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.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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.
“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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