Gen Conf Oct 2017 Sun aft

"Each of us came to earth having been given the Light of Christ. As we follow the example of the Savior and live as He lived and as He taught, that light will burn within us and will light the way for others." —Pres Thomas S Monson

How are you sharing your light with others this week? #TempleSquare

Talk Summaries

The Trek Continues

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

Although it is appropriate and important to remember the historic 19th-century Mormon pioneer trek, we need to remember that “the trek through life continues!” for each of us as we prove our own “faith in every footstep.” …

A trek back to our Heavenly Father is the most important trek of our lives, and it continues each day, each week, each month, and each year as we increase our faith in Him and in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

We must be careful where our footsteps in life take us. …

• Today I repeat earlier counsel from Church leaders. Brothers and sisters, keep the doctrine of Christ pure and never be deceived by those who tamper with the doctrine. …
• Do not listen to those who have not been ordained or set apart to their Church calling and are acknowledged by common consent of the members of the Church.
• Be aware of organizations, groups, or individuals claiming secret answers to doctrinal questions that they say today’s apostles and prophets do not have or understand.
• Do not listen to those who entice you with get-rich schemes. …

In some places, too many of our people are looking beyond the mark and seeking secret knowledge in expensive and questionable practices to provide healing and support. …

I testify that “the trek continues,” and I invite you to stay on the gospel path as you continue pressing forward by reaching out to all of God’s children in love and compassion that we may unitedly make our hearts pure and our hands clean to receive the “multiplicity of blessings” awaiting all who truly love our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.

God’s Compelling Witness:

The Book of Mormon

Tad R. Callister 
Sunday School General President

The Book of Mormon is not only the keystone of our religion, but it can also become the keystone of our testimonies so that when trials or unanswered questions confront us, it can hold our testimonies securely in place. This book is the one weight on the scales of truth that exceeds the combined weight of all the critics’ arguments. Why? Because if it is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and this is the restored Church of Jesus Christ, regardless of any historical or other arguments to the contrary. For this reason, the critics are intent on disproving the Book of Mormon, but the obstacles they face are insurmountable, because this book is true. …

The Book of Mormon is one of God’s priceless gifts to us. … As Saints, we not only have the privilege to defend the Book of Mormon but the opportunity to take the offense—to preach with power its divine doctrine and bear witness of its crowning witness of Jesus Christ.

I bear my solemn testimony that the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. It is God’s compelling witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ, the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, and the absolute truth of this Church.

Apart, but Still One

Elder Joni L. Koch 
Of the Seventy

In the Church, in spite of our differences, the Lord expects us to be one! He said in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine” [D&C 38:27].

As we enter a meetinghouse to worship as a group, we should leave behind our differences … and instead concentrate on our common spiritual objectives. Together we sing hymns, ponder about the same covenants during the sacrament, say simultaneously an audible “amen” after talks, lessons, and prayers. …

These things that we do collectively help create a strong sense of oneness within the congregation.

However, what really determines, solidifies, or destroys our unity is how we act when we are apart from our fellow Church members. …

… Our words about our fellow beings should reflect our belief in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and that in Him and through Him, we can always change for the better! …

It is also likely that we will all experience some correction from our ecclesiastic leaders, which will be a test on how united we are with them. …

… I testify that as we decide to be one with the members and leaders of the Church—both when we’re assembled together but especially when we are apart—we will also feel more perfectly united with our Heavenly Father and the Savior.

Do We Trust Him?  Hard is Good

Elder Stanley G. Ellis 
Emeritus Member of the Seventy

Hard makes us stronger, humbles us, and gives us a chance to prove ourselves. Our beloved handcart pioneers came to know God in their extremities. Why did it take two chapters for Nephi and his brothers to obtain the brass plates and only three verses to enlist Ishmael’s family to join them in the wilderness? It seems the Lord wanted to strengthen Nephi through the struggle of obtaining the plates.

The hard things in our lives should come as no surprise. One of the earliest covenants we make with the Lord is to live the law of sacrifice. Sacrifice by definition involves giving up something desirable. With experience we realize it is a small price to pay in relation to the blessings that follow. …

Each of us may have a different opinion about what is hard. Some may consider it hard to pay tithing when finances are tight. Some leaders find it difficult to expect the poor to pay tithing. It may be hard for some of us to go forward with faith to marry or to have a family. There are those who find it hard to “be content with [what] the Lord hath allotted unto [them]” (Alma 29:3). It may be hard to be content with our current calling. Church discipline may seem very hard, but for some it marks the beginning of the true repentance process.

Regardless of the issue, hard can be good for those who will move forward with faith and trust the Lord and His plan.

Essential Truths - Our Need to Act

Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella 
Of the Seventy

Millions who have already joined the Church, as well as the many who are being converted and baptized each week, have gained a testimony of the First Vision. The Holy Ghost can repeat this witness often to each of us as we strive to live the simple truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The First Vision and the Prophet Joseph Smith brought forth additional knowledge and truth that are essential to our happiness in this life and our exaltation in the presence of God. …

An essential truth we learn from the First Vision and the Prophet Joseph Smith is that God calls prophets, seers, and revelators to instruct, guide, warn, and lead us. …

Another truth we learn because of the First Vision and the Prophet Joseph Smith is the true nature of God. Just imagine how blessed we are to know that God is a being with a body of flesh and bones as tangible as ours, that we can worship a God who is real, whom we can understand, and who has shown and revealed Himself and His Son to His prophets. …

From the First Vision and the Prophet Joseph Smith, we received knowledge of the reality and sacred mission of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone of our religion.

Seek Ye Out of the Best Books

Elder Ian S. Ardern 
Of the Seventy

We live in a day in which misinformation about our beliefs abounds. …

[The warnings] of our prophets and apostles remind us that we must do all we can to fortify ourselves spiritually against words of opposition and deception. …

… Our spiritual roots go deeper as sincere personal and family prayer become bastions of our faith, as we repent daily, seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and learn of our Savior and His attributes and strive to become like Him.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the Light of the World, and He beckons us to follow Him. …

Questions about our Church history and beliefs do arise. … The best counsel was given by the Apostle James: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). …

With all our prayer, study, and pondering, there may still remain some yet-to-be-answered questions. … Such questions are an invitation to build our faith. … It is the very essence of religion not to have a sure answer to every question, for this is one of the purposes of faith. …

Let each of us live … so that we will remain “firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end” (Alma 27:27).

Love One Another as He Has Loved Us

Elder Jose L. Alonso 
Of the Seventy

During the Last Supper, the Savior gave a new commandment to His disciples, saying:

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” [John 13:34–35].

The Savior’s disciples were given a new commandment to do something more, something greater, and something more divine. This new commandment and invitation is summarized in the key phrase “as I have loved you.” …

In today’s world of so much suffering for different circumstances, sending a text message with a funny emoji or posting a nice picture with the words “I love you” is good and valuable. But what many of us need to do is leave our mobile devices behind and, with our hands and feet, help others in great need. Love without service is like faith without works; it’s dead indeed.

The pure love of Christ, which is charity, not only inspires us to act and provide service but also to have the strength to forgive, regardless of the situation. …

I know that our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, love us and are willing to help us to act as we love one another as They have loved us. And I know that by serving and forgiving others with real love, we can be healed and receive the strength to overcome our own challenges.

The Voice of the Lord

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

General conference is one of the very important times [Jesus Christ] gives direction to His Church and to us personally. …

In the commotion and confusion of our modern world, trusting and believing in the words of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve is vital to our spiritual growth and endurance. …

As you listen, the messages you receive may be very literal or they may be customized just for you. …

I promise you that as you prepare your spirit and come with the anticipation that you will hear the voice of the Lord, thoughts and feelings will come into your mind that are customized especially for you. You have already felt them in this conference, or you will as you study the messages in the weeks ahead. …

The teachings of general conference are the considerations the Lord would have before us now and in the months ahead. …

Often, His voice directs us to change something in our lives. He invites us to repent. He invites us to follow Him. …

There is a treasure chest of heavenly direction awaiting your discovery in the messages of general conference. The test for each of us is how we respond to what we hear, what we read, and what we feel. …

I promise that as you hear the voice of the Lord to you in the teachings of this general conference and then act on those promptings, you will feel heaven’s hand upon you, and your life and the lives of those around you will be blessed.

See also 187th Semiannual General Conference talk summaries and photo galleries

Gen Conf Oct 2017 Sun am

Talk Summaries

That Your Joy Might Be Full

Jean B. Bingham 
Relief Society General President

Lasting joy is found in focusing on our Savior, Jesus Christ, and living the gospel as demonstrated and taught by Him. The more we learn about, have faith in, and emulate Jesus Christ, the more we come to understand that He is the source of all healing, peace, and eternal progress. …

No matter what we have suffered, He is the source of healing. Those who have experienced any manner of abuse, devastating loss, chronic illness or disabling affliction, untrue accusations, vicious persecution, or spiritual damage from sin or misunderstandings can all be made whole by the Redeemer of the world. However, He will not enter without invitation. We must come unto Him and allow Him to work His miracles. …

Are our testimonies built on the bedrock foundation of Jesus Christ and His gospel? When the storms of life press upon us, do we frantically look for a how-to book or an internet post for help? Taking the time to build and strengthen our knowledge and testimony of Jesus Christ will yield rich dividends in times of trial and adversity. Daily reading of scriptures and pondering the words of living prophets, engaging in meaningful personal prayer, mindfully partaking of the sacrament each week, giving service as the Savior would—each of these simple activities becomes a building block for a joyful life.

Has the Day of Miracles Ceased?

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom 
Of the Seventy

My limited knowledge cannot explain why sometimes there is divine intervention and other times there is not. But perhaps we lack an understanding of what constitutes a miracle.

Often we describe a miracle as being healed without a full explanation by medical science or as avoiding catastrophic danger by heeding a clear prompting. However, defining a miracle as “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand” gives an expanded perspective into matters more eternal in nature. …

A critical question to ponder is “Where do we place our faith?” Is our faith focused on simply wanting to be relieved of pain and suffering, or is it firmly centered on God the Father and His holy plan and in Jesus the Christ and His Atonement? …

Today I testify of miracles. Being a child of God is a miracle. Receiving a body in His image and likeness is a miracle. The gift of a Savior is a miracle. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a miracle. The potential for eternal life is a miracle.

… Our supreme focus should be on the spiritual miracles that are available to all of God’s children. No matter our ethnicity, no matter our nationality, no matter what we have done if we repent, no matter what may have been done to us—all of us have equal access to these miracles.

Exceeding Great and Precious Promises

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

One of the great challenges each of us faces every day is to not allow the concerns of this world to so dominate our time and energy that we neglect the eternal things that matter most. …

The Apostle Peter reminds us, … “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world” [2 Peter 1:4; emphasis added]. …

God promises His children that if they follow the precepts of His plan and the example of His Beloved Son, … then by virtue of the Savior’s redemption, they “shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God” [D&C 14:7]. Eternal life is the ultimate exceeding great and precious promise. …

Priesthood ordinances and sacred covenants … are the means God has appointed whereby we receive His exceeding great and precious promises. Ordinances that are received worthily and remembered continually open the heavenly channels through which the power of godliness can flow into our lives. Covenants that are honored steadfastly and remembered always provide purpose and the assurance of blessings in both mortality and for eternity. …

The Sabbath day and the temple, respectively, are a sacred time and a sacred space specifically set apart for worshipping God and for receiving and remembering His exceeding great and precious promises to His children. …

… Leaving our homes to spend time in Sunday meetings and to enter the sacred space of a temple is vital but insufficient. Only as we bring the spirit and strength derived from those holy activities back with us into our homes can we sustain our focus upon the great purposes of mortal life and overcome the corruption that is in the world.

Turn to the Lord

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell 
Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

There will be times in our lives when we find ourselves on an unexpected path. … How do we respond when events, often out of our control, alter the life we had planned or hoped for? …

… Although each “change” may be unique to our individual circumstances, there is a common element in the resulting trial or challenge—hope and peace are always available through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the ultimate corrective and healing measures to every wounded body, damaged spirit, and broken heart. …

… We cannot control all that happens to us, but we have absolute control over how we respond to the changes in our lives. This does not imply that the challenges and trials we face are of no consequence and easily handled or dealt with. It does not imply that we will be free from pain or heartache. But it does mean that there is cause for hope and that due to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can move forward and find better days—even days full of joy, light, and happiness. …

Whatever change in life’s circumstance may come our way, and whatever unexpected path we may have to travel, how we respond is a choice. Turning to the Savior and grasping His outstretched arm is always our best option.

Lord, Wilt Thou Cause That My Eyes May Be Opened

Elder W. Craig Zwick 
Emeritus Member of the Seventy

The gospel mentors us to look beyond what we see. To look beyond what we see, we must look at others through the eyes of our Savior. The gospel net is filled with people in all their variety. … We must look past the easy assumptions and stereotypes and widen the tiny lens of our own experience. …

We live in a world that feeds on comparisons, labeling, and criticism. Instead of seeing through the lens of social media, we need to look inward for the godly attributes to which we each lay claim. …

… Truly loving others requires the ongoing practice of accepting the best efforts of people whose life experiences and limitations we may never fully know. …

As members of the Church, we have been gifted personal spiritual alarms that warn us when we are looking with only mortal eyes away from salvation. The sacrament is our weekly reminder to continually focus on Jesus Christ that we might always remember Him and that we might always have His Spirit to be with us. Yet we sometimes ignore these feelings of reminder and alarm. When we have Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, He will cause that our eyes may be opened to larger possibilities than we alone can comprehend.

Fear Not to Do Good

President Henry B. Eyring 
First Counselor in the First Presidency

Last April, President Thomas S. Monson gave a message that stirred hearts across the world, including mine. He spoke of the power of the Book of Mormon. He urged us to study, ponder, and apply its teachings. He promised that if we dedicated time each day to studying and pondering and kept the commandments the Book of Mormon contains, we would have a vital testimony of its truth, and the resultant testimony of the living Christ would see us through to safety in times of trouble. …

In a season of increasing tumult in the world, those increases in testimony have driven out doubt and fear and have brought us feelings of peace. …

The Lord told His leaders of the Restoration, and He tells us, that when we stand with faith upon His rock, doubt and fear are diminished; the desire to do good increases. As we accept President Monson’s invitation to plant in our hearts a testimony of Jesus Christ, we gain the power, the desire, and the courage to go to the rescue of others without concern for our own needs. …

We cannot foresee the details, but we know the larger picture. We know that in the last days, the world will be in commotion. … And we know that the Lord’s true disciples will be worthy and prepared to receive Him when He comes again. We need not fear.

See also 187th Semiannual General Conference talk summaries and photo galleries

Women’s Gen Conf Session Oct 2017

Our 4 Generation tradition continues! We attend together to remember that we are and eternal family…’of the royal house of the kingdom of God, children of Heavenly Parents, who reign throughout the universe.’
Talk Summaries

Turn On Your Light  

Sharon Eubank First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

For my text I am going back almost 40 years to a remarkable prophecy written by President Spencer W. Kimball. …

“… Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world … will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world” [“The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov. 1979, 103–4]. …

… How do we play our part? What should we do? President Kimball refers to five things:

The first is to be righteous. …

The second is to be articulate. …

The third is to be different. …

The fourth is to be distinct. …

And finally, the fifth is to do one through four in happy ways. …

The prophets are calling on us, my sisters. Will you be righteous? Will you articulate your faith? Can you bear being distinct and different? Will your happiness in spite of your trials draw others who are good and noble and who need your friendship? Will you turn on your light?

Abiding in God and Repairing the Breach 

Neill F. Marriott Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency

We are here on this earth to learn and grow, and the most important learning and growing will come from our covenant connection to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. From our faithful relationship with Them comes godly knowledge, love, power, and capacity to serve. …

… Our sins and pride create a breach—or gap—between us and the font of all love, our Heavenly Father.

Only the Savior’s Atonement can cleanse us of our sins and close that gap. …

… The Savior repaired the breach—or distance—between us and Heavenly Father. He, through His great atoning sacrifice, opens the way for us to partake of God’s loving power, and then we are enabled to repair the “waste places” in our personal lives. Healing emotional distance between each other will require our acceptance of God’s love, coupled with a sacrifice of our natural selfish and fearful tendencies. …

Our Father’s infinite love reaches out to us, to bring us back into His glory and joy. He gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to repair the breach that gapes wide between us and Him. Reunion with Father in Heaven is the essence of lasting love and eternal purpose. We must make the connection with Him now to learn what really matters, to love as He loves and grow to be like Him.

Value beyond Measure 

Joy D. Jones Primary General President

The Spirit will confirm to each of us individually our divine worth. Truly knowing that you are a daughter of God will affect every aspect of your life and guide you in the service you render each day. …

… No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.

Despite this marvelous truth, how many of us struggle, from time to time, with negative thoughts or feelings about ourselves? I do. It’s an easy trap. Satan is the father of all lies, especially when it comes to misrepresentations about our own divine nature and purpose. Thinking small about ourselves does not serve us well. Instead it holds us back. …

Sisters, let’s not be confused about who we are! While it is often easier to be spiritually passive than it is to put forth the spiritual effort to remember and embrace our divine identity, we cannot afford that indulgence in these latter days. May we, as sisters, “be faithful in Christ; … may Christ lift [us] up, and may his sufferings and death, … and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in [our minds] forever” [Moroni 9:25].

Three Sisters 

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

If you find yourself worrying about what other people say about you, may I suggest this antidote: remember who you are. Remember that you are of the royal house of the kingdom of God, children of Heavenly Parents, who reign throughout the universe.

You have the spiritual DNA of God. You have unique gifts that originated in your spiritual creation and that were developed during the vast span of your premortal life. You are the child of our merciful and everlasting Father in Heaven, the Lord of Hosts, the One who created the universe, spread the spinning stars across the vast expanse of space, and placed the planets in their appointed orbits. …

The promises of praise and acceptance by the world are unreliable, untrue, and unsatisfying. God’s promises are sure, true, and joyful—now and forever.

I invite you to consider religion and faith from a higher perspective. Nothing offered in the great and spacious building can compare with the fruit of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. …

You cannot allow circumstances to make you sad.

You cannot allow them to make you mad.

You can rejoice that you are a child of God. You can find joy and happiness in the grace of God and in the love of Jesus Christ.

You can be glad.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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Talk Summaries