the Savior’s Atonement is conditioned upon our diligence in living the ‘doctrine of Christ.’”
- “Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ not only washes away our sins, but He also provides enabling power through which His disciples may “[put off] the natural man, progress line upon line, and increase in holiness.”
- “He died for each one of us, personally, as if you or I were the only person on earth. He extends to us a personal invitation to come unto Him and draw upon the marvelous blessings of His Atonement.”
- “As disciples of the Lord, we need His redeeming power to accompany us, motivate us, and change us each and every day.
- “When was the last time you felt the sweet influence of the Savior’s Atonement in your life?”
- “The Book of Mormon clarifies and expands our knowledge of this supernal gift, [the Atonement]. As you study this book, you will hear the voice of the living Christ inviting you to come unto Him.”
- “I promise that if you accept this invitation and pattern your life after His example, His redemptive influence will come into your life. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, the Savior will transform you day after day ‘until the perfect day’ when you will, as He declared, ‘see my face and know that I am.’”
Elder Dale G. Renlund: Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God
- “Prophets have encouraged us to remember the greatness of God and to consider what He has done for us as individuals, as families, and as a people.”
- “The consistency of pleas from prophets to reflect on the goodness of God is striking. Our Heavenly Father wants us to recall His and His Beloved Son’s goodness.”
- “By considering Their kindness, our perspective and understanding are enlarged. By reflecting on Their compassion, we become more humble, prayerful, and steadfast.”
- “We have received life in this world; we will receive physical life in the hereafter, and eternal salvation and exaltation—if we choose it—all because of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.”
- “Every time we use, benefit from, or even think of these gifts, we ought to consider the sacrifice, generosity, and compassion of the givers. Reverence for the givers does more than just make us grateful. Reflecting on their gifts can and should transform us.”
- “What does it take for you to be drawn to the Savior?”
- “Jesus Christ stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify you and me.”
- “…we need to reflect every day on the gifts we have received and what they entailed.”
- “We can be reverently joyful as we realize that without Jesus Christ we are doomed, but with Him we can receive the greatest gift Heavenly Father can give.”
- “When we consider the goodness of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, our trust in Them increases. Our prayers change because we know God is our Father and we are His children.”
- “We yearn to be more meek, more pure, more steadfast, more Christlike.”
- “By acknowledging that every good thing comes from Jesus Christ, we will communicate our faith more effectively to others.”
- “I do not think that God is insulted when we forget Him. Rather, I think He is deeply disappointed.”
- “I invite you to remember each day the greatness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and what They have done for you.”
Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai: The Power of the Book of Mormon in Conversion
- “If we each underwent a spiritual examination, what would we learn about ourselves? What adjustments would our spiritual physician prescribe? For us to become who we need to be, it is essential that we know what to do and do what we know.”
- “Jesus Christ is the Master Physician.”
- “He invites us to follow Him by learning of Him, listening to His words, and walking in the meekness of His Spirit. He has promised to help us in this lifelong process of conversion, which transforms us and brings everlasting joy.”
- “The Savior has given us the Book of Mormon as a powerful tool to aid in conversion. The Book of Mormon provides spiritual nutrition, prescribes a plan of action, and connects us with the Holy Spirit. Written for us, it contains the word of God in plainness and tells us of our identity.”
- “Each of us can study the Book of Mormon according to our circumstances. As we desire to believe and ponder its teachings in our hearts, we can ask God in faith if the teachings are true.”
- “The Lord’s action plan for us—the doctrine of Christ— is taught most clearly in the Book of Mormon.”
- “Repentance requires us to forgive others and helps us to move forward. The Savior has promised to forgive us as often as we repent.”
- “By feasting from the Book of Mormon and holding fast to its teachings, we can overcome temptations and receive guidance and protection throughout our lives.”
- “By consistently applying the doctrine of Christ in our lives, we will overcome inertia that impedes change and fear that foils action.”
- “Dear friends, the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we will draw nearer to Him if we study it.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson: A Good Foundation Against the Time to Come
- “As I contemplate the next four years of the life of this beautiful, noble, exalted, and awe-inspiring Salt Lake Temple, I envision it more as a time of renewal rather than a time of closure!”
- “We might ask ourselves, ‘How could this extensive renewal of the Salt Lake Temple inspire us to undergo our own spiritual — renewal, reconstruction, rebirth, revitalization, or restoration?'”
- “An introspective look may reveal that we, too, and our families could benefit from our doing some needed maintenance and renovation work, even a seismic upgrade!”
- “What comprises the thick-walled, stable, strong cornerstones that are part of my personal foundation, upon which my testimony rests?”
- “What are the foundational elements of my spiritual and emotional character that will allow me and my family to remain steadfast and immovable, even to withstand the earthshaking and tumultuous seismic events that will surely take place in our lives?”
- “These events, similar to an earthquake are often difficult to predict and come in various levels of intensity—wrestling with questions or doubt, facing affliction or adversity, working through personal offenses with Church leaders, members, doctrine, or policy. The best defense against these lie in our spiritual foundation.”
- “For me, the principles included in the questions discussed as part of receiving a temple recommend serve as a strong basis for a spiritual foundation—particularly the first four questions. I see them as spiritual cornerstones.”
- “I think of countless other members of the Church, warriors like her, who walk each day in faith, striving to be true and undaunted disciples of our Savior, Jesus Christ. They learn of Christ. They preach of Christ. They strive to emulate Him. Whether the days of their lives face steady or unstable ground, their spiritual foundation is strong and immovable.”
- “During the coming years, may we allow these improvements made to the Salt Lake Temple to move and inspire us, as individuals and families, so that we too—metaphorically—will ‘be built in a manner that will endure the millennium.’”
- “We will do so, as we fulfill the charge of the Apostle Paul to ‘[lay] up in store for [ourselves] a good foundation against the time to come, that [we] may lay hold on eternal life.’ It is my ardent prayer that our spiritual foundation will be sure and steadfast, that our testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and of His role as our Savior and Redeemer will become for us our own chief cornerstone.”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong: Hosanna and Hallelujah—The Living Jesus Christ: The Heart of Restoration and Easter
- “With perfect love, our Savior assures us: ‘In me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’”
- “At Easter, we sing hallelujah. Hallelujah means ‘praise ye the Lord Jehovah.’ The ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ in Handel’s Messiah is a beloved Easter declaration that He is ‘King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.’”
- “Many devout Jewish families set a place for Elijah at their Passover table. Many fill a cup to the brim to invite and welcome him. And some, during the traditional Passover Seder, send a child to the door, sometimes left partly open, to see if Elijah is outside waiting to be invited in.”
- “Because ‘God himself atoneth for the sins of the world,’ the Lord’s Atonement can make whole not only what was but also what can be.”
- “In these times, we can learn much of God’s goodness and our divine potential for God’s love to grow in us as we seek Him and reach out to each other.”
- “Unitedly we know, amidst our loads and cares, we can count our many blessings. In the daily details and small and simple things, we can see great things brought to pass in our lives.”
- “At this season of hosanna and hallelujah, sing hallelujah—for He shall reign forever and ever! Shout hosanna, to God and the Lamb!”
Sister Laudy Ruth Kaouk Alvarez: How the Priesthood Blesses Youth
- “After his [priesthood] blessing, things didn’t change right away, but I was able to feel peace and love from my Heavenly Father and from my dad.”
- “Regardless of your circumstances, you can always have access to priesthood blessings. Through family members, friends, ministering brothers, priesthood leaders, and a Heavenly Father who will never fail you, you can receive the blessings of the priesthood.”
- “Don’t hesitate to ask for a blessing when you need extra guidance. It is in our difficult moments that we need the Spirit to help us the most.”
- “[My Patriarchal Blessing] also helps me to remember and feel at peace that God will provide answers and open doors for me at exactly the right moment when I need it most.”
- “Through the priesthood, we can be lifted. The priesthood brings light into our world.”
- “If you don’t already have a testimony about the priesthood, I encourage you to pray and ask to know for yourself of its power, then read the scriptures to hear God’s words. I know that if we make an effort to experience the power of God’s priesthood in our lives, we will be blessed.”
Brother Enzo Serge Petelo: How the Priesthood Blesses Youth
- “To effectively serve like Joseph did, we must worthily qualify to use the Lord’s priesthood power.”
- “We are given the opportunity to minister like angels, to preach the gospel on all the continents of the earth, and to help souls come unto Christ. This service places us in joint labor with John the Baptist, Moroni, Joseph Smith, President Russell M. Nelson, and other diligent servants of the Lord.”
- “You can be a beacon of light to all those who are unsure of themselves. The light within you will shine so bright that everyone you interact with will be blessed by just being in your company.”
- “We cannot sit idly and expect the Lord to use us in His great work. We must not wait for those who need our aid to seek us out; it is our duty as priesthood holders to exemplify and stand as witnesses of God.”
- “If we put in the effort, find those who will support us, and repent each day, the resulting blessings will be incredible and our lives will be forever changed as we press forward on the covenant path.”
- “I invite all of us to study the lives of these great priesthood holders and seek to improve ourselves daily so we can be ready to meet our Maker.”
President Jean B. Bingham: United in Accomplishing God’s Work
- “Because [Adam and Eve] understood that their earthly purpose and eternal goal were identical, they found satisfaction and success in learning to labor in love and righteousness together.”
- “Satan incites comparison as a tool to create feelings of being superior or inferior, hiding the eternal truth that men’s and women’s innate differences are God given and equally valued.”
- “One of the keys is to understand that when women and men work together, we accomplish a great deal more than we do working separately.”
- “Unity is essential to the divine work we are privileged and called to do, but it doesn’t just happen. It takes effort and time to really counsel together—to listen to one another, understand others’ viewpoints, and share experiences—but the process results in more inspired decisions.”
- “Becoming more in tune with the divine pattern of working together in unity is critical in this day of ‘me first’ messages that surround us.”
- “Women do possess distinctive, divine gifts and are given unique responsibilities, but those are not more—or less—important than men’s gifts and responsibilities.”
- “Men need to become true partners rather than assume they are solely responsible or act as ‘pretend’ partners while women carry out much of the work. Women need to be willing to ‘step forward [and] take [their] rightful and needful place’ as partners rather than thinking they need to do it all by themselves or wait to be told what to do.”
- “Seeing women as vital participants is not about creating parity but about understanding doctrinal truth. Rather than establishing a program to bring that about, we can actively work to value women as God does: as essential partners in the work of salvation and exaltation.”
President Henry B. Eyring: He Goes before Us
- “As I studied, it became clear to me that the Lord had prepared in detail the way for the Twelve to go on missions abroad where people had been prepared to believe and sustain them. In time, thousands would, through them, be brought into the Lord’s restored Church.”
- “The Lord had inspired Joseph and those faithful missionaries who went to work to achieve a harvest that must have, at the time, seemed beyond them. But the Lord, with His perfect foresight and preparation, made it possible.”
- “I testify that the Lord saw far into the future and how He would lead us to help Him accomplish His purposes in the last days.”
- “More changes came, and I know they will continue to come, for whenever we proceed to resolve one inspired problem, we open the door for further revelation for advancements at least equally important but not yet seen.”
- “He is firm in the timing and the sequence of His intentions, yet He ensures that sacrifice often brings continuing blessings that we did not foresee.”
- “I invite all who hear this message or read these words to have faith that the Lord is leading the Restoration of His gospel and His Church. He goes before us. He knows the future perfectly. He invites you to the work. He joins you in it. He has in place a plan for your service. And even as you sacrifice, you will feel joy as you help others rise to be ready for His coming.”
President Dallin H. Oaks: The Melchizedek Priesthood and the Keys
- “The priesthood is a divine power and authority held in trust to be used for God’s work for the benefit of all of His children. Priesthood is not those who have been ordained to a priesthood office or those who exercise its authority. Men who hold the priesthood are not the priesthood.”
- “Though women do not hold an office in the priesthood, they perform sacred temple ordinances under the authorization of the president of the temple, who holds the keys for the ordinances of the temple.”
- “The principle that priesthood authority can be exercised only under the direction of the one who holds the keys for that function is fundamental in the Church, but this does not apply in the family.”
- “If fathers would magnify their priesthood in their own family, it would further the mission of the Church as much as anything else they might do.”
- “The best answer to many of the objections we hear against the Church and its doctrines and policies and leadership: Follow the test the Savior taught. Look to the fruits—the results.”
President Russell M. Nelson: Opening the Heavens for Help
- “As we commemorate the event that was launched in 1820, it is important to remember that while we revere Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, this is not the church of Joseph Smith, nor is it the church of Mormon. This is the Church of Jesus Christ.”
- “We have gone to these extraordinary efforts because when we remove the Lord’s name from the name of His Church, we inadvertently remove Him as the central focus of our worship and our lives.”
- “Previously, I promised that if we would “do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church,” He would “pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen.” I renew that promise today.”
- “The [new symbol] will now be used as a visual identifier for official literature, news, and events of the Church. It will remind all that this is the Savior’s Church and that all we do as members of His Church centers on Jesus Christ and His gospel.”
- “Let us put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ into action!”
- “I invited all to join in fasting on Sunday, March 29, 2020. Many of you may have seen the video and joined in the fast. Some may have not. Now we still need help from heaven.”
- “So tonight, my dear brothers and sisters, in the spirit of the sons of Mosiah, who gave themselves to much fasting and prayer, and as part of our April 2020 general conference, I am calling for another worldwide fast.”
- “I invite all, including those not of our faith, to fast and pray on Good Friday, April 10, that the present pandemic may be controlled, caregivers protected, the economy strengthened, and life normalized.”
- “Let us unite in pleading for healing throughout the world.”
- “Good Friday would be the perfect day to have our Heavenly Father and His Son hear us!”
Elder Ronald A. Rasband: Fulfillment of Prophecy
- “We live in that time prophesied; we are the people charged with ushering in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ; we are to gather God’s children, those who will hear and embrace the truths, covenants, and promises of the everlasting gospel.”
- “We do not know when the Savior will return, but this we do know. We must be prepared in heart and mind, worthy to receive Him, and honored to be part of all that was prophesied so long ago.”
- “I promise as you follow the inspired counsel of our dear prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, his counselors, the Apostles, and other Church leaders, and as you pay heed to the ancient prophets who foretold of our day, you will be filled, deep in your heart and soul, with the spirit and the work of the Restoration. I promise you will see the hand of God in your lives, hear His promptings, and feel His love.”
President Bonnie H. Cordon: That They May See
- “Jesus Christ has called upon us to ‘let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.'”
- “I have come to love the phrase ‘that they may see.’ It is an earnest invitation from the Lord to be more intentional about helping others see the path and thereby come unto Christ.”
- “The Lord’s invitation to let our light so shine is not just about randomly waving a beam of light and making the world generally brighter. It is about focusing our light so others may see the way to Christ. It is gathering Israel on this side of the veil—helping others see the next step forward in making and keeping sacred covenants with God.”
- “[Christ] reminds us that He will bring the light if we will just point others to Him.”
- “You and I have enough light to share right now. We can light the next step to help someone draw nearer to Jesus Christ, and then the next step, and the next. Ask yourself, ‘Who needs the light you have to find the path they need but cannot see?'”
- “My dear friends, why is shining our light so important? The Lord has told us that ‘there are many yet on the earth … who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.’ We can help. We can intentionally shine our light so others may see. We can extend an invitation. We can walk the journey with those who are taking a step toward the Savior, no matter how halting. We can gather Israel.”
- “I testify the Lord will magnify every small effort. The Holy Ghost will prompt us to know what to say and do. Such attempts may require us to step out of our comfort zone, but we can be assured that the Lord will help our light shine.”
- “I invite all of us to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be compassionately aware of those around us. Look and pray for opportunities to let your light shine that others may see the way to Jesus Christ. His promise is great: ‘He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: A Perfect Brightness of Hope
- “When we have conquered [COVID-19]—and we will—may we be equally committed to freeing the world from the virus of hunger, freeing neighborhoods and nations from the virus of poverty. May we hope for schools where students are taught—not terrified they will be shot—and for the gift of personal dignity for every child of God, unmarred by any form of racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice.”
- “Undergirding all of this is our relentless hope for greater devotion to the two greatest of all commandments: to love God by keeping His counsel and to love our neighbors by showing kindness and compassion, patience and forgiveness. These two divine directives are still—and forever will be—the only real hope we have for giving our children a better world than the one they now know.”
- “In addition to having these global desires, many in this audience today have deeply personal hopes: hope for a marriage to improve, or sometimes just hope for a marriage; hope for an addiction to be conquered; hope for a wayward child to come back; hope for physical and emotional pain of a hundred kinds to cease. Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds.”
- “So, I ask, ‘If so many of our 1820 hopes could begin to be fulfilled with a flash of divine light to a mere boy kneeling in a patch of trees in upstate New York, why should we not hope that righteous desires and Christlike yearnings can still be marvelously, miraculously answered by the God of all hope?’ We all need to believe that what we desire in righteousness can someday, someway, somehow yet be ours.”
- “As disciples of Christ, we can in our day rise above those ancient Israelites who moaned, ‘Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost.’ Indeed, if we finally lose hope, we lose our last sustaining possession.”
- “So, when our backs are to the wall and, as the hymn says, ‘other helpers fail and comforts flee,’ among our most indispensable virtues will be this precious gift of hope linked inextricably to our faith in God and our charity to others.”
- “‘My beloved brethren [and sisters], after ye have [received these first fruits of the Restoration], I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. … Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. … If ye shall[,] … saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.'”
- “May we press forward with love in our hearts, walking in the ‘brightness of hope’ that lights the path of holy anticipation we have been on now for 200 years. I testify that the future is going to be as miracle-filled and bountifully blessed as the past has been. We have every reason to hope for blessings even greater than those we have already received because this is the work of Almighty God, this is the Church of continuing revelation, this is the gospel of Christ’s unlimited grace and benevolence.”
Elder David A. Bednar: “Let This House Be Built unto My Name”
- “We do not build or enter holy temples solely to have a memorable individual or family experience. Rather, the covenants received and the ordinances performed in temples are essential to the sanctifying of our hearts and for the ultimate exaltation of God’s sons and daughters.”
- “Planting in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers—even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—turning the hearts of the children to their own fathers, conducting family history research, and performing vicarious temple ordinances are labors that bless individuals on both sides of the veil. As we become anxiously engaged in this sacred work, we are obeying the commandments to love and serve God and our neighbors. And such selfless service helps us truly to ‘Hear Him!’ and come unto the Savior.”
- “Covenants that are honored steadfastly, remembered always, and written ‘with the Spirit of the living God … in fleshy tables of the heart’ provide purpose and the assurance of blessings in mortality and for eternity. Ordinances that are received worthily and remembered continually open the heavenly channels through which the power of godliness can flow into our lives.”
- “We do not come to the temple to hide from or escape the evils of the world. Rather, we come to the temple to conquer the world of evil. As we invite into our lives the ‘power of godliness’ by receiving priesthood ordinances and making and keeping sacred covenants, we are blessed with strength beyond our own to overcome the temptations and challenges of mortality and to do and become good.”
- “Brigham Young prophesied, ‘To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple but thousands of them, and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those temples and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the Lord shall reveal.'”
- “Understandably, the announcement of each new temple is a source of great joy and a reason to give thanks to the Lord. However, our primary focus should be on the covenants and ordinances that can change our hearts and deepen our devotion to the Savior and not simply on the location or beauty of the building.”
- “The fundamental obligations that rest upon us as members of the Lord’s restored Church are (1) to ‘Hear Him!’ and have our own hearts changed through covenants and ordinances and (2) to fulfill joyfully the divinely appointed responsibility to offer temple blessings to the entire human family on both sides of the veil. With the Lord’s direction and help, indeed we will fulfill these sacred duties.”
- “The Prophet Joseph Smith declared: ‘The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; … it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory. The heavenly Priesthood will unite with the earthly, to bring about those great purposes…'”
- “Sacred temple covenants and ordinances can strengthen us and purify our hearts as we ‘Hear Him!’ and receive the power of godliness in our lives.”
President Russell M. Nelson: Hear Him
- “Your love of and faith in the Savior may very well be the catalyst for someone to discover the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
- “What does it mean for you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth?”
- “Now, my dear brothers and sisters, consider the fact that … just before the Father introduced the Son, the people involved were in a state of fear and, to some degree, desperation.”
- “Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son. Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.”
- “As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.”
- “Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval.”
- “How eager each of us should be to seek refuge [in the temple].”
- “When these temporary COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, please schedule regular time to worship and serve in the temple. Every minute of that time will bless you and your family in ways nothing else can. Take time to ponder what you hear and feel when you are there. Ask the Lord to teach you how to open the heavens to bless your life and the lives of those you love and serve.”
- “While worshipping in the temple is presently not possible, I invite you to increase your participation in family history, including family history research and indexing. I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.”
- “It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now.”
- “I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.”
- “What will happen as you more intentionally hear, hearken, and heed what the Savior has said and what He is saying now through His prophets? I promise that you will be blessed with additional power to deal with temptation, struggles, and weakness. I promise miracles in your marriage, family relationships, and daily work. And I promise that your capacity to feel joy will increase even if turbulence increases in your life.”
- “Study [the bicentennial proclamation to the world] privately and with your family members and friends. Ponder the truths and think of the impact those truths will have on your life if you will hear them, hearken to them, and heed the commandments and covenants that accompany them.”
President Dallin H. Oaks: The Great Plan
- “We have been invited to join in fasting and prayer to minimize the present and future effects of a devastating worldwide pandemic.”
- “The purpose of mortal life and the postmortal growth that can follow it is for the offspring of God to become like He is. This is Heavenly Father’s desire for all His children.”
- “To achieve this joyful destiny, eternal laws require that we must become purified beings through the Atonement of Jesus Christ so we can dwell in the presence of the Father and the Son and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.”
- “Sometimes our needed growth is achieved better by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility.”
- “The teachings of inspired leaders guide our path and give assurances that promote our eternal journey.”
- “The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given His children. Its use was mandated in the first commandment to Adam and Eve, but another important commandment was given to forbid its misuse. Outside the bonds of marriage, all uses of the procreative power are to one degree or another a sinful degrading and perversion of the most divine attribute of men and women.”
- “Many of our members do not fully understand this plan of salvation, which answers most questions about the doctrine and inspired policies of the restored Church. We who know God’s plan and who have covenanted to participate have a clear responsibility to teach these truths and do all that we can to further them for others and in our own circumstances in mortality.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook: The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives
- “Sometimes we receive revelation even when we do not know the Lord’s purposes.”
- “We also declare our heartfelt desire to be reunited with those who have been struggling with their testimonies, been less active, or had their names removed from Church records. We desire to feast with you ‘upon the words of Christ’ at the Lord’s table, to learn the things we all should do. We need you! The Church needs you! The Lord needs you! Our heartfelt prayer is that you will join with us in worshipping the Savior of the world.”
- “Personal revelation is available to all those who humbly seek guidance from the Lord. It is as important as prophetic revelation.”
- “Some principles that prepare us to receive revelation include:
- “Praying for spiritual guidance. Reverently and humbly we need to seek and ask and be patient and submissive.
- “Preparing for inspiration. This requires that we be in harmony with the Lord’s teachings and in compliance with His commandments.
- “Partaking of the sacrament worthily. When we do this, we witness and covenant with God that we take upon ourselves the name of His holy Son and that we remember Him and keep His commandments.”
- “Our spiritual preparation is greatly enhanced when we regularly study the scriptures and truths of the gospel and ponder in our minds the guidance we seek. But remember to be patient and trust in the Lord’s timing.”
- “In my experience, significant spiritual guidance most often comes when we are trying to bless others in fulfilling our responsibilities.”
- “I assure you that revelatory guidance can be received by each of us as we humbly labor in the Lord’s vineyard.”
Elder Ricardo P. Gimenez: Finding Refuge from the Storms of Life
- “Although our lives may at times be relatively smooth, the time will come for each of us when we will face unexpected challenges and storms that will push the limits of our ability to endure.”
- “No matter what kind of storm is battering us—regardless of whether there is a solution to it or whether there’s an end in sight—there is only one refuge. This single refuge provided by our Heavenly Father is our Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement.”
- “In order to enjoy the refuge that Jesus Christ and His Atonement offer, we must have faith in Him—a faith that will allow us to rise above all the pains of a limited, earthly perspective. He has promised that He will make our burdens light if we come unto Him in all that we do.”
- “Jesus Christ and His Atonement are the refuge that we all need, regardless of the storms that are battering our lives.”
- “I invite you to come and see that He can lighten your burdens and be the refuge you are seeking. Come and help others find the refuge that they so yearn for. Come and stay with us in this refuge, which will help you resist the storms of life. There is no doubt in my heart that if you come, you will see, you will help, and you will stay.”
- “As we face the storms of life, I know that if we make our best effort and rely upon Jesus Christ and His Atonement as our refuge, we will be blessed with the relief, comfort, strength, temperance, and peace that we are seeking.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: Come and Belong
- “As often as we can, we partake of the sacrament in remembrance of His sacrifice and recognize that He is the center in our lives.”
- “To Him, we dedicate our hearts, our lives, and our daily devotion.”
- “Through our participation in the Church, we learn to recognize and act on the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We develop the disposition of reaching out in compassion and kindness to others.”
- “Actively participating in the Church of Jesus Christ and its great variety of opportunities will help us to be better prepared for life’s changing circumstances, whatever and however serious they may be. As members of the Church, we are encouraged to immerse ourselves in the words of God through His prophets, ancient and modern.”
- “We invite all of God’s children throughout the world to join us in this great endeavor. Come and see! Even during this challenging time of COVID-19, meet with us online. Meet with our missionaries online. Find out for yourself what this Church is all about! When this difficult time has passed, meet with us in our homes and in our worship places!”
- “Come and belong. You will make us stronger. And you will become better, kinder, and happier as well.”
- “As we incline our hearts to our Heavenly Father and draw near to Him, we will feel Him draw near to us. We are His beloved children. Even those who reject Him.”
- “Our loving Heavenly Father has not given us every answer. He expects us to figure out many things for ourselves. He expects us to believe—even when it’s difficult to do so.”
- “Anyone can read them and learn for themselves the message God has for us in our day. We invite you to study them for yourself.”
- “As with Joseph, our discipleship begins with our decision to hear and follow the Savior Jesus Christ. If you desire to follow Him, gather your faith and take upon yourself His cross.”
- “What, then, is your and my part? It is to learn of Jesus Christ. To study His words. To hear Him and to follow Him by actively participating in this great work. I invite you to come and belong!”
Elder L. Whitney Clayton: The Finest Homes
- “Establishing the finest homes has everything to do with the personal qualities of the people who live there.”
- “The finest characteristic of any home is the image of Christ reflected in the homes’ residents.”
- “The attributes of Christ are acquired in the “process of time” by intentional progress along the covenant path.”
- “Christlike attributes adorn the lives of those who strive to live with goodness.”
- “Residents in the finest homes make time to study the scriptures and the words of living prophets every day.”
- “Daily repentance is a transformative tool that enables us to grow a little kinder, more loving, and more understanding.”
- “Studying the scriptures brings us closer to the Savior, whose generous love and grace assist us with our growth.”
- “The Lord has promised that those who keep the commandments of God ‘prosper in the land.’ God’s prosperity is the power to press forward despite the problems of life.”
- “Wherever you live, whatever your house looks like, and whatever the composition of your family, you can help build the finest home for your family.”
- “As we become like Him, we will feel at home in His house, and He will feel at home in ours.”
- “We can maintain our home’s close connection to His home by qualifying for and using a temple recommend as frequently as circumstances allow.”
- “The restored gospel of Jesus Christ provides the plans for that home. The Savior is the perfect engineer, builder, and interior designer. His project is the perfection and eternal joy of our souls.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Sharing the Message of the Restoration and the Resurrection
- “The revelations of the First Vision were not for Joseph Smith alone but are offered as light and truth for any who ‘lack wisdom.’”
- “The Book of Mormon is the property of mankind.”
- “The priesthood ordinances of salvation and exaltation were prepared for every individual.”
- “Our invitations cannot be a matter of self-interest, rather, they must be an expression of selfless love.”
- “We need to understand and live the principles of the restored gospel as best we can for our invitations to be inviting.”
- “If the love of Christ dwells in us, others will know that our love for them is genuine.”
- “If the light of the Holy Spirit burns within us, it will rekindle the light of Christ within them.”
- “What you are lends authenticity to your invitation to come experience the joy of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
- “We rejoice today in the fruits of the Restoration, one of the most surpassing being the power once again to bind on earth and in heaven.”
- “The Lord is pleased with every effort we make, no matter the outcome.”
- “The ultimate promise of the Restoration is redemption through Jesus Christ.”
- “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the proof that He, in fact, possesses power to redeem all who will come unto Him — redeem them from sorrow, injustice, regret, sin, and even death.”
- “Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Restoration has meaning, our mortal lives have meaning, and ultimately our very existence has meaning.”
- “Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah, the Only Begotten Son of God, and resurrected Redeemer of all mankind.”
President Russell M. Nelson: Go Forward in Faith
- “Hear Him!”
- “Because of his atonement, his resurrection will come to all who have ever lived.”
- “We pray that you focus on Heavenly Father who spoke those words [Hear Him] and His Son, Jesus Christ.”
- “We pray that you will begin anew, truly to hear, hearken and heed the words of the Savior.”
- “Please use this time when temples are closed to draw upon the power of your temple covenants.”
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