A Comprehensive List of EVERYTHING the Brethren Counseled us to Do at General Conference

After about 8-10 hours of general conference it can be difficult to keep track of all of the counsel our leaders give us. We got your back. We’ve pored over every talk from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and have compiled an extremely comprehensive list of all of their counsel. And they sure gave a LOT of it. Take a look at 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

Elder Ulisses Soares: “How Can I Understand?”

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in your Heart”

President Henry B. Eyring: “A Home Where the Spirit of the Lord Dwells”

Saturday afternoon session

President M. Russell Ballard: “The True, Pure, and Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ”

Elder Neil L. Andersen: “The Eye of Faith”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “Behold the Lamb of God”

Saturday Priesthood session

Elder Gary E. Stevenson: “Your Priesthood Playbook”

President Henry B. Eyring: “The Power of Sustaining Faith”

President Dallin H. Oaks: “Where Will This Lead?”

President Russell M. Nelson: “We Can Do Better and Be Better”

Sunday morning session

Elder Dale G. Renlund: “Abound with Blessings”

Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Great Love for Our Father’s Children”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson: “Preparing for the Lord’s Return”

President Russell M. Nelson: “Come, Follow Me”

Sunday afternoon session

President Dallin H. Oaks: “Cleansed by Repentance”

Elder Gerrit W. Gong: “Good Shepherd, Lamb of God”

Elder David A. Bednar: “Preparing to Obtain Every Needful Thing”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband: “Building a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection”

President Russell M. Nelson: “Closing Remarks”

Elder Ulisses Soares: “How Can I Understand?“

• “…seek to learn and to teach one another the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
• “Our purpose as we seek to learn and to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ must be to increase faith in God and in His divine plan of happiness and in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice and to achieve lasting conversion.”
• “God’s prophets have consistently instructed that we need to raise our families ‘in the nurture and admonition of the Lord’ and ‘in light and truth.'”
• Quoting President Nelson: “…parents have a sacred responsibility to teach their children the importance of God [and Jesus Christ] in their lives.”
• “Our lives need to be rooted upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ…”
• “Likewise, when we accept the Savior’s invitation to “come and see,” we need to abide in Him, immersing ourselves in the scriptures, rejoicing in them, learning His doctrine, and striving to live the way He lived.”
• “Brothers and sisters, our actions must reflect what we learn and teach. We need to show our beliefs through the way we live.”
• “…if we want them to know that President Russell M. Nelson is the prophet, seer, and revelator in our day, they need to see us raise our hands to sustain him and realize that we follow his inspired teachings.”
• “It is hard to understand all the reasons why some people take another path. The best we can do in these circumstances is just to love and embrace them, pray for their well-being, and seek for the Lord’s help to know what to do and say. Sincerely rejoice with them in their successes; be their friends and look for the good in them. We should never give up on them but preserve our relationships. Never reject or misjudge them. Just love them! The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that when children come to themselves, they often desire to come home. If that happens with your dear ones, fill your hearts with compassion, run to them, fall on their neck, and kiss them, like the father of the prodigal son did.”
• “Ultimately, keep living a worthy life, be a good example to them of what you believe, and draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
• Quoting The Family: A Proclamation to the World: “‘…parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness’ and to teach them to always observe God’s commandments.”

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart“

• “I have often pondered and prayed about the Savior’s great commission to His disciples—us, His children—to ‘go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'”
• “First, draw close to God.”
• “Second, fill your heart with love for others.”
  • “Try to truly see everyone around you as a child of God. Minister to them—regardless of whether their names appear on your ministering sister or brother list.

    Laugh with them. Rejoice with them. Weep with them. Respect them. Heal, lift, and strengthen them. Strive to emulate the love of Christ and have compassion for others—even to those who are unkind to you, who mock you and wish to cause you harm. Love them and treat them as fellow children of Heavenly Father.”

• “Third, strive to walk the path of discipleship.”
  • “You learn about His way by feasting upon His word and heeding and applying the teachings of modern prophets and apostles. You grow in confidence and courage to follow His way as you communicate with Heavenly Father with a teachable, humble heart.”
  • “The important thing is that you don’t give up; keep trying to get it right. “
• “Fourth, share what is in your heart.”
  • “What I am asking is that you always look for opportunities to bring up your faith in natural and normal ways with people—both in person as well as online. I am asking that you ‘stand as witnesses’ of the power of the gospel at all times—and when necessary, use words.”
  • “In whatever ways seem natural and normal to you, share with people why Jesus Christ and His Church are important to you. Invite them to “come and see.”¹⁶ Then encourage them to come and help.”
  • “Pray not only for the missionaries to find the elect. Pray daily with all your heart that you will find those who will come and see, come and help, and come and stay. Keep the full-time missionaries in the loop.”
  • “As you share the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, do so with love and patience. If we interact with people with the sole expectation that they soon will don a white jumpsuit and ask for directions to the nearest baptismal font, we’re doing it wrong.”
• “Fifth, trust the Lord to work His miracles.”
  • “Understand that it’s not your job to convert people. That is the role of the Holy Ghost. Your role is to share what is in your heart and live consistent with your beliefs. So, don’t be discouraged if someone does not accept the gospel message immediately.”
  • “Yours is to love God and love your neighbors, His children. Believe, love, do.”

President Henry B. Eyring: “A Home Where the Spirit of the Lord Dwells“

• “Here is the pattern of decline that appeared after 200 years of living in the perfect peace the gospel brings: Pride crept in. The people stopped sharing what they had with each other. They began to see themselves in classes above or below each other. They began to diminish in their faith in Jesus Christ. They began to hate. They began to commit all kinds of sin. Wise parents will be alert enough to notice those symptoms when they appear among their family members. They will, of course, be concerned. “
• “So building faith in Jesus Christ is the beginning of reversing spiritual decline in your family and in your home. That faith is more likely to bring repentance than your preaching against each symptom of spiritual decline.”
• “You will best lead by example. Family members and others must see you growing in your own faith in Jesus Christ and in His gospel.”
• “In addition to your example of growing in faith, your praying as a family can play a crucial part in making home a sacred place.”
• “Parents can set an example. Harsh words or unkind thoughts can be repented of quickly and sincerely. A simple “I am sorry” can heal wounds and invite both forgiveness and love.”
• “‘You just live worthy of the celestial kingdom, and the family arrangements will be more wonderful than you can imagine.'”

President M. Russell Ballard: “The True, Pure, and Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ“

• “…even though we cannot control those external forces that impact our lives here on earth, as we strive to become faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can find peace, joy, and happiness despite the worldly troubles that swirl around us.”
• “Brothers and sisters, do the best you can do day after day, and before you know it, you will come to realize that your Heavenly Father knows you and that He loves you. And when you know that—really know it—your life will have real purpose and meaning and you will be filled with joy and peace.”
• “Joseph F. Smith said: ‘The true, pure, simple gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. We are responsible for maintaining it upon the earth.'”
• “The first principles of the gospel are faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. His brother Hyrum taught: ‘Preach them over [and over] again: you will find that day after day new ideas and additional light concerning them will be revealed to you. You can enlarge upon them … to comprehend them clearly. You will then be able to make them more plainly understood by those [you] teach.'”
• “When we love and serve the Lord and love and serve our neighbors, we will naturally feel more happiness that comes to us in no better way.”
• “Living the true, pure, and simple gospel plan will allow us more time to visit the widows, widowers, orphans, lonely, sick, and poor. We will find peace, joy, and happiness in our life when serving the Lord and our neighbors.”
• “Brothers and sisters, can you see that learning and teaching the gospel in our families is an important way to find joy and happiness in our lives?”
• “As we minister in a higher and holier way, please consider how essential it is that we greet everyone who comes to our Church meetings, especially new members and visitors. We should all enjoy singing the hymns and listening carefully to the words of the sacrament prayers with an open heart and mind.”
• “Testimonies of faith in our fast and testimony meetings are led by a member of the bishopric, who shares a brief testimony focused on the plan of happiness and the true, pure, and simple gospel of Christ. All others should follow that example. We need to remember that there are other appropriate places to tell stories or share travel adventures. “
• “Our ministering efforts will be more successful if we keep our ministering simple. The most joy comes from the simple things of life, so we need to be careful not to think that more needs to be added to any of the adjustments we have received to build faith and strong testimonies in the hearts of God’s children.”
• “Let’s not complicate things with additional meetings, expectations, or requirements. Keep it simple.”
• Quoting Handbook 2: “Leaders encourage every member to receive all essential priesthood ordinances, keep the associated covenants, and qualify for exaltation and eternal life.”
• Quoting Handbook 2: “Adults: Encourage each adult to be worthy to receive the ordinances of the temple. Teach all adults to identify their ancestors and perform vicarious temple ordinances for them.”
• Quoting Handbook 2: “Youth: Help prepare each young man to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, to receive the ordinances of the temple, and to be worthy to serve a full-time mission. Help prepare each young woman to be worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple. Strengthen youth through participation in meaningful activities.”
• Quoting Handbook 2: “All Members: Help priesthood and auxiliary leaders, ward councils, ward and full-time missionaries, and members work cooperatively in a balanced effort to rescue individuals, strengthen families and Church units, increase priesthood activity, and gather Israel through conversion, retention, and activation. Teach members to provide for themselves and their families and to assist the poor and needy in the Lord’s way.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen: “The Eye of Faith“

• “…our mortal quest is to strengthen our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, to choose good over evil, and to keep His commandments.”
• “Our Father’s plan encourages a husband and wife to bring children into the world and obligates us to speak in defense of the unborn.”
• “For those desiring to please God, faith, patience, and diligence are surely needed.”
• “As you seek Him and keep His commandments, I promise you that He will bless you and lift the burdens too heavy to bear alone.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “Behold the Lamb of God“

• “My beloved brothers and sisters, with the exciting new emphasis on increased gospel learning in the home, it is crucial for us to remember that we are still commanded to ‘go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day.'”
• “We are to remember in as personal a way as possible that Christ died from a heart broken by shouldering entirely alone the sins and sorrows of the whole human family.”
• “Inasmuch as we contributed to that fatal burden, such a moment demands our respect. Thus, we are encouraged to come to our services early and reverently, dressed appropriately for participation in a sacred ordinance. “Sunday best” has lost a little of its meaning in our time, and out of esteem for Him into whose presence we come, we ought to restore that tradition of Sabbath dress and grooming when and where we can.”
• “Furthermore, there will be others who unavoidably find their ox in the mire on a Sabbath morning. However, to this latter group we say an occasional tardiness is understandable, but if the ox is in the mire every Sunday, then we strongly recommend that you sell the ox or fill the mire.”
• “In that same spirit, we make an apostolic plea for the reduction of clamor in the sanctuary of our buildings. We love to visit with each other, and we should—it is one of the joys of church attendance—but it ought not be pursued so vocally in space specifically dedicated for worship. I fear that visitors not of our faith are shocked by what can sometimes be noisy irreverence in a setting that is supposed to be characterized by prayer, testimony, revelation, and peace. Perhaps heaven is a little shocked as well.”
• “It will add to the spirit of our sacrament meetings if the presiding officers are on the stand well before the meeting is to begin, listening to the prelude music and reverently setting the example the rest of us ought to follow.”
• “We congratulate those bishoprics who are eliminating announcements that detract from the spirit of our worship.”
• “By commandment, we gather for the most universally received ordinance in the Church. It is in memory of Him who asked if the cup He was about to drink could pass, only to press on because He knew that for our sake it could not pass. It will help us if we remember that a symbol of that cup is slowly making its way down the row toward us at the hand of an 11- or 12-year-old deacon.”
• “Seated not far away are some who may have wept—outwardly or inwardly—through the entire sacramental hymn and the prayers of those priests. Might we silently take note of that and offer our little crust of comfort and our tiny cup of compassion—might we dedicate it to them? or to the weeping, struggling member who is not in the service and, except for some redemptive ministering on our part, won’t be there next week either? or to our brothers and sisters who are not members of the Church at all but are our brothers and sisters? There is no shortage of suffering in this world, inside the Church and out, so look in any direction and you will find someone whose pain seems too heavy to bear and whose heartache seems never to end. One way to ‘always remember him’ would be to join the Great Physician in His never-ending task of lifting the load from those who are burdened and relieving the pain of those who are distraught.”
• “Beloved friends, as we unite across the globe each week in what we hope is an increasingly sacred acknowledgment of Christ’s majestic atoning gift to all humankind, may we bring to the sacramental altar ‘more tears for his sorrows [and] more pain at his grief.’ And then, as we reflect, pray, and covenant anew, may we take from that sacred moment ‘more patience in suff’ring, … more praise for relief.'”

Elder Gary E. Stevenson: “Your Priesthood Playbook“

• “Create your own playbook of how you will prove yourself as a disciple of Christ.”
• “You know what temptations you are most vulnerable to, and you can predict how the adversary will try to derail and dishearten you. Have you created a personal game plan and playbook so that you will know how to respond when faced with opposition?”
• “With a game plan, a playbook, and a firm commitment to execute your role, you will find that temptation has less control over you. You will have already made the decision of how you will react and what you will do. You won’t need to decide every time you are confronted with temptation.”
• “I asked a few of the Brethren to recommend plays you might include in your playbook. Here are some of their inspired suggestions:

  • “Pray every day for greater light and a testimony of Jesus Christ.

  • “Listen carefully to the teachings of your parents, your bishop, and your Young Men and quorum leaders.

  • “Avoid pornography and immoral social media content.

  • “Remember the promises you have made to God, and work to keep them.

  • “Study scripture stories of great prophets, and emulate their good qualities.

  • “Bless Heavenly Father’s children through service.

  • “Seek good friends to help you become the person you want to be.

  • “Become an expert in the FamilySearch app, and research your own family history.

  • “Plan places of retreat where you can escape evil influences.

  • “Love and help strengthen other members of your priesthood quorum.”

• Quoting Ricardo Rojas (and Joshua 1:9): “”be strong and of a good courage’ in defending the truth.’”
• “Do you recognize your higher and holier identity as a son of God, a bearer of His holy priesthood? With this eternal identity in mind, create your game plan and priesthood playbook that will guide you during times of temptation and adversity. Consider both offensive and defensive strategies.”
• “Offensive strategies help strengthen testimonies and increase resolve to stay on the strait and narrow path. Examples include regular prayer, scripture study, church and temple attendance, paying tithing, and following the counsel found in the For the Strength of Youth booklet.”
• ”

  Listen to your trusted coaches, such as your parents, bishop, and Young Men leaders. Learn the playbook. Read the scriptures. Study the words of modern-day prophets. Create your own game plan of how you will prove yourself as a disciple of Christ. Know in advance the plays you will employ to strengthen your spirit and avoid the snares of the adversary. Do this and God will surely utilize you.”

• “Some may choose to stay on the bench, even though the coach has tried to send them in. I invite you to rescue, support, and love them as a fellow team member!”
• ”

  Great athletes spend hundreds of hours perfecting one small aspect of their game. As a priesthood holder, you need the same mind-set. If you fail, repent and learn from it. Practice so you will do better the next time. Ultimately, it’s up to you. Will you learn the playbook? I urge you: Trust in the Lord. Put on the whole armor of God, and get in the game.”

• “… that is your mission in this life—to learn the ways of the Lord, enter the path of discipleship, and strive to live according to God’s plan.”
• “I pray that you will make the commitment to live worthy of the holy priesthood that you bear and strive to execute your sacred role every day.”

President Henry B. Eyring: “The Power of Sustaining Faith“

• “By raising your hand to sustain, you make a promise. You make a promise with God, whose servants these are, that you will sustain them. These are imperfect human beings, as are you. Keeping your promises will take unshakable faith that the Lord called them. Keeping those promises will also bring eternal happiness. Not keeping them will bring sorrow to you and to those you love—and even losses beyond your power to imagine.”
• “You may have been asked, or you will be, whether you sustain your bishop, stake president, the General Authorities, and the General Officers of the Church … My counsel is that you ask those questions of yourself beforehand, with careful and prayerful thought. As you do, you might look back on your recent thoughts, words, and deeds. Try to remember and frame the answers you will give when the Lord interviews you, knowing that someday He will.”
• “You could prepare by asking yourself questions like the following:

  • “Have I thought or spoken of human weakness in the people I have pledged to sustain?

  • “Have I looked for evidence that the Lord is leading them?

  • “Have I conscientiously and loyally followed their leadership?

  • “Have I spoken about the evidence I can see that they are God’s servants?

  • “Do I pray for them regularly by name and with feelings of love?”

• “President George Q. Cannon gave a warning that I pass on to you as my own. I believe he spoke the truth: ‘God has chosen His servants. He claims it as His prerogative to condemn them, if they need condemnation. He has not given it to us individually to censure and condemn them. No man, however strong he may be in the faith, however high in the Priesthood, can speak evil of the Lord’s anointed and find fault with God’s authority on the earth without incurring His displeasure. The Holy Spirit will withdraw himself from such a man, and he will go into darkness. This being the case, do you not see how important it is that we should be careful?'”
• “We could rise higher in our power to sustain each other. It will take faith and effort. Here are four suggestions I make for us to act on at this conference.

  • “We could identify specific actions the speakers recommend and start today to carry them out. As we do, our power to sustain them will increase.

  • “We could pray for them as they speak that the Holy Ghost will carry their words into the hearts of specific people we love. When we learn later that our prayer was answered, our power to sustain those leaders will increase.

  • “We could pray that specific speakers will be blessed and magnified as they give their messages. When we see that they were magnified, we will grow in our faith to sustain them, and it will endure.

  • “We could listen for messages from the speakers that come as an answer to our personal prayers for help. When the answers come, and they will, we will grow in our faith to sustain all the Lord’s servants.”

• Speaking to sons with fathers at home: “Your admiration for him will help him some. Your love for him will help even more. But the thing that will help the most is sincere words like these: ‘Dad, I’ve prayed for you, and I have felt that the Lord is going to help you. Everything will work out. I know it will.'”
• “Words such as those also have power in the other direction, father to son. When a son has made a serious mistake, perhaps in a spiritual matter, he may feel that he has failed. As his father, in that moment, you may be surprised when, after you pray to know what to do, the Holy Ghost puts these words into your mouth: ‘Son, I’m with you all the way. The Lord loves you. With His help, you can make it back. I know that you can and that you will. I love you.'”
• “In the priesthood quorum and in the family, increased faith to sustain each other is the way we build the Zion the Lord wants us to create. With His help, we can and we will. It will take learning to love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength and to love each other as we love ourselves.”

President Dallin H. Oaks: “Where Will This Lead?“

• “Our present and our future will be happier if we are always conscious of the future. As we make current decisions, we should always be asking, ‘Where will this lead?'”
• “It is well to ask ourselves, ‘Where will this lead?’ Where the consequences are immediate and serious, we cannot afford to do nothing. We must sound appropriate warnings or support appropriate preventive efforts while there is still time.”
• “There is nothing bad about playing video games or texting or watching TV or talking on a cell phone. But each of these involves what is called ‘opportunity cost,’ meaning that if we spend time doing one thing, we lose the opportunity to do another. I am sure you can see that we need to measure thoughtfully what we are losing by the time we spend on one activity, even if it is perfectly good in itself.”
• “Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives. … We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best.”
• “Remember the importance of getting an education, studying the gospel, renewing our covenants by partaking of the sacrament, and attending the temple.”
• “Most important, each of us is a child of God with a potential destiny of eternal life. Every other label, even including occupation, race, physical characteristics, or honors, is temporary or trivial in eternal terms. Don’t choose to label yourselves or think of yourselves in terms that put a limit on a goal for which you might strive.”
• “We make better choices and decisions if we look at the alternatives and ponder where they will lead. As we do, we will be following President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to begin with the end in mind.”

President Russell M. Nelson: “We Can Do Better and Be Better“

• “Make your focus on daily repentance so integral to your life that you can exercise the priesthood with greater power than ever before.”
• “‘Does everyone need to repent?’ The answer is yes.”
• “Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to ‘repent,’ He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies.”
• “Whether you are diligently moving along the covenant path, have slipped or stepped from the covenant path, or can’t even see the path from where you are now, I plead with you to repent. Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.”
• “Brethren, we need to do better and be better because we are in a battle.”
• “The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure.”
• “Brethren, prayerfully seek to understand what stands in the way of your repentance. Identify what stops you from repenting. And then, change! Repent! All of us can do better and be better than ever before.”
• “There are specific ways in which we can likely improve. One is in the way we treat our bodies. “
• “Now, I ask you, brethren, are you more interested in dressing and grooming your body to appeal to the world than to please God? Your answer to this question sends a direct message to Him about your feelings regarding His transcendent gift to you. In this reverence for our bodies, brethren, I think we can do better and be better.”
• “Another way we can also do better and be better is how we honor the women in our lives, beginning with our wives and daughters, our mothers and sisters.”
• “Brethren, your first and foremost duty as a bearer of the priesthood is to love and care for your wife. Become one with her. Be her partner. Make it easy for her to want to be yours. No other interest in life should take priority over building an eternal relationship with her. Nothing on TV, a mobile device, or a computer is more important than her well-being. Take an inventory of how you spend your time and where you devote your energy. That will tell you where your heart is. Pray to have your heart attuned to your wife’s heart. Seek to bring her joy. Seek her counsel, and listen. Her input will improve your output.

  “If you have a need to repent because of the way you have treated the women closest to you, begin now. And remember that it is your responsibility to help the women in your life receive the blessings that derive from living the Lord’s law of chastity. Never be the reason that a woman is unable to receive her temple blessings.

  “Brethren, we all need to repent. We need to get up off the couch, put down the remote, and wake up from our spiritual slumber. It is time to put on the full armor of God so we can engage in the most important work on earth. It is time to “thrust in [our] sickles, and reap with all [our] might, mind, and strength.”¹⁷ The forces of evil have never raged more forcefully than they do today. As servants of the Lord, we cannot be asleep while this battle rages.

  “Your family needs your leadership and love. Your quorum and those in your ward or branch need your strength. And all who meet you need to know what a true disciple of the Lord looks like and acts like.”

• “I plead with you to be the men and young men the Lord needs you to be. Make your focus on daily repentance so integral to your life that you can exercise the priesthood with greater power than ever before. This is the only way you will keep yourself and your family spiritually safe in the challenging days ahead.”
• “The Lord needs selfless men who put the welfare of others ahead of their own. He needs men who intentionally work to hear the voice of the Spirit with clarity. He needs men of the covenant who keep their covenants with integrity. He needs men who are determined to keep themselves sexually pure—worthy men who can be called upon at a moment’s notice to give blessings with pure hearts, clean minds, and willing hands. The Lord needs men eager to repent—men with a zeal to serve and be part of the Lord’s battalion of worthy priesthood bearers.”

Elder Dale G. Renlund: “Abound with Blessings“

• “…we too must act on our faith in Jesus Christ to be blessed.”
• “To receive a desired blessing from God, act with faith, striking the metaphorical match on which the heavenly blessing is contingent.”
• “…faith in Christ requires ongoing action for the blaze to continue. Small actions fuel our ability to walk along the covenant path and lead to the greatest blessings God can offer. But oxygen flows only if we figuratively keep moving our feet. Sometimes we need to make a bow and arrow before revelation comes as to where we should search for food. Sometimes we need to make tools before revelations come as to how to build a ship. Sometimes, at the direction of the Lord’s prophet, we need to bake a small cake from the little oil and flour we have to receive an unfailing cruse of oil and barrel of flour. And sometimes we need to “be still and know that [God is] God” and trust in His timing.^“
• “When you receive any blessing from God, you can conclude that you have complied with an eternal law governing reception of that blessing. But remember that the ‘irrevocably decreed’ law is time insensitive, meaning blessings come on God’s timetable.”
• “If a desired blessing from God has not been received—yet—you do not need to go crazy, wondering what more you need to do. Instead, heed Joseph Smith’s counsel to ‘cheerfully do all things that lie in [your] power; and then … stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the … arm [of God] … revealed.’ Some blessings are reserved for later, even for the most valiant of God’s children.”
• “We are each responsible to open and study Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, along with the scriptures and other Come, Follow Me material. We need to discuss them with our family and friends and organize our Sabbath day to light a metaphorical fire. Or we can leave the resources sitting in a pile in our homes with the potential energy trapped inside. I invite you to faithfully activate heavenly power to receive specific blessings from God. Exercise the faith to strike the match and light the fire. Supply the needed oxygen while you patiently wait on the Lord.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Great Love for Our Father’s Children“

• “Love of the Savior and love of our fellow men and women is the primary attribute and motive for ministering and the spiritual purposes we were charged to undertake by our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, in the adjustments announced in 2018.”
• “When members gain a vision of this kind of love, which is essential in assisting the Lord in His purpose, the Lord’s work will be accomplished.”
• “When it comes to gathering Israel, we need to align our hearts with this kind of love and move away from feelings of mere responsibility or guilt to feelings of love and participation in the divine partnership of sharing the Savior’s message, ministry, and mission with the world.”
• “As members we can show our love for the Savior and our brothers and sisters throughout the world by making simple invitations. The new Sunday meeting schedule represents an exceptional opportunity for members to successfully and lovingly invite friends and associates to come and see and feel a Church experience.”
• “What is needed is a loving, compassionate, spiritual commitment by each of us—men, women, youth, and children—to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we show love, kindness, and humility, many will accept our invitation. Those who choose not to accept our invitation will still be our friends.”
• “I know our Primary and youth leaders are making and will continue to make family history and temple work a major effort.”
• “Relief Society sisters and priesthood brethren can lovingly help fulfill their temple and family history responsibility individually and also by assisting and inspiring children and youth to gather Israel on the other side of the veil. This is particularly important in the home and on the Sabbath.”
• “Those who seek to know the will of the Lord as individuals and for their families must strive for righteousness, meekness, kindness, and love. Humility and love are the hallmark of those who seek the Lord’s will, especially for their families.”
• “Perfecting ourselves, qualifying ourselves for the blessings of covenants, and preparing to meet God are individual responsibilities. We need to be self-reliant and anxiously engaged in making our homes a refuge from the storms that surround us and ‘a sanctuary of faith.’ Parents have a responsibility to lovingly teach their children.”
• “One adjustment that will benefit almost any family is to make the internet, social media, and television a servant instead of a distraction or, even worse, a master. The war for the souls of all, but particularly children, is often in the home. As parents we need to make sure that media content is wholesome, age appropriate, and consistent with the loving atmosphere we are trying to create. Teaching in our homes needs to be clear and compelling but also spiritual, joyful, and full of love.”
• “I promise that as we focus on our love for the Savior and His Atonement, make Him the centerpiece of our efforts to gather Israel on both sides of the veil, minister to others, and individually prepare to meet God, the influence of the adversary will be diminished and the joy, delight, and peace of the gospel will magnify our homes with Christlike love.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson: “Preparing for the Lord’s Return“

• “I hope we also think about His pending return when ‘He will rule as King of Kings and … Lord of Lords.'”
• “In that moment, the Holy Spirit affirmed two things to me. First, the work of ministering to temporal needs is vital and must continue. The second was unexpected, yet powerful and clear. It was this: beyond selfless service, it is supremely important to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• “So yes, let us do all we can to relieve suffering and sorrow now, and let us devote ourselves more diligently to the preparations needed for the day when pain and evil are ended altogether, when ‘Christ [shall] reign personally upon the earth; and … the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.'”
• “As President Russell M. Nelson explained in general conference last October, ‘The long-standing objective of the Church is to assist all members to increase their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Atonement, to assist them in making and keeping their covenants with God, and to strengthen and seal their families.’ Accordingly, he emphasizes the significance of temple covenants, hallowing the Sabbath, and a daily feasting upon the gospel, centered at home and supported by an integrated study curriculum at church. We want to know about the Lord, and we want to know the Lord”
• “President Nelson has repeatedly emphasized that the ‘gathering [of Israel] is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, … you can be a big part of it.'”
• “as Elder Quentin L. Cook has just taught, all of us can participate in simple and natural ways, in love, inviting others to join us at church, visit in our homes, become part of our circle.”
• “While we strive to be diligent in building up Zion, including our part in the gathering of the Lord’s elect and the redemption of the dead, we should pause to remember that it is the Lord’s work and He is doing it.”
• “And so, this Easter, let us truly celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and all that it portends: His return to reign for a thousand years of peace, a righteous judgment and perfect justice for all, the immortality of all who ever lived upon this earth, and the promise of eternal life.”

President Russell M. Nelson: “Come, Follow Me“

• “Jesus Christ invites us to take the covenant path back home to our Heavenly Parents and be with those we love. He invites us to “come, follow me.”
• “…what is required for a family to be exalted forever? We qualify for that privilege by making covenants with God, keeping those covenants, and receiving essential ordinances.”
• “The Savior invites all to follow Him into the waters of baptism and, in time, to make additional covenants with God in the temple and receive and be faithful to those further essential ordinances.”
• “I would further entreat my reticent friends by saying:

  ‘Pour out your heart to God. Ask Him if these things are true. Make time to study His words. Really study! If you truly love your family and if you desire to be exalted with them throughout eternity, pay the price now—through serious study and fervent prayer—to know these eternal truths and then to abide by them.

  ‘If you are not sure you even believe in God, start there. Understand that in the absence of experiences with God, one can doubt the existence of God. So, put yourself in a position to begin having experiences with Him. Humble yourself. Pray to have eyes to see God’s hand in your life and in the world around you. Ask Him to tell you if He is really there—if He knows you. Ask Him how He feels about you. And then listen.'”

• “Now, as President of His Church, I plead with you who have distanced yourselves from the Church and with you who have not yet really sought to know that the Savior’s Church has been restored. Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now. Time is running out.”

President Dallin H. Oaks: “Cleansed by Repentance“

• “We are all sinners who can be cleansed by repentance.”
• “Repentance begins with our Savior, and it is a joy, not a burden. In last December’s Christmas devotional, President Nelson taught: ‘True repentance is not an event. It is a never-ending privilege. It is fundamental to progression and having peace of mind, comfort, and joy.'”
• “Some of the greatest teachings on repentance are in Alma’s Book of Mormon sermon to members of the Church whom he later described as having been in a state of ‘much unbelief,’ ‘lifted up in … pride,’ and with hearts set ‘upon riches and the vain things of the world’ (Alma 7:6). Each member of this restored Church has much to learn from Alma’s inspired teachings.”
• “We must repent because, as Alma taught, ‘except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of heaven’ (Alma 5:51).”
• “We must repent of all our sins—all of our actions or inactions contrary to the commandments of God. No one is exempt. Just last evening President Nelson challenged us, ‘Brethren, we all need to repent.'”
• “To be cleansed by repentance, we must forsake our sins and confess them to the Lord and to His mortal judge where required (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:43). Alma taught that we must also ‘bring forth works of righteousness’ (Alma 5:35).”
• “We need to partake of the sacrament each Sabbath day.”
• “To assure that we will be clean before God, we must repent before the Final Judgment (see Mormon 3:22). As Alma told his sinful son, we cannot hide our sins before God, ‘and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day’ (Alma 39:8; emphasis added).”
• “We must not ‘procrastinate the day of [our] repentance’ until death, Amulek taught (Alma 34:33), because the same spirit that has possessed our body in this life—whether the Lord’s or the devil’s—’will have power to possess [our] body in that eternal world’ (Alma 34:34).”
• “Now is the time to seek His help to repent of our wicked or unseemly desires and thoughts to be clean and prepared to stand before God at the Final Judgment.”

Elder Gerrit W. Gong: “Good Shepherd, Lamb of God“

• “As we seek with real intent to follow Jesus Christ, inspiration comes to do good, to love God, and to serve Him. As we study, ponder, and pray; as we regularly renew sacramental and temple covenants; and as we invite all to come to His gospel and ordinances, we are hearkening to His voice.”
• “Nephi asks, ‘If the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!'”
• “Today our Savior desires that what we do and who we are becoming will invite others to come, follow Him.”
• “Our Good Shepherd cautions that shepherds in Israel must not slumber, nor scatter or cause the sheep to go astray, nor look our own way for our own gain. God’s shepherds are to strengthen, heal, bind up that which is broken, bring again that which was driven away, seek that which was lost.”
• “Our Good Shepherd rejoices when we exercise individual moral agency with intention and faith. “
• “Alma encouraged, ‘Have faith on the Lamb of God’; ‘come and fear not.'”

Elder David A. Bednar: “Preparing to Obtain Every Needful Thing“

• “He suggested that instead of returning to our homes after Church meetings on Sunday and asking, “What did you learn about the Savior and His gospel today at church?” we should ask in our Church meetings, “What did you learn about the Savior and His gospel this week in your home?”
• “Each member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an individual responsibility to learn and live the Lord’s teachings and to receive by proper authority the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. We should not expect the Church as an organization to teach or tell us everything we need to know and do to become devoted disciples and endure valiantly to the end. Rather, our personal responsibility is to learn what we should learn, to live as we know we should live, and to become who the Master would have us become. And our homes are the ultimate setting for learning, living, and becoming.”
• “Our commitment to learn and live according to truth is increasingly important in a world that is ‘in commotion’ and is ever more confused and wicked. We cannot expect simply to attend Church meetings and participate in programs and thereby receive all of the spiritual edification and protection that will enable us ‘to withstand in the evil day.'”
• “‘Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness.’ Inspired Church leaders, teachers, and activities help individual and family efforts to grow spiritually. And though we all need help pressing forward on the covenant path, the ultimate responsibility for developing spiritual strength and stamina rests upon each one of us.”
• “If all you or I know about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel is what other people teach or tell us, then the foundation of our testimony of Him and His glorious latter-day work is built upon sand. We cannot rely exclusively upon or borrow gospel light and knowledge from other people—even those whom we love and trust.”
• “Significantly, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that each Latter-day Saint needs to understand for himself or herself ‘the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world.'”
• “The ultimate missionary training center is in our homes; secondary missionary training centers are located in Provo, Manila, Mexico City, and in other locations. Our most instructive Sunday School classes should be our individual and family study in our places of residence; helpful but secondary Sunday School classes are held in our meetinghouses.

• “Family history centers now are in our homes. Supplemental support for our family history research work also is available in our meetinghouses.”

• “Vital temple preparation classes occur in our homes; important but secondary temple preparation classes also may be conducted periodically in our meetinghouses.”

• “Making our homes sanctuaries wherein we can ‘stand in holy places’ is essential in these latter days. And as important as home-centered and Church-supported learning is for our spiritual strength and protection today, it will be even more vital in the future.”

• “Guideline #1. Because we love the Lord, we always should speak about His holy house with reverence. We should not disclose or describe the special symbols associated with the covenants we receive in sacred temple ceremonies. Neither should we discuss the holy information that we specifically promise in the temple not to reveal.”

• “Guideline #2. The temple is the house of the Lord. Everything in the temple points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. We may discuss the basic purposes of and the doctrine and principles associated with temple ordinances and covenants.”
• “President Howard W. Hunter counseled: ‘Let us share with our children the spiritual feelings we have in the temple. And let us teach them more earnestly and more comfortably the things we can appropriately say about the purposes of the house of the Lord.’^“

Elder Ronald A. Rasband: “Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection“

• “When we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, when we draw upon the Savior’s Atonement and press forward with faith, we are fortified against the adversary.”
• “‘Go ye unto your homes, and ponder’ is the next step in taking to heart the words of prophets and Church leaders spoken in this sacred setting. Christ-centered homes are fortresses for the kingdom of God on earth in a day when, as prophesied, the devil ‘rage[s] in the hearts of the children of men, and stir[s] them up to anger against that which is good.'”
• “Our homes are fortresses against the evils of the world. In our homes we come unto Christ by learning to follow His commandments, by studying the scriptures and praying together, and by helping one another stay on the covenant path. The new emphasis on personal and family study in the home through the curriculum Come, Follow Me is designed ‘to deepen our conversion and help us become more like Jesus Christ.’ In so doing we will become what Paul called ‘new creature[s]’ with our hearts and souls in tune with God. We need that strength to face and deflect the assaults of the adversary.”
• “President Russell M. Nelson has taught, ‘In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.'”
• “For our safety, we must build a fortress of spirituality and protection for our very souls, a fortress that will not be penetrated by the evil one.”
• “When we build a fortress of spiritual strength, we can shun the advances of the adversary, turn our backs on him, and feel the peace of the Spirit. We can follow the example of our Lord and Savior, who, when tempted in the wilderness, said, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan.’ We each have to learn by the experiences of life how to do that.”
• “What are some ways we can fortify ourselves in troubled times, that we may be ‘instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work’?”
  • “We are obedient.”
  • “We trust the Lord…”
  • “We stand for the truth…”
  • “We make and renew our covenants by partaking of the sacrament and by worshipping in the temple.”
  • “We should have integrity in all that we do. We should develop discernment and discipline so that we do not have to continually determine what is right and what is wrong. We should take to heart the words of Peter, the early Church Apostle, who cautioned, ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.'”
  • “Your testimony of Jesus Christ is your personal fortress, the security for your soul.”
  • “Our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our homes, our families, and our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be our personal fortresses of protection surrounding us and shielding us from the power of the evil one.”

President Russell M. Nelson: “Closing Remarks“

• “May we dedicate and rededicate our lives to serving God and His children—on both sides of the veil.”
• “As you study [these messages from General Conference], seek to learn what the Lord is trying to teach you through His servants.”
• “We can truly become disciples of the Lord, standing up and speaking up for Him wherever we are.”
• “God’s objective should be our objective. He wants His children to choose to return to Him, prepared, qualified, endowed, sealed, and faithful to covenants made in holy temples.”
• “As we speak of our temples old and new, may each of us signify by our actions that we are true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we renovate our lives through our faith and trust in Him. May we access the power of His Atonement by our repentance each day. And may we dedicate and rededicate our lives to serving God and His children—on both sides of the veil.”
  

  Did we miss anything? If you spot any counsel from the brethren that we missed, let us know in the comments and we’ll be sure to add it to the appropriate speaker.