♫♫ From the conference center in Salt Lake City, Utah,
this is the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with speakers selected from leaders of the Church.
Music for this session is provided by a combined choir from Brigham Young University.
This broadcast is furnished as a public service by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording,
transcription or other use of this program without written consent is prohibited. President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, will conduct this session.
♫♫
Brothers and sisters, we welcome you to the afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Russell M. Nelson, who presides at the conference,
has asked me to conduct this session.
We extend our greetings to all who are in attendance
or who are participating by satellite television, radio, or the Internet.
The music for this session will be provided by a combined choir from Brigham Young University under the direction of Brant Wells, Sonia Poulter, and Andrew Crane with Joseph Peoples and Linda Markets at the organ. The choir will open this meeting by singing “How Firm
a Foundation.” The invocation will then be offered by Elder Alan R. Walker of the Seventy.
[MUSIC PLAYING] “How Firm a Foundation”
♫♫
♪ How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord, ♪ ♪ Is laid for your faith in his excellent word! ♪ ♪ What more can he say than to you he hath said, ♪ ♪ Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior, ♪
♪ Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled? ♪
♪ In ev’ry condition in sickness, in health, ♪ ♪ In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth, ♪
♪ At home or abroad, on the land or the sea ♪ ♪ As thy days may demand, as thy days, may demand, ♪ ♪ As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be. ♪
♫♫
♪ Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed, ♪ ♪ For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. ♪
♪ I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, ♪ ♪ Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous, ♪ ♪ Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. ♪
♫♫
♪ The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose ♪ ♪ I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes; ♪ ♪ That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, ♪
♪ I’ll never, no never. I’ll never, no never, ♪ ♪ I’ll never, no never, no never forsake! ♪
♪ I’ll never, no never, I’ll never no never, ♪ ♪ I’ll never, no never no never forsake! ♪
♫♫
♪ Amen! ♪ ♪ Amen! ♪
Our dear Father in Heaven, we bow our heads in gratitude this afternoon. Gratitude to Thee for the blessing of gathering together in this special world gathering of brothers and sisters and friends of the Church.
We’re grateful to Thee for our only and true firm foundation,
even our Savior, Jesus Christ, and are grateful for His atoning sacrifice.
We're grateful for prophets, seers, and revelators, for President Russell M. Nelson, for his teachings and the way he helps us to know how to stay on the covenant path.
As we are invited to lift our right hands in sustaining our leaders in the Church, bless us that we may do so with broken hearts, with contrite spirits, and a firm commitment to do everything we can to support our leaders in the Church and to live by every word which proceeds from their mouth.
Bless the speakers in this session that they may deliver their messages as they have prepared under inspiration, and that we as listeners may be strengthened and edified
and may go forward building thy Church upon the earth today.
We pray for Elder and Sister Holland for their full and quick recovery.
We love Thee, Father, and these things we pray for in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency,
will now present the General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers of the Church for sustaining vote,
after which Jared B. Larson, Managing Director of the Church Auditing Department,
will read the audit report for 2022.
Brothers and sisters, it is my privilege to present the General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers of the Church for your sustaining vote.
Please express your support in the usual way, wherever you may be.
If there are those who oppose any of the proposals, we ask that you contact your stake president.
It is proposed that we sustain Russell Marion Nelson as prophet, seer, and revelator, and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, Dallin Harris Oaks as First Counselor in the First Presidency,
and Henry Bennion Eyring as Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Those in favor may manifest it.
Those opposed, if any, may manifest it.
It is proposed that we sustain Dallin H. Oaks
as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and M. Russell Ballard as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Those in favor, please signify.
Any opposed may manifest it.
It is proposed that we sustain the following as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: M. Russell Ballard, Jeffrey R. Holland,
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar,
Quentin. L Cook, D. Todd Christofferson,
Neil L. Anderson, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G. Renlund,
Gerrit W. Gong, and Ulysses Suarez. Those in favor, please manifest it.
Any opposed may so indicate.
It is proposed that we sustain the counselors in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators.
All in favor, please manifest it.
Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.
The following General Authority Seventies will be released from their assignments and given emeritus status effective August 1, 2023.
Elders Benjamin de Hoyos, Kazuhiko Yamashita, and Juan A. Uceda.
Those who wish to express gratitude to these brethren and their wives and families for their years of dedicated service throughout the world may do so by the uplifted hand.
The following Area Seventies have been released from their assignments effective immediately: J. Kimo Esplin and Alan T Phillips.
Those who wish to join us in expressing appreciation for their excellent service, please manifest it.
We note with appreciation the other Area Seventies who have completed their service during this past
year and whose names can be found on the Church’s website.
Those who wish to join in expressing gratitude to these brethren for their selfless service may manifest it.
Effective immediately, we hereby release brothers Ahmad S. Corbitt and Bradley Ray Wilcox from serving as First and Second Counselors in the Young Men General Presidency.
Those who wish to show appreciation to these brethren for their service
may so manifest.
We extend releases to the Young Women General Presidency effective August 1, 2023 as follows: Bonnie H. Cordon as President,
Michelle D. Craig as First Counselor. and Rebecca L. Craven as Second Counselor. All who wish to join us in expressing appreciation to these sisters for their devoted service, please manifest it. It is
proposed that we sustain the following as General Authority Seventies:
Ahmad S Corbett. Robert M Daines,
J. Kimo Esplin, Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier,
Alan T Phillips. All in favor, please manifest it.
Those opposed by the same sign.
We note that 61 new Area Seventies were sustained during the general conference leadership meetings on Thursday, March 30, and then announced on the Church’s website.
We invite you to sustain these brethren in their new assignments.
Those in favor, please manifest it. Any opposed by the same sign.
It is proposed that we sustain the following as the new Young Women General Presidency to be effective August 1, 2023: Emily Bell Freeman as President,
Tamara Wood Runia as First Counselor, and Andrea Munoz Spanos
as Second Counselor. Those in favor may manifest it.
Any opposed may so signify.
It is proposed that we sustain the following as counselors in the Young Men General Presidency effective immediately:
Bradley Ray Wilcox as First Counselor
and Michael T. Nelson as Second Counselor. All in favor may manifest it.
Any opposed may so manifest.
It is proposed that we sustain the other General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers as presently constituted.
All in favor may do so by the uplifted hand.
Those opposed, if any. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your continued faith and prayers on behalf of the leadership of the Church. We now invite the new General Authorities and General Officers to take their places on the rostrum.
As announced, Jared B Larson will now read the Church Audit Report for 2022.
To the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dear Brethren. Directed by revelation, as recorded in Section 120 of the Doctrine and Covenants,
the council on the disposition of the tithes composed of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the Presiding Bishopric authorizes the expenditure of Church funds.
Church entities disburse funds in accordance with approved budgets, policies, and procedures. Church auditing, which consists of credentialed professionals and is independent of all other Church departments and entities,
has responsibility to perform audits for the purpose of providing reasonable assurance regarding contributions received, expenditures made, and safeguarding of Church assets. Based upon audits performed,
Church auditing is of the opinion that in all material respects,
contributions received, expenditures made, and assets of the Church for the year 2022 have been recorded and administered in accordance with Church-approved budgets,
accounting practices, and policies.
The Church follows the practices taught to its members of living within a budget, avoiding debt, and saving against a time of need.
Respectfully submitted, Church Auditing Department,
Jared B. Larson, Managing Director.
Thank you, brethren. The choir will now favor us with “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”
After the singing, we will be
we will be pleased to hear from Elder Dale G. Renlund
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He will be followed
by Elder Peter F. Meurs and Randall K. Bennett of the Seventy.
[MUSIC PLAYING] “The Lord is My Shepherd”
♫♫
♪ The Lord is my shepherd; no want shall I know. ♪
♪ I feed in green pastures; safe-folded I rest. ♪
♪ He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow, ♪
♪ Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed, ♪
♪ Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed, ♪ ♪ Thru the valley and shadow of death though I stray, ♪
♪ Since thou art my Guardian, no evil I fear. ♪
♪ Thy rod shall defend me, thy staff be my stay. ♪
♪ No harm can befall with ♪ ♪ my Comforter near. ♪
♪ No harm can befall with my Comforter near. ♪
♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪
♪ In the midst of affliction ♪ ♪ my table is spread. ♪ ♪ With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er. ♪
♪ With perfume and oil ♪ ♪ thou anointest my head. ♪
♪ Oh, what shall I ask of ♪ ♪ thy providence more? ♪
♪ Oh, what shall I ask of ♪ ♪ thy providence more? ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd. ♪
♪ no want shall I know. ♪
♫♫
♫♫
Last November, I had the privilege of dedicating the Belém Brazil Temple.
It was a joy to be with the consecrated members of the Church in northern Brazil. At that time, I learned that Belém is the gateway to the region that includes the most powerful river in the world, the Amazon River.
Despite the river’s strength, twice a year
something seemingly unnatural happens when the sun, moon, and earth are aligned just so,
a powerful tidal wave flows up the river against the natural flow of the water. Waves up to six meters high traveling as far as 50km upstream have been documented.
This phenomenon, known generally as a tidal bore,
is referred to locally as “pororoca,” or “great roar” because of the loud noise it makes. We can correctly conclude that even the mighty Amazon must yield to heavenly powers. Like the Amazon,
we have a natural flow to our lives. We tend to do what comes naturally.
Like the Amazon, with heavenly help, we can do seemingly unnatural things.
After all, it's not natural for us to be humble, meek, or willing to submit our wills to God.
Yet only by doing so can we be transformed,
return to live in the presence of God, and achieve our eternal destiny.
Unlike the Amazon, we can choose whether we yield to heavenly powers or go with the flow. Going against the flow may be difficult,
but when we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the selfish tendencies of the natural man or woman, we can receive the Savior’s transforming power in our lives,
the power to do difficult things.
President Russell M. Nelson taught us how to do this.
He promised, “Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them— has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ ... to lift us above the pull of this fallen world.”
In other words, we can access the power of God,
but only when we connect with Him through sacred covenants.
Before the Earth was created, God established covenants as the mechanism by which we, His children, could unite ourselves to Him. Based on eternal, unchanging law,
He specified the non-negotiable conditions whereby we're transformed,
saved, and exalted. In this life we make these covenants by participating in priesthood ordinances and promising to do what God asks us to do.
And in return, God promises us certain blessings.
A covenant is a pledge that we should prepare for,
clearly understand, and absolutely honor.
Making a covenant with God is different than casually making a promise.
First, priesthood authority is required.
Second, a feeble promise doesn't have the connecting strength to lift us above the pull of the natural flow.
We make a covenant only when we intend to commit ourselves quite exceptionally to fulfilling it. We become covenant children of God and inheritors of His kingdom,
especially when we identify ourselves completely with the covenant.
The term “covenant path” refers to a series of covenants whereby we come to Christ and connect to Him.
Through this covenant bond, we have access to His eternal power.
The path begins with faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, followed by baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ showed us how to enter the path when He was baptized.
According to the New Testament gospel accounts in Mark and Luke,
Heavenly Father spoke directly to Jesus at His baptism, saying, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
When we embark on the covenant path through baptism, I can imagine Heavenly Father saying a similar thing to each of us:
“Thou art my dear child, in whom I delight. Keep going.” At baptism and when we partake of the sacrament, we witness that we're willing to take on ourselves the name of Jesus Christ.
In this context, let's be mindful of the Old Testament commandment “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
To our modern ears, this sounds like a prohibition against irreverently using the Lord's name.
The commandment includes that, but its injunction is even more profound.
The Hebrew word translated as “take” means “to lift up” or “carry,” as one would a banner that identifies oneself with an individual or group.
The word translated as “vain” means “empty” or “deceptive.”
The commandment to not take the Lord's name in vain can thus mean you shouldn't identify yourself as a disciple of Jesus Christ unless you intend to represent Him well.
We become His disciples and represent Him well when we intentionally and incrementally take on ourselves the name of Jesus Christ through covenants.
Our covenants give us power to stay on the covenant path because our relationship with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father is changed. We're connected to them by a covenantal bond.
The covenant path leads to the ordinances of the temple, such as the temple endowment.
The endowment is God's gift of sacred covenants that connect us more fully to Him. In the endowment we first strive to keep the commandments of God—
that’s what we covenant to do;
second, we repent with a broken heart and contrite spirit;
third, to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We do this by exercising faith in Him, making covenants with God as we receive the ordinances of salvation and exaltation, keeping those covenants throughout our lives, and striving to live the two great commandments to love God and neighbor.
We, fourth, covenant to keep the law of chastity and, fifth, to dedicate ourselves and everything the Lord blesses us with to build up His Church. By making and keeping temple covenants,
we learn more about the Lord’s purposes and receive a fullness of the Holy Ghost. We receive direction for our lives.
We mature in our discipleship so that we don't remain perpetual, unknowing children. Rather, we live with an eternal perspective and are more motivated to serve God and others. We receive increased capacity to fulfill our purposes in
mortality. We're protected from evil
and gain greater power to resist temptation and to repent when we stumble. When we falter,
the memory of our covenants with God helps us return to the path. By connecting to God’s power,
we become our own “pororoca,” able to go against the flow of the world throughout our lives and into the eternities.
Ultimately, our destinies are changed because the covenant path leads to exaltation and eternal life.
Keeping covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples also provides us with strength to withstand mortality's trials and heartaches. The doctrine associated with these covenants eases our way and provides hope, comfort, and peace.
My grandparents, Lena Sofia and Matts
Leander Renlund, received God’s power through their baptismal covenant when they joined the Church in 1912 in Finland.
They were happy to be part of the first branch of the Church in Finland. Leander died from tuberculosis five years later when Lena was pregnant with their tenth child. That child,
my father, was born two months after Leander’s death.
Lena eventually buried not just her husband,
but also seven of her ten children. As an impoverished widow, she struggled. For 20 years she didn’t get a good night’s rest. During the day, she scrambled to provide food for her family.
At night, she took care of dying family members.
It's hard to imagine how she coped.
Lena persevered because she knew that her deceased husband and children could be hers through the eternities.
The doctrine of temple blessings, including that of eternal families, brought her peace because she trusted in the sealing power.
While in mortality, she neither received her endowment
nor was she sealed to Leander.
But Leander remained a vital influence in her life and part of her great hope for the future. In 1938, Lena submitted records so that temple ordinances could be performed for her deceased family members, some of the earliest submitted from Finland. After she died,
temple ordinances were performed by others for her,
Leander, and her deceased children. By proxy, she was endowed,
Lena and Leander were sealed to each other and their deceased children, and my father was sealed to them.
Like others, Lena “died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, ... [was] persuaded of them and embraced them.”
Lena lived as though she had already made these covenants in her life.
She knew that her baptismal and sacramental covenants connected her to the Savior.
She “let the sweet longing for [the Redeemer’s] holy place bring hope to her desolate heart.”
Lena considered it one of God's great mercies that she learned about eternal families before experiencing the tragedies in her life. Through covenant,
she received the power of God to endure and rise above the depressive pull of the challenges and hardships she had.
As you walk the covenant path from baptism to the temple and throughout life, I promise you power to go against the natural worldly flow— power to learn,
power to repent and be sanctified, and power to find hope, comfort, and even joy as you face life's challenges.
I promise you and your family protection against the influence of the adversary, especially when you make the temple a major focus in your life.
As you come to Christ and are connected to Him and our Heavenly Father by covenant, something seemingly unnatural happens.
You're transformed and become perfected in Jesus Christ.
You become a covenant child of God and an inheritor in His kingdom.
I can imagine him saying to you, “Thou art my dear child, in whom I delight.
Welcome home.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Moroni promises that if we read the Book of Mormon and then ask God the Eternal Father, with a sincere heart, with real intent,
having faith in Christ, if it is true, God will manifest its truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Millions of people have applied this promise and received an assuring witness of the restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Moroni exhorts us as we read the Book of Mormon to “remember how merciful
the Lord hath been unto the children of men from the creation of Adam, even down until [this] time, ... and to ponder it in [our] hearts.”
The stories and teachings in the Book of Mormon remind us and testify of the Savior’s love, compassion, and mercy.
My father passed away in April 2013.
As I prepared to speak at his funeral,
I realized how blessed I was to know and love his favorite scriptures.
He shared them in family gatherings, and he read them to me when I needed counsel, guidance, or strengthening of my faith.
I heard him share them in talks and assignments.
I not only knew them, but I can still remember the sound of his voice and the spiritual feelings I had as he shared them. Through sharing scriptures and feelings, my father helped me to establish a firm foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
My father particularly loved the account of the Savior's visit to the people of Nephi. This sacred account is of the resurrected and exalted Lord Jesus Christ.
He had drunk of the bitter cup and suffered all things so that we would not suffer if we would repent.
He had visited the spirit world and organized the preaching of the gospel there. He had risen from the dead, and He had been with and received commandments from the Father to share scriptures with the Nephites that would bless future generations.
He was exalted and had all of His eternal power and capacity.
We can learn from every detail of His teachings.
In 3 Nephi 11, we read how the Savior descended out of heaven to teach the Nephites that He was Jesus Christ, “whom the prophets testified [would] come into the world.”
He declared that He was the light of the world and that He glorified the Father in taking on the sins of the world.
He invited the people to come forth, to put their hands into His side, and to feel the prints of the nails in His hands and in His feet.
He wanted them to know that He was the God of Israel who was slain for the sins of the world.
The people joyfully responded, going forth one by one until they had all seen and felt that it was truly “He, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.”
Jesus taught the Nephites about the importance of repentance,
about becoming as a little child, and the need to be baptized by one having His authority.
He then taught much of the doctrine that we are studying this year in the New Testament. In 3 Nephi 17,
we read that Jesus told the people it was time for Him to go unto the Father and also to show Himself unto the lost tribes of Israel.
As He cast His eyes on the multitude, He noticed that “they were in tears,
[looking] steadfastly upon Him as if they would ask him to [tarry]
a little longer [with them].”
The Savior’s response to the Nephites was both touching and instructive.
He said, “Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.”
I believe that His compassion was much more than a response to the people’s tears. It seems He could see them through the eyes of His atoning sacrifice.
He saw their every pain, affliction, and temptation. He saw their sicknesses. He saw their infirmities, and He knew from His agonizing suffering in Gethsemane and Golgotha how to succor them according to their infirmities.
Similarly, when our Savior Jesus Christ looks upon us,
He sees and understands the pain and burden of our sins.
He sees our addictions and challenges.
He sees our struggles and afflictions of any kind, and He is filled with compassion towards us.
His gracious invitation to the Nephites followed:
“Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither.
Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous,
or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner?
Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you;
my bowels are filled with mercy.”
And the people came forth “with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them, every one as they were brought forth unto him.”
In 1990, we were living in the small town of Sale in Victoria, Australia.
We were happily busy with family, church, and work commitments.
On a beautiful summer Saturday, just before Christmas, we decided to visit some parks and a favorite beach.
After enjoying a wonderful day playing as a family, we packed everyone into the car and headed home.
While driving, I momentarily fell asleep and caused a head-on car accident. After some moments of recovery, I looked around the vehicle.
My wife, Maxine, had a badly broken leg and was struggling to breathe.
She had a broken sternum.
Our three daughters were in shock, but thankfully appeared to be okay.
I had some minor injuries, but our five- month-old son was unresponsive.
Amid the stress and confusion of that accident scene, our eldest daughter,
11-year-old Kate, said with urgency,
“Dad, you need to give Jarom a blessing.”
After some struggle, my daughters and I managed to get out of the car.
Maxine couldn’t be moved. Carefully I picked Jarom up.
Then, while lying on the ground on my back, I gently placed him on my chest and gave him a priesthood blessing.
By the time the ambulance arrived, about 40 minutes later,
Jarom was conscious. That night, I left three family members in the hospital and took a hushed taxi ride home with my two daughters.
Through the long night, I pled with Heavenly Father that my family and those injured in the other vehicle would recover. Mercifully, my prayers and fervently offered prayers by many others were answered.
All were healed over time—a great blessing and tender mercy.
Yet I continued to have deep feelings of guilt and remorse for causing such a terrible accident. I would wake during the night and relive the horrific events. I struggled for years to forgive myself and to find peace. Then as a priesthood leader,
assisting others to repent and helping them to feel the compassion, mercy, and love of the Savior. I realized that He could heal me.
The Savior's healing and redeeming power applies to accidental mistakes, poor decisions, challenges, and trials of every kind—as well as to our sins.
As I turned to Him, my feelings of guilt and remorse were gradually replaced with peace and rest.
President Nelson taught: “When the Savior atoned for all mankind,
He opened a way that those who follow Him can have access to His healing, strengthening, and redeeming power.
These spiritual privileges are available to all who seek to hear Him and follow Him.” Brothers and sisters,
whether you are carrying the burden of unresolved sin,
suffering because of an offense committed against you long ago,
or struggling to forgive yourself for an accidental mistake,
you have access to the healing, redeeming power of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I testify that He lives. He is our Savior and Redeemer.
He loves us. He has compassion for us. He is filled with mercy.
And He can heal you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Brothers and sisters, I was raised by wonderful parents who loved and faithfully taught us, their children, the gospel.
Sadly, my beloved parents struggled in their marriage for years.
I was a Primary child when I was told that they would likely divorce some day, and my siblings and I would need to choose which parent to live with.
As a result, for years, I experienced significant anxiety.
However, a gift from my Heavenly Father ultimately helped change everything for me—my patriarchal blessing. At age 11, increasingly worried about my parents’ relationship, I deeply desired my patriarchal blessing.
I knew that my Heavenly Father knew me perfectly
and knew my specific circumstances, and I also knew I would receive direction from Him.
Immediately after my 12th birthday, I received my patriarchal blessing.
That was more than half a century ago,
but I vividly remember the details of that sacred experience.
Gratefully, we have inspired direction about patriarchal blessings in the Church’s “General Handbook.”
Quote: “Every worthy baptized member is entitled to receive a patriarchal blessing, which provides inspired direction from Heavenly Father.”
A member should be “mature enough to understand the significance and sacred nature of the blessing” and “understand the basic doctrine of the gospel.” “Ideally, the member should be young enough that many important decisions in life are still ahead.”
“Priesthood leaders should not establish a minimum age for a member to receive a patriarchal blessing.” “Each patriarchal blessing is sacred, confidential, and personal.”
“A person who receives a patriarchal blessing should treasure its words, ponder them, and live to be worthy to receive the promised blessings in this life and in eternity,” close quote.
Our beloved president, Russell M. Nelson, has repeatedly taught about the importance of a patriarchal blessing, that it gives each recipient “a declaration of lineage back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,”
and that each blessing is “personal scripture to you.”
My patriarchal blessing was critically important to me when I was young
for numerous reasons. First, through the power of the Holy Ghost, my patriarchal blessing helped me understand my true, eternal identity—
who I really was, and who I could become.
It helped me know, as President Nelson has taught, that I was “a son of God,”
a “child of the covenant,” and a “disciple of Jesus Christ.”
I knew that I was known and loved by my Heavenly Father and my Savior, and that They were personally involved in my life.
This helped me desire to draw closer to Them and increase my faith and trust in Them. A dear friend who joined the Church as a young adult shared, quote: “When the patriarch placed his hands on my head and spoke my name, everything changed.
Not just then, but for the rest of my life.
I immediately sensed that—through the power by which he spoke— I was known intimately and deeply. The words he spoke penetrated my entire being.
I knew that Heavenly Father knew me inside and out,” close quote.
Knowing who I really was helped me understand and desire to do what God expected of me.
This led me to study the covenants I had made and the promised blessings in God's covenant with Abraham.
It gave me an eternal perspective that inspired me to more fully keep my covenants. I studied my blessing frequently and as a youth, often daily,
which helped me feel the comforting, guiding influence of the Holy Ghost, who helped reduce my anxiety as I followed His promptings.
This increased my desire to actively invite light, truth, and the Holy Ghost by studying my scriptures and praying daily and trying to more diligently study and follow the teachings of God’s prophet and apostles.
My patriarchal blessing also helped me desire to be more submissive to the will of my Heavenly Father, and that focus helped me experience great joy,
despite my personal circumstances.
I received spiritual strength each time I studied my patriarchal blessing.
When my parents finally did divorce, my patriarchal blessing, as President
Thomas S. Monson taught, had for me become “a precious and priceless personal treasure,” even “a personal Liahona.”
Now, please don't misunderstand. I wasn't perfect. I made all sorts of dumb mistakes.
My eternal companion would confirm that I still do, but my patriarchal blessing helped me and continues to help me desire to do better and be better.
Frequently studying my patriarchal blessing increased my desire to withstand temptation. It helped me have the desire and courage to repent, and repentance increasingly became a joyful process.
It was vital for me to receive my patriarchal blessing while I was young
and while my testimony was still growing. And I am forever grateful that my parents and bishop understood that my desire indicated I was ready.
When I was 12, the world was far less confusing and distracting than the world today. President Nelson has described today as “a most complicated time in the history of the world,”
a world that is “sin-saturated” and “self-centered.”
Fortunately, our youth today are much more mature than I was at 12, and they too have critically important decisions to make while they’re young!
They also need to know who they really are and that God loves them and is perfectly aware of them.
Not everyone will desire their patriarchal blessing when I did,
but I pray that members who have not yet received their patriarchal blessing will prayerfully seek to know when they're ready. I promise that if you prepare spiritually, your experience, like mine, will be sacred to you.
I also pray that those who have already received their patriarchal blessing will study it and treasure it.
Cherishing my patriarchal blessing while I was young blessed me with courage when I was discouraged,
comfort when I was fearful, peace when I felt anxious,
hope when I felt hopeless, and joy when I needed it most.
My patriarchal blessing helped increase my faith and trust in my Heavenly Father and my Savior. It also increased my love for Them, and it still does.
I testify that patriarchal blessings do provide inspired direction from Heavenly Father. I bear my witness of the living reality of our Father in Heaven and His Son, our Savior,
Jesus Christ, who know us, love us, and desire to bless us.
I also know with certainty that President Russell M. Nelson is God’s prophet on the earth today. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
As directed, the congregation will join the choir in singing “The Lord Is My Light.”
Following the singing, we will be pleased to hear from Elders Craig C. Christensen, Evan A. Schmutz, and Benjamin de Hoyos, who serve as General Authority Seventies.
[MUSIC PLAYING] “The Lord is my Light”
This is the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
♫♫
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♪ The Lord is my light; then why should I fear? ♪ ♪ By day and by night his presence is near. ♪ ♪ He is my salvation from sorrow and sin; ♪ ♪ This blessed assurance the Spirit doth bring. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my light; ♪ ♪ He is my joy and my song. ♪ ♪ By day and by night ♪ ♪ He leads, he leads me along. ♪
♪ The Lord is my light; tho clouds may arise, ♪ ♪ Faith, stronger than sight, looks up thru the skies ♪ ♪ Where Jesus forever in glory doth reign. ♪ ♪ Then how can I ever in darkness remain? ♪ ♪ The Lord is my light; ♪ ♪ He is my joy and my song. ♪ ♪ By day and by night ♪ ♪ He leads, he leads me along. ♪
♪ The Lord is my light; the Lord is my strength. ♪ ♪ I know in his might I’ll conquer at length. ♪ ♪ My weakness in mercy he covers with pow’r, ♪ ♪ And, walking by faith, I am blest ev’ry hour. ♪ ♪ The Lord is my light; ♪ ♪ He is my joy and my song. ♪ ♪ By day and by night ♪ ♪ He leads, he leads me along. ♪
♪ The Lord is my light, my all and in all. ♪ ♪ There is in his sight no darkness at all. ♪ ♪ He is my Redeemer, my Savior, and King. ♪ With Saints and with angels his praises I’ll sing. ♪ The Lord is my light; ♪ ♪ He is my joy and my song. ♪ ♪ By day and by night ♪ ♪ He leads me, he leads me along. ♪
Throughout His mortal ministry, the Savior showed great compassion for all of God's children,
especially for those who were suffering or had fallen away.
When criticized by the Pharisees for associating with and eating among sinners, Jesus responded by teaching three familiar parables.
In each of these parables, He emphasized the importance of seeking out those who had strayed and the joy that is felt when they returned.
For example, in the parable of the lost sheep, He said:
“[Great] joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.”
My desire today is to strengthen the connection between joy and repentance—more specifically, the joy that comes when we repent and the feelings of joy we experience as we invite others to come unto Christ and receive His atoning sacrifice in their lives.
In the scriptures, the word “joy” typically means much more than passing moments of contentment or even feelings of happiness.
Joy, in this context is a godly attribute found in its fullness when we return to dwell in the presence of God.
It is more profound, elevating, enduring, and life-changing than any pleasure or comfort this world can offer. We were created to have joy.
It is our intended destiny as children of a loving, Heavenly Father.
He wants to share His joy with us.
The Prophet Lehi taught that God’s plan for each of us is that we “might have joy.” Because we live in a fallen world, enduring joy or everlasting joy often seems beyond our reach.
Yet in the very next verse,
Lehi continues by explaining that the Messiah came to redeem us from the fall. Redemption by and through the Savior Jesus Christ
makes joy possible. The gospel message is a message of hope, of good tidings of great joy, and the means whereby all can experience peace and occasions of joy in this life, and receive a fullness of joy in the life to come. The joy we speak of is a gift for the faithful.
Yet it comes with a price. Joy is not cheap or casually given. Rather, it is bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
If we really understood the value of true godly joy,
we would not hesitate to sacrifice any worldly possession or make any necessary life changes to receive it.
A powerful but humble king in the Book of Mormon understood this.
“What shall I do?” he asked,
“that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his spirit, that I may be filled with joy. Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess,
yea, I will forsake my kingdom that I might receive this great joy.”
In response to the King’s question, the missionary Aaron said, “If thou desirest this thing, ... bow down before God ... and repent of all thy sins.”
Repentance is the pathway to joy, because it is the pathway that leads us to the Savior Jesus Christ.
For some to think of repentance as a pathway to joy might seem contradictory.
Repentance at times can be painful and difficult.
It requires admitting that some of our thoughts and actions—
even some of our beliefs—may be wrong.
Repentance also requires change, which, at times, can be uncomfortable.
But joy and comfort are not the same thing.
Sin—including the sin of complacency— limits our joy.
As stated by the Psalmist, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
As we repent of our sins, we must focus on the great joy that follows.
The nights may seem long,
but the morning does come, and oh, how exquisite is the peace and resplendent joy we feel as the Savior’s Atonement frees us from sin and suffering!
Consider the experience of Alma in the Book of Mormon.
He was “racked with eternal torment,”
and his soul was “harrowed up” because of his sins.
But once he turned to the Savior for mercy,
he could “remember [his] pains no more. “And oh, what joy,” he declared, “and what marvelous light I did behold,
yea, ... there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.”
This is the kind of joy available to those who come unto Jesus Christ
through repentance. As President Nelson has taught, quote, “Repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When we choose to repent, we choose to change.
We allow the Savior to transform us into the better version of ourselves.
We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy,
the joy of redemption in Him.
When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ,”
end quote. Repentance brings joy because it prepares our hearts to receive the influence of the Holy Ghost.
To be filled with the Holy Ghost means to be filled with joy and to be filled with joy means to be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Our joy increases as we work daily to bring the Spirit into our lives
as taught by the prophet Mormon:
“Nevertheless, they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in [their] humility and firmer and firmer in [their] faith [in] Christ, unto the filling of their souls with joy and consolation.”
The Lord promises all who work to follow Him, “I will impart unto you my Spirit which shall enlighten your mind,
which shall fill your soul with joy.”
After we felt the joy that comes from sincere repentance,
we quite naturally want to share that joy with others. As we do,
our joy multiplies. That’s exactly what happened to Alma. “This is my glory,” he said, “that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy.
Then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, ...
yea, then do I remember how merciful his arm has been, which he extended [to] me.” Helping others repent is a natural expression of our gratitude toward the Savior, and it is a source of great joy. The Lord has promised, “If it so be that you should bring save it be one soul unto me,
how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father.
And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me,
how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me.”
I find it helpful to try and imagine the joy
the Savior must feel each time we receive the blessings of His atoning sacrifice in our lives.
As cited by President Nelson, the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews, shared this tender insight:
“Lay aside every ... sin which doth so easily beset us, ...
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith;
who, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, ...
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We speak often of the pain and suffering of Gethsemane and Calvary, but seldom do we speak of the great joy the Savior must have anticipated as He offered His life for us.
Clearly, His pain and His suffering were for us that we might experience the joy of returning with Him to the presence of God.
After teaching the people of ancient America,
the Savior expressed His great love for them by saying, “Now behold, my joy is great, even unto fullness,
because of you ...; and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels. ... In [you] I have [a] fullness of joy.”
Brothers and sisters, I conclude by sharing my personal witness, which I consider a sacred gift.
I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
I know that He loves each of us. His singular focus, His work and His glory, is to help us receive a fullness of joy in Him.
I am a personal witness that repenting daily and coming unto Jesus Christ is a way to experience joy, joy beyond our imagination. That is why we are here.
That is why God prepared His great plan of happiness for us.
Jesus Christ truly is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and the only “name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.” I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
In my mind’s eye, I see the aging prophet Nephi at his desk,
the plates of gold spread before him, his stylus in hand.
Nephi was in the process of finishing his last engraving on the record. He wrote. “And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings.” But soon after, the Spirit urged Nephi to return to his record and write
a concluding message. Under the powerful influence of the Holy Ghost, that great prophet took his stylus again in hand and wrote, “Wherefore the things ... I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words ... I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ.”
How eternally grateful we are for those “few words” and for the Spirit compelling Nephi to write them.
Nephi’s treatise on the doctrine of Christ is a treasure to those who feast upon it.
It contains a vision of the Savior’s baptism and the voice of the Son inviting all to follow Him and “do the things which [we] have seen [Him] do.”
It contains Nephi's witness that those who, with faith in Christ,
sincerely repent of their sins and follow the Savior into the waters of baptism will “receive the Holy Ghost.”
We also hear the voice of the Father bearing record: “Yea,
the words of my Beloved are true and faithful.
He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.”
President Russell M. Nelson emphasized the singular importance of the doctrine of Christ during remarks to newly called mission leaders.
Quote: “More than anything else, we want our missionaries to have the doctrine of Christ engraved in their hearts— rooted in the marrow of their bones,” end quote. Preach My Gospel summarizes five important elements of the doctrine of Christ. It says, quote, “[We] invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end,” end quote.
But the importance of the doctrine of Christ is not just for missionaries! And it is much more profound than a mere summary repetition of its five key elements. It encompasses the law of the gospel. It is the great plan for eternal life.
Brothers and sisters, if we are to accept President Nelson's invitation to have the doctrine of Christ rooted in the marrow of our bones,
we must deepen our conversion to the Lord by study, prayer, faithful living, and continual repentance.
We must invite the Holy Ghost to engrave the doctrine of Christ in the “fleshy tables of [our] heart[s]” as permanently as it was engraved by Nephi upon the plates of gold.
Last October, President Nelson asked,
“What does it mean to overcome the world?”
Among other things, he said,
“It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men.” The word “trust” is defined as “an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” That someone is Jesus Christ and that something is His doctrine. So how would intentionally trusting the doctrine of Christ change the way we live our lives?
If we trust the doctrine of Christ,
we will trust Christ enough to live by His every word.
We will make a lifelong study of Jesus Christ, His ministry, His teachings, His infinite Atonement, including His glorious Resurrection.
We will study His promises and the conditions upon which those promises are given. As we study,
we will be filled with greater love for the Lord. If we trust the doctrine of Christ, we will approach our Heavenly Father every day in humble, secret prayer, where we can express gratitude for the gift of His Son and for all of our blessings.
We can pray for the revelatory companionship of the Holy Ghost,
pray to align our will with His,
to reflect upon our covenants and renew our commitment to keep them.
We can pray to sustain and express love for our prophets, seers, and revelators;
to pray for the cleansing power of forgiveness and for the strength to resist temptation.
I invite you to make prayer a priority in your life,
seeking each day to improve your communication with God.
If we trust the doctrine of Christ,
we will set aside the shiny things of the world so that we can focus on the Redeemer of the world. We will limit or eliminate time spent on social media; digital games; wasteful, excessive, or inappropriate entertainment;
the allure of this world’s treasures and vanities; and any other activities that give place to the false traditions and misguided philosophies of men. It is only in Christ we find truth and lasting fulfillment.
Sincere repentance will become a joyful part of our lives, both to be forgiven for sin and to be changed in the image of Christ.
Repentance with faith in Christ gives us access to the Atonement of Christ.
President Dallin H. Oaks has taught that when the Savior forgives, “He does more than cleanse us from sin, He also gives us new strength,” end quote. Each one of us needs this strength to fulfill the eternal purpose of our lives.
In Jesus and His doctrine, we find strength. He said,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this, buildeth upon my rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.”
We see this promise fulfilled in the lives of faithful people. It was a little over a year ago that I was privileged to meet Travis and Kacie. They were married civilly in 2007. At the time, Travis was not a member of the Church.
Kacie, though raised in an active Latter-day Saint home, had drifted from her faith in her teens and had strayed from her foundation. In 2018
Travis met the missionaries and was baptized in 2019. Travis became a missionary to Kacie,
who also experienced a life- changing conversion.
They were sealed in the temple in September 2020.
About two years after his baptism, Travis was called to serve in the bishopric.
Travis has a rare disease that continuously forms clusters of tumors in his internal organs. He has undergone many surgeries to remove recurring tumors, but the disease is incurable.
Several years ago, Travis was given fewer than ten years to live.
Kacie has retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease that causes irreversible narrowing of the field of vision until complete blindness sets in. Kacie spoke to me of her future.
She anticipated the time, not far distant, when she would be widowed,
blind, without financial support, and left alone to raise four growing children.
I asked Kacie how she could handle such a bleak future.
She smiled peacefully and said, “I have never been more been happier or more hopeful in my life.
We hold to the promises we received in the temple.” Travis is now the bishop.
Two months ago he had another major surgery, but he is optimistic and peaceful. Kacie’s vision is worsened.
She now has a guide dog and is unable to drive.
But she's content raising her children and serving as a counselor in the Young Women’s presidency.
Travis and Kacie are building their house on the rock.
Travis and Kacie trust the doctrine of Christ and the promise that God “shall consecrate [their] afflictions for [their] gain.” In God’s perfect plan, suffering with faith in Christ is linked to our becoming perfected in Christ. Like the wise man in the parable “who built his house upon a rock,” when the rain descends and the floods come and the winds blow and beat upon the house Travis and Kacie are building, it will fall not for it will be founded upon a rock.
Jesus did not speak of the possibility of rain and flood and wind in our lives; He spoke of the certainty that storms will arise.
The variable in this parable is not whether storms will come, but how we have responded to His loving invitation to both hear and do what He has taught.
There is no other way to survive. When we have built our houses on the foundation of a covenantal relationship with Christ,
we are trusting the doctrine of Christ. And as we come unto Him, we have His promise of eternal life.
People who trust the doctrine of Christ endure to the end.
I bear my personal witness of the living, resurrected reality of Jesus Christ.
I testify that God our Father so loved the world He sent His Son to redeem us from sin and heal us from sorrow.
I testify that He has called a prophet of God in our time, even
President Russell M. Nelson, through whom He speaks and guides us. With all my heart, I invite you to trust the doctrine of Christ and build your lives upon the rock of the Redeemer. He will never fail you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I am so grateful for the ongoing building of temples in this dispensation of the fulness of times.
Since the early days of the Restoration, faithful Saints have made many sacrifices to receive temple ordinances and covenants. Following their great example,
in 1975, after many economic sacrifices to travel from Mexico City,
my dear wife, Evelia, and I being accompanied by our dear parents,
were sealed as an eternal husband and wife in the Mesa Arizona Temple.
That day, as we were united by the authority of the priesthood in the house of the Lord, we truly experienced a glimpse of heaven.
That experience has permitted me to appreciate much better how,
after three years of hard work and great sacrifice, the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio,
finally completed their beautiful temple in the spring of 1836, the first in this dispensation.
In March of that same year,
over a thousand people gathered in the in the temple and in its entrances
for the dedicatory service. The prophet Joseph Smith arose to offer the dedicatory prayer, which he had received by revelation.
In it, he described many of the extraordinary blessings that are bestowed upon those who worthily enter the temples of the Lord.
Then the choir sang the hymn “The Spirit of God,” and the congregation stood for the Hosanna Shout “with such force that it seemed to raise the roof from the building.” One week later, the Prophet described the appearance of the Lord in the temple, who said,
“For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.
And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessings which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people.”
After this and other visions, Elijah the Prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death,
appeared before the prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and said,
“Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi,
testifying that he [Elijah the Prophet] should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers,
lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—
Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.”
After the Lord restored the sealing keys to Joseph Smith, the work of salvation on both sides of the veil began in our dispensation.
Elder Boyd K. Packer taught that “This signal event went unheeded by the world, but it will influence the destiny
of every soul who has ever lived or ever will live.” Things began
happening quietly. The Church became a temple-building church. “In the world there emerged here and there, in a way thought to be spontaneous, people—organizations and societies— interested in tracing genealogies.
This has all taken place since the appearance of Elijah in the Kirtland
Temple. From that very day, April 3, 1836,
the hearts of the children began to turn to their fathers.
Thereafter, ordinances were not tentative, but permanent.
The sealing power was with us. No authorization transcends it in value.
That power gives substance and eternal permanence to all ordinances performed with proper authority for both the living and the dead.”
Dear brothers and sisters, the construction and proper use of temples has been in any dispensation a sign of the true Church of Jesus Christ.
After the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893,
President Wilford Woodruff encouraged the members of the Church to find the records of their ancestors and to record their genealogy by going as far
back as possible in order to bring the names into the temple and perform the ordinances of salvation and exaltation.
One year later, 1894, the same President Woodruff oversaw the creation of the Genealogical Society of Utah.
One hundred years later, in 1994, Elder Russell M. Nelson,
then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “Events of that historic year established family history research and temple service as one work in the Church.”
Dear brothers and sisters,
the Lord encourages us as members of His Church to preserve our own family history, to learn from our ancestors, and to make the necessary arrangements for them to receive the ordinances of the gospel in the temples, to help them to progress along the covenant path,
which will bless them with an eternal family.
That is a central focus of the plan of our Heavenly Father: uniting family for this life and for eternity.
To those of you who do not feel capable of doing this work,
you should know that you are not alone.
We can all turn to the tools that the Church has prepared and that are found in the FamilySearch Centers,
which we used to know as family history centers.
These FamilySearch Centers have been designed so that almost everyone with little help can find their ancestors’ information and organize it properly so that they can take it to the house of the Lord. Please contact the family history consultants in your ward or branch who will guide you every step of the way. As we follow the guidance of the prophets and learn how to do our family history and perform the temple ordinances for our ancestors,
we will experience great joy to the point that we will not want to stop doing it.
The Spirit will flood our hearts,
awaken our faculties to do it, and guide us as we search for the names of our ancestors.
But let us remember that family history is more than just looking for names, dates, and places. It is uniting families and feeling the joy that comes from extending to them the ordinances of the gospel.
I love the inspiring teaching of our beloved prophet,
President Russell M. Nelson, who has said, and I quote,
“The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple.
Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ.
His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants.
Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power,” end of quotation.
Certainly the work of the temple and family history are one and the same work in the Church. I testify to these truths.
I know this is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer,
to whom we remember and venerate at this Easter time. I know He loves us.
And when we keep our covenants and put our confidence in Him, He endows us with His healing and strengthening power. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
We are grateful to all who have spoken this afternoon and for the beautiful music that has been provided.
We remind you of the Saturday evening general session,
which will be broadcast from the Conference Center this evening at 6 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time.
The nationwide broadcast of “Music and the Spoken Word” will air tomorrow morning from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
Mountain Daylight Time. The Sunday morning session of conference will immediately follow. Our concluding speaker for this session will be Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Following his remarks,
the choir will close this meeting by singing “Abide with Me, ’Tis Eventide.”
The benediction will then be offered by Sister Tracy Y. Browning,
Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.
Once upon a time, a father was about to leave for an evening bishopric meeting.
His four-year-old daughter stepped in front of him wearing pajamas and holding a copy of Book of Mormon Stories.
“Why do you have to go to a meeting?” she asked.
“Because I’m a counselor in the bishopric,” he answered.
“But you’re my dad,” his daughter protested. He knelt in front of her.
“Sweetheart,” he said, “I know you want me to read
to you and help you go to sleep. But tonight I need to help the bishop.” His daughter replied, “Doesn’t the bishop have a dad to help him go to sleep?”
We are eternally grateful for the countless members who serve diligently in the Church of Jesus Christ every day.
Your sacrifice is truly sacred, but as this girl seemed to understand, there is something equally sacred,
something irreplaceable, about a parent nurturing a child.
It reflects the pattern of heaven.
Our Father in Heaven, our Divine Parent,
surely rejoices when His children are taught and nurtured by their parents
on Earth. Parents, thank you for everything you are doing to raise your children, to raise your children. And children, thank you for everything you are doing to raise your parents. Because as every parent knows, we often learn as much from our children about faith, hope, and charity as they learn from us.
Have you ever thought about the tremendous risk our Father in Heaven takes each time He sends
a child to Earth? These are His spirit sons and daughters.
They have limitless potential.
They are destined to become glorious beings of goodness, grace, and truth. And yet they come to Earth completely helpless, barely able to do anything besides cry for help.
The memory of their time in God’s presence is veiled over, along with the knowledge of who they really are and who they can become.
They form their understanding of life, love,
God, and His plan based on what they observe from the people around them, especially their parents,
who honestly are still trying to figure things out for themselves.
God has given parents the “sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to ... observe the commandments of God.”
That's enough to keep even the best parents awake at night.
My message to all parents is this: The Lord loves you. He is with you. He
stands beside you. He is your strength in guiding your children to make righteous choices. Accept this privilege and responsibility courageously and joyfully. Don't delegate this source of heavenly blessings to anyone else. Within the framework of gospel values and principles,
you are the ones to guide your child in the details of daily decisions.
Help your child build faith in Jesus Christ, to love His gospel and His church, to prepare for a lifetime of righteous choices. In fact, that is God's plan for parents.
Satan will oppose you, distract you, try to discourage you.
But every child has received the light of Christ as a direct line to heaven,
and the Savior will help you, guide you, and encourage you. Seek His help.
Inquire of the Lord! Just as Jesus Christ is the strength of youth,
Jesus Christ is also the strength of parents. Sometimes we might wonder if someone else might be better qualified to guide and teach our children. But no matter how inadequate you may feel,
you have something that uniquely qualifies you—your love for your child.
A parent's love for a child is one of the strongest forces in the universe. It’s one of a few things on this Earth that can truly be eternal. Now, perhaps you feel that your relationship with your child is less than ideal. That's where the Savior's power comes in.
He heals the sick, and He can heal relationships.
He multiplies bread and fish, and He can multiply the love and the joy in your home.
Your love for your children creates a rich environment for teaching truth and building faith. Make your home a house of prayer, learning, and faith—
a house of joyful experiences, a place of belonging, a house of God. And “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart.
that [you] may be filled with [His] love which he [bestows] upon ... followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” Another strength you have as a parent is the opportunity for daily ongoing influence.
Peers, teachers, and media influencers come and go,
but you can be the most constant, steady influence in your child’s life.
Your efforts may seem small compared to the loud voices your children hear in the world.
At times it may feel that you are not accomplishing much.
But remember that “by small means the Lord [can] bring about great things.”
One home evening, one gospel conversation, or one good example may not change your child’s life in a moment any more than one drop of rain causes
a plant immediately to grow.
But the consistency of small and simple things day after day,
nourishes your children much better than an occasional flood.
That is the Lord's way. He speaks to you and your child with a still small voice, not a voice of thunder.
He healed Naaman not through “some great thing,” but through the simple, repeated act of washing. The children of Israel enjoyed the feast of quail in the wilderness, but what kept them alive was the small and simple miracle of manna—
their daily bread. Brothers and sisters, daily bread is best prepared and served at home.
Faith and testimony are best fostered in normal and natural ways, one bite at a time, in small and simple moments in the constant flow of daily living. Every moment is a teaching moment.
Every word and action can be a guide for making choices.
You may not see the immediate effects of your efforts, but don't give up.
“All things must come to pass in their time,” The Lord said. “Wherefore, be not weary in well doing, for [you] are laying the foundation of a great work.”
What work could be greater than helping God's precious children learn who
they really are and build their faith in Jesus Christ,
His gospel, and His church?
Jesus Christ will bless and magnify your consistent efforts.
Another powerful way the Lord supports parents is through the gift
of personal revelation. God is eager to pour out His Spirit to guide parents. As you are prayerful and sensitive to the Spirit,
He will warn you of hidden dangers.
He will reveal your children’s gifts, their strengths, and unspoken concerns.
God will help you see your children as He sees them—
beyond their outward appearance and into their hearts.
With God's help, you can learn to know your children in a pure and heavenly way. I invite you to accept God's offer to guide your family by personal revelation. Seek His guidance in your prayers.
Perhaps the most important help Jesus Christ offers to parents is the mighty change of heart. It’s a miracle every one of us needs. Now, for a moment, imagine this situation. You are at church listening to a talk about families.
The speaker describes a perfect home and an even more perfect family.
Husband and wife never quarrel.
Children only stop reading their scriptures when it's time to do homework. And the music of “Love One Another” is playing in the background. Before the speaker gets to the part about everyone joining in to cheerfully clean the bathroom,
you are already thinking “My family is hopeless.”
Now, my dear brothers and sisters, relax.
Everyone in the congregation is thinking the same thing.
The fact is, all parents worry about being not good enough.
Fortunately, there is a divine source of help for parents. It is Jesus Christ.
He is the source of our mighty change of heart.
As you open your heart to the Savior and His teachings, He will show you your weakness.
If you trust Jesus Christ with a humble heart,
He will make weak things become strong. He is the God of miracles.
Does that mean you and your family will be picture perfect? No.
But you will get better. Through the Savior’s grace,
little by little, you’ll develop more of the attributes parents need:
love for God and His children, patience, selflessness, faith in Christ, and courage to make righteous choices.
Our effort to build faith in Jesus Christ is home-centered,
focused on the individual, and it is Church-supported.
Besides the sacred scriptures and the words of prophets, the Savior's Church offers many resources to help parents and children make righteous choices.
“For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices” does not give you a list of dos or don'ts. It teaches eternal truths to help make choices centered on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Read it with your children. Let them talk about it.
Help them to have these eternal and divine truths guide their choices.
FSY conferences are another wonderful resource. I hope every youth will attend.
I invite young single adults to join these conferences as mentors and counselors. I invite parents to build on the spiritual momentum their youth bring home from FSY conferences.
Children and youth in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have
teachers, advisers, and mentors.
Often you enter a young person's life at a crucial moment to build and support faith and testimony. Some of you are single adults. Some never had children of your own. Your joyful service to God’s children is sacred in God’s eyes.
My dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters,
Building faith in a child is somewhat like helping a flower grow.
You cannot tug on the stem to make it taller.
You cannot pry open the bud to get it to blossom sooner, and you cannot neglect the flower and expect it to grow or flourish spontaneously.
What you can and must do for the rising generation is provide rich,
nourishing soil with access to flowing heavenly water.
Remove weeds and anything that would block heavenly sunlight.
Create the best possible conditions for growth.
Patiently allow the rising generation to make inspired choices
and let God work His miracle.
The result will be more beautiful and more stunning and more joyful than anything you could accomplish just by yourself.
In Heavenly Father’s plan, family relationships are meant to be eternal.
This is why, as a parent, you never give up, even if you are not proud of how things went in the past. With Jesus Christ,
the Master Healer and Savior, there can always be a new beginning.
He always gives hope. Jesus Christ is the strength of families.
Jesus Christ is the strength of youth. And Jesus Christ is the strength of parents.
Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
♪ Abide with me; ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ The day is past and gone; ♪
♪ The shadows of the evening fall; ♪
♪ The night is coming on. ♪
♪ Within my heart a welcome guest, ♪
♪ Within my home abide. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪
♪ Behold, ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪
♪ Behold, ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ Abide with me; ’tis eventide. ♪ ♪ Thy walk today with me ♪ ♪ Has made my heart within me burn, ♪ ♪ As I communed with thee. ♪
♪ Thy earnest words have filled my soul ♪ ♪ And kept me near thy side. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪
♪ Behold, ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪
♪ Behold, ♪
♪ ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ Abide with me; ’tis eventide, ♪ ♪ And lone will be the night ♪ ♪ If I cannot commune with thee ♪ ♪ Nor find in thee my light. ♪
♪ The darkness of the world, I fear, ♪ ♪ Would in my home abide. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪ ♪ Behold, ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪ ♪ Behold, ’tis eventide. ♪
♪ O Savior, stay this night with me; ♪
♪ Behold, ♪
♪ ’tis eventide. ♪
Our loving Father, it is with deep gratitude and an expression of thanks
and humility for the words that were provided to us this day by the mouth of thy servants.
We pray to receive it by faith through the inspiration of Thy Spirit,
that it may make place in our lives and in our hearts.
We pray for a blessing to loosen our tongues
so that we may share our joy with others.
We pray for a blessing upon our hearts that they may be more believing.
We ask a blessing upon our hands and our feet that they be prepared to do Thy work at Thy instruction.
We love Thee, Father. We love Thy Son, Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent,
who provides us with salvation, who is our Exemplar in all things.
We pray for more of His Spirit, more of His light,
more of His image in our countenance. We pray for His safety, for His
constancy. We pray to be kept in His strength.
And we do so in the sacred name of our Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
This has been a broadcast of the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Speakers were selected from leaders of the Church.
Music for this session was provided by a combined choir from Brigham Young University.
This broadcast has been furnished as a public service by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording,
transcription, or other use of this program without written consent
is prohibited.