Gen Conf–Sun AM–2 Oct 2016 Session

President Thomas S. Monson

The Perfect Path to Happiness

This is the truth!

Our Father’s plan for our happiness and our salvation is shared by our missionaries throughout the world. Not all who hear this divine message accept and embrace it….

However, men and women everywhere…

recognize its truths, and they plant their feet on the path that will lead them safely home. Their lives are forever changed.

Essential to the plan is our Savior, Jesus Christ. Without His atoning sacrifice, all would be lost. It is not enough, however, merely to believe in Him and His mission. We need to work and learn, search and pray, repent and improve. We need to know God’s laws and live them. We need to receive His saving ordinances. Only by doing so will we obtain true, eternal happiness.

We are blessed to have the truth. We have a mandate to share the truth. Let us live the truth, that we might merit all that the Father has for us. He does nothing save it be for our benefit. He has told us: “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

From the depths of my soul, and in all humility, I testify of the great gift which is our Father’s plan for us. It is the one perfect path to peace and happiness both here and in the world to come.

My brothers and sisters, I leave with you my love and my blessing as I close, and I do so in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Deseret News Faith Summary

President Russell M. Nelson

Joy and Spiritual Survival

The joy Latter-day Saints feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives…

When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation ... and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening — or not happening — in our lives Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. … For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!

Church members can focus on joy… Life is filled with detours and dead ends, trials and challenges of every kind….Each of us has likely had times when distress, anguish, and despair almost consumed us. Yet we are here to have joy? Yes! The answer is a resounding yes!…

Our missionaries teach and baptize to bring joy to the people of the world…

Just as the Savior offers peace, He also offers an intensity, depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension….

Members can claim that joy by looking to the Savior….  We can give thanks for Him in our prayers, and by keeping covenants we’ve made with Him and our Heavenly Father. As our Savior becomes more and more real to us, and as we plead for His joy to be given to us, our joy will increase……

As in all things, Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar. ... In order for Him to endure the most excruciating experience ever endured on earth, our Savior focused on joy….

And what was the joy that was set before him? Surely it included the joy of cleansing, healing, and strengthening us; the joy of paying for the sins of all who would repent; the joy of making it possible for you and me to return home — clean and worthy — to live with our heavenly parents and families…..

Joy is a gift for the faithful. It is the gift that comes from intentionally trying to live a righteous life, as taught by Jesus Christ….

The Savior taught us how to have joy….

When we choose Heavenly Father to be our God, and when we can feel the Savior’s Atonement working in our lives, we will be filled with joy. Every time we nurture our spouse and guide our children, every time we forgive someone or ask for their forgiveness, we can feel joy…..

Every day that you and I choose to live celestial laws, every day that we keep our covenants and help others to do the same, joy will be ours…..

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ A Day of Joy and Gladness! ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

Deseret News Faith Summary

 

Elder Peter F. Meurs

The Sacrament Can Help Us Become Holy

Mmultitude of blessings are available to Latter-day Saints as they increase their preparation and spiritual participation in the ordinance of the sacrament….

These blessings are available to us because of the love of our Father in Heaven and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ….

Five ways to increase the impact and power of our regular participation in the sacred ordinance of the sacrament, an ordinance that can help us become holy:

1.  Prepare in advance. We can begin our preparation for the sacrament well before sacrament meeting begins…

2.  Arrive early. Our sacrament experience can be enhanced when we arrive well before the meeting and ponder as the prelude music is played….

3.  Sing and learn from the words of the sacrament hymn. The sacrament hymn is an especially important part of our sacrament experience. Music elevates our thoughts and feelings….

4.  Spiritually participate in the sacrament prayers. Instead of tuning out the familiar words of the sacrament prayers, we can learn much, and feel even more, as we participate spiritually by considering the commitments and associated blessings included in these sacred prayers.

5.  Ponder and remember Him as the sacrament emblems are passed. The reverent moments as priesthood holders pass the sacrament can become sacred to us…

Deseret News Faith Summary

 

Linda S. Reeves

The Great Plan of Redemption

When we sincerely repent of our sins are truly gone—without a trace!…

….the unselfish and Christlike thing to do is to confess and repent. This is Heavenly Father’s great plan of redemption…

Through the atoning sacrifice of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and sincere repentance, every person is able to receive a remission of his or her sins….

The greatest miracles in this life are not the parting of the Red Sea, the moving of mountains, or even the healing of the body…..

The greatest miracle happens when we humble approach our Father in Heaven in prayer;….fervently plead to be forgiven, and then are cleansed of those sins through the Atoning sacrifice of our Savior…..

Deseret News Faith Summary

 

Elder M. Russell Ballard

To Whom Shall We Go?

As these disciples left, Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, 'Will ye also go away?'

"Peter responded: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God'" (John 6:67-69).

If you live as long as I have, you will come to know that things have a way of resolving themselves. An inspired insight or revelation may shed new light on an issue. Remember, the Restoration is not an event, but it continues to unfold….

Never abandon the great truths revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith….

Never stop reading, pondering, and applying the doctrine of Christ contained in the Book of Mormon….

Never fail to give equal time to the Lord through honest attempts to understand what the Lord has revealed….

“We must not assume…that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable.” [Elder Neal A Maxwell]

Remember the plan of salvation gives mortal life a meaning and purpose and direction…..

Accepting and living the gospel of Christ can be challenging. It has always been thus, and it will ever be…..In the end, each one of us must respond to the Savior’s question, ‘Will ye also go away?’…

Always remember the Savior is on board and is able to rebuke the storm with His command, ‘Peace, be still.’

He will never abandon His Church and … He will never abandon any one of us….

Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, and His restored gospel will lead us safely back to the presence of our Heavenly Parents if we remain on the gospel path and follow in His footsteps.

Deseret News Faith Summary

 

Bishop Dean M. Davies

The Blessings of Worship

Worship is essential and central to spiritual life….

It is something we should yearn for, seek out, and strive to experience….

One of the most remarkable and tender experiences recorded in holy scripture is the account of the visit of the Savior to people in the Americas following His death and Resurrection…

When Latter-day Saints worship God, they approach Him with reverent love, humility, and adoration…

We acknowledge and accept Him as our sovereign king, the Creator of the universe, our beloved and infinitely loving Father. We respect and revere Him. We submit ourselves to Him. We lift our hearts in mighty prayer, cherish His word, rejoice in His grace, and commit to follow Him with dedicated loyalty….

Worshipping God is such an essential element in the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ that if we fail to receive Him in our hearts, we will seek for Him in vain in our councils, churches, and temples….

As we worship, our souls are refined and we commit to walk in the footsteps of our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ…

It is my witness that true worship will transform ordinary Church meetings into extraordinary spiritual feasts. It will enrich our lives, broaden our understanding, and strengthen our testimonies…

Through sincere and heartfelt worship Church members blossom and mature in hope, faith, and charity….

Through that process, we gather heavenly light into our souls that infuses our lives with divine meaning, abiding peace, and everlasting joy.

That is the blessing of worship in our lives.

Deseret News Faith Summary

 

Elder Lynn G. Robbins

The Righteous Judge

There is only one way to judge righteous judgment, as Jesus Christ does, and that is to be as He is….

A righteous judge would respond to confessions with compassion and understanding. An erring youth, for example, should leave the bishop's office feeling the love of the Savior through the bishop, and enveloped in the joy and healing power of the Atonement …..

The Lord's way of disciplining His people is to lovingly and patiently teach them, often by chastening them…

Compassion doesn’t nullify the need for discipline….

Because the Lord wanted to teach Joseph a heart-changing lesson, He required a heart-rending sacrifice of him — sacrifice being an essential part of discipline….

Through the sweet irony of sacrifice, people actually gain something of eternal worth — His mercy and forgiveness, and eventually 'all that [the] Father hath'" (Doctrine and Covenants 84:38)….

Scriptures teach that the time to reprove someone is when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, not when moved upon by anger…

To remember a child's true identity is a gift of foresight, that divinely inspires the vision of a righteous judge.

There is only one way to judge righteous judgment, as Jesus Christ does, and that is to be as He is. Therefore, “what manner of men [and women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27).

Deseret News Faith Summary

 

President Henry B. Eyring

Gratitude on the Sabbath

The Sabbath is such a moment….a day of gratitude and love….

What matters most is the love we feel for the givers of the gifts…

God is the giver of the gifts and gratitude is how we give Him thanks….

The Lord’s words for how to give thanks and how to love on the Sabbath:

“I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him. Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things. Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:5, 7-9).

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ “Count Your Many Blessings” ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

Some are close to feeling that, at least for them, all is lost.♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ I hope and pray that what I say about being grateful on the Sabbath will be helpful to make doubts fly and for singing to start in your hearts ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

One blessing for which we can be grateful is that we are there in that sacrament meeting at all….The fact that we are able to gather with even one other Saint and partake of the sacrament will help us begin to feel gratitude and love for God’s kindness….

We can be grateful when the Holy Spirit confirms to us that the words of the sacrament prayers, offered by humble priesthood holders, are honored by our Heavenly Father…

Of all the blessings we can count, the greatest by far is the feeling of forgiveness that comes as we partake of the sacrament….

We will feel greater love and appreciation for the Savior, whose infinite sacrifice made possible our being cleansed from sin. As we partake of the bread and water, we remember that He suffered for us. And when we feel gratitude for what He has done for us, we feel His love for us and our love for Him….

The Lord is building His kingdom quietly through His faithful and humble shepherds, with little fanfare…

You and I are witnesses that whenever we have kept our covenants with God, especially when it was hard….

He has heard our prayers of thanks for what He has already done for us and has answered our prayer for strength to endure faithfully. More than once He has made us cheerful as well as strong….

You could begin today with a private and family prayer of thanks for all God has done for you….

You could pray to know what the Lord would have you do to serve Him and others….

You could pray to have the Holy Ghost tell you of someone who is lonely or in need to whom the Lord would have you go…..

Your prayers will be answered and as you act on the answers you will receive, you will find joy in the Sabbath….

I testify that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that He will honor the covenants you make and renew with God….

Your very nature will be changed to become more like the Savior. You will be fortified against the temptation and against feelings of doubt….

You will find joy in the Sabbath, I so promise you.

 

Deseret News Faith Summary

Gen Conf–Priesthood Session-1 Oct 2016

…to learn how to be better Brothers to each other and how to bless thy daughters……

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Emissaries to the Church

May we briefly examine the priesthood duty that has been described as ‘the Church’s first source of help’ to its individuals and families…

A monthly visit in each home is the ideal….

…pursue the scriptural mandate to ‘visit the house of each member,’ establishing a schedule that would get us to homes…

….using any of the means the Lord has provided….

Lift your vision of Home Teaching: Please in newer, better ways, see yourselves as emissaries of the Lord to His children….

As for what ‘counts’ as home teaching, everything counts, every good thing you do ‘counts’, so report it all!

The report that matters most is how you have blessed and cared for those within your stewardship….

What matters is that you love your people and are fulfilling the commandment to ‘watch over the Church always’[D&C 20:53].….

My, Brethren of the Holy Priesthood…..we are asking you as Home Teachers to be God’s emissaries to His children… to love and care and pray for the people you are assigned, as we love and care and pray for you.

May you be vigilant in tending the flock of God in ways consistent with your circumstances…

Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr.

There Is Power in the Book

Every time I open the Book of Mormon it’s like turning a switch – the Spirit flows into my heart and soul….

Whether our testimony of the Book of Mormon comes the first time we open it or over a period of time, it will influence us all of our days if we continue to read it and apply its teachings….

Whether reading it in print or on an electronic device, I have found the same wonderful Spirit flowing from its chapters and verses…...

The greatest power of the Book of Mormon

is its impact in bringing us closer to

Jesus Christ.

It is a strong witness of Him and His Redeeming mission…Through it we come to understand the majesty and power of His Atonement. It teaches His doctrines clearly.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Learn from Alma and Amulek

One of the most bittersweet narratives in all of scripture [is] in Alma chapters 8–16….

Alma did not hesitate. He ‘returned speedily’….

What can I learn from Alma?  How am I like Amulek?

Alma was an exceptionally gifted and capable man. It may have been easy to think that he did not need anyone’s help. Nevertheless, what did Alma do when he returned to Ammonihah?

Alma found Amulek and asked him for help.

And Alma received help.

For whatever reason, sometimes we as leaders are reluctant to find and ask our Amuleks.…

In whatever position you currently serve—whether you are a deacons quorum president, a stake president, or an Area President—to be successful, you must find your Amuleks. …

Too often we hesitate to invite people to use their God-given talents and engage in the great work of salvation….

Think of the Savior – did He begin to establish His Church all alone? No…

His message was not ‘Stand back. I’ll handle this.’ Rather it was ‘Come, follow me.’….

Find them by seeing with your heart. Reach out to them. Teach them. Inspire them. Ask them….

You may be surprised to discover a valiant servant of the Lord who otherwise would have remained hidden…

Listen with your heart and follow the promptings of the Spirit….

There are many Amuleks in the Church today. Perhaps you know one. Perhaps you are one.

The Beloved Savior knows where you are. He knows your heart…He wants to rescue you. He will reach out to you if you just open your heart to Him.

It is my hope that those who have strayed from the path of discipleship—even by only a few degrees—will contemplate the goodness and grace of God, see with their hearts, learn from Alma and Amulek, and  Hear the life changing words of the Savior, ‘Come, Follow Me’.

President Henry B. Eyring

That He May Become Strong Also

The Lord grants His power to those in all priesthood offices who worthily serve in their priesthood duties…..

“I was just as much sustained by the power of God while holding the office of a Teacher…as I ever was as an apostle." [Wilford Woodruff]

That wonderful spiritual possibility of ‘no difference’…..

The Aaronic Priesthood prepares young men for an even more sacred trust…

Every man who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood can be endowed with authority and the privilege of speaking and acting in the name of the Almighty. There is infinity to that power….It is concerned with life and death, with family and the Church, with the great nature of God Himself and His eternal work….

Every holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood has such memories…

Many things may help strengthen our younger brothers to rise up in the priesthood, but nothing will be more powerful than our helping them develop the faith and confidence that they can draw on the power of God….

Faith and confidence won’t stay with them from a single experience of being lifted by even the most gifted...Priesthood holder…

The ability to draw on those powers must be cultivated by many expressions of confidence from those who are more experienced….

The Aaronic Priesthood holders will also need daily and even hourly encouragement and correction from the Lord Himself through the Holy Ghost. That will be available to them as they choose to remain worthy of it…

We understand the power of the faith of a loving mother. Mothers provide that great support to their sons today…

You priesthood leaders and fathers of Aaronic Priesthood holders can work miracles…

You can help the Lord fill the ranks of faithful elders with young men who accept the call to preach the gospel and do it with confidence…

You will see many you have lifted & encouraged stay faithful, marry worthily in the temple and in turn, lift and prepare others….

I thank with all my heart the wonderful people who have lifted me and shown me how to love and lift others.

President Thomas S. Monson

 

Principles and Promises

Those who are obedient to the Lord’s commandments and who faithfully observe the Word of Wisdom are promised particular blessings, among which are good health and added physical stamina…[see D&C 89:18–20]….

May we care for our bodies and our minds by observing the principles set forth in the Word of Wisdom, a divinely provided plan.

With all my heart and soul I testify of the glorious blessings which await us as we do.

Gen Conf–Sat Aft-1 Oct 2016 Session

Elder Quentin L. Cook

Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus

If we are to be valiant in our testimony of Jesus, we must avoid the stumbling blocks that entrap and impede the progress of otherwise many honorable men and women…..

We cannot afford to have our testimonies of the Father and the Son become confused and complicated by stumbling blocks. We cannot fall into that trap. Our testimonies of Them need to remain pure and simple….

Alma contains some of the most magnificent doctrine on the Atonement in all scripture…… Alma established that God’s plan is a plan of Happiness…

Looking beyond the Mark Is a Stumbling Block …

Some members elevate causes, many of which are good, to a status superior to basic gospel doctrine.… If we elevate anything above our devotion to the Savior… then we are looking beyond the mark….

Jesus Christ is the mark!

We need to avoid looking beyong the mark and focus on Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer and follow His Doctrine….

Look always for “stepping stones” that improve lives and ennoble character.

Being valiant in our testimony of Jesus is a stepping stone towards qualifying for the Savior’s grace and the Celestial Kingdom,” he concluded. “ Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven by which we may be saved.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Look to the Book, Look to the Lord

As you look to the Book, you look to the Lord…

Can you see the Book of Mormon as your KEYSTONE to your testimony?

Pres. Benson: “There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony.
The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity….”

I have learned that one is never too young to seek and receive a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon….Each of you young men, young women and children can have the same feelings…..When you read the Book of Mormon and pray with a desire to know it is true, you too can receive the same impression in your heart….

You can easily find time to study the Book of Mormon…and you can enjoy it…

The Book of Mormon can become the keystone of one's testimony….. Spiritual witnesses can lead to the Book of Mormon becoming the Keystone of your testimony.

In gospel terms, it is a gift and a blessing from the Lord that the keystone of our religion is something as tangible and graspable as the Book of Mormon and that you can hold it and read it. Can you see the Book of Mormon as your keystone, your spiritual center of strength?…

The Book of Mormon is centered on Christ with some form of His name mentioned nearly every 1.7 verses….

You will pore through the passages of this precious book and encounter your beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, on nearly every page…

The truths you will find there will uplift and inspire you in a similar way. They will strengthen your faith, fill your soul with light, and prepare you for a future you scarcely have the ability to comprehend.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Abide in My Love

God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever. But what it means for each of us depends on how we respond to His Love….

To 'continue in' or 'abide in' the Savior's love means to receive His grace and be perfected by it…..

To receive His grace, we must have faith in Jesus Christ and keep His commandments, including repenting of our sins, being baptized for the remission of sins, receiving the Holy Ghost, and continuing in the path of obedience…

Because no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God, Christ atoned for the sins of the world….

From the Book of Mormon we learn that the intent of Christ's suffering — the ultimate manifestation of His love — was 'to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they many have faith unto repentance…(Alma 34:15-16).

Repentance, then, is His gift to us, purchased at a very dear price….

As we come to trust rather than resist our divine Teacher, He can work with us to enlighten and lift us to a new reality….

Each of us can love and serve God and be empowered to bless our fellow man….

What a precious gift is divine love!

Will you not love Him who first love you? Then keep His commandments….

Will you not be a friend to Him who laid down His lie for His friends?  Then keep His commandments….

Will you not abide in His love and receive all that He graciously offers you? Then keep His commandments!

 

Elder W. Mark Bassett

For Our Spiritual Development and Learning

The Lord’s pattern for learning is timeless, and requires faith and trust from the student…

Truths Nephi described as written for our learning and profit….Nephi’s example of seeking knowledge included (1) a sincere desire, (2) humility, (3) prayer, (4) trust in the prophet, and an exercise of (5) faith, (6) diligence, and (7) obedience….

Faith and trust in the Lord require us to acknowledge that His wisdom is superior to our own…

We must also acknowledge that His plan provides the greatest potential for spiritual development and learning…

Each is expected to "hope for things which are not seen, which are true…

The companionship of the Holy Ghost will aid in spiritual development and learning….

As we acknowledge that we are the workmanship of a wise and devoted Father in Heaven, O then, why not allow Him to guide our spiritual development and learning according to His will and pleasure rather than our own.

 

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita

Be Ambitious for Christ

Be ambitious for Christ…

Being ambitious for Christ means being motivated, focused and dedicated to His work…

Being ambitious for Christ means that we serve faithfully and diligently in our wards and branches without complaint and with joyful hearts…

Our missionaries serving throughout the world are beautiful examples of those who are truly ambitious for Christ….

In our lives we experience trials, but if we are ambitious for Christ, we can focus on Him and feel joy even in the midst of them…

Our Redeemer is the ultimate example. He understood His holy mission and was obedient to the will of God the Father. What a choice blessing it is to bring His wonderful example to our remembrance each week as we partake of the sacrament.

We are amibitious for Christ when we:  Serve Faithfully, Accept Humbly, Endure Nobly, Pray Fervently, and Partake Worthily.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Sharing the Restored Gospel

Sharing the Restored Gospel is a life-long Christian duty.

First, we can all pray for desire to help with this vital part of the work of salvation…

Second, we can keep the commandments ourselves. Faithful members will always have His Spirit to be with them, to guide them as they seek to participate in the great work of sharing the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.…

Third, we can pray for inspiration on what we can do in our individual circumstances to share the gospel with others….

Sharing the gospel is not a burden but a joy. What we call ‘member missionary work’ is not a program but an attitude of love and outreach to help those around us. It is also an opportunity to witness how we feel about the restored gospel of our Savior

As an Apostle of the Lord, I urge every member and family in the Church to pray for the Lord to help them find persons prepared to receive the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. …

I promise that with faith in the Lord’s help, we will be guided, inspired, and find great joy in this eternally important work of love. We will come to understand that success in sharing the gospel is inviting people with love and genuine intent to help them, no matter what their response.

Gen Conf – Sun AFT – 3 Apr 2016 –Talk Summaries

Sunday Afternoon Session

The Holy Ghost

Elder Robert D. Hales
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Holy Ghost provides personal revelation to help us make major life decisions about such things as education, missions, careers, marriage, children, where we will live with our families, and so on. In these matters, Heavenly Father expects us to use our agency, study the situation out in our minds according to gospel principles, and bring a decision to Him in prayer. …

I remind all of us that the Holy Ghost is not given to control us. Some of us unwisely seek the Holy Ghost’s direction on every minor decision in our lives. This trivializes His sacred role. The Holy Ghost honors the principle of agency. He speaks to our minds and our hearts gently about matters of consequence. …

The revealed truths of the restored gospel came through the pattern of seeking in prayer, then receiving and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. … I testify that today, revelation from the Lord to the First Presidency and the Twelve comes according to these same sacred patterns. …

The Holy Ghost is the medium for God’s work, in families and throughout the Church. …

… I offer my testimony of the personal revelation and constant flow of daily guidance, caution, encouragement, strength, spiritual cleansing, comfort, and peace that have come to our family through the Holy Ghost. Through the Holy Ghost, we experience “the multitude of his tender mercies” [1 Nephi 8:8] and miracles that do not cease.

Full Address | News Summary

Always Remember Him

Elder Gerrit W. Gong
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

Each week, in partaking of the sacrament, we covenant to always remember Him. Drawing on a few of the more than 400 scripture references to the word remember, here are six ways we can always remember Him.

First, we can always remember Him by having confidence in His covenants, promises, and assurances. …

Second, we can always remember Him by gratefully acknowledging His hand throughout our lives. …

Third, we can always remember Him by trusting when the Lord assures us “he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” [D&C 58:42]. …

Fourth, He invites us to remember that He always welcomes us home. …

Fifth, we can always remember Him on the Sabbath through the sacrament. At the end of His mortal ministry and the beginning of His resurrected ministry—both times—our Savior took bread and wine and asked that we remember His body and blood, “for as oft as ye do this ye will remember this hour that I was with you” [Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 14:21]. …

Finally, sixth, our Savior invites us to always remember Him as He always remembers us.

Full Address | News Summary

Refuge from the Storm

Elder Patrick Kearon
Of the Seventy

As members of the Church, as a people, we don’t have to look back far in our history to reflect on times when we were refugees. …

The Savior knows how it feels to be a refugee—He was one. As a child, Jesus and His family fled to Egypt to escape the murderous swords of Herod. And at various points in His ministry, He found Himself threatened and His life in danger, ultimately submitting to the designs of evil men who had plotted His death. Perhaps, then, it is all the more remarkable to us that He repeatedly taught us to love one another, to love as He loves, to love our neighbor as ourselves. …

If you are asking, “What can I do?” let us first remember that we should not serve at the expense of families and other responsibilities, nor should we expect our leaders to organize projects for us. But as youth, men, women, and families, we can join in this great humanitarian endeavor. …

The Lord has instructed us that the stakes of Zion are to be “a defense” and “a refuge from the storm” [D&C 115:6]. We have found refuge. Let us come out from our safe places and share with them, from our abundance, hope for a brighter future, faith in God and in our fellowman, and love that sees beyond cultural and ideological differences to the glorious truth that we are all children of our Father in Heaven.

Full Address | News Summary

Opposition in All Things

Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Central to the gospel of Jesus Christ is the Father’s plan of salvation for the eternal progress of His children. That plan, explained in modern revelation, helps us understand many things we face in mortality. …

Opposition in the difficult circumstances we face in mortality is also part of the plan that furthers our growth in mortality.

All of us experience oppositions that test us. Some of these tests are temptations to sin. Some are mortal challenges apart from personal sin. Some are very great. Some are minor. Some are continuous, and some are mere episodes. None of us is exempt. Opposition permits us to grow toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become. …

The Church in its divine mission and we in our personal lives seem to face increasing opposition today. Perhaps as the Church grows in strength and we members grow in faith and obedience, Satan increases the strength of his opposition so we will continue to have “opposition in all things.” …

Through all mortal opposition, we have God’s assurance that He will “consecrate [our] afflictions for [our] gain” (2 Nephi 2:2). We have also been taught to understand our mortal experiences and His commandments in the context of His great plan of salvation, which tells us the purpose of life and gives us the assurance of a Savior.

Full Address | News Summary

The Power of Godliness

Elder Kent F. Richards
Of the Seventy

As the Lord has revealed, the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood is found in the temple and its ordinances, “for therein are the keys of the holy priesthood ordained, that you may receive honor and glory” [D&C 124:34]. “Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest” [D&C 84:20]. This promise is for you and for your family.

Our responsibility is to “receive” that which our Father offers. “For unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly, even power” [D&C 71:6]: power to receive all that He can and will give us—now and eternally; power to become sons and daughters of God, to know “the powers of heaven” [D&C 121:36], to speak in His name, and to receive “the power of [His] Spirit” [D&C 29:30]. These powers become available personally to each one of us through the ordinances and covenants of the temple. …

As we feel the blessings of the temple in our own lives, our hearts turn to our families, both living and dead. …

There are more than 120,000 ordinance workers in the 150 operating temples around the world. Yet there is opportunity for even more to have this sweet experience. …

Come to the temple. Come often. Come with and for your family. Come, and help others to come too.

… Each temple is His holy, sacred house and … therein each of us may learn and know the powers of godliness.

Full Address | News Summary

And There Shall Be No More Death

Elder Paul V. Johnson
Of the Seventy

The Resurrection is brought to pass by the Atonement of Jesus Christ and is pivotal to the great plan of salvation. …

After resurrection, the spirit will never again be separated from the body because the Savior’s Resurrection brought total victory over death. In order to obtain our eternal destiny, we need to have this immortal soul—a spirit and body—united forever. With spirit and immortal body inseparably connected, we can receive a fulness of joy. … There is no salvation without both our spirit and our body. …

The reality of the Resurrection of the Savior overwhelms our heartbreak with hope because with it comes the assurance that all of the other promises of the gospel are just as real—promises that are no less miraculous than the Resurrection. … We know that He can make us whole no matter what is broken in us. …

… For all who have laid a child in a grave or wept over the casket of a spouse or grieved over the death of a parent or someone they loved, the Resurrection is a source of great hope. What a powerful experience it will be to see them again—not just as spirits but with resurrected bodies. …

I testify of the reality of the Resurrection. Jesus Christ lives, and because of Him, we will all live again.

Full Address | News Summary

Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Only the adversary, the enemy of us all, would try to convince us that the ideals outlined in general conference are depressingly unrealistic, that people don’t really improve, that no one really progresses. … Don’t fall for that. With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed. …

Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. …

Brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. That’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. …

… Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever.

Full Address | News Summary

Talk Summaries

Gen Conf - Sun AM -3 Apr 2016 –Talk Summaries

Sunday Morning Session

Choices

President Thomas S. Monson

It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny.

When we left our premortal existence and entered mortality, we brought with us the gift of agency. Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal. …

May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals.

Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek.

May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.

As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day—whether to make this choice or that—if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice.

Full Address | News Summary

Do I Believe?

Bonnie L. Oscarson
Young Women General President

Do we sometimes become so accustomed to the blessings we have been given as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that we fail to fully comprehend the miracle and majesty of discipleship in the Lord’s true Church? Are we ever guilty of being complacent about the greatest gift we can be offered in this life? …

We believe that this Church is more than just a good place to go on Sundays and learn how to be a good person. It is more than just a lovely Christian social club where we can associate with people of good moral standing. …

We believe that [the Church’s] distinguishing features can be found in no other place or religion on this earth. …

We have a knowledge of these things, but do we believe them? If these things are true, then we have the greatest message of hope and help that the world has ever known. Believing them is a matter of eternal significance for us and for those we love.

To believe, we need to get the gospel from our heads into our hearts! …

We all need to seek to have our hearts and very natures changed so that we no longer have a desire to follow the ways of the world but to please God. True conversion is a process that takes place over a period of time and involves a willingness to exercise faith.

Full Address | News Summary

Learn, Listen, and Walk

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell
Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

Peace of mind, peace of conscience, and peace of heart are not determined by our ability to avoid trials, sorrow, or heartache. Despite our sincere pleas, not every storm will change course, not every infirmity will be healed, and we may not fully understand every doctrine, principle, or practice taught by prophets, seers, and revelators. …

To assist us in our search for peace amidst the daily challenges of life, we’ve been given a simple pattern to keep our thoughts focused on the Savior, who said: “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus Christ” [D&C 19:23–24].

Learn, listen, and walk—three steps with a promise. …

Each time we attend the temple—in all that we hear, do, and say; in every ordinance in which we participate; and in every covenant that we make—we are pointed to Jesus Christ. We feel peace as we hear His words and learn from His example. …

…Those who choose to listen and give heed to the words of the Lord, as delivered through His prophets, will find safety and peace. …

However far we may wander from the path, the Savior invites us to return and walk with Him. … It is an invitation to be at peace.

Full Address | News Summary

Fathers

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I simply focus today on the good that men can do in the highest of masculine roles—husband and father. …

As a Church, we believe in fathers. … We believe that far from being superfluous, fathers are unique and irreplaceable.

… Fatherhood is much more than a social construct or the product of evolution. The role of father is of divine origin. ...

Perhaps the most essential of a father’s work is to turn the hearts of his children to their Heavenly Father. …

Certainly teaching the gospel is a shared duty between fathers and mothers, but the Lord is clear that He expects fathers to lead out in making it a high priority. … The Lord expects fathers to help shape their children, and children want and need a model. …

… Providing for one’s family … is the essence of being a good father. …

Loving the mother of his children—and showing that love—are two of the best things a father can do for his children. It reaffirms and strengthens the marriage that is the foundation of their family life and security. …

… We call on all fathers to do better and to be better. …

… Despite our inadequacies, our Heavenly Father will magnify us and cause our simple efforts to bear fruit.

Full Address | News Summary

See Yourself in the Temple

Elder Quentin L. Cook
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

It is our great desire that members of the Church will live to be worthy of a temple recommend. Please don’t see the temple as some distant and perhaps unachievable goal. Working with their bishop, members can achieve all righteous requirements in a relatively short period of time if they have a determination to qualify and fully repent of transgressions. This includes being willing to forgive ourselves and not focus on our imperfections or sins as disqualifying us from ever entering a sacred temple. …

We assure you that living righteous principles will bring you and your family happiness, fulfillment, and peace. Members, both adults and youth, self-certify their worthiness when they answer the temple recommend questions. The essential requirement is to increase our testimony of God the Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Restoration of His gospel and experience the ministering of the Holy Ghost.

… The primary blessings of the temple are the ordinances of exaltation. The gospel plan is about exaltation and encompasses making and keeping sacred covenants with God. Except for baptism and confirmation, these ordinances and covenants are performed and received in the temple for the living. For the dead, all the saving ordinances and covenants are received in the temple. …

… The Lord organizes eternal families only in temples. …

Brothers and sisters, I pray that each of us will honor the Savior and make any necessary changes to “see ourselves in His sacred temples.”

Full Address | News Summary

He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored. …

Our Savior, the Good Shepherd, knows and loves us—he knows and loves you.

He knows when you are lost, and He knows where you are. He knows your grief. Your silent pleadings. Your fears. Your tears.

It matters not how you became lost—whether because of your own poor choices or because of circumstances beyond your control.

What matters is that you are His child. And He loves you. He loves His children.

Because He loves you, He will find you. …

While our loving Father desires that all of His children return to Him, He will force no one to heaven. God will not rescue us against our will.

So what must we do?

His invitation is simple:

“Turn … to me” [Joel 2:12].

“Come unto me” [Matthew 11:28].

“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you” [D&C 88:63].

This is how we show Him that we want to be rescued. …

If you cannot say you know God is there, you can hope that He is. You can desire to believe. That is enough to start.

Then, acting on that hope, reach out to Heavenly Father. God will extend His love toward you, and His work of rescue and transformation will begin.

Full Address | News Summary

Talk Summaries

Gen Conf-Priesthood Session-2 Apr 2016-Talk Summaries

General Priesthood Session

The Price of Priesthood Power

President Russell M. Nelson
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I urgently plead with each one of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity.

What is the price to develop such priesthood power? …

… Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, and diligence. And don’t forget humility! …

… We need to pray from our hearts. … Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power? The Lord will teach you.

Are you willing to search the scriptures and feast on the words of Christ—to study earnestly in order to have more power? …

Are you willing to worship in the temple regularly? The Lord loves to do His own teaching in His holy house. Imagine how pleased He would be if you asked Him to teach you about priesthood keys, authority, and power as you experience the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood in the holy temple. …

Are you willing to follow President Monson’s example of serving others? …

… If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power.

Full Address | News Summary

The Greatest Leaders Are the Greatest Followers

Stephen W. Owen
Young Men General President

If I were to ask you, “Who is the greatest leader who ever lived?”—what would you say? The answer, of course, is Jesus Christ. He sets the perfect example of every imaginable leadership quality.

But what if I were to ask you, “Who is the greatest follower who ever lived?”—wouldn’t the answer again be Jesus Christ? He is the greatest leader because He is the greatest follower—He follows His Father perfectly, in all things.

The world teaches that leaders must be mighty; the Lord teaches that they must be meek. Worldly leaders gain power and influence through their talent, skill, and wealth. Christlike leaders gain power and influence “by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” [D&C 121:41].

In God’s eyes, the greatest leaders have always been the greatest followers. …

… There will be times in your life when you are called upon to lead. At other times, you will be expected to follow. But my message to you today is that regardless of your calling, you are always a leader, and you are always a follower. … If you are striving to be a follower of Christ, then you can help others follow Him and you can be a leader.

Full Address | News Summary

In Praise of Those Who Save

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Families are not just meant to make things run more smoothly here on earth and to be cast off when we get to heaven. Rather, they are the order of heaven. …

But strong marriage and family relationships do not happen just because we are members of the Church. They require constant, intentional work. …

… Great marriages are built brick by brick, day after day, over a lifetime. …

… I also wish to speak in praise of those who save their relationships with their families. Every family needs saving. …

Whatever problems your family is facing, whatever you must do to solve them, the beginning and the end of the solution is charity, the pure love of Christ. Without this love, even seemingly perfect families struggle. With it, even families with great challenges succeed. …
Pride may be a common human failing. But it is not part of our spiritual heritage. …

Even when you are not at fault—perhaps especially when you are not at fault—let love conquer pride.

If you do this, whatever adversity you are facing will pass, and because of the love of God in your hearts, contention will fade. These principles of saving relationships apply to all of us, regardless of whether we are married, divorced, widowed, or single. We all can be saviors of strong families.

Full Address | News Summary

Eternal Families

President Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

Every priesthood effort and every priesthood ordinance is intended to help Heavenly Father’s children be changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ to become members of perfected family units. …

Since that is true, everything we do should have celestial marriage as its focus and purpose. That means we must strive to be sealed to an eternal companion in the temple of God. We must also encourage others to make and keep the covenants that bind a husband and wife together, with their family, in this life and in the world to come.

Why should this matter so much to each of us … ? It is because our priesthood obligation is to put our families and the families of those around us at the center of our concern. Every major decision should be based on the effect it will have on a family to qualify for life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. …

He asks us to strive to perfect the lives of each member of the family, to strengthen the weak, reclaim the straying loved one, and rejoice in their renewed spiritual strength. …

In your home, and in your priesthood service, the greatest value will be in the small acts that help us and those we love work toward eternal life. Those acts may seem small in this life, but they will bring everlasting blessings in eternity.

Full Address | News Summary

A Sacred Trust

President Thomas S. Monson

A common thread binds us together. We have been entrusted to bear the priesthood of God and to act in His name. We are the recipients of a sacred trust. Much is expected of us.

… What a wonderful gift we have been given. Ours is the responsibility to guard and protect that priesthood and to be worthy of all the glorious blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for us—and for others through us.

Wherever you go, your priesthood goes with you. Are you standing in holy places? Before you put yourself and your priesthood in jeopardy by venturing into places or participating in activities which are not worthy of you or of that priesthood, pause to consider the consequences. Remember who you are and what God expects you to become. You are a child of promise. You are a man of might. You are a son of God.

This precious gift of priesthood power brings with it not only solemn responsibilities but also special blessings for ourselves and for others. May we, in whatever place we may find ourselves, always be worthy to call upon its power, for we never know when our need and our opportunity to do so may come. …

May we determine, here and now, ever to be prepared for our time of need, our time of service, our time of blessing.

Full Address | News Summary

Talk Summaries

Gen Conf–Sat AFT- 2 Apr 2016-Talk Summaries

Saturday Afternoon Session

Standing with the Leaders of the Church

Elder Ronald A. Rasband
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

We need to help each other find Heavenly Father’s answers through the guidance of the Spirit. …

We have sustained leaders today who have, by divine inspiration, been called to teach and guide us and who are calling out to us to beware of the dangers we face each day—from casual Sabbath-day observance, to threats to the family, to assaults on religious freedom, and even to disputing latter-day revelation. Brothers and sisters, are we listening to their counsel? …

As we press forward, choosing to follow the counsel and the warnings of our leaders, we choose to follow the Lord while the world is going another direction. We choose to hold fast to the iron rod, to be Latter-day Saints, to be on the Lord’s errand, and to be filled “with exceedingly great joy” [1 Nephi 8:12].

The growing question of today is clear: are you standing with the leaders of the Church in a darkening world so that you might spread the Light of Christ? …

I pray that we will reach out—reach out and take the Savior’s hand that He is extending to us, often through His divinely called leaders and our family members—and listen for His call to come.

Full Address | News Summary

“Whoso Receiveth Them, Receiveth Me”

Elder Neil L. Andersen
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

My plea today is for the hundreds of thousands of children, youth, and young adults who do not come from these, for lack of a better term, “picture-perfect” families. …

These young Latter-day Saints enter the Church with great faith. They hope to create the family ideal in their own lives at a future day. In time, they become an important part of our missionary force, our righteous young adults, and those who kneel at an altar to begin their own families.

We will continue to teach the Lord’s pattern for families, but now with millions of members and the diversity we have in the children of the Church, we need to be even more thoughtful and sensitive. …

While a child’s earthly situation may not be ideal, a child’s spiritual DNA is perfect because one’s true identity is as a son or daughter of God.

… Let’s open our arms and our hearts a little wider. These youth need our time and our testimonies. …

… Reach out to the youth who feel alone, left behind, or outside the fence. Let us think about them, welcome them, embrace them, and do everything we can to strengthen their love for the Savior.

Full Address | News Summary

To the Rescue: We Can Do It

Elder Mervyn B. Arnold
Of the Seventy

The Savior clearly understood His mission to rescue our Heavenly Father’s children, for He declared:

“The Son of man is come to save that which was lost. …

“[For] it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish” [Matthew 18:11, 14; emphasis added]. …

As we go to the rescue, God gives us power, encouragement, and blessings. …

Let me share four principles that will help in our rescue efforts.

Principle 1: We Must Not Delay Going to the Rescue …

Principle 2: We Must Never Give Up …

Principle 3: How Great Shall Be Your Joy If You Bring Save It Be One Soul unto Christ …

Principle 4: No Matter Our Age, We Are All Called to Go to the Rescue …

The Lord has provided all of the tools necessary for us to go to the rescue of our less-active and nonmember friends. We can all do it!

I invite each of you to heed the Savior’s call to go to the rescue. We can do it!

Full Address  |  News Summary

The Sacred Place of Restoration

Elder Jairo Mazzagardi
Of the Seventy

Living legally on the East Coast of the United States for a few years, I was acquainted with the cities, and they were mostly small.

When I read or heard about the events leading up to the First Vision, a crowd of people was mentioned, and this did not make sense to me.

… Why did the Church have to be restored in the United States and not in Brazil or Italy, the land of my ancestors? …

[Later] I understood how the hand of God our Father, in His immense wisdom, had prepared in His plan a place to bring young Joseph Smith, putting him in the midst of that religious confusion, because there, in Cumorah, the precious plates of the Book of Mormon were hidden. …

The Church of Jesus Christ could not be restored without the eternal gospel revealed in the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ, even the Son of God, the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world. …

If you who hear me have any questions in your heart, do not give up!

I invite you to follow the example of the Prophet Joseph Smith when he read in James 1:5: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally.”

Full Address | News Summary

Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins

Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As members of the Lord’s restored Church, we are blessed both by our initial cleansing from sin associated with baptism and by the potential for an ongoing cleansing from sin made possible through the companionship and power of the Holy Ghost. …

… The act of partaking of the sacrament, in and of itself, does not remit sins. But as we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins. …

The ordinances of baptism by immersion, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament are not isolated and discrete events; rather, they are elements in an interrelated and additive pattern of redemptive progress. Each successive ordinance elevates and enlarges our spiritual purpose, desire, and performance. …

… I promise and testify we will be blessed with increased faith in the Savior and greater spiritual assurance as we seek to always retain a remission of our sins and, ultimately, to stand spotless before the Lord at the last day.

Full Address | News Summary

Family Councils

Elder M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Family councils have always been needed. They are, in fact, eternal. We belonged to a family council in the premortal existence, when we lived with our heavenly parents as their spirit children. …

Please remember that family councils are different from family home evening held on Mondays. Home evenings focus primarily on gospel instruction and family activities. Family councils, on the other hand, can be held on any day of the week, and they are primarily a meeting at which parents listen—to each other and to their children.

I believe there are at least four types of family councils:

First, a general family council consisting of the entire family.

Second, an executive family council consisting of a mother and a father.

Third, a limited family council consisting of parents and one child.

Fourth, a one-on-one family council consisting of one parent and one child. …

Everyone can adapt a family council to take advantage of this divine pattern established by our loving Heavenly Father. …

… Inviting the Lord to be part of our family council through prayer will improve our relationships with each other. …

A family council that is patterned after the councils in heaven, filled with Christlike love, and guided by the Lord’s Spirit will help us to protect our family from distractions that can steal our precious time together and protect us from the evils of the world.

Full Address | News Summary

Talk Summaries

Gen Conf- Sat AM–2 Apr 2016- Talk Summaries

Saturday Morning Session

Where Two or Three Are Gathered

President Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

Numbering more than one or two, a multitude of His disciples are gathered in this conference, and as promised, the Lord is in our midst. … By the power of the Spirit, we can feel that He is here with us today. …

… We all have had seeds, or the word of God, planted in our hearts at one time. …

All of us have had our faith tested by precious blessings delayed, vicious attacks of those who wanted to destroy our faith, temptations to sin, and selfish interests that reduced our efforts to cultivate and soften the spiritual depths of our hearts. …

… There will be a precious opportunity in the next few days to choose to have our hearts softened and to receive and nourish the seed. …

… If you listen with the Spirit, you will find your heart softened, your faith strengthened, and your capacity to love the Lord increased.

Your choice to pray with full purpose of heart will transform your experience in the conference sessions and in the days and months that follow. …

… Listen carefully to the testimonies borne in this conference—you will feel closer to the Lord. …

… The prophets and apostles you will hear in this conference speak for the Lord. They are His servants, authorized to act for Him.

Full Address | News Summary

A Child’s Guiding Gift

Mary R. Durham
Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Children have a natural desire to do good and to be good. We can feel their innocence, their purity. They also have a great sensitivity to the still, small voice. …

How do we as parents increase the spiritual capacity of our little ones? How do we teach them to kick off worldly influences and trust the Spirit when we are not with them and they are alone in the deep waters of their lives? …

First, we can bring to our children’s attention when they are hearing and feeling the Spirit. …

Second, we can prepare our homes and our children to feel the still, small voice. …

Third, we can help our children understand how the Spirit speaks to them. …

Feeling and recognizing the Spirit will bring spiritual capacity into our children’s lives, and the voice they come to know will become clearer and clearer to them. …

We need not fear as we see our children enter the waters of life, for we have helped them rid themselves of worldly weight. We have taught them to live for the guiding gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift will continue to lighten the weight they carry and lead them back to their heavenly home if they live for it and follow its promptings.

Full Address | News Summary

I Am a Child of God

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

Our most fundamental doctrine includes the knowledge that we are children of a living God. That is why one of His most sacred names is Father—Heavenly Father. …

… A correct understanding of our heavenly heritage is essential to exaltation. It is foundational to comprehending the glorious plan of salvation and to nurturing faith in the firstborn of the Father, Jesus the Christ, and in His merciful Atonement. Further, it provides continual motivation for us to make and keep our indispensable eternal covenants. …

Here on earth, we identify ourselves in many different ways, including our place of birth, our nationality, and our language. Some even identify themselves by their occupation or their hobby. These earthly identities are not wrong unless they supersede or interfere with our eternal identity—that of being a son or a daughter of God. …

… We live in a world that can cause us to forget who were really are. The more distractions that surround us, the easier it is to treat casually, then ignore, and then forget our connection with God. …

In today’s world, no matter where we live and no matter what our circumstances are, it is essential that our preeminent identity is as a child of God. Knowing that will allow our faith to flourish, will motivate our continual repentance, and will provide the strength to be “steadfast and immovable” throughout our mortal journey [Mosiah 5:15].

Full Address | News Summary

Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood?

Elder Gary E. Stevenson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood leaders to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth” [Handbook 2, 2.1.1]. Priesthood keys control the exercise of priesthood authority. …

Now for you young men and young women, I have considered three ways that you can “find the keys” or use priesthood keys and authority to bless your life and the lives of others.

[1.] Prepare for Missionary Service

… It is never too early for you to prepare for missionary service. … All of your preparation, … whether you serve as a full-time missionary or not, will accrue lifelong benefits to you as a member missionary.

[2.] Attend the Temple

… Ordinances performed in these temples enable individuals and families to return to the presence of our heavenly parents. …

[3.] Go Forward with Faith …

Through this restoration, each of you has access to the great blessings promised to Abraham. These blessings can be yours if you remain faithful and live worthy. …

I testify that priesthood authority and priesthood keys start the engine, open the gates of heaven, facilitate heavenly power, and pave the covenant pathway back to our loving Heavenly Father.

Full Address | News Summary

The Healing Ointment of Forgiveness

Elder Kevin R. Duncan
Of the Seventy

There is not a soul alive who will not, at one time or another, be the victim to someone else’s careless actions, hurtful conduct, or even sinful behavior. …

Gratefully, God … has taught us that we can forgive! Even though we may be a victim once, we need not be a victim twice by carrying the burden of hate, bitterness, pain, resentment, or even revenge. We can forgive, and we can be free! …

One key to forgiving others is to try to see them as God sees them. …

Too often we look at the offender the way we would look at an iceberg—we see only the tip and not beneath the surface. We do not know all that is going on in a person’s life. … Please do not misunderstand. To forgive is not to condone. We do not rationalize bad behavior or allow someone to mistreat us because of their struggles, pains, or weaknesses. But we can gain greater understanding and peace when we see with a broader perspective. …

Forgiveness is the very reason God sent His Son, so let us rejoice in His offering to heal us all. The Savior’s Atonement is not just for those who need to repent; it is also for those who need to forgive. If you are having trouble forgiving another person, or even yourself, ask God to help you.

Full Address | News Summary

Be Thou Humble

Elder Steven E. Snow
Of the Seventy

If we humble ourselves, our prayers are answered; we enjoy peace of mind; we serve more effectively in our callings; and if we continue to be faithful, we will ultimately return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. …

…We must all strive to become more humble. Humility is essential to gain the blessings of the gospel. Humility enables us to have broken hearts when we sin or make mistakes and makes it possible for us to repent. Humility enables us to be better parents, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, neighbors and friends. On the other hand, unnecessary pride can dissolve family relationships, break up marriages, and destroy friendships. It is especially important to remember humility when you feel contention rising in your home. …

Simply living life can be and often is a humbling experience. Accident and illness, the death of loved ones, problems in relationships, even financial reversals can bring us to our knees. Whether these difficult experiences come through no fault of our own or through bad decisions and poor judgment, these trials are humbling. If we choose to be spiritually attuned and remain humble and teachable, our prayers become more earnest and faith and testimony will grow as we overcome the tribulations of mortal existence.

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“That I Might Draw All Men unto Me”

Elder Dale G. Renlund
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The closer we are to Jesus Christ in the thoughts and intents of our hearts, the more we appreciate His innocent suffering, the more grateful we are for grace and forgiveness, and the more we want to repent and become like Him. …

… Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, ultimately, in the eternal scheme of things, there will be no unfairness. … Our present circumstances may not change, but through God’s compassion, kindness, and love, we will all receive more than we deserve, more than we can ever earn, and more than we could ever hope for. …

No matter where you stand in your relationship to God, I invite you to draw nearer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the Ultimate Benefactors and Givers of all that is good. I invite you to attend sacrament meeting each week and partake of the holy emblems of the Savior’s body and blood. …

As you do, I promise that you will feel nearer to God. Natural tendencies to childish whining, disgruntled entitlement, and derisive skepticism will dissipate. Those sentiments will be replaced by feelings of greater love for Heavenly Father’s gift of His Son. As we draw closer to God, the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ will come into our lives. And … we will find that the Savior has been nearby all along.

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