Elder David A Bednar, “They Are Their Own Judges”
Topics - Agency, Letting God perfect us, stay engaged
Moroni 10:32
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
Moroni 10:34
34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.
“I am intrigued by Moroni’s use of the word ‘pleasing’ to describe the Final Judgment. Other Book of Mormon prophets likewise describe the Judgment as a ‘glorious day’ and one that we should ‘look forward [to] with an eye of faith.’ Yet often when we anticipate Judgment Day, other prophetic descriptions come to mind, such as ‘shame and awful guilt,’ ‘dread and fear,’ and ‘endless misery.’
“I believe this stark contrast in language indicates that the doctrine of Christ enabled Moroni and other prophets to anticipate that great day with eager and hopeful anticipation instead of the fear they warned of for those not spiritually prepared. What did Moroni understand that you and I need to learn?”
“The term “moral agency” is instructive. Synonyms for the word “moral” include “good,” “honest,” and “virtuous.” Synonyms for the word “agency” include “action,” “activity,” and “work.” Hence, “moral agency” can be understood as the ability and privilege to choose and act for ourselves in ways that are good, honest, virtuous, and true.”
2 Nephi 2:14
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
“Consider that we are commanded—not merely admonished or counseled but commanded—to use our agency to love one another and choose God.”
Doctrine and Covenants 58:27
27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
“Lucifer rebelled against the Father’s plan for His children and sought to destroy the power of independent action. Significantly, the devil’s defiance was focused directly on the principle of moral agency.”
“The adversary’s selfish scheme was to strip away from God’s children the capacity to become “agents unto themselves” who could act in righteousness. His intent was to consign Heavenly Father’s children to be objects that could only be acted upon.”
“President Dallin H. Oaks has emphasized that the gospel of Jesus Christ invites us both to know something and to become something through the righteous exercise of moral agency.”
Mormon 9:14
14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.
“the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32; Liahona, Jan. 2001, 40)
“Our works and desires alone do not and cannot save us. ‘After all we can do,’ we are reconciled with God only through the mercy and grace available through the Savior’s infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice.”
Alma 33:22
22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.
“‘We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.’ How grateful we should be that our sins and wicked deeds will not stand as a testimony against us if we are truly ‘born again,’ exercise faith in the Redeemer, repent with ‘sincerity of heart’ and ‘real intent,’ and ‘endure to the end.’”
“Many of us may expect that our appearance before the bar of the Eternal Judge will be similar to a proceeding in a worldly court of law. A judge will preside. Evidence will be presented. A verdict will be rendered. And we likely will be uncertain and fearful until we learn the eventual outcome. But I believe such a characterization is inaccurate.”
“Righteous fear encompasses a deep feeling of reverence and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ, obedience to His commandments, and anticipation of the Final Judgment and justice at His hand.”
“Godly fear grows out of a correct understanding of the divine nature and mission of the Redeemer, 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 mortal desires, thoughts, words, and acts in the Day of Judgment.”
Jacob 4:13
13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.
Enos 1:27
27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.
Alma 41:13–14
13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.
14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.
Elder B. Corey Cuvelier, “The Name by Which Ye Are Called”
Topics - Rely on Christ, We are children of God
“President Russell M. Nelson taught that if the Lord were speaking to us directly, the first thing He would make sure we understand is our true identity: we are children of God, children of the covenant, and disciples of Jesus Christ. Any other designation will ultimately let us down.”
Mosiah 5:8–9
8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.
“It also means serving others to relieve suffering, being a light, and bringing hope in Christ to all people. Of course, this is a lifelong pursuit.”
“Because the journey of discipleship takes time and effort built ‘line upon line, precept upon precept,’ it’s easy to get caught up in worldly titles. These yield only temporary value and will never be enough on their own. Redemption and the things of eternity only ‘cometh in and through the Holy Messiah.’ Therefore, following prophetic counsel to make discipleship a priority is both timely and wise, especially in an age of so many competing voices and influences.”
Mosiah 5:12
12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.
“Perhaps the greatest sermons are the ones we never hear but those we see in the quiet, unassuming actions and deeds observed in the lives of ordinary people who, trying to be like Jesus, go about doing good. What this gracious branch president did was not part of a checklist. He was simply living the gospel as described in the book of Alma”
Alma 1:30
30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.
John 21:25
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
3 Nephi 26:6
6 And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;
“As President Nelson taught, we are indeed children of God, children of the covenant, disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Matthew S Holland, “Forsake Not Your Own Mercy”
Topics - Joy, repentance
“Stumbling more than once in his duties, Jonah provides a vivid testimony that in mortality, ‘all are fallen.’”
“Here on earth, ugly weeds grow, even strong bones break, and all ‘come short of the glory of God.’”
“But a firm testimony of the Fall can help us be more like God as described by Jonah, that is, ‘merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness’ to all—including ourselves—in our unavoidably imperfect state.”
“For a saint, when catastrophe is brought on by a regrettable habit, comment, or decision, despite so many other good intentions and earnest efforts of righteousness, it can be especially crushing and leave one feeling forsaken.”
“Though it was many years ago, I can tell you exactly where I was sitting and exactly what I was feeling when, deep in the belly of a personal hell, I discovered this scripture. For anyone today feeling like I did then—that you are cast off, sinking in deepest waters, with seaweed wrapped about your head and oceanic mountains crashing all around you—my plea, inspired by Jonah, is forsake not your own mercy.”
“Because He knows and loves you perfectly, He offers it to you as your ‘own,’ meaning it is perfectly suited to you, designed to relieve your individual agonies and heal your particular pains.”
“And with that vision you will not only find hope and healing, but, astonishingly, you will find joy, even in the midst of your crucible.”
“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.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 82.)
“Whether we are facing a deep, Jonah-like catastrophe or the everyday challenges of our imperfect world, the invitation is the same: Forsake not your own mercy. Look to the sign of Jonah, the living Christ, He who rose from His three-day grave having conquered all—for you. Turn to Him. Believe in Him. Serve Him. Smile. For in Him, and Him alone, is found the full and happy healing from the Fall, healing we all so urgently need and humbly seek.”
Elder Carlos A. Godoy, “Smiling Faces and Grateful Hearts”
Topics - Being resilient, Growing
“t has been said that this church does not necessarily attract great people but more often makes ordinary people great. Many nameless people with gifts equal only to five loaves and two small fishes magnify their callings and serve without attention or recognition, feeding literally thousands. In large measure, they make possible the fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that the latter-day gospel of Christ would be like a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, rolling forth until it fills the whole earth (see Dan. 2:34–35; D&C 65:2). These are the hundreds of thousands of leaders and teachers in all of the auxiliaries and priesthood quorums, the home teachers, the Relief Society visiting teachers. These are the many humble bishops in the Church, some without formal training but greatly magnified, always learning, with a humble desire to serve the Lord and the people of their wards.” (ames E. Faust, “Five Loaves and Two Fishes,” Ensign, May 1994, 5.)
“My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.
“When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, 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. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!” (Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 82.)
“When I visited the families and leaders, I expected a somber atmosphere. Instead, I encountered strong and resilient Saints who were coping with the situation in an uplifting and inspiring way.”
Elder Dale G Renlund, “Taking on the Name of Jesus Christ”
Topics - Growth, Charity, Join him in the work, power through Christ, Heirs of God
“...focus, get over it, and do the best you can.”
“How have I changed since I linked my name with the name of Jesus Christ? Have I adopted a Christlike ethos as a result? Have I genuinely tried to become better and more like Him?”
“Remembrance means that we follow the advice given by the Book of Mormon prophet Alma.”
Alma 37:36
36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
“An outgrowth of remembering what the Savior has done for us is a third parallel—emulation...For us, the more we identify with and remember Jesus Christ, the more we want to be like Him. As His disciples, we change for the better when we focus on Him, more so than when we focus on ourselves. We strive to become like Him and seek to be blessed with His attributes.”
“As followers of Jesus Christ, we should lead the way as peacemakers. As charity becomes part of our nature, we will lose the impulse to demean others. We will stop judging others. We will have charity for those from all walks of life. Charity towards all men is essential to our progress. Charity is the foundation of a godly character.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Confidence in the Presence of God,” Liahona, May 2025, 12)
“Emulating Jesus Christ leads us to a fourth parallel—alignment with His purposes. We join Him in His work.”
“As we make additional covenants with God, we take upon ourselves more fully the name of Jesus Christ. Consequently, God blesses us with more of His power.”
“We become more spiritually receptive. We have more courage to confront seemingly impossible circumstances. We are strengthened more in our resolve to follow Jesus Christ. We more speedily repent and return to Him when we transgress. We become better at sharing His gospel with His power and authority. We help those in need while being less judgmental, far less judgmental. We retain a remission of our sins. We have greater peace, and we are more cheerful because we can always rejoice. His glory will be round about us, and His angels will have charge over us.”
“Etch His name in your heart, willingly and intentionally.”
“You will become an exalted inheritor in the kingdom of our Father in Heaven, a joint-heir with His Firstborn, our beloved Savior and Redeemer.”
Elder John D. Amos, “The Good News Recipe”
Topics - Small and simple things, Preparation for Prayer
“A few months ago, I was browsing through the Church Media Library and saw a link to a collection of short videos called Restoration Conversations with President Russell M. Nelson.”
“What do you do if something goes wrong when following the recipe? Well, embedded in the Good News Recipe is the ‘secret ingredient’ to ensure you always get it right in the end. The answer is always Jesus Christ.”
“I think we all have moments when we feel our ingredients are not good enough, or we struggle to follow the directions, or perhaps we do something out of order, or something happens that is out of our control, and so on.
“What’s the remedy? It’s simply to add more of what invites Jesus Christ into your life.”
Moroni 7:45
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Alma 37:6
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
“When you need to ‘hear Him’ and know how to invite Jesus Christ into your life, consider following the steps President Nelson taught us about personal revelation:”
“Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation.’” (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95)
Elder Ozani Farias, “The Book of Mormon—an Immeasurable Treasure on Our Journey”
Topics - Scripture study, sharing testimony, diligent, consistent
“The most significant event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites shortly after His Resurrection.”
“The Book of Mormon is … the word of God. It teaches the doctrine of Christ and explains more about the Savior’s Atonement than does any other book.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Sacrament Meeting” (address given at the seminar for new mission leaders, June 23, 2025))
“I would like to offer three suggestions that can help deepen our conversion to Jesus Christ through a study of the Book of Mormon:”
“1. Be Diligent and Consistent in Your Daily Study”
“2. Make Your Study More Meaningful by Feasting upon the Words of Christ”
“Highlight significant phrases and record your impressions to preserve what you have learned during your study.”
“3. Bear Your Testimony of the Truthfulness of the Book of Mormon”
President Dallin H. Oaks, “The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ”
Topics - Family, consistent, Repentance
“The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints centers on the family.”
“As of the April 2025 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson had announced the construction of 200 new temples. He loved to announce new temples at the conclusion of each general conference, and we all rejoiced with him. However, with the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples. Therefore, with the approval of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we will not announce any new temples at this conference.”
“The family proclamation, announced 30 years ago, declares that ‘the family is ordained of God’ and ‘is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.’ It also declares ‘that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.’”
“As then-Elder Russell M. Nelson taught a Brigham Young University audience, the family is ‘pivotal to God’s plan. … In fact, a purpose of the plan is to exalt the family.’”
“Our relationship to God and the purpose of our mortal life are explained in terms of the family.”
“We can truly say that the gospel plan was first taught to us in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our mortal families, and its intended destiny is to exalt the children of God in eternal families.”
“Despite that doctrinal context, there is opposition. In the United States we are suffering from a deterioration in marriage and childbearing.”
“It is vital that Latter-day Saints do not lose their understanding of the purpose of marriage and the value of children.”
“The national declines in marriage and childbearing are understandable for historic reasons, but Latter-day Saint values and practices should improve—not follow—those trends.”
“In contrast, in today’s urban society, few members experience consistent family-centered activities.”
“Parental influences have also been diluted by the way in which most current members of the Church earn a living. In times past, one of the great influences that unified families was the experience of struggling together in pursuit of a common goal—such as taming the wilderness or earning a living. The family was an organized and conducted unit of economic production. Today, most families are units of economic consumption, which do not require a high degree of family organization and cooperation.”
“As parental influences diminish, Latter-day Saints still have a God-given responsibility to teach their children to prepare for our family destiny in eternity.”
“We were raised in a happy home in which our deceased father was always a reality. She taught us that we had a father and she had a husband and we would always be a family because of their temple marriage.”
2 Nephi 2:2
2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.
“In relating to one another, we should remember that the perfection we seek is not limited to the stressful circumstances of mortality.”
Doctrine and Covenants 138:57–59
57 I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.
58 The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,
59 And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.
“we should all remember that the sins and inevitable shortcomings all of us experience in mortality can be forgiven through repentance because of the glorious and saving Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
“Following Christ and giving ourselves in service to one another is the best remedy for the selfishness and individualism that now seem to be so common.”
“Families unite when they do meaningful things together.”
“Families should organize family reunions to remember ancestors, which lead to the temple.”
“Parents should educate children in the basic skills of living, including working in the yard and home. Learning languages is a useful preparation for missionary service and modern life. The teachers of these subjects can be parents or grandparents or members of the extended family. Families flourish when they learn as a group and counsel together on all matters of concern to the family and its members.”
“many parents will find that they can turn their family on if they all turn their technologies off. And parents, remember, what those children really want for dinner is time with you.”
“We renew our appeal for the keeping of individual histories and accounts of sacred experiences in our lives—answered prayers, inspiration from the Lord, administrations in our behalf, a record of the special times and events of our lives. From these records you can also appropriately draw as you relay faith-promoting stories in your family circles and discussions. Stories of inspiration from our own lives and those of our forebears as well as stories from our scriptures and our history are powerful teaching tools. I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to you, each other, your children, your grandchildren, and others throughout the generations.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Therefore I Was Taught,” Ensign, Jan. 1982, 4.)
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