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From the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, this is the Saturday morning session
of the 186th Annual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Speakers are selected from the General Authorities
and general officers of the Church.
Music for this session is provided
by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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 Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency of the Church,
will conduct this session.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "HOW WONDROUS AND GREAT"]
Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends,
we welcome you to the Saturday morning session
of the 186th Annual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We extend a warm welcome to members and friends
participating in the conference throughout the world.
It is a beautiful spring day here in Salt Lake City.
Our beloved Prophet and President Thomas S. Monson,
who presides at the conference, has asked
that I conduct this session.
We acknowledge and welcome the General Authorities
and the general officers who will be in attendance
throughout the conference.
The music for this session will be by the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir under the direction of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy,
with Richard Elliott and Andrew Unsworth at the organ.
The choir opened this meeting with "How Wondrous and Great"
and will now favor us with "Come,
Ye Children of the Lord."
The invocation will then be offered by Sister Linda K.
Burton, Relief Society general president,
after which the choir will sing "I Feel My Savior's Love."
[MUSIC PLAYING - "COME, YE CHILDREN OF THE LORD"]
Our beloved Father in Heaven, we are
delighted to be gathered here this beautiful spring morning.
We love Thee.
We love Thy Son and thank Thee for His Glorious
and Infinite Atonement and Resurrection
that gives us hope.
We celebrate His life that leads us to Thee
as we seek to follow Him.
We rejoice to be with living prophets, seers, and revelators
and ask a particular blessing on our beloved prophet, Thomas S.
Monson.
Please give him the strength that he
needs as he presides over these sessions of conference.
Father, we've come to deepen our discipleship,
that we will be better as we strive
to move along the covenant path that leads back to Thee.
Please help us to feel Thy Spirit, that we will be taught
by the Holy Ghost, that we can better
do as we strive to be worthy to welcome in the Second
Coming of Thy Beloved Son.
We pray for Thy Spirit to rest over all that happens today,
in the name of thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "I FEEL MY SAVIOR'S LOVE"]
We will now be pleased to hear from President Henry B.
Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency.
He will be followed by Sister Mary R.
Durham, second counselor in the Primary general presidency.
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy
will then address us.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I
welcome you to the 186th Annual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
I rejoice to be with you, and I welcome you warmly.
I am grateful that you have come to the conference
to feel inspiration from heaven and to feel closer
to our Heavenly Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gathered in this meeting, which stretches across the world,
are millions of disciples of Jesus Christ who
are under covenant to always remember Him and serve Him.
By the miracle of modern technology,
the separation of time and of vast distances vanishes.
We meet as if we are all together in one great hall.
But even more important than our gathering
together is in whose name we do so.
The Lord promised that even with the great number
of His disciples on the earth today,
He would be close to each of us.
He said to His little band of disciples in 1829, "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, . . . where two or three are gathered
together in my name, . . . behold,
there will I be in the midst of them--even so am I [I am]
in the midst of you."
Now numbering more than one or two,
a multitude of His disciples are gathered in this conference,
and as promised, the Lord is in our midst.
Because He is a resurrected and glorified being,
He is not physically every place where Saints gather.
But by the power of the Spirit, we
can feel that He is here with us today.
Where and when we feel the closeness of the Savior
depends on each of us.
He gave this instruction:
"And again, verily I say unto you,
my friends, I leave these sayings with you
to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which
I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near--
"Draw near unto me and I will draw
near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find
me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you."
I know of at least two people listening today
who want that blessing with all their hearts.
They will try earnestly to draw nearer to the Lord
during this conference.
They each wrote to me--their letters arriving at my office
in the same week--pleading for the same kind of help.
Both of them are converts to the Church
and have previously received clear testimonies
of the love of God the Father and
of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
They knew that the Prophet Joseph Smith organized
the Church by direct revelation from God
and that the keys of the holy priesthood were restored.
Each felt a witness that keys are
in place in the Church today.
They bore to me their solemn testimony in writing.
Yet both lamented that feelings of love for the Lord
and His love for them were lessening.
They both wanted, with full heart,
for me to help them regain the joy and the feeling of being
loved that was theirs as they came into the kingdom of God.
Both expressed a fear that if they could not
regain in full those feelings of love
for the Savior and His Church, the trials and tests they faced
would finally overcome their faith.
They are not alone in their concern,
nor is their test a new one.
During His mortal ministry the Savior
gave us the parable of the seed and the sower.
The seed was the word of God.
The sower was the Lord.
The survival of the seed and its growth
depended on the condition of the soil.
You remember His words:
"And when he sowed, some seeds fell
by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
"Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth:
and forthwith they sprung up, because they
had no deepness of earth:
"And when the sun was up, they were scorched;
and because they had no root, they withered away.
"And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up,
and choked them:
"But other fell into good ground,
and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold,
some thirtyfold.
"Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Again, the seed is the word of God.
The soil is the heart of the person who receives the seed.
All of us have much in common with the wonderful people who
wrote to me for help and reassurance.
We all have had seeds, or the word of God,
planted in our hearts at one time.
For some, it was in childhood when our parents
invited us to be baptized and confirmed
by those in authority.
Others of us were taught by called servants of God.
Each felt that the seed was good,
even felt the swelling in our hearts
and experienced joy as our hearts and minds
seemed to expand.
All of us have had our faith tested
by precious blessings delayed, vicious attacks
of those who wanted to destroy our faith, temptations to sin,
and selfish interests that reduced
our efforts to cultivate and soften
the spiritual depths of our hearts.
Those who are saddened by the loss of the joy they once had
are the blessed ones.
Some do not see the withering of faith within themselves.
Satan is clever.
He tells those he wishes to be miserable
that the joy they once felt was childish self-delusion.
Today my message to us all is that there
will be a precious opportunity in the next few days
to choose to have our hearts softened
and to receive and nourish the seed.
The seed is the word of God, and it
will be poured out on all of us who listen,
watch, and read the proceedings of this conference.
The music, the talks, and the testimonies
have been prepared by servants of God who
have sought diligently for the Holy Ghost
to guide them in their preparation.
They have prayed longer and more humbly
as the days of the conference have approached.
They have prayed to have the power
to encourage you to make the choices that will create
in your heart a more fertile ground for the good word of God
to grow and be fruitful.
If you listen with the Spirit, you
will find your heart softened, your faith strengthened,
and your capacity to love the Lord increased.
Your choice to pray with full purpose of heart
will transform your experience in the conference sessions
and in the days and months that follow.
Many of you have already begun.
At the start of this session, you more than listened
to the prayer; you added your faith to the petition
that we will enjoy the blessing of having the Holy Ghost poured
out upon us.
As you added your silent pleading
in the name of Jesus Christ, you drew closer to Him.
This is His conference.
Only the Holy Ghost can bring the blessings
the Lord desires for us.
In His love for us, He has promised us
that we can feel that:
"Whatsoever they shall speak when
moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture,
shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord,
shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord,
and the power of God unto salvation.
"Behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you,
O ye my servants.
"Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear,
for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you;
and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ,
that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am,
and that I am to come."
You can pray and add your faith each time a servant of God
approaches the pulpit that the promise of the Lord
in Doctrine and Covenants section 50 will be fulfilled:
"Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me
and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter,
in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it
by the Spirit of truth or some other way?
"And if it be by some other way it is not of God.
"And again, he that receiveth the word of truth,
doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?
"If it be some other way it is not of God.
"Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know,
that he that receiveth the word [of the Spirit] by the Spirit
of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit
of truth?
"Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth,
understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice
together."
You can pray as the choir is about to sing.
The choir director, the organists, the choir members
have prayed and practiced with a prayer in their hearts
and with faith that the music and the words
will soften hearts and magnify their power
to build others' faith.
They will perform for the Lord as if they were before Him;
they will know that our Heavenly Father hears them
as surely as He hears their personal prayers.
Together they have labored with love
to make the promise of the Savior to Emma Smith come true:
"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea,
the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me,
and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."
If you not only listen but also pray as they sing,
your prayer and their prayers will
be answered with a blessing upon your head as well as theirs.
You will feel the blessing of the Savior's love and approval.
All who join in that praise will feel their love for Him grow.
You might choose to pray as a speaker seems
to be coming to an end of his or her message.
He or she will be praying inwardly to the Father
that the Holy Ghost will give him or her the words
of testimony that will lift the listeners' hearts,
hopes, and determination to always remember the Savior
and keep the commandments that He has given us.
The testimony will not be a recital of the message.
It will be an affirmation of some truth
that the Spirit can carry into the hearts of those
who will be praying for help, for divine direction,
and to receive the pure love of Christ.
True testimony will be given to the speakers.
Their words may be few, but they will
be carried into the heart of the humble listener who
has come to the conference hungry for the good word
of God.
I know from experience what the faith of good people
can do to bring words from the Spirit
at the close of a sermon.
More than once someone has said to me
after my testimony, "How did you know what I so needed to hear?"
I have learned not to be surprised when I cannot
remember saying the words.
I spoke the words of testimony, but the Lord
was there, giving them to me and to them in the moment.
The promise that the Lord will give us
words in the very moment applies especially to testimony.
Listen carefully to testimonies borne in this conference--you
will feel closer to the Lord.
You can sense that I am coming to the moment
when I will cap the message I have tried to convey
with a testimony of truth.
Your prayers will help me to be given words of testimony that
may help someone longing for an answer to his or her questions.
I leave you my sure witness that our Heavenly
Father, the great Elohim, loves and knows us, every one.
Under His direction, His Son, Jehovah, was the Creator.
I testify that Jesus of Nazareth was born the Son of God.
He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind,
and raised the dead.
He paid the price of all the sins
of each of Heavenly Father's children born into mortality.
He broke the bands of death for all
as He rose from the tomb that first Easter Sunday.
He lives today, a God--resurrected and glorious.
This is the only true Church, and He
is its chief cornerstone.
Thomas S. Monson is His prophet to all the world.
The prophets and apostles you will hear in this conference
speak for the Lord.
They are His servants, authorized to act for Him.
He goes before His servants in the world.
This I know.
And I so witness in His name, even the sacred name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
A young father was literally sinking.
He, his two children, and his father-in-law
had gone for a walk around a lake.
They were surrounded by majestic pine-covered mountains,
and the sky was blue, filled with soft white clouds,
emanating beauty and serenity.
When the children grew hot and tired,
the two men decided to put the children on their backs
and swim the short distance across the lake.
It seemed easy--until the moment when the father began to feel
pulled down, everything becoming so heavy.
Water pushed him to the bottom of the lake,
and with a frantic feeling, it came over him.
How was he going to keep afloat and do
so with his precious daughter on his back?
His voice disappeared in the distance as he called out;
his father-in-law was too far away
to answer a desperate plea for help.
He felt alone and helpless.
Can you imagine feeling as alone as he
felt, unable to reach anything to hold onto
and struggling in a desperate situation
for your life and your child?
Unfortunately, all of us experience some degree
of this feeling when we are in situations where we desperately
need to find help in order to survive and to save those
that we love.
Near panic, he realized that his water-saturated shoes
were weighing him down.
While working to stay afloat, he began
to attempt to get the heavy shoes off his feet.
But it was as if they were held on with suction.
The laces were swollen with water,
cinching the grip even tighter.
In what may have been his last moment of desperation,
he managed to pry his shoes off his feet,
and at last the shoes released their hold,
quickly falling to the bottom of the lake.
Free from the heavy weight that had been dragging him down,
he immediately propelled himself and his daughter upward.
He could now swim forward, moving toward safety
on the other side of the lake.
At times we may all feel as if we are drowning.
Life can be so heavy.
We live in "a noisy and busy world.
. . .
If we are not careful, the things of this world
can [drown] out the things of the Spirit."
How do we follow the example of this father
and kick off the weight of the world we carry
so we can keep our children's heads and our own worried minds
above the water?
How can we, as Paul counseled, "lay aside every weight"?
How can we prepare our children for the day when they can no
longer cling to us and our testimonies--when they are
the ones swimming?
An answer comes when we recognize
this divine source of strength.
It is a source often underestimated,
yet it can be used daily to lighten our load
and guide our precious children.
That source is the guiding gift of the Holy Ghost.
At age eight, children can experience baptism.
They learn about and make a covenant with God.
Those they love surround them as they
are immersed and come out of the font
with a feeling of great joy.
Then they receive the unspeakable gift
of the Holy Ghost, a gift that may guide them constantly
as they live for that blessing.
Elder David A. Bednar said, "The simplicity
of [confirmation] may cause us to overlook its significance.
These four words--'Receive the Holy Ghost'--are not a passive
pronouncement; rather, they constitute a priesthood
injunction--an authoritative admonition to act and not
simply to be acted upon."
Children have a natural desire to do good and to be good.
We can feel their innocence, their purity.
They also have a great sensitivity
to the still, small voice.
In 3 Nephi 26, the Savior showed us the spiritual capacity
of children:
"He did loose their tongues, and they did
speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things,
even greater than he had revealed unto the people.
. . .
". . .
They both saw and heard these children;
yea, even babes did open their mouths
and utter marvelous things."
How do we as parents increase the spiritual capacity
of our little ones?
How do we teach them to kick off worldly influences
and trust the Spirit when we are not with them
and they are alone in the deep waters of their lives?
Let me share with you some ideas.
First, we can bring our children's attention
when they are hearing and feeling the Spirit.
Let's go back in time to the Old Testament
to see how Eli did just this for Samuel.
Young Samuel twice heard a voice and ran
to Eli, saying, "Here am I."
"I called not," responded Eli.
But "Samuel did not yet know the Lord,
neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him."
By the [third] time Eli perceived
that the Lord had called Samuel and told Samuel to say,
"Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth."
Samuel was beginning to feel, recognize, and hearken
to the Lord's voice.
But this young boy didn't start to understand until Eli
facilitated this recognition.
And having been taught, Samuel could become more familiar
with the still, small voice.
Second, we can prepare our homes and our children
to feel the still, small voice.
"Many teachers of foreign languages believe that children
learn a language best in 'immersion programs,' in which
they are surrounded by other speakers of the language
and called upon to speak it themselves.
They learn not just to say words but to speak fluently
and even to think in the new language.
The [best] 'immersion' setting for a spiritual education
is in the home, where spiritual principles can form
the basis for daily living."
"Thou shalt teach [the Lord's words]
diligently unto thy children, and [thou] shalt talk of them
when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down,
and when thou risest up."
Immersing our families in the Spirit
will keep our children's hearts open to His influence.
Third, we can help our children understand
how the Spirit speaks to them.
Joseph Smith taught: "If He comes to a little child,
He will adapt himself to the language and capacity
of a little child."
One mother discovered that since children learn
differently--some learn visually, auditorily,
tactilely, and/or kinesthetically--the more she
observed her children, the more she recognized that the Holy
Ghost teaches her children in ways they learn best.
Another mother shared an experience
of helping her children to learn to recognize the Spirit.
"Sometimes," she wrote, ""[children] do not realize that
a recurring thought or a feeling of comfort after they cry,
or remembering something at just the right time are all ways
the Holy Ghost communicates [with them]."
She continues, "I'm teaching my [children] to focus on what
they feel [and act on it]."
Feeling and recognizing the Spirit
will bring spiritual capacity into our children's lives,
and the voice they come to know will become
clearer and clearer to them.
It will be as Elder Richard G. Scott said:
"As you gain experience and success in being guided
by the Spirit, your confidence in the impressions
you feel can become more certain than your dependence
on what you see or hear."
We need not fear as we see our children enter
the waters of life, for we have helped them rid themselves
of worldly weight.
We have taught them to live for the guiding gift of the Spirit.
This gift will continue to lighten the weight they carry
and lead them back to their heavenly home
if they live for it and follow its promptings.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Our most fundamental doctrine includes the knowledge
that we are children of a living God.
That is why one of His most sacred names is
Father--Heavenly Father.
This doctrine has been clearly taught by prophets
through the ages.
When tempted by Satan, Moses rebuffed him, saying,
"Who art thou?
For behold, I am a son of God."
Addressing Israel, the Psalmist proclaimed, "All of you
are children of the most High."
Paul taught the Athenians on Mars' Hill
that they were "offspring of God."
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received
a vision in which they saw the Father and the Son,
and a heavenly voice declared that the inhabitants
of the worlds "are begotten sons and daughters unto God."
In 1995, the 15 living apostles and prophets affirmed,
"All human beings . . . are created in the image of God.
Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents."
President Thomas S. Monson testified,
"We are sons and daughters of a living God.
. . .
We cannot sincerely hold this conviction without experiencing
a profound new sense of strength and power."
This doctrine is so basic, so oft stated,
and so instinctively simple that it
can seem to be ordinary, when in reality it
is among the most extraordinary knowledge we can obtain.
A correct understanding of our heavenly heritage
is essential to exaltation.
It is foundational to comprehending the glorious plan
of salvation and to nurturing faith
in the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus the Christ,
and in His merciful Atonement.
Further, it provides continual motivation for us
to make and keep our indispensable eternal
covenants.
With few exceptions, everyone participating in this meeting
could right now, without written lyrics or music,
sing "I Am a Child of God."
This beloved hymn is one of the most often sung in this Church.
But the critical question is, "Do we really know it?"
Do we know it in our mind and in our heart and in our soul?
Is our heavenly parentage our first
and most profound identity?
Here on earth, we identify ourselves
in many different ways, including
our place of birth, our nationality, and our language.
Some even identify themselves by their occupation
or their hobby.
These earthly identities are not wrong unless they supersede
or interfere with our eternal identity--that of being a son
or a daughter of God.
When our youngest child was six years old
and in the first grade at school,
her teacher gave the children an in-class writing assignment.
It was October, the month of Halloween,
a holiday observed in some parts of the world.
While it is not my favorite holiday,
I suppose there may be some innocent and redeeming aspects
of Halloween.
The teacher passed out a piece of paper to the young students.
At the top was a roughly drawn picture
of a mythical witch (I told you this was not
my favorite holiday).
The witch was standing over a boiling cauldron.
The question posed on the page, to encourage the imaginations
of the children and to test their rudimentary writing
skills, was "You have just drunk a cup of the witch's brew.
What happened to you?"
Please know that this story is not
being shared as a recommendation to teachers.
[LAUGHTER]
"You have just drunk a cup of the witch's brew.
What happened to you?"
With her best beginner's writing,
our little one wrote, "I will die."
[LAUGHTER] "And I will be in heaven.
I will like it there.
I would love it because it is the best
place to be because you are with your Heavenly Father."
This answer likely surprised her teacher;
however, when our daughter brought the completed
assignment home, we noted that she was given
a star, the highest grade.
In real life, we face actual, not imagined, hardships.
There is pain--physical, emotional, and spiritual.
There are heartbreaks when circumstances
are very different from what we had anticipated.
There is injustice when we do not
seem to deserve our situation.
There are disappointments when someone we trusted failed us.
There are health and financial setbacks
that can be disorienting.
There may be times of question when
a matter of doctrine or history is
beyond our current understanding.
When difficult things occur in our lives,
what is our immediate response?
Is it confusion or doubt or spiritual withdrawal?
Is it a blow to our faith?
Do we blame God or others for our circumstances?
Or is our first response to remember who we are--that we
are children of a loving God?
Is that coupled with an absolute trust
that He allows some earthly suffering
because He knows it will bless us, like a refiner's fire,
to become like Him and to gain our eternal inheritance?
Recently I was in a meeting with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.
In teaching the principle that mortal life can be agonizing
but our hardships have eternal purpose--even if we do not
understand it at the time--Elder Holland said,
"You can have what you want, or you can have something better."
Five months ago, my wife, Diane, and I
went to Africa with Elder and Sister David A. Bednar.
The sixth and last country we visited was Liberia.
Liberia is a great country with a noble people
and a rich history, but things have not been easy there.
Decades of political instability and civil wars
have worsened the plague of poverty.
On top of that, the dreaded Ebola disease
killed nearly 5,000 people there during the latest outbreak.
We were the first group of Church leaders
from outside the area to visit Monrovia, the capital
city, since the World Health Organization declared
it safe to do so after the Ebola crisis.
On a very hot and humid Sunday morning,
we traveled to the rented meeting facility
in the center of the city.
Every available chair was set up, totaling 3,500 seats.
The final count of attendees was 4,100.
Almost all who came had to travel
by foot or some form of inconvenient public
transportation; it was not easy for the Saints to gather.
But they came.
Most arrived several hours before the appointed meeting
time.
As we entered the hall, the spiritual atmosphere
was electric!
The Saints were prepared to be taught.
When a speaker quoted a scripture,
the members would say the verse aloud.
It did not matter--short scripture or long;
the entire congregation responded in unison.
Now, we do not necessarily recommend this,
but it certainly was impressive that they could do it.
And the choir--they were powerful.
With an enthusiastic choir director
and a 14-year-old young man at the keyboard,
the members sang with vigor and strength.
Then Elder Bednar spoke.
This, of course, was the anticipated highlight
of the gathering--to hear an Apostle teach and testify.
Clearly with spiritual direction,
partway through his remarks, Elder Bednar stopped and said,
"Do you know 'How Firm a Foundation'?"
It seemed that 4,100 voices roared in response, "YES!"
He then asked, "Do you know verse 7?"
Again the entire group answered, "YES!"
The arrangement of the mighty hymn "How Firm a Foundation"
sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the last 10 years
has included verse 7, which was not sung much previously.
Elder Bednar instructed, "Let's sing verses 1, 2, 3, and 7."
Without hesitation, the choir director jumped up
and the Aaronic Priesthood-bearing accompanist
immediately began to energetically play
the introductory chords.
With a level of conviction I have never
felt before in a congregational hymn,
we sang verses 1, 2, and 3.
Then the volume and spiritual power was
elevated when 4,100 voices sang the seventh verse and declared:
"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never,
I'll never, no never,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake!"
In one of the most remarkable spiritual events of my life,
I was taught a profound lesson that day.
We live in a world that can cause
us to forget who we really are.
The more distractions that surround us, the easier it
is to treat casually, then ignore, and then forget
our connection with God.
The Saints in Liberia have little materially,
and yet they seem to have everything spiritually.
What we witnessed that day in Monrovia
was a group of sons and daughters of God who knew it!
In today's world, no matter where
we live and no matter what our circumstances are,
it is essential that our preeminent identity
is as a child of God.
Knowing that will allow our faith to flourish,
will motivate our continual repentance,
and will provide the strength to be "steadfast and immovable"
throughout our mortal journey.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Dear brothers and sisters, on a signal from the conductor,
this worldwide congregation of Latter-day Saints
will now stand and join the choir
in singing "Secret Prayer."
After the singing, we will hear from Elder Gary E.
Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He will be followed by Elders Kevin R. Duncan and Steven E.
Snow of the Seventy.
Following their remarks, the choir
will sing "The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare."
This is the 186th Annual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "SECRET PRAYER"]
As the winter afternoon sun slid behind the expansive
snow-covered ski hill, the freezing mountain air sharply
bit our cheeks and noses, acting almost
like a stern usher for us to find our cars and trucks
in the ski resort parking lot.
There in our comfortable cars, heaters would soon
warm cold fingers and toes.
The sound of the frozen snow crunching
with each step we took confirmed that this was extreme cold.
Our family had enjoyed a fun-filled day
on the ski slopes, which was now coming to a frosty close.
Arriving at the car, I reached in my coat pocket
for the keys, and then another pocket, and another.
"Where are the keys?"
Everyone was anxiously waiting on the keys!
The car battery was charged, and all the systems--including
the heater--were ready to go, but without the keys,
locked doors would deny entrance; without the keys,
the engine would not provide power to the vehicle.
At the time, our primary focus was on how we were going to get
into the car and get warm, but I couldn't help but think--even
then--there just might be a lesson here.
Without keys, this wonderful miracle of engineering
was little more than plastic and metal.
Even though the car had great potential, without keys,
it could not perform its intended function.
The more I reflect on this experience,
the more profound this analogy has become to me.
I marvel at Heavenly Father's love for His children.
I stand in wonder at the heavenly visitation
and the grand visions of eternity God
bestowed upon Joseph Smith.
And in particular, my heart is filled
with overwhelming gratitude for the restoration
of priesthood authority and priesthood keys.
Without this restoration, we would be locked out
from the vehicle necessary to transport us
to our journey home to loving heavenly parents.
The performance of every ordinance
of salvation comprising our covenant pathway back
to the presence of our Father in Heaven
requires appropriate governance through priesthood keys.
In May of 1829, John the Baptist appeared
to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery,
conferring upon them the Aaronic Priesthood,
and bestowed upon them the keys attendant to that priesthood.
Soon thereafter, Peter, James, and John
conferred upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood keys.
Nearly seven years later on a Sunday
in the Kirtland Temple, just one week following its dedication,
"the Lord Jehovah appears in glory" to Joseph and Oliver,
followed by the appearance of Moses, Elias, and Elijah,
who committed "their keys and dispensations."
The restored priesthood authority and these keys
had been lost for centuries.
In the same way that our family was locked out from of the car,
resulting from lost car keys, so too had all of Heavenly
Father's children been locked out from the saving ordinances
of the gospel of Jesus Christ--until a divine
restoration was effected by these heavenly messengers.
Never, ever again do we have to question, "Where are the keys?"
On a beautiful fall day last year,
I visited the peaceful forest located
in northeastern Pennsylvania known in scripture as Harmony,
where John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver
Cowdery and restored the Aaronic Priesthood.
I also stood on the banks of the Susquehanna River,
where Joseph and Oliver, endowed with authority and keys,
were baptized.
Near this same river, Peter, James, and John
appeared and restored the Melchizedek Priesthood
and its attendant keys.
These sites, as well as the reconstructed first home
of Joseph and Emma, where most of the Book of Mormon
was translated; the nearby home of Emma's parents;
and a visitors' center incorporated
into a new meetinghouse comprise the new Priesthood Restoration
Site, dedicated by President Russell M. Nelson
in September of last year.
There I felt the power and reality
of the heavenly events which took place
on that sacred ground.
That experience led me to ponder, study,
and pray about priesthood authority and priesthood
keys, which impressed me with a desire
to share with the young men and young women of the Church
how priesthood authority and restored keys can bless them.
First, an understanding of these terms may be helpful.
The priesthood, or priesthood authority,
has been defined as "the power and authority of God"
and "the consummate power on this earth."
Priesthood keys are defined for our understanding as well:
"Priesthood keys are the authority
God has given to priesthood leaders
to direct, control, and govern the use
of His priesthood on earth."
Priesthood keys control the exercise
of priesthood authority.
Ordinances that create a record in the Church require keys
and cannot be done without authorization.
Elder Oaks taught that "ultimately,
all keys of the priesthood are held by the Lord Jesus
Christ, whose priesthood it is.
He is the one who determines what
keys are delegated to mortals and how
those keys will be used."
Now, for you young men and young women,
I have considered three ways that you can "find the keys,"
or use priesthood keys and authority
to bless your life and the lives of others.
The first is to prepare for missionary service.
My young brothers and sisters, you may not realize it,
but the keys of the gathering of Israel, restored by Moses,
enable missionary work in our dispensation.
Consider the full-time missionary force
of approximately 75,000 laboring in the field
under the direction of these keys.
With this in mind, remember it is never too early for you
to prepare for missionary service.
The First Presidency counseled, "Young men of the Aaronic
Priesthood, . . . work diligently to prepare yourself
to represent the Lord as a missionary."
Young women can prepare also, but you "are not
under the same mandate to serve."
All of your preparation, however,
whether you serve as a full-time missionary or not,
will accrue lifelong benefits to you as a member missionary.
The second way to "find the keys" is to attend the temple.
Sealing keys, restored by the Old Testament prophet Elijah,
enable ordinances to take place in holy temples.
Ordinances performed in these temples
enable individuals and families to return to the presence
of our heavenly parents.
We encourage you young men and young women
to research and find the names of your ancestors
and perform proxy baptisms for them in the temple.
We note that this already is taking
place in significant and unprecedented numbers
throughout the world!
Baptistries in many temples are filled with young men
and young women early in the morning and into the night.
Keys are turned that allow families to be bound together
as sacred ordinances are performed in these temples.
Can you see the relationship between priesthood keys
and blessings?
As you engage in this work, I think
you will find that the Lord is in its details.
Demonstrating this, I recently learned
of a mother who regularly escorted
her children to the temple to perform proxy baptisms.
On this particular day, as this family completed their baptisms
and were leaving the temple, a man
entered the baptistry area with a large batch of his own family
names.
Realizing there was no one remaining in the baptistry
to assist with these family names,
a temple worker caught the departing family
and asked the children if they would consider
re-entering and changing once again to assist
with these baptisms.
They willingly agreed and went back in.
As the children performed the baptisms,
their mother, listening, began to recognize the names
and soon, to the amazement of all,
realized the man's batch of family names
were deceased ancestors of her family as well.
A sweet, tender mercy.
Two weeks ago the Provo City Center Temple
was dedicated as the 150th operating
temple of the Church worldwide.
We note that when President Monson was sustained
as an Apostle in 1963, there were 12 operating
temples in the Church.
Temples are getting closer and closer to you.
However, for those of you who live
where distance or circumstances do not allow regular temple
attendance, you should always keep yourself worthy to attend.
You can do important work outside of temples
as you research and submit your family names.
Finally, number three: go forward with faith.
The Old Testament prophet Abraham received
a great blessing from the Lord in his dispensation, sometimes
referred to as the Abrahamic covenant.
Thousands of years later, the blessings
of the dispensation of the gospel to Abraham
were restored.
This occurred when the prophet Elias
appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
in the Kirtland Temple.
Through this restoration, each of you
has access to the great blessings promised to Abraham.
These blessings can be yours if you remain faithful
and live worthy.
In the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth,
the First Presidency gives you some very practical instruction
about how to "go forward with faith."
I summarize some of that counsel:
"To help you become all that the Lord wants you to become,
kneel each morning and night in prayer to your Father
in Heaven. . . .
Study the scriptures each day and apply
what you read to your life.
. . .
Strive each day to be obedient.
. . .
In all circumstances, follow the teachings of the prophets.
. . .
Be humble and willing to listen to the Holy Ghost."
The First Presidency's counsel is
followed by a promise leading to promises
that come through the blessings of Abraham:
"As you do these things, the Lord will make much more
out of your life than you can by yourself.
He will increase your opportunities,
expand your vision, and strengthen you.
He will give you the help you need to meet your trials
and challenges.
You will gain a stronger testimony
and find true joy as you come to know your Father in Heaven
and His Son, Jesus Christ, and feel Their love for you."
To summarize: prepare for missionary service,
attend the temple, and go forward with faith.
Now, let's end where we began, stranded in the frigid parking
lot asking, "Where are the keys?"
By the way, later that evening, I
did miraculously find the keys that had fallen out
of my pocket on the mountain.
The Lord has shown us that He will not
leave us standing in the bitter cold without keys or authority
to lead us safely home to Him.
If you are like me, you may often
find yourself in daily life asking, "Where are the keys"
to the car, the office, the house or apartment?
When this happens to me, I can't help but smile inside,
for as I am looking for the keys,
I find myself reflecting on restored priesthood keys
and of President Thomas S. Monson, whom we sustain
"as prophet, seer, and revelator"
and as the only person on earth who
possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys.
Yes, the keys are safely in the possession of prophets, seers,
and revelators.
They are conferred, delegated, and assigned
to others in accordance with the Lord's will,
under the direction of the President of the Church.
I testify that priesthood authority and priesthood
keys start the engine, open the gates of heaven,
facilitate heavenly power, and pave the covenant pathway back
to our loving Heavenly Father.
I pray that you, the rising generation
of young men and young women, will "press forward
with a steadfastness in Christ," that you may understand that it
is your sacred privilege to act under the direction of those
who hold priesthood keys that will unlock blessings, gifts,
and powers of heaven for you.
I testify of God the Father; our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus
Christ; and of the Holy Ghost; and of the Restoration
of the gospel in these the latter days,
in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
All that is of God encompasses love, light, and truth.
Yet as human beings we live in a fallen world, sometimes full
of darkness and confusion.
It comes as no surprise that mistakes will be made,
injustices will occur, and sins will be committed.
As a result, there is not a soul alive who will not,
at one time or another, be the victim to someone else's
careless actions, hurtful conduct, or even sinful
behavior.
That is one thing we all have in common.
Gratefully, God, in His love and mercy for His children,
has prepared a way to help us navigate these sometimes
turbulent experiences of life.
He has provided an escape for all who fall victim
to the misdeeds of others.
He has taught us that we can forgive!
Even though we may be a victim once,
we need not be a victim twice by carrying
the burden of hate, bitterness, pain, resentment,
or even revenge.
We can forgive, and we can be free!
Many years ago, while mending a fence, a small sliver of wood
entered into my finger.
I made a meager attempt to remove the sliver
and thought I had done so, but apparently I had not.
As time went on, skin grew over the sliver,
creating a lump on my finger.
It was annoying and sometimes painful.
Years later I decided to finally take action.
All I did was simply apply ointment to the lump
and cover it with a bandage.
I repeated this process frequently.
You cannot imagine my surprise when one day,
as I removed the bandage, the sliver had emerged from
my finger.
The ointment had softened the skin
and created an escape for the very thing that had
caused pain for so many years.
Once the sliver was removed, the finger quickly healed,
and to this day there remains no evidence of any injury.
In a similar way, an unforgiving heart
harbors so much needless pain.
When we apply the healing ointment of the Savior's
Atonement, He will soften our heart and help us to change.
He can heal the wounded soul.
I am convinced that most of us want to forgive,
but we find it very hard to do.
When we have experienced an injustice,
we may be quick to say, "That person did wrong.
They deserve punishment.
Where is the justice?"
We mistakenly think that if we forgive,
somehow justice will not be served
and punishments will be avoided.
This simply is not the case.
God will mete out a punishment that is fair,
for mercy cannot rob justice.
God lovingly assures you and me: "Leave judgment alone with me,
for it is mine and I will repay.
[But let] peace be with you."
The Book of Mormon prophet Jacob also
promised that God "will console you in your afflictions,
he will plead your cause, and send down justice
upon those who seek your destruction."
As victims, if we are faithful, we
can take great comfort in knowing
that God will compensate us for every injustice we experience.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin stated: "The Lord compensates
the faithful for every loss.
. . .
Every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold
with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.
"
As we strive to forgive others, let
us also try to remember that we are all growing spiritually,
but we are all at different levels.
While it is easy to observe the changes
and growth in the physical body, it
is difficult to see the growth in our spirits.
One key to forgiving others is to try
to see them as God sees them.
At times, God may part the curtain
and bless us with the gift to see into the heart, soul,
and spirit of another person who has offended us.
This insight may even lead to an overwhelming love
for that person.
The scriptures teach us that God's love for His children
is perfect.
He knows their potential for good, regardless of their past.
By all accounts, there could not have
been a more aggressive or harsh enemy of the followers of Jesus
Christ than Saul of Tarsus.
Yet once God showed Saul light and truth,
there was never a more devoted, enthusiastic, or fearless
disciple of the Savior.
Saul became the Apostle Paul.
His life offers a wonderful example
that God sees people not only as they currently are but also
as they may become.
We all have, in our own lives, Saul-like individuals
with Paul-like potential.
Can you imagine how our families, communities,
and the world at large might change
if we all tried to see each other as God sees us?
Too often we look at the offender the way we would look
at an iceberg--we see only the tip and not beneath
the surface.
We do not know all that is going on in a person's life.
We do not know their past; we do not know their struggles;
we do not know the pains they carry.
Brothers and sisters, please do not misunderstand.
To forgive is not to condone.
We do not rationalize bad behavior
or allow someone to mistreat us because of their struggles,
pains, or weaknesses.
But we can gain greater understanding and peace when we
see with a broader perspective.
Certainly those who are less spiritually mature may indeed
make serious mistakes--yet none of us should be defined only
by the worst thing we have ever done.
God is the perfect judge.
He sees beneath the surface.
He knows all and sees all.
He has said, "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive,
but of you it is required to forgive all men."
Christ Himself, when He was unjustly accused,
then savagely assaulted, beaten, and left
suffering upon the cross, in that very moment said, "Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do."
In our shortsightedness, we may sometimes
find it easy to develop resentments
toward others who do not think or act the way we do.
We may form intolerant attitudes based
on such superficial things as rooting for opposing sports
teams, holding different political views,
or having different religious beliefs.
President Russell M. Nelson gave wise counsel when
he said, "Opportunities to listen
to those of diverse religious or political persuasion
can promote tolerance and learning."
The Book of Mormon speaks of a time when "the people
of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes,
and . . . began to be scornful, one towards another, and . . .
began to persecute those that did not believe according
to their own will and pleasure."
Let us all remember that God looketh
not upon the color of the jersey or the political party.
Instead, as Ammon declared, ""[God] looketh down upon all
the children of men; [and] he knows all the thoughts
and intents of the heart."
Brothers and sisters, in the competitions
of life, if we win, let us win with grace.
If we lose, let us lose with grace.
For if we live with grace toward one another,
grace shall be our reward at the last day.
Just as we are all victims to the misdeeds of others
at one time or another, we are also sometimes the offender.
We all fall short and have need of grace, mercy,
and forgiveness.
We must remember that forgiveness of our own sins
and offenses is conditioned upon our forgiving others.
The Savior said:
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Of all the things the Savior could
have said in the Lord's Prayer, which
is remarkably short, it is interesting
that He chose to include "And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors."
Forgiveness is the very reason God
sent His Son, so let us rejoice in His offering to heal us all.
The Savior's Atonement is not just
for those who need to repent; it is also
for those who need to forgive.
If you are having trouble forgiving
another person, or even yourself, ask God to help you.
Forgiveness is a glorious healing principle.
We do not need to be a victim twice.
We can forgive.
I witness of God's enduring love and patience
for all of His children and of His desire that we love
one another as He loves us.
As we do so, we will break through the darkness
of this world into the glory and majesty
of His kingdom in heaven.
We will be free.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
We are blessed in the Church to have
a collection of hymns which help us worship through song.
In our Church meetings, "the hymns
invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence,
unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer
praises to the Lord.
Some of the greatest sermons are preached
by the singing of hymns."
Just a few months after the Church was organized,
a revelation was received by the Prophet Joseph
Smith for his wife Emma.
The Lord directed her to "make a selection of sacred hymns,
as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me,
to be had in my church."
Emma Smith assembled a collection
of hymns which first appeared in this small hymnal in Kirtland
in 1836.
There were only 90 songs included
in this thin little booklet.
Many of them were hymns from other Protestant faiths.
Twenty-six of them were composed by William W. Phelps,
who later prepared and assisted in the printing of the hymnal.
Only the lyrics were written; no musical notes
accompanied the texts.
This humble little hymnal proved to be a great blessing
to the early members of the Church.
The latest edition of our English-language hymnal
was published in 1985.
Many of the selections which Emma
chose so many years earlier are still
included in our hymn book, such as "I Know That My Redeemer
Lives" and "How Firm a Foundation."
One song that was new to the 1985 hymnal
is "Be Thou Humble."
This tranquil hymn was written by Grietje Terburg Rowley,
who passed away last year.
She joined the Church in 1950 in Hawaii,
where she was teaching school.
Sister Rowley served on the General Music Committee
and helped to adapt the hymns into multiple languages.
She based her text for "Be Thou Humble"
on two verses of scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 112:10
and Ether 12:27.
The verse in Ether reads: "And if men come unto me I
will show unto them their weakness.
I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; . . .
for if they humble themselves before me,
and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become
strong unto them."
Like all of the Church's hymns, "Be Thou Humble"
teaches pure and simple truths.
It teaches us that if we humble ourselves,
our prayers are answered; we enjoy peace of mind;
we serve more effectively in our callings;
and if we continue to be faithful,
we will ultimately return to the presence of our Heavenly
Father.
The Savior taught His followers that they
must humble themselves as a little child
in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
As we raise our own children, we need
to help them remain humble as they mature into adulthood.
We do not do this by breaking their spirit through unkindness
or being too harsh in our discipline.
While nurturing their self-confidence
and self-esteem, we need to teach them
the qualities of selflessness, kindness, obedience,
lack of pride, civility, and unpretentiousness.
We need them to learn to take joy in the success of siblings
and friends.
President Howard W. Hunter taught, "Our genuine concern
should be for the success of others."
If not, they can become obsessed with self-promotion
and outdoing others, jealousy, and resentment
for the triumphs of peers.
I'm grateful for a mother that, when seeing I
was becoming too full of myself as a boy, would say,
"Son, a little bit of humility right now would go a long way."
But humility is not something reserved
to be taught only to children.
We must all strive to become more humble.
Humility is essential to gain the blessings of the gospel.
Humility enables us to have broken hearts
when we sin or make mistakes and makes it possible
for us to repent.
Humility enables us to be better parents, sons and daughters,
husbands and wives, neighbors and friends.
On the other hand, unnecessary pride
can dissolve family relationships,
break up marriages, and destroy friendships.
It is especially important to remember humility
when you feel contention rising in your home.
Think of all the heartache you could
avoid by humbling yourself to say, "I'm sorry";
"That was inconsiderate of me"; "What would you like to do?";
"I just wasn't thinking"; or "I'm very proud of you."
If these little phrases were humbly used,
there would be less contention and more peace in our homes.
Simply living life can be and often is a humbling experience.
Accident and illness, the death of loved ones,
problems in relationships, even financial reversals
can bring us to our knees.
Whether these difficult experiences
come through no fault of our own or through bad decisions
and poor judgment, these trials are all humbling.
If we choose to be spiritually attuned
and remain humble and teachable, our prayers
become more earnest, and faith and testimony
will grow as we overcome the tribulations
of mortal existence.
All of us look forward to exaltation,
but before this can occur, we must
persevere what has been referred to as the "valley of humility."
Many years ago, our 15-year-old son Eric
suffered a serious head injury.
Seeing him in a coma for over a week broke our hearts.
The doctors told us they were uncertain about what
would happen next.
Obviously, we were thrilled when he
began to regain consciousness.
We thought now everything was going to be fine,
but we were mistaken.
When he awoke, he could not walk or talk or feed himself.
Worst of all, he had no short-term memory.
He could remember most everything before the accident,
but he had no ability to remember events after,
even things which had happened minutes earlier.
For a time we worried we would have a son locked
in the mind of a 15-year-old.
Things had come very easily to our son before this accident.
He was athletic, popular, and did very well in school.
Before, his future seemed bright;
now we worried he may not have much of a future, at least one
he could remember.
He now struggled to relearn very, very basic skills.
This was a very humbling time for him.
It was also a very humbling time for his parents.
Honestly, we wondered how such a thing could happen.
We had always strived to do the right things.
Living the gospel had been a high priority for our family.
We couldn't understand how something so painful
could happen to us.
We were driven to our knees as it soon
became apparent his rehabilitation would
take months, even years.
More difficult still was the gradual realization
he would not be as he was before.
During this time, many tears were shed
and our prayers became even more heartfelt and sincere.
Through the eyes of humility, we gradually
began to see small miracles which our son experienced
during this painful time.
He began making gradual improvement.
His attitude and outlook were very positive.
Today our son Eric is married to a wonderful companion,
and they have five beautiful children.
He is a passionate educator and contributor to his community
as well as the Church.
Most importantly, he continues to live in the same spirit
of humility he gained long ago.
But what if we could be humble before we
walk through that "valley of humility"?
Alma taught:
"Blessed are they who humble themselves
without being compelled to be humble."
"Yea, [they are] much more blessed
than they who are compelled to be humble."
I am grateful for prophets who have taught us,
like Alma, this great worth of this attribute.
Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th president of the Church,
said: "How does one get humble?
To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence.
On whom dependent?
On the Lord.
How remind one's self?
By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer."
It should come as no surprise that President Kimball's
favorite hymn was "I Need Thee Every Hour."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks reported that this was the most oft-sung
opening hymn by the Brethren in the temple
during his early years in the Quorum of the Twelve.
He said, "Picture the spiritual impact
of a handful of the Lord's servants
singing that song before praying for his guidance
in fulfilling their mighty responsibilities."
I testify of the importance of humility in our lives.
I am grateful for the individuals like Sister Grietje
Rowley who have penned inspiring words
and music, which help us learn the doctrine
of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which include humility.
I am grateful that we have a legacy of hymns, which helps
us to worship through song.
And I'm grateful for humility.
It is my prayer we will all strive for humility
in our lives so we might become better parents, sons
and daughters, and followers of the Savior.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "THE LORD MY PASTURE WILL PREPARE"]
We thank all who have participated this morning
and express special gratitude to the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir for the beautiful music they have provided.
Our concluding speaker for this session
will be Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
Following his remarks, the choir will close this meeting
by singing "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing."
The benediction will then be offered by Elder Arnulfo
Valenzuela of the Seventy.
My dear brothers and sisters, while living in Africa,
I sought advice from Elder Wilford W.
Andersen of the Seventy about helping
Saints who live in poverty.
Among the remarkable insights he shared with me was this:
"The greater the distance between the giver
and the receiver, the more the receiver
develops a sense of entitlement."
This principle underlies the Church's welfare system.
When members are not able to meet their own needs,
they turn first to their families.
Thereafter, if necessary, they can also
turn to their local Church leaders
for assistance with their temporal needs.
Family members and local Church leaders
are closest to those in need, frequently have
faced similar circumstances, and understand best how to help.
Because of their proximity to the "givers,"
recipients who receive help according to this pattern
are grateful and less likely to feel entitled.
The concept--"the greater the distance between the giver
and the receiver, the more the receiver develops a sense
of entitlement"--also has profound spiritual
applications.
Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ,
are the ultimate Givers.
The more we distance ourselves from Them,
the more entitled we feel.
We begin to think that we deserve grace and are
owed blessings.
We're more prone to look around, identify inequities,
and feel aggrieved--even offended--by the unfairness we
perceive.
While the unfairness can range from trivial to gut wrenching,
when we are distant from God, even small inequities
loom large.
We feel that God has an obligation to fix things--and
fix them right now!
The difference made by our proximity to Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ is illustrated in the Book of Mormon
in the stark contrast between Nephi
and his older brothers, Laman and Lemuel.
Nephi had "great desires to know the mysteries of God,
wherefore, [he] did cry unto the Lord,"
and his heart was softened.
On the other hand, Laman and Lemuel were distant from
God--they did not know Him.
Nephi accepted challenging assignments without complaint,
but Laman and Lemuel "did murmur in many things."
Murmuring is the scriptural equivalent of childish whining.
The scripture records that "they did murmur
because they knew not the dealings of that God
who had created them."
Nephi's closeness to God enabled him to recognize and appreciate
God's "tender mercies."
In contrast, when Laman and Lemuel
saw Nephi receiving blessings, they "were wroth with him
because they understood not the dealings of the Lord."
Laman and Lemuel saw the blessings
that they received as their due and petulantly assumed
that they should have more.
They seemed to view Nephi's blessings as "wrongs" committed
against them.
This is the scriptural equivalent
of disgruntled entitlement.
Nephi exercised faith in God to accomplish
what he was asked to do.
In contrast, Laman and Lemuel, "being hard in their hearts ...
did not look unto the Lord as they ought."
They seemed to feel that the Lord was
obligated to provide answers to questions that they had not
posed.
"The Lord maketh no such thing known unto us,"
they said, but they did not even make the effort to ask.
This is the scriptural equivalent
of derisive skepticism.
Because they were distant from the Savior,
Laman and Lemuel murmured, became contentious,
and were faithless.
They felt that life was unfair and that they
were entitled to God's grace.
In contrast, because he had drawn close to God,
Nephi must have recognized that life would be the most unfair
for Jesus Christ.
Though absolutely innocent, the Savior would suffer the most.
The closer we are to Jesus Christ in the thoughts
and intents of our hearts, the more
we appreciate His innocent suffering, the more grateful
we are for grace and forgiveness,
and the more we want to repent and become like Him.
Our absolute distance from Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ is important, but the direction we are heading
is even more crucial.
God is more pleased with repentant sinners who
are trying to draw closer to Him than
with self-righteous, fault-finding individuals who,
like the Pharisees and scribes of old,
don't realize how badly they need to repent.
As a child, I sang a Swedish Christmas
carol that teaches a simple but powerful lesson:
drawing near to the Savior causes us to change.
The lyrics go something like this:
"When Christmas morning gleams
I want to go to the stable,
Where God in the nighttime hours
Already rests upon the straw.
How good Thou wast to desire
To come down to earth!
Now, I do not wish to waste
My childhood days in sin anymore!
Jesus, we need Thee,
Thou dear children's friend.
I no longer wish to grieve Thee
With my sins again."
When we figuratively transport ourselves to the Bethlehem
stable "where God in the nighttime hours
already rests upon the straw," we
can recognize better the Savior as a gift from a kind,
loving Heavenly Father.
Rather than feeling entitled to His blessings and grace,
we develop an intense desire to stop causing God further grief.
Whatever our direction or distance
to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,
we can choose to turn toward Them and draw closer to Them.
They will help us.
As the Savior told the Nephites following His Resurrection:
"And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon
the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross,
that I might draw all men unto me, . . .
"And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore,
according to the power of the Father
I will draw all men unto me."
To draw closer to our Savior, we must increase our faith in Him,
make and keep covenants, and have the Holy Ghost with us.
We must also act in faith, responding
to the spiritual direction we receive.
All of these elements come together in the sacrament.
Indeed, the best way I know of to draw closer to God
is to prepare conscientiously and partake worthily
of the sacrament each week.
A friend of ours in South Africa shared how
she came to this realization.
When Diane was a new convert, she
attended a branch outside of Johannesburg.
One Sunday, as she sat in the congregation,
the layout of the chapel made it so that the deacon did not
see her as the sacrament was passed.
Diane was disappointed but said nothing.
Another member noted the omission
and mentioned it to the branch president after the meeting.
As Sunday School began, Diane was
invited to an empty classroom.
A priesthood holder came in.
He knelt down, blessed some bread, and handed her a piece.
She ate it.
He knelt down again and blessed some water
and handed her a small cup.
She drank it.
Thereafter, Diane had two thoughts in rapid succession:
First, "Oh, he [the priesthood holder] did this just for me,"
And then, "Oh, He [the Savior] did this just for me."
Diane felt Heavenly Father's love.
Her realization that the Savior's sacrifice was just
for her helped her feel close to Him
and fueled an overwhelming desire
to keep that feeling in her heart,
not just on Sunday but every day.
She realized that although she sat in a congregation
to partake of the sacrament, the covenants she made anew
each Sunday were individually hers.
The sacrament helped--and continues to help--Diane feel
the power of godly love, recognize the Lord's hand
in her life, and draw closer to the Savior.
The Savior identified the sacrament as indispensable
to a spiritual foundation.
He said:
"And I give unto you a commandment
that ye shall do these things [partake of the sacrament].
And if ye shall do these things blessed
are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.
"But whoso among you shall do more or less
than these are not built upon my rock,
but are built upon a sandy foundation;
and when the rain descends, and the floods come,
and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall."
Jesus did not say "if rain descends, if floods come,
and if winds blow" but "when."
No one is immune from life's challenges;
we all need the safety that comes from partaking
of the sacrament.
On the day of the Savior's Resurrection,
two disciples traveled to a village called Emmaus.
Unrecognized, the risen Lord joined them on the journey.
As they traveled, He taught them from the scriptures.
When they reached their destination,
they invited Him to dine with them.
"And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them,
he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
"And their eyes were opened, and they knew him;
and he vanished out of their sight.
"And they said one to another, Did
not our heart burn within us, while he
talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us
the scriptures?
"And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem,
and found the [Apostles] gathered together."
And then they testified to the Apostles
that "the Lord is risen indeed.
. . .
"And they told what things were done in the way,
and how he was known of them in breaking of [the] bread."
The sacrament truly helps us to know our Savior.
It also reminds us of His innocent suffering.
If life were truly fair, you and I would never be resurrected;
you and I would never be able to stand clean before God.
In this respect, I am grateful that life is not fair.
At the same time, I can emphatically
state because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ,
ultimately, in the eternal scheme of things,
there will be no unfairness.
"All that is unfair about life can be made right."
Our present circumstances may not
change, but through God's compassion, kindness,
and love, we will all receive more than we deserve,
more than we can ever earn, and more than we can ever hope for.
We are promised that "God shall wipe away
all tears from [our] eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are
passed away."
No matter where you stand in your relationship to God,
I invite you to draw nearer to Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ, the Ultimate Benefactors and Givers of all that is good.
I invite you to attend sacrament meeting each week
and partake of the holy emblems of the Savior's body and blood.
I invite you to feel God's nearness
as He is made known to you, as He
was to the disciples of old in the "breaking of [the] bread."
As you do, I promise that you will feel nearer to God.
Natural tendencies to childish whining,
disgruntled entitlement, and derisive skepticism
will dissipate.
Those sentiments will be replaced
by feelings of greater love for Heavenly Father's
gift of His Son.
As we draw closer to God, the enabling power
of the Atonement of Jesus Christ will come into our lives.
And, as with the disciples on the way to Emmaus,
we will find that the Savior has been nearby all along.
I so witness and testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING"]
Our Father in Heaven, at the conclusion
of this session of general conference,
we express our gratitude for this inspired music,
and for Thy words given to us by Thy living prophets,
seers, and revelators.
We're grateful for Thy Son, Jesus Christ;
for His restored gospel; and also we're
grateful for Thy Church, The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We are grateful for Thy prophet, President Thomas S. Monson,
and we pray for him and his health.
And also, Father, we pray for the security
of all the missionaries that are preaching Thy gospel
in many corners of this world.
And we pray these things in the name
of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.
This has been a broadcast of the 186th Annual 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 Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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.