[ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING]

From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah,

this is the Saturday Afternoon Session of the 194th 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–Idaho.

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.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will conduct this session.

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Brothers and sisters, we welcome you to the Saturday afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Russell M. Nelson has asked me to conduct this session.

We extend our greetings to all who are in attendance or who are participating by means of television, radio, or the internet.

We likewise welcome those who are viewing the proceedings in stake centers in various parts of the world where conference is being carried by satellite transmission.

The music for this session will be provided by a combined choir from Brigham Young University–Idaho, under the direction of Paul Busselberg, Randall Kempton, Eda Ashby, and Atina Coates, with Joseph Peeples and Linda Margetts at the organ.

The choir will open this meeting by singing “All Glory, Laud, and Honor.”

The invocation will then be offered by Elder Ryan K. Olsen of the Seventy.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

♪ All glory, laud, and honor To thee, Redeemer, King, ♪

♪ To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring. ♪

♪ Thou art the King of Israel, Thou David’s royal Son, ♪

♪ Who in the Lord’s name comest, The King and Blessed One. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ The company of angels Are praising thee on high, ♪

♪ And mortal men and all things Created make reply. ♪

♪ The people of the Hebrews With palms before thee went; ♪

♪ Our praise and love and anthems Before thee we present. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ To thee, before thy passion, They sang their hymns of praise; ♪

♪ To thee, now high exalted, Our melody we raise. ♪

♪ Thou didst accept their praises; Accept the love we bring, ♪

♪ Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Who in all good delightest, ♪

♪ Thou good and gracious King. ♪

♪ Thou gracious King, our God, ♪

♪ Our God and King, our King, ♪

♪ Our gracions Kings! ♪

Our dear Heavenly Father, we humbly come before Thee in prayer, so grateful to be gathered at this second session of general conference.

There is no place that we would rather be,

and our hearts are filled with joy.

We are so very grateful to have President Nelson with us.

We pray that he and his family, and those who serve with him, will know how much we love and sustain and support him, even with all of our hearts.

We are grateful for the children of the world, and of the Church, and of our amazing youth, of this rising generation.

We pray that Thou would bless them.

We are grateful for our dear missionaries scattered throughout the world, serving in whatever capacity that they have been called to labor.

We pray that Thou would bless them to know of our love and appreciation for them, that they will become disciples of Thee and of Thy Son.

We pray for those who have been called to lead them, even these great mission leaders who have sacrificed their time and are leading this great battalion.

Now, Heavenly Father, we pray for peace upon the earth. We pray for Thy Spirit to be with us this day during these proceedings,

especially for those who have prepared messages that we will feel in our hearts all that they would desire for us to know and feel, that we might draw nearer unto Thee and unto Thy Son. We love Thee.

We are so grateful for the Savior. We love Him and pray that we might become a little bit more like Him this day. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We will now be pleased to hear from Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He will be followed by Elder Massimo De Feo of the Seventy.

After his remarks, the choir will sing, “God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son.”

We’ll then hear from Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder Jose L. Alonso of the Seventy.

During a recent open house and media day for a new house of the Lord,

I led a group of journalists on a tour through the sacred structure.

I described the purposes of temples in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and responded to their many excellent questions.

Before entering the celestial room, I explained that this particular room in the house of the Lord symbolically represents the peace and beauty of the heavenly home to which we can return after this life.

I indicated to our guests that we would not speak while in the celestial room,

but I would be happy to answer any questions after we move to the next stop on the tour.

After exiting the celestial room, and as we gathered at the next location,

I asked our guests if they had any observations they wanted to share.

One of the journalists said with great emotion,

I have never experienced anything like that in my life.

I did not know quiet like that existed in the world.

I simply did not believe such stillness was possible.

I was struck by both the sincerity and the starkness of this person's statement,

and the journalist’s reaction highlighted one important aspect of stillness—overcoming and tuning out the commotion of our external environment.

As I later pondered the journalist's comment and reflected on the often hectic pace of our modern lives—the busyness, noise, diversions, distractions, and detours that so often seem to demand our attention—

a scripture came to my mind: “Be still and know that I am God.”

I pray the Holy Ghost will enlighten each of us as we consider a higher and holier dimension of stillness in our lives,

an inner spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father. We are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

This remarkable blessing is available to all Church members who are striving faithfully to become covenant people of the Lord. In 1833, the Saints in Missouri were the targets of intense persecution.

Mobs had driven them from their homes in Jackson County, and some Church members had tried to establish themselves in other nearby counties. But the persecution continued and the threats of death were many.

In these challenging circumstances, the Lord revealed the following instruction to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio.

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion, for all flesh is in mine hands. Be still and know that I am God.

I believe the Lord's admonition to be still entails much, much more than simply not talking or not moving.

Perhaps His intent is for us to remember and rely upon Him and His power at all times, and in all things, and in all places that we may be in.

Thus, “be still” may be a way of reminding us to focus upon the Savior unfailingly, as the ultimate source of the spiritual stillness of the soul that strengthens us to do and overcome hard things.

True faith is always focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ,

in Him as the divine and Only Begotten Son of the Eternal Father, and on Him and the redemptive mission He fulfilled.

For He hath answered the ends of the law. And He claimeth all those who have faith in Him,

and they who have faith in Him will cleave unto every good thing.

Wherefore He advocated the cause of the children of men.

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, our Mediator, and our Advocate with the Eternal Father and the Rock upon which we should build the spiritual foundation of our lives.

Helaman explained, Remember, remember, that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your— that ye must build your foundation,

that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you,

it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless woe

because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build, they cannot fall.

The symbolism of Christ as the Rock upon whom we should build the foundation of our lives is most instructive.

Please note in this verse that the Savior is not the foundation.

Rather, we are admonished to build our personal foundation upon Him.

The foundation is the part of a building that connects it to the ground. A strong foundation provides protection from natural disasters and many other destructive forces.

A proper foundation also distributes the weight of a structure over a large area to avoid overloading the underlying soil and provide a level surface for construction.

A strong and reliable connection between the ground and a foundation is essential. If a structure is to remain sturdy and stable over time, and for particular types of construction,

anchor pins and steel rods can be used to attach the foundation of a building to bedrock, the hard, solid rock beneath surface material such as soil and gravel. In a similar way, the foundation of our lives must be connected to the Rock of Christ if we are to remain firm and steadfast.

The sacred covenants and ordinances of the Savior's restored gospel can be compared to the anchor pins and steel rods used to connect a building to bedrock.

Every time we faithfully receive, review, remember, and renew sacred covenants, our spiritual anchors are secured ever more firmly and steadfastly to the Rock of Jesus Christ.

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men,

which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God

Incrementally and increasingly in process of time,

virtue garnishes our thoughts unceasingly.

Our confidence waxes stronger and stronger in the presence of God,

and the Holy Ghost is our constant companion.

We become more grounded, rooted, established, and settled. As the foundation of our lives is built upon the Savior,

we are blessed to be still,

to have a spiritual assurance that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

The Lord provides both sacred times and holy places to help us experience and learn about this inner stillness of our souls.

For example, the Sabbath is God's day,

a sacred time set apart to remember and worship the Father in the name of His Son, to participate in priesthood ordinances, and to receive and renew sacred covenants.

Each week we worship the Lord during our home study and also as fellow citizens with the saints during sacrament and other meetings.

On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.

Every Sunday, if we will,

we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

A central feature of our Sabbath worship is to go to the house of prayer and offer up our sacraments upon the Lord's holy day.

The houses of prayer in which we gather on the Sabbath are meetinghouses and other approved facilities—holy places of reverence, worship, and learning. Each meetinghouse and facility is dedicated by priesthood authority as a place where the Spirit of the Lord may dwell,

and where God's children may come to the knowledge of their Redeemer.

If we will, we can be still in our holy places of worship, and know ever more surely that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

The temple is another holy place specifically set apart for worshipping and serving God and learning eternal truths.

We think, act, and dress differently in the house of the Lord from any other places that we may frequent. In His holy house,

if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father,

we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

The principal purposes of sacred time and holy places are exactly the same.

To repeatedly focus our attention upon Heavenly Father and His plan,

the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the edifying power of the Holy Ghost,

and the promises associated with the sacred ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel. Today, I repeat a principle I previously have emphasized. Our homes should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place,

wherein individuals and families can be still

and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

Leaving our homes to worship on the Sabbath and in the house of the Lord certainly is essential, but only as we return to our homes with the spiritual perspective and strength obtained in those holy places and activities

can we then sustain our focus upon the primary purposes of mortal life

and overcome the temptations so prevalent in our fallen world.

Our ongoing Sabbath, temple, and home experiences should fortify us with the power of the Holy Ghost, with an ongoing and stronger covenant connection to the Father and the Son,

and with a perfect brightness of hope in God's eternal promises.

As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ,

we may be troubled on every side,

but we will not be distressed in our minds and hearts.

We may be perplexed by our circumstances and challenges, but we will not be in despair.

We may be persecuted, but we will also recognize that we are never alone.

We can receive spiritual strength to become and remain firm, steadfast, and true.

I promise that as we build the foundation of our lives on the Rock of Jesus Christ,

we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost to receive an individual and spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children,

Jesus Christ is our Savior,

and we can be blessed to do and overcome hard things.

I joyfully witness that God is our Heavenly Father,

we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and the Rock of our salvation.

I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Some time ago, I asked my wife, Can you tell me why, as far as I remember, we never had any major problems in our lives?

She looked at me and said, Sure, I’ll tell you why we never had any major problems. It’s because you have a very short memory.

Her quick and smart answer made me realize once again that living the gospel of Jesus Christ does not remove pain and trials, which are necessary to grow.

The gospel is not a way to avoid challenges and problems, but a solution to increase our faith and learn how to deal with them.

I had a sense of this truth a few months ago when I was walking one day, and suddenly my sight became blurry, dark, and wavy. I was scared.

Then the doctors told me, if you don't begin treatment immediately, you may lose your sight even in a matter of weeks.

I was even more scared. And then they said, you need intravitreal injections— injections right in the eye,

wide-open eye, every four weeks for the rest of your life.

That was an uncomfortable wake-up call.

Then a reflection came in the form of a question. I asked myself, Okay, my physical sight is not good. What about my spiritual vision?

Do I need any treatment there?

And what does it mean to have a clear spiritual vision?

I pondered about the story of a blind man called Bartimaeus described in the Gospel of Mark. The scripture says,

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.

Technically, in the eyes of many, Jesus was just the son of Joseph.

So why did Bartimaeus call him son of David?

Simply because he recognized that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and was prophesied to be born as a descendant of David.

It is interesting that this blind man, who didn't have physical sight, recognized Jesus. He saw spiritually what he couldn't see physically, while many others could see Jesus physically while were totally blind spiritually. From this story, we learn more about clear spiritual vision.

We read, And many charged him that he should hold his peace,

but he cried the more a great deal. Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

All around him were telling him to be quiet,

but he cried even more because he knew who Jesus really was.

He ignored those voices and screamed even louder.

He acted instead of being acted upon.

Despite his limited circumstances, he used his faith to go beyond his limitations.

So the first principle we learn is we keep a clear spiritual vision when we focus on Jesus Christ and stay true to what we know to be true.

Brothers and sisters, to keep our spiritual sight intact, we need to decide not to listen to the voices of the world around us.

In this confusing and confused world, we must stay faithful to what we know, faithful to our covenants, faithful in keeping the commandments, and reaffirm our beliefs even stronger, like this man did.

We need to cry even louder our testimony of the Lord to the world.

This man knew Jesus, stayed faithful to what he believed, and was not distracted by the voices around him.

There are many voices today trying to lower our voices as disciples of Jesus Christ.

The voices of the world are trying to silence us, but that's exactly why we must declare our testimony of the Savior louder and stronger. Among all the voices of the world, the Lord is counting on me and you to declare our testimonies, to raise our voice, and to become His voice.

If we don't do it, who will testify of Jesus Christ?

Who will speak His name and declare His divine mission?

We have a spiritual charge that comes from our knowledge of Jesus Christ.

But what did Bartimaeus do after that? At the Lord’s command to rise,

he acted again in faith. The scripture says, And he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus. This humble and faithful man understood that he could rise to a better life at Jesus’s command.

He knew that he was better than his circumstances,

and the very first thing he did when he heard Jesus calling him was to throw away his beggar's coat. Again, he acted instead of being acted upon.

He might have thought, I don't need this anymore. Now that Jesus has come into my life, this is a new day. I'm done with this life of misery. With Jesus, I can start a new life of happiness and joy in Him, with Him, and through Him. And I don't care what the world thinks of me,

Jesus is calling me and He will let me live a new life.

What a remarkable change.

As he threw away his beggar's coat, he got rid of all excuses.

And this is the second principle. We keep a clear spiritual vision when we leave the natural man behind, repent, and begin a new life in Christ.

The way to do it is by making and keeping covenants to rise to a better life through Jesus Christ.

As long as we make excuses to feel sorry for ourselves, sorry for our circumstances and problems, and for all the bad things happening in our life, and even all the bad people that we think make us unhappy, we keep the beggar’s coat on our shoulders.

It is true that at times people, consciously or not, hurt us,

but we need to decide to act with faith in Christ by removing the mental and emotional coat that we might still wear to hide excuses or sin and throw it away, knowing that He can and will heal us.

There is never a good excuse to say I am the way I am because of some unfortunate and unpleasant circumstances, and I cannot change and I am justified.

When we think that way, we decide to be acted upon. We keep the beggar's coat.

Acting in faith means to rely on our Savior, believing that through His Atonement we can rise above everything at His command. The third principle is in the last four words: he came to Jesus.

How could he go to Jesus since he was blind?

The only way was to walk towards Jesus by hearing His voice.

And this is the third principle. We keep a clear spiritual vision when we hear the voice of the Lord and allow Him to guide us.

Just like this man raised his voice over the voices around him, he was able to listen to the voice of the Lord in the middle of all other voices.

This is the same faith that allowed Peter to walk on water, as long as he kept his spiritual focus on the Lord

and was not distracted by the winds around him.

Then the story of this blind man ends with the words, He received his sight

and followed Jesus in the way.

One of the most important lessons in this story is that this man exercised true faith in Jesus Christ and received a miracle because he asked with real intent, the real intent to follow Him.

And this is the ultimate reason for the blessings we receive in our life, which is to follow Jesus Christ.

It is about recognizing Him, making and keeping covenants with God because of Him, changing our very nature through Him, and enduring to the end by following Him.

For me, keeping a clear spiritual vision is all about focusing on Jesus Christ. So is my spiritual sight clear as I get my eye injections?

Well, who am I to say?

But I am grateful for what I see.

I clearly see the hand of the Lord in this sacred work and in my life.

I see the faith of many wherever I go who strengthen my own faith.

I see angels all around me.

I see the faith of many who don't see the Lord physically, but recognize Him spiritually because they know Him intimately.

I testify that this gospel is the answer for everything, because Jesus Christ is the answer for everyone.

I am grateful for what I can see as I follow my Savior.

I promise that as we hear the voice of the Lord and allow Him to guide us on the Savior's covenant path, we will be blessed with clear vision, spiritual understanding, and peace of heart and mind throughout our lives.

May we cry our testimony of Him louder than the voices around us. In a world that needs to hear more of Jesus Christ and not less,

may we remove the beggar’s coat that we might still wear and rise above the world to a better life in and through Christ.

May we get rid of all excuses not to follow Jesus Christ and find all good reasons to follow Him as we hear His voice. It is my prayer

in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

♪ God loved us, so he sent his Son, ♪

♪ Christ Jesus, the atoning One, ♪

♪ To show us by the path he trod ♪ ♪ The one and only way to God. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ He came as man, though Son of God, ♪

♪ And bowed himself beneath the rod. ♪

♪ He died in holy innocence, ♪

♪ A broken law to recompense. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ In word and deed he doth require ♪

♪ My will to his, like son to sire, ♪

♪ He made to bend, and I as son, ♪

♪ Learn conduct from the Holy One. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Oh, love ♪ ♪ effulgent, love divine! ♪

♪ What debt of gratitude is mine, ♪

♪ That in his off’ring I have part ♪

♪ And hold a place within his heart. ♪

♪ That in his offering I have part ♪ ♪ That in his offering I have part ♪

♪ And hold a place with ♪ ♪ in his heart. ♪

♪ God loved us so he sent his Son, ♪

♪ Christ Jesus the ♪ ♪ atoning One, ♪

♪ He sent ♪ ♪ his Son. ♪

♪ ♪

After I graduated from law school, my wife, Marci, and I chose to join a law firm that specialized in trial law.

As I began my on-the-job training, I spent much of my time preparing witnesses to testify at trial.

I quickly learned that facts were determined in a courtroom, as witnesses under oath testified to the truthfulness of what they had both seen and heard. As witnesses testified,

their words were both recorded and preserved.

The importance of credible witnesses was always at the forefront of my preparation.

It didn't take long for me to realize that the very same terms I was using every day as a lawyer were also the terms I used in my gospel conversations. “Witness” and “testimony” are terms that we use as we share our knowledge and feelings about the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When I was sustained as a new Area Seventy,

I opened the scriptures to learn my duties and read Doctrine and Covenants section 107:25,

which states the Seventy are also called to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world.

As you can imagine, my eyes were drawn to the term especial witness.

It became clear to me that I had a responsibility to bear my witness, to testify of the name of Jesus Christ wherever I traveled in the world.

There are many examples in the scriptures of those who are eyewitnesses, and who testified to what they both saw and heard.

As the ancient prophet Mormon begins his record, he writes, And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon.

The Savior’s Apostles Peter and John healed a man in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

When commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, they responded,

whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak of the things which we have seen and heard. Another compelling testimony comes from the Book of Mormon saints who witnessed the visit of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Listen to this description of their witness:

And after this manner do they bear record. The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard before so great and marvelous things, as we both saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father.

Brothers and sisters, today I declare my witness, and make a record of what I have both seen and heard during my sacred ministry as a Seventy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In doing so, I testify to you of a loving Heavenly Father and His benevolent Son, Jesus Christ,

who suffered, died, and rose again to offer eternal life to God's children.

I testify of a marvelous work and a wonder,

and that the Lord has set His hand once again to restore His gospel on the earth through His living prophets and apostles.

I testify that based upon upon what I have both seen and heard,

there has never been a better time to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than today.

I know this of my own knowledge, independent of any other source, because of what I have both seen and heard.

During my senior year of high school to graduate from seminary, I had to identify all 15 temples of the Church.

A picture of each temple was at the front of our classroom, and I had to know where each one was located.

Now, years later, it would be an enormous challenge, with 335 operating or announced temples, to identify each one.

I have personally seen many of these houses of the Lord and testify that the Lord is offering His blessings and ordinances to more and more of His children across the world.

My friends at FamilySearch have taught me that they add over 1 million new names to FamilySearch every day.

If you didn't find your ancestor yesterday, I invite you to look again tomorrow.

When it comes to gathering Israel on the other side of the veil, there has never been a better time to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than today. Raising our children in Twin Falls, Idaho, our perspective of the worldwide Church was limited.

When I was called to be a general authority, Marci and I were assigned to serve in the Pacific area,

a place we’d never been. We were pleased to find stakes from the top of New Zealand to the bottom,

with a temple that was dedicated in 1958. It was one of those 15 I had to memorize in seminary.

We found temples in every major city of Australia with stakes across that continent. We had assignments in Samoa, where there are 25 stakes, and Tonga, where almost half of the population are members of the Church.

We had an assignment on the island of Kiribati, where we found two stakes.

We had assignments to visit stakes in Ebeye in the Marshall Islands and Daru in Papua New Guinea.

After our service in the Pacific Islands, we were assigned to serve in the Philippines.

To my surprise, the Church of Jesus Christ in the Philippines is growing beyond anything I had realized.

There are now 125 stakes, 23 missions, and 13 announced temples.

I witnessed a Church of over 850,000 members.

How would I miss the establishment of Christ’s Church across the world?

After three years in the Philippines, I was asked to serve in the missionary department.

My assignment took us to missions all over the world.

My view of the Savior’s worldwide Church expanded exponentially.

Marcia and I were assigned to visit missions in Asia.

We found a beautiful stake center in Singapore with amazing faithful members.

We visited members and missionaries in a chapel in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

We met missionaries in Hong Kong and participated in a wonderful stake conference with faithful, devoted saints.

This experience was repeated as we met missionaries and members across Europe and Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

The Church of Jesus Christ is experiencing tremendous growth in Africa. I am an eyewitness to the ongoing Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the fulfilling of the prophecy of Joseph Smith, that the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear.

Our wonderful missionaries who now cover the globe are 74,000 strong.

Working together with members, they baptize over 20,000 people every month.

It has recently been 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old young men and young women who, with the help of the Lord, have produced this mighty miracle of gathering.

We find these young women and young men in the small villages of Vanuatu and in the large cities of New York, Paris, and London.

I have watched them teach about the Savior in remote congregations in Fiji,

and larger gatherings in places like Texas, California, and Florida.

You will find missionaries in every corner of the earth speaking 60 different languages and fulfilling the Savior’s great commission in Matthew 28. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. I honor the past and current missionaries of the Church, and remind our rising generation of President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to come and gather Israel.

I testify today that I have observed this profound Restoration of the Savior's gospel with my own eyes, and heard it with my own ears.

I am a witness of God's work across the world.

There has never been a better time to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day-Saints than today.

Perhaps the most inspiring miracle of the Restoration that I have witnessed is you, the faithful members of the Church in every land.

You, the Latter-day Saints, are described by Nephi in the Book of Mormon as he saw our day and testified.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God that had descended upon the saints of the church of the lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth.

And they were armed with righteousness, and with the power of God in great glory.

I testify that I have seen with my own eyes what Nephi saw: you, the covenant saints in every land,

armed with righteousness and the power of God.

As I was at the pulpit in one of these great nations of the world, the Lord impressed upon my mind something that King Benjamin taught in Mosiah 2 in the Book of Mormon. Brent, I would desire

that you should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.

For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual.

I witness to you that I have seen this with my own eyes, and heard it with my own ears, as I have met you faithful saints of God across the earth who keep the commandments. You are the covenant children of the Father. You are disciples of Jesus Christ. You also know what I know because you have received your personal witness of the truthfulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The Savior taught, But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

Under the direction of the Lord and the leadership of His prophets and apostles, we will continue to prepare missionaries, make and keep sacred covenants, establish Christ’s Church across the world, and receive the blessings that come as we keep the commandments of God.

We are united. We are God’s children. We know Him and we love Him.

I join all of you, my friends, as we unitedly testify that these things are true.

We make a record of what we have both seen and heard.

You and I are witnesses who testify.

It is with the power of this united witness that we continue to move forward with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel.

I declare my witness that Jesus Christ lives.

He is our Savior and our Redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

As we journey through mortality, we’re at times beset by trials:

the severe pain of the loss of loved ones.

The arduous fight against illness, the stink of injustice,

the harrowing experiences of harassment or abuse, the shadow of unemployment, familial tribulations, the silent cry of loneliness, or the heartrending consequences of armed conflicts.

In such moments, our souls yearn for refuge.

We seek earnestly to know, where may we find the balm of peace?

In whom can we place our trust to help us with the confidence and the strength to surmount these challenges?

Who possesses the patience, the encompassing love, and the omnipotent hand to uplift and sustain us? The profound questions of the soul, those that surface in our darkest hours and highest trials, are addressed through the unwavering love of Jesus Christ.

In Him and through the promised blessings of His restored gospel, we find the answers we seek.

It is through His infinite Atonement that we are offered a gift beyond measure— one of hope, healing, and the assurance of His constant, enduring presence in our lives.

This gift is available to all who reach out with faith, embracing the peace and redemption He so freely offers.

The Lord extends His hand to each of us, a gesture that is the very essence of His divine love and kindness.

His invitation to us transcends a simple call;

It is a divine pledge, reinforced by the enduring power of His grace.

In the scriptures He lovingly assures us, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The clarity of His invitation “Come unto me” and “Take my yoke” affirms the profound nature of His promise— a promise so vast and complete, that it embodies His love, offering us a solemn guarantee:

“Ye shall find rest.” As we diligently seek spiritual guidance, as we embark on a deeply transformative odyssey that strengthens our testimony.

Comprehending the vastness of our Heavenly Father’s and Jesus Christ’s perfect love, our hearts are filled with gratitude, humility, and a renewed desire to pursue the path of discipleship.

President Russell M. Nelson taught that when the focus of our lives is on God's plan of salvation and Jesus Christ and His gospel,

we can feel joy regardless of what is happening or not happening in our lives.

Joy comes from and because of Him. Alma, speaking to his son Helaman, declared, And now, my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore I beseech of thee, that thou will hear my words and learn of me. For I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

Helaman, speaking to his sons, taught about this eternal principle of putting the Savior at the center of our lives. Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.

In Matthew 14, we learn that after hearing of John the Baptist’s death, Jesus sought solitude. However, a large crowd followed Him.

Moved by compassion and love, and not allowing His grief to distract Him from His mission, Jesus welcomed them, healing the sick among them.

As evening approached, the disciples faced a daunting challenge:

a multitude of people with scant food available.

They proposed that Jesus send the crowd away to procure food, but Jesus, with high love and high expectations, asked the disciples to feed them instead.

While the disciples were preoccupied with the immediate challenge,

Jesus demonstrated His trust and love for His Father,

coupled with an unwavering love for the people.

He directed the crowd to sit on the grass, and taking only five loaves and two fish, He chose to give thanks to His Father,

acknowledging God’s provision over His authority and power.

After He gave thanks, Jesus broke the bread, and the disciples distributed to the people.

Miraculously, the food not only sufficed but was abundant, with twelve baskets of leftovers.

The group fed included 5,000 men, along with women and children.

These miracle teaches us a profound lesson: When confronted with challenges, it's easy to become engrossed in our difficulties.

However, Jesus Christ exemplified the power of focusing on His Father, offering gratitude and acknowledging that solutions to our trials do not always lie with ourselves, but with God.

When we encounter difficulties, we naturally tend to concentrate on the obstacles we face.

Our challenges are tangible and command our attention, yet the principle of surmounting them is in our focus.

By placing Christ at the core of our thoughts and deeds, we align ourselves with His outlook and His strength.

This adjustment does not discount our struggles; instead, it helps us to navigate through them under divine guidance.

As a result, we discover solutions and support that arise from a higher wisdom. Adopting this Christ- centric perspective empowers us with the fortitude and insight to turn our trials into victories,

reminding us that with the Savior, what seems like a major problem can become a pathway to greater spiritual progress.

The story of Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon presents a compelling narrative of redemption and the profound impact of centering one's life around Christ.

At first, Alma stood as an opponent of the Lord’s Church, leading many astray from the path of righteousness.

However, a divine intervention marked by an angelic visitation awakened him from his wrongdoings. In his darkest hour,

tormented by guilt and desperate to find a way out of his spiritual anguish,

Alma remembered his father's teachings about Jesus Christ and the power of His Atonement. With a heart yearning for redemption, he earnestly repented and pleaded fervently for the Lord's mercy. This crucial moment of complete surrender,

bringing Christ to the forefront of his thoughts and earnestly seeking His mercy, triggered a remarkable transformation.

The heavy chains of guilt and despair vanished and were replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy and peace.

Jesus Christ is our hope and the answer to life's greatest pains. Through His sacrifice, He paid for our sins and took upon Himself all of our suffering—pain, injustice, sorrow, and fear—and He forgives and heals us when we trust in Him and seek to change our lives for the better.

He is our healer, comforting and repairing our hearts through His love and power, just like He healed many during His time on earth.

He is the living water, fulfilling the deepest needs of our souls with His constant love and kindness. This is like the promise He made to the Samaritan woman at the well,

offering a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

I bear solemn witness that Jesus Christ lives, that He presides over this His sacred Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I testify that He is the Savior of the world, the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Redeemer of the world.

I affirm with certainty that we are ever-present in His mind and heart. As a testament to this, He has restored His Church in these latter days and has called President Russell M. Nelson as His prophet and the president of the Church at this time.

I know that He gave His life so that we might have eternal life.

As we strive to place Him at the center of our lives, revelations unfold to us, His profound peace envelops us, and His infinite Atonement brings about our forgiveness and healing.

It is in Him that we discover the strength to overcome, the courage to persevere,

and the peace that surpasses all understanding.

May we strive each day to draw nearer to Him, the source of all that is good, the beacon of hope in our journey back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

As directed, the congregation will join the choir in singing “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.” After the singing, we will hear from Elder Gerrit W. Gong

of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

He will be followed by Brother Michael T. Nelson, who serves as Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”

♪ ♪

This is the Saturday Afternoon Session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

♪ ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! ♪

♪ O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation! ♪

♪ Join the great throng, psaltery, organ, and song, ♪

♪ Sounding in glad adoration! ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord! Over all things He gloriously reigneth, ♪

♪ Borne as on eagle wings, safely His saints He sustaineth. ♪

♪ Hast thou not seen how all thou needest hath been ♪

♪ granted in what He ordaineth? ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord! Who doth prosper thy way and defend thee. ♪

♪ Surely His goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee. ♪

♪ Ponder a new what the Almighty can do, ♪

♪ Who with His love doth befriend thee. ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore Him! ♪

♪ All that hath breath, join with Abraham’s seed to adore Him! ♪

♪ Let the “amen” sum all our praises again, ♪

♪ Now as we worship before Him. ♪

Today is April 6, the anniversary of Jesus Christ restoring His Latter-day Church and part of the Easter season when we joyfully testify of Jesus Christ’s perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and glorious Resurrection.

A Chinese story begins as a man's son finds a beautiful horse.

How fortunate, the neighbors say. We’ll see, says the man.

Then the son falls off the horse and is permanently injured. How unfortunate, the neighbors say. We'll see, says the man.

A conscripting army comes, but doesn't take the injured son. How fortunate, the neighbors say. We'll see, says the man.

This fickle world often feels tempest- tossed, uncertain, sometimes fortunate, and too often unfortunate.

Yet in this world of tribulation, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

Indeed, as we walk uprightly and remember our covenants, all things shall work together for your good. All things for our good;

a remarkable promise, comforting assurance from God Himself in a miraculous way. The purpose of creation and the nature of God is to know beginning and end,

to bring about all that is for our good, and to help us become sanctified and holy through Jesus Christ’s grace and Atonement. Jesus Christ’s Atonement can deliver and redeem us from sin. But Jesus Christ also intimately understands our every pain, affliction, sickness, sorrow, separation. In time and eternity, His triumph over death and hell can make all things right.

He helps heal the broken and disparaged, reconcile the angry and divided, comfort the lonely and isolated, encourage the uncertain and imperfect, and bring forth miracles possible only with God.

We sing hallelujah and shout hosanna with the eternal power and infinite goodness in God's plan of happiness. All things can work together for your good.

We can face life with confidence and not fear. Left on our own,

we may not know our own good. When I choose me, I'm also choosing my own limitations, weaknesses, inadequacies. Ultimately, to do the most good, we must be good. Since none save God is good, we seek perfection in Jesus Christ. We become our truest, best selves only as we put off the natural man or woman and become a child before God. With trust and faith in God,

trials and afflictions can be consecrated for our good.

Joseph, sold into Egypt in slavery, later saved his family and people.

The Prophet Joseph Smith's incarceration in liberty jail taught him “these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” Lived with faith, trials and sacrifices we would never choose can bless us and others in ways never imagined.

We increase faith and trust in the Lord that all things can work together for our good as we gain eternal perspective;

understand our trials may be “but for a small moment”; recognize affliction can be consecrated for our day; acknowledge accidents, untimely death, debilitating illness, and disease are part of mortality; and trust loving Heavenly Father does not give trials to punish or judge.

He would not give a stone to someone asking for bread, nor a serpent to one asking for a fish.

When trials come, often what we most want is for someone to listen and be with us. In the moment,

cliché answers can be unhelpful, however comforting their intent.

Sometimes we yearn for someone who will grieve, ache, and weep with us. Let us express pain, frustration, sometimes even anger, and acknowledge with us there are things we do not know.

When we trust God and His love for us,

even our greatest heartbreaks can, in the end, work together for our good.

I remember the day I received word of a serious car accident which involved those I love.

At such times, in anguish and faith, we can only say with Job, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Across the worldwide Church, some 3,500 stakes and districts and some 30,000 wards and branches provide refuge and safety.

But within our stakes and wards, many faithful families and individuals confront difficult challenges,

even while knowing that without yet knowing how,

things will work together for our good.

In Huddersfield, England,

brother Samuel Bridgstock was diagnosed with stage four cancer shortly before the calling of a new stake president.

Given his dire diagnosis, he asked his wife Anna why he would even go to be interviewed.

Because, Sister Bridgstock said, you’re going to be called as stake president.

Initially given a year or two to live, President Bridgstock,

who is here today, is now in his fourth year of service.

He has good and hard days.

His stake is rallying with increased faith, service, and kindness.

It is not easy. But his wife and family live with faith, gratitude, and understandable sadness

they trust will become eternal joy through Jesus Christ’s restoring Atonement. When we are still, open, and reverent, we may feel the beauty, purpose, and serenity of the covenant belonging the Lord offers. In sacred moments, He may let us glimpse the larger, eternal reality of which our daily lives are part,

where small and simple things work together for the good of givers and receivers. Rebecca, the daughter of my first mission president, shared how the Lord answered her prayer for comfort with an unexpected opportunity to answer someone else's prayer.

Late one evening, Rebecca, grieving her mother's recent passing, had a clear impression to go buy gas for her car.

When she arrived at the station, she met an elderly woman struggling to breathe with a large oxygen tank.

Later, Rebecca was able to give the woman her mother's portable oxygen machine.

This sister gratefully said, You’ve given me back my freedom.

Things work together for good when we minister as Jesus Christ would.

A father assigned with his teenage son as ministering companions explained,

Ministering is when we go from being neighbors who bring cookies to trusted friends, spiritual first responders. Covenant belonging in Jesus Christ comforts, connects, consecrates.

Even in tragedy, spiritual preparation may remind us Heavenly Father knew when we felt most vulnerable and alone.

For example, a family whose child was taken to the hospital later found comfort in remembering the Holy Ghost had whispered in advance what to expect.

Sometimes the larger eternal reality the Lord lets us feel includes family across the veil.

A sister found joy in conversion to Jesus Christ’s restored gospel,

yet two traumas had deeply impacted her life: seeing a boating accident and tragically losing her mother, who had taken her own life.

Yet this sister overcame her fear of water enough to be baptized by immersion. And on what became a very happy day, she witnessed someone acting as proxy for her deceased mother be baptized in the temple.

Temple baptism healed my mother and it freed me, the sister said.

It was the first time I felt peace since my mother passed away.

Our sacred music echoes His assurance that all things can work together for our good. Be still, my soul. Thy God doth undertake to guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake.

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear. But with joy wend your way. Though hard to you this journey may appear, grace shall be as your day. And should we die before our journey’s through, happy day, all is well. The Book of Mormon is evidence we can hold in our hand that Jesus is the Christ, and God fulfills His prophecies. Written by inspired prophets who saw our day, the Book of Mormon begins with raw drama,

a family dealing with deep differences.

Yet as we study and ponder 1 Nephi chapter one through to Moroni chapter ten, we're drawn to Jesus Christ with a firm testimony that what happened there and then can bless us here and now.

As the Lord, through His living prophet, brings more houses of the Lord closer in more places,

temple blessings work together for our good.

We come by covenant and ordinance to God our Father and Jesus Christ and gain eternal perspective on mortality.

Performed one-by-one, name-by-name, we offer beloved family members, ancestors, sacred ordinances and covenant blessings and the Lord's pattern of saviors on Mount Zion.

As temples come closer to us in many places, a temple sacrifice we can offer is to seek holiness in the house of the Lord more frequently.

For many years we have saved, planned, and sacrificed to come to the temple.

Now, as circumstances permit, come even more often to the Lord in His holy house. Let regular temple worship and service bless, protect, and inspire you and your family, the family you have, or the family you will have and become someday.

Also, where your circumstances permit, please consider the blessing of owning your own temple clothes.

A grandmother from a humble family said of anything in the world what she most wanted were her own temple clothes.

Her grandson said, Grandma whispered, I will serve in my own temple clothes, and after I pass away, I will be buried in them.

And when the time came, she was.

As President Russell M. Nelson teaches, Everything

we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple. In time and eternity, the purpose of creation and the nature of God Himself are to bring all things together for our good.

This is the Lord’s eternal purpose. It is His eternal perspective. It is His eternal promise. When life is cluttered and purpose isn’t clear, When you want to live better but don't know how,

please come to God our Father and Jesus Christ. Trust they live, love you, and want all things for your good.

I testify they do infinitely and eternally in the sacred and holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.

In preparing to speak to you, I have been drawn to the story of Helaman and the stripling sons of the people of Ammon. I have felt the power of the Book of Mormon prophets teaching parents, bishops, and ward members through studying this account.

Helaman was a man that the young Ammonites could trust.

He helped them develop and mature in righteousness.

They knew and loved him and would that he should be their leader.

Helaman loved these young men like sons and saw their potential.

Elder Dale G. Renlund taught that to effectively serve others, we must see them through Heavenly Father's eyes.

Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children. Bishops today are blessed with discernment to see the divine identity of the youth in their care.

Helaman numbered the young men in his care.

He prioritized building strong relationships with them. At a critical time when life and death hung in the balance, Helaman and his young warriors lost track of the army pursuing them.

Helaman counseled with the youth. Behold, we know not but they have halted for the purpose that we should come against them.

Therefore, what say you, my sons?

These faithful young men, responded, Father, behold, our God is with us, and He will not suffer that we should fall. Then let us go forth.

The day was won as Helaman supported these young men in their resolve to act. The young Ammonites had a great cause and were valiant in the support of the people.

This little force, led by Helaman, spread great hopes and much joy into the hearts of the experienced Nephite armies.

Bishops today can lead their uniquely gifted youth in blessing the ward and gathering Israel. President Nelson has taught that this is the mission for which they were sent to earth.

Like these young Ammonites who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted, Helaman faithfully followed his leaders,

no matter the challenge or setback.

Helaman always remained fixed with a determination to advance their purpose.

When he was directed to march forth with his little sons, he obeyed.

The youth today are blessed as bishops follow the guidance of our leaders to counsel with the ward Young Women presidents. Stake presidents ensure that bishops and Young Women presidents are instructed in fulfilling their responsibilities for the youth. Helaman honored covenants.

When Ammon taught the gospel to the parents of the stripling young men, they embraced it with open hearts.

They were so committed to their new life of righteous discipleship that they made a covenant to lay down the weapons of their rebellion.

The only thing that caused them to consider breaking this covenant, going back to their familiar past of fighting, was seeing the Nephites in danger.

The Ammonites wanted to help these people who had offered them a safe home.

Helaman, along with others, persuaded them to keep their covenant never to fight. He trusted more in the strength that God would provide than in the strength these Ammonites could have provided with their swords and arrows.

When Helaman and his young warriors faced daunting challenges,

Helaman was resolute. Behold, it mattereth not. We trust God will deliver us.

In one instance, on the verge of starving to death, their response was to pour out their souls in prayer to God, that He would strengthen them and deliver them, and the Lord did visit them with assurances that He would deliver them because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe. We learn from Helaman that these young men were supported by their parents. These faithful parents knew they had the primary responsibility for teaching their children.

They taught their children to keep the commandments and walk uprightly before God.

Their mothers taught them that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

Their fathers set a powerful example of covenant making.

These former warriors knew the horrors of battle.

They entrusted their inexperienced sons to Helaman’s care and supported them by sending many provisions.

Helaman wasn't alone as he served his young army. He had people around him who he turned to for support and guidance.

He reached out to Captain Moroni for help and it came.

No one serving in the Lord's kingdom serves alone.

The Lord has blessed us with wards and stakes.

Through His restored organization, we have the resources, wisdom, and inspiration to meet any challenge.

A bishop provides guidance for the ward through counsels. He promotes quarterly ministering interviews and then encourages the elders quorum and Relief Society to fulfill their responsibility of ministering to families.

These presidencies take the lead in assessing needs and finding inspired solutions.

Stake presidents offer support by instructing the elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies in these responsibilities.

The needed guidance for leaders and parents is found in the Gospel Library and the Gospel Living apps. In these inspired resources, we can find the scriptures, teachings of modern prophets, and the General Handbook.

The youth tab in the Gospel Library has many resources for quorum and class presidencies and “For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.”

As all members of the ward study these inspired sources and seek guidance from the Spirit, everyone will be directed by the Lord in strengthening the youth.

The entire ward will be blessed and strengthened as members focus on the rising generation.

Despite our imperfections and shortcomings, Heavenly Father invites each of us through the companionship of His Spirit to reach out to others.

He knows that we grow and are sanctified as we follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It doesn't matter that our efforts are imperfect. When we partner with the Lord, we can trust that our efforts will be in line with what He would do for the youth. By following the direction of the Holy Ghost and reaching out to the youth, we become witnesses of Heavenly Father's love in their lives.

Acting on promptings from the Lord builds relationships of love and trust.

It is relationships in the lives of the youth that have the greatest influence on their choices.

The youth will learn the pattern of revelation as they participate with us in the process of seeking and acting upon promptings to serve others. As the youth turn to the Lord for this inspired guidance, their relationships with and trust in Him will deepen.

We express our confidence in the youth by offering support and direction without taking over.

As we step back and allow the youth to learn through counseling together, choosing an inspired course, and putting their plan into action, they will experience true joy and growth.

President Henry B. Eyring taught that what will matter most is what they learn from you about who they really are and what they can really become.

My guess is that they won't learn it so much from lectures.

They will get it from feelings of who you are, who you think they are, and what you think they might become.

Our youth amaze us with their courage, their faith, and their abilities. As they choose to be fully engaged disciples of Jesus Christ, His gospel will be etched upon their hearts.

Following Him will become a part of who they are, not just what they do.

Helaman helped the young Ammonites to see how a valiant disciple of Jesus Christ lived.

We can be powerful examples to the youth of how disciples of Christ live today.

Faithful parents are praying for these examples in the lives of their children.

No program can replace the influence of loving, covenant-keeping adults.

As the president of the priests quorum, the bishop can set an example for the youth of how to be a loyal husband and loving father through protecting, providing, and presiding in righteous ways.

Bishops with a laser-like focus on the youth will have an influence that will last for generations.

The youth today are among Heavenly Father's most noble spirits.

They were among the stalwart defenders of truth and agency in the premortal world. They were born in these days to gather Israel through their powerful witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He knows each one of them and knows their great potential.

He is patient as they grow. He will redeem and protect them.

He will heal and guide them. He will inspire them.

We, their parents and leaders, have been prepared to support them.

We have the Savior's Church to assist us as we raise the next generation.

I bear witness that Christ's Church, restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and led today by President Russell M. Nelson, is organized to help the youth fulfill their great purpose in these latter days. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We're grateful for all who have spoken to us 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 choir will now favor us with “How Great the Wisdom and the Love.”

Our concluding speaker for this session will be Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Following his remarks, the choir will close this meeting by singing “We Will Sing of Zion.” The benediction will then be offered by President Emily Belle Freeman, who serves as the Young Women General President.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “How Great the Wisdom”

♪ How great the wisdom and the love ♪ ♪ That filled the courts on high ♪ ♪ And sent the Savior ♪ ♪ from above ♪ ♪ To suffer, bleed, and die! ♪ ♪ His precious blood he freely spilt; ♪

♪ His life he freely gave, ♪

♪ A sinless sacrifice ♪ ♪ for guilt, ♪

♪ A dying world to save. ♪

♪ By strict obedience Jesus won ♪ ♪ The prize with glory rife: ♪

♪ “Thy will, O God, ♪ ♪ not mine be done,” ♪

♪ Adorned his mortal life. ♪

♪ He marked the path and led the way, ♪

♪ And ev’ry point defines ♪

♪ To light and life ♪

♪ and endless day ♪

♪ Where God’s full presence shines. ♪

♪ How great, how glorious, ♪

♪ how complete ♪ ♪ Redemption’s grand design, ♪

♪ Where justice, love, ♪

♪ and mercy meet ♪

♪ In harmony divine! ♪

♪ Harmony ♪ ♪ divine! ♪

♪ ♪

I have felt deeply about the Atonement of Jesus Christ since I was quite young.

But the reality of the Savior's Atonement came home to me when I was 25.

I had just graduated from Stanford Law School and was studying for the California bar exam. My mother called and said that my grandfather, Crosier Kimball, who lived in Utah, was dying.

She said if I wanted to see him, I had better come home.

My grandfather was 86 and very ill. I had a wonderful visit. He was so pleased to see me and share his testimony with me.

When Crosier was just three years old, his father, David Patton Kimball, died at age 44. Crosier hoped that his father and his grandfather, Heber C. Kimball, would approve of his life and feel he had been true to his heritage.

My grandfather's primary counsel to me was to avoid any sense of entitlement or privilege because of these faithful ancestors.

He told me my focus should be on the Savior and the Savior's Atonement.

He said, we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father.

Regardless of who our earthly ancestors are,

each of us will report to the Savior on how well we kept His commandments.

Grandpa referred to the Savior as the keeper of the gate, a reference to 2 Nephi 9:41.

He told me he hoped he had been sufficiently repentant to qualify for the Savior's mercy. I was deeply touched. I knew he had been a righteous man. He was a patriarch and served several missions.

He taught me that no one can turn to God by good works alone without the benefit of the Savior's Atonement.

I can remember this day the great love and appreciation Grandpa had for the Savior and His Atonement.

In 2019, during an assignment in Jerusalem, I visited an upper room, which may have been near the site where the Savior washed His Apostles’ feet prior to His crucifixion.

I was spiritually touched and thought of how He commanded His Apostles to love one another.

I recalled the Savior's pleading intercessory prayer in our behalf. This prayer occurred in literally the closing hours of His mortal life, as recorded in the Gospel of John.

This prayer was directed to followers of Christ, including all of us.

In the Savior’s petition to His Father, He pleaded, quote, That they may be one as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,

that they also may be one in us.

The Savior then continues, And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and crucifixion. Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior's Atonement.

The Lord's saving mercy is not dependent on lineage, education, economic status, or race.

It is based on being one with Christ and His commandments.

The Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the revelation on Church organization and government in 1830, soon after the Church was organized. What is now section 20 was read by the Prophet Joseph at the first Church conference, and was the first revelation approved by common consent.

The content of this revelation is truly remarkable.

It teaches us the significance and role of the Savior and how to access His power and blessings through His atoning grace.

The Prophet Joseph was 24 years old and had already received numerous revelations, and completed the translation of the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. Both Joseph and Oliver are identified as ordained Apostles, thus having authority to preside over the Church.

Verses 17 through 36 contain a summary of essential Church doctrine, including the reality of God, the creation of mankind, the Fall, and Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Verse 37 contains the essential requirements for baptism into the Lord’s Church.

Verses 75 through 79 set forth the sacrament prayers we utilize every Sabbath.

The doctrine, principles, sacrament, and practices that the Lord established through Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration, are truly seminal.

The requirements for baptism, while profound, are uniquely simple. They primarily include humility before God, a broken heart and contrite spirit, repenting of all sins, taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ, enduring to the end, and showing by our works that we have received of the Spirit of Christ. It is significant that all the qualifications for baptism are spiritual. No economic or social attainment is necessary. The poor and the rich have the same spiritual requirements. There are no race, gender, or ethnicity requirements. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that all are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness: black and white, bond and free, male and female, all are alike unto God. The Lord declared, All men are privileged, the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.

Given our likeness before God, it makes little sense to emphasize our differences.

Some have wrongly encouraged us to imagine people to be much more different from ourselves and from each other than they actually are.

Some take real but small differences and magnify them into chasms.

In addition, some have wrongly assumed that because all people are invited to receive His goodness and eternal life, there are no conduct requirements.

However, the scriptures attest that all accountable persons are required to repent of sins and keep His commandments.

The Lord makes it clear that all have moral agency and are free to choose liberty and eternal life through the great Mediator of all men, and hearken unto His great commandments, and be faithful unto His words, and choose eternal life. To receive the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement,

we must affirmatively exercise our moral agency to choose Christ and obey His commandments.

During my life, the meaning of agency and free will has been dissected and debated. There have been and continue to be many intellectual arguments on these topics.

On the recent cover of a major university alumni publication, a prominent biologist professor asserts there is no room for free will. Not surprisingly, the professor is quoted in the article as saying, “There’s no such thing as God and there’s no free will, and this is a vast, indifferent, empty universe.” End quote.

I could not disagree more strongly.

A fundamental doctrine of our faith is that we do have moral agency, which includes free will. Agency is the ability to choose and act.

It is essential to the plan of salvation.

Without moral agency, we could not learn, progress, or choose to be one with Christ.

Because of moral agency, we are free to choose liberty and eternal life.

In the Premortal Council in Heaven, the Father’s plan included agency as an essential element.

Lucifer rebelled and sought to destroy the agency of man.

Accordingly, the privilege of having a mortal body was denied to Satan and those who followed him.

Other premortal spirits exercised their agency in following Heavenly Father's plan. Spirits blessed by birth to this mortal life continue to have agency. We are free to choose and act, but we do not control the consequences.

Choices of good and righteousness lead to happiness, peace, and eternal life, while choices of sin and evil eventually lead to heartache and misery. As Alma said, wickedness never was happiness. In this extremely competitive world,

there is a constant effort to excel. Striving to be the best we can be is a righteous and worthwhile endeavor. It is consistent with the Lord’s doctrine.

Efforts to diminish or deprecate others

or create barriers to their success is contrary to the Lord’s doctrine.

We cannot blame circumstances or others for a decision to act contrary to God's commandments.

In today’s world, it is easy to focus on material and occupational success. Some lose sight of eternal principles and choices that have eternal significance. We would be wise to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to “think celestial.” The most significant choices can be made by almost everyone, regardless of talents, abilities, opportunities, or economic circumstances.

An emphasis on putting family choices first is essential.

This is clear throughout the scriptures.

Think of the account in Nephi where Lehi departed into the wilderness, and he left his house and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family. As we face the vicissitudes of life, many events occur over which we have little or no control.

Health challenges and accidents obviously can fit into this category.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted people who did everything right. For the most important choices, we do have control.

Going back to my missionary days, Elder Marion D. Hanks, our mission president, had all of us memorize part of a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. On matters of principle, conduct, religious observance, and righteous living, we are in control.

Our faith in and worship of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is a choice that we make.

Please understand, I am not advocating less interest in education or occupation. What I am saying is that when efforts relating to education and occupation are elevated above the family or being one with Christ,

the unintended consequences can be significantly adverse.

The clear and simple doctrine set forth in Doctrine and Covenants 20 is touching and compelling as it amplifies and clarifies sacred spiritual concepts.

It teaches that salvation comes as Jesus Christ justifies and sanctifies repentant souls because of the Savior's grace.

It sets the stage for the preeminent role of His Atonement.

We should strive to include others in our circle of oneness. If we are to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s admonition to gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil,

we need to include others in our circle of oneness. As President Nelson has so beautifully taught,

on every continent and across the aisles of the sea, faithful people are being gathered into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Differences in culture, language, gender, race, and nationality fade into insignificance as the faithful enter the covenant path and come unto our beloved Redeemer. End quote.

We are united by our love of and faith in Jesus Christ, and as children of a loving Heavenly Father,

the essence of truly belonging is to be one with Christ.

The ordinances of baptism and the sacrament set forth in Doctrine and Covenants 20, together with our temple covenants, unite us in special ways and allow us to be one in every eternally significant way and to live in peace and harmony.

I bear my sure and certain witness that Jesus Christ lives, and because of His Atonement, we can be one with Christ. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “We Will Sing of Zion”

♪ We will sing of Zion, ♪

♪ Kingdom of our God. ♪

♪ Zion is the pure in heart, ♪

♪ Those who seek the Savior’s part. ♪

♪ Zion soon in all the world ♪ ♪ Will rise to meet her God. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Thru the revelations ♪ ♪ Giv’n by God to men, ♪

♪ Heaven’s truth is placed on earth; ♪

♪ Prophets teach its pow’r and worth. ♪

♪ Zion readies us to see ♪ ♪ The Savior come again. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ When the Saints of Zion ♪ ♪ Keep his law in truth, ♪

♪ Hate and war and strife will cease; ♪

♪ Then we’ll live in love and peace. ♪

♪ Heav’nly Zion, come once more ♪ ♪ And cover all the earth. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Hate and war and strife will cease; ♪

♪ We will live in love and peace. ♪

♪ Zion readies us to see ♪

♪ The Savior ♪ ♪ come again. ♪

♪ Come again. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for the opportunity we have had to gather across the world as a community of saints. We're grateful for the strength that comes when righteous people gather together. We are so grateful for the words that we heard from this pulpit today.

We are so grateful for our prophet. We love him.

We're grateful for the opportunity we have had to be with him today.

Heavenly Father, will you bless our youth with an increase of the Spirit and to know how much we need them?

And bless our missionaries to bring the enthusiasm and joy of this gospel to the world. And we say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This has been a broadcast of the Saturday Afternoon Session of the 194th 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–Idaho.

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.