Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Feb 23, 2025

Sacrament Service

First Speaker 

Eph 6:10-12

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

This life is about opposition and we must use all of our might, mind, and strength to succeed.

Next Speaker 

The purpose of life is to grow.

The use of our agency will determine where and how we live through eternity.

“Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest eternal import. Far too many people live as though this life is all there is. However, your choices today will determine three things: where you will live throughout all eternity, the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and those with whom you will live forever.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!”, October 2023 General Conference)

Abraham 3

25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.

27 And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.

28 And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him.

Don't decrease your load,  increase your capacity

“My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. … Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 96; emphasis added.)

“Sadly, my friend went too far along the snowy road. As he steered the truck off of the road at the place he had determined to cut wood, he got stuck. All four of the wheels on the new truck spun in the snow. He readily recognized that he did not know what to do to extricate himself from this dangerous situation. He was embarrassed and worried.

“My friend decided, ‘Well, I will not just sit here.’ He climbed out of the vehicle and started cutting wood. He completely filled the back of the truck with the heavy load. And then my friend determined he would try driving out of the snow one more time. As he put the pickup into gear and applied power, he started to inch forward. Slowly the truck moved out of the snow and back onto the road. He finally was free to go home, a happy and humbled man.”

...

“load. It was the load of wood that provided the traction necessary for him to get out of the snow, to get back on the road, and to move forward. It was the load that enabled him to return to his family and his home.

“Each of us also carries a load. Our individual load is comprised of demands and opportunities, obligations and privileges, afflictions and blessings, and options and constraints. Two guiding questions can be helpful as we periodically and prayerfully assess our load: ‘Is the load I am carrying producing the spiritual traction that will enable me to press forward with faith in Christ on the strait and narrow path and avoid getting stuck? Is the load I am carrying creating sufficient spiritual traction so I ultimately can return home to Heavenly Father?’” 

“[In Mosiah 24:15,] The challenges and difficulties were not immediately removed from the people. But Alma and his followers were strengthened, and their increased capacity made the burdens lighter.” (Elder David A. Bednar, “Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease”, April 2014 General Conference)

Effort is what grows our self worth.

Beware of self fulfilling prophecies of doom.

Satan wants to take away our ability to choose and our ability to grow.

“When used in a manner consistent with moral truths, agency looks like a blessing, while agency used in a manner that rejects moral truths looks like a curse” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, BYU commencement exercises held in the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, April 27, 2023.)

“While I was serving as the president of Brigham Young University–Idaho, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came to the campus in December 1998 to speak in one of our weekly devotionals. Susan and I invited a group of students to meet and visit with Elder Holland before he delivered his message. As our time together was drawing to a close, I asked Elder Holland, ‘If you could teach these students just one thing, what would it be?’

“He answered:

“‘We are witnessing an ever greater movement toward polarity. The middle-ground options will be removed from us as Latter-day Saints. The middle of the road will be withdrawn.

“‘If you are treading water in the current of a river, you will go somewhere. You simply will go wherever the current takes you. Going with the stream, following the tide, drifting in the current will not do.

“‘Choices have to be made. Not making a choice is a choice. Learn to choose now.’” (Elder David A. Bednar, “We Will Prove Them Herewith”, October 2020 General Conference)

“It would be easy for Heavenly Father to simply give you all that He has. His desire is to help you become all that He is. Thus, your commitments demand more of you because that is how God is making more of you.” (Bradley R. Wilcox, “O Youth of the Noble Birthright”, October 2024 General Conference)

“Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again”, October 2024 General Conference)

Elders Quorum

Lesson was based on talks from the October 2024 General Conference:
Dale G. Renlund “This Is My Gospel”—“This Is My Church” and  L. Todd Budge - Seek Him with All Your Heart

I was sick today and was not in class.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Feb 16, 2025

Sacrament Service 
First Speaker
DnC 9:7-9
7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.

Next Speaker
Article of Faith 13
13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
1 Nephi 1
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
Psalm 25
6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
‘Since last October I have reflected repeatedly upon the phrase ‘the tender mercies of the Lord.’ Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits ‘his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men’ (D&C 46:15).” (Elder David A. Bednar, “The Tender Mercies of the Lord”, April 2005 General Conference)

Sunday School 
God doesn't have plan B.  Everything is already planned for in plan A. 
We should understand Satan's playbook. We should also understand that he is enticing and not the repulsive beast he is often depicted as. We should know his team’s playbook, but we should not become their fans.
Pray in the morning to not be tempted. Pray throughout the day to get Satan off our back.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Feb 9, 2025

Sacrament Service

Testimonies

God loves us enough to create a church to help us on our journey through life.

Christ did not weigh if each of us was worth His sacrifice.

Matthew 22
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Leviticus 19

18 ¶ Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

DnC 4:2,7

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

Matthew 7:7-8

7 ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Elders Quorum 

Lesson was based on talks from the October 2024 General Conference:

D. Todd Christofferson-  Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion and Ulisses Soares - Aligning Our Will with His

Alma 23:6-7

6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.

Alma 24:11,14-15

11 And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain

14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.

What are the weapons of rebellion that we can figuratively or literally bury?  Laziness, sports, etc

They buried their weapons to make sure we weren't tempted by them again. 

Don't put an asterisk next to my consecration. Do not put stipulations on what I will consecrate or how much. 

Rebelion can be active or passive.

Church Services This Week at Layton North Stake Layton Utah Feb 2, 2025

General Session of Stake Conference

First Speaker 

Because we may be emotional, or does not mean we can't have hope and optimism. 

“Hope is the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.” (“Topics and Questions”, “Hope”, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/hope?lang=eng)

“The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Infinite Power of Hope”, October 2008 General Conference)

If we want more hope, then increase our faith. If we want to increase our faith, then increase our charity. They are all intertwined. 

Ether 12:4

The Infinite Power of Hope

Moroni 7:40-48

40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

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.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

We can be tutored by our trials (death, loss, etc).

“Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations,” in Speeches of the Year, 1974 [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1975], p. 313).

Matthew 16

13 ¶ When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Next Speaker 

“It is significant that the Savior chose to appear to the people at the temple. It is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Focus on the Temple”, October 2022 General Conference)

Dnc 1:37

37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

Dnc 6:36

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

“We should pray frequently. We should be alone with our Heavenly Father at least two or three times each day, “morning, mid-day, and evening,” as the scriptures indicate. (Alma 34:21.) In addition, we are told to “pray always.” (2 Ne. 32:9; D&C 88:126.) This means that our “hearts should be full, drawn out in prayer unto [our Heavenly Father] continually.’ (Alma 34:27.)” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “Prayer”, April 1977 General Conference)

Matthew 9:9

9 ¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Next Speaker 

Am I prioritizing my discipleship of Jesus Christ? 

“What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good for us. Everything in life has a price. Considering the Savior’s great promise for peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come, discipleship is a price worth paying. It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. By measure, the requirements of discipleship are much, much less than the promised blessings.” (President James E. Faust, “Discipleship”, October 2006 General Conference)

To prioritize means making time for discipleship. 

Recognize God's hand in your life. 

“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.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival”, October 2016 General Conference)

Don't get caught up in worldly, temporary things. 

Next Speaker 

2 Nephi 2:27

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

“Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority. In a world filled with dizzying distractions, how can we do this?” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again”, October 2024 General Conference)

Next Speaker 

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.

“Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant”, October 2022 Liahona)

“Jesus Christ took upon Himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches, and your infirmities. You do not have to bear them alone! He will forgive you as you repent. He will bless you with what you need. He will heal your wounded soul. As you yoke yourself to Him, your burdens will feel lighter. If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again”, October 2024 General Conference)

Moroni 10

7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

“Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple, once said: ‘It [is] impossible to connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.’” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Dots Will Connect”, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults February 2025)

Next Speaker 

“Our sustaining of prophets is a personal commitment that we will do our utmost to uphold their prophetic priorities.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Sustaining the Prophets,” October 2014 General Conference)

It is hard to keep up with our hundred year old prophet. 

“I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives”, March 2025 General Conference)

Moroni 10:30

30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.

“The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families,” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints”, October 2018 General Conference)

“There is no limit to the Savior’s capacity to help you. His incomprehensible suffering in Gethsemane and on Calvary was for you! His infinite Atonement is for you!” 

...

“The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again! The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening His work. The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.”(President Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again”, October 2024 General Conference)

Next Speaker 

The blessings of having a temple close. 

Next Speaker

How can I find the savior in the temple? Through the ordinances and the covenants. 

If you are glued to God, you will learn more about him. 

Next Speaker 

Dnc 93:1

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;

2 Nephi 33:6

6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.

Jacob 7:8

8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.

Mormon 5:11

11 For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus.

Ether 12:11

11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

“He will always hear your prayers and will invariably answer them. However, His answers will seldom come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may plead for an immediate response. Rather, He will prompt you in quiet moments when the Spirit can most effectively touch your mind and heart. Hence, you should find periods of quiet time to recognize when you are being instructed and strengthened. His pattern causes you to grow.” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer”, April 2007 General Conference)

“For many years I thought of the Savior’s experience in the garden and on the cross as places where a large mass of sin was heaped upon Him. Through the words of Alma, Abinadi, Isaiah, and other prophets, however, my view has changed. Instead of an impersonal mass of sin, there was a long line of people, as Jesus felt ‘our infirmities’ (Hebrews 4:15), ‘[bore] our griefs, … carried our sorrows … [and] was bruised for our iniquities’ (Isaiah 53:4–5).” (Elder Merrill J. Bateman, “A Pattern for All”, October 2005 General Conference)

“I thank the Savior personally for bearing all which I added to his hemorrhaging at every pore for all of humanity in Gethsemane. I thank Him for bearing what I added to the decibels of His piercing soul-cry atop Calvary,” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “‘For I Will Lead You Along’”, April 1988 General Conference)

Church Services This Week at Layton North Stake Layton Utah Feb 1, 2025

Adult Session of Stake Conference

First Speaker 

“All this won’t just happen in an instant. Great marriages are built brick by brick, day after day, over a lifetime.” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “In Praise of Those Who Save”, April 2016 General Conference)

Personal foundations are also  built brick by brick, day after day, over a lifetime.

Helaman 5:12

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, 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 wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

“With apologies to Elder Neal A. Maxwell for daring to modify and enlarge something he once said, I too suggest that ‘one’s life … cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free.” It simply will not work “to glide naively through life,’ saying as we sip another glass of lemonade, ‘Lord, give me all thy choicest virtues, but be certain not to give me grief, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor opposition. Please do not let anyone dislike me or betray me, and above all, do not ever let me feel forsaken by Thee or those I love. In fact, Lord, be careful to keep me from all the experiences that made Thee divine. And then, when the rough sledding by everyone else is over, please let me come and dwell with Thee, where I can boast about how similar our strengths and our characters are as I float along on my cloud of comfortable Christianity.’” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s modification of Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s text; see Neal A. Maxwell, “Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds,” Ensign, May 1991, 88.)

2 Nephi 32:3

3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Prayer is a living discussion with our Heavenly Father.

“Even in turbulent times, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is gritty and resilient. It helps us sift through unimportant distractions. It encourages us to keep moving along the covenant path. Faith pushes through discouragement and allows us to face the future with resolve and squared shoulders. It prompts us to ask for rescue and relief as we pray to the Father in the name of His Son. And when prayerful pleas seem to go unanswered, our persistent faith in Jesus Christ produces patience, humility, and the ability to reverently utter the words ‘Thy will be done.’” (Lisa L. Harkness, “Peace, Be Still”, October 2020 General Conference)

“May we all seek and find the higher joy that comes from devoting our lives to our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “A Higher Joy”, April 2024 General Conference)

“With eternal power and infinite goodness, in God’s plan of happiness all things can work together for our good. We can face life with confidence and not fear.”

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

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“When we trust God and His love for us, even our greatest heartbreaks can, in the end, work together for our good.”

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“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.” (Elder Gerrit W. Gong, “All Things for Our Good”, April 2024 General Conference)

“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.” (Elder David A. Bednar, “‘Be Still, and Know That I Am God’”, April 2024 General Conference)

Dnc 90:24

24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

Next Speaker 

Dnc 4

Dnc 80:3

3 Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel, whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss.

Next Speaker 

Dnc 109  

8 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

“I promise you that all who faithfully attend to temple work will be blessed beyond measure.  Your families will draw closer to the Lord, unseen angels will watch over your loved ones when satanic forces tempt them.  The veil will be thin and great spiritual experiences will distill upon this people.” (Vaughn J. Featherstone, Mt. Vernon Wash. St. Conf., June1985; found in Royden G. Derrick, Temples in the Last Days, [1988], 103).

Ezekiel 47

1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.

5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

If we only go to the temple once or a few times, you are only ankle deep in what Christ has to teach us. As you go more often you immerse yourself deeper and deeper in the pure waters that Christ has for you.  Ezekiel then talks of those waters going forth and watering the desert and then proceeding far enough and being so many that the water can heal the Dead Sea.  As more of us immerses ourselves in the temple, that water go forward to those that are parched for want of the truth.  Later it goes on to heal truths that had been corrupted.

“My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Let Us All Press On”, April 2018 General Conference)

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John 14:6

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

DnC 6:36

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

Moroni 7:33

33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

“We were talking about people who have difficult lives or troubles that come. But we all do. Everybody does.” (President Jeffrey R. Holland, multistake conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Sunday, November 10, 2024.)

Hebrews 11:1

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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“It doesn’t seem possible to feel joy when your child suffers with an incurable illness or when you lose your job or when your spouse betrays you. Yet that is precisely the joy the Savior offers. His joy is constant, assuring us that our ‘afflictions shall be but a small moment’ [Doctrine and Covenants 121:7] and be consecrated to our gain.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival”, October 2016 General Conference)

“As I have watched workers dig out old tree roots, plumbing, wiring, and a leaky fountain, I have thought about the need for each of us to remove, with the Savior’s help, the old debris in our lives.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Welcome Message”, April 2021 General Conference)

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Mark 4:37

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

This is a piece of the account of Jesus sleeping during the storm on the boat that I have missed in the past.  Not only was there a storm, but apparently the boat was filling with water.

2 Nephi 4

15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

2 Nephi 4:20

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.