From the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, this is the Saturday morning session
of the 188th Semiannual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
with speakers selected from the General Authorities and General
Officers of the Church.
Music for this session is provided by the Tabernacle
Choir at Temple Square.
Members and officers of the Church
gather from all areas of the world
to receive counsel and instruction from their Church
leaders.
This broadcast is furnished as a public service
by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent
is prohibited.
President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency of the Church,
will conduct this session.
Brothers and sisters, we welcome you
to the Saturday morning session of the 188th Semiannual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
It is wonderful to gather together,
and we extend our love and greetings
to members and friends participating in the conference
throughout the world.
President Russell M. Nelson, who presides at the conference,
has asked that I conduct this session.
We acknowledge the General Authorities
and the General Officers of the Church
who will be in attendance throughout the conference.
As you are aware, we note with sadness the passing last Monday
of Sister Barbara Bowen Ballard, wife of President M. Russell
Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Sister Ballard has been a pillar of strength and goodness
throughout her life and has given tremendous support
to her husband in his assignments over many years.
We express our sincere love and condolences
to the Ballard family and to others
who will miss her presence.
In noting the unusual number of natural disasters affecting
so many throughout the world in recent months,
we extend our heartfelt sympathy to those who have been affected
by these events and express sincere appreciation to all who
are helping in these dire circumstances--the
firefighters, rescue workers, volunteers,
and others who continue to address these difficult
circumstances.
We are pleased as a Church to join in the relief efforts
and pray for the safety and peace of all involved
in these tragic events.
The music for this session will be by the Tabernacle Choir
at Temple Square under the direction of Mack
Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, with Brian Mathias and Richard
Elliott at the organ.
The choir opened this meeting with "Guide Us, O Thou Great
Jehovah" and will now favor us with "The Morning Breaks."
The invocation will then be offered by Elder Craig A.
Cardon of the Seventy, after which the choir will sing
"If I Listen with My Heart."
[MUSIC PLAYING - "THE MORNING BREAKS"]
Heavenly Father, with bowed heads and humble hearts,
we express unto Thee our love and thank
Thee for the gift of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and His infinite Atonement.
We thank Thee for thy prophet, President Russell M. Nelson,
for the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve,
and pray for them that Thou wilt sustain and uphold them
as they direct the affairs of Thy kingdom.
We thank Thee for the opportunity being
met in this general conference of Thy Church,
even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
to receive Thy word and to understand Thy will for Thy
Saints in these last days.
We pray that Thou wilt bless us as Thy word is given unto us,
as we come to know Thy will under the direction of Thy
prophets, that we may receive Thy word with gladness,
with faith and devotion, and act in faith to the accomplishment
of Thy purposes.
We pray that the people and nations of the earth
may choose righteousness, that they
may be blessed in their afflictions,
that they may be comforted, and that Thy word may
flow throughout the earth as Thou dost fulfill Thy covenant
that Thou hast made, wherein all the families of the earth
may be blessed with the blessings of the gospel, which
are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.
For these things we humbly pray, and for all
those who will participate in this session
of this conference, that all may be done according to Thy
will, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "IF I LISTEN WITH MY HEART"]
It will now be our privilege to hear from our beloved prophet,
President Russell M. Nelson.
He will be followed by Elder Quentin L.
Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
We will then hear from Brother M. Joseph
Brough, who serves as Second Counselor in the Young Men
General Presidency.
Elder Steven R. Bangerter of the Seventy will then address us.
President Nelson.
My dear brothers and sisters, we have looked forward
to gathering with you again in this October general conference
session of the Church.
We extend our heartfelt welcome to each of you.
We are deeply grateful for your sustaining prayers.
We can feel their effect.
Thank you!
We are grateful for your tremendous efforts
to follow through with counsel given at general conference six
months ago.
Stake presidencies throughout the world
have sought revelation necessary to reorganize elders quorums.
Men of those quorums, along with our dedicated Relief Society
sisters, are working diligently to minister
to our brothers and sisters in a higher, holier way.
We are inspired by your goodness and extraordinary efforts
to bring the Savior's love to your families, neighbors,
and friends and to minister to them as He would.
Since April conference, Sister Nelson and I
have met with members on four continents
and on islands of the sea.
From Jerusalem to Harare, from Winnipeg to Bangkok,
we have experienced your great faith and the strength
of your testimonies.
We are overjoyed with the number of our youth
who have joined the Lord's youth battalion to help
gather scattered Israel.
We thank you!
And as you continue to follow my invitations offered
at our worldwide youth devotional,
you are setting a standard for the rest of us to follow.
And what a difference you youth are making!
In recent years, we in the presiding councils
of the Church have wrestled with a fundamental question: how
can we take the gospel in its simple purity
and the ordinances with their eternal efficacy
to all of God's children?
As Latter-day Saints, we have become
accustomed to thinking of "church"
as something that happens in our meetinghouses,
supported by what happens at home.
We need an adjustment to this pattern.
It is time for a home-centered Church, supported
by what takes place inside our branch, ward, and stake
buildings.
As the Church continues to expand throughout the world,
many members live where we have no chapels--and may not
for the foreseeable future.
I remember a family who, because of such circumstances,
was required to meet in their home.
I asked the mother how she liked going
to church in her own home.
She replied, "I like it!
My husband uses better language at home now,
knowing that he will bless the sacrament each Sunday."
The long-standing objective of the Church
is to assist all members to increase their faith
in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Atonement,
to assist them in making and keeping
their covenants with God, and to strengthen and seal
their families.
In this complex world today, this is not easy.
The adversary is increasing his attacks
on faith and upon us and our families
at an exponential rate.
To survive spiritually, we need counterstrategies and proactive
plans.
Accordingly, we now want to put in place
organizational adjustments that will further fortify
our members and their families.
For many years Church leaders have
been working on an integrated curriculum
to strengthen families and individuals
through a home-centered and Church-supported plan
to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater
personal worship.
Our efforts over these recent years to hallow the Sabbath--to
make it a delight and a personal sign to God of our love
for Him--will be augmented by the adjustments we will now
introduce.
This morning we will announce a new balance and connection
between gospel instruction in the home and in the Church.
We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth.
And scriptures make it clear that parents
have the primary responsibility to teach
the doctrine to their children.
It is the responsibility of the Church
to assist each member in that divinely appointed role
of increasing his or her gospel knowledge.
Elder Quentin L. Cook will now explain
these important adjustments.
All members of the Council of the First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
are united in endorsing this message.
We gratefully acknowledge the inspiration
from the Lord that has influenced
the development of the plans and procedures
that Elder Cook will present.
My dear brothers and sisters, I know that God lives!
Jesus is the Christ!
This is His Church that He directs
by prophecy and revelation to His humble servants.
I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
As President Russell M. Nelson has just beautifully
and eloquently set forth, Church leaders
have been working for a long time
on "a home-centered and Church-supported plan
to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster
greater personal worship."
President Nelson then announced an adjustment
to achieve "a new balance between gospel instruction
in the home and in the Church."
To accomplish these purposes--described
by and under the direction of President Russell M.
Nelson and pursuant to the decision of the Council
of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles--the Sunday meeting schedule will be adjusted
in the following ways, beginning in January 2019.
The Sunday Church meetings will consist
of a 60-minute sacrament meeting each Sunday focused
on the Savior, the ordinance of the sacrament,
and spiritual messages.
After time for transition to classes,
Church members will attend a 50-minute class that
will alternate each Sunday.
Sunday School will be held on the first and third Sundays.
Priesthood quorums, Relief Society,
and Young Women meetings will be held
on the second and fourth Sundays.
Meetings on the fifth Sunday will
be under the direction of the bishop.
Primary will be held each week during this same 50-minute
period and will include singing time and classes.
With respect to the Sunday meeting schedule,
the senior leaders of the Church have been aware for many years
that for some of our precious members, a three-hour Sunday
schedule at church can be difficult.
This is particularly true for parents
with small children, Primary children, elderly members,
new converts, and others.
But there is so much more to this adjustment
than just shortening the Sunday meetinghouse schedule.
President Nelson has acknowledged
with gratitude how much is being accomplished
as a result of your faithfulness to previous invitations.
He and the entire leadership of the Church
desire to bring greater gospel joy to parents, children,
youth, singles, the elderly, new converts, and those people
the missionaries are teaching through
a home-centered, Church-supported balanced
effort.
The purposes and blessings associated
with this adjustment and other recent changes
include the following:
Deepening conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ and strengthening faith in Them.
Strengthening individuals and families
through home-centered, Church-supported curriculum
that contributes to joyful gospel living.
Honoring the Sabbath day, with a focus on the ordinance
of the sacrament.
Helping all of Heavenly Father's children
on both sides of the veil through missionary work
and receiving ordinances and covenants and blessings
of the temple.
This Sunday schedule allows more time
for a home evening and to study the gospel at home on Sunday
or at other times as individuals and families may choose.
A family activity night could be held
on Monday or at other times.
To this end, leaders should continue
to keep Monday evenings free from Church meetings
and activities.
However, time spent in home evening, gospel study,
and activities for individuals and families
may be scheduled according to their individual circumstances.
Family and individual gospel study at home
will be significantly enhanced by a harmonized curriculum
and a new Come, Follow Me resource for individuals
and families that is coordinated with what is being taught
in Sunday School and Primary.
In January, the Church's youth and adult Sunday School
and Primary classes will be studying the New Testament.
The new home-study Come, Follow Me resource for individuals
and families--also covering the New Testament--is designed
to help members learn the gospel in the home.
It explains: "This resource is for every individual and family
in the Church.
It is designed to help [us better] learn the gospel--
whether on [our] own or with [our] family.
...
The outlines in this [new] resource are organized
according to a weekly ... schedule."
The new Primary Come, Follow Me lessons taught in church
will follow the same weekly schedule.
The adult and youth Sunday School classes
on the first and third Sundays will
be coordinated so that they will support the new Come,
Follow Me home resource.
On the second and fourth Sundays,
adults in priesthood and Relief Society
will continue to study the teachings of Church leaders,
with emphasis on the current messages of modern prophets.
Young women and Aaronic Priesthood young men
will study gospel topics on those Sundays.
The new home-study resource provides
"Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening."
The outlines for each week contain helpful study ideas
and activities for individuals and families.
The Come, Follow Me resource for individuals and families
also has many illustrations that will
help enhance individual and family learning, especially
for children.
This new resource will be provided to each household
by December of this year.
President Nelson, from his initial address
to the members of the Church in January,
has exhorted us to prepare for the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ by walking the covenant path.
World conditions increasingly require
deepening individual conversion to and strengthening
faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
The Lord has prepared us, line upon line,
for the perilous times that we now face.
In recent years, the Lord has guided
us to address related core concerns, including:
Honoring the Sabbath day and the sacred ordinance
of the sacrament, which have again
been emphasized for the last three years.
Under the bishop's direction, strengthened elders quorums
and Relief Societies are focused on the purpose of the Church
and helping members make and keep sacred covenants.
Ministering in a higher and holier way
is being joyfully adopted.
Beginning with the end in mind, temple covenants
and family history service are becoming a purposeful part
of the covenant path.
The adjustment announced this morning is yet
another example of guidance for the challenges of our day.
The Church's traditional curriculum
has emphasized the Sunday church experience.
We know that when we have better teaching and more spiritually
prepared class members, we have a better Sunday church
experience.
We are blessed that often the Spirit
increases and strengthens conversion in the church
setting.
The new home-centered and Church-supported curriculum
needs to influence more powerfully
family religious observance and behavior
and personal religious observance and behavior.
We know the spiritual impact and the deep and lasting conversion
that can be achieved in the home setting.
Years ago, a study established that for young men and women,
the influence of the Holy Ghost most often
accompanies individual scripture study and prayer in the home.
Our purpose is to balance the Church and the home experience
in a way that will greatly increase faith, spirituality,
and deepen conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
In the home-centered, Church-supported portion
of this adjustment, there is flexibility for each individual
and family to determine prayerfully how and when it
will be implemented.
For example, while this will greatly bless all families,
based on local needs, it would be completely
appropriate for young singles, single adults, single parents,
part-member families, new members, and others
to gather in groups outside the normal Sunday worship services
to enjoy gospel sociality and be strengthened
by studying together the home-centered, Church-supported
resource.
This would be accomplished informally
by those who so desire.
In many parts of the world, people
choose to stay at the meetinghouse
after the normal Sunday schedule to enjoy social relationships.
There is nothing in this announced adjustment that
would interfere with this wonderful and rewarding
practice in any way.
To help members prepare for the Sabbath,
some wards already send an informative email, text,
or social media message midweek.
In view of this adjustment, we strongly
recommend this type of communication.
These invitations will remind the members of the Sunday
meeting schedule for that week, including the upcoming class
lesson topic, and support continuing gospel conversation
at home.
In addition, the adult meetings on Sunday
will also provide information to connect church and home
study each week.
The sacrament meeting and the class period
will require prayerful consideration
to make sure that spiritual priorities are emphasized
over administrative functions.
For example, announcements can for the most part
be accomplished in the midweek invitation
or on a printed program.
While the sacrament meeting should
have an opening and closing prayer,
the second meeting need only have a closing prayer.
As was mentioned earlier, the new Sunday schedule
will not commence until January 2019.
There are several reasons for this.
The two most important are, first,
to have time to distribute the Come,
Follow Me resource for individuals and families
and, second, to allow time for stake presidents and bishops
to arrange meeting schedules with the goal of having more
wards meet earlier in the day.
As leaders have sought revelation,
the guidance received over the past few years is to strengthen
the sacrament meeting, honor the Sabbath day,
and encourage and assist parents and individuals to make
their homes a source of spiritual strength
and increased faith--a place of joy and happiness.
What do these adjustments mean for members
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
We are confident that members will be
blessed in extraordinary ways.
Sunday can be a day of gospel learning and teaching
at church and in the home.
As individuals and families engage
in family councils, family history, ministering, service,
personal worship, and joyful family time,
the Sabbath day will truly be a delight.
One family from Brazil are members
of a stake where the new home Come, Follow Me
resource was tested.
The father, Fernando, a returned missionary who with his wife,
Nancy, are the parents of four young children, reported:
"When the Come, Follow Me program was introduced
in our stake, I was so excited, and I thought,
'The way that we study the scriptures at home is going
to change.'
It really happened in my home, and as a Church leader
I saw that it happened in other homes.
...
It helped us to really discuss the scriptures in our home.
My wife and I had a deeper understanding about the topic
studied. ...
It helped us ... amplify our gospel knowledge,
and enhance our faith and testimony.
...
I bear my testimony ... that I know it was inspired
by the Lord so that the consistent and effective study
of the principles and doctrines contained in the scriptures
brings more faith, testimony, and light to the families ...
in an increasingly fallen world."
In pilot test stakes across the world
there was a highly favorable response to the new Come,
Follow Me home resource.
Many reported that they progressed
from reading scriptures to actually studying
the scriptures.
It was also commonly felt the experience
was faith-promoting and had a wonderful impact on the ward.
The goal of these adjustments is to obtain
a deep and lasting conversion of adults and the rising
generation.
The first page of the individual and family resource
points out: "The aim of all gospel learning and teaching
is to deepen our conversion and help us become more
like Jesus Christ.
...
This means relying on Christ to change our hearts."
This is assisted by reaching "beyond a classroom
into an individual's heart and home.
It requires consistent, daily efforts to understand and live
the gospel.
True conversion requires the influence of the Holy Ghost."
The most important goal and ultimate blessing
of deep and lasting conversion is worthily
receiving the covenants and ordinances
of the covenant pathway.
We trust you to counsel together and to seek revelation
for implementing these adjustments--while not looking
beyond the mark or trying to regiment individuals
or families.
Additional information will be shared
in upcoming communications, including a First Presidency
letter and enclosure.
I testify to you that in the deliberations
of the Council of the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the temple,
and after our beloved prophet petitioned
the Lord for revelation to move forward with these adjustments,
a powerful confirmation was received by all.
Russell M. Nelson is our living President and prophet.
The announcements made today will
result in profound blessings for those who enthusiastically
embrace the adjustments and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
We will become closer to our Heavenly Father and our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, of whom I am a sure witness.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
In 1981 my father, two close friends, and I
went on an adventure in Alaska.
We were to land on a remote lake and climb
to some beautiful high country.
In order to reduce the load we would have to personally carry,
we wrapped our supplies in boxes, covered them with foam,
attached large colored streamers,
and threw them out the window of our bush plane
at our intended destination.
After arriving, we searched and searched, but to our dismay,
we could not find any of the boxes.
Eventually we found one.
It contained a small gas stove, a tarp, some candy,
and a couple packages of Hamburger Helper--but no
hamburger.
We had no way to communicate with the outside world,
and our scheduled pickup was a week later.
I learned two valuable lessons from this experience:
One, do not throw your food out the window.
[LAUGHTER]
Two, sometimes we have to face hard things.
Frequently our first reaction to hard things is "Why me?"
Asking why, however, never takes away the hard thing.
The Lord requires that we overcome challenges,
and He has indicated "that all these things shall
give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good."
Sometimes the Lord asks us to do a hard thing,
and sometimes our challenges are created
by our own or others' use of agency.
Nephi experienced both of these situations.
When Lehi invited his sons to return
to get the plates from Laban, he said, "Behold thy brothers
murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required
of them; but behold I have not required it of them,
but it is a commandment of the Lord."
On another occasion, Nephi's brothers
used their agency to limit his: "They did lay their hands
upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth,
and they did bind me with cords, for they
sought to take away my life."
Joseph Smith confronted a hard thing in Liberty Jail.
With no relief in sight and in despair,
Joseph cried out, "O God, where art thou?"
No doubt some of us have felt as Joseph did.
Everyone faces hard things: the death of a loved one, divorce,
a wayward child, illness, trials of faith,
a lost job, or any other difficulty.
I was forever changed upon hearing these words
from Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve,
spoken in the midst of his struggle with leukemia.
He said, "I was doing some pensive pondering and these 13
instructive and reassuring words came into my mind:
'I have given you leukemia that you might teach my people with
authenticity.'" He then went on to express how this experience
had blessed him with "perspective about the great
realities of eternity.
...
Such glimpses of eternity can help
us to travel the next 100 yards, which may be very difficult."
To help us travel and triumph over our hard times
with such glimpses of eternity, may I suggest two things.
We must face hard things, first, by forgiving
others, and second, by giving ourselves to Heavenly Father.
Forgiving those who may have caused our hard thing
and reconciling "[our]selves to the will of God"
can be very difficult. It can hurt most when our hard thing
is caused by a family member, a close friend,
or even ourselves.
As a young bishop, I learned of forgiveness
when my stake president, Bruce M. Cook,
shared the following story.
He explained:
"During the late 1970s, some associates and I
started a business.
Although we did nothing illegal, some poor decisions,
combined with ...
challenging economic times, resulted in our failure.
"Some investors filed a lawsuit to recover their losses.
Their attorney happened to be a counselor in my family's
bishopric.
It was very difficult to sustain the man who seemed
to be seeking to destroy me.
I developed some real animosity toward him
and considered him my enemy.
After five years of legal battles,
we lost everything we owned, including our home.
"In 2002, my wife and I learned that the stake presidency
in which I served as a counselor was being reorganized.
As we traveled on a short vacation prior to the release,
she asked me whom I would choose as my counselors
if I were called as the new stake president.
I did not want to speak about it, but she persisted.
Eventually, one name came to ...
mind.
She then mentioned the name of the attorney
we considered to have been at the center of our difficulties
20 years earlier.
As she spoke, the Spirit confirmed that he
should be the other counselor.
Could I forgive the man?
"When Elder David E. Sorensen extended to me the call
to serve as [the] stake president,
he gave me an hour to select counselors.
Through tears, I indicated ...
the Lord had already provided that revelation.
As I spoke the name of the man I had considered my enemy,
the anger, animosity, and hate I had harbored disappeared.
In that moment, I learned of the peace
that comes with forgiveness through the Atonement
of Christ."
In other words, my stake president
did "frankly forgive" him, like Nephi of old.
I knew President Cook and his counselor
as two righteous priesthood leaders who loved one another.
I determined to be like them.
Years before, during our misadventure in Alaska,
I had quickly learned that blaming our circumstances
on others--the pilot launching the food out in fading
light--was not a solution.
However, we experienced physical exhaustion and lack
of food, sickness, and sleeping on the ground
during a major storm with only a tarp to cover us.
I learned that "with God nothing shall be impossible."
Young people, God requires hard things of you.
One 14-year-old young woman participated
in competitive basketball.
She dreamed of playing high school basketball
like her older sister.
She then learned that her parents
had been called to preside over a mission in Guatemala.
Upon arrival, she discovered that a couple of her classes
would be in Spanish, a language she did not yet speak.
There was not a single girls' sports team at her school.
She lived on the 14th floor of a building with tight security.
And to top it all off, she could not go outside alone
for safety reasons.
Her parents listened to her cry herself to sleep
every night for months.
This broke their hearts!
They finally decided they would send her home
to her grandmother for high school.
When my mother entered our daughter's room
to tell her our decision, she saw our daughter kneeling
in prayer with the Book of Mormon open on the bed.
The Spirit whispered to my wife, "She will be OK,"
and my wife quietly left the room.
We never heard her cry herself to sleep again.
With determination and the Lord's help,
she faced those three years valiantly.
At the conclusion of our mission,
I asked my daughter if she was going
to serve a full-time mission.
Her answer was "No, Dad, I have already served."
I was just fine with that!
[LAUGHTER]
But about six months later, the Spirit awoke me in the night
with this thought: "I have called your daughter
to serve a mission."
My reaction was "Heavenly Father, she has given so much."
I was quickly corrected by the Spirit
and came to understand that her missionary service was
required of the Lord.
I soon took my daughter to lunch.
From across the table, I said, "Ganzie,
do you know why we are here?"
She said, "Yes, Dad.
You know I have to serve a mission.
I do not want to go, but I am going."
Because she gave her will to Heavenly Father,
she served Him with all her heart, might, mind,
and strength.
She has taught her father how to do hard thing.
In President Russell M. Nelson's worldwide devotional for youth,
he requested some hard things of the youth.
President Nelson said: "My fifth invitation
is for you to stand out; be different from the world.
...
The Lord needs you to look like, sound like, act like,
and dress like a true disciple of Jesus Christ."
That can be a hard thing, yet I know you can do it--with joy.
Remember that "men are, that they might have joy."
With all that Lehi faced, he still found joy.
Remember when Alma was "weighed down with sorrow" because
of the people of Ammonihah?
The angel told him, "Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore,
lift up thy head and rejoice, ...
for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments
of God."
Alma learned a great truth: we can always rejoice
when we keep the commandments.
Remember that during the wars and challenges faced
during the time of Captain Moroni,
"there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi."
We can and should find joy when we face hard things.
The Savior faced hard things: "The world ...
shall judge him to be a thing of naught;
wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; ...
they smite him, and he suffereth it.
Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it,
because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering
towards the children of men."
Because of that loving-kindness, Jesus Christ
suffered the Atonement.
As a result, He says to each one of us, "In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world."
Because of Christ, we too can overcome the world.
As we face hard things in the Lord's way, may
we lift up our heads and rejoice.
At this sacred opportunity to testify to the world,
I proclaim that our Savior lives and guides His Church.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
As parents in Zion, we have a sacred responsibility,
a duty to awaken within our children passion and commitment
to the gospel of Jesus Christ--to the light
and the truths of that gospel.
While raising our children, we establish traditions
within our home, and we build patterns
of communication and behavior within our family
relationships.
In doing so, the traditions we establish
should ingrain strong, unwavering characteristics
of goodness in our children that will infuse them
with strength to confront the challenges of life.
For many years, our family has enjoyed the annual tradition
of camping high in the Uintah Mountains of northeastern Utah.
We travel 20 miles over a rocky dirt road
to arrive at a beautiful green valley with towering canyon
walls and through which runs a river filled
with cold, clear water.
Each year, hoping to reaffirm the value of gospel doctrine
and practices within the hearts of our children
and our grandchildren, Susan and I
ask each of our six sons and their families
to prepare a short message on a topic they
feel is an important element in the foundation
of a Christ-centered home.
We then gather for a family devotional in a secluded place,
and each presents their message.
This year our grandchildren wrote the topic
of their message on stones and then, one by one,
buried them next to one another, representing a sure foundation
upon which a happy life is established.
Woven among all six of their messages
was the immutable, eternal truth that Jesus Christ
is the cornerstone of that foundation.
In the words of Isaiah, "Therefore thus
saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation
a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone,
a sure foundation."
Jesus Christ is that precious cornerstone
in the foundation of Zion.
It was He who revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith:
"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing,
for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.
And out of small things proceedeth
that which is great."
Lessons taught through the traditions we establish
in our homes, though small and simple,
are increasingly important in today's world.
What are the small and simple things that, when established,
will perform a great work in the lives of our children?
President Russell M. Nelson recently
addressed a large congregation in Toronto, Canada,
and poignantly reminded parents of the sacred responsibility
we have to teach our children.
Among the essential responsibilities identified,
President Nelson emphasized the duties
we have as parents to teach our children to understand why
we partake of the sacrament, the significance of being born
in the covenant, the importance of preparing for
and receiving a patriarchal blessing,
and he encouraged parents to lead out
in the reading of scriptures together as a family.
By these efforts, our beloved prophet
urges us to make our homes "sanctuaries of faith."
In the Book of Mormon, Enos records the gratitude
he felt for the example of his father, who
"taught [him] in his language, and also in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord."
With great emotion, Enos exclaimed,
"And blessed be the name of my God for it."
I cherish the small and simple traditions
we have come to observe in our home over the 35
years of our marriage.
Many of our traditions are subtle yet meaningful.
For example:
During evenings when I was away from home,
I always knew that our oldest son present would take it
upon himself, without being asked,
to lead the family in scripture study and family prayer.
Another tradition--we never leave our home or end
a telephone conversation without saying, "I love you."
Our lives have been blessed by setting aside
time on a regular basis to enjoy personal interviews with each
of our sons.
During one interview I asked our son
about his desires and preparation to serve a mission.
After some discussion, there was a moment of reflective silence;
then he leaned forward and thoughtfully declared,
"Dad, remember when I was little and we started
having father's interviews?"
I said, "Yes."
"Well," he said, "I promised you then
that I would serve a mission, and you and Mom
promised me that you and Mom would serve a mission when
you got old."
Then there was another pause.
"Are you guys having some problem that will stop you from
serving ... because maybe I can help?"
[LAUGHTER]
Consistent, wholesome family traditions
that include prayer, scripture reading, family home evening,
and attendance at Church meetings,
though seemingly small and simple,
create a culture of love, respect, unity, and security.
In the spirit that accompanies these efforts,
our children become protected from the fiery darts
of the adversary so embedded in the worldly culture of our day.
We are reminded of the wise counsel of Helaman to his sons:
"Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer,
who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build
your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his
mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea,
when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you,
it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf
of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which
ye are built, which is a sure foundation,
a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Years ago, while serving as a young bishop,
an older gentleman asked to meet with me.
He described his departure from the Church
and the righteous traditions of his parents
when he was in his youth.
He described in detail the heartache
he experienced during his life while vainly seeking
lasting joy amidst the momentary happiness the world has
to offer.
Now, in his later years of life, he
experienced the tender, sometimes nagging,
whispering sensations of the Spirit of God guiding him
back to the lessons, practices, and the feelings
and spiritual safety of his youth.
He expressed gratitude for the traditions of his parents,
and in modern-day words, he echoed
the proclamation of Enos: "Blessed be the name of my God
for it."
In my experience, this dear man's return to the gospel
is characteristic of many and is repeated often
among God's children who leave for a time,
only to return to the teachings and the practices
of their youth.
In these moments, we witness the wisdom
of the writer of the proverb, who exhorts parents,
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old,
he will not depart from it."
Every parent faces moments of frustration and varying
levels of determination and strength
while raising children.
However, when parents exercise faith
by teaching children candidly, lovingly, and doing
all they can to help them along the way,
they receive greater hope that the seeds being sown
will take root within the hearts and minds of their children.
Moses well understood the fundamental need
for constant teaching.
He counseled, "And thou shalt teach [these words]
diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk [to] them
when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down,
and when thou risest up."
We kneel beside our children during family prayer;
we care for them through our efforts
to hold meaningful family scripture reading;
we patiently, lovingly care for them
as together we participate in family home evening;
and we anguish for them on our knees
in the midst of our private prayers to heaven.
Oh, how we yearn for the seeds we
are sowing to take root within the hearts
and minds of our children.
I believe that it is less a question
of whether our children are "getting it"
in the midst of our teaching, such as while striving
to read the scriptures or to have
family home evening or attend Mutual and other Church
meetings.
It is less a question of whether in those moments
they are understanding the importance of those activities
and more a question of whether we, as parents, are exercising
faith enough to follow the Lord's counsel
to diligently live, teach, exhort, and set forth
expectations that are inspired by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is an effort driven by our faith--our belief that one day,
the seeds sown in their youth will take root and begin
to sprout and grow.
The things we talk of, the things we preach and teach,
determine the things that will happen among us.
As we establish wholesome traditions that
teach the doctrine of Christ, the Holy Spirit
bears witness of the truthfulness of our message
and nourishes the seeds of the gospel that are planted deep
in the hearts of our children by our efforts all along the way.
I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The congregation will now join the choir
in singing "High on the Mountain Top."
After the singing, we will hear from Elders Ronald A.
Rasband and David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
This is the 188th Semiannual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP"]
I add my witness to the messages of President Nelson and Elder
Cook given moments ago of the harmony and unanimity
of the Council of the First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
I know these revelatory announcements
are the mind and the will of the Lord
and will bless and strengthen individuals, families,
and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints for generations to come.
Some years ago, one of our young married daughters
and her husband asked Sister Rasband
and me a very important, life-influencing question:
"Is it still safe and wise to bring children
into this seemingly wicked and frightening world we live in?"
Now, that was an important question for a mom and dad
to consider with their dear married children.
We could hear the fear in their voices,
and we felt the fear in their hearts.
Our answer to them was a firm "Yes, it's
more than OK," as we shared fundamental gospel
teachings and our own heartfelt impressions and life
experiences.
Fear is not new.
The disciples of Jesus Christ out on the Sea of Galilee
feared the wind and the waves in the dark of night.
As His disciples today, we too have fears.
Our single adults fear making commitments
such as getting married; young marrieds, like our children,
can fear bringing children into an increasingly wicked world.
Missionaries fear lots of things, especially approaching
strangers.
Widows fear going forward alone.
Teenagers fear not being accepted;
grade-schoolers fear the first day of school;
university students fear getting back a test.
We fear failure, rejection, disappointment,
and the unknown.
We fear hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires that
ravage the land and our lives.
We fear not being chosen, and on the flip side,
we fear being chosen.
We fear not being good enough; we
fear that the Lord has no blessings for us.
We fear change, and our fears can escalate to terror.
Have I included just about everyone now?
Since ancient times, fear has limited the perspective
of God's children.
I have always loved the account of Elisha in 2 Kings.
The king of Syria had sent a legion that "came by night,
and compassed the city about."
Their intent was to capture and kill the prophet Elisha.
We read:
"And when the servant of the man of God
was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host
compassed the city both with horses and chariots.
And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master!
How shall we do?"
That was fear speaking.
"And [Elisha] answered, Fear not: for they
that be with us are more than they that be with them."
But he didn't stop there.
"Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee,
open his eyes, that he may see.
And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw:
and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots
of fire round about Elisha."
We may or may not have chariots of fire
sent to dispel our fears and conquer our demons,
but the lesson is clear.
The Lord is with us, mindful of us,
and blessing us in ways only He can do.
Prayer can call down the strength and the revelation
that we need to center our thoughts on Jesus Christ
and His atoning sacrifice.
The Lord knew that at times we would feel fear.
I have been there, and so have you,
which is why the scriptures are replete with the Lord's
counsel:
"Be of good cheer, and do not fear."
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
"Fear not, little flock."
I love the tenderness of "little flock."
In this Church we may be few in number by the way
the world counts influence, but when
we open our spiritual eyes, "they that be with us
are more than they that be with them."
Our loving Shepherd, Jesus Christ, then continues,
"Let earth and hell combine against you,
for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail."
How is fear dispelled?
For the young lad, he was standing right next to Elisha,
a prophet of God.
We have that same promise.
When we listen to President Russell M. Nelson, when
we hearken to his counsel, we are
standing with a prophet of God.
Remember the words of Joseph Smith:
"And now, after the many testimonies which
have been given of him, this is the testimony,
last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!"
Jesus Christ lives.
Our love for Him and His gospel dispels fear.
Our desire to "always have His Spirit" with us will push
fear aside for a more eternal view of our mortal lives.
President Nelson has cautioned, "In coming days,
it will not be possible to survive spiritually
without the guiding, directing, comforting,
and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."
The Lord said, regarding the scourges
that would cover the land and would harden
the hearts of many, "My disciples
shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved."
And then this divine counsel: "Be not troubled, for,
when all these things shall come to pass,
ye may know that the promises which have been made
unto you shall be fulfilled."
Stand in holy places, be not troubled, and promises
shall be fulfilled.
Let's look at each one of these in relation to our fears.
First, stand in holy places.
When we stand in holy places--our righteous homes,
our dedicated chapels, the consecrated temples--we feel
the Spirit of the Lord with us.
We find answers to questions that trouble us
or the peace to simply set them aside.
That is the Spirit in action.
These sacred places in the kingdom of God on earth
call for our reverence, our respect of others, our best
selves in living the gospel, and our
hopes to lay aside our fears and seek the healing power of Jesus
Christ through His Atonement.
There is no room for fear in these holy places of God
or in the hearts of His children.
Why?
Because of love.
God loves us--always--and we love Him.
Our love of God counters all fears, and His love
abounds in holy places.
Think about it.
When we are tentative in our commitments to the Lord,
when we stray from His path leading to life eternal,
when we question or doubt our significance in His divine
design, when we allow fear to open the door to all its
companions--discouragement, anger, frustration,
disappointment--the Spirit leaves us,
and we are without the Lord.
If you know what that is like, you
know it is not a good place to be.
In contrast, when we stand in holy places,
we can feel God's love, and "perfect love
casteth out all fear."
The next promise is "Be not troubled."
No matter how much wickedness and chaos fills the earth,
we are promised by our daily faithfulness in Jesus Christ
the "peace of God, which passeth all understanding."
And when Christ comes in all power and glory, evil,
rebellion, and injustice will end.
Long ago the Apostle Paul prophesied of our times,
saying to the young Timothy:
"This know also, that in the last days
perilous times shall come.
"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, ...
"... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God."
Remember, "they that be with us" on both sides of the veil,
those who love the Lord with all their heart, might, mind,
and strength, "are more than they that be with them."
If we actively trust in the Lord and His ways,
if we are engaged in His work, we
will not fear the trends of the world or be troubled by them.
I plead with you to set aside worldly influences
and pressures and seek spirituality
in your daily life.
Love what the Lord loves--which includes His commandments,
His holy houses, our sacred covenants with Him,
the sacrament each Sabbath day, our communication through
prayer--and you will not be troubled.
The last point: trust the Lord and His promises.
I know that all His promises will be fulfilled.
I know it as firmly as I stand here before you
in this sacred meeting.
The Lord has revealed: "For they that are wise and have received
the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide,
and have not been deceived--verily I say unto
you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire,
but shall abide the day."
That is why we should not be troubled
by the turmoil of today, by those
in the great and spacious building,
by those who scoff at honest effort
and dedicated service to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Optimism, courage, even charity come from a heart
not burdened by troubles or turmoil.
President Nelson, who is "optimistic about the future,"
has reminded us, "If we are to have
any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices
and the philosophies of men that attack truth,
we must learn to receive revelation."
To receive personal revelation, we
must place priority on living the gospel
and encouraging faithfulness and spirituality in others as well
as ourselves.
Spencer W. Kimball was one of the prophets of my youth.
These past few years, after being called as an Apostle,
I have found peace in his first message at general conference
in October 1943.
He was overwhelmed by his call; I know what that feels like.
Elder Kimball said: "I did a great deal
of thinking and praying, and fasting and praying.
There were conflicting thoughts that surged through
my mind--seeming voices saying: 'You can't do the work.
You are not worthy.
You have not the ability'--and always finally came
the triumphant thought: 'You must do the work assigned--you
must make yourself able, worthy, and qualified.'
And the battle raged on."
I take heart from that pure-hearted testimony
of this Apostle who would become the 12th President
of this mighty Church.
He recognized he had to put his fears to "do the work assigned"
and that he had to rely on the Lord for the strength
to make himself "able, worthy, and qualified."
We can too.
The battles will rage on, but we will face them
with the Spirit of the Lord.
We will "be not troubled" because when
we stand with the Lord and stand for His principles
and His eternal plan, we are standing on holy ground.
Now, what about that daughter and son-in-law
who asked the very heartfelt and probing, fear-based question
years ago?
They seriously considered our conversation that night;
they prayed and fasted and came to their own conclusions.
Happily and joyfully, for them and for us, the grandparents,
they have now been blessed with seven beautiful children
as they go forward in faith and love.
Take heart, brothers and sisters.
Yes, we live in perilous times, but as we stay on the covenant
path, we need not fear.
I bless you that as you do so, you
will not be troubled by the times in which we live
or the troubles that come your way.
I bless you to choose to stand in holy places
and be not moved.
I bless you to believe in the promises of Jesus Christ,
that He lives, He is watching over us, caring for us,
and standing by us.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
A rope is an essential tool with which all of us are familiar.
Ropes are made from strands of fabric, plants, wire,
or other materials that are each individually twisted
or braided together.
Interestingly, substances that may be quite unexceptional
can be woven together and become exceptionally strong.
Thus, effectively connecting and binding ordinary materials
can produce an extraordinary tool.
Just as a rope obtains its strength
from many intertwined individual strands,
so the gospel of Jesus Christ provides the greatest
perspective of truth and offers the richest blessings
as we heed the admonition of Paul
to "gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
even in him."
Importantly, this vital gathering of truth
is centered in and focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ
because He is "the way, the truth, and the life."
I pray that the Holy Ghost will enlighten each of us
as we consider how the principle of gathering together in one
all things in Christ applies in practical ways to learning
and living His restored gospel in our daily lives.
We live in a remarkable and revelatory season
of the restored Church of Jesus Christ.
The historic adjustments announced today
have only one overarching purpose:
to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His plan
and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement.
The Sunday meeting schedule was not simply shortened.
Rather, we now have increased opportunities
and responsibilities as individuals and families
to use our time for enhancing the Sabbath as a delight
at home and at Church.
Last April, the organizational structure of priesthood quorums
was not merely changed.
Rather, emphasis and strength were
given to a higher and holier way of ministering to our brothers
and sisters.
Much like the braided strands of a rope
produce a powerful and durable tool,
all of these interrelated actions
are part of a unified effort to better align
the focus, resources, and work of the Savior's restored Church
with its fundamental mission: to assist God in His work
to bring to pass the salvation and exaltation of His children.
Please do not focus primarily upon the logistical aspects
of what has been announced.
We must not allow procedural details
to obscure the overarching spiritual reasons these changes
now are being made.
Our desire is that faith in the Father's plan
and in the Savior's redeeming mission
might increase in the earth and that God's everlasting covenant
might be established.
Our only objectives are to facilitate
continuing conversion to the Lord
and to love more completely and serve more effectively
our brothers and sisters.
Sometimes as members of the Church
we segment, separate, and apply the gospel in our lives
by creating lengthy checklists of individual topics to study
and tasks to accomplish.
But such an approach potentially can constrain our understanding
and vision.
We must be careful because pharisaical focus
upon checklists can divert us from drawing closer
to the Lord.
The purpose and purification, the happiness and joy,
and the continuing conversion and protection that come from
"yielding [our] hearts unto God" and "[receiving] his image
in [our] countenances" cannot be obtained merely by performing
and checking off all the spiritual things we are
supposed to do.
Rather, the power of the Savior's gospel
to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying
the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles,
and practices.
Only as we gather together in one all things in Christ,
with firm focus upon Him, can gospel truths synergistically
enable us to become what God desires us to become and endure
valiantly to the end.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a magnificent tapestry
of truth "fitly framed" and woven together.
As we learn and link together revealed gospel truths,
we are blessed to receive precious perspective
and increased spiritual capacity through eyes
that can see the Lord's influence in our lives and ears
that can hear His voice.
And the principle of gathering together in one--even
in Him--can assist us in changing the traditional
checklists into a unified, integrated, and complete whole.
Let me provide both a doctrinal and a Church example
of what I am suggesting.
Example number 1.
The fourth article of faith is one
of the greatest illustrations of gathering together in one
all things in Christ: "We believe
that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel
are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;
second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion
for the remission of sins; fourth,
Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."
True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ--in Him
as the Divine and Only Begotten Son of the Father and on Him
and the redemptive mission He fulfilled.
"For he hath answered the ends of the law,
and he claimeth all those who have faith in him;
and they who have faith in him will cleave
unto every good thing; wherefore he
advocateth the cause of the children of men."
Exercising faith in Christ is trusting and placing
our confidence in Him as our Savior, on His name,
and in His promises.
The first and natural consequence
of trusting in the Savior is repenting and turning
away from evil.
As we exercise faith in and on the Lord,
we naturally turn toward, come unto, and depend upon Him.
Thus, repentance is trusting in and relying upon the Redeemer
to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
Each of us must "[rely] wholly upon the merits of him who is
mighty to save" because only "through the merits, and mercy,
and grace of the Holy Messiah" can we become new creatures
in Christ and ultimately return to and dwell in the presence
of God.
The ordinance of baptism by immersion
for the remission of sins requires us to trust in Him,
rely upon Him, and follow Him.
Nephi proclaimed:
"I know that if ye shall follow the Son,
with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no
deception before God, but with real intent,
repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that
ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ,
by baptism--yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down
into the water, according to his word, behold,
then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea,
then cometh the baptism of fire and ...
the Holy Ghost."
The ordinance of laying on of hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost requires us to trust in Him,
rely upon Him, follow Him, and press forward
in Him with the assistance of His Holy Spirit.
As Nephi declared, "And now ...
I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end,
in following the example of the Son of the living God,
he cannot be saved."
The fourth article of faith does not simply
identify the fundamental principles and ordinances
of the restored gospel.
Rather, this inspired statement of belief gathers together
in one all things in Christ: trusting in and on Him,
relying upon Him, following Him, and pressing forward with
Him--even in Him.
Example number 2.
I now want to describe how all Church programs
and initiatives are gathered together in one in Christ.
Many additional illustrations could be presented;
I will use only a selected few.
In 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball
instructed members of the Church to build up the strength
of Zion throughout the world.
He counseled the Saints to remain in their native lands
and establish strong stakes by gathering the family of God
and teaching them the ways of the Lord.
He further indicated that more temples
would be built and promised blessings
for the Saints wherever they lived in the world.
As the number of stakes increased,
the need was intensified for member homes
to "become [places] where family members [loved]
to be, where they [could] enrich their lives
and find mutual love, support, appreciation,
and encouragement."
Consequently, in 1980, Sunday meetings
were consolidated into a three-hour block
to "reemphasize personal and family
responsibility for learning, living,
and teaching the gospel."
This emphasis on family and the home
was again affirmed in "The Family: A Proclamation
to the World," introduced by President Gordon
B. Hinckley in 1995.
In April of 1998, President Hinckley
announced the construction of many more small temples,
thereby bringing the sacred ordinances of the Lord's house
closer to Latter-day Saint individuals and families
throughout the world.
And these enhanced opportunities for spiritual growth
and development were complemented
by related increases in temporal self-reliance
through the introduction of the Perpetual Education Fund
in 2001.
During his administration, President Thomas S. Monson
repeatedly exhorted the Saints to go "to the rescue"
and emphasized caring for the poor and needy
as one of the Church's divinely appointed responsibilities.
Continuing the emphasis on temporal preparation,
the Self-Reliance Services initiative
was implemented in 2012.
Over the past several years, essential principles
about making the Sabbath day a delight in the home
and at Church have been emphasized and reinforced,
thus preparing us for the Sunday meeting
schedule announced in this session of general conference.
And six months ago, Melchizedek Priesthood quorums
were strengthened and aligned more effectively
with the auxiliaries to accomplish a higher and holier
approach to ministering.
Brothers and sisters, I believe that the sequence and timing
of these actions over many decades
can help us to see one united and comprehensive work and not
just a series of independent and discrete initiatives.
"God has revealed a pattern of spiritual progress
for individuals and families through ordinances, teaching,
programs, and activities that are home centered
and Church supported.
Church organizations and programs
exist to bless individuals and families
and are not ends in themselves."
I pray we can recognize the Lord's work
as one great worldwide work that is becoming ever more home
centered and Church supported.
I know and I testify that the Lord is revealing
and will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining
to the kingdom of God.
I began my message by highlighting the strength that
is created as individual strands of material are twisted
or braided together into a rope.
In a similar way, I promise that increased perspective, purpose,
and power will be evident in our learning and living
of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as we strive to gather
together in one all things in Christ--even in Him.
All opportunities and blessings of eternal consequence
originate in, are possible and have purpose because of,
and endure through the Lord Jesus Christ.
As Alma testified: "There is no other way or means
whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ.
Behold, he is the life and the light of the world."
I joyfully declare my witness of the divinity and living reality
of the Eternal Father and of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
In our Savior, we find joy.
And in Him we find the assurance of "peace in this world,
and eternal life in the world to come."
I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
We thank all who have spoken to us,
and express gratitude for the beautiful music that
has been provided this morning.
The choir will now favor us with "I Will Follow God's Plan."
Our concluding speaker for this session
will be President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor
in the First Presidency.
Following his remarks, the choir will close this meeting
by singing "Come, Come, Ye Saints."
The benediction will then be offered
by Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella of the Seventy.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "I WILL FOLLOW GOD'S PLAN"]
Modern revelation defines truth as a "knowledge of things
as they are, as they were, and as they are to come."
That is a perfect definition for the plan
of salvation and "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."
We live in a time of greatly expanded and disseminated
information.
But not all this information is true.
We need to be cautious as we seek truth
and choose sources for that search.
We should not consider secular prominence or authority
as qualified sources of truth.
We should be cautious about relying
on information or advice offered by entertainment
stars, prominent athletes, or anonymous internet sources.
Expertise in one field should not
be taken as expertise on truth in other subjects.
We should also be cautious about the motivation of the one who
provides information.
That is why the scriptures warn us against priestcraft.
If the source is anonymous or unknown,
the information may also be suspect.
Our personal decisions should be based on information
from sources that are qualified on the subject and free
from selfish motivations.
When we seek the truth about religion,
we should use spiritual methods appropriate for that search:
prayer, the witness of the Holy Ghost,
and study of the scriptures and the words of modern prophets.
I am always sad when I hear of one
who reports a loss of religious faith because of secular
teachings.
Those who once had spiritual vision
can suffer from self-inflicted spiritual blindness.
As President Henry B. Eyring said,
"Their problem does not lie in what they think they see;
it lies in what they cannot see."
The methods of science lead us to what
we call scientific truth.
But "scientific truth" is not the whole of life.
Those who do not learn "by study and also by faith"
limit their understanding of truth
to what they can verify by scientific means.
That puts artificial limits on their pursuit of truth.
President James E. Faust said: "Those who have been [baptized]
put their eternal souls at risk by carelessly pursuing only
the secular source of learning.
We believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints has the fulness of the gospel of Christ, which
gospel is the essence of truth and eternal enlightenment."
We find true and enduring joy by coming to know
and acting upon the truth about who we
are, the meaning of mortal life, and where
we are going when we die.
Those truths cannot be learned by scientific or secular
methods.
I will now speak of restored gospel truths that
are fundamental to the doctrine of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Please consider these truths carefully.
They explain much about our doctrine and practices, perhaps
including some things not yet understood.
There is a God, who is the loving
Father of the spirits of all who have ever lived or will live.
Gender is eternal.
Before we were born on this earth,
we all lived as male and female spirits in the presence of God.
We have just heard the Tabernacle
Choir at Temple Square sing "I Will Follow God's Plan."
That is the plan God established so
that all of His spirit children could progress eternally.
That plan is vital to each of us.
Under that plan, God created this earth as a place
where His beloved spirit children
could be born into mortality to receive a physical body
and to have the opportunity for eternal progress
by making righteous choices.
To be meaningful, mortal choices had
to be made between contesting forces of good and evil.
There had to be opposition, and therefore an adversary,
who was cast out because of rebellion,
was allowed to tempt God's children
to act contrary to God's plan.
The purpose of God's plan was to give His children
the opportunity to choose eternal life.
This could only be accomplished by experience in mortality
and, after death, by postmortal growth in the spirit world.
In the course of mortal life, we would all
be soiled by sin as we yielded to the evil temptations
of the adversary, and we would eventually die.
We accepted those challenges in reliance
upon the plan's assurance that God our Father
would provide a Savior, His Only Begotten
Son, who would rescue us by a universal resurrection
to an embodied life after death.
The Savior would also provide an atonement
to pay the price for all to be cleansed
from sin on the conditions He prescribed.
Those conditions included faith in Christ, repentance, baptism,
the gift of the Holy Ghost, and other ordinances performed
by priesthood authority.
God's great plan of happiness provides a perfect balance
between eternal justice and the mercy
we can obtain through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
It also enables us to be transformed
into new creatures in Christ.
A loving God reaches out to each of us.
We know that through His love and because of the Atonement
of His Only Begotten Son, "all mankind
may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances
of [His] gospel."
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
is properly known as a family-centered Church.
But what is not well understood is
that our family-centeredness is focused on more than mortal
relationships.
Eternal relationships are also fundamental to our theology.
"The family is ordained of God."
Under the great plan of our loving Creator,
the mission of His restored Church
is to help the children of God achieve the supernal blessing
of exaltation in the celestial kingdom, which can only
be attained through an eternal marriage
between a man and a woman.
We affirm the Lord's teachings that "gender
is an essential characteristic of individual premortal,
mortal, and eternal identity and purpose"
and that "marriage between man and woman
is essential to His eternal plan."
Finally, God's love is so great that, except for the few who
deliberately become sons of perdition,
He has provided a destiny of glory for all of His children.
"All of His children" includes all who are dead.
We perform ordinances for them by proxy in our temples.
The purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ
is to qualify His children for the highest
degree of glory, which is exaltation or eternal life.
For those who do not desire or qualify for that,
God has provided other, though lesser, kingdoms of glory.
Anyone who understands these eternal truths can understand
why we members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints think as we do and do as we do.
I will now mention some applications
of these eternal truths, which can only be understood
in light of God's plan.
First, we honor individual agency.
Most are aware of the restored Church's great efforts
to promote religious freedom in the United States
and across the world.
These efforts do not promote just our own interests
but, according to His plan, seek to help all of God's children
enjoy freedom to choose.
Second, we are a missionary people.
We are sometimes asked why we send missionaries
to so many nations, even among Christian populations.
We receive the same question about why
we give many millions of dollars of humanitarian aid
to persons who are not members of our Church
and why we do not link this aid to our missionary efforts.
We do this because we esteem all mortals as children of God--our
brothers and sisters--and we want to share our spiritual
and temporal abundance with everyone.
Third, mortal life is sacred to us.
Our commitment to God's plan requires
us to oppose abortion and euthanasia.
Fourth, some are troubled by some of our Church's positions
on marriage and children.
Our knowledge of God's revealed plan of salvation
requires us to oppose current social and legal pressures
to retreat from traditional marriage
or to make changes that confuse or alter gender or homogenize
the differences between men and women.
We know that the relationships, identities,
and functions of men and women are essential to accomplish
God's great plan.
Fifth, we also have a distinctive perspective
on children.
We look on the bearing and nurturing of children
as part of God's plan and a joyful and sacred duty
of those given the power to participate in it.
In our view, the ultimate treasures
on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.
Therefore, we must teach and contend for principles
and practices that provide the best conditions
for the development and happiness of children--all
children.
Finally, we are beloved children of a Heavenly Father, who
has taught us that maleness and femaleness, marriage
between a man and a woman, and the bearing
and nurturing of children are all
essential to His great plan of happiness.
Our positions on these fundamentals
frequently provoke opposition to the Church.
We consider that inevitable.
Opposition is part of the plan, and Satan's most strenuous
opposition is directed at whatever is
most important to God's plan.
He seeks to destroy God's work.
His prime methods are to discredit
the Savior and His divine authority,
to erase the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ,
to discourage repentance, to counterfeit revelation,
and to contradict individual accountability.
He also seeks to confuse gender, to distort marriage,
and to discourage childbearing--especially
by parents who will raise children in truth.
The work of the Lord is going forward
despite the organized and constant opposition that
confronts us as we strive to practice
the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
For those who falter under that opposition,
I offer these suggestions.
Remember the principle of repentance made possible
by the power and Atonement of Jesus Christ.
As Elder Neal A. Maxwell urged, don't
be among those "who would rather try
to change the Church than to change themselves."
As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland urged:
"Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until
additional knowledge comes. ...
"...
In this Church, what we know will always
trump what we do not know."
Exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
which is the first principle of the gospel.
Finally, seek help.
Our Church leaders love you and seek spiritual guidance
to help you.
We provide many resources such as you
will find through LDS.org and other supports
for gospel study in the home.
We also have ministering brothers and sisters called
to give loving assistance.
Our loving Heavenly Father wants His children
to have the joy that is the purpose of our creation.
That joyful destiny is eternal life,
which we can obtain by pressing forward
along what our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson,
often calls "the covenant path."
Here is what he said in his first message
as President of the Church: "Keep on the covenant path.
Your commitment to follow the Savior
by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants
will open the door to every spiritual blessing
and privilege available to men, women, and children
everywhere."
I solemnly testify that the things I have said are true,
and they are made possible by the teachings and the Atonement
of Jesus Christ, who makes it all
possible under the great plan of God, our Eternal Father.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "COME, COME, YE SAINTS"]
Heavenly Father, we thank Thee, Father, for Thy
being a loving God, for Thy sending, Father, Thy Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem us and to save us.
We are so grateful for living prophets, for President Nelson,
and we thank Thee for the many revelations, Father,
Thou hast sent and will continue to send to Thy prophets.
We pray for Thy blessings to be upon President Nelson,
and we pray also for Thy blessings
to be upon us so we will follow the guidance,
counsels, instructions that we receive from the living
prophets with exact obedience.
O Father, please bless us with the constant companionship
of Thy Holy Spirit, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
This has been a broadcast of the 188th Semiannual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Speakers were selected from the General Authorities and General
Officers of the Church.
Music was provided by the Tabernacle Choir
at Temple Square.
This broadcast has been furnished as a public service
by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent
is prohibited.