She will be taking pictures and giving tips on how to take good pictures.
We will be meeting at the church at 5:45pm, so that we can leave at 6:00pm. This should hopefully give us enough light before darkness begins to set in.
Activity - 30th October
She will be taking pictures and giving tips on how to take good pictures.
We will be meeting at the church at 5:45pm, so that we can leave at 6:00pm. This should hopefully give us enough light before darkness begins to set in.
Activity Night - Temple Trip
Just a reminder that we are going to do Baptisms for the Dead at the Temple this Wednesday, October 23rd.
Meet at the Jerry Potts building at 5:30pm
Don't forget your recommend and some money for treats at DQ after.
I am looking forward to going with everyone!!
Have a great week, see you Wednesday!
Sister Tina Gunness
Meet at the Jerry Potts building at 5:30pm
Don't forget your recommend and some money for treats at DQ after.
I am looking forward to going with everyone!!
Have a great week, see you Wednesday!
Sister Tina Gunness
LESSON REVIEW - WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE GRATEFUL?
The Lord wants us to have a spirit of gratitude in all we do and say. When we are grateful, we will have greater happiness and satisfaction in our lives. We will recognize the influence and blessings of the Lord.
SCRIPTURES
SCRIPTURES
Luke 17:11–19 (The ten lepers)
Alma 37:37; D&C 46:32 (We are commanded to give thanks)
D&C 59:15–21 (Ingratitude offends God)
D&C 78:19 (Blessings of gratitude)
TALKS
Thomas S. Monson, “The Divine Gift of Gratitude,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 87–90
Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 66–69;
Russell M. Nelson, “Thanks Be to God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 77–79
VIDEO
MUSIC
“How Great Thou Art,” Hymns, no. 86;
“Count Your Blessings,” Hymns, no. 241
OTHER RESOURCES
“Gratitude,” For the Strength of Youth (2011), 18
LESSON REVIEW - HOW CAN I BECOME MORE CHRISTLIKE?
Jesus Christ set the perfect example for us, and He has commanded us to become as He is. He exemplified characteristics such as faith, hope, charity, patience, humility, purity, diligence, and obedience. As we learn of Him and seek to develop His attributes, we will become the women He and our Heavenly Father would like us to be.
Examples of Christ's attributes:
Dallin H. Oaks, “Followers of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013
Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32–34, or Liahona, Jan. 2001, 40–43
Robert D. Hales, “Being a More Christian Christian,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 90–92
Examples of Christ's attributes:
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can become saints
Invitations to become like the Savior
“The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Ensign, Apr. 2000, 2–3
“How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes?” Preach My Gospel (2004), 115–26
New Beginnings - Personal Progress Goal
Hello Everyone!
I have a request.. for new beginnings next week could everyone think of a personal progress goal they have done in the past while and tell us about it. It doesn't have to be long, just the goal , what value it is from and what you have learned or how it has helped you to fill your lamp, come closer to the Savior.
Thanks and have a great week and a wonderful thanksgiving!!
Sister Tina Gunness
New Beginnings - Musical Item
Here is the musical item that we will be singing at New Beginnings on Wednesday.
We will practice on Sunday but as it is a long weekend, then some of you will not be there. Hopefully you will be able to find the time before Wednesday to listen to this a few times. We will probably have a short practice before New Beginnings on Wednesday. We will let you know regarding that.
October Lesson Schedule
October: Becoming More Christlike
This unit will help the young women learn about and develop Christlike attributes.
Jesus Christ has commanded all of us, “Be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (see 3 Nephi 12:48).
Developing the attributes of Christ will help the young women fulfill their divine potential as daughters of God.
They will need these attributes as they face the challenges of living in perilous times and as they prepare to raise righteous families in the future.
October 13th - How can I become more Christlike?
October 20th - How can I develop Christlike love?
October 27th - Why is it important to be grateful?
Sunday Afternoon Session
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Beware of bondage'
Drawing inspiration from the books of Jeremiah, Lamentations and Psalms, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke in the Sunday afternoon session of general conference about the many forms of bondage and subjugation that people struggle with in life. "I will compare some circumstances of our day with those in the days of Jeremiah before the downfall of Jerusalem," he said.
"God intended that men and women would be free to make choices between good and evil," said Elder Cook. "When evil choices become the dominant characteristic of a culture or nation, there are serious consequences both in this life and the life to come."
Bondage, subjugation and servitude come in many forms, said Elder Cook. They can be literal physical enslavement but can also be loss or impairment of moral agency that can impede progress. "Other kinds of bondage are equally destructive of the human spirit," said Elder Cook. "Moral agency can be abused in many ways."
He then listed four ways in today's culture that people fall into bondage. First he mentioned that addictions can impair agency, contradict moral beliefs and destroy good health. "The impact of drugs and alcohol, immorality, pornography, gambling, financial subjugation and other afflictions impose on those in bondage and on society a burden of such magnitude that it is almost impossible to quantify."
Second, addictions that are not inherently evil can use up a precious allotment of time, which could otherwise be used to accomplish virtuous objectives, he said. "These can include excessive use of social media, video and digital games, sports, recreation and many others. …How we preserve time for family is one of the most significant issues we face in most cultures."
"Third, the most universal subjugation in our day, as it has been throughout history, is ideology or political beliefs that are inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ," said Elder Cook. "This is emblematic of our own day where gospel truths are often rejected or distorted to make them intellectually more appealing or compatible with current cultural trends and intellectual bondage."
Fourth, forces that cause righteous people to violate sincerely held religious principles can result in bondage, he said. One of the most invidious forms is when those who feel accountable to God for their conduct are forced into activities that violate their conscience. Latter-day Saints in every country should be good citizens, participate in civic affairs, educate themselves on the issues and vote, said Elder Cook.
"Our challenge is to avoid bondage of any kind, help the Lord gather His elect and sacrifice for the rising generations," he said. We must always remember that we do not save ourselves. We are liberated by the love, grace and atoning sacrifice of the Savior. If we are true to His light, follow His commandments, and rely on His merits, we will avoid spiritual, physical and intellectual bondage as well as the lamentation for wandering in our own wilderness for He is mighty to save."
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Power in the priesthood'
All can live every hour “blessed by the strength of priesthood power,” no matter their circumstance in life.
“We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church,” he said. “The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all — men, women and children.”
Elder Andersen compared the priesthood to a man opening drapes to allow warm sunlight to come into a room. The man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings, showing that “the blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift.”
To receive the blessings, power and promises of the priesthood in this life and the next is one of the great opportunities and responsibilities of mortality, he said.
“As we are worthy, the ordinances of the priesthood enrich our lives on earth and prepare us for the magnificent promises of the world ahead,” Elder Andersen taught. ”The Lord said: ‘In the ordinances … the power of godliness is manifest.’ … Through the ordinances of the priesthood ... all of us receive comfort, strength, protection, peace and eternal promises.”
As individuals make and keep sacred covenants they are able to receive priesthood power and blessings.
“Some may sincerely ask the question, ‘If the power and blessings of the priesthood are available to all, why are the ordinances of the priesthood administered by men?’” he asked.
In response, Elder Andersen shared the words of Nephi when he said he knew God loves all of His children, even though he did “not know the meaning of all things.”
Elder Andersen spoke of “things we do know” about the priesthood.
Although God loves all of His children the same, He did not create men and woman exactly the same. Sacred responsibility is given to each gender and, from the beginning, the Lord established how His priesthood would be administered, Elder Andersen said. The power of the holy priesthood takes faith and worthiness, with righteousness as the qualifier for all to invite priesthood power into their lives.
“While we know a lot about the priesthood, seeing through the lens of mortality does not always give a complete understanding of the workings of God,” he said. “But His gentle reminder, ‘my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ reassures us that with time and eternal perspective we will see things ‘as they really are’ and more completely understand His perfect love.”
The keys of the priesthood — held by members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, direct the work of the Lord upon the earth, while specific priesthood keys are conferred upon stake presidents and bishops for their geographic responsibilities.
“They call men and women by revelation who are sustained and set apart to exercise delegated authority to teach and administer,” he said.
Sincerely asking for and listening to the thoughts and concerns voiced by women is vital in life, in marriage and in building the kingdom of God, Elder Andersen said.
Under the direction of President Monson and the First Presidency, there were many discussions with the General Relief Society, Young Women and Primary presidencies about the age change for missionary service, before President Monson’s decision and historic announcement. As bishops follow the example of President Monson, they will feel the guiding hand of the Lord blessing their sacred work more abundantly, he said.
"The power of God’s holy priesthood is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," he said. "I testify that as you worthily participate in the ordinances of the priesthood, the Lord will give you greater strength, peace and eternal perspective. Whatever your situation, your home will be ‘blessed by the strength of priesthood power’ and those close to you will more fully desire these blessings for themselves.”
Brother David M. McConkie, 1st counselor Sunday School General Presidency
'Teaching with the power and authority of God'
Brother David M. McConkie said teachers are among the great miracles of the restored gospel.
“There is indeed a secret to becoming a successful gospel teacher, to teaching with the power and authority of God,” said Brother McConkie, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency. Speaking Sunday afternoon, he said, "I use the word ‘secret’ because the principles upon which a teacher’s success rests can be understood only by those who have a testimony of what took place [in the Sacred Grove].”
The long-awaited restitution of all things had begun and the principle of revelation was everlastingly established in this dispensation, Brother McConkie taught.
“Joseph’s message, and our message to the world, can be summarized in two words, ‘God speaks,’” he said. “He spoke anciently; He spoke to Joseph and He will speak to you. This is what sets you apart from all other teachers in the world. This is why you cannot fail.”
Because teachers in the Church are called by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and have been set apart by priesthood authority, they are different from other teachers.
“It means you are on the Lord’s errand,” he said. “You are His agent and you are authorized and commissioned to represent Him and to act on His behalf. As His agent, you are entitled to His help.”
Brother McConkie said that teachers must ask themselves, “What would the Savior say if He were teaching my class today, and how would He say it?”
Teachers are called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ — not their own ideas of philosophy, even when mingled with scriptures — as found in the principles taught in the standard works of the Church, modern-day apostles and prophets and from direction from the Holy Ghost.
Living worthily and having daily spiritual preparation — including prayer, scripture study and obedience to the commandments — allow teachers access to the guidance of the Spirit. It is the Spirit, along with a sound understanding of the gospel, that teachers are able to have the power of God as they teach. They must also learn to listen as they teach, be willing to let go when the quiet promptings of the Holy Ghost come as they stand as an independent witnesses of the things taught.
“You must have the courage to set aside your outlines and notes and go where those promptings take you,” he said. “When we do this, the lesson you deliver is no longer your lesson, but it becomes the Savior’s lesson.”
Elder Kevin Scott Hamilton, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Continually holding fast'
Elder Kevin Scott Hamilton of the Seventy recounted story about his grandfather, who one Sunday decided not to attend sacrament meeting and, instead, went for a drive with his family, and eventually left the Church.
"That Sunday afternoon ride in the country was probably an enjoyable family activity, but that small decision became the start of a new direction, which ultimately lead his family away from the Church with its safety, security and blessings and onto a different path," he said.
Elder Hamilton explained the prophet Lehi's dream from the Book of Mormon and the different groups of people; those that were lost and never made it to the tree of life, those who partook of its and were ashamed and those that partook of the fruit and did not fall away.
"Those of us who are members of God's church today have made covenants to follow Jesus Christ and to obey God's commandments," he said.
Elder Hamilton taught of the importance of partaking of the sacrament each week and attending Church meetings.
"Sacrament meeting provides the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament," he said.
"Our family has committed to always attend all of our Sunday meetings. We have found that this strengthens our faith and deepens our understanding of the gospel," Elder Hamilton said.
Elder Hamilton spoke about the importance of making the effort to attend all Church meetings.
"Continually holding fast to the rod means that we attend all of our Sunday meetings: sacrament meeting, Sunday school and Priesthood or Relief Society meetings.…We should never pick or choose which meetings we attend," he said.
In addition to attending meetings, Elder Hamilton explained that members must also keep the commandments.
"Continually holding fast to the rod (the word of God) means that we strive to keep all of God's commandments, to have daily personal and family prayer, and to study the scriptures daily."
Elder Hamilton explained that members are covenant people and will receive blessings if they hold to the rod and keep the commandments.
Elder Hamilton cautioned, "Our every day decisions will impact our lives in significant ways. A seemingly small decision such as whether or not to attend a sacrament meeting can have far-reaching, even eternal consequences."
"May we choose to be diligent and gain the great blessings and protections that come from gathering together and keeping covenants," he said.
Elder Adrian Q. Ochoa, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Look up'
Elder Adrian Q. Ochoa of the Seventy began his conference address Sunday afternoon by telling a story from his youth. He and his two cousins were sent to purchase groceries but due to poor weather conditions could not make it home. They had to stay with a family they didn't know, while loved ones searched all night for them. If they would have "looked up" and given attention to the weather, they would have been safe.
"My experience with my cousins taught me to pay attention to the signs of our times. We live in the stormy, perilous days Paul described: 'Men shall be lovers of their own selves, … disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy … false accusers, incontinent, … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:2-4).
One particular sign of the times Elder Ochoa warned about was with technology. "Technology has augmented our freedom of speech, but it also gives an unqualified blogger false credibility based on the number of viewers," he said. "In particular, I caution you not to view filthy images or give your attention to the false accusers of Christ and the Prophet Joseph Smith."
Elder Ochoa then suggested to members who come across anything that causes them to question their testimony of the gospel to "look up." Elder Ochoa said, "Look to the Source of all wisdom and truth. Nourish your faith and testimony with the word of God. There are those in the world who seek to undermine your faith by mixing lies with half-truths."
A way we can know if Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Joseph Smith is a true prophet is by their fruits, said Elder Ochoa. "I know for myself that my Redeemer has forgiven my sins and freed me of my personal yoke. … And I know for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet … I have applied the simple promise of the Book of Mormon. … In simple words, look up."
Elder Ochoa said, "No one knows when the Lord will come again. But the perilous times are now upon us. Today is the time to look up to the Source of truth and ensure that our testimonies are strong."
Elder Terence M. Vinson, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Drawing closer to God'
Elder Terence M. Vinson of the Seventy began his remarks Sunday afternoon by quoting his 6-year-old grandson, Oli, who said, “Poppy loves me and is one of my best friends, and he takes care of me!”
Elder Vinson said as he has become acquainted with miraculous things that have occurred in the lives of faithful Saints, he agrees with Oli. “I think it’s because those faithful people feel the same way about Heavenly Father and the Savior as Oli feels about me. They love God as a close friend, and He takes care of them.”
“God should be the center of our universe — our literal focal point,” Elder Vinson said. He then asked, “Is He … sometimes far from the thoughts and intents of our hearts?”
Elder Vinson explained that one of the ways the Lord helps individuals remember Him is through adversity. “As I look back at the trials I have faced, it is clear that they have resulted in my growth, understanding and empathy. They have drawn me closer to my Heavenly Father and His Son, with experiences and refining engraved into my heart.”
Using the example of the brother of Jared who was faced with the challenge of providing fresh air and light in the barges he built, Elder Vinson pointed out that the Lord not only left the challenge temporarily unsolved but made clear that He would allow the trials that necessitated its solving. The Lord would send forth the winds, the rains and the floods (Ether 2:20-24).
“And why does He warn any of us to remove ourselves from a source of danger when He could simply stop the danger from happening?” Elder Vinson asked.
He then explained that the Lord, rather than solve the problem Himself, wants individuals to develop the faith to rely on Him in solving problems. “Then we can feel His love more constantly, more powerfully, more clearly, and more personally. We become united with Him and we can become more like Him. For us to be like Him, is His goal. In fact, it is His glory as well as His work” (Moses 1:39).
“Our Savior wants us to really love Him to the point that we want to align our will with His. We can then feel His love and know His glory. Then He can bless us as He wants to.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Decisions for eternity'
Each day is a day of decision and decisions determine destiny, said Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve.
“One day each of us will stand before the Lord in judgment,” said Elder Nelson. “We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes and how we honored God’s pattern for marriage and family.
“That we may choose wisely each day’s decisions for eternity is my earnest prayer.”
Speaking during the Sunday afternoon session, Elder Nelson told Church members that the wise use of freedom to make their own decisions is crucial to their spiritual growth, now and for eternity.
“You are never too young to learn, never too old to change. Your yearnings to learn and change come from a divinely instilled striving for eternal progression. Each day brings opportunity for decisions for eternity.”
Elder Nelson said his professional years as a medical doctor gave him a profound respect for the human body. “Created by God as a gift to you, it is absolutely amazing,” he said.
The body protects and repairs itself, he explained. “With your body being such as vital part of God’s eternal plan, it is little wonder that the Apostle Paul described it as a temple of God. Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple. That truth — refreshed gratefully each day — can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine your destiny.”
Elder Nelson said some of the decisions that will determine a person’s destiny include: “How will you choose to care for and use your body? What spiritual attributes will you choose to develop?”
Elder Nelson told the worldwide congregation that their Heavenly Father has known them for a long time. “You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this precise time, to be leaders in His great work on earth. You were chosen not for your bodily characteristics, but for your spiritual attributes.”
A pivotal spiritual attribute is that of self-mastery — the strength to place reason over appetite, he said.
“It is not surprising then, that most temptations to stray from God’s plan of happiness come through the misuse of those essential, God-given appetites.”
Elder Nelson said a person can change behavior, but that true change can come only through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “He allows you to access His power as you keep His commandments, eagerly, earnestly and exactly.”
Marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Lord’s doctrine and crucial to God’s eternal plan. “Regardless of what civil legislation may be enacted, the doctrine of the Lord regarding marriage and morality cannot be changed. Remember: sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God.
“While we are to emulate our Savior’s kindness and compassion, while we are to value the rights and feelings of all of God’s children, we cannot change His doctrine. It is not ours to change. His doctrine is ours to study, understand and uphold.”
Elder Nelson said the Savior’s way of life is good. “His way includes chastity before marriage and total fidelity within marriage. The Lord’s way is the only way for us to experience enduring happiness.”
'Beware of bondage'
Drawing inspiration from the books of Jeremiah, Lamentations and Psalms, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke in the Sunday afternoon session of general conference about the many forms of bondage and subjugation that people struggle with in life. "I will compare some circumstances of our day with those in the days of Jeremiah before the downfall of Jerusalem," he said.
"God intended that men and women would be free to make choices between good and evil," said Elder Cook. "When evil choices become the dominant characteristic of a culture or nation, there are serious consequences both in this life and the life to come."
Bondage, subjugation and servitude come in many forms, said Elder Cook. They can be literal physical enslavement but can also be loss or impairment of moral agency that can impede progress. "Other kinds of bondage are equally destructive of the human spirit," said Elder Cook. "Moral agency can be abused in many ways."
He then listed four ways in today's culture that people fall into bondage. First he mentioned that addictions can impair agency, contradict moral beliefs and destroy good health. "The impact of drugs and alcohol, immorality, pornography, gambling, financial subjugation and other afflictions impose on those in bondage and on society a burden of such magnitude that it is almost impossible to quantify."
Second, addictions that are not inherently evil can use up a precious allotment of time, which could otherwise be used to accomplish virtuous objectives, he said. "These can include excessive use of social media, video and digital games, sports, recreation and many others. …How we preserve time for family is one of the most significant issues we face in most cultures."
"Third, the most universal subjugation in our day, as it has been throughout history, is ideology or political beliefs that are inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ," said Elder Cook. "This is emblematic of our own day where gospel truths are often rejected or distorted to make them intellectually more appealing or compatible with current cultural trends and intellectual bondage."
Fourth, forces that cause righteous people to violate sincerely held religious principles can result in bondage, he said. One of the most invidious forms is when those who feel accountable to God for their conduct are forced into activities that violate their conscience. Latter-day Saints in every country should be good citizens, participate in civic affairs, educate themselves on the issues and vote, said Elder Cook.
"Our challenge is to avoid bondage of any kind, help the Lord gather His elect and sacrifice for the rising generations," he said. We must always remember that we do not save ourselves. We are liberated by the love, grace and atoning sacrifice of the Savior. If we are true to His light, follow His commandments, and rely on His merits, we will avoid spiritual, physical and intellectual bondage as well as the lamentation for wandering in our own wilderness for He is mighty to save."
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Power in the priesthood'
All can live every hour “blessed by the strength of priesthood power,” no matter their circumstance in life.
“We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church,” he said. “The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all — men, women and children.”
Elder Andersen compared the priesthood to a man opening drapes to allow warm sunlight to come into a room. The man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings, showing that “the blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift.”
To receive the blessings, power and promises of the priesthood in this life and the next is one of the great opportunities and responsibilities of mortality, he said.
“As we are worthy, the ordinances of the priesthood enrich our lives on earth and prepare us for the magnificent promises of the world ahead,” Elder Andersen taught. ”The Lord said: ‘In the ordinances … the power of godliness is manifest.’ … Through the ordinances of the priesthood ... all of us receive comfort, strength, protection, peace and eternal promises.”
As individuals make and keep sacred covenants they are able to receive priesthood power and blessings.
“Some may sincerely ask the question, ‘If the power and blessings of the priesthood are available to all, why are the ordinances of the priesthood administered by men?’” he asked.
In response, Elder Andersen shared the words of Nephi when he said he knew God loves all of His children, even though he did “not know the meaning of all things.”
Elder Andersen spoke of “things we do know” about the priesthood.
Although God loves all of His children the same, He did not create men and woman exactly the same. Sacred responsibility is given to each gender and, from the beginning, the Lord established how His priesthood would be administered, Elder Andersen said. The power of the holy priesthood takes faith and worthiness, with righteousness as the qualifier for all to invite priesthood power into their lives.
“While we know a lot about the priesthood, seeing through the lens of mortality does not always give a complete understanding of the workings of God,” he said. “But His gentle reminder, ‘my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ reassures us that with time and eternal perspective we will see things ‘as they really are’ and more completely understand His perfect love.”
The keys of the priesthood — held by members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, direct the work of the Lord upon the earth, while specific priesthood keys are conferred upon stake presidents and bishops for their geographic responsibilities.
“They call men and women by revelation who are sustained and set apart to exercise delegated authority to teach and administer,” he said.
Sincerely asking for and listening to the thoughts and concerns voiced by women is vital in life, in marriage and in building the kingdom of God, Elder Andersen said.
Under the direction of President Monson and the First Presidency, there were many discussions with the General Relief Society, Young Women and Primary presidencies about the age change for missionary service, before President Monson’s decision and historic announcement. As bishops follow the example of President Monson, they will feel the guiding hand of the Lord blessing their sacred work more abundantly, he said.
"The power of God’s holy priesthood is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," he said. "I testify that as you worthily participate in the ordinances of the priesthood, the Lord will give you greater strength, peace and eternal perspective. Whatever your situation, your home will be ‘blessed by the strength of priesthood power’ and those close to you will more fully desire these blessings for themselves.”
Brother David M. McConkie, 1st counselor Sunday School General Presidency
'Teaching with the power and authority of God'
Brother David M. McConkie said teachers are among the great miracles of the restored gospel.
“There is indeed a secret to becoming a successful gospel teacher, to teaching with the power and authority of God,” said Brother McConkie, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency. Speaking Sunday afternoon, he said, "I use the word ‘secret’ because the principles upon which a teacher’s success rests can be understood only by those who have a testimony of what took place [in the Sacred Grove].”
The long-awaited restitution of all things had begun and the principle of revelation was everlastingly established in this dispensation, Brother McConkie taught.
“Joseph’s message, and our message to the world, can be summarized in two words, ‘God speaks,’” he said. “He spoke anciently; He spoke to Joseph and He will speak to you. This is what sets you apart from all other teachers in the world. This is why you cannot fail.”
Because teachers in the Church are called by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and have been set apart by priesthood authority, they are different from other teachers.
“It means you are on the Lord’s errand,” he said. “You are His agent and you are authorized and commissioned to represent Him and to act on His behalf. As His agent, you are entitled to His help.”
Brother McConkie said that teachers must ask themselves, “What would the Savior say if He were teaching my class today, and how would He say it?”
Teachers are called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ — not their own ideas of philosophy, even when mingled with scriptures — as found in the principles taught in the standard works of the Church, modern-day apostles and prophets and from direction from the Holy Ghost.
Living worthily and having daily spiritual preparation — including prayer, scripture study and obedience to the commandments — allow teachers access to the guidance of the Spirit. It is the Spirit, along with a sound understanding of the gospel, that teachers are able to have the power of God as they teach. They must also learn to listen as they teach, be willing to let go when the quiet promptings of the Holy Ghost come as they stand as an independent witnesses of the things taught.
“You must have the courage to set aside your outlines and notes and go where those promptings take you,” he said. “When we do this, the lesson you deliver is no longer your lesson, but it becomes the Savior’s lesson.”
Elder Kevin Scott Hamilton, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Continually holding fast'
Elder Kevin Scott Hamilton of the Seventy recounted story about his grandfather, who one Sunday decided not to attend sacrament meeting and, instead, went for a drive with his family, and eventually left the Church.
"That Sunday afternoon ride in the country was probably an enjoyable family activity, but that small decision became the start of a new direction, which ultimately lead his family away from the Church with its safety, security and blessings and onto a different path," he said.
Elder Hamilton explained the prophet Lehi's dream from the Book of Mormon and the different groups of people; those that were lost and never made it to the tree of life, those who partook of its and were ashamed and those that partook of the fruit and did not fall away.
"Those of us who are members of God's church today have made covenants to follow Jesus Christ and to obey God's commandments," he said.
Elder Hamilton taught of the importance of partaking of the sacrament each week and attending Church meetings.
"Sacrament meeting provides the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament," he said.
"Our family has committed to always attend all of our Sunday meetings. We have found that this strengthens our faith and deepens our understanding of the gospel," Elder Hamilton said.
Elder Hamilton spoke about the importance of making the effort to attend all Church meetings.
"Continually holding fast to the rod means that we attend all of our Sunday meetings: sacrament meeting, Sunday school and Priesthood or Relief Society meetings.…We should never pick or choose which meetings we attend," he said.
In addition to attending meetings, Elder Hamilton explained that members must also keep the commandments.
"Continually holding fast to the rod (the word of God) means that we strive to keep all of God's commandments, to have daily personal and family prayer, and to study the scriptures daily."
Elder Hamilton explained that members are covenant people and will receive blessings if they hold to the rod and keep the commandments.
Elder Hamilton cautioned, "Our every day decisions will impact our lives in significant ways. A seemingly small decision such as whether or not to attend a sacrament meeting can have far-reaching, even eternal consequences."
"May we choose to be diligent and gain the great blessings and protections that come from gathering together and keeping covenants," he said.
Elder Adrian Q. Ochoa, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Look up'
Elder Adrian Q. Ochoa of the Seventy began his conference address Sunday afternoon by telling a story from his youth. He and his two cousins were sent to purchase groceries but due to poor weather conditions could not make it home. They had to stay with a family they didn't know, while loved ones searched all night for them. If they would have "looked up" and given attention to the weather, they would have been safe.
"My experience with my cousins taught me to pay attention to the signs of our times. We live in the stormy, perilous days Paul described: 'Men shall be lovers of their own selves, … disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy … false accusers, incontinent, … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:2-4).
One particular sign of the times Elder Ochoa warned about was with technology. "Technology has augmented our freedom of speech, but it also gives an unqualified blogger false credibility based on the number of viewers," he said. "In particular, I caution you not to view filthy images or give your attention to the false accusers of Christ and the Prophet Joseph Smith."
Elder Ochoa then suggested to members who come across anything that causes them to question their testimony of the gospel to "look up." Elder Ochoa said, "Look to the Source of all wisdom and truth. Nourish your faith and testimony with the word of God. There are those in the world who seek to undermine your faith by mixing lies with half-truths."
A way we can know if Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Joseph Smith is a true prophet is by their fruits, said Elder Ochoa. "I know for myself that my Redeemer has forgiven my sins and freed me of my personal yoke. … And I know for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet … I have applied the simple promise of the Book of Mormon. … In simple words, look up."
Elder Ochoa said, "No one knows when the Lord will come again. But the perilous times are now upon us. Today is the time to look up to the Source of truth and ensure that our testimonies are strong."
Elder Terence M. Vinson, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Drawing closer to God'
Elder Terence M. Vinson of the Seventy began his remarks Sunday afternoon by quoting his 6-year-old grandson, Oli, who said, “Poppy loves me and is one of my best friends, and he takes care of me!”
Elder Vinson said as he has become acquainted with miraculous things that have occurred in the lives of faithful Saints, he agrees with Oli. “I think it’s because those faithful people feel the same way about Heavenly Father and the Savior as Oli feels about me. They love God as a close friend, and He takes care of them.”
“God should be the center of our universe — our literal focal point,” Elder Vinson said. He then asked, “Is He … sometimes far from the thoughts and intents of our hearts?”
Elder Vinson explained that one of the ways the Lord helps individuals remember Him is through adversity. “As I look back at the trials I have faced, it is clear that they have resulted in my growth, understanding and empathy. They have drawn me closer to my Heavenly Father and His Son, with experiences and refining engraved into my heart.”
Using the example of the brother of Jared who was faced with the challenge of providing fresh air and light in the barges he built, Elder Vinson pointed out that the Lord not only left the challenge temporarily unsolved but made clear that He would allow the trials that necessitated its solving. The Lord would send forth the winds, the rains and the floods (Ether 2:20-24).
“And why does He warn any of us to remove ourselves from a source of danger when He could simply stop the danger from happening?” Elder Vinson asked.
He then explained that the Lord, rather than solve the problem Himself, wants individuals to develop the faith to rely on Him in solving problems. “Then we can feel His love more constantly, more powerfully, more clearly, and more personally. We become united with Him and we can become more like Him. For us to be like Him, is His goal. In fact, it is His glory as well as His work” (Moses 1:39).
“Our Savior wants us to really love Him to the point that we want to align our will with His. We can then feel His love and know His glory. Then He can bless us as He wants to.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Decisions for eternity'
Each day is a day of decision and decisions determine destiny, said Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve.
“One day each of us will stand before the Lord in judgment,” said Elder Nelson. “We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes and how we honored God’s pattern for marriage and family.
“That we may choose wisely each day’s decisions for eternity is my earnest prayer.”
Speaking during the Sunday afternoon session, Elder Nelson told Church members that the wise use of freedom to make their own decisions is crucial to their spiritual growth, now and for eternity.
“You are never too young to learn, never too old to change. Your yearnings to learn and change come from a divinely instilled striving for eternal progression. Each day brings opportunity for decisions for eternity.”
Elder Nelson said his professional years as a medical doctor gave him a profound respect for the human body. “Created by God as a gift to you, it is absolutely amazing,” he said.
The body protects and repairs itself, he explained. “With your body being such as vital part of God’s eternal plan, it is little wonder that the Apostle Paul described it as a temple of God. Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple. That truth — refreshed gratefully each day — can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine your destiny.”
Elder Nelson said some of the decisions that will determine a person’s destiny include: “How will you choose to care for and use your body? What spiritual attributes will you choose to develop?”
Elder Nelson told the worldwide congregation that their Heavenly Father has known them for a long time. “You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this precise time, to be leaders in His great work on earth. You were chosen not for your bodily characteristics, but for your spiritual attributes.”
A pivotal spiritual attribute is that of self-mastery — the strength to place reason over appetite, he said.
“It is not surprising then, that most temptations to stray from God’s plan of happiness come through the misuse of those essential, God-given appetites.”
Elder Nelson said a person can change behavior, but that true change can come only through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “He allows you to access His power as you keep His commandments, eagerly, earnestly and exactly.”
Marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Lord’s doctrine and crucial to God’s eternal plan. “Regardless of what civil legislation may be enacted, the doctrine of the Lord regarding marriage and morality cannot be changed. Remember: sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God.
“While we are to emulate our Savior’s kindness and compassion, while we are to value the rights and feelings of all of God’s children, we cannot change His doctrine. It is not ours to change. His doctrine is ours to study, understand and uphold.”
Elder Nelson said the Savior’s way of life is good. “His way includes chastity before marriage and total fidelity within marriage. The Lord’s way is the only way for us to experience enduring happiness.”
Sunday Morning Session Review
President Henry B. Eyring, 1st Counselor in the First Presidency
'To my grandchildren'
Joy is guaranteed for the faithful, said President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
“Whatever our personal characteristics or whatever will be our experiences, there is but one plan to happiness,” he said. “That plan is to follow all the commandments of God.”
Speaking during the Sunday morning session of conference, President Eyring said this year two of his grandchildren will be married. “Within a few years as many as 10 of their cousins will follow into the wonderful world of family creation.”
President Eyring said that happy prospect has caused him deep contemplation as they have asked, “What choices could I make that will lead me to happiness?”
“For all of us, including my grandchildren contemplating marriage, there is one overarching commandment that will help to meet the challenges and lead to the heart of a happy family life,” he said. “It applies to all relationships regardless of circumstances.”
The Lord’s advice to all who want to live together forever in loving happiness is: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
From that simple statement, it is not hard to summarize what choices lead to happiness in families, he said.
“For me it has been to choose to put myself where I felt the joy of forgiveness through the Lord’s Atonement.”
He said accepting and magnifying every calling offered in the Church is a choice that is “one of the great keys to family happiness.”
“The pressures at every stage of life can tempt us to reject or neglect calls to serve the Savior. That can put us in spiritual peril for ourselves, our spouse, and our families. Some of those calls may seem unimportant, but my life and my family was changed for the better by my accepting a call to teach a deacons quorum. I felt the love of those deacons for the Savior and His love for them.”
While serving others, Latter-day Saints are most likely to plead for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. “Success in His service always produces miracles beyond our own powers.”
It is only with the companionship of the Holy Ghost that Church members can hope to be equally yoked in a marriage free from discord. “The miracle of becoming one requires the help of Heaven and it takes time. Our goal is to live together forever in the presence of Heavenly Father and our Savior.”
President Eyring said that Heavenly Father “has perfect foresight, knows each of us, and knows our future. He knows what difficulties we will pass through. He sent His Son to suffer that He would know how to succor us in all our trials.
“We know that Heavenly Father has spirit children in this world who sometimes choose sin and great unhappiness. That is why He sent His Firstborn to be our Redeemer, the greatest act of love in all creation. That is why we must expect that it will take the help of God and time to polish us, to prepare us for eternal life, to live with our Father.”
Life in families will test God’s children, he said. “That is one of God’s purposes in giving us the gift of mortality — to strengthen us by passing through tests. That will be especially true in family life where we will find great joy and great sorrow and challenges which may at times seem beyond our power to endure them.”
President Eyring said God has devised means to save each of His children.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'No Other Gods'
Placing God first should be the ultimate priority in one's life, taught Elder Dallin H. Oaks in his conference address on Sunday morning.
The apostle identified several examples of things that are often being served ahead of God: cultural and family traditions, political correctness, career aspirations, material possessions, recreational pursuits and power, prominence and prestige.
"Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship?" he asked. "Have we forgotten the Savior who taught that if we love Him we will keep His commandments? If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the spiritual apathy and undisciplined appetites so common in our day."
God's commandments are based on and inseparable from God's plan for His children — the great plan of salvation.
"This plan, sometimes called the 'great plan of happiness,' explains our origins and destiny as children of God — where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going," said Elder Oaks. "The plan of salvation explains the purpose of creation and the conditions of mortality, including God's commandments, the need for a Savior, and the vital role of mortal and eternal families. If we Latter-day Saints, who have been given this knowledge, do not establish our priorities in accord with this plan, we are in danger of serving other gods."
Knowledge of God's plan for His children give members a unique perspective on marriage and family. The Church is known as a family-centered church. Marriage of a man and a woman is necessary for the accomplishment of God's plan. The ultimate treasures on earth and heaven are one's children and posterity.
"Because of what we understand about the potentially eternal role of the family, we grieve at the sharply declining numbers of births and marriages in many western countries whose historic cultures are Christian and Jewish," he said.
The apostle cited responsible sources reporting historic declines in birth rates in the United States, many European nations and other developed countries. Marriage rates and the role and perceived necessity of fathers are also diminishing in many countries.
"We believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has established an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between a man and a woman who are married," he said.
The importance the Church places on the law of chastity explains its commitment to the pattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and establishes God's pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons and daughters for the nurturing of His children.
"There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God's decrees about sexual morality and are contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and child-bearing. These pressures have already permitted same-gender marriages in various states and nations."
Laws legalizing so called "same-gender marriage," he added, do not change God's law of marriage of His commandments and standards.
"We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from bowing down to or serving other gods and priorities — even those becoming popular in our particular time and place."
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, General Young Women's President
'Be Ye Converted'
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women general president, began her remarks with a conversion story of her great-great grandmother, Agnes Hoggan, who joined the Church in Scotland in 1861 and moved to America after the persecution her family faced. Her daughter Isabelle began working for a wealthy, non-LDS family to help provide for her family. Eventually, the wealthy family wanted to legally adopt Isabelle, while still giving wages to Agnes. Although Isabelle would have a better life with material goods, education and wealth, Agnes could not bear the thought of Isabelle losing the gospel in her life.
"Isabelle Hoggan is my great-grandmother and I am most grateful for the testimony and conviction that burned so brightly in her mother's heart, which did not allow her to trade her daughter's membership in the Church for worldly promises," she said.
Sister Oscarson explained, "The decisions you make in your daily life will determine what happens to you later. If you do not yet have a firmly-rooted testimony and conviction that The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the earth, now is the time to do what it takes to gain that conviction."
Sister Oscarson taught, "True conversion is more than merely having a knowledge of gospel principles and implies even more than just having a testimony of those principles.… Being truly converted means we are acting upon what we believe and allowing it to create 'a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,' " (True to the Faith).
Sister Oscarson cautioned "the Lord expects us to exercise faith" and that members need to follow the commandments in order to gain a testimony.
She explained how having a testimony of the gospel helped her keep the commandments throughout her youth, being a good example to her peers.
"Conversion comes as we live pure and virtuous lives and enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost," she said. "Conversion comes as we understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and acknowledge Him as our Savior and Redeemer, and allow the Atonement to take effect in our lives."
Once we are converted, Sister Oscarson said that members are more willing to share the gospel with others. "As you are converted, you will have a desire to share with others what you have learned and your confidence and ability to testify to others with conviction and power will increase."
Elder Richard J. Maynes, Presidency of the Seventy
'The Strength to Endure'
Spiritual strength comes as individuals learn to successfully endure challenges they face in life.
“Every morning when we wake up we face a new day filled with the challenges of life,” he said.
“These challenges come in many forms: physical challenges, financial setbacks, difficulties with relationships, emotional trials and even struggles with one’s faith.”
Many challenges can be solved and overcome; however, others might be difficult to understand and impossible to overcome until the next life, Elder Maynes said.
“As we temporarily endure the challenges we can solve and as we continue to endure the challenges we cannot solve, it is important to remember that the spiritual strength we develop will help us successfully endure all the challenges we face in life,” he said.
The journey of life is a test of character, where individuals are exposed to both good and evil influences and are given the moral agency to choose for themselves which path they will take.
Because all make mistakes, the Savior’s atoning sacrifice makes it possible for salvation and exaltation through the principle of repentance.
“Endurance is an important principle found within the doctrine of Jesus Christ,” he said. “It is important because the quality of our eternal future is proportional to our ability to endure our challenges.”
In order to receive the greatest of all the blessings of Heavenly Father — eternal life — individuals must successfully endure.
“Our ability to endure to the end in righteousness will be in direct proportion to the strength of our testimony and the depth of our conversation,” he said. “When our testimonies are strong and we are truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, our choices will be inspired by the Holy Ghost, they will be Christ-centered, and they will support our desire to endure in righteousness. If our testimonies are weak and our conversion superficial, the risk is much greater than we will be enticed by the false traditions of the world to make poor choices.”
Spiritual endurance comes at a price, Elder Maynes taught. It is through dedication, perseverance and self-discipline that individuals are able to keep their testimonies in shape and become a disciple of Jesus Christ.
“Because we face challenges every day, it is important that we work on our spiritual stamina every day,” he said. “When we develop spiritual stamina, the false traditions of the world, as well as our personal daily challenges, will have little negative impact on our ability to endure in righteousness.”
Elder Richard G. Scott, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ'
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, members can build spiritual fortifications between themselves and past mistakes that Satan attempts to exploit.
That was the message shared by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve in his Sunday morning general conference talk. The apostle utilized the Book of Mormon account of the people of Ammon to illustrate how people can find strength in the Atonement during difficult times.
The people of Ammon were converted to Christ's church and chose to leave behind their sinful behavior. So complete was their conversion that they buried their weapons and covenanted with the Lord that they would never use them again.
Later, their unconverted brethren attacked them and began to slay them. They needed great spiritual strength to resist the temptation to break their covenant and defend their families. Their priesthood leader, Helaman, counseled them to honor their sacred covenant and, instead, enlisted their faithful sons to take up arms in defense of their people.
Why, asked Elder Scott, were the people of Ammon counseled not to defend their families?
"It is a fundamental truth that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed. We can become virtuous and pure. However, sometimes our poor choices leave us with long-term consequences. One of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins. Their past choices had exposed these Ammonite fathers to a carnal appetite that could again become a point of vulnerability that Satan would attempt to exploit."
Satan will try to use one's memory of any previous guilt to lure one back into his influence, he said.
"We must be ever vigilant to avoid his enticements. Such was the case with the faithful Ammonite fathers. Even after years of faithful living, it was imperative for them to protect themselves spiritually from any attraction to the memory of past sins."
Through the Atonement, Christ is able to protect and fortify those who repent and follow His commandments. "The spiritual protections built around the Ammonite fathers blessed and strengthened themselves, their families, their country and future generations. The same can be true with us."
Elder Scott taught that members can enjoy such eternal fortifications through sincere, thorough and complete repentance.
"Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ each of us can become clean and the burden of our rebellion will be lifted. Remember repentance is not punishment. It is the hope-filled path to a more glorious future."
The apostle suggested several tools that help one build fortifications between vulnerabilities and faithfulness:
• Make covenants, receive personal ordinances and perform ordinances for others in the temple.
• Share the gospel with others.
• Serve faithfully in Church callings, especially home teaching and visiting teaching.
• Serve the members of your family.
"In each of these suggestions there is a common theme: fill your life with service to others. As you lose your life in the service of Father in Heaven's children, Satan's temptations lose power in your life."
President Thomas S. Monson
'I Will Not Fail Thee, Nor Forsake Thee'
President Thomas S. Monson told Latter-day Saints gathered worldwide on Sunday morning that whenever they are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, to remember that others have passed the same way, have endured and then have overcome.
“The history of the Church in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times, is replete with the experiences of those who have struggled and yet who have remained steadfast and of good cheer,” he said. “The reason? They have made the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their lives.
"This is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. We will still experience difficult challenges, but we will be able to face them, to meet them head on, and to emerge victorious.”
President Monson said that six months ago, as Church members gathered for general conference, his sweet wife lay in the hospital, having suffered a devastating fall just a few days earlier. “In May, after weeks of valiantly struggling to overcome her injuries, she slipped into eternity,” he said. “Her loss has been profound.”
President Monson said he married his wife Oct. 7, 1948, in the Salt Lake Temple. “Tomorrow would have been our 65th wedding anniversary. She was the love of my life, my trusted confidant and my closest friend. To say that I miss her does not begin to convey the depth of my feelings.”
President Monson said his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that his wife lives still is of utmost comfort to him during this tender time of passing.
“I know that our separation is temporary,” he said. “We were sealed in the House of God by one having authority to bind on earth and in heaven. I know that we will be reunited one day and will never again be separated. This is the knowledge that sustains me.”
No person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and sorrow, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil and misery, President Monson explained.
“The difficulties which come to us present us with the real test of our ability to endure,” he said. “A fundamental question remains to be answered by each of us: Shall I falter, or shall I finish? Some do falter as they find themselves unable to rise above their challenges. To finish involves enduring to the very end of life itself.”
While traveling the world as the leader of the Church, President Monson said he has come to know many things — not the least of which is that sadness and suffering are universal.
“I cannot begin to measure all of the heartache and sorrow I have witnessed as I have visited with those who are dealing with grief, experiencing illness, facing divorce, struggling with a wayward son or daughter or suffering the consequences of sin,” he said. “The list could go on and on, for there are countless problems which can befall us.”
President Monson said whenever he thinks of challenges his thoughts turn to Brother Brems, one of his boyhood Sunday School teachers. In 1968, he lost his wife. As the years went by, two of his children also passed away. At age 105, Brother Brems asked his family to call President Monson to his bedside. Brother Brems was blind and deaf and communicated as letters were traced on the palm of his hand. President Monson gave Brother Brems a blessing. “Afterward, tears streamed from his sightless eyes. He grasped our hands in gratitude. Although he had not heard the blessing we had given him, the Spirit was strong, and I believe he was inspired to know we had provided the blessing which he needed.
“This sweet man could not longer see. He could no longer hear. He was confined night and day to a small room in a care center. And yet the smile of his face and the words he spoke touched my heart. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘My Heavenly Father has been so good to me.’”
'To my grandchildren'
Joy is guaranteed for the faithful, said President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
“Whatever our personal characteristics or whatever will be our experiences, there is but one plan to happiness,” he said. “That plan is to follow all the commandments of God.”
Speaking during the Sunday morning session of conference, President Eyring said this year two of his grandchildren will be married. “Within a few years as many as 10 of their cousins will follow into the wonderful world of family creation.”
President Eyring said that happy prospect has caused him deep contemplation as they have asked, “What choices could I make that will lead me to happiness?”
“For all of us, including my grandchildren contemplating marriage, there is one overarching commandment that will help to meet the challenges and lead to the heart of a happy family life,” he said. “It applies to all relationships regardless of circumstances.”
The Lord’s advice to all who want to live together forever in loving happiness is: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
From that simple statement, it is not hard to summarize what choices lead to happiness in families, he said.
“For me it has been to choose to put myself where I felt the joy of forgiveness through the Lord’s Atonement.”
He said accepting and magnifying every calling offered in the Church is a choice that is “one of the great keys to family happiness.”
“The pressures at every stage of life can tempt us to reject or neglect calls to serve the Savior. That can put us in spiritual peril for ourselves, our spouse, and our families. Some of those calls may seem unimportant, but my life and my family was changed for the better by my accepting a call to teach a deacons quorum. I felt the love of those deacons for the Savior and His love for them.”
While serving others, Latter-day Saints are most likely to plead for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. “Success in His service always produces miracles beyond our own powers.”
It is only with the companionship of the Holy Ghost that Church members can hope to be equally yoked in a marriage free from discord. “The miracle of becoming one requires the help of Heaven and it takes time. Our goal is to live together forever in the presence of Heavenly Father and our Savior.”
President Eyring said that Heavenly Father “has perfect foresight, knows each of us, and knows our future. He knows what difficulties we will pass through. He sent His Son to suffer that He would know how to succor us in all our trials.
“We know that Heavenly Father has spirit children in this world who sometimes choose sin and great unhappiness. That is why He sent His Firstborn to be our Redeemer, the greatest act of love in all creation. That is why we must expect that it will take the help of God and time to polish us, to prepare us for eternal life, to live with our Father.”
Life in families will test God’s children, he said. “That is one of God’s purposes in giving us the gift of mortality — to strengthen us by passing through tests. That will be especially true in family life where we will find great joy and great sorrow and challenges which may at times seem beyond our power to endure them.”
President Eyring said God has devised means to save each of His children.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'No Other Gods'
Placing God first should be the ultimate priority in one's life, taught Elder Dallin H. Oaks in his conference address on Sunday morning.
The apostle identified several examples of things that are often being served ahead of God: cultural and family traditions, political correctness, career aspirations, material possessions, recreational pursuits and power, prominence and prestige.
"Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship?" he asked. "Have we forgotten the Savior who taught that if we love Him we will keep His commandments? If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the spiritual apathy and undisciplined appetites so common in our day."
God's commandments are based on and inseparable from God's plan for His children — the great plan of salvation.
"This plan, sometimes called the 'great plan of happiness,' explains our origins and destiny as children of God — where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going," said Elder Oaks. "The plan of salvation explains the purpose of creation and the conditions of mortality, including God's commandments, the need for a Savior, and the vital role of mortal and eternal families. If we Latter-day Saints, who have been given this knowledge, do not establish our priorities in accord with this plan, we are in danger of serving other gods."
Knowledge of God's plan for His children give members a unique perspective on marriage and family. The Church is known as a family-centered church. Marriage of a man and a woman is necessary for the accomplishment of God's plan. The ultimate treasures on earth and heaven are one's children and posterity.
"Because of what we understand about the potentially eternal role of the family, we grieve at the sharply declining numbers of births and marriages in many western countries whose historic cultures are Christian and Jewish," he said.
The apostle cited responsible sources reporting historic declines in birth rates in the United States, many European nations and other developed countries. Marriage rates and the role and perceived necessity of fathers are also diminishing in many countries.
"We believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has established an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between a man and a woman who are married," he said.
The importance the Church places on the law of chastity explains its commitment to the pattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and establishes God's pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons and daughters for the nurturing of His children.
"There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God's decrees about sexual morality and are contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and child-bearing. These pressures have already permitted same-gender marriages in various states and nations."
Laws legalizing so called "same-gender marriage," he added, do not change God's law of marriage of His commandments and standards.
"We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from bowing down to or serving other gods and priorities — even those becoming popular in our particular time and place."
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, General Young Women's President
'Be Ye Converted'
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women general president, began her remarks with a conversion story of her great-great grandmother, Agnes Hoggan, who joined the Church in Scotland in 1861 and moved to America after the persecution her family faced. Her daughter Isabelle began working for a wealthy, non-LDS family to help provide for her family. Eventually, the wealthy family wanted to legally adopt Isabelle, while still giving wages to Agnes. Although Isabelle would have a better life with material goods, education and wealth, Agnes could not bear the thought of Isabelle losing the gospel in her life.
"Isabelle Hoggan is my great-grandmother and I am most grateful for the testimony and conviction that burned so brightly in her mother's heart, which did not allow her to trade her daughter's membership in the Church for worldly promises," she said.
Sister Oscarson explained, "The decisions you make in your daily life will determine what happens to you later. If you do not yet have a firmly-rooted testimony and conviction that The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the earth, now is the time to do what it takes to gain that conviction."
Sister Oscarson taught, "True conversion is more than merely having a knowledge of gospel principles and implies even more than just having a testimony of those principles.… Being truly converted means we are acting upon what we believe and allowing it to create 'a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,' " (True to the Faith).
Sister Oscarson cautioned "the Lord expects us to exercise faith" and that members need to follow the commandments in order to gain a testimony.
She explained how having a testimony of the gospel helped her keep the commandments throughout her youth, being a good example to her peers.
"Conversion comes as we live pure and virtuous lives and enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost," she said. "Conversion comes as we understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and acknowledge Him as our Savior and Redeemer, and allow the Atonement to take effect in our lives."
Once we are converted, Sister Oscarson said that members are more willing to share the gospel with others. "As you are converted, you will have a desire to share with others what you have learned and your confidence and ability to testify to others with conviction and power will increase."
Elder Richard J. Maynes, Presidency of the Seventy
'The Strength to Endure'
Spiritual strength comes as individuals learn to successfully endure challenges they face in life.
“Every morning when we wake up we face a new day filled with the challenges of life,” he said.
“These challenges come in many forms: physical challenges, financial setbacks, difficulties with relationships, emotional trials and even struggles with one’s faith.”
Many challenges can be solved and overcome; however, others might be difficult to understand and impossible to overcome until the next life, Elder Maynes said.
“As we temporarily endure the challenges we can solve and as we continue to endure the challenges we cannot solve, it is important to remember that the spiritual strength we develop will help us successfully endure all the challenges we face in life,” he said.
The journey of life is a test of character, where individuals are exposed to both good and evil influences and are given the moral agency to choose for themselves which path they will take.
Because all make mistakes, the Savior’s atoning sacrifice makes it possible for salvation and exaltation through the principle of repentance.
“Endurance is an important principle found within the doctrine of Jesus Christ,” he said. “It is important because the quality of our eternal future is proportional to our ability to endure our challenges.”
In order to receive the greatest of all the blessings of Heavenly Father — eternal life — individuals must successfully endure.
“Our ability to endure to the end in righteousness will be in direct proportion to the strength of our testimony and the depth of our conversation,” he said. “When our testimonies are strong and we are truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, our choices will be inspired by the Holy Ghost, they will be Christ-centered, and they will support our desire to endure in righteousness. If our testimonies are weak and our conversion superficial, the risk is much greater than we will be enticed by the false traditions of the world to make poor choices.”
Spiritual endurance comes at a price, Elder Maynes taught. It is through dedication, perseverance and self-discipline that individuals are able to keep their testimonies in shape and become a disciple of Jesus Christ.
“Because we face challenges every day, it is important that we work on our spiritual stamina every day,” he said. “When we develop spiritual stamina, the false traditions of the world, as well as our personal daily challenges, will have little negative impact on our ability to endure in righteousness.”
Elder Richard G. Scott, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ'
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, members can build spiritual fortifications between themselves and past mistakes that Satan attempts to exploit.
That was the message shared by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve in his Sunday morning general conference talk. The apostle utilized the Book of Mormon account of the people of Ammon to illustrate how people can find strength in the Atonement during difficult times.
The people of Ammon were converted to Christ's church and chose to leave behind their sinful behavior. So complete was their conversion that they buried their weapons and covenanted with the Lord that they would never use them again.
Later, their unconverted brethren attacked them and began to slay them. They needed great spiritual strength to resist the temptation to break their covenant and defend their families. Their priesthood leader, Helaman, counseled them to honor their sacred covenant and, instead, enlisted their faithful sons to take up arms in defense of their people.
Why, asked Elder Scott, were the people of Ammon counseled not to defend their families?
"It is a fundamental truth that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed. We can become virtuous and pure. However, sometimes our poor choices leave us with long-term consequences. One of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins. Their past choices had exposed these Ammonite fathers to a carnal appetite that could again become a point of vulnerability that Satan would attempt to exploit."
Satan will try to use one's memory of any previous guilt to lure one back into his influence, he said.
"We must be ever vigilant to avoid his enticements. Such was the case with the faithful Ammonite fathers. Even after years of faithful living, it was imperative for them to protect themselves spiritually from any attraction to the memory of past sins."
Through the Atonement, Christ is able to protect and fortify those who repent and follow His commandments. "The spiritual protections built around the Ammonite fathers blessed and strengthened themselves, their families, their country and future generations. The same can be true with us."
Elder Scott taught that members can enjoy such eternal fortifications through sincere, thorough and complete repentance.
"Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ each of us can become clean and the burden of our rebellion will be lifted. Remember repentance is not punishment. It is the hope-filled path to a more glorious future."
The apostle suggested several tools that help one build fortifications between vulnerabilities and faithfulness:
• Make covenants, receive personal ordinances and perform ordinances for others in the temple.
• Share the gospel with others.
• Serve faithfully in Church callings, especially home teaching and visiting teaching.
• Serve the members of your family.
"In each of these suggestions there is a common theme: fill your life with service to others. As you lose your life in the service of Father in Heaven's children, Satan's temptations lose power in your life."
President Thomas S. Monson
'I Will Not Fail Thee, Nor Forsake Thee'
President Thomas S. Monson told Latter-day Saints gathered worldwide on Sunday morning that whenever they are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life, to remember that others have passed the same way, have endured and then have overcome.
“The history of the Church in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times, is replete with the experiences of those who have struggled and yet who have remained steadfast and of good cheer,” he said. “The reason? They have made the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their lives.
"This is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. We will still experience difficult challenges, but we will be able to face them, to meet them head on, and to emerge victorious.”
President Monson said that six months ago, as Church members gathered for general conference, his sweet wife lay in the hospital, having suffered a devastating fall just a few days earlier. “In May, after weeks of valiantly struggling to overcome her injuries, she slipped into eternity,” he said. “Her loss has been profound.”
President Monson said he married his wife Oct. 7, 1948, in the Salt Lake Temple. “Tomorrow would have been our 65th wedding anniversary. She was the love of my life, my trusted confidant and my closest friend. To say that I miss her does not begin to convey the depth of my feelings.”
President Monson said his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that his wife lives still is of utmost comfort to him during this tender time of passing.
“I know that our separation is temporary,” he said. “We were sealed in the House of God by one having authority to bind on earth and in heaven. I know that we will be reunited one day and will never again be separated. This is the knowledge that sustains me.”
No person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and sorrow, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil and misery, President Monson explained.
“The difficulties which come to us present us with the real test of our ability to endure,” he said. “A fundamental question remains to be answered by each of us: Shall I falter, or shall I finish? Some do falter as they find themselves unable to rise above their challenges. To finish involves enduring to the very end of life itself.”
While traveling the world as the leader of the Church, President Monson said he has come to know many things — not the least of which is that sadness and suffering are universal.
“I cannot begin to measure all of the heartache and sorrow I have witnessed as I have visited with those who are dealing with grief, experiencing illness, facing divorce, struggling with a wayward son or daughter or suffering the consequences of sin,” he said. “The list could go on and on, for there are countless problems which can befall us.”
President Monson said whenever he thinks of challenges his thoughts turn to Brother Brems, one of his boyhood Sunday School teachers. In 1968, he lost his wife. As the years went by, two of his children also passed away. At age 105, Brother Brems asked his family to call President Monson to his bedside. Brother Brems was blind and deaf and communicated as letters were traced on the palm of his hand. President Monson gave Brother Brems a blessing. “Afterward, tears streamed from his sightless eyes. He grasped our hands in gratitude. Although he had not heard the blessing we had given him, the Spirit was strong, and I believe he was inspired to know we had provided the blessing which he needed.
“This sweet man could not longer see. He could no longer hear. He was confined night and day to a small room in a care center. And yet the smile of his face and the words he spoke touched my heart. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘My Heavenly Father has been so good to me.’”
Saturday Afternoon Session Review
President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'The key to spiritual protection'
The scriptures remain a key to one's spiritual protection, declared President Boyd K. Packer, president of the Quorum of the Twelve.
In his Saturday afternoon conference address, President Packer said that happiness depends upon living the standards established by the Savior and set forth in His scriptures.
"Parents today wonder if there is a safe place to raise children," he said. "There is a safe place. It is in a gospel-centered home. We focus on the family in the Church and we counsel parents everywhere to raise their children in righteousness."
The prophets have warned that the last days will be fraught with peril, he said. By reading the scriptures, individuals can recognize dangerous patterns to avoid and remain watchful and diligent.
Even though the prophetic visions of the present day can be disturbing, President Packer said he views the future "with feelings of positive optimism."
"The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection," he added. "They contain the doctrines and laws and ordinances that will bring each child of God to a testimony of Jesus Christ and their Savior and Redeemer."
Enormous efforts have been made to produce the scriptures in many languages with footnotes and cross references. "We seek to make them available to all who wish to learn. They teach us where to go and what to do. They offer hope and knowledge."
President Packer counseled members to make scripture reading a regular routine. Blessings will follow, he promised.
"There is in the scriptures a voice of warning, but there is also great nourishment. If the language of the scriptures at first seems strange to you, keep reading. Soon you will come to recognize the beauty and power found on those pages."
It was Paul who taught that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
Today's members live in dangerous times, acknowledged President Packer. "Nevertheless, we can find hope and peace for ourselves and for our families. Those living in sorrow, despairing at the possibility of a child being rescued from where the world has taken them, must never give up."
Children who are taught an understanding of the scriptures early in life will come to know the path they should walk and will be more inclined to remain on that path, he said, and those who stray will have to ability to return.
"If you are set on a course of faith and activity in the Church, stay on course and keep your covenants," he counseled. "Continue forward until the time when the Lord's blessings will come to you and the Holy Ghost will be revealed as a moving force in your life."
For those who have strayed, there is a way back, he said. "Jesus Christ has prescribed a very clear method for us to repent and find healing in our lives."
President Packer said it is the gospel that teaches people to be happy, to have faith rather than fear, to find hope and overcome despair and to leave darkness and turn toward everlasting light.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'The moral force of women'
In his Saturday afternoon conference address, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve expressed gratitude for the "influence of good women" before offering a plea to women "to cultivate the innate moral power" found within them.
"Women bring with them into the world a certain virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as faith, courage, empathy and refinement in relationships and in cultures," he said.
The apostle spoke of the many women — including his mother and his wife — who have blessed and influenced his life. It was his grandmother, Adena Warnick Swenson, who taught him to be conscientious in priesthood service.
"Observing how she sustained my grandfather, a stake patriarch, engendered in me a reverence for sacred things. Grandma Swenson never learned how to drive a car, but she knew how to help become priesthood men."
A woman's moral influence is nowhere more powerful or important than in the home, he noted. "There is no better setting for rearing the rising generation than the traditional family where a father and a mother work in harmony to provide for, teach and nurture their children. Where this ideal does not exist, people strive to duplicate its benefits as best they can in their particular circumstances."
Through a mother's example, a son learns to respect womanhood and incorporate high moral standards in his life; a daughter cultivates virtue and learns to stand up for what is right, he observed.
Most sacred, he added, is a woman's role in the creation of life. "As grandmothers, mothers and role models, women have been the guardians of the wellspring of life, teaching each generation the importance of sexual purity — of chastity before marriage and fidelity within marriage."
Elder Christofferson spoke of the "pernicious philosophy" that undermines a woman's moral influence by devaluing marriage and motherhood and homemaking as a career.
"We do not diminish the value of what women or men achieve in any worthy endeavor or career -- we all benefit from their achievements -- but still recognize that there is not a higher good than motherhood and fatherhood in marriage. There is no superior career, and no amount of money, authority or public acclaim can exceed the ultimate rewards of family."
Attitudes toward human sexuality also threaten the moral authority of women, he said. Sexual immorality and revealing dress not only debase women but reinforces the lie that a woman is defined by her sexuality, he said.
The apostle also addressed those who, in the name of equality, want to erase all differences between the masculine and the feminine. The distinct, complementary gifts of men and women that produce a greater whole are being blurred.
He pleaded with women and girls to protect the moral force within them.
"Preserve that innate virtue and unique gifts you bring with you into the world. Your intuition is to do good and to be good, and as you follow the Holy Spirit, your moral authority and influence will grow.
To the young women I say, don't lose that moral force even before you have it in full measure."
He counseled young women to use clean language, dress modestly and live pure lives.
Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Hastening the Lord's game plan'
“We need to be engaged as never before,” Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy said during the Saturday afternoon session of general conference.
“President Thomas S. Monson, once again this morning, has called each one of us to a very important work. He said, ‘Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him.’ Have we been listening?” Elder Nielsen asked.
All over the world stakes, districts and missions are experiencing a new level of energy, he said. Members have an important role in that energy, helping to fulfill the Savior’s declaration to Joseph Smith in 1832 when he said, “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:72-73).
“When I played football I thought in terms of game plans,” Elder Nielsen said. “There was no question going into a contest that if our team was prepared with the right plays, we were going to be successful. …
“Since we are all on the Lord’s team, do we each have our own winning game plan? Are we ready to play? If we as members really loved our family, friends, and associates, wouldn’t we want to share our testimony of the restored gospel with them?”
Church members need to be engaged as never before to match the excitement of leaders and committed full-time missionaries.
“This work is not going to move forward in the Lord’s intended way without us!” he said.
Elder Nielsen shared three points to consider when putting together a personal “game plan.”
First, specifically pray to bring someone closer to the Savior and His gospel every day. “You can do this by seeing everyone as sons and daughters of God helping each other on their journey home,” he said. “Think of the new friends you would make.”
Second, pray for the missionaries serving in local areas and their investigators by name every day. “The only way to do this is to greet them, look at their badge, call them by name and ask them who they are teaching.”
Third, invite a friend to an activity in or to your home. “Wherever you go or whatever you do, ponder who would enjoy the occasion and then listen to the Spirit as He directs you,” Elder Nielsen said.
It is through developing and carrying out a personal "game plan" that members will be able to serve with enthusiasm and answer the prophet’s call to bring souls unto the Lord.
Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Small and Simple Things'
In the Saturday afternoon session of general conference, Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela of the Seventy reflected on the words of Alma from the Book of Mormon, "Now ye may suppose that his is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
Elder Valenzuela said, "As members of the Church, we are able, through our own small and simple things, to 'convince many of the error of their ways' and help 'bring them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls" (Alma 37:8).
As an example, Elder Valenzuela recalled a visit he made with others to a less active Church member. They taught him in a very simple way the blessings of the Sabbath and expressed their love. The man said all he needed was for someone to come and give him a hug. "I immediately stood up and embraced him," said Elder Valenzuela. "The next day was Sunday. This same brother came to sacrament meeting with his entire family."
Elder Valenzuela spoke about Martha, a member of his ward. Elder Valenzuela's wife was her visiting teacher and during a visit, Martha told her and her companion never to come back. She had decided to stop coming to Church.
One of the visiting teachers asked if they could sing a hymn before they left. Martha agreed. "Little by little, the Spirit began to fill the room," said Elder Valenzuela. "Each of them felt it. Martha's heart began to soften." She began to attend church with her daughter and eventually her husband joined them. She later served as the ward Relief Society president. "All this began with the singing of a hymn, a small and simple thing, that touched Martha's heart," he said.
"I testify that any of those who need our help are there waiting for us all to go forth and rescue our brothers and sisters to reach out to them, and rescue them through small and simple means," said Elder Valenzuela. "I have personally spent many hours visiting less active members of the Church, whose hearts have already been softened by the Lord, who are now ready to receive our testimonies and our sincere expressions of love. When we reach out and invite them, they will return to the Church without hesitation."
Elder Timothy J. Dyches, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?
Speaking to members during the Saturday afternoon session of general conference, Elder Timothy J. Dyches of the Seventy focused his message on the Savior's power to make a person whole.
Sharing a story from the New Testament about the Savior's visit to the sick at the Pool of Bethesda, Elder Dyches taught that Jesus approached a man under a temporary canopy who had suffered infirmity 38 years. He said, "As the Savior raises the edge of cloth with one hand, he beckons with the other and asks a penetrating question, 'Wilt thou be made whole?'"
"Do you remember when your faith and joy were full to the brim?" asked Elder Dyches. "If that time seems lost, it can be found again."
He said as people draw near to Jesus Christ, they realize that mortality is meant to be difficult.
"Opposition in all things" is not a flaw in the plan of salvation, he observed. Opposition is an indispensable element of mortality and strengthens one's will and refines one's choices. It engraves His image upon people's countenance as they yield their hearts to Him.
Elder Dyches said that the ordinance of sacrament invites the power of the Atonement in members' lives. "We are healed by 'cleansing the inner vessel' and by abandoning the habits and lifestyles that harden heart and stiffen necks," he said.
"As we repent and become converted to the Lord, we are healed and our guilt is swept away," said Elder Dyches. "We may wonder, as did Enos, 'How is it done?' The Lord answers, 'Because of thy faith in Christ. Wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.'"
He told members if they are feeling unclean, unloved, unhappy, unworthy, unwhole or incomplete, to remember "all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." He quoted President Monson, who said, "There is one life that sustains those who are troubled or beset with sorrow and grief, even the Lord Jesus Christ."
"Be assured, the Savior still seeks to heal our hearts," said Elder Dyches. "He waits at the door and knocks. Let us answer Him. Let us pray, repent, forgive and forget. Let us love God and serve our neighbor and stand in holy places with a life made clean. His grace is sufficient and you will not walk alone ...Wilt thou be made whole? Rise and walk."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Like a Broken Vessel'
While those dealing with a mental illness or an emotional disorder may feel like a “broken vessel,” they must remember the “vessel is in the hands of the divine potter,” said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve.
“Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed,” he said.
Speaking Saturday afternoon, Elder Holland directed his remarks to "those who suffer from some form of mental illness or emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent over a lifetime."
These afflictions, he said, are some of the realities of mortal life.
"In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to remember that we are living — and chose to live — in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of Godliness will be tested and tried again and again.
“Of greatest assurance in such a plan is that a Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.”
Elder Holland then concentrated his remarks on depression — “an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to function fully.”
This “dark night of the mind and spirit is more than mere discouragement,” he said. “I have seen it come to an absolutely angelic man when his beloved spouse of 50 years passed away. …. And I have seen it in young fathers trying provide for their families.”
Once, Elder Holland said, he saw it in himself. “At one point in our married life when financial fears collided with staggering fatigue, I took a psychic blow that was as unanticipated as it was real. …
With the grace of God and the love of my family I kept functioning and kept working, but even after all these years I continue to feel a deep sympathy for others more chronically or more deeply afflicted with such gloom than I was.”
He said many have dealt with depression, including Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and George Albert Smith, the latter of whom became the eighth president of the Church.
“So how do you respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love?
Above all never lose faith in your Father in Heaven who loves you more than you can comprehend.
…. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles.”
If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills and good values, Elder Holland counseled. “Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.”
If you are the one afflicted or a caregiver of such, try not to be overwhelmed, he added. “For caregivers, in your devoted effort to assist with another’s health, do not destroy your own.”
Through any illness or difficult challenge, there is much in life to be hopeful about and grateful for, he said. “Whatever your struggle — mental or emotional or physical or otherwise — don’t vote against the preciousness of life by ending it. Trust in God. Hold on to His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee.”
'The key to spiritual protection'
The scriptures remain a key to one's spiritual protection, declared President Boyd K. Packer, president of the Quorum of the Twelve.
In his Saturday afternoon conference address, President Packer said that happiness depends upon living the standards established by the Savior and set forth in His scriptures.
"Parents today wonder if there is a safe place to raise children," he said. "There is a safe place. It is in a gospel-centered home. We focus on the family in the Church and we counsel parents everywhere to raise their children in righteousness."
The prophets have warned that the last days will be fraught with peril, he said. By reading the scriptures, individuals can recognize dangerous patterns to avoid and remain watchful and diligent.
Even though the prophetic visions of the present day can be disturbing, President Packer said he views the future "with feelings of positive optimism."
"The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection," he added. "They contain the doctrines and laws and ordinances that will bring each child of God to a testimony of Jesus Christ and their Savior and Redeemer."
Enormous efforts have been made to produce the scriptures in many languages with footnotes and cross references. "We seek to make them available to all who wish to learn. They teach us where to go and what to do. They offer hope and knowledge."
President Packer counseled members to make scripture reading a regular routine. Blessings will follow, he promised.
"There is in the scriptures a voice of warning, but there is also great nourishment. If the language of the scriptures at first seems strange to you, keep reading. Soon you will come to recognize the beauty and power found on those pages."
It was Paul who taught that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
Today's members live in dangerous times, acknowledged President Packer. "Nevertheless, we can find hope and peace for ourselves and for our families. Those living in sorrow, despairing at the possibility of a child being rescued from where the world has taken them, must never give up."
Children who are taught an understanding of the scriptures early in life will come to know the path they should walk and will be more inclined to remain on that path, he said, and those who stray will have to ability to return.
"If you are set on a course of faith and activity in the Church, stay on course and keep your covenants," he counseled. "Continue forward until the time when the Lord's blessings will come to you and the Holy Ghost will be revealed as a moving force in your life."
For those who have strayed, there is a way back, he said. "Jesus Christ has prescribed a very clear method for us to repent and find healing in our lives."
President Packer said it is the gospel that teaches people to be happy, to have faith rather than fear, to find hope and overcome despair and to leave darkness and turn toward everlasting light.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'The moral force of women'
In his Saturday afternoon conference address, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve expressed gratitude for the "influence of good women" before offering a plea to women "to cultivate the innate moral power" found within them.
"Women bring with them into the world a certain virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as faith, courage, empathy and refinement in relationships and in cultures," he said.
The apostle spoke of the many women — including his mother and his wife — who have blessed and influenced his life. It was his grandmother, Adena Warnick Swenson, who taught him to be conscientious in priesthood service.
"Observing how she sustained my grandfather, a stake patriarch, engendered in me a reverence for sacred things. Grandma Swenson never learned how to drive a car, but she knew how to help become priesthood men."
A woman's moral influence is nowhere more powerful or important than in the home, he noted. "There is no better setting for rearing the rising generation than the traditional family where a father and a mother work in harmony to provide for, teach and nurture their children. Where this ideal does not exist, people strive to duplicate its benefits as best they can in their particular circumstances."
Through a mother's example, a son learns to respect womanhood and incorporate high moral standards in his life; a daughter cultivates virtue and learns to stand up for what is right, he observed.
Most sacred, he added, is a woman's role in the creation of life. "As grandmothers, mothers and role models, women have been the guardians of the wellspring of life, teaching each generation the importance of sexual purity — of chastity before marriage and fidelity within marriage."
Elder Christofferson spoke of the "pernicious philosophy" that undermines a woman's moral influence by devaluing marriage and motherhood and homemaking as a career.
"We do not diminish the value of what women or men achieve in any worthy endeavor or career -- we all benefit from their achievements -- but still recognize that there is not a higher good than motherhood and fatherhood in marriage. There is no superior career, and no amount of money, authority or public acclaim can exceed the ultimate rewards of family."
Attitudes toward human sexuality also threaten the moral authority of women, he said. Sexual immorality and revealing dress not only debase women but reinforces the lie that a woman is defined by her sexuality, he said.
The apostle also addressed those who, in the name of equality, want to erase all differences between the masculine and the feminine. The distinct, complementary gifts of men and women that produce a greater whole are being blurred.
He pleaded with women and girls to protect the moral force within them.
"Preserve that innate virtue and unique gifts you bring with you into the world. Your intuition is to do good and to be good, and as you follow the Holy Spirit, your moral authority and influence will grow.
To the young women I say, don't lose that moral force even before you have it in full measure."
He counseled young women to use clean language, dress modestly and live pure lives.
Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Hastening the Lord's game plan'
“We need to be engaged as never before,” Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy said during the Saturday afternoon session of general conference.
“President Thomas S. Monson, once again this morning, has called each one of us to a very important work. He said, ‘Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him.’ Have we been listening?” Elder Nielsen asked.
All over the world stakes, districts and missions are experiencing a new level of energy, he said. Members have an important role in that energy, helping to fulfill the Savior’s declaration to Joseph Smith in 1832 when he said, “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:72-73).
“When I played football I thought in terms of game plans,” Elder Nielsen said. “There was no question going into a contest that if our team was prepared with the right plays, we were going to be successful. …
“Since we are all on the Lord’s team, do we each have our own winning game plan? Are we ready to play? If we as members really loved our family, friends, and associates, wouldn’t we want to share our testimony of the restored gospel with them?”
Church members need to be engaged as never before to match the excitement of leaders and committed full-time missionaries.
“This work is not going to move forward in the Lord’s intended way without us!” he said.
Elder Nielsen shared three points to consider when putting together a personal “game plan.”
First, specifically pray to bring someone closer to the Savior and His gospel every day. “You can do this by seeing everyone as sons and daughters of God helping each other on their journey home,” he said. “Think of the new friends you would make.”
Second, pray for the missionaries serving in local areas and their investigators by name every day. “The only way to do this is to greet them, look at their badge, call them by name and ask them who they are teaching.”
Third, invite a friend to an activity in or to your home. “Wherever you go or whatever you do, ponder who would enjoy the occasion and then listen to the Spirit as He directs you,” Elder Nielsen said.
It is through developing and carrying out a personal "game plan" that members will be able to serve with enthusiasm and answer the prophet’s call to bring souls unto the Lord.
Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Small and Simple Things'
In the Saturday afternoon session of general conference, Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela of the Seventy reflected on the words of Alma from the Book of Mormon, "Now ye may suppose that his is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
Elder Valenzuela said, "As members of the Church, we are able, through our own small and simple things, to 'convince many of the error of their ways' and help 'bring them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls" (Alma 37:8).
As an example, Elder Valenzuela recalled a visit he made with others to a less active Church member. They taught him in a very simple way the blessings of the Sabbath and expressed their love. The man said all he needed was for someone to come and give him a hug. "I immediately stood up and embraced him," said Elder Valenzuela. "The next day was Sunday. This same brother came to sacrament meeting with his entire family."
Elder Valenzuela spoke about Martha, a member of his ward. Elder Valenzuela's wife was her visiting teacher and during a visit, Martha told her and her companion never to come back. She had decided to stop coming to Church.
One of the visiting teachers asked if they could sing a hymn before they left. Martha agreed. "Little by little, the Spirit began to fill the room," said Elder Valenzuela. "Each of them felt it. Martha's heart began to soften." She began to attend church with her daughter and eventually her husband joined them. She later served as the ward Relief Society president. "All this began with the singing of a hymn, a small and simple thing, that touched Martha's heart," he said.
"I testify that any of those who need our help are there waiting for us all to go forth and rescue our brothers and sisters to reach out to them, and rescue them through small and simple means," said Elder Valenzuela. "I have personally spent many hours visiting less active members of the Church, whose hearts have already been softened by the Lord, who are now ready to receive our testimonies and our sincere expressions of love. When we reach out and invite them, they will return to the Church without hesitation."
Elder Timothy J. Dyches, First Quorum of the Seventy
'Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?
Speaking to members during the Saturday afternoon session of general conference, Elder Timothy J. Dyches of the Seventy focused his message on the Savior's power to make a person whole.
Sharing a story from the New Testament about the Savior's visit to the sick at the Pool of Bethesda, Elder Dyches taught that Jesus approached a man under a temporary canopy who had suffered infirmity 38 years. He said, "As the Savior raises the edge of cloth with one hand, he beckons with the other and asks a penetrating question, 'Wilt thou be made whole?'"
"Do you remember when your faith and joy were full to the brim?" asked Elder Dyches. "If that time seems lost, it can be found again."
He said as people draw near to Jesus Christ, they realize that mortality is meant to be difficult.
"Opposition in all things" is not a flaw in the plan of salvation, he observed. Opposition is an indispensable element of mortality and strengthens one's will and refines one's choices. It engraves His image upon people's countenance as they yield their hearts to Him.
Elder Dyches said that the ordinance of sacrament invites the power of the Atonement in members' lives. "We are healed by 'cleansing the inner vessel' and by abandoning the habits and lifestyles that harden heart and stiffen necks," he said.
"As we repent and become converted to the Lord, we are healed and our guilt is swept away," said Elder Dyches. "We may wonder, as did Enos, 'How is it done?' The Lord answers, 'Because of thy faith in Christ. Wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.'"
He told members if they are feeling unclean, unloved, unhappy, unworthy, unwhole or incomplete, to remember "all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." He quoted President Monson, who said, "There is one life that sustains those who are troubled or beset with sorrow and grief, even the Lord Jesus Christ."
"Be assured, the Savior still seeks to heal our hearts," said Elder Dyches. "He waits at the door and knocks. Let us answer Him. Let us pray, repent, forgive and forget. Let us love God and serve our neighbor and stand in holy places with a life made clean. His grace is sufficient and you will not walk alone ...Wilt thou be made whole? Rise and walk."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'Like a Broken Vessel'
While those dealing with a mental illness or an emotional disorder may feel like a “broken vessel,” they must remember the “vessel is in the hands of the divine potter,” said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve.
“Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed,” he said.
Speaking Saturday afternoon, Elder Holland directed his remarks to "those who suffer from some form of mental illness or emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent over a lifetime."
These afflictions, he said, are some of the realities of mortal life.
"In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to remember that we are living — and chose to live — in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of Godliness will be tested and tried again and again.
“Of greatest assurance in such a plan is that a Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.”
Elder Holland then concentrated his remarks on depression — “an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to function fully.”
This “dark night of the mind and spirit is more than mere discouragement,” he said. “I have seen it come to an absolutely angelic man when his beloved spouse of 50 years passed away. …. And I have seen it in young fathers trying provide for their families.”
Once, Elder Holland said, he saw it in himself. “At one point in our married life when financial fears collided with staggering fatigue, I took a psychic blow that was as unanticipated as it was real. …
With the grace of God and the love of my family I kept functioning and kept working, but even after all these years I continue to feel a deep sympathy for others more chronically or more deeply afflicted with such gloom than I was.”
He said many have dealt with depression, including Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and George Albert Smith, the latter of whom became the eighth president of the Church.
“So how do you respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love?
Above all never lose faith in your Father in Heaven who loves you more than you can comprehend.
…. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles.”
If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills and good values, Elder Holland counseled. “Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.”
If you are the one afflicted or a caregiver of such, try not to be overwhelmed, he added. “For caregivers, in your devoted effort to assist with another’s health, do not destroy your own.”
Through any illness or difficult challenge, there is much in life to be hopeful about and grateful for, he said. “Whatever your struggle — mental or emotional or physical or otherwise — don’t vote against the preciousness of life by ending it. Trust in God. Hold on to His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee.”
Saturday Morning Session Review
President Thomas S Monson "Welcome to Conference"
"How good it is, my beloved brothers and sisters, to meet together once again. It has been just over 183 years since the Church was organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith, under the direction of the Lord. At that meeting on April 6, 1830, there were six members of the Church present.
I am happy to announce that two weeks ago the membership of the Church reached fifteen million. The Church continues to grow steadily and to change the lives of more and more people every year. It is spreading across the earth as our missionary force seeks out those who are searching for the truth.
It has scarcely been one year since I announced the lowering of the age of missionary service. Since that time, the number of full-time missionaries serving has increased from 58,500 in October 2012 to 80,333 today. What a tremendous and inspiring response we have witnessed!
The holy scriptures contain no proclamation more relevant, no responsibility more binding, no instruction more direct than the injunction given by the resurrected Lord as He appeared in Galilee to the eleven disciples. Said He: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”(Matthew 28:19). The Prophet Joseph Smith declared: “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (History of the Church 2:478). Some of you here today will yet remember the words of President David O. McKay, who phrased the familiar “Every member a missionary!”
To their words I add my own. Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work.
To help maintain our ever-increasing missionary force, I have asked our members in the past to contribute, as they are able, to their ward missionary fund or to the General Missionary Fund of the Church. The response to that request has been gratifying and has helped support thousands of missionaries whose circumstances do not allow them to support themselves. I thank you for your generous contributions. The need for help is ongoing, that we might continue to assist those whose desire to serve is great but who do not, by themselves, have the means to do so.
Now, brothers and sisters, we have come here to be instructed and inspired. Many messages, covering a variety of gospel topics, will be given during the next two days. Those men and women who will speak to you have sought Heaven’s help concerning the messages they will give.
It is now my prayer that we may be filled with the Spirit of the Lord as we listen and learn. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen."
Elder Robert D. Hales, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
"Strengthening Faith & Testimony"
“I testify that we are gathered in [the Savior’s] conference,” said Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve in his Saturday morning remarks. “I also testify that we will hear His word, for He has said, ‘Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same,’” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38).
Elder Hales noted that conferences have always been a part of the true Church of Jesus Christ. Adam, Moses, the Savior, Peter and the early Saints all gathered multitudes to teach and hear the gospel.
“These conferences are always under the direction of the Lord, guided by His Spirit,” said Elder Hales. Speakers are not assigned topics but “through fasting, prayer, study and pondering, we learn the message that He wants us to give.”
Speaking to the young members of the Church, Elder Hales said, “I promise that if you will listen, you will feel the Spirit well up within you. The Lord will tell you what He wants you to do.”
Elder Hales explained that through conferences, individuals can receive the word of the Lord meant just for them. “This is possible because the Holy Ghost carries the word of the Lord unto our hearts in terms we can understand.”
Elder Hales said that when he takes notes during conference he does not always write the exact words of the speaker; instead, he writes the personalized direction of the Spirit. “What is said is not as important as what I hear and what I feel.
“Oh, how we need general conference!” he said. “Through conferences our faith is fortified and our testimonies deepened. And when we are converted, we strengthen each other to stand strong amid the fiery darts of these last days.”
Noting that in recent decades the Church has largely been spared the terrible misunderstandings and persecutions experienced by early Saints, Elder Hales warned that will not always be so. “The world is moving away from the Lord faster and farther than ever before.”
Elder Hales promised that those who will listen and obey the prophets, “including those who will speak in this very conference,” will be strengthened and protected. He noted, however, that the greatest blessings come after the conference is over. “Remember the pattern recorded frequently in scripture: we gather to hear the words of the Lord, and we return to our homes to live them.”
In addition to personal and family scripture study, Heavenly Father wants the members to study and apply lessons from conference, Elder Hales said. “I testify that those who put their trust in the Lord and heed this counsel in faith will gain great strength to bless themselves and their families for generations to come.”
He concluded, “I bear my special witness that the Lord Jesus Christ lives and stands at the head of this Church. This is His general conference. I promise you in His name that if you pray with sincere desire to hear your Heavenly Father’s voice in the messages of this conference, you will discover that He has spoken to you to help you, to strengthen you and to lead you home into His presence.”
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy
"Be Meek and Lowly of Heart"
"As we take Christ's name upon us, it is expected that we strive to emulate His attributes and change our character to become more like Him each day," Elder Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy said during the Saturday Morning session of general conference.
"Meekness is vital for us to become more Christlike," he said. "Without it we won't able to develop other important virtues. Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness, showing strength, serenity, healthy self-worth and self-control."
Elder Soares explained that everyone is "born with the seed of meekness in our hearts" and it takes time and effort to become meek in daily life.
"The first step to becoming meek is to improve day-by-day," he said. "Each day we need to try to be better than the previous as we move forward through this process."
Another step Elder Soares said was to control one's temper. "What is your response when someone offends you, critiques your efforts, or is simply unkind because they are in a bad mood?" he asked, and then added, "At these moments and in other difficult situations, we must learn to control our temper and convey our feelings with patience and gentle persuasion."
By removing the feeling of anger, "we will begin to qualify for the gift of meekness," Elder Soares said.
Becoming humble is another step towards meekness. "I believe only those who are humble are able to acknowledge and understand the Lord's answers to their prayers. The humble are teachable, recognizing how dependent they are on God, and desiring to be subject to His will," he said.
Elder Soares told the conversion story of Moses Mahlangu in Johannesburg, South Africa, and how he was unable to attend services or be baptized because of the country's laws during the 1970s. Brother Mahlangu did not become discouraged but, rather, continued to investigate the Church. He even asked the leaders to leave a meetinghouse window open so he could be able to listen to the meetings from outside the building. It wasn't until 10 years later that Brother Mahlangu was able to attend meetings and be baptized.
"It is possible to reject the evil influences in our lives, control our anger, become meek and develop the attributes of our Savior. He showed us the way. He gave us the perfect example and commanded to teach each one of us to become as He is," Elder Soares said.
Sister Carole M. Stephens, 1st Counselor General Relief Society Presidency
"Do we know what we have?"
"To achieve divine destiny, each son and daughter of God needs priesthood ordinances and covenants," Sister Carole M. Stephens, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency said.
She explained how several important ordinances and covenants are necessary to obtain a divine future. They include baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, temple endowments, sealing ordinance and partaking of the sacrament.
"These priesthood ordinances and covenants provide access to the fullness of the blessings promised to us by God, which are made possible by the Savior's Atonement," she said.
Sister Stephens recounted a recent trip to Honduras where she visited the homes of four women. Each sister and their families "were in need of priesthood keys and authority, priesthood ordinances and covenants and priesthood power and blessings," she said.
These sisters varied in different circumstances -- from a husband who was not a member to a husband who had passed away and sisters who have never married. Priesthood leaders who accompanied Sister Stephens and gave priesthood blessings to each sister when she asked.
"Each wept as she expressed gratitude for the comfort, direction, encouragement and inspiration that came from her Heavenly Father through a worthy priesthood holder," she said.
Sister Stephens explained the importance of men and women here on the earth.
"There exists today a great need for men and women to cultivate respect for each other as sons and daughters of God and reverence for our Father in Heaven and His priesthood -- His power and authority."
"We all need each other," she said. "Sons of God need daughters of God, and daughters of God need sons of God."
Sister Stephens asked if members knew who they are and what role they play in the gospel.
"Sons of God, do you know who you are? Are you worthy to exercise the priesthood and receive the power and blessings of the priesthood?"
"Daughters of God, do we know who we are? Are we worthy to receive the power and blessings of the priesthood?"
She concluded, "We are beloved spirit sons and daughters of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and destiny. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, loved us enough to give His life for us. His Atonement provides the way for us to progress on the path to our heavenly home, through sacred priesthood ordinances and covenants."
Elder Edward Dube, First Quorum of the Seventy
"Look ahead and believe"
While working in the fields as a boy with his mother, Elder Edward Dube of the Seventy explained in his Saturday morning general conference address, he was taught one of the most important lessons of his life. He said he looked back at the and said to his mother, "Look at all we have done." His mother said, "Edward, never look back, look at what we still have to do."
Relating this to Church service, Elder Dube said, "The Lord through His servants calls us to serve in various callings, which we accept with total commitment." He explained that when a release has been extended and a new assignment has been issued, members joyfully accept it, are not overshadowed by previous experiences, and don't think they have served enough already. Elder Dube then quoted President J. Reuben Clark: "In the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve but how."
Using the early Saints as an example, Elder Dube quoted the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve: "They did not know exactly where they were going, precisely how many miles lay ahead, how long the journey would take, or what the future held in store for them. But they did know they were led by the Lord and His servants."
Elder Dube declared that the pioneers knew how to look ahead and believe. "We too can look ahead and believe," said Elder Dube. "We can embrace the invitation of our Lord, who with stretched open hands invites us, 'come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light' " (Mathew 11:28-30).
He encouraged members to unite in a common objective "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). He explained that the Savior Jesus Christ sees from beginning to end. He knew His own road of travel through Gethsemane and Golgotha when He proclaimed, "No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
Elder Dube said, "In the sight of the Lord it is not so much on what we have done or where we have been, but much more where we are willing to go."
Elder David A. Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
'The Windows of Heaven'
The honest payment of tithing is more than a duty — it is an important step in the process of personal sanctification, declared Elder David A. Bednar in his Saturday morning talk.
Elder Bednar testified that individuals can enjoy significant but sometimes subtle blessings when they follow the Lord's commandment to pay tithing. Dutiful tithe payers might not receive any sudden or obvious additions to, say, their household incomes. Instead, a loving Heavenly Father typically bestows simple blessings in seemingly ordinary ways.
"Often as we teach and testify about the law of tithing, we emphasize the immediate, dramatic and readily recognizable temporal blessings that we receive. And surely such blessings do occur. Yet some of the diverse blessings we obtain as we are obedient to this commandment are significant but subtle. Such blessings can only be discerned if we are both spiritually attentive and observant" (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).
He said the prophet Malachi utilizes the imagery of windows to teach of the blessings that come from paying tithing. Windows allow natural light to enter a building.
"In like manner, spiritual illumination and perspective are poured out through the windows of heaven and into our lives as we honor the law of tithing," Elder Bednar said.
He testified that those who are spiritually attentive will be blessed with an illuminated recognition of the Lord's blessings in their lives.
"Sometimes we may ask God for success, and He gives us physical and mental stamina. We might plead for prosperity, and we receive enlarged perspective and increased patience, or we petition for growth and are blessed with the gift of grace. He may bestow upon us conviction and confidence as we strive to achieve worthy goals. And when we plead for relief from physical, mental and spiritual difficulties, He may increase our resolve and resilience."
Elder Bednar said he has gained a greater appreciation and reverence for the Lord's law of finance for individuals, families and for His Church since receiving his call as an apostle. Latter-day revelation teaches that the disbursement of Church tithes is overseen by the Presiding Bishopric and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
"These sacred funds are used in a rapidly growing Church to spiritually bless individuals and families by constructing and maintaining temples and houses of worship, supporting missionary work, translating and publishing scriptures, fostering family history research, funding schools and religious education, and accomplishing many other Church purposes as directed by the Lord's ordained servants."
Two basic and fixed principles are observed in the financial operations of the Church: First, the Church lives within its means and does not spend more than it receives. Second, a portion of the annual income is set aside as a reserve for contingencies and unanticipated needs.
Elder Bednar said his own faith has been strengthened as he has witnessed the lives of devoted members across the globe. "Your goodness and willing obedience to the law of tithing inspires me to be a better man, husband, father and Church leader."
President Uchtdorf, 2nd Counselor First Presidency
'Come, join with us'
“Come, join with us,” said President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Speaking during the Saturday morning session, President Uchtdorf said that God’s children will find “the words of eternal life, the promise of blessed redemption, and the pathway to peace and happiness” in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“If you seek truth, meaning and a way to transform faith into action; if you are looking for a place of belonging: Come, join with us,” he said.
“If you have left the faith you once embraced: Come back again. Join with us.
“If you are tempted to give up: Stay yet a little longer. There is room for you here.
“I plead with all who hear or read these words: Come, join with us."
At a time where many churches throughout the world are experiencing significant decreases in numbers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest growing churches in the world, said President Uchtdorf, who noted that President Thomas S. Monson announced earlier in the session that the Church has more than 15 million members now.
There are many reasons for this growth, he said.
- First, the Church was restored by Jesus Christ Himself. “Here you will find the authority to act in His name — to baptize for the remission of sins, to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, and to seal on earth and in heaven,” he said. “Those who join this Church love the Savior Jesus Christ, and they wish to follow Him.”
- Another reason is because the Church provides opportunities for doing good. Believing in God is commendable, but most people want to do more than listen to inspirational sermons, he said. “They want to put their faith into practice. They want to roll up their sleeves and become engaged in this great cause.”
- A third reason why people join the Church is because walking the path of discipleship leads to precious blessings, President Uchtdorf said. “Those who follow this path faithfully avoid many of the pitfalls, sorrows and regrets of life. The poor in spirit and honest of heart find great treasures of knowledge here. Those who suffer or grieve find healing here. Those burdened with sin find forgiveness, liberty and rest.”
“One might ask, ‘If the gospel is so wonderful, why would anyone leave?’
“Sometimes we assume it is because they have been offended or lazy or sinful. Actually, it is not that simple,” he explained. “In fact there is not just one reason that applies to the variety of situations.”
President Uchtdorf said some members struggle with unanswered questions about things that have been done or said in the past. “We openly acknowledge that in nearly 200 years of Church history — along with an uninterrupted line of inspired, honorable, and divine events — there have been some things said and done that could cause people to question,” he said. “Sometimes questions arise because we simply don’t have all the information and we just need a bit more patience. When the entire truth is eventually known, things that didn’t make sense to us before will be resolved to our satisfaction.”
President Uchtdorf said there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. “There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles or doctrine.
“I suppose the Church would only be perfect if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us — His imperfect children — and imperfect people make mistakes.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)