[MUSIC PLAYING] “Come, We That Love the Lord” From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, this is the Saturday morning session of the 192nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with speakers selected from leaders of the Church. Music for this session is provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

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 Dallin H. Oaks, First 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 192nd 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, wherever you may be.

President Russell M Nelson, who presides at the conference, has asked me to conduct this session.

We acknowledge the General Authorities and the General Officers who will be in attendance throughout the conference.

The music for this session will be provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, under the direction of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, with Richard Elliott and Brian Mathias at the organ.

The choir opened this meeting with “Come, We That Love the Lord” and will now favor us with “Awake and Arise.”

The invocation will then be offered by Elder José L. Alonso of the Seventy,

after which the choir will sing “Love Is Spoken Here.”

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Awake and Arise”

Awake and arise, O ye slumbering nations! The heavens have opened their portals again. The last and the greatest of all dispensations Has burst like a dawn o’er the children of men!

The dream of the poet, the crown of the ages, The time which the prophets of Israel foretold, That glorious day only dreamed by the sages Is yours, O ye slumbering nations; behold!

Oh, lift up your voices in song and in story. Let banners of peace in all lands be unfurled, For truth, heaven-born, in its beauty and glory Is marching triumphantly over the world.

Is marching triumphantly over the world. O’er the world.

Our kind and loving Heavenly Father. In this beautiful morning,

we are full of gratitude for having this opportunity to gather together for this, the beginning of general conference.

We are so grateful for having living prophets, seers, and revelators.

We love them and we pray for them. And we support them.

We are so eager to learn from Thee by the Spirit and through the words of those who will address us today.

We pray for them to receive the inspiration and great joy.

We want to follow Thy will, and we need Thy help to remember,

to remember those words that we will receive today, but mainly the impressions that we will receive by the Holy Ghost.

We are willing and committed to follow Thee and to follow the example of Thy Son, Jesus Christ. And we want to receive Thy help and inspiration

as we strive to love more to our neighbors by sharing the doctrine of Christ to them and inviting them to come unto Thee, and to Thy Son, Jesus Christ.

We are so grateful for the atoning sacrifice of Thy Son, Jesus Christ,

and we know that we are, everyone,

a missionary of Thy Church. In the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Love is Spoken Here”

I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.

I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.

Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,

And I am thankful love is spoken here.

Mine is a home where ev’ry hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood pow’r, With father and mother leading the way, Teaching me how to trust and obey; And the things they teach are crystal clear, For love is spoken here.

I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.

I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray. Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears, And I am thankful love is spoken here.

I can often feel the Savior near,

when love is spoken here.

It will now be our privilege to hear from our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. He will be followed by President M. Russell Ballard, acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

We will then hear from Sister Reyna I. Aburto,

who serves as Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency,

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

Following Elder Bednar, and on a signal from the conductor,

the congregation will stand and join the choir in singing

“Let Us All Press On.” President Nelson, please.

My dear brothers and sisters, welcome to general conference.

I look forward to this day with great anticipation. I pray for you every day.

I've also prayed that this conference will be a time of spiritual rejuvenation for each one of you.

Since last conference, difficulties in the world have continued.

The global pandemic still affects our lives,

and now the world has been rocked by a conflict that is raining terror on millions of innocent men, women, and children.

Prophets have foreseen our day when there would be wars and rumors of wars,

and when the whole earth would be in commotion.

As followers of Jesus Christ,

we plead with leaders of nations to find peaceful resolutions to their differences. We call upon people everywhere to pray for those in need, to do what they can to help the distressed,

and to seek the Lord’s help in ending any major conflicts.

Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ has never been needed more than it is today. Contention violates everything the Savior stood for and taught. I love the Lord Jesus Christ and testify that His Gospel is the only enduring solution for peace. His gospel is a gospel of peace.

His gospel is the only answer when many in the world are stunned with fear.

This underscores the urgent need for us to follow the Lord’s instructions to His disciples to “go...into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

We have the sacred responsibility to share the power and peace of Jesus Christ with all who will listen

and who will let God prevail in their lives.

Every person who has made covenants with God has promised to care about others and serve those in need.

We can demonstrate faith in God and always be ready to respond to those who ask about the hope that is in us. Each of us has a role to play in the gathering of Israel.

Today, I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy,

able young man to prepare for and serve a mission.

For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility.

You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place.

As you serve missions, you play a pivotal role in this unprecedented event.

For you, young and able sisters,

a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity.

We love sister missionaries and welcome them wholeheartedly.

What they contribute in this work is magnificent.

Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind. Dear young friends,

you are each vital to the Lord.

He has held you in reserve until now to help gather Israel.

Your decision to serve a mission,

whether a proselyting or a service mission, will bless you and many others.

We also welcome senior couples to serve when their circumstances permit.

Their efforts are simply irreplaceable.

All missionaries teach and testify of the Savior.

The spiritual darkness in the world makes the light of Jesus Christ needed more than ever.

Everyone deserves the chance to know about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Every person deserves to know where they can find the hope and peace “that [passes] all understanding.”

May this conference be a time of peace and spiritual feasting for you.

May you seek and receive personal revelation during these sessions,

I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you, President Nelson, for sharing again that counsel regarding missionary service.

Brothers and sisters, several years ago, while speaking in general conference,

the sight in my left eye was suddenly compromised by something called macular degeneration, which subsequently worsened and has left me without useful vision in that eye. As I have dealt with this challenge, I’m ever more thankful for

other kinds of vision, including hindsight vision.

As I've looked back over my life,

I've been able to see certain experiences that made a significant difference.

One of those experiences is how my full-time missionary service as a young man in England blessed my life and shaped my spiritual destiny.

I've reflected on how the economic challenges associated with the Great Depression in the 1930s

led to an unfortunate turn

for my parents and our family.

My father became so involved in saving his automobile dealership

and supporting a family during this difficult period that for a time my parents did not attend church.

Although we did not attend church services as a family,

that did not prevent me from attending occasionally with my friends. In those days, going on a mission was in the back of my mind,

but it wasn’t something I talked about with my parents.

While attending college, several friends and I decided to serve missions.

Visiting with my bishop, I filled out my missionary application while my parents were out of town. When my parents returned,

I surprised them with the news that I had been called to serve in Great Britain.

I’m grateful for their enthusiastic support, and for

the good friends who helped me decide to serve.

My missionary service prepared me to be a better husband and father and

to be successful in business. It also prepared me for a lifetime of service

in the Lord’s Church.

In the April 1985 general conference,

I was assigned to speak in the priesthood session.

I directed my remarks to the young men. I spoke

about preparing to

serve a mission. I said, “Of all the training I have received in my Church assignments,

none has been more important to me than the training I received as a 19-year-old elder

serving a full time mission.” The Lord knows you.

When you are serving your mission, you will have experiences that will help you come to know Him better.

You’ll grow spiritually in serving Him. In His name, you’ll be sent on errands to serve others.

He will give you experiences with promptings of the Holy Ghost.

The Lord will authorize you to teach in His name.

You can show Him that He can trust you and can rely on you.

Just over five months ago,

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Quentin L. Cook,

who had also served as missionaries in the British Isles,

joined me in visiting with members and missionaries in that beautiful land.

I reflected on my experiences as a young missionary.

I testify that my mission is where I came to know that Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ

know and love me. I was blessed to have two wonderful mission presidents,

Selvoy J. Boyer and Stainer Richards, along with their dedicated companions,

Gladys Boyer and Jane Richards.

I look back, I can see even more clearly that they trusted me

and loved me. They taught me the gospel. They expected a lot from me.

They gave me many challenging assignments and leadership responsibilities

to help me grow and prepare for a life of service.

I’ve also reflected on being called by President Spencer W. Kimball to preside over the Canada Toronto Mission with my dear wife, Barbara,

and our children at our sides.

President Kimball called us to serve in April 1974,

shortly after he gave his inspired missionary message titled “When the World Will Be Converted.”

In that message, President Kimball explained his vision for how the gospel would be taken to all the world.

He called for many more missionaries from around the world.

He reminded us of the Lord’s expectation “that every man should...lift

a warning voice onto the inhabitants of the earth.”

President Kimball’s teaching about the expectation for young men to serve a mission became a topic of conversation in homes all around the world.

That expectation has not changed.

I’m grateful that President Nelson also reaffirmed the Lord’s expectation

this morning.

It has been almost 10 years since President Thomas S. Monson announced

the lowering of the missionary age for young men and young women.

In my view, a primary reason for this change was to give our youth

the life-changing opportunity to serve as a missionary.

As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I call upon you, young men,

and those young women who desire to serve a mission, to begin right now to talk with your parents about serving a mission. I also invite you to talk with your friends about serving a mission and if one of your friends is not sure about serving,

encourage him to talk with his bishop.

Commit to yourselves and to your Heavenly Father that you will serve

a mission and that from this time forward you will strive to keep your hearts, hands, and minds clean and worthy.

I invite you to gain a solid testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fathers and mothers of these wonderful youth,

you have a vital role in this preparation process.

Begin today to talk with your children about missionary service.

We know that the family is the most profound influence in building our young men

and young women to prepare.

If you are still the age range for missionary service

but have not served yet due to the pandemic or other reasons,

I invite you to serve now.

Talk to your bishop and prepare to serve the Lord.

I encourage you bishops

to help all young men and young women who are close to missionary age to prepare to serve. And I also encourage you bishops to identify those who are old enough but who have not yet served.

Invite each young man to become a missionary,

as well as each young woman who desires to serve.

To the missionaries

currently serving, thank you.

Your mission has been during a worldwide pandemic.

As a result, your mission experience has been unlike my missionary experience or the missionary experience of missionaries who served prior to 2020. I know it has not been easy.

But even during these difficult times, the Lord has had a work for you to do, and you have done it wonderfully well.

For example, you have used technology

and new ways to find those who are ready to learn about

the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As you have served diligently and according to your abilities,

I know that the Lord is pleased with your effort.

I know that your service will bless your life.

When you’re released from your mission,

remember that you are not released from activity in the Church.

Build upon the good habits you learned on your mission,

continue to strengthen your testimony,

work hard, pray, and be obedient to the Lord.

Honor the covenants you have made. Continue to bless and serve others.

I pray that you, young men and the young women

and your parents will see and know how missionary service will bless forever

your life. May you know in your minds and feel in your hearts

the power of the invitation of the Lord that He gave to the great missionary sons of Mosiah.

He said, “Go forth...and establish my word; yet

ye shall be patient in long- suffering and afflictions,

that ye may show forth good examples... in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.”

May God bless the youth of the Church to desire to prepare and serve Him is my humble prayer,

which I offer this morning in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

After receiving an invitation to “come and see,” I attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the first time at the age of 26.

I had recently separated from my first husband.

I had a three-year-old boy. And I felt powerless with fear.

When I entered that building,

I was filled with warmth as I perceived the faith and joy of the people surrounding me. It was truly “a refuge from the storm.”

Three weeks later, I made the baptismal covenant with Heavenly Father and started my journey as a disciple of Christ. Although my life has not been perfect along that journey

for me to receive those eternal blessings,

many physical and spiritual elements had to be in place.

The gospel of Jesus Christ had been restored and preached.

That meetinghouse had been built and maintained.

There was an ecclesiastical structure from the Prophet to local leaders,

and a branch filled by covenant members was ready to embrace me and my son as we were brought to the Savior, “nourished by the good word of God,” and given opportunities to serve.

From the beginning, God has sought to gather and organize His children “to bring to pass [our] immortality and eternal life.”

With that purpose in mind.

He has instructed us to build places of worship, where we receive knowledge and the ordinances of salvation and exaltation; make and keep covenants that bind us to Jesus Christ; are endowed with the “power of godliness;” and gather together often to remember Jesus and strengthen each other in Him.

The Church organization and its buildings exist for our spiritual benefit.

“The Church...is the scaffolding with which we build eternal families.”

While I talking to a friend going through a difficult time,

I asked how he was surviving financially.

In tears, he replied that his bishop was helping him using fast-offering funds. He added, “I don’t know where my family and I would be if it wasn’t for the Church.” I replied, “The Church is the members.

They are the ones who willingly and joyfully give fast offerings to help those of us in need.

You are receiving the fruits of their faith and

determination to follow Jesus Christ.” My fellow disciples of Christ,

let us not underestimate the marvelous work the Lord is doing through us,

His Church, despite our shortcomings. Sometimes we are givers and sometimes we are receivers,

but we are all one family in Christ.

His Church is the structure He has given to guide and bless us as we worship Him and serve each other.

Some sisters have apologized to me, thinking they are not active members of Relief Society because they are serving in Primary or Young Women.

Those sisters are among the most active members of Relief Society because they are helping our precious children and youth strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ. Relief Society is not limited to a room in a building, a Sunday lesson, an activity, or a presidency at the local or general level.

Relief Society is the covenant women of the Church;

It is us—each of us and all of us—

it is our “global community of compassion and service.”

Anywhere and everywhere we go,

we are always part of Relief Society as we strive to fulfill its divine purpose,

which is for women to accomplish God's work in individual as well as collective ways by providing relief: “relief of poverty, relief of illness,

relief of doubt, relief of ignorance,

relief of all that hinders...joy and progress.”

Similar belonging exists in elders quorums and organizations of the Church for all ages, including our children and youth.

The Church is more than the buildings and the ecclesiastical structure;

the Church is us, the members. We are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Christ at the head and the prophet as His mouthpiece.

The Lord has said, “Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. ...

And...whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock.” Sisters and brothers,

let us realize how privileged we are to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, where we can unite our faith, hearts, strength, minds, and hands to to perform His mighty miracles. “For the body of [Christ’s Church] is not one member, but many.”

A teenage boy told his mother, “When I was little,

every time I gave one dollar in tithing, I thought that with that one dollar a whole meetinghouse will be built.

Isn’t that silly?” Touched, she replied, “That is lovely!

Did you picture them in your mind?” “Yes,” he exclaimed.

“They were beautiful, and there were millions of them!”

My dear friends, let us have the faith of a child and rejoice in knowing that even our smallest efforts are making a significant difference in God's kingdom.

Our purpose in His Kingdom should be to bring each other to Christ.

As we read in the scriptures,

the Savior extended this invitation to the Nephites:

“Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither.

Have ye any that are...afflicted in any manner?

Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you;

my bowels are filled with mercy. ... I see that your faith is sufficient that I shall heal you.” Do we not all have afflictions that can be brought to the Savior’s feet?

While some of us have physical challenges, many more battle with emotional strife;

Others struggle to nurture social connections, and we all seek respite when our spirits are challenged. We are all afflicted in some manner.

We read that “all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and...with all them that were afflicted in any manner;

and he did heal them, every one as they were brought forth onto him.

And they did all, both they who had been healed

and they who were whole, bow down at his feet and did worship him.”

From a little boy who pays tithing with faith to a single mother in need of the Lord’s empowering grace

to a father struggling to provide for his family

to our ancestors in need of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation to each of us who renews covenants with God every week,

we need each other, and we can bring each other to the Savior’s redeeming healing. My dear sisters and brothers,

let us follow Jesus Christ’s invitation to bring ourselves and our afflictions to Him. When we come to Him and bring those we love to Him, He sees our faith.

He will make them whole, and He will make us whole.

As “the peaceable followers of Christ,”

we are striving to become of “one heart and one mind” and to be humble; submissive; gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; temperate in all things;

diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; full of faith, hope, and charity; and abounding in good works.

We are striving to become like Jesus Christ.

I testify that as Christ’s Church, we are the means through which, like President Russell M. Nelson taught, “our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of his mightiest works between now and when He comes again.” The Lord has said, “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time. And I gave unto you...a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea

purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean.” May we respond to this divine invitation and joyfully assemble, organize, prepare, and sanctify ourselves is my humble prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

My wife, Susan, our three sons and their wives,

all of our grandchildren,

and Elder Quentin L. Cook, my seatmate in the Quorum of the Twelve

for almost 15 years, all readily will attest to the fact that I do not sing well.

But in spite of my lack of vocal talent, I love to sing the hymns of the restoration.

The combination of inspired lyrics and majestic melodies helps me to learn essential gospel principles and stirs my soul. One hymn that has blessed my life in remarkable ways is “Let Us All Press On.” Recently I have been pondering and learning about a specific phrase in the refrain of that hymn.

“We will heed not what the wicked may say, but the Lord alone we will obey.”

We will heed not.

As I sing “Let Us All Press On,”

I often think of the people in Lehi’s vision pressing forward on the path that led to the tree of life

who were not merely “clinging to” but were “continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.” Lehi described multitudes in the great and spacious building that were pointing “the finger of scorn at [him]

and those...partaking of the fruit.”

His response to the jeers and insults is magnificent and memorable.

“But we heeded them not.” I pray that the Holy Ghost will bless and enlighten each of us as we consider together how we can be strengthened to “heed not” the evil influences and mocking voices of the contemporary world in which we live.

The word “heed” suggests taking notice of or paying attention to someone or something. Thus, the lyrics of the hymn “Let Us All Press On”

admonish us to make an affirmative decision to pay no attention to “what the wicked may say.”

And Lehi and the people who were with him

who were partaking of the fruit of the tree

provide a strong example of not paying attention to the mocking and scorn that so frequently come from the great and spacious building.

The doctrine of Christ written “with the Spirit of the living God...in fleshy tables of [our hearts]”

increases our capacity to “heed not” the many distractions, taunts, and diversions in our fallen world.

For example, faith focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ fortifies us with spiritual strength.

Faith in the Redeemer is a principle of action and of power. As we act in accordance with the truths of His gospel,

we are blessed with the spiritual capacity to press forward through the challenges of mortality while focusing on the joys the Savior offers to us.

Truly, “if we do what’s right we have no need to fear, for the Lord, our helper, will ever be near.”

Entering into sacred covenants and worthily receiving priesthood ordinances yokes us with and binds us to the Lord Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

This simply means that we trust in the Savior as our advocate and mediator and rely on His merits, mercy, and grace during the journey of life.

As we are steadfast in coming unto Christ and are yoked with Him,

we receive the cleansing, healing, and strengthening blessings of His infinite and eternal Atonement.

Living and loving covenant commitments creates a connection with the Lord that is deeply personal and spiritually powerful.

As we honor the conditions of sacred covenants and ordinances,

we gradually and incrementally are drawn closer to Him and experience the impact of His divinity and living reality in our lives.

Jesus then becomes much more than the central character in scripture stories;

His example and teachings influence our every desire, thought, and action.

I frankly do not have the ability to describe adequately the precise nature and power of our covenant connection with the resurrected and living Son of God. But I witness that the connections with Him and Heavenly Father are real and are the ultimate sources of assurance, peace, joy, and the spiritual strength that enable us to “fear not, though the enemy deride.”

As covenant-making and covenant-keeping disciples of Jesus Christ,

We can be blessed to take “courage, for the Lord is on our side,”

and pay no attention to evil influences and secular scoffing.

As I visit with members of the Church around the world, I often ask them this question: what helps you to “heed not”

worldly influences, mocking, and scorn?

And their answers are most instructive.

Valiant members often highlight the importance of inviting the power of the Holy Ghost into their lives through meaningful scripture study,

fervent prayer, and proper preparation to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament. Also mentioned frequently are the spiritual support of faithful family members and trusted friends,

the vital lessons learned through ministering and serving in the Lord’s restored Church, and the capacity to discern the absolute emptiness of anything in or coming from the great and spacious building. I have noted in these member responses

a particular pattern that is especially significant.

First and foremost, these disciples have firm testimonies of Heavenly Father's plan of happiness and the role of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer and Savior.

And secondly, their spiritual knowledge and conviction are individual,

personal, and specific; they are not general and abstract.

I listen to these devoted souls speak of covenants providing strength to overcome opposition and their connection with the living Lord supporting them through times both good and bad. To these individuals,

Jesus Christ indeed is a personal Savior.

Gospel covenants and ordinances operate in our lives much like a compass.

A compass is a device used to indicate the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west for purposes of navigation and geographic orientation.

In a similar way, our covenants and ordinances point us to

and help us always remember our connection with the Lord Jesus Christ as we progress along the covenant path.

The cardinal direction for all of us in mortality is to come unto and be perfected in Christ.

Holy covenants and ordinances help us to keep our focus upon the Savior

and strive, with His grace, to become more like Him.

Most assuredly, “an unseen [power] will aid me and you in the glorious cause of truth.”

Our covenant connection with God and Jesus Christ is the channel through which we can receive the capacity and strength to “heed not.”

And this bond is strengthened as we continually hold fast to the rod of iron. But as Nephi’s brethren asked, “What meant

the rod of iron which our father saw...?

And [Nephi] said unto them that it was the word of God;

and whoso would hearken unto the word of God,

and who would hold fast unto it, they would never perish;

neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness; to lead them away to destruction.” Please note that the ability to resist the temptations

and the fiery darts of the adversary is promised to those individuals who “hold fast to” rather than merely “cling to” the word of God.

Interestingly, the Apostle John described Jesus Christ as the Word. “In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ...

All things were made by him;

and without him was not any thing made that was made. ...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.” Therefore,

one of the names of Jesus Christ is “The Word.”

In addition, the eighth Article of Faith states, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly;

we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”

Thus, the teachings of the Savior, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, are also “the word.”

Let me suggest that holding fast to the word of God entails (1) remembering,

honoring, and strengthening the personal connection we have with the Savior and His Father through the covenants and ordinances of the restored gospel and (2) prayerfully, earnestly, and consistently using the holy scriptures and the teachings of living prophets and apostles as sure sources of revealed truth.

As we are bound and “hold fast” to the Lord and are transformed by living His doctrine, I promise that individually and collectively we will be blessed to “stand in holy places,

and shall not be moved.” If we abide in Christ,

then He will abide in and walk with us. Surely, “in the days of trial his saints he will cheer, and prosper the cause of truth.”

Press on. Hold fast. Heed not.

I witness that fidelity to the covenants and ordinances of the Savior's restored gospel enables us to press on in the work of the Lord,

to hold fast to Him as the Word of God, and to heed not the allurements of the adversary.

In the fight for right may each of us wield a sword,

even “the mighty sword of truth,”

in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Let Us All Press On”

This is the Saturday Morning Session, of the 192nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Let us all press on in the work of the Lord, That when life is o’er we may gain a reward; In the fight for right let us wield a sword,

The mighty sword of truth.

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side. We will heed not what the wicked may say, But the Lord alone we will obey.

We will not retreat, though our numbers may be few

When compared with the opposite host in view;

But an unseen pow’r will aid me and you

In the glorious cause of truth.

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side.

We will heed not what the wicked may say,

But the Lord alone we will obey.

If we do what’s right we have no need to fear,

For the Lord, our helper, will ever be near;

In the days of trial his Saints he will cheer,

And prosper the cause of truth.

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side.

We will heed not what the wicked may say,

But the Lord alone we will obey.

We will now be pleased to hear from Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He will be followed by

Elders Eduardo Gavarrett and Larry S. Kacher of the Seventy.

My dear brothers and sisters, as we experience sobering days of commotion, contention, and, for many, deep suffering,

our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude for our Savior and the eternal blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

We love Him, and we trust Him, and we pray that we will forever follow Him.

The powerful impact of the internet is a blessing and a challenge unique to our time.

In a world of social media and information superhighways,

one person's voice can be multiplied exponentially.

That voice, whether true or false, whether fair or prejudicial,

whether kind or cruel, moves instantly across the world.

Social media posts of thoughtfulness and goodness are often quietly under the radar, while words of contempt and anger are frequently thundering in our ears,

whether with political philosophy,

people in the news, or opinions on the pandemic.

No one or no subject is immune from this social phenomenon of polarized voices, including the Savior and His restored gospel.

The Sermon on the Mount is a message for all

but was specifically given to the Savior’s disciples,

those who had chosen to follow Him.

The Lord taught how to live then and now in a contemptuous world.

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” He declared,

“for they shall be called the children of God.”

By the shield of our faith in Jesus Christ, we become peacemakers, quenching, meaning to calm, cool, or extinguish all the fiery darts of the adversary.

As we do our part. His promise is that we will be called the “children of God.”

Every person on Earth is the “offspring” of God.

But to be called the “children of God” means much, much more.

As we come unto Jesus Christ and make covenants with Him,

we become His “seed” and “heirs of the kingdom,”

“children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters.”

How does a peacemaker calm and cool the fiery darts?

Certainly not by shrinking before those who disparage us.

Rather, we remain confident in our faith,

sharing our beliefs with conviction, but always void of anger or malice.

Recently after a strongly worded opinion piece that was critical of the Church, Reverend Amos Brown,

a national civil rights leader and pastor of the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, responded:

“I respect the experience and perspective of the individual who wrote those words. Granted, I don’t see what he sees. ...

I count it one of my life’s greatest joys to know these leaders [of the Church], including President Russell M Nelson.

They are, in my estimation, the embodiment of the best leadership our country has to offer.” He then

added, “We can gripe about the way things were.

We can refuse to acknowledge all the good going on. ...

But these approaches will not heal our national divisions. ...As Jesus taught,

we don’t eradicate evil with more evil.

We love generously and live mercifully,

even toward those we think to be our enemies.”

Reverend Brown is a peacemaker.

He calmly and respectfully cooled the fiery darts.

Peacemakers are not passive; they are persuasive in the Savior’s way.

What gives us the inner strength to cool, calm, and quench the fiery darts

aimed toward the truths we love?

The strength comes from our faith in Jesus Christ and our faith in His words.

“Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, ... and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ...

for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Two important principles guide our desire to be peacemakers.

First, our Heavenly Father has given each individual his or her moral agency

with the ability to choose one's own path.

This agency is one of the greatest gifts of God.

Second, with this agency, our Heavenly Father allowed for “opposition in all things.”

“[We] taste the bitter that [we] may know to prize the good.”

Opposition should not surprise us. We learn to distinguish good from evil.

We rejoice in the blessing of agency,

understanding that there will be many who do not believe what we believe.

In fact, few in the latter days will choose to make their faith in Jesus Christ central to all they think and do.

Because of social media platforms, one voice of disbelief can appear to be a multitude of negative voices,

but even if it is a multitude of voices, we choose the path of peacemakers.

Some view the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve

as having worldly motives like political, business, and cultural leaders.

However, we come very differently to our responsibilities.

We are not elected or selected from applications. Without any specific professional preparation,

we are called and ordained to bear testimony of the name of Jesus Christ throughout all the world until our final breath.

We endeavor to bless the sick, the lonely, the downhearted, and the poor, and to strengthen the kingdom of God.

We seek to know the Lord's will and to proclaim it,

especially to those who seek eternal life.

Although our humble desire is for the Savior’s teachings to be honored by all, the words of the Lord through His prophets are often contrary to the thinking and trends of the world. It’s always been so.

The Savior said to His Apostles:

“If the world [hates] you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ...

All these things will they do... because they know not Him

that sent me.”

We genuinely love and care for all our neighbors, whether or not they believe as we do.

Jesus taught us in the parable of the Good Samaritan that those of different beliefs should sincerely reach out to help everyone in need, being peacemakers, pursuing good and noble causes.

In February, a headline in “the Arizona Republic” stated “Bipartisan bill supported by Latter-day Saints would protect gay and transgender Arizonans.”

We, as Latter-day Saints are “pleased to be part of a coalition of faith, business, LGBTQ people, and community leaders who have worked together in a spirit of trust and mutual respect.”

President Russell M. Nelson once thoughtfully asked,

“Cannot boundary lines exist without becoming battle lines?”

We endeavor to be “peaceable followers of Christ.”

Some of the attacks upon the Savior were so malicious that he said nothing:

“And the chief priests and scribes... vehemently accused him...and mocked him,

...but [Jesus] answered [them] nothing.”

There are times when being a peacemaker means that we resist the impulse to respond and instead, with dignity, remain quiet.

It is heartbreaking for all of us when harsh or dismissive words about the Savior, His followers, and His Church are spoken or published by those who once stood with us, took the sacrament with us, and testified with us of the divine mission of Jesus Christ.

This also happened during the Savior’s ministry.

Some of the disciples of Jesus who were with Him during his most majestic miracles determined to “[walk] no more with him.” Sadly,

not all will remain firm in their love for the Savior and their determination to keep His commandments.

Jesus taught us to withdraw from the circle of anger and contention. In one example, after the Pharisees confronted Jesus and counseled how they might destroy Him,

the scriptures say that Jesus withdrew himself from them and miracles occurred “as great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all.”

We, too, can move away from contention and bless the lives of others, while not isolating ourselves in our own corner.

In Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, initially some were critical of the Church, not understanding our beliefs or knowing our members. Some time ago, Kathy and I attended a very special church service in Mbuji-Mayi.

The children were dressed immaculately with bright eyes and big smiles.

I had hoped to speak to them about their education but learned that many were not attending school.

Our leaders, with varied nominal humanitarian funds, found a way to help.

Now, more than 400 students, girls and boys, members as well as those not of our faith,

are welcomed and taught by 16 teachers who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Fourteen-year-old Kalanga Muya said,

“[Having little money,] I spent four years without attending school. ...

I am so grateful for what the Church has done. ...

I can now read, write, and speak French.”

Speaking of this initiative, the mayor of Mbuji-Mayi, said,

“I am inspired by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

because while [other] churches are being divided each one in his corner, ...

[You are working] with [others] to help the community in need.”

Each time I read John Chapter 13,

I am reminded of the Savior's perfect example as a peacemaker.

Jesus lovingly washed the feet of the Apostles.

Then we read that “he was troubled in [his] spirit” as He thought about one he loved preparing to betray Him.

I've tried to imagine the thoughts and feelings of the Savior

as Judas left. Interestingly, at that sobering moment,

Jesus spoke no more about His “troubling” feelings or about betrayal.

Rather, He spoke to His Apostles about love,

His words cascading through the centuries:

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;

as I have loved you. ...By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, “if ye have love one to another.” May we love Him and love one another.

May we be peacemakers, that we may be called “the children of God.”

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

On Friday, October 28, 1588—

having lost its rudder to being governed solely by oar—

the ship “La Girona,” belonging to the great Spanish Armada,

collided with the rocks of Lacada Point in Northern Ireland.

The ship capsized. One of the castaways struggling to survive wore a gold ring, given to him a few months earlier by his wife, with the inscription,

“I have nothing more to give you.”

“I have nothing more to give you”—a phrase and a ring with the design of a hand

holding a heart, an expression of love from a wife to her husband.

When I read this story, it made a deep impression on me, and I thought of the request made by the Savior:

“And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me

a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”

I also thought of the people’s reaction to King Benjamin’s words:

“Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us;

...which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,

that we have no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually.”

Let me share with you an experience I had when I was 12 years old,

the effect of which lasts to this day. My mother said, “Eduardo, hurry up,

we are late for the church meetings.”

“Mom, I am going to stay with dad today,” I replied. “Are you sure?

You have to attend your priesthood quorum meeting,” she said. “Poor dad!

He’s going to be left alone. I’m going to stay with him today,” I said.

Dad was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

My mother and sisters went to Sunday meetings, so I went to meet dad in his workshop where he liked to be on Sundays.

And as I had told my mother, I spent a while—that is, a few minutes—with him,

and then I asked, “Dad, is everything alright?”

He kept up his hobby of repairing radios and clocks, and he just smiled at me.

Then I told him, “I’m going to play with my friends.” Dad, without looking up, said to me, “Today is Sunday. Aren’t you supposed to go to church?” “Yes, but today I told Mom I couldn’t go,” I replied.

Dad went on about his business, and for me, that was permission to leave.

That morning there was an important soccer game, and my friends had told me that I couldn't miss it

because we had to win that game.

My challenge was that I had to pass in front of the chapel to get to the soccer field. Determined, I dashed toward the soccer field and stopped before the great stumbling block—the chapel.

I ran to the opposite sidewalk where there were some big trees, and I decided to run between them so that no one could see me since it was the time the members were arriving to the church meetings.

I arrived just in time for the start of the game;

I was able to play and go home before my mother got home.

Everything had gone well; our team had won and I was thrilled.

But that well-executed run onto the field did not go unnoticed by the deacons quorum advisor. Brother Felix Espinoza

had seen me running quickly from tree to tree, trying not to be discovered.

At the beginning of the week,

Brother Espinoza came to my house and asked to speak with me.

He didn't say anything about what he had seen on Sunday,

nor did he ask me why I had missed my meeting.

He just handed me a manual and said,

“I would like you to teach the priesthood class on Sunday.

I have marked the lesson for you. It is not so difficult.

I want you to read it, and I will come by in two days to help you with the preparation for the lesson.”

Having said this, he handed me the manual and left.

I didn’t want to teach the class, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him no. I had planned that Sunday to stay with my father again,

meaning there was another important soccer game.

Brother Espinoza was a person that young people admired.

He had found the Restored Gospel and changed his life, or in other words, his heart.

When Saturday afternoon arrived, I thought, “Well,

maybe tomorrow I will wake up sick and I won’t have to go to church.”

It wasn’t the soccer game that worried me anymore;

it was a class I had to teach,

especially a lesson about the Sabbath day.

Sunday came and I woke up healthier than ever. I had no excuse—no escape.

It was the first time I would teach a lesson, but Brother Espinoza was there by my side. And that was the day

of a mighty change of heart for me.

From that moment on, I began to keep the Sabbath day holy. And over time, in the words of President Russell M Nelson,

the Sabbath day has become a delight. “Lord, I give you everything;

I have nothing more to give you.” How do we obtain that mighty change of heart?

It is initiated and eventually occurs: When we study the scriptures to obtain the knowledge that will strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ,

which will create a desire to change. When we cultivate our desire through prayer and fasting. When we act, according to the word studied or received, and we make a covenant to surrender our hearts to Him,

just as with King Benjamin's people.

How do we know that our heart is changing?

When we want to please God in all things.

When we treat others with love, respect, and consideration.

When we see that the attributes of Christ are becoming part of our character. When we feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit more constantly.

When we keep a commandment that has been difficult for us to obey

and then continue to live it.

When we listen carefully to our leaders’ advice and cheerfully decide to follow it,

have we not experienced a mighty change of heart? “Lord, I give you everything;

I have nothing more to give you.” How do we maintain the mighty change?

When we partake of the sacrament weekly and renew the covenant to take upon us the name of Christ,

always remember Him, and keep His commandments.

When we turn our lives toward the temple.

Regular temple attendance will help us maintain a new and renewed heart

as we participate in the ordinances.

When we love and serve our neighbors by ministering activities and by missionary work.

Then for our great joy, that inner change is strengthened and spreads until abounds in good works.

This mighty change of heart brings us a feeling of freedom, trust, and peace.

This change of heart is not an event;

it takes faith, repentance, and constant spiritual work to happen.

It begins when we decide to submit our will to the Lord,

and it materializes when we enter into and keep covenants with Him.

That individual action has a positive effect

both on us and on the people around us.

In the words of President Russell M. Nelson,

“Imagine how quickly the devastating conflicts throughout the world— and those in our individual lives—would be quickly resolved if we all [decided] to follow Jesus Christ and heed His teachings.”

This action of following the Savior's teachings leads to a mighty change of heart.

Dear brothers and sisters,

young people and children, as we participate in the conference this weekend, let the words of our prophet— which will come from the Lord—

enter our hearts to experience a mighty change. For those who have not yet joined the Lord’s restored Church,

I invite you to listen to the missionaries with a sincere desire to know what God expects of you

and experience that inner transformation.

Today is the day to decide to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. “Lord, I give you my heart; I have nothing more to give you.”

Just as the ring was recovered from that shipwreck,

when we give our hearts to God,

we are rescued from the raging seas of this life.

And in the process, we are refined and purified through the Atonement of Christ and become “children of Christ” being spiritually “born of Him.” Of this, I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

How will life’s challenges affect our faith in Jesus Christ?

And what effect will our faith have on the joy and peace we experience in this life? The year was 1977.

The phone rang and the message tore our hearts apart.

Carolyn and Doug Tebbs were in the process of moving to their new home after completing graduate school.

The elders quorum had come to load the moving van.

Doug, making sure the path was clear before backing out, took one last look.

What he could not see was his little daughter, Jennie, dart behind the truck at just the wrong moment.

In an instant, their beloved Jennie was gone. What would happen next? Would the pain they so deeply felt and the inconceivable sense of loss create an irreconcilable chasm between Carolyn and Doug, or would it somehow bind their hearts together and solidify their faith in Heavenly Father's plan?

The road through the reflections has been long and painful,

but from somewhere came the spiritual reserves to not lose hope,

but to “hold on [their] way.”

Somehow, this incredible couple became even more Christlike, more committed,

more compassionate. They believed that in His time, God would consecrate their afflictions for their gain.

Though the pain and loss would not and could not leave completely,

Carolyn and Doug have been comforted by the assurance that by staying firmly on the covenant path, their beloved Jennie would be theirs forever.

Their example has strengthened my faith in the Lord's plan.

We don’t see all things; He does.

The Lord told Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail

that “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all.

Art thou greater than he?” As we accept the Lord’s will, He teaches us how to walk with Him. As a young missionary serving in Tahiti, I was asked to administer to a sick infant.

We laid our hands on his head and blessed him to get better.

His health began to improve, but then he fell sick again.

The second time we blessed him, but with the same result.

A third request came. We pleaded with the Lord that His will be done.

Shortly after, this little spirit returned to his heavenly home.

But we were at peace. We wanted the infant to live, but the Lord had other plans.

Accepting His will in place of our own is key to finding joy

no matter our circumstances.

The simple faith we have in Jesus Christ

as we first begin to learn about Him

can remain in our hearts as we confront life's challenges.

Our faith in Him can and will guide us through the complexities of life.

Indeed, we will find that there is simplicity on the other side of life’s complexities as we remain “[steadfast] in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.”

Part of life's purpose is to allow these potential stumbling blocks to become stepping stones as we climb what I call the “Ladder of Faith”—a ladder because it suggests that faith is not static.

It can go up or down according to the choices we make.

As we strive to build faith in the Savior,

we may not fully comprehend God’s love for us,

and we may obey His laws out of a sense of obligation.

Guilt may even become our primary motivator rather than love,

and real connection to Him may not yet have been experienced.

As we seek to increase our faith, we may be confused by what James taught.

He reminded us that faith without works is dead.

We may stumble if we think everything depends on us.

An overdependence on ourselves can impede our ability to access the powers of heaven. But as we move towards true faith in Jesus Christ,

our mindset begins to change.

We recognize that obedience and faith in the Savior qualify us to have His Spirit always to be with us.

Obedience is no longer an irritant but becomes a quest.

We recognize that obedience to God’s commands enables us to be

trusted of Him. With His trust comes increased light.

This light guides our journey and allows us to see more clearly the path we should take. But there is more.

As our faith in the Savior increases,

we observe a subtle shift that includes a divine understanding of our relationship with God—

a steady movement away from “What do I want?” to “What does God want?”

Like the Savior, we want to act “not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

We want to do God's work and be an instrument in His hands.

Our progression is an eternal one.

President Nelson has taught there is so much more that Heavenly Father wants us to know.

As we progress, we better understand what the Lord taught Joseph Smith:

“For if you keep my commandments, you shall receive of His fulness, and be glorified in me...

I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.”

How high we climb on the Ladder of Faith is our decision.

Elder Anderson taught that, “Faith is not by chance, but by choice.”

We can choose to make the

choices needed to increase our faith in the Savior.

Consider the impact of the choices made when Laman and Lemuel descended the Ladder of Faith while Nephi climbed higher.

Is there a clearer representation than the difference between Nephi’s response of “I will go and do” versus Laman and Lemuel, having just seen an angel, responding with, “How is it possible that God will deliver?”

Unbelief blocks our ability to see miracles,

whereas a mindset of faith in the Savior unlocks the powers of heaven.

Even when our faith is weak,

the Lord's hand will always be stretched out.

Years ago, I received the assignment to reorganize a stake in Nigeria.

At the last minute there was a change in the date.

There was a man in the stake who had decided to skip town for the first conference date.

He did not want to risk being called as the stake president. While he was away,

he was in a terrible accident, but he was unharmed.

This caused him to consider why his life had been spared.

He revisited the decision he had made.

He repented and humbly attended the new conference date.

And yes, he was called to be the new stake president.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Only by aligning our will with God’s

is full happiness to be found.

Anything less results and a lesser portion.”

After doing all things that lie in our power,

then it is time to stand still to see the salvation of God.

I saw this while serving as a ministering brother to the McCormick family. Married for 21 years, Mary Kay served faithfully in her callings.

Ken was not a member of the Church and had no interest in becoming one.

But loving his wife, he chose to attend church with her. One Sunday,

I felt impressed to share my testimony with Ken.

I asked him if I could do so. His response was simple and clear:

“No, thank you.” I was puzzled. I had felt a prompting and tried to follow it.

It was tempting to decide that I had done my part.

But after prayer and reflection, I could see that, though my intentions were correct,

I had relied too much on myself and too little on the Lord.

Later I returned, but with a different mindset.

I would go simply as an instrument in the Lord's hands with no other desire than to follow the Spirit.

Together with my faithful companion, Gerald Cardon, we entered the McCormick home.

Soon after, I felt prompted to invite Gerald to sing

“I Know that My Redeemer Lives.” He gave me a questioning look,

but having faith in my faith, he did it. A beautiful spirit filled the room.

The prompting came to invite Mary Kay and Kristin, their daughter, to share their testimonies. As they did so, the Spirit grew stronger.

In fact, after Kristin's testimony, tears were streaming down Ken's cheeks.

God had taken over. Hearts were not just touched, but changed forever.

Twenty-one years of unbelief were washed away by the power of the Holy Ghost.

A week later, Ken was baptized. A year later,

Ken and Mary Kay were sealed in the House of the Lord for time and for all eternity. Together, we had experienced what it meant to replace our will with the Lord's will

and our faith in Him increased.

Please consider a few questions posed by God's prophets as you strive to climb your Ladder of Faith: Am I stripped of pride?

Do I give place in my heart for the word of God?

Do I allow my afflictions to be consecrated for my gain?

Am I willing to let my will be swallowed up in the will of the Father?

If I have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, can I feel so now?

Do I let God prevail in my life?

If you find your current path in conflict with your faith in the Savior,

then please find your way back to Him.

Your exaltation and that of your posterity depend upon it.

May we plant the seeds of faith deep in our hearts.

May we nourish these seeds as we bind ourselves to the Savior by honoring the covenants we have made with Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We express gratitude to the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the beautiful music they have provided this morning.

The choir will now favor us with “On this Day of Joy and Gladness.”

Our concluding speaker for this session will be President Henry B Eyring,

Second Counselor in the First Presidency.

Following his remarks, the choir will close this meeting by singing “Rejoice, the Lord Is King.” The benediction will then be offered by Sister Camille N. Johnson, who serves as General President of the Primary.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “On This Day of Joy and Gladness”

On this day of joy and gladness, Lord, we praise thy holy name; In this sacred place of worship, We thy glories loud proclaim!

Alleluia, Alleluia, Bright and clear our voices ring,

Singing songs of exultation To our Maker, Lord, and King!

Open wide the fount of Zion; Let her richest blessings flow

To the Saints who nobly serve thee In the gospel here below.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Bright and clear our voices ring, Singing songs of exultation To our Maker, Lord, and King!

May we labor in the kingdom— By the prophets long foretold— Where the children of the promise Shall be gathered in the fold.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Bright and clear our voices ring,

Singing songs of exultation To our Maker, Lord, and King! Singing songs of exultation To our Maker, Lord, and King!

Lord, and King!

My dear brothers and sisters,

we have been blessed today to hear inspired servants of God

give counsel and encouragement.

Each of us, wherever we are, knows that we live in increasingly perilous times.

My prayer is that I might help you stand steady in the storms we face with a peaceful heart.

The place to begin is to remember that we are each a beloved child of God

and that He has inspired servants.

Those servants of God have foreseen the times in which we live.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”

Anyone with eyes to see the signs of the times and ears to hear

the words of prophets know that is true.

The perils of greatest danger come to us from the forces of wickedness.

Those forces are increasing.

And so it will become more difficult, not easier,

to honor the covenants we must make and keep to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For those of us who are concerned for ourselves and for those we love,

there is hope in the promise God has made of a place of safety in the storms ahead. Here is a word picture of that place.

It has been repeatedly described by living prophets. For example, as recorded in the Book of Mormon,

an inspired and loving father told his sons how to strengthen themselves

to stand steady in the storms ahead of them, open quote:

“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our

Redeemer, who is Christ, the son of God, that you 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,...whereon if men build, they cannot fall.”

The misery and endless woe of which he spoke are the terrible effects of sins

should we not fully repent of them.

The growing storms are the temptations and the increasing attacks of Satan.

It has never been more important than it is now to understand how to build

on that sure foundation. For me, there is no better place to look than in the last sermon of King Benjamin,

also recorded in the Book of Mormon.

King Benjamin's prophetic words are applicable to us in our day.

He knew from his own experience the terrors of war.

He had defended his people in combat, relying on the power of God.

He saw clearly the terrible powers of Lucifer to tempt,

to try to overcome, and discourage God’s children.

He invited his people and us to build on the only sure rock of safety, who is the Savior.

He made clear that we are free to choose between right and wrong

and that we cannot avoid the consequences of our choices.

He spoke directly and sharply

because he knew what sorrow would come to those who might not heed his warnings. Here is how he described

the consequences that follow our choice either to follow the promptings of the Spirit or to follow the evil messages that come from Satan,

whose intent is to tempt and destroy us.

Open quote: “For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that [evil] spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and diet in his sins,

the same drinketh damnation to his own soul;

for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment,

having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge. ...

Therefore, if that man repenteth not and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul

to a lively sense of his own guilt,

which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord,

and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which

is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.” Close quote. King Benjamin went on to say,

“O, all ye old men, and also ye young men,

and you little children who can understand my words,

for I have spoken plainly unto you that you might understand,

I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression,” close quote.

For me, the power of that warning to repent forms in my mind a picture of the sure time when you and I will stand before the Savior, after this life.

We want with all our hearts not to shrink

but rather to look up at Him, and see Him smile, and hear Him say, “Well done,

thou good and faithful servant:... enter [in],” close quote.

King Benjamin makes it clear how we can receive the hope to hear those words if we find the way in this life to have our natures changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

That is the only way we build on the sure foundation and so stand firm during the storms of temptations and trials ahead.

King Benjamin describes that change in our natures with a beautiful metaphor that has always touched my heart.

It was used by prophets for millennia and by the Lord Himself.

It is this: we must become as a child—a little child.

Now for some, that will not be easy to accept. Most of us want to be strong.

You may well see being like a child as being weak.

In fact, most parents look for the day when their children act less childish.

But King Benjamin, who understood as well as any mortal what it meant to be a man of strength and courage,

makes it clear that to be like a child is not to be childish.

It is to be like the Savior who prayed to His Father for strength

to be able to do His Father’s will and atone for the sins of all of His Father’s children. And then did it.

Our natures must be changed to become as a child to gain the strength we must have to stand steady and at peace in times of peril.

Here is King Benjamin’s stirring description of how that change comes,

open quote: “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man

and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,

and becometh as a child, submissive, meek,

humble, patient, full of love,

willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father,”

close quote. We receive that change as we make and renew covenants with God.

That brings the power of Christ’s Atonement to allow that transformation in our hearts. We can feel it every time we partake of the sacrament,

perform a temple ordinance for a departed ancestor,

testify as a witness of the Savior, or care for someone in need

as Christ’s disciples. In those experiences,

we become over time like a child in our capacity to love and obey.

We come then to stand on the sure foundation. Our faith in

Jesus Christ brings us to repentance and to keeping His commandments.

We obey, and we gain power to resist temptation,

and we gain the promised companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Our natures change to become as a little child,

obedient to God and more loving.

That change will qualify us to enjoy the gifts that come through the Holy Ghost. Having the Spirit’s companionship will comfort, guide,

and strengthen us. I have come to know some of what King Benjamin meant when he said that we could become like a little child before God.

I have learned from many experiences that the Holy Ghost speaks most often in a quiet voice,

heard most easily when one's heart is meek and submissive like that of a child. In fact, the prayer that works is “I only want what you want.

Just tell me what that is. I’ll do it.”

When the storms in life come,

you can be steady because you are standing on the rock of your faith in Jesus Christ.

That faith will lead you to daily repentance

and consistent covenant keeping. Then you will always remember Him.

And through the storms of hatred and wickedness,

you will feel steady and hopeful.

More than that, you will find yourself reaching out to lift others to safety on the rock with you. Faith in Jesus Christ always leads to greater hope

and to feelings of charity towards others,

which is the true love of Christ.

I bear you, my solemn witness,

that the Lord Jesus Christ has given you personally

the invitation to Come unto Him.

He invites you, out of love for you and for those you love, to come to Him for peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

He knows perfectly the storms you will face in your test as part of the plan of happiness. I plead with you to accept the Savior's invitation.

Like a meek and loving child, accept His help.

Make and keep the covenants He offers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They will strengthen you.

The Savior knows the storms and the places of safety

on your way home to Him and to His Heavenly Father. He knows the way.

He is the way. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Rejoice, the Lord Is King!”

Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore! Mortals, give thanks and sing And triumph evermore. Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

The Lord, the Savior, reigns, The God of truth and love.

When he had purged our stains, He took his seat above.

Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice!

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail; He rules o’er earth and heav’n. The keys of death and hell To Christ the Lord are giv’n. Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice! Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope! Our Lord and Judge shall come,

And take His servants up to their eternal home;

Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice! Rejoice!

Rejoice!

Our Father in Heaven, our hearts do indeed rejoice at the love that Thou continues to bestow upon us.

We are thankful for the beautiful plan of happiness that allows us to return home to Thee because of the sacrifice and Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And we express our love for Him. Father in Heaven,

we pray that the cheerful optimism that we have felt this day will continue to be ours as we heed the counsel of our beloved prophet and the prophets, seers, and revelators and others who will address us. Father, we know that there are many amongst us who are suffering,

and we pray, Father in Heaven, that that peace and hope available through our Savior Jesus Christ will be theirs. We pray that we might be instruments in Thy hands to relieve their distress. Now we call upon the powers of heaven to attend our missionaries. We pray for their success in their endeavors,

and we are thankful for the Holy Ghost that has attended us in these proceedings and pray that Thy Spirit will continue to bide with us in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.

This has been a broadcast of the Saturday morning session of the 192nd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Speakers were selected from leaders 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.