Saturday Morning Session
President Jeffrey R Holland, “Motions of a Hidden Fire”
“Virtually all my experience in the hospital during that first period is lost to my memory. What is not lost is my memory of a journey outside the hospital, out to what seemed the edge of eternity. I cannot speak fully of that experience here, but I can say that part of what I received was an admonition to return to my ministry with more urgency, more consecration, more focus on the Savior, more faith in His word.”
“Brothers and sisters, I testify that God hears every prayer we offer and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection.”
“If we “ask not amiss,” there are no limits to when, where, or about what we should pray. According to the revelations, we are to ‘pray always.’ We are to pray, Amulek said, for ‘those who are around you,’ with the belief that the ‘fervent prayer of a righteous [people] availeth much.’ Our prayers ought to be vocal when we have the privacy to so offer them. If that is not practical, they should be carried as silent utterances in our heart.”
“Indeed, some efforts to keep us from praying come directly from the adversary. When we don’t know how or exactly for what to pray, we should begin, and continue, until the Holy Spirit guides us into the prayer we should be offering. This approach may be the one we have to invoke when praying for our enemies and those who despitefully use us.”
“But it has always been intriguing to me that Jesus felt the need to pray at all. Wasn’t He perfect? About what did He need to pray? Well, I have come to realize that He too, with us, wanted to “seek [the Father’s] face, believe his word, and trust his grace.” Time after time, He retreated from society to be alone before piercing heaven with His prayers. At other times, He prayed in the company of a few companions. Then He would seek heaven on behalf of multitudes who would cover a hillside. Sometimes prayer glorified His clothing. Sometimes it glorified His countenance. Sometimes He stood to pray, sometimes He knelt, and at least once He fell on His face in prayer.”
“Luke describes Jesus’s descent into His expiation as requiring Him to pray “more earnestly.” How does one who was perfect pray more earnestly? We assume that all of His prayers were earnest, yet in fulfilling His atoning sacrifice and through the pain that attended its universal reach, He felt to pray ever more pleadingly, with the weight of His offering finally bringing blood from every pore.”
“Against that backdrop of Christ’s victory over death and His recent gift to me of a few more weeks or months in mortality, I bear solemn witness of the reality of eternal life and the need for us to be serious in our planning for it.”
“I bear witness that when Christ comes, He needs to recognize us—not as nominal members listed on a faded baptismal record but as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples. This is an urgent matter for all of us,”
“Brothers and sisters, as we repent of our sins and come boldly to the “throne of grace,”29 leaving before Him there our alms and our heartfelt supplications, we will find mercy and compassion and forgiveness at the benevolent hands of our Eternal Father and His obedient, perfectly pure Son. Then, with Job and all the refined faithful, we will behold a world ‘too wonderful’ to understand.”
Sister J. Anette Dennis, “Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ”
“Each person on earth is a beloved son or daughter of God. When we choose to be part of a covenant, it enhances and deepens our relationship with Him. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that when we choose to make covenants with God, our relationship with Him can become much closer than it was before our covenant, and it enables Him to bless us with an extra measure of His mercy and love, a covenantal love referred to as hesed in the Hebrew language. The covenant path is all about our relationship with God—our hesed relationship with Him.”
“Through honoring our covenants, we enable God to pour out the multitude of promised blessings associated with those covenants, including increased power to change and become more like our Savior. Jesus Christ is at the center of all covenants we make, and covenant blessings are made possible because of His atoning sacrifice.”
Galatians 3:27
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
“With our baptism we symbolically put on Christ.”
“As part of the temple endowment, we are authorized to wear the garment of the holy priesthood. It is both a sacred obligation and a sacred privilege.
“In many religious traditions, special outer clothing is worn as a symbol of a person’s beliefs and commitment to God,”
“Our temple garment reminds us that the Savior and the blessings of His Atonement cover us throughout our lives. As we put on the garment of the holy priesthood each day, that beautiful symbol becomes a part of us.”
“As I keep my covenants and obligations with God, including wearing the garment of the holy priesthood, my very life can become a personal symbol of my love and deep gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my desire to have Him with me always.”
“Study the talks of our prophet (including the beautiful teachings in the footnotes of his talks, which most conference talks have). He has spoken repeatedly about covenants for years and especially since becoming President of the Church.”
“Through a covenant relationship with God, our own lives can become a living symbol of our commitment to and deep love for our Father in Heaven, our hesed for Him,46 and our desire to progress and eventually become like our Savior, being prepared to one day enter Their presence.”
Elder Alexander Dushku, “Pillars and Rays”
“Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication.” (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Munich Germany Area Conference, 1973, 77; quoted in Graham W. Doxey, “The Voice Is Still Small,” Ensign, Nov. 1991, 25.)
“The Lord withheld marvels from me [when I was young], and showed me the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith (1998), 201)
“That is the Lord’s typical pattern, brothers and sisters. Rather than sending us a pillar of light, the Lord sends us a ray of light, and then another, and another.
“Those rays of light are continuously being poured down upon us.”
“We are living in revelation.”
“Perhaps you were reading in the Book of Mormon and a verse spoke to your soul, as if God had put it there just for you—and then you realized that He did.”
Doctrine and Covenants 18:35–36
35 For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;
36 Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words.
Elder Ulisses Soares, “Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ”
“I wondered if sometimes we get lost in the excitement of having new temples in our cities and communities and neglect the holier purpose of the sacred covenants made in the temple.”
“The result of this sacred journey is that we obtain a holier and higher confidence for our day-to-day lives within our covenants made through Jesus Christ.
“Such confidence is the pinnacle of our divine connection with God and can help us increase our devotion to and gratitude for Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. It fortifies our ability to love and serve others, and it strengthens our souls to live in an unholy world that is increasingly dark and discouraging.”
“when we enter the Lord’s house, we embark on a sacred journey of learning to become higher and holier disciples of Christ. As we make covenants in holiness before God and commit to follow the Savior, we receive the power to change our hearts, renew our spirits, and deepen our relationship with Him. Such an endeavor brings sanctification to our souls and forms a sacred bond with God and Jesus Christ, who promise that we can inherit the gift of eternal life. The result of this sacred journey is that we obtain a holier and higher confidence for our day-to-day lives within our covenants made through Jesus Christ.”
1 Nephi 3:15
15 But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.
Doctrine and Covenants 45:32
32 But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die.
“Therefore, if we change our preparation to enter the temple, we will change our experience in the temple, which will transform our lives outside of the temple.”
Doctrine and Covenants 121:45
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
“A bishop I know refers to the oldest class in Primary not as a ‘Primary’ class but as a ‘temple preparation’ class.”
“Therefore, all of us should intentionally enhance such binding by having our next appointment scheduled with the Lord in His holy house, whether the temple is near or far away.”
“I know that when the Lord sees even a spark of desire or a flicker of righteous effort in our willingness to center our lives on Him and on the ordinances and covenants we make in His house, He will bless us, in His perfect way, with the miracles and tender mercies we need.”
“The house of the Lord is where we can be transformed in higher and holier ways.”
“as we change our preparation to enter the temple, we will change our experience in the temple, which will transform our lives outside of the temple.”
Elder Jack N Gerard, “Integrity: A Christlike Attribute”
“As the Only Begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ had power over death, pain, and suffering but did not shrink. He fulfilled the covenant He had made with His Father and, in doing so, manifested a Christlike attribute increasingly important in the world in which we live—the attribute of integrity. He remained true to God, to each of us, and to His divine identity.
“Integrity means we do not lower our standards or behavior to impress or to be accepted by others. You ‘do what is right’ and ‘let the consequence follow.’”
“Likewise, we must resist the temptation to walk ‘in [our] own way, and after the image of [our] own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world.’”
“A life of integrity is not a life of perfection; it is a life in which we strive every day to foremost be true to God and within that context to be true to others.”
“Our zeal to keep [the] second commandment must not cause us to forget the first.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Two Great Commandments,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 73.)
“we, like Daniel, must rise above the worldly expectations and become the face of the true and living God at all times and in all places.”
“We [must] go out of our way to avoid any perception that our actions may be influenced by the honors of men,19 to receive personal recognition, generate more likes, be quoted or published.”
“Korihor deceived himself, and the truth was not in him.”
President Henry B Eyring, “All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants”
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
“The safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!”
“Everything we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple.”(Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 96, 94.)
“Each person who makes covenants … in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 96.)
“Honoring marriage and family covenants made in temples of God will provide protection from the evil of selfishness and pride.”
“live so that when the call comes, you can walk away easily.”
My thoughts
{
“Live so that when the call comes, you can walk away easily.” additionally brings to my mind life itself. Keeping our affairs, or lives, in order, as they say. Thus, we can walk away from life easily when death comes.
This could include having our finances in order. This could include clearing out things in our homes that are just taking up space and that someone else will have to throw away someday. This could include our spiritual lives or “being right with the Lord”.
}
Saturday Afternoon Session
Elder David A Bednar, “‘Be Still, and Know That I Am God’”
“After exiting the celestial room [at a temple open house] and as we gathered at the next location, I asked our guests if they had any observations they wanted to share. One of the journalists said with great emotion, ‘I have never experienced anything like that in my entire life. I did not know quiet like that existed in the world; I simply did not believe such stillness was possible.’”
“I was struck by both the sincerity and the starkness of this person’s statement. And the journalist’s reaction highlighted one important aspect of stillness—overcoming and tuning out the commotion of our external environment.”
Doctrine and Covenants 101:16
16 Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.
“I pray the Holy Ghost will enlighten each of us as we consider a higher and holier dimension of stillness in our lives—an inner spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.”
“I believe the Lord’s admonition to ‘be still’ entails much more than simply not talking or not moving. Perhaps His intent is for us to remember and rely upon Him and His power “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in.”4 Thus, “be still” may be a way of reminding us to focus upon the Savior unfailingly as the ultimate source of the spiritual stillness of the soul that strengthens us to do and overcome hard things.”
“In a similar way [to a building that is secured to bedrock], 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.”
“The temple is another holy place specifically set apart for worshipping and serving God and learning eternal truths. We think, act, and dress differently in the house of the Lord from any other places that we may frequent. In His holy house, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.”
“Today I repeat a principle I previously have emphasized. Our homes should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can “be still” and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior. Leaving our homes to worship on the Sabbath and in the house of the Lord certainly is essential. But only as we return to our homes with the spiritual perspective and strength obtained in those holy places and activities can we then sustain our focus upon the primary purposes of mortal life and overcome the temptations so prevalent in our fallen world.”
“As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ, we may be troubled on every side, but we will not be distressed in our minds and hearts. We may be perplexed by our circumstances and challenges, but we will not be in despair.”
“I promise that as we build the foundation of our lives on the ‘rock’ of Jesus Christ, we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost to receive an individual and spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can be blessed to do and overcome hard things.”
Elder Massimo De Feo, “Rise! He Calleth Thee”
“Technically, in the eyes of many, Jesus was just the son of Joseph, so why did Bartimaeus call Him ‘Son of David’? Simply because he recognized that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, who was prophesied to be born as a descendant of David.
“It is interesting that this blind man, who didn’t have physical sight, recognized Jesus. He saw spiritually what he couldn’t see physically, while many others could see Jesus physically but were totally blind spiritually.”
“We read, ‘And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.’
“All around him were telling him to be quiet, but he cried out even more because he knew who Jesus really was. He ignored those voices and screamed even louder.
“He acted instead of being acted upon. Despite his limited circumstances, he used his faith to go beyond his limitations.“
“the first principle we learn is we keep a clear spiritual vision when we focus on Jesus Christ and stay true to what we know to be true.”
“Among all the voices of the world, the Lord is counting on me and you to declare our testimonies, to raise our voice, and to become His voice.”
“As long as we make excuses to feel sorry for ourselves, sorry for our circumstances and problems, and sorry for all the bad things happening in our lives and even all the bad people who we think make us unhappy, we keep the beggar’s coat on our shoulders. It is true that at times people, consciously or not, hurt us. But we need to decide to act with faith in Christ by removing the mental and emotional coat that we might still wear to hide excuses or sin and throw it away, knowing that He can and will heal us.”
“second principle: we keep a clear spiritual vision when we leave the natural man behind, repent, and begin a new life in Christ.”
“Acting in faith means to rely on our Savior, believing that through His Atonement, we can rise above everything at His command.”
“And this is a third principle: we keep a clear spiritual vision when we hear the voice of the Lord and allow Him to guide us.”
“May we cry our testimony of Him louder than the voices around us in a world that needs to hear more of Jesus Christ and not less. May we remove the beggar’s coat that we might still wear and rise above the world to a better life in and through Christ. May we get rid of all excuses not to follow Jesus Christ and find all good reasons to follow Him as we hear His voice.”
Elder Brent H Nielson, “A Record of What I Have Both Seen and Heard”
Doctrine and Covenants 107:25
25 The Seventy are also called to preach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
3 Nephi 17:16
16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;
“I testify that based upon what I have both seen and heard,”
My thoughts
{
We should Testify about what we have both seen and heard, even if we are not a general authority.
}
Matthew 28:19
19 ¶ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mosiah 2:41
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Elder Jose L. Alonso, “Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives”
Alma 36:3
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
Helaman 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.
“Jesus chose to give thanks to His Father, acknowledging God’s provision over His authority and power.”
“Jesus Christ exemplified the power of focusing on His Father, offering gratitude, and acknowledging that solutions to our trials do not always lie within ourselves but with God.”
“By placing Christ at the core of our thoughts and deeds, we align ourselves with His outlook and strength. This adjustment does not discount our struggles; instead, it helps us to navigate through them under divine guidance. As a result, we discover solutions and support that arise from a higher wisdom.”
“Jesus is the living water, fulfilling the deepest needs of our souls with His constant love and kindness.”
Elder Garrett W Gong, “All Things for Our Good”
Doctrine and Covenants 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.
“Jesus Christ’s Atonement can deliver and redeem us from sin. But Jesus Christ also intimately understands our every pain, affliction, sickness, sorrow, separation.”
“He helps heal the broken and disparaged, reconcile the angry and divided, comfort the lonely and isolated, encourage the uncertain and imperfect, and bring forth miracles possible only with God.”
“We become our truest, best selves only as we put off the natural man or woman and become a child before God.”
“We increase faith and trust in the Lord that all things can work together for our good as we gain eternal perspective; understand our trials may be ‘but for a small moment’; recognize affliction can be consecrated for our gain; acknowledge accidents, untimely death, debilitating illness, and disease are part of mortality;”
“When trials come, often what we most want is for someone to listen and be with us. In the moment, cliché answers can be unhelpful, however comforting their intent. Sometimes we yearn for someone who will grieve, ache, and weep with us; let us express pain, frustration, sometimes even anger; and acknowledge with us there are things we do not know.”
Job 1
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
“Things work together for good when we minister as Jesus Christ would.”
“Ministering is when we go from being neighbors who bring cookies to trusted friends, spiritual first responders.”
Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
“Let regular temple worship and service bless, protect, and inspire you and your family—the family you have or the family you will have and become someday.”
Brother Michael T. Nelson, “In Support of the Rising Generation”
Alma 58
10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.
11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.
“We learn from Helaman that these young men were supported by their parents. These faithful parents knew they had the primary responsibility for teaching their children. They taught their children to keep the commandments and ‘walk uprightly’ before God. Their mothers taught them ‘that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.’ Their fathers set a powerful example of covenant making. These former warriors knew the horrors of battle. They entrusted their inexperienced sons to Helaman’s care and supported them by sending ‘many provisions.’”
“The needed guidance for leaders and parents is found in the Gospel Library and the Gospel Living apps. In these inspired resources, we can find the scriptures, teachings of modern prophets, and the General Handbook. The Youth tab in the Gospel Library has many resources for quorum and class presidencies and has For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices. As all members of the ward study these inspired sources and seek guidance from the Spirit, everyone will be directed by the Lord in strengthening the youth.”
“We express our confidence in the youth by offering support and direction without taking over. As we step back and allow the youth to learn through counseling together, choosing an inspired course, and putting their plan into action, they will experience true joy and growth.”
Elder Quentin L Cook, “Be One with Christ”
“The requirements for baptism, while profound, are uniquely simple. They primarily include humility before God, a broken heart and contrite spirit, repenting of all sins, taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ, enduring to the end, and showing by our works that we have received of the Spirit of Christ.”
“The requirements for baptism, while profound, are uniquely simple. They primarily include humility before God, a broken heart and contrite spirit, repenting of all sins, taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ, enduring to the end, and showing by our works that we have received of the Spirit of Christ.”
“A fundamental doctrine of our faith is that we do have moral agency, which includes free will. Agency is the ability to choose and act. It is essential to the plan of salvation. Without moral agency, we could not learn, progress, or choose to be one with Christ. Because of moral agency, we ‘are free to choose liberty and eternal life.’ In the premortal Council in Heaven, the Father’s plan included agency as an essential element. Lucifer rebelled and ‘sought to destroy the agency of man.’ Accordingly, the privilege of having a mortal body was denied to Satan and those who followed him.”
“We are free to choose and act, but we do not control the consequences.”
My thoughts
{
If we move away from God, his protection will not be there. Thus, Satan can beat on us more.
}
“Please understand I am not advocating less interest in education or occupation. What I am saying is that when efforts relating to education and occupation are elevated above the family or being one with Christ, the unintended consequences can be significantly adverse.”
Saturday Evening Session
Elder Shayne M. Bowen, “Miracles, Angels, and Priesthood Power”
“Many today say that miracles no longer exist, that angels are fictional, and that the heavens are closed. I testify that miracles have not ceased, angels are among us, and the heavens are truly open.”
“When our Savior, Jesus Christ, was on the earth, He gave priesthood keys to His chief Apostle, Peter. Through these keys, Peter and the other Apostles led the Savior’s Church. But when those Apostles died, the keys of the priesthood were taken from the earth.”
“I testify that miracles and ministrations are continually occurring in our lives, often as a direct result of priesthood power. Some priesthood blessings are fulfilled immediately, in ways we can see and understand. Others are unfolding gradually and will not be fully realized in this life. But God keeps all of His promises, always,”
“Eight months later, after receiving his earthly body, Tyson returned home to Heavenly Father. He is our guardian angel son. We feel his influence in our family and look forward to being with him again.”
“I witness that miracles have not ceased, angels are among us, and the heavens are open. And oh, how open they are!”
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, “Foreordained to Serve”
“Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time. You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this precise time, to be a leader in His great work on earth.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Decisions for Eternity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 107.)
“Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place. …
“For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. … Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Preaching the Gospel of Peace,” Liahona, May 2022, 6.)
“During your premortal life, you ‘developed [your] identity and increased [your] spiritual capabilities.’”
“Before you were born, God appointed each of you to fulfill specific missions during your mortal life upon the earth.”
“Foreordination does not guarantee that you will receive certain callings or responsibilities. These blessings and opportunities come in this life as a result of your righteous exercise of agency, just as your foreordination in your premortal life came as a result of righteousness.”
“Why does it matter to seek to know and understand your foreordination? In a day when questions abound, when so many seek to know their true identity, the fact that God knows and has blessed each one of us individually before we were ever born on this earth with ‘essential characteristic[s] of … premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose’ brings sweet peace and assurance to our mind and heart. Knowing who you are begins with understanding God’s foreordained blessings bestowed upon you before you were ever born on this earth. Our Heavenly Father desires to reveal to you your personal foreordination, and He will do so as you seek to learn and follow His will.”
“striving to protect the private times of my life has remained an anchor amid the storms of life and has enabled me to seek safe haven and the healing, strengthening blessings of our Savior’s love and atoning sacrifice.”
“My young brothers and sisters, as you protect the private times of your life with wholesome recreation; listening to uplifting music; reading the scriptures; having regular, meaningful prayer; and making efforts to receive and ponder your patriarchal blessing, you will receive revelation.”
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, “Faithful to the End”
“Among the Israelite people lived David, a young shepherd much smaller than Goliath but with a giant faith in Jesus Christ!”
“Previously, David had fought a lion and also a bear. From his own experience, he knew that God had protected him and made him victorious. To David, the cause of God was the most important cause. So, full of faith in a God who would not abandon him, he gathered five smooth stones, took up his sling, and went to face the giant.”
“While David used only one stone to kill Goliath, he was prepared with five. With five! This makes me think about how I can prepare myself to face the world.”
“What if each of David’s stones represented a strength we need to be triumphant in our lives? What could those five stones be? I thought of these possibilities:
“The stone of my love for God.
“The stone of my faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
“The stone of the knowledge of my true identity.
“The stone of my daily repentance.
“The stone of my access to God’s power.”
“When your love for Heavenly Father is the most important influence in your life, many decisions become easier.”
“Repentance isn’t punishment for sin; it is the way the Savior frees us from sin. To repent means to change―to turn away from sin and toward God. It means to improve and receive forgiveness. This kind of change is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process.”
“A house doesn’t survive in a storm because the house is strong. It also doesn’t survive just because the rock is strong. The house survives the storm because it is firmly attached to that strong rock. It’s the strength of the connection to the rock that matters.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “For the Strength of Youth: The Savior’s Message to You,” For the Strength of Youth, Mar. 2024, 38.)
Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, “Fruit That Remains”
“If we make and keep covenants with God, the blessings associated with our covenants can extend beyond this life and be sealed upon us, or preserved, forever, becoming fruit that remains for all eternity.”
“begin with the end in mind. … Surely, for each of us, the ‘end’ we would most like to achieve is to live forever with our families in an exalted state where we will be in the presence of God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ.” (Russell M. Nelson, Heart of the Matter: What 100 Years of Living Have Taught Me (2023), 15. All covenants must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise if they are to have force after the resurrection of the dead (see Doctrine and Covenants 132:7).)
“Celestial marriage is a pivotal part of preparation for eternal life. It requires one to be married to the right person, in the right place, by the right authority, and to obey that sacred covenant faithfully. Then one may be assured of exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God.”(Russell M. Nelson, “Celestial Marriage,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 94.)
Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4
1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;
2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.
4 He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.
“We learn here that one can be in the celestial kingdom, or dwell in the presence of God, and be single. But to be exalted in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, one must enter into marriage by the proper authority and then be true to the covenants made in that marriage. As we are faithful to these covenants, the Holy Spirit of Promise can seal our marriage covenant. Such sealed blessings become fruit that remains.”
“there are two types of bonds when we enter into this eternal marriage covenant: a lateral bond between husband and wife, and a vertical bond with God. To have the blessings of exaltation sealed upon us and remain after this life, we must be true to both the lateral and the vertical bonds of the covenant.”
DnC 42
22 Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.
“For those who are married, to cleave unto her or him and none else means you counsel together in love, you love and care for each other, you prioritize time with your spouse over outside interests, and you call upon God to help you overcome your weaknesses.”
“It also means there is no emotional intimacy or sexual relations of any kind outside of your marriage, including flirting or dating, and there is no pornography, which engenders lust.”
“We also know that He [God] will force no one into a sealing relationship against his or her will. The blessings of a sealed relationship are assured for all who keep their covenants but never by forcing a sealed relationship on another person who is unworthy or unwilling.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory,” 29;)
“If you remain faithful to the covenants you made when you were endowed, you will receive the personal blessings promised to you in the endowment even if your spouse has broken his or her covenants or withdrawn from the marriage. If you were sealed and later divorced, and if your sealing is not canceled, the personal blessings of that sealing remain in effect for you if you remain faithful.”
“Sometimes, due to feelings of betrayal and very real hurt, a faithful spouse may want to cancel their sealing with their unfaithful spouse to get as far away as possible from them, both on earth and for eternity. If you are concerned that you will somehow be tied to an unrepentant former spouse, remember, you will not! God will not require anyone to remain in a sealed relationship throughout eternity against his or her will. Heavenly Father will ensure that we will receive every blessing that our desires and choices allow.”
“in the Lord’s own way and time, no blessings will be withheld from His faithful Saints. The Lord will judge and reward each individual according to heartfelt [desires] as well as deed.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Celestial Marriage,” 94.)
“If you have broken your temple covenants, I urge you to turn to Jesus Christ, counsel with your bishop, repent, and open your soul to the mighty healing power available because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “A Higher Joy”
“I would like to speak about this higher joy—where it comes from, how it enters our hearts, and how we can experience it in greater measure.”
“It probably goes without saying that everyone wants to be happy.4 Nevertheless, it also goes without saying that not everyone is happy. Sadly, it seems that for many people, happiness is hard to find.”
“If happiness is the one thing we humans desire most, why are we so unsuccessful at finding it? To paraphrase a country song, maybe we’ve been looking for joy in all the wrong places.”
“Before we discuss how to find joy, allow me to acknowledge that depression and other difficult mental and emotional challenges are real, and the answer is not simply ‘Try to be happier.’ My purpose today is not to diminish or trivialize mental health issues.”
2 Nephi 2
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
“The peace He gives us is not like what the world gives. It’s better. It’s higher and holier.”
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
“By inviting everyone and sharing the Savior’s good news of great joy, we do not discount any of these sources of joy. We’re simply saying that God has something more to give. A higher and more profound joy—a joy that transcends anything this world offers.”
“I have learned that if we draw near to God and reach out to touch Him, we can indeed find healing, peace, and joy.”
“If we seek reasons to be angry, to doubt, to be bitter or alone, we will find them too.
“However, if we seek joy—if we look for reasons to rejoice and to happily follow the Savior, we will find them.
“We rarely find something we are not looking for.”
“Can it be that in our search for joy, the best way to find it is to bring joy to others?
“Brothers and sisters, you know and I know this is true! Joy is like a barrel of flour or a jar of oil that will never run out. True joy multiplies when it is shared.
“It doesn’t require something grand or complicated.
“We can do simple things.”
“During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to:
“Spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God.
“Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy.
“Bring joy to others around you.”
“as you search the word of God for a deeper understanding of God’s eternal plan, accept these invitations, and strive to walk in His Way, you will experience ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,’ even in the midst of sorrows. You will feel a greater measure of God’s unsurpassable love swelling within your heart. The dawn of celestial light will penetrate the shadows of your trials, and you will begin to taste the unspeakable glories and wonders of the unseen, perfect, heavenly sphere. You will feel your spirit lifting away from the gravity of this world.”
Sunday Morning Session
Elder Ronald A Rasband, “Words Matter”
“[Words] are the bedrock of how we connect; they represent our beliefs, morals, and perspectives. Sometimes we speak words; other times we listen. Words set a tone. They voice our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, for good or bad.”
“On the other hand, words can celebrate victory, be hopeful and encouraging. They can prompt us to rethink, reboot, and redirect our course. Words can open our minds to truth.
“That is why, first and foremost, the Lord’s words matter.”
Alma 31
5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.
Matthew 24
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
John 14
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
“If you will study His words, your ability to be more like Him will increase.”(Russell M. Nelson, “I Studied More Than 2,200 Scriptures about the Savior in Six Weeks: Here Is a Little of What I Learned,” Inspiration (blog), Feb. 28, 2017, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.)
“We ‘hear Him’ in the words of scripture, but do we let them just sit on the page, or do we recognize He is speaking to us? Do we change?”
“the words of prophets matter.
“Prophets testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ. They teach His gospel and show His love for all.”
“As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change, … you will view trials and opposition in a new light, … [and] your faith will increase.”
“In this world burdened with confusion and contention, we all need that perspective[,to see things as they really are by thinking celestial].”.
“The obligation that we make when we raise our hands … is a most sacred one. … It means … that we will stand behind him; we will pray for him; … and we will strive to carry out his instructions as the Lord shall direct.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith (2011), 64.)
“May we think celestial, letting Thy Spirit prevail in our lives, and strive to be peacemakers always.”
“In our families, especially with husbands, wives, and children, our words can bring us together or drive a wedge between us.”
“Do not save these humble phrases [(‘Thank you’, ‘I am sorry’, ‘I love you’)] for a special event or catastrophe. Use them often and sincerely, for they show regard for others. Talk is growing cheap; do not follow that pattern.”
“Before my full-time assignment in the Church, I traveled widely for my company. I was gone a fair amount of time to far reaches of the world. At the end of my day, no matter where I was, I always called home. When my wife, Melanie, picked up the phone and I reported in, our conversation always led us to expressing ‘I love you.’ Every day, those words served as an anchor to my soul and my conduct; they were a protection to me from evil designs. ‘Melanie, I love you’ spoke of the precious trust between us.”
“President Thomas S. Monson used to say, ‘There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save.’ Saying ‘thank you,’ ‘I am sorry,’ ‘I love you’ will do just that.”
President Susan H Porter, “Pray, He Is There”
“Girls and boys, wherever you are in the world, I want to share something with you.
“Our Heavenly Father loves you! You are His child. He knows you. He wants to bless you. I pray with all my heart that you will feel His love.”
“What a blessing prayer is! We can talk to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.”
“What gifts can you pray for? There are many, but today I want to share three:
“Pray to know.
“Pray to grow.
“Pray to show.”
“pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. … And then listen!” (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95.)
“Praying every day will fill you with love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This will help you want to follow Them your whole life!”
Elder Dale G Renlund
“By consistently paddling the kayak, I maintained momentum and forward progress, mitigating the effect of waves hitting me from the side. The same principle applies in our spiritual lives. We become vulnerable when we slow down and especially when we stop. If we maintain spiritual momentum by continually “rowing” toward the Savior, we are safer and more secure because our eternal life depends on our faith in Him.”
“Indeed, the elements of the doctrine of Christ—such as faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, entering a covenant relationship with the Lord through baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end—are not intended to be experienced as one-time, check-the-box events. In particular, “enduring to the end” is not really a separate step in the doctrine of Christ—as though we complete the first four elements and then hunker down, grit our teeth, and wait to die. No, enduring to the end is repeatedly and iteratively applying the other elements of the doctrine of Christ, creating the ‘powerful virtuous cycle’ that President Nelson described.”
“Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be nourished daily. It is nourished as we pray daily, study the scriptures daily, reflect on the goodness of God daily, repent daily, and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost daily. Just as it is not healthy to defer eating all our food until Sunday and then binge our weekly allotment of nutrition, it is not spiritually healthy to restrict our testimony-nourishing behavior to one day in the week.”
“The sacrament does not replace baptism, but it links the initial elements in the doctrine of Christ—faith and repentance—with reception of the Holy Ghost.”
“To be clear, baptismal and temple covenants are not, in and of themselves, the source of power. The source of power is the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Making and keeping covenants create a conduit for Their power in our lives.”
“As we live according to these covenants, we eventually become inheritors to all that Heavenly Father has.”
“Consider how the expedition guide helped me after I flipped over in the kayak. He did not shout from afar an unhelpful question such as, “Mr. Renlund, what are you doing in the water?” He did not paddle up and chide me, saying, “Mr. Renlund, you would not be in this situation if you were more physically fit.” He did not start towing my kayak while I was just trying to get on top of it. And he did not correct me in front of the group. Instead, he gave me the help I needed at the time I needed it. He gave me advice when I was receptive. And he went out of his way to encourage me.
“As we minister to others, we do not need to ask unhelpful questions or state the obvious. Most people who are struggling know that they are struggling. We should not be judgmental; our judgment is neither helpful nor welcome, and it is most often ill-informed.”
“Comparing ourselves to others can lead us to make pernicious errors, especially if we conclude that we are more righteous than those who are struggling. Such a comparison is like drowning hopelessly in three meters of water, seeing someone else drowning in four meters of water, judging him a greater sinner, and feeling good about yourself.”
2 Nephi 10
24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.
“We all need the Savior’s infinite Atonement, not just part of it.”
3 Nephi 18
32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.
“The Savior’s job is to heal. Our job is to love—to love and minister in such a way that others are drawn to Jesus Christ.”
“I invite you to live the doctrine of Christ repeatedly, iteratively, and intentionally and help others on their way.”
Elder Paul B Pieper, “Trust in the Lord”
“Each of us is a beloved spirit son or daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. But while that spiritual genealogy provides a foundation, it does not of itself create a meaningful relationship with God.”
“Knowing that we would not always make good choices, He also prepared a way for us to escape from the consequences of bad choices. He provided us a Savior—His Son, Jesus Christ”
“[His] goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right and ultimately become like Him.” (Dale G. Renlund, “Choose You This Day,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 104.)
“With time and study, Leonid gained a better understanding of God’s character and experienced feeling God’s love. Eventually, prayer became a natural way for him to express thanks and the love he was feeling for God.”
Proverbs 3
5 ¶ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
“God is focused on our growth and progress. He is the Master Teacher, the complete coach who is always stretching us to help us realize more of our divine potential. That will always include a future invitation to trust Him just a little bit more.”
“successive experiences gave Nephi even stronger confidence in God for the enormous, trust-stretching task he would soon face of building a ship.”
“The good news is that regardless of the trust we may or may not have chosen to place in God in the past, we can choose to trust God today and every day going forward. forward. I promise that each time we do, God will be there to catch us, and our relationship of trust will grow stronger and stronger until the day that we become one with Him and His Son.”
Elder Patrick Kearon, “God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home”
“Beyond that, it has been said that behind every new Apostle stands an astonished mother-in-law. I don’t know if that has actually been said, but in this case, it certainly could be. And I suspect that the fact that my mother-in-law is no longer with us does nothing to reduce her astonishment.”
“our Father’s...plan is designed to bring you home, not to keep you out...In fact, it is the exact opposite. God is in relentless pursuit of you. He ‘wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,’ and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.”
“The intent of the Father’s great plan of happiness is your happiness, right here, right now, and in the eternities. It is not to prevent your happiness and cause you instead worry and fear.
“It is not to leave you as you are.”
“not. Surely one of Jesus’s most consistent invitations and pleas during His mortal ministry was that we change and repent and come unto Him. Fundamentally implicit in all of His teachings to live on a higher plane of moral conduct is a call to personal progression, to transformative faith in Christ, to a mighty change of heart.”
“God wants for us a radical reorientation of our selfish and prideful impulses, the eviction of the natural man, for us to ‘go, and sin no more.’”
“If we believe the intent of the Father’s all-reaching plan is to save us, redeem us, extend mercy to us, and thereby bring us happiness, what is the intent of the Son through whom this great plan is brought about?
“The Son tells us Himself: ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.’”
“Jesus’s will is the benevolent Father’s will! He wants to make it possible for every last one of His Father’s children to receive the end goal of the plan—eternal life with Them. None is excluded from this divine potential.”
“Infinite [Atonement] means infinite. Infinite covers you and those you love.”
“The Saviour, the Good Shepherd, goes in search of His lost sheep until He finds them. He is ‘not willing that any should perish.’”
“He did not refuse the penitent—no matter their sin. And He will not refuse you or those you love when you bring to Him your broken hearts and contrite spirits.”
Elder Brian K Taylor, “Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ”
“In the New Testament we learn of blind Bartimaeus, who cried out to Jesus desiring a miracle. ‘Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight.’
“On another occasion a man in Bethsaida longed for healing. In contrast, this miracle did not come instantly. Rather, Jesus blessed him twice before he “was restored.”
“In a third example, the Apostle Paul “besought the Lord thrice” in his affliction, and yet, to our knowledge, his earnest supplication was not granted.
“Three different people. Three unique experiences.”
“Why do some receive their yearned-for miracles quickly, while others patiently endure, waiting upon the Lord? We may not know the why, yet gratefully, we know He who ‘loveth [us]’ and ‘[doeth] all things for [our] welfare and happiness.’”
2 Nephi 2
2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education. … All … that we [patiently] endure … builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our [heavenly parents].” (Orson F. Whitney, in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006), 16.)
1 Nephi 20
10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
“My hands are not the hands that save. Those hands belong to the Savior! Instead of looking at my scars as a reminder of what I was not able to do, I remember the scars my Savior bears.”
“To avoid the darkness of discontent and instead find greater peace, hope, and even joy during life’s difficult challenges, I share three divine principles as invitations.”
“One—stronger faith comes by putting Jesus Christ first.”
“Two—brighter hope comes by envisioning our eternal destiny.”
“After having been inclosed in the walls of a prison for five months it seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before. … I think I never could have felt as I do now if I had not suffered the wrongs that I have suffered.” (Joseph Smith, letter to Presendia Huntington Buell, Mar. 15, 1839, josephsmithpapers.org.)
“Three—greater power comes by focusing on joy.”
“I see in so many of you this joy...even though your bitter cups have not yet been removed.”
Mosiah 24
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
President Dallin H Oaks, “Covenants and Responsibilities”
“A covenant is a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities. Personal commitments are essential to the regulation of our individual lives and to the functioning of society. This idea is currently being challenged.”
“we know from millennia of experience that persons give up some individual freedoms to gain the advantages of living in organized communities. Such relinquishments of individual freedoms are principally based on commitments or covenants, expressed or implied.”
“Here are some examples of covenant responsibilities in our society: (1) judges, (2) military, (3) medical personnel, and (4) firefighters. All of those involved in these familiar occupations make a commitment—often formalized by oath or covenant—to perform their assigned duties. The same is true of our full-time missionaries. Distinctive clothing or name tags are intended to signify that the wearer is under covenant and therefore has a duty to teach and serve and should be supported in that service. A related purpose is to remind the wearers of their covenant responsibilities. There is no magic in their distinctive clothing or symbols, only a needed reminder of the special responsibilities the wearers have assumed. This is also true of the symbols of the engagement and wedding rings and their role in giving notice to observers or reminding wearers of covenant responsibilities.”
“the Abrahamic covenant is fundamental to several great religious traditions. It introduces the holy idea of God’s covenant promises with His children. The Old Testament frequently refers to God’s covenant with Abraham and his seed.”
“The first part of the Book of Mormon, which was written during the Old Testament period, clearly demonstrates the role of covenants in the Israelite history and worship. Nephi was told that the Israelite writings of that period were ‘a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel.’ The books of Nephi make frequent reference to the Abrahamic covenant and to Israel as ‘the covenant people of the Lord.’”
“Hebrews also refers to Jesus as ‘the mediator of the new covenant.’ Significantly, the biblical account of the Savior’s mortal ministry is titled ‘The New Testament,’ a virtual synonym for ‘The New Covenant.’”
“‘witness’ (which means solemnly testify)”
Doctrine and Covenants 1:15
15 For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;
“We have been reminded by many speakers at this conference that President Russell M. Nelson often refers to the plan of salvation as the ‘covenant path’ that ‘leads us back to [God]’ and ‘is all about our relationship with God.’”
“Those who lived faithful to those covenants were promised eternal life, wherein ‘all things are theirs’ and they ‘shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.’” (See DnC 76:59,62)
“Persons who have been endowed in a temple are responsible to wear a temple garment, an article of clothing not visible because it is worn beneath outer clothing.”
“To achieve those holy purposes, we are instructed to wear temple garments continuously, with the only exceptions being those obviously necessary.”
“persons who wear their garments faithfully and keep their temple covenants continually affirm their role as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“The ordinances and associated covenants of the temple are requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom, which is eternal life, ‘the greatest of all the gifts of God.’”
Doctrine and Covenants 14:7
7 And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.
Elder D Todd Christofferson, “The Testimony of Jesus”
“President Dallin H. Oaks spoke about these ‘kingdoms of glory’ last October, noting that ‘through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb,’ all but a relatively few individuals are eventually redeemed into one of these kingdoms, ‘according to the desires manifested through their choices.’”
“Note that the distinguishing characteristic for the inhabitants of each kingdom is how they relate to ‘the testimony of Jesus,’ ranging from (1) wholehearted devotion to (2) not being valiant to (3) outright rejection. On each person’s reaction hangs his or her eternal future.”
“At least some of those who will be found in the terrestrial kingdom also accept the testimony of Jesus, but they are distinguished by what they don’t do about it. Not being valiant in the witness of the Savior suggests a degree of apathy or casualness—being ‘lukewarm’— as opposed to the people of Ammon in the Book of Mormon, for example, who were ‘distinguished for their zeal towards God.’”
Mosiah 16:12
12 Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires; having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended towards them; for the arms of mercy were extended towards them, and they would not; they being warned of their iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were commanded to repent and yet they would not repent.
“Being valiant in the testimony of Jesus surely includes nurturing and strengthening that testimony. True disciples do not ignore the seemingly small things that sustain and strengthen their testimony of Jesus, such as prayer, study of the scriptures, Sabbath observance, partaking of the sacrament, repentance, ministering, and worship in the house of the Lord.”
“President Nelson reminds us that “with frightening speed, a testimony that is not nourished daily ‘by the good word of God’ [Moroni 6:4] can crumble.”
“Being valiant also suggests being open and public about one’s witness.” {Which does not mean doing it in a pushy manner”}
“One aspect of being valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to heed His messengers. God does not force us into the better path, the covenant path, but He instructs His prophets to make us fully aware of the consequences of our choices.”
Being valiant in the testimony of Jesus means encouraging others, by word and example, to likewise be valiant, especially those of our own families.
“Elder Neal A. Maxwell once addressed ‘the essentially ‘honorable’ members [of the Church] who are skimming over the surface instead of deepening their discipleship and who are casually engaged rather than “anxiously engaged” [Doctrine and Covenants 76:75; 58:27].’”
“Unfortunately, however, when some choose slackness, they are choosing not only for themselves, but for the next generation and the next. Small equivocations in parents can produce large deviations in their children! Earlier generations in a family may have reflected dedication, while some in the current generation evidence equivocation. Sadly, in the next, some may choose dissension, as erosion takes its toll.” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Settle This in Your Hearts,” October 1992 general conference)
“I love all of you and I want us to be together, forever, as a family. And the only way that can be is for all of us to be good members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and be sealed by the holy priesthood in the temple. This is not the branch president’s church. It is the Church of Jesus Christ. We will not allow any man or any hurt or embarrassment or pride to keep us from being together forever. Next Sunday we will go back to church. We will stay by ourselves until our daughter’s sickness is known, but we will go back.”
“As repentance may be needed, ‘do not procrastinate the day of your repentance,’ lest ‘in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.’ Be zealous in keeping your covenants with God. Do not be ‘offended [by] the strictness of the word.’”
“Our Father wants all His children who will to enjoy eternal life with Him in His celestial kingdom. Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected to make that possible.”
Elder Taylor G Godoy, “Call, Don’t Fall”
“In a world going through times of uncertainty, pain, disappointment, and heartbreak, we might feel inclined to rely more on personal abilities and preferences, as well as the knowledge and security that come from the world. This could cause us to put in the background the real source of succor and support that can counter the challenges of this mortal life.”
I remember an occasion when I was hospitalized for an illness, and it was difficult for me to sleep. When I turned off the lights and the room became dark, I saw a reflective sign on the ceiling in front of me that said, ‘Call, don’t fall.’ To my surprise, the next day I observed the same message repeated in several parts of the room.
“Is there a promise more powerful than the one the Savior Himself made when He declared, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,’ or call, ‘and it shall be opened unto you’?”
“The certainty of knowing that we are children of a loving and merciful Heavenly Father should be the motivation to ‘call’ in devout prayer with an attitude of ‘pray[ing] always, and not faint[ing]; … that [our] performance may be for the welfare of [our] soul[s].’ Imagine the feelings of Heavenly Father when in each prayer we make a supplication in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. What power and tenderness, I believe, are displayed when we do so!”
“The scriptures are full of examples of those who called out to God so they would not fall.”
“Praying—calling—can be a sign of our hope. But taking action after praying is a sign that our faith is real—faith that is tested in moments of pain, fear, or disappointment.”
“I suggest you consider the following:
“1. Always think of the Lord as your first option for help.
“2. Call, don’t fall. Turn to God in sincere prayer.
“3. After praying, do all you can to obtain the blessings you prayed for.
“4. Humble yourselves to accept the answer in His time and His way.
“5. Don’t stop! Keep moving forward on the covenant path while you wait for an answer.”
“Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray?
“In the name of Christ, our Savior, Did you sue for loving favor As a shield today?
“Oh, how praying rests the weary!
“Prayer will change the night to day.
“So, when life gets dark and dreary, Don’t forget to pray.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, “Bridging the Two Great Commandments”
“The first, to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind.
In this answer, Jesus Christ condenses the essence of the law embodied in the sacred teachings of the Old Testament. To love the Lord centers first on your heart—your very nature.”
“President Russell M. Nelson taught: ‘Giving help to others—making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves—is our joy. Especially … when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone. Living that second great commandment is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.’”
“Alternatively, there are those who emphasize the importance of loving others without acknowledgment that we are all accountable to God. Some refuse entirely the notion that there is such a thing as absolute truth or right and wrong and believe that the only thing required of us is complete tolerance and acceptance of the choices of others. Either of these imbalances could cause your spiritual bridge to tip or even fall.”
“President Dallin H. Oaks described this when he said: ‘We are commanded to love everyone, since Jesus’s parable of the good Samaritan teaches that everyone is our neighbor. But our zeal to keep this second commandment must not cause us to forget the first, to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.’”
“Over time, with prayerful and thoughtful planning, rough ideas are refined. New actions become habits. Early drafts become polished blueprints. We build our personal spiritual bridge with hearts and minds devoted to Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son as well as to our brothers and sisters with whom we work, play, and live.”
Elder Mathias Held, “Opposition in All Things”
“To be able to exercise our agency, we need to have opposing options to consider. In doing so, the Book of Mormon also reminds us that we have been ‘instructed sufficiently’ and that ‘the Spirit of Christ’ has been given to every one of us to ‘know good from evil.’”
“As when I took a wrong turn on that highway, suffering from the consequences of our own poor decisions can often be especially painful because we only have ourselves to blame. Nevertheless, we can always choose to receive comfort through the divine process of repentance, make wrong things right again, and in doing so learn some life-changing lessons.
“Adjust, learn, seek, choose are all action verbs. Remember that we are agents and not objects.”
“Feeling hungry at times helps us to be especially grateful when we do have enough to eat again.”
“Feelings of sadness when loved ones depart are later compensated with the joy of meeting again.”
“Never forget to be grateful. Choose to believe. Choose to have faith in Jesus Christ. Choose to always trust God. Choose to ‘think celestial,’ as President Russell M. Nelson recently taught us!”
Elder Neal L Anderson, “Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth”
“The Lord warned that in the last days, there would be distress among nations, people would ‘be lovers of their own selves,’ ‘all things [would] be in commotion,’ confusion would abound, and ‘men’s hearts [would] fail them.’ We have certainly seen men’s and women’s hearts fail them: the enticements of the world, the distraction of alluring voices, the neglect of spiritual nourishment, the fatigue from the demands of discipleship.”
“As we are faithful, we are blessed with protection from temptations and distractions.”
“The temple is literally the house of the Lord. I promise you as you come worthily and prayerfully to His holy house, you will be armed with His power, His name will be upon you, His angels will have charge over you, and you will grow up in the blessing of the Holy Ghost.”
“The Lord promised, ‘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.’ There are many different ways to see the face of Christ, and there is no better place than in His holy house.”
President Mark L Pace, “It Is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon”
“In every dispensation, we have seen a familiar pattern. God restores or reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ through His prophets. The people follow the prophets and are greatly blessed. However, over time, some people stop heeding the words of the prophets and distance themselves from the Lord and His gospel. This is what we call apostasy. The gospel was first revealed to Adam, but some of the children of Adam and Eve turned away from the Lord in apostasy. We see a pattern of restoration and apostasy repeated in the dispensations of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others.”
“We call it ‘study,’ and that’s good because it implies effort. But we don’t always need to learn some new fact. Sometimes reading the Book of Mormon is just about feeling connected to God today—nourishing the soul, being strengthened spiritually before heading out to face the world, or finding healing after a rough day out in the world.”
“The Book of Mormon is the ‘keystone’ that makes this dispensation different from all previous dispensations.”
President Russell M Nelson, “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys”
“My dear brothers and sisters, today is an historic day for President Dallin H. Oaks and me. It was 40 years ago, on April 7, 1984, when we were sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.”
“During this visitation, the Lord affirmed His identity. He said, ‘I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.’”
“Following the Savior’s visitation, Moses appeared. Moses conferred upon Joseph Smith the keys for the gathering of Israel and the return of the ten tribes.
“When this vision closed, “Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham” to Joseph.
“Then Elijah the prophet appeared. His appearance fulfilled Malachi’s promise that before the Second Coming, the Lord would send Elijah to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” Elijah conferred the keys of the sealing power upon Joseph Smith.”
“Priesthood keys constitute the authority and power of presidency. Priesthood keys govern how the priesthood of God may be used to bring about the Lord’s purposes and bless all who accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“It is important to note that prior to the organization of the Church, heavenly messengers had conferred the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods upon the Prophet Joseph and had given him keys of both priesthoods. These keys gave Joseph Smith authority to organize the Church in 1830.”
“Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth. Without priesthood keys, you could not be endowed with the power of God. Without priesthood keys, the Church could serve only as a significant teaching and humanitarian organization but not much more. Without priesthood keys, none of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us eventually to live with God.”
“I invite you to consider carefully the following three statements:
“The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere.
“The gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. He invites all to come unto Him—“black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.”
“The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.”
“Joseph Smith’s dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple is a tutorial about how the temple spiritually empowers you and me to meet the challenges of life in these last days. I encourage you to study that prayer, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 109.”
“This list of attributes is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.”
“Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever. Regular”
“We are instructed that all who worship in the temple will have the power of God and angels having “charge over them.” How much does it increase your confidence to know that, as an endowed woman or man armed with the power of God, you do not have to face life alone? What courage does it give you to know that angels really will help you?”
“My dear brothers and sisters, here is my promise. Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing!”
“we are pleased to announce that we plan to build a new temple in each of the following 15 locations:
“Uturoa, French Polynesia
“Chihuahua, Mexico
“Florianópolis, Brazil
“Rosario, Argentina
“Edinburgh, Scotland
“Brisbane, Australia south area
“Victoria, British Columbia
“Yuma, Arizona
“Houston, Texas south area
“Des Moines, Iowa
“Cincinnati, Ohio
“Honolulu, Hawaii
“West Jordan, Utah
“Lehi, Utah
“Maracaibo, Venezuela”
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