Elder Ronald R Rasband, “The Family Proclamation—Words from God”
Topics - Family, We are children of God, The Family Proclamation
“We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.” (The Family Proclamation)
“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.” (The Family Proclamation)
“The proclamation has a divine origin, so we must treat it with the reverence deserving words from God.”
“Let me give you some background about the proclamation as a core message of what we believe.”
“We could see the efforts of various communities to do away with all standards and limitations on sexual activity. We saw the confusion of genders. We could see it all coming.” (See Sheri Dew, Insights from a Prophet’s Life: Russell M. Nelson (2019), 208.)
“The proclamation is a call for us to live in mortality ever mindful of the divinity within us and the eternal future that lies before us.”
“With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn … of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history.” (President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand Strong Against the Wiles of the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 100)
“Throughout history, nations have been able to survive a multiplicity of diseases, invasions, famines, earthquakes, epidemics, depressions, but they have never been able to survive the disintegration of the family” (President Spencer W Kimball, in “A Report and a Challenge,” Ensign, Nov. 1976, 7–8).
“The proclamation is a call for us to live in mortality ever mindful of the divinity within us and the eternal future that lies before us.”
“You are literally spirit children of God. … Make no mistake about it: Your potential is divine. With your diligent seeking, God will give you glimpses of who you may become.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” (worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022), Gospel Library.)
“The proclamation on the family is, as President Hinckley stated, doctrine,”
“He came to earth to atone for our sins and bear the burden of our mistakes and our very bad days.”
“Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness.” (The Family Proclamation)
1 Nephi 1:1
1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
“Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of … Jesus Christ.” (The Family Proclamation)
“Preside does not mean dominate, and nurture does not mean a secondary role. God has given men and women different but equal and essential roles that complement each other.”
Brother Chad H Webb, “That All May Be Edified”
Topics - Repentance, Be diligent so you can see clearly
“blessed with the companionship of a member of the Godhead, we can have the help of the perfect Tutor. The Holy Ghost knows all things, testifies of truth, and will ‘bring all things to [our] remembrance.’”
“As in all things, Jesus Christ is the perfect example. He has invited each of us to be diligent learners and to take charge of our own testimonies.”
John 7:16
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
“essential to remember what Jesus Christ has done to make repentance possible and to understand what repentance teaches us about Him, about His true nature and characteristics.”
“We can also focus on Jesus Christ’s central role in Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness. It can change the course of our lives to see our circumstances through the lens of God’s eternal plan instead of seeing the plan through the lens of our temporal circumstances.”
Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, “Humble Souls at Altars Kneel”
Topics - Repentance, Altars, The Atonement is personal not general, Satan’s game plan, Sacrament
“The Bible and the Book of Mormon teach us to worship the Son of God at altars.”
Moses 5:5–8
5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.
6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.
“As we make and honor our covenants, receiving the ordinances of the sacrament at church and the endowment and sealing at the temple, we bind ourselves to the Savior, gaining greater access to His mercy, protection, sanctification, healing, and rest.”
“If the Savior is the great connector, then the adversary is the separator. He, Satan, tempts us to separate ourselves from our consecrated places of worship and from the protection of Jesus Christ.”
“In the endowment, members are invited to live, obey, and keep five laws which imbue their lives with power and protection.”
“each piece of bread is unique, just as the individuals who partake of it are unique.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Introductory Message” (address given at the seminar for new mission leaders, June 25, 2017))
“The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually. The act of partaking of the sacrament, in and of itself, does not remit sins. But as we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins.” (Elder David A. Bednar, “Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 61–62.)
“When we come to the altar, we aren’t earning a reward; we are learning about the Gift Giver. In that learning and covenant binding comes healing. Nephi said, ‘He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.’ (2 Nephi 4:21) And our loving Savior invited, ‘Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?’ (3 Nephi 9:13)”
Elder Kavin G Brown, “The Eternal Gift of Testimony”
Topics - God the Father knows us personally and thoroughly, Testimony requires work and choice, Satan’s game plan, remember what you know
“My dear brothers and sisters, lately I have been reflecting on three powerful truths from the Restoration. These truths have profoundly blessed my life.”
“1. God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father”
“[Heavenly Father] sees our past, present, and eternal destiny. Nothing can be hidden from Him.”
“2. Agency Is the Gift to Choose and Act for Ourselves”
“It is also the responsibility to choose well.
“Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for that privilege with His precious blood.”
“We are agents, and agents are responsible for something. In this case, we are responsible for the choices we make based on the knowledge we have and the gifts we are given. We cannot make a choice without being responsible for the consequences.”
“3. Our Testimony Comes Through the Power of the Holy Ghost”
“A witness from the Holy Ghost is greater than sight. He is the preeminent witness of the Father and the Son.”
“In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 96)
“Brothers and sisters, a testimony is not given for temporary use.”
“In whatever way a testimony is given—whether it is distilled like the sunrise or comes in a glorious vision—it still requires a choice to receive this precious gift.”
“Take Charge of Your Testimony”
“To me, the words take charge, work, care, own, nurture, and feed sound like an agent given stewardship for something precious and important.”
“I invite you to think about your path to a sure witness of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Take charge of your testimony; use your agency wisely and acknowledge the giver and all His glorious attributes. I bear witness that the power is within you. No one can choose for you.”
“I promise that as you [choose to believe], your testimony will be a ‘well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.’ It will be an anchor and a motivator, and it will sustain you through difficult times. It will enable you to develop spiritual gifts. It will help you in your personal ministry and service. It will be a weapon against Satan and your adversaries.”
“If you know, you know. I know that I know. We need more sure witnesses of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Get there! Seek it! It is urgent! This is the final dispensation—the dispensation of the fulness of times.”
Elder Garrit W Gong, “No One Sits Alone”
Topics - Unity, Embrace each other
“Preparing us for the kingdom of heaven, Jesus tells the parables of the great supper and wedding feast.”
“In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus invites us to come to each other and to Him in His inn—His Church.”
“When you come to church, if you see someone alone, will you please say hello and sit with him or her? This may not be your custom. The person may look or speak differently than you.”
“‘No one sits alone’ also means no one sits alone emotionally or spiritually.”
1 Nephi 19:7, 9
7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.
9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.
“How we treat each other—especially the hungry, the thirsty, those left out alone—is how we treat [Christ].”
“In His restored Church, we are all better when no one sits alone. Let us not simply accommodate or tolerate. Let us genuinely welcome, acknowledge, minister to, love. May each friend, sister, brother not be a foreigner or stranger but a child at home.”
“There are many reasons we may feel we do not fit in at church—that, speaking figuratively, we sit alone. We may worry about our accent, clothes, family situation. Perhaps we feel inadequate, smell of smoke, yearn for moral cleanliness, have broken up with someone and feel hurt and embarrassed, are concerned about this or that Church policy. We may be single, divorced, widowed. Our children are noisy; we don’t have children. We didn’t serve a mission or came home early. The list goes on.”
Mosiah 18:21
21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
“each ‘hello’, each warm gesture, brings Zion closer.”
2 Nephi 26:24, 33
24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
“As President Dallin H. Oaks teaches, we are to give up any tradition and cultural practice that is contrary to the commandments of God and to become Latter-day Saints.”
“There is a unique gospel culture, a set of values and expectations and practices common to all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This gospel way of life comes from the plan of salvation, the commandments of God, and the teachings of the living prophets. It is given expression in the way we raise our families and live our individual lives. The principles stated in the family proclamation are a beautiful expression of our gospel culture.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Repentance and Change,” October 2003 General Conference)
Elder Michael Cziesla, “Simplicity in Christ”
Topics - the simplicity of the gospel
“The doctrine of Christ and the law of the gospel are so simple that even little children can understand them.”
“President Nelson described this journey so beautifully as the ‘covenant path’ and the process of becoming a ‘devout disciple of Jesus Christ.’”
“President Nelson reminded us to focus on ‘pure truth, pure doctrine, and pure revelation’ as we seek to follow the Savior.”
“It is in that simplicity that [we] will find … peace, joy, and happiness.” (President M. Russell Ballard, “The True, Pure, and Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 30)
Elder Quentin L. Cook, “The Lord Is Hastening His Work”
Topics - The stone is rolling forth to fill the whole Earth, Unity
The Lord, in the preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, section 1, declared the fulness of the gospel would ‘be proclaimed … unto the ends of the world.’ The Lord is truly hastening His work in our time.”
“I love the account of the arrival to the Salt Lake Valley of a large number of converts from England and Wales in 1852. The group was met by the First Presidency at the mouth of Emigration Canyon, accompanied by Captain Pitt’s Band. The Deseret News described them as ‘a band of pilgrims [including] sisters and children, walking, sunburnt, and weather-beaten, but not forlorn; their hearts were light and buoyant, which was plainly manifest by their happy and joyful countenances.’”
“May the Lord God of Israel bless you. … We have prayed for you continually; thousands of prayers have been offered up for you, day by day, to Him who has commanded us to gather Israel, save the children of men by the preaching of the gospel, and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.” (See “Arrival from England, by the ‘Perpetual Emigrating Fund,’” Deseret News, Sept. 18, 1852, 90.)
“There is clear evidence that faith in Jesus Christ is increasing in our day. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there has been a remarkable increase in converts and convert participation. In the last 36 months, nearly 900,000 converts have joined the Church. These converts constitute approximately 5 percent of the total Church membership.”
“In our day, these precious converts no longer gather to a central location. Because of the faith and consecration of the members of the Church, resources are available to support congregations”
Moses 7:18
18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
“All members, regardless of baptism date, share a responsibility to welcome others.”
“Young converts should consider serving a full-time mission. All should be determined to strive to live a Christlike life.”
“You will at times feel inadequate about what you know. Gospel knowledge is a great blessing obtained incrementally over time, but it is not a saving ordinance.”
“My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.” (President Russell M Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?”, October 2017 general conference)
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.
“You will find, if you have not already, that the members are not perfect. Revealed doctrine makes it clear that in our sojourn here on earth, we will make mistakes. We live in an imperfect and fallen world, not a celestial world. This life is a time of testing, with constant opportunities to repent and prove ourselves.”
2 Nephi 31:20
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
“As we contemplate the challenges of our day, we must remember that the Savior, during His earthly ministry, also lived in turbulent and violent times. His focus was not on the political challenges of the day; it was on the perfection of the Saints.”
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