I have enjoyed reviewing all the talks and taking notes on another wonderful conference. I hope these notes are helpful to someone, somehow. This conference I was especially struck by the gift of free agency. It is our CHOICE whether accept the invitations from these dear men to become more dutiful followers of Jesus Christ. I know that God sincerely wants us to and hopes that we do what is required to return to our heavenly home to live with our eternal family again.
My favorite image from conference became this one of Elder L. Tom Perry who passed away shortly after conference. These men, who have given every ounce of energy and skill in calling out to come follow the Savior, are an amazing example to me in every way. I love them.
GENERAL
CONFERENCE APRIL 2015
Pres.
Henry B. Eyring: Is Not This The Fast
When
we offer succor to anyone, the Savior feels it as if we reached out
to succor Him.
In
the Church today we are offered the opportunity to fast once a month
and give a generous fast offering through our bishop or branch
president for the benefit of the poor and the needy. Some of what you
give will be used to help those around you, perhaps someone in your
own family.
The Lord’s servants will pray and fast for the revelation to know
whom to help and what help to give. That which is not needed to help
people in your local Church unit will become available to bless other
Church members across the world who are in need.
We
do not know all the reasons why Jesus Christ went into the wilderness
to fast and to pray. But we know at least one of the effects: the
Savior completely resisted Satan’s temptations to misuse His divine
power.
The
brief time we fast every month and the small amount we offer for the
poor may give us only a small part of the change in our natures to
have no more desire to do evil. But there is a great promise, even as
we do all that we reasonably can to pray, to fast, and to donate for
those in need: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning,
and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness
shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.
“Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry,
and he shall say, Here I am.”
Pres.
Boyd K. Packer – The Plan of Happiness
The
end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman
with their children are happy at home, sealed together for time and
for all eternity.
The
power of procreation is not an incidental part of the plan; it is the
plan of happiness; it is the key to happiness.
Married
couples are tried by temptation, misunderstandings, financial
problems, family
crises, and illness, and all
the while love grows stronger.
Mature love has a bliss not even imagined by newlyweds.
True
love requires reserving until after marriage the sharing of that
affection which unlocks those sacred powers in that fountain of life.
Satan
will tempt, if he can, to degrade, to corrupt, and, if possible, to
destroy this gift by which we may, if we are worthy, have eternal
increase.
Our
spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike
the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is
complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus
Christ. The
promise is: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is
forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C
58:42).
The
Atonement, which can reclaim each one of us, bears no scars.
That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or
how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He
would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that. There are so many
of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt,
not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the
Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty
and love and eternity.
Linda
K. Burton: Let Us Ascend Together
I
love and believe these words from President Packer to worthy husbands
and fathers: “You have the power of the priesthood directly from
the Lord to protect your home. There will be times when all
that stands as a shield between your family and the adversary’s
mischief will be that power.”
“Remember
your sacred calling as a father in Israel—your most important
calling in time and eternity—a calling from which you will never be
released.” - Pres. E T Benson
We
know from the scriptures that “it is not good that … man should
be alone.” That is why our Heavenly Father made “an help meet for
him.” The phrase help meet
means “a helper suited to, worthy of, or corresponding to him.” For example, our two hands are similar to each other but not exactly
the same. In fact, they are exact opposites, but they complement each
other and are suited to each other. Working together, they are
stronger.
Elder
Dallin H. Oaks: The Parable of the Sower
Jesus
did not teach how to overcome the mortal challenges or political
oppression of His day, He usually inspires His modern servants to
speak about what we must do to reform our personal lives to prepare
us to return to our heavenly home.
If
we are not rooted in the teachings of the gospel and regular in its
practices, any one of us can develop a stony heart, which is
stony ground for spiritual seeds.
Spiritual
food is necessary for spiritual survival... we must increase our
exposure to spiritual truth in order to strengthen our faith and stay
rooted in the gospel.
Young
people, if that teaching seems too general, here is a specific
example. If the emblems of the sacrament
are being passed and you are texting or whispering or playing video
games or doing anything else to deny yourself essential spiritual
food, you are severing your spiritual roots and moving yourself
toward stony ground. You are making yourself vulnerable to
withering away when you encounter tribulation like isolation,
intimidation, or ridicule. And that applies to adults also.
...to
be securely rooted in the gospel, we must be moderate and measured in
criticism and seek always for the broader view of the majestic work
of God.
When
attitudes or priorities are fixed on the acquisition, use, or
possession of property, we call that materialism... The possession
of wealth or significant income is not a mark of heavenly favor, and
their absence is not evidence of heavenly disfavor.
When
Jesus told a faithful follower that he could inherit eternal life if
he would only give all that he had to the poor (see Mark
10:17–24), He was not identifying an evil in the
possession of riches but an
evil in that follower’s attitude
toward them. As we are all aware, Jesus praised the good Samaritan,
who used the same coinage to serve his fellowman that Judas used to
betray his Savior. The root of all evil is not money but the love
of money (see 1 Timothy
6:10).
Whoever
has an abundance of material things is in jeopardy of being
spiritually “sedated” by riches and other things of the world.
We
surrender to the “pleasures of this life” (1) when we are
addicted, which impairs God’s precious gift of agency; (2) when
we are beguiled by trivial distractions, which draw us away from
things of eternal importance; and (3) when we have an
entitlement mentality, which impairs the personal growth necessary to
qualify us for our eternal destiny. We are overcome by
the “cares … of this life” when we are paralyzed by fear of the
future, which hinders our going forward in faith, trusting in God and
His promises.
The
Savior’s examples could cause us to think of this parable as the
parable of the soils. The suitability of the soil depends upon the
heart of each one of us who is exposed to the gospel seed.
Jesus
explained that “the good ground are they, which in an honest and
good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit
with patience” (Luke
8:15).
We
achieve this conversion by praying, by scripture reading, by serving,
and by regularly partaking of the sacrament to always have His Spirit
to be with us. We must also seek that mighty change of heart (see
Alma
5:12–14)
that replaces evil desires and selfish concerns with the love of God
and the desire to serve Him and His children.
Elder
Whitney L. Clayton: Choose To Believe
(Sailor's
story) Sailor survived because she saw a light in the distance and
fought her way to it—notwithstanding the wild countryside, the
depth of the tragedy she faced, and the injuries she had sustained.
It is hard to imagine how Sailor managed to do what she did that
night. But what we do know is that she recognized in the light of
that distant house a chance for rescue. There was hope. She took
courage in the fact that no matter how bad things were, her rescue
would be found in that light.... however dark or
seemingly hopeless they may be, if we search for it, there will
always
be a spiritual light that beckons to us, giving us the hope of rescue
and relief.
Recognizing
the Savior’s spiritual light begins with our willingness to
believe. God
requires that initially we at least desire to believe.
The decision to believe is the most important choice we ever make. It
shapes all our other decisions.
God
does not compel us to believe any more than He compels us to keep any
commandments, despite His perfect desire to bless us.
Belief is something we choose—we hope for it, we work for it, and
we sacrifice for it. We will not accidentally come to believe in the
Savior and His gospel any more than we will accidentally pray or pay
tithing.
In
those moments when the light of your faith has dimmed, let your hope
for the Savior’s love and grace, found in His gospel and His
Church, overcome your doubt.
Elder
L. Tom Perry: Why Marriage Matters – All Over The World
We
believe that marriage and family ties can continue beyond the
grave—that marriages performed by those who have the proper
authority in His temples will continue to be valid in the world to
come. Our marriage ceremonies eliminate the words “till death do us
part” and instead say, “for time and for all eternity.”
We
also believe that strong traditional families are not only the
basic units of a stable society, a stable economy, and a stable
culture of values—but that they are also the basic units of
eternity and of the kingdom and government of God.
We
believe that the organization and government of heaven will be built
around families and extended families.
It
is because of our belief that marriages and families are eternal that
we, as a church, want to be a leader and a participant in worldwide
movements to strengthen them. We know that it is not only those who
are actively religious who share common values and priorities of
lasting marriages and strong family relationships.
One
problem is that much of the media and entertainment that the world
shares does not reflect the priorities and values of the majority...
marriage and family are still the aspiration and ideal of most people
and that we are not alone in those beliefs. It has never been more of
a challenge to find a practical balance between employment, families,
and personal needs than it is in our day. As a church, we want to
assist in all that we can to create and support strong marriages and
families.
That
is why the Church actively participates in and provides leadership to
various coalitions and ecumenical efforts to strengthen the family.
It is why we share our family-focused values in the media and on
social media. It is why we share our genealogical and extended family
records with all nations.
We
want our voice to be heard against all of the counterfeit and
alternative lifestyles that try to replace the family organization
that God Himself established. We also want our voice to be heard in
sustaining the joy and fulfillment that traditional families bring.
We must continue to project that voice throughout the world... Let
me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully
qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that
family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness.
Elder
David A Bednar: Therefore They Hushed Their Fears
Notably,
one of the first effects of the Fall was for Adam and Eve to
experience fear. This potent emotion is an important element of our
mortal existence.
Notice
Alma did not hush the people’s fears. Rather, Alma counseled the
believers to remember the Lord and the deliverance only He could
bestow (see 2 Nephi
2:8).
And knowledge
of the Savior’s protecting watchcare enabled the people to hush
their own fears.
Correct
knowledge of and faith in the Lord empower us to hush our fears
because Jesus Christ is the only source of enduring peace. The
peace Christ gives allows us to view mortality through the precious
perspective of eternity and supplies a spiritual settledness that helps us maintain a consistent focus on our heavenly
destination. We
can be blessed to hush our fears as we firmly establish our desires
and deeds upon the sure foundation of the Savior through our
ordinances and covenants.
Unlike
worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source
of peace, assurance, and confidence. But
how can anything associated with fear be edifying or spiritually
helpful? The
righteous fear I am attempting to describe encompasses a deep feeling
of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ,
obedience to His commandments,
and anticipation of the Final Judgment and justice at His hand. Thus,
godly fear grows out of a correct understanding of the divine nature
and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ, a willingness to submit our
will to His will, and a knowledge that every man and woman will be
accountable for his or her own sins in the Day of Judgment (see Articles
of Faith 1:2).
The
fear of the Lord is not a reluctant apprehension about coming into
His presence to be judged. I
do not believe we will be afraid of Him at all.
Rather,
it is the prospect in His presence of facing things as they really
are about ourselves
and having “a perfect knowledge” of all our rationalizations, pretenses, and self-deceptions.
Ultimately, we will be left without excuse.
I
promise the bright light of godly fear will chase away the dark
shadows of mortal fears (see D&C
50:25)
as we look to the Savior, build upon Him as our foundation, and press
forward on His covenant path with consecrated commitment.
Elder
D. Todd Christofferson: Why Marriage? Why Family?
If,
then in the course of our mortal experience... by
our choices we would demonstrate to God (and to ourselves) our
commitment and capacity to live His celestial law while outside His
presence and in a physical body with all its powers, appetites, and
passions.
Could we bridle the flesh so that it became the instrument rather
than the master of the spirit? Could
we be trusted both in time and eternity with godly powers, including
power to create life? Would we individually overcome evil?
Those who did would “have glory added upon their heads for ever and
ever”—a very significant aspect of that glory being a
resurrected, immortal, and glorified physical body. No wonder we “shouted for joy” at these magnificent possibilities
and promises.
...nothing
relative to our time on earth can be more important than physical
birth and spiritual rebirth, the two prerequisites of eternal life.
Each
individual carries the divine image, but it is in the matrimonial
union of male and female as one that we attain perhaps the most
complete meaning of our having been made in the image of God—male
and female.
To
declare the fundamental truths relative to marriage and family is not
to overlook or diminish the sacrifices and successes of those for
whom the ideal is not a present reality... And when you who bear the
heaviest burdens of mortality stand up in defense of God’s plan to
exalt His children, we are all ready to march. With confidence we
testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has anticipated and, in
the end, will compensate all deprivation and loss for those who turn
to Him. No one is predestined to receive less than all that the
Father has for His children.
Wilford
W. Anderson: The Music of the Gospel
“I
can teach you to dance,” he said, “but you have to hear the
music.”
Sometimes
in our homes, we successfully teach the dance steps but are not as
successful in helping our family
members to hear the music. And as the old medicine man well knew, it
is hard to dance without music. Dancing without music is awkward and
unfulfilling—even embarrassing. Have you ever tried it?
In
section 8 of the Doctrine
and Covenants,
the Lord taught Joseph
Smith
and Oliver Cowdery, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and
in your heart, by the Holy
Ghost,
which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart”
(verse
2).
We learn the dance steps with our minds, but we hear the music with
our hearts. The
dance steps of the gospel are the things we do; the music of the
gospel is the joyful spiritual feeling that comes from the Holy
Ghost. It brings a change of heart and is the source of all righteous
desires.
The dance steps require discipline, but the joy of the dance will be
experienced only when we come to hear the music.
“No
power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the
priesthood”—or by virtue of being the dad or the mom or the
biggest or the loudest—“only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by
gentleness and meekness, … by love unfeigned; [and] by
kindness” (D&C
121:41–42).
Why
would these attributes lead to increasing power and influence in a
home? Because they are the attributes that invite the Spirit of the
Holy Ghost. They are the attributes that tune our hearts to the music
of the gospel. When they are present, the dance steps will be
performed more naturally and joyfully by all of the dancers in the
family, without the need for threats or intimidation or compulsion.
Dissonance
in the home is like darkness in a room. It does little good to scold
the darkness. We must displace
the darkness by introducing light.
Elder
Dale G. Renlund: Latter Day Saints Keep On Trying
In
His mercy, God promises forgiveness
when we repent and turn from wickedness—so much so that our sins
will not even be mentioned to us.
Whether
we suffer because of troubled relationships, economic challenges, or
illnesses or as a consequence of someone else’s sins, the Savior’s
infinite Atonement can heal even—and perhaps especially—those who
have innocently suffered.
As
God encourages us to keep on trying, He expects us to also allow
others the space to do the same, at their own pace.
If
we don’t try, we’re just latter-day sinners; if we don’t
persevere, we’re latter-day quitters; and if we don’t allow
others to try, we’re just latter-day hypocrites.
Elder
Michael T. Ringwood: Truly Good and Without Guile
In
a world where praise, position, power, accolades, and authority are
sought on every side, I honor those wonderful and blessed souls who
are truly good and without guile, those who are motivated by a love
of God and their neighbors, those great women and men who are “more
anxious to serve than to have dominion.”
(Lists
members doing quiet acts of service.) These things are not done for
praise or accolades. These men and women are not motivated by the
possibility of receiving titles or authority. They are disciples of
Christ, going about doing good continually, and like Shiblon, they
are trying to please their Father in Heaven.
Elder
Quinton L. Cook: The Lord Is My Light
The
Light of Christ plants the eternal nature of the family in the hearts
of all God’s children. One of my favorite writers, not of our
faith, said it this way: “So much in life is extraneous, [but] …
the family is the real thing, the substantial thing, the eternal
thing; the thing to watch over and care for and be loyal to.”
-Carla Carlisle
While
we treasure appropriate cultural diversities, our goal is to be
united in the culture, customs, and traditions of the gospel of Jesus
Christ in every respect.
Our
protections in this life and for eternity will be in individual and
family righteousness, Church ordinances, and following the Savior.
This is our refuge from the storm.
For those who feel they are alone, you can stand resolutely in
righteousness knowing that the Atonement will protect and bless you
beyond your ability to fully understand.
Elder
M. Russell Ballard: The Greatest Generation of Young Adults
Please
ponder in your heart your answers to these questions:
1.
Do
you search the scriptures regularly?
2.
Do
you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning
and each night?
3.
Do
you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a
poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?
4.
Do
you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you
when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the
sacrament?
5.
Do
you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?
6.
Are
you honest at home, school, church, and work?
7.
Are
you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography
or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder
and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church
leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?
8.
Are
you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and
social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual
sensitivity?
9. Is
there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning
tonight?
“RM”
doesn’t mean “retired Mormon”!
Balance
your life with spiritual experiences that remind and prepare you for
continued, daily ministering to others....Understand the importance
of visiting with people who are lonely, sick, or discouraged—not
only as an assignment but also because of the genuine love you have
for Heavenly Father and His children.
Brethren,
if you will set aside your cell phone and actually look around a
little, you may even find your future companion at the institute.
The
Savior of the world came to understand each of us individually by
experiencing our dashed hopes, challenges, and tragedies through His
suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross. He died as one final act of love for us and was buried in a new tomb
on that fateful night.
Be
strong, brethren. Keep the commandments of God. The Lord Jesus Christ
promises that all things we desire to do in righteousness will be
ours. Church leaders are counting on you. We need every one of you
young adults to prepare to marry, to serve, and to lead in the days
ahead, for which I humbly pray in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ, amen.
Elder
Ulisses Soares: Yes, We Can and Will Win!
The
enemy and his angels are trying to distract us... They know well our
Heavenly Father’s plan for His children, for they were present with
us in that great Council in Heaven when it was all presented. They
try to take advantage of our weaknesses and frailties, deceiving us
with “mists of darkness …
Have
the moral courage to stand firm in obeying God’s will, even if you
have to stand alone.
Our
testimony must be our shield to protect us against the fiery darts of
the adversary in his attempts to attack us. It will guide us safely through the darkness and confusion that exist
in the world today.
I
learned that no evil forces exist that are capable of confusing,
deceiving, or subverting the power of a sincere testimony of a true
disciple of Jesus Christ.
Captain
Moroni aligned his faith in God and his testimony of the truth with
the knowledge and wisdom found in the scriptures. In this way, he
trusted that he would receive the blessings of the Lord and would
obtain many victories, which is what, in fact, happened.
Larry
M. Gibson: Fatherhood- Our Eternal Destiny
Should
we not, then, develop a clear vision of our eternal
destiny,
particularly the one that Heavenly Father wants us to achieve—eternal
fatherhood? Let our eternal
destiny
drive all
of our decisions. Regardless of how difficult those decisions may be,
Father will sustain us.
(After
walking 50 mi in 20 hours) I then went downstairs to my oldest son. I
lay by him—then touched him. “Son, are you all right?”
“Dad,
that was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life, and I
will never, ever do it again.” His eyes closed—then opened—and
he said, “Unless my son wants me to.”
Tears
came as I expressed how grateful I was for him. I told him I knew he
was going to be a much better father than I was. My heart was full
because at his young and tender age he already recognized that one of
his most sacred priesthood duties was to be a father. He had no fear
of that role and title—the very title that God Himself wants us to
use when we speak to Him. I knew I had the responsibility to nurture
the embers of fatherhood that were burning within my son.
“Preach
the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words” (attributed
to Francis of Assisi). They
will learn how to treat their future wife and children as they watch
you treat each
one of them
just as Heavenly Father would.
Through
your example, they can learn how to respect, honor, and protect
womanhood.
Brethren,
with all the energy of my soul, I ask you to consider this question:
Do your sons see you striving to do what Heavenly Father would have
them
do?
I
have asked many young men around the world, “Why are you here?”
So
far, not one has responded, “To learn to be a father, that I might
be prepared and qualified to receive all that Heavenly Father has.”
Pres.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf: On Being Genuine
There
is nothing wrong with shining our shoes, smelling our best, or even
hiding the dirty dishes before the home teachers arrive. However,
when
taken to extremes, this desire to impress can shift from useful to
deceitful.
My
dear friends and fellow priesthood holders, if Jesus
Christ
were to sit down with us and ask for an accounting of our
stewardship, I am not sure He would focus much on programs and
statistics. What
the Savior would want to know is the condition of our heart. He would
want to know how we love and minister to those in our care, how we
show our love to our spouse and family,
and how we lighten their daily load. And the Savior would want to
know how you and I grow closer to Him and to our Heavenly Father.
Whether
your testimony is thriving and healthy or your activity in the Church
more closely resembles a Potemkin village, the good news is that you
can build on whatever strength you have. Here in the Church of Jesus
Christ you can mature spiritually and draw closer to the Savior by
applying
gospel principles day
by day.
With
patience and persistence, even the smallest act of discipleship or
the tiniest ember of belief can become a blazing bonfire of a
consecrated life. In fact, that’s how most bonfires begin—as a
simple spark.
So
if you feel small and weak, please simply come unto Christ, who makes
weak things strong. The weakest among us, through God’s grace, can become spiritually
strong, because God “is no respecter of persons.” He is our “faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them
that love him and keep his commandments.”
My
beloved brothers in Christ,
the God of Creation, who breathed life into the universe, surely has
the power to breathe life into you. Surely He can make of you the
genuine, spiritual being of light and truth you desire to be.
We
come to church not to hide our problems but to heal them.
The
greatest, most capable, most accomplished man who ever walked this
earth was also the most humble. He performed some of His most
impressive service in private moments, with only a few observers,
whom He asked to “tell no man” what He had done. When someone called Him “good,” He quickly deflected the
compliment, insisting that only God is truly good. Clearly the praise of the world meant nothing to Him; His single
purpose was to serve His Father and “do always those things that
please him.” We would do well to follow the example of our Master.
Pres.
Henry B. Eyring: Priesthood and Personal Prayer
With
your acceptance of the priesthood, you have received the right to
speak and to act in the name of God. That
right will become a reality only as you receive inspiration from God.
Only then will you be able to speak in His name. And only then can
you act in His name.
If
only I had prayed in faith as I went out that day (he was rejected), I might have been
inspired to stand a moment longer on that doorstep, smile, and say
something like: “It is good to meet you. Thank you for what you and
your family
have given in the past. I look forward to seeing you next month.” Had
I said and done that, he might have been even more irritated—and
even offended. But I know now how I might have felt. Rather than
feeling sadness or failure as I walked away, I might have felt the
soft commendation in my mind and heart: “Well done.”
All
of us must speak and act in the name of God in moments when our
unaided judgment will not be enough without inspiration. Those
moments can come upon us when there is not time to make preparation. As
a deacon, I had not yet learned that the power to speak and act in
God’s name requires revelation and that to have it when we need it
requires praying and working in faith for the companionship of the
Holy
Ghost.
President
Joseph F. Smith put it simply: “We
do not have to cry unto him with many words. We do not have to weary
him with long prayers. What we do need, and what we should do as
Latter-day Saints, for our own good, is to go before him often, to
witness unto him that we remember him and that we are willing to take
upon us his name, keep his commandments, work righteousness; and that
we desire his Spirit to help us.”
And
then President Smith told us what we should pray for, as his servants
pledged to speak and act for God. He said: “What
do you pray for? You pray that God may recognize you, that he may
hear your prayers, and that he may bless you with his Spirit.”
It
is not a matter so much of which words to use, but it will take some
patience. It is an approach to your Heavenly Father with the
intent to be recognized by Him personally.
Because
you cannot rise to your priesthood potential without the Spirit going
with you, you are a personal target for the enemy of all happiness. You will not survive
spiritually without the protection of the companionship of the Holy
Ghost in your daily life. You must pray for it and work to have
it...
Both
old and young, who may soon go to the spirit world, where they will
hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” That
salutation will go to some who will be surprised by it. They may
never have held high office in the kingdom of God on the earth. Some
may have felt that they saw little result from their labors or that
some opportunities to serve were never given to them. Others may feel
that their time of service was cut shorter in this life than they had
hoped.
It
will not be the offices held or the time served that will be weighed
in the balance with the Lord. We know this from the Lord’s parable
of the laborers in the vineyard, where the pay was the same
regardless of how long they served or where. They will be rewarded
for how they served.
With
a prayer of faith, God can grant us power in the priesthood for
whatever circumstance we may be in. It simply requires that we ask in
humility for the Spirit to show us what God would have us say and do,
do it, and continue to live worthy of that gift.
Pres.
Thomas S. Monson: The Priesthood – A Sacred Gift
The
years have brought me more opportunities to provide blessings to
those in need than I could possibly count. Each opportunity has found
me deeply grateful that God has entrusted to me this sacred gift. I
revere the priesthood. I have witnessed its power time and time
again. I have seen its strength. I have marveled at the miracles it
has wrought.
Brethren,
each of us has been entrusted with one of the most precious gifts
ever bestowed upon mankind. As we honor our priesthood and live our
lives so that we are at all times worthy, the blessings of the
priesthood will flow through us.
Pres.
Thomas S. Monson: Blessings Of The Temple
As
we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of
spirituality and a feeling of peace which will transcend any other
feeling which could come into the human heart.
In
a recent letter to me, Landon shared with me the young man’s
parting words to him: “I had faith Heavenly Father would bless me,
but I never could have imagined that He would send someone to help me
who had served in my own mission. I know now that all will be well.” The humble prayer of a sincere heart had been heard and answered.
Rosemary
M. Wixom: Returning To Faith
She
learned that when she came up against a statement that caused her to
doubt, she “could stop, look at the whole picture, and make the
gospel personal.” She said, “I would ask, ‘Is this the right
path for me and my family?’
Sometimes I would ask myself, ‘What do I want for my children?’ I
realized I want them to have temple marriages. That’s when belief
came back to my heart.”
Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland has said, “Humility, faith, and the
influence of the Holy Spirit [will] always be elements of every
quest for truth.”
… our
faith can reach beyond the limits of current reason.
Elder
Jose A. Teixeira: Seeking The Lord
I
believe that as we deepen our understanding of the Savior, we will
have an increased desire to live joyfully and a conviction that joy
is possible. Consequently, we will have a greater ability to go about
each day with more enthusiasm for life and for keeping the
commandments of God, even in challenging circumstances.
Mobile
data, smartphones, and social networks have profoundly changed our
way of being in the world and how we communicate with others. In
this digital era, we can so rapidly transport ourselves to places and
activities that can quickly remove us from what is essential for a
life filled with lasting joy. This
networked life can, if left unchecked, give precedence to
relationships with people whom we don’t know or have never met
rather than with the people we live with—our own family!
1-Visit
lds.org 2-Subscribe to lds social networks 3-set phone aside The
habit of setting aside your mobile device for a time will enrich and
broaden your view of life, for life is not confined to a four-inch screen.
Bsp.
Gerald Causse: Is It Still Wonderful To You?
During
His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Blessed
are the eyes which see the things that ye see: “For
I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them.”
To
marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to
recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around
us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the
energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the
work of salvation.
My
brothers and sisters, is the gospel still wonderful to you? Can you
yet see, hear, feel, and marvel? Or have your spiritual sensors gone
into standby mode? Never tire of discovering or
rediscovering the truths of the gospel.
On
this special day, I bear witness that the wonders and marvels of the
gospel are anchored in the greatest of all of God’s gifts—the
Savior’s Atonement. This is the perfect gift of love that the
Father and the Son, united in purpose, have offered to each one of
us. With you, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. …
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”
Elder
Brent H. Nielson: Waiting For The Prodigal
The
Savior’s words in the parable as He describes the father greeting
his prodigal son are powerful, and I believe they may be the
description of the experience you and I will have with the Father
when we return to our heavenly home. They teach us of a father who
loves, waits, and watches. These are the words of the Savior: “When
he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion,
and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke
15:20).
Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland: Where Justice, Love and Mercy Meet
(Story
of the two boys rock climbing.)
Is
our only purpose in life an empty existential exercise—simply to
leap as high as we can, hang on for our prescribed three score years
and ten, then fail and fall, and keep falling forever?
The
answer to those questions is an unequivocal and eternal no! So
today
we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever
experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we
have ever had, every fear we have ever faced—to say nothing of our
resurrection from death and forgiveness
for our sins.
Jesus
Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from
death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp
us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to
His commandments, lift us to eternal life.
Pres.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf: The Gift of Grace
I
marvel to think that the Son of God would condescend to save us, as
imperfect, impure, mistake-prone, and ungrateful as we often are. I
have tried to understand the Savior’s Atonement with my finite
mind, and the only explanation I can come up with is this: God loves
us deeply, perfectly, and everlastingly. I cannot even begin to
estimate “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height … [of]
the love of Christ.”
A
powerful expression of that love is what the scriptures often call
the grace of
God—the
divine assistance and endowment of strength by which we grow from the
flawed and limited beings we are now into exalted beings of “truth
and light, until [we are] glorified in truth and [know] all things.”
We
cannot earn our way into heaven; the demands of justice stand as a
barrier, which we are powerless to overcome on our own.
To
inherit this glory, we need more than an unlocked gate; we must enter
through this gate with a heart’s desire to be changed—a change so
dramatic that the scriptures describe it as being “born again; yea,
born of God, changed from [our worldly] and fallen state, to a state
of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and
daughters.”
Salvation
cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by
the blood of the Son of God. Thinking
that we can trade our good works for salvation is like buying a plane
ticket and then supposing we own the airline. Or thinking that after
paying rent for our home, we now hold title to the entire planet
earth.
Dear
brothers and sisters, living the gospel faithfully is not a burden.
It is a joyful rehearsal—a preparation for inheriting the grand
glory of the eternities.
“We
labor diligently … to persuade our children, and also our
brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we
know that it is by
grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” However,
I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase “after all we can
do.” We must understand that “after” does not equal “because.”
We
are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us
done all
that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort
before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace?
Elder
Robert D. Hales: Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom
The
blessings we enjoy now are because we made the choice to follow the
Savior before this life. To everyone hearing or reading these words,
whoever you are and whatever your past may be, remember this: it is
not too late to make that same choice again and follow Him.
We
already know that Satan does not want this freedom to be ours. He
attempted to destroy moral agency in heaven, and now on earth he is
fiercely undermining, opposing, and spreading confusion about
religious freedom—what it is and why it is essential to our
spiritual life and our very salvation.
There
are four cornerstones of religious freedom that we as Latter-day
Saints must rely upon and protect. The
first is freedom to believe. The
second cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to share our
faith and our beliefs with others. The
third cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to form a
religious organization, a church, to worship peacefully with others. The
fourth cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to live our
faith—free exercise of faith not just in the home and chapel but
also in public places.
Some
are offended when we bring our religion into the public square, yet
the same people who insist that their viewpoints and actions be
tolerated in society are often very slow to give that same tolerance
to religious believers who also wish their viewpoints and actions to
be tolerated.
As
disciples of Jesus Christ we have a responsibility to work together
with like-minded believers, to raise our voices for what is right.
My
beloved brothers and sisters, don’t walk! Run! Run to receive the
blessings of agency by following the Holy Ghost and exercising the
freedoms God has given us to do His will.
Elder
Kevin W. Pearson: Stay By The Tree
Two
of Satan’s most powerful tools are distraction and deception.
Enduring
to the end requires total commitment to the Savior and to our
covenants.
1.
Don’t Forget to Pray - Ask
Heavenly Father, “What more would You have me do?”
2.
Come
unto Christ and Be Perfected in Him - We
can fill our lives with accomplishment and well-doing, but in the
end, if we do not enter into sacred covenants to follow Christ and
faithfully keep them, we will have utterly and completely missed the
mark.
3.
Press Forward with Faith - God’s
commandments are strict but not restrictive. They protect us from
spiritual and physical danger and prevent us from getting lost. Obedience
builds faith in Christ. Faith is a principle of action and power. Without
the strengthening and enabling power of the Atonement, it’s
impossible to stay on the path and endure.
4.
The Book
of Mormon
Is Key to Spiritual Survival - Unless
we are “continually holding fast” to the word of God and living it, we will become spiritually blinded
rather than spiritually minded.
5.
Don’t Be Distracted and Deceived - Heeding those who do not believe
in Christ will not help you find Him. Searching #spaciousbuilding for
knowledge will not lead you to truth. It’s not posted there. Only
the Savior has “the words of eternal life.” Everything else is just words. The large and spacious building
symbolizes the “vain imaginations and the pride” of the world—in other words, distraction and deception. It’s
filled with well-dressed people who seem to have everything. But they
mock the Savior and those who follow Him. They are “ever learning,
and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” They
may be politically correct, but they are spiritually lost.
6.
Stay by the Tree - We
stay because we are converted unto the Lord. True
disciples continue to awaken unto God each day in meaningful personal
prayer, earnest scripture study, personal obedience, and selfless
service. Stay by the tree and stay awake.
If
you are struggling, confused, or spiritually lost, I urge you to do
the one thing I know will get you back on track. Begin again to
prayerfully study the Book of Mormon and live its teachings every
day, every day, every day!
This
is Nephi’s promise to you: “And
I said unto them … whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and
would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the
temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto
blindness, to lead them away to destruction. Wherefore,
I … did exhort them … that they would give heed to the word of
God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.”
Brothers
and sisters, enduring to the end is the great test of discipleship.
Our daily discipleship will determine our eternal destiny.
Elder
Rafael E. Pino: The Eternal Perspective of the Gospel
It
is interesting to note the sequence in the teaching process. Our
Heavenly Father first taught Adam and Eve the plan of redemption, and
then He gave them commandments.
The
eternal perspective of the gospel leads us to understand the place
that we occupy in God’s plan, to accept difficulties and progress
through them, to make decisions, and to center our lives on our
divine potential.
Hope keeps us ‘anxiously engaged’ in good causes
even when these appear to be losing causes (see D&C
58:27).”
Not
having an eternal perspective, or losing it, can lead us to have an
earthly perspective as our personal standard and to make decisions
that are not in harmony with the will of God. (Compare
Nephi's attitude to Laman and Lemuel's)
Elder
Neil L. Andersen: Thy Kingdom Come
We
are far from perfect, but we are not casual in our faith. We
believe in Him. We worship Him. We follow Him. We deeply love Him.
His cause is the greatest cause in all the world.
As
you keep the commandments and pray in faith to see the Lord’s hand
in your life, I promise you that He will open your spiritual eyes
even wider, and you will see more clearly that you are not alone.
In
that day (the Second Coming) the skeptics will be silent, “for
every ear shall hear … , and every knee shall bow, and every
tongue shall confess” that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of
the world.
Elder
Jorge F. Zeballos: If You Will Be Responsible
These,
then, are the main responsibilities that our Father has assigned to
us: seeking our own salvation and that of others, with the
understanding that in this statement, salvation
means reaching the highest degree of glory that our Father has
provided for His obedient children. These responsibilities that have been entrusted to us—and which we
have freely accepted—must define our priorities, our desires, our
decisions, and our daily conduct.
1.
Learning Our Duty - Nephi
teaches us that “the words of Christ will tell you all things what
ye should do.” Then he adds that “the Holy
Ghost
… will show unto you all things what ye should do.” Thus, the sources that allow us to learn our duty are the words of
Christ that we receive through ancient and modern prophets and the
personal revelation that we receive through the Holy Ghost.
2.
Making the Decision - However,
in the meridian of time, the Savior taught a higher way of keeping
our commitments when He said that yes
meant yes and no
meant no.
3.
Acting Accordingly - Jesus
not only blessed the man with palsy with the ability to stand up and
walk, but He also granted him forgiveness
for his sins, thereby giving an unequivocal sign that He would not
fail, that He would fulfill the commitment He had made with His
Father, and that in Gethsemane and on the cross He would do what He
had promised to do.
4.
Willingly Accepting the Father’s Will - Discipleship
requires us not only to learn our duty, make correct decisions, and
act in accordance with them, but also essential is our developing the
willingness and the ability to accept God’s will, even if it does
not match our righteous desires or preferences.
Let
us press forward by learning our duty, making correct decisions,
acting according to those decisions, and accepting the will of our
Father.
Elder
Joseph W. Sitati: Be Fruitful, Multiply and Subdue the Earth
In
our day, living prophets and apostles continue to lift their voices
to invite each one of us to become fully engaged in the work of
salvation according to our abilities and opportunities. Laboring
in the spirit of charity is not a duty but a joy. All
who are born in mortality have the opportunity to progress and to be
exalted if they obey God’s commandments.
Marriage
between a man and a woman is the institution that God ordained for
the fulfillment of the charge to multiply. A
legal and lawful marriage sealed in the temple and in which the
sealing covenants are honored gives parents and their children the
opportunity for the best experience of love and preparation for a
fruitful life. We should not put off the time of that sacred day because of
worldly pursuits or hold our expectations of a suitable companion at
a level that disqualifies every possible candidate.
Faithful
Latter-day Saints who understand their divine potential and rely
wholeheartedly on the power available through the Atonement of the
Lord Jesus Christ are strengthened in their natural weakness and “can
do all things.” They are enabled to overcome the enticings of evil that have put many
under bondage to the adversary.
Heavenly
Father has charged and blessed us to be fruitful, to multiply, and to
subdue the earth that we might become like Him. Subduing
includes gaining mastery over our own bodies. He has made help
available that we may each, according to our individual choosing,
actually grow to become like Him.
Elder
Russell M. Nelson: The Sabbath Is A Delight
I
am intrigued by the words of Isaiah, who called the Sabbath “a
delight.” Yet I wonder, is the Sabbath really a delight for you and for me? I
first found delight in the Sabbath many years ago when, as a busy
surgeon, I knew that the Sabbath became a day for personal healing.
By the end of each week, my hands were sore from repeatedly scrubbing
them with soap, water, and a bristle brush. I also needed a breather
from the burden of a demanding profession. Sunday provided
much-needed relief.
(God) wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting
real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for
spiritual and physical renewal. God gave us this special day, not for
amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and
spiritual relief. In
Hebrew, the word Sabbath
means “rest.”
Perhaps
most important, the Sabbath was given as a perpetual covenant, a
constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people. The
Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep
the Sabbath or to hallow
the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so. My
conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign
between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts.
The
fulness of the earth is promised to those who keep the Sabbath day
holy. No wonder Isaiah called the Sabbath “a delight.”
No other work transcends that of righteous, intentional parenting! We
call upon parents to devote their best efforts to the teaching and
rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them
close to the Church. We
counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family
prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and
wholesome family activities. Searching
for and finding family members who have preceded you on earth—those
who did not have an opportunity to accept the gospel while here—can
bring immense joy. Make
the Sabbath a delight by rendering service to others, especially
those who are not feeling well or those who are lonely or in need. Lifting their spirits will lift yours as well.
Not
pursuing your “own pleasure” on the Sabbath requires
self-discipline. You may have to deny yourself of something you might
like. If you choose to delight yourself in
the Lord,
you will not permit yourself to treat it as any other day. Routine
and recreational activities can be done some other time.
Now,
as this conference comes to a close, we know that wherever we live we
are to be examples of the believers among our families, neighbors,
and friends. True believers keep the Sabbath day holy.
Sand
