Scripture Sunday
"When you align yourself with God's purpose as described in the Scriptures, something special happens to your life."
John 14:6
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Elder Stanley G. Ellis gave a wonderful talk on this topic in the April 2013 General Conference:
Seventy
I serve as a Seventy. The Seventy are called to be messengers-to share the word of the Lord as we receive it from the apostles and prophets and from the Spirit and to be especial witnesses of the name of Christ in preaching the gospel in all the world, in building up the Church and regulating its affairs (see D&C 107:25, 34).
Farm Boy
I grew up on a farm near Burley, Idaho-a real "Idaho farm boy!" As such I learned:
To work-if you don't plant, you don't harvest.
To work smart-if you irrigate and fertilize, you harvest more.
The importance of timing-if you don't plant at the right time, an early frost can destroy the harvest.
To do what is needed or ought to be done regardless of what is enjoyable, preferable, or convenient-you milk the cow when she needs to be milked, not when you want to.
To be direct-with livestock and machinery involved, you don't have time to "beat around the bush" or to worry about being politically correct. (In this respect, as I have served throughout the Church, I have often asked, "Do you want me to speak directly or with sugar?" As a rule the Saints have chosen "direct!" I will be direct today.)
Finally, as an Idaho farm boy, I learned to stick to the basics.
Nothing is more basic to all of us, and our doctrine, than the truths of the first article of faith: "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost" (Articles of Faith 1:1).
Further, He is our Heavenly Father, who knows us, loves us, and wants us to return to Him. Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, who through the Atonement made it certain we will overcome death and live again and possible for us to be exalted and have eternal life. The Holy Ghost is our comforter, revelator, teacher, testifier, and guide.
Think of it, brothers and sisters-we are not spiritual orphans! We are not alone.
What are the advantages of having parents-of not being an orphan? We can learn from them, benefit from their experience, avoid pitfalls they warn us about, and understand better because of their perspective. We don't have to be lost, confused, deceived, or less effective. This is especially true in the case of our Heavenly Father, who has taught us and shown us not just a way but the way.
God Has the Way
In fact, God has the way to live, to love, to help, to pray, to talk, to interact with each other, to lead, to marry, to raise children, to learn, to know the truth, to share the gospel, to choose wisely what we eat, etc.
Along with the scriptures, some great sources for finding the Lord's way are True to the Faith, For the Strength of Youth, and other teachings of the living apostles and prophets.
For example, the Lord has taught us in the scriptures:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
One of the evils of these last days is that "every man walketh in his own way" (D&C 1:16). In Proverbs we are warned to "be not wise in thine own eyes" and to "lean not unto thine own understanding" (see Proverbs 3:5-7).
We are taught that if we do things the Lord's way, He is bound to bless us and we have claim to His promises; and if not His way, we have no promise (see D&C 82:10).
The Lord contrasted His way with our way in His training of the prophet Samuel, who was sent to find a new king: "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
Even with the universally accepted desire to help the poor and needy, the Lord concurs in our goal but warns, "But it must needs be done in mine own way" (D&C 104:16). Otherwise, in our efforts to help, we may actually hurt them. The Lord has taught us the need to promote self-reliance. Even if we are able to help, we should not give or provide what they can and should do for themselves. Everywhere it is tried, the world learns the evils of the dole. Truly God knows best.
Let's consider some other examples. The Lord has the way to do missionary work. It is codified in the scriptures and in Preach My Gospel and implemented as guided by the Spirit.
The Lord has His way, or the way, to love. Those of the world say that what really matters is that two people love each other. Our Father in Heaven teaches that this is important, but He teaches us more: that there is an authorized way and time to express that love.
Governing Ourselves
Joseph Smith was taught from his youth the ways of the Lord. When asked how he led the Church, he explained that he taught correct principles and the members governed themselves. Brothers and sisters, our living apostles and prophets are still teaching correct principles. The question is "Are we using these principles to govern ourselves?"
One thing we have often been taught is to bloom where we are planted. Yet sometimes we are tempted to migrate to some new area, thinking our children will have more friends and therefore better youth programs.
Brothers and sisters, do we really think the critical factor in the salvation of our children is the neighborhood where we live? The apostles and prophets have often taught that what happens inside the home is far more important than what our children encounter outside. How we raise our children is more important than where we raise them.
Certainly there are other factors involved in deciding where to live, and thankfully, the Lord will guide us if we seek His confirmation.
Another question is "Where are we needed?" For 16 years I served in the presidency of the Houston Texas North Stake. Many moved to our area during those years. We would often receive a phone call announcing someone moving in and asking which was the best ward. Only once in 16 years did I receive a call asking, "Which ward needs a good family? Where can we help?"
In the early years of the Church, President Brigham Young and others would call members to go to a certain place to build up the Church there. The irony is that even now we have faithful Church members everywhere who would go anywhere the prophet asked them to go. Do we really expect President Monson to individually tell more than 14 million of us where our family is needed? The Lord's way is that we hearken to our leaders' teachings, understand correct principles, and govern ourselves.
Especially Important
With all that is happening in the Church today, and as the Lord is hastening His work on every side, it is even more critically important that we do all we do in His way!
Especially in the work of salvation, we learn that "in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way" (Ether 12:11). The doctrine of Christ "is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God" (2 Nephi 31:21).
Conclusion
As we see so many in the world today living in confusion or, worse, wandering in forbidden paths and suffering unnecessarily the consequences of poor choices, it makes me want to exclaim as did Alma:
"O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
"Yea, I would declare unto every soul ... the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God [and His ways], that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth" (Alma 29:1-2).
Again, I witness the Lord has the way! Our Heavenly Father knows us, loves us, and wants to help. He knows best how to help. We are not spiritual orphans!
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6; see also Alma 38:9). His way is based on eternal truth and leads us to "peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come" (D&C 59:23). I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen
.John 3:5
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

Elder David A. Bednar spoke about how we can always have a remission of our sins in the most recent General Conference:
A profound phrase used by King Benjamin in his teachings about the Savior and His Atonement has been a recurring topic of my study and pondering for many years.
In his spiritually stirring farewell sermon to the people he had served and loved, King Benjamin described the importance of knowing the glory of God and tasting of His love, of receiving a remission of sins, of always remembering the greatness of God, and of praying daily and standing steadfastly in the faith. He also promised that by doing these things, "ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins."
My message focuses upon the principle of always retaining a remission of our sins. The truth expressed in this phrase can strengthen our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and deepen our discipleship. I pray the Holy Ghost will inspire and edify us as we consider together essential spiritual truths.
Spiritual Rebirth
In mortality we experience physical birth and the opportunity for spiritual rebirth. We are admonished by prophets and apostles to awake unto God, be "born again," and become new creatures in Christ by receiving in our lives the blessings made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The "merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" can help us triumph over the self-centered and selfish tendencies of the natural man and become more selfless, benevolent, and saintly. We are exhorted to so live that we can "stand spotless before [the Lord] at the last day."
The Holy Ghost and Priesthood Ordinances
The Prophet Joseph Smith summarized succinctly the essential role of priesthood ordinances in the gospel of Jesus Christ: "Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances." This penetrating statement emphasizes the roles of both the Holy Ghost and sacred ordinances in the process of spiritual rebirth.
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit and bears witness of all truth. In the scriptures, the Holy Ghost is referred to as the Comforter, a teacher, and a revelator. Additionally, the Holy Ghost is a sanctifier who cleanses and burns dross and evil out of human souls as though by fire.
Holy ordinances are central in the Savior's gospel and in the process of coming unto Him and seeking spiritual rebirth. Ordinances are sacred acts that have spiritual purpose, eternal significance, and are related to God's laws and statutes. All saving ordinances and the ordinance of the sacrament must be authorized by one who holds the requisite priesthood keys.
The ordinances of salvation and exaltation administered in the Lord's restored Church are far more than rituals or symbolic performances. Rather, they constitute authorized channels through which the blessings and powers of heaven can flow into our individual lives.
"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh."
Ordinances received and honored with integrity are essential to obtaining the power of godliness and all of the blessings made available through the Savior's Atonement.
Obtaining and Retaining a Remission of Sins through Ordinances
To comprehend more fully the process whereby we may obtain and always retain a remission of our sins, we need first to understand the inseparable relationship among three sacred ordinances that provide access to the powers of heaven: baptism by immersion, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament.
Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins "is the introductory ordinance of the gospel" of Jesus Christ and must be preceded by faith in the Savior and by sincere repentance. This ordinance "is a sign and a commandment which God has set for [His children] to enter into His kingdom." Baptism is administered in the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood. In the process of coming unto the Savior and spiritual rebirth, baptism provides a necessary initial cleansing of our soul from sin.
The baptismal covenant includes three fundamental commitments: (1) to be willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, (2) to always remember Him, and (3) to keep His commandments. The promised blessing for honoring this covenant is "that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]." Thus, baptism is the essential preparation to receive the authorized opportunity for the constant companionship of the third member of the Godhead.
"Baptism [by] water ... must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete." As the Savior taught Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Three statements by the Prophet Joseph Smith emphasize the vital linkage between the ordinances of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Statement 1: "Baptism is a holy ordinance preparatory to the reception of the Holy Ghost; it is the channel and key by which the Holy Ghost will be administered."
Statement 2: "You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half-that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost."
Statement 3: "The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use. They are necessarily and inseparably connected."
The consistent connectedness among the principle of repentance, the ordinances of baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the glorious blessing of the remission of sins is emphasized repeatedly in the scriptures.
Nephi declared, "For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost."
The Savior Himself proclaimed, "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day."
Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost is an ordinance administered in the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. In the process of coming unto the Savior and spiritual rebirth, receiving the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost in our lives creates the possibility of an ongoing cleansing of our soul from sin. This joyous blessing is vital because "no unclean thing can dwell with God."
As members of the Lord's restored Church, we are blessed both by our initial cleansing from sin associated with baptism and by the potential for an ongoing cleansing from sin made possible through the companionship and power of the Holy Ghost-even the third member of the Godhead.
Consider how a farmer depends upon the unchanging pattern of planting and harvesting. Understanding the connection between sowing and reaping is a constant source of purpose and influences all of the decisions and actions a farmer undertakes in all seasons of the year. In like manner, the inseparable connection between the ordinances of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost should impact every aspect of our discipleship in all seasons of our lives.
The sacrament is the third ordinance necessary to obtain access to the power of godliness. That we might more fully keep ourselves unspotted from the world, we are commanded to go to the house of prayer and offer up our sacraments upon the Lord's holy day. Please consider that the emblems of the Lord's body and blood, the bread and the water, are both blessed and sanctified. "O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread [or this water] to the souls of all those who partake [or drink] of it." To sanctify is to make pure and holy. The sacramental emblems are sanctified in remembrance of Christ's purity, of our total dependence upon His Atonement, and of our responsibility to so honor our ordinances and covenants that we can "stand spotless before [Him] at the last day."
The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually. The act of partaking of the sacrament, in and of itself, does not remit sins. But as we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins.
We truly are blessed each week by the opportunity to evaluate our lives through the ordinance of the sacrament, to renew our covenants, and to receive this covenant promise.
Baptized Again
Sometimes Latter-day Saints express the wish that they could be baptized again-and thereby become as clean and worthy as the day on which they received their first saving gospel ordinance. May I respectfully suggest that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son do not intend for us to experience such a feeling of spiritual renewal, refreshment, and restoration just once in our lives. The blessings of obtaining and always retaining a remission of our sins through gospel ordinances help us understand that baptism is a point of departure in our mortal spiritual journey; it is not a destination we should yearn to revisit over and over again.
The ordinances of baptism by immersion, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament are not isolated and discrete events; rather, they are elements in an interrelated and additive pattern of redemptive progress. Each successive ordinance elevates and enlarges our spiritual purpose, desire, and performance. The Father's plan, the Savior's Atonement, and the ordinances of the gospel provide the grace we need to press forward and progress line upon line and precept upon precept toward our eternal destiny.
Promise and Testimony
We are imperfect human beings striving to live in mortality according to Heavenly Father's perfect plan of eternal progression. The requirements of His plan are glorious, merciful, and rigorous. We may at times be filled with determination and at other times feel totally inadequate. We may wonder if we spiritually can ever fulfill the commandment to stand spotless before Him at the last day.
With the help of the Lord and through the power of His Spirit to "teach [us] all things," indeed we can be blessed to realize our spiritual possibilities. Ordinances invite spiritual purpose and power into our lives as we strive to be born again and become men and women of Christ. Our weaknesses can be strengthened, and our limitations can be overcome.
Although none of us can achieve perfection in this life, we can become increasingly worthy and spotless as we are "cleansed by the blood of the Lamb." I promise and testify we will be blessed with increased faith in the Savior and greater spiritual assurance as we seek to always retain a remission of our sins and, ultimately, to stand spotless before the Lord at the last day. I so witness in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Luke 24:36-39
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
"But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
"Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Not all of His Saints have seen the Savior in this mortal live. In fact, there are more who haven't than have. Howard W. Hunter spoke about this and Christ's life in the October 1968 General Conference:
During this conference we have sat at the feet of great teachers, men whom we sustain as our leaders, men who have faith in God. My thoughts have been lifted and my testimony has been strengthened. I am thankful to my brethren and I express appreciation to them for the forthright manner in which they have raised their voices to witness that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of all mankind.
Evidence of a creator
I, too, know that God lives. There is ample evidence of this fact, but concrete proof is not necessary to those who have faith. All nature portrays the existence of a supreme being. In this material world, we have learned that every building has a builder and everything that is made has a maker. As we look at this Tabernacle, the great organ that has been played for us, the clock on the wall, the camera that carries the image to the world, the lights, the microphones before me, we realize that each of these had its maker. Outside those things made by man, all of nature whispers to my reasoning that there was a creator. I know this to be God.
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth". There was a divine plan. For every plan there must have been a planner, and for every creation there must have been a creator. Could the perfect universe emerge without a divine plan? Could it have come about by some mechanical chance? Such thoughts are against the stronger reasoning. Such belief could not be supported in view of the tangible evidence which portrays that there is a supreme being, one who had a divine plan, one who was the Creator and the builder of the universe.
Creation of man
Not only did God plan and create the heavens and the earth, but the plan also included the creation of man. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them". Thus we are his creation; we are literally his children, in his image and likeness. This would necessarily include the intellect, which distinguishes man from all other animal life. We are creatures of the flesh as well as the spirit, and the great striving in life is to develop the spirit as well as the physical body. True growth is dependent upon our conscious effort in lifting our awareness above and beyond those things which are physical.
As children of God, we learn in our young years to know our Heavenly Father in a childlike way, and if we follow the right course, the time comes when we understand the larger meaning of this relationship to our Heavenly Parent. We realize that we are made in his spiritual image as well as his physical image. In our more spiritual maturity, a whole new vista of reality opens to as; and we commence to understand the statement of Paul, who said, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God".
Divinity of Christ
Not only do I believe that God lives, but I believe that his Son, Jesus Christ, also lives, and is the Savior of all mankind. Our day is one in which there is a great diversity of belief with regard to many fundamental statements of scripture. Modernists deny the virgin birth of Jesus. They deny his divine power demonstrated by the many miracles he performed during his short ministry.
Modernists dispute that the Master voluntarily offered himself to atone for the sins of mankind, and they deny that there was in fact such an atonement. It is our firm belief that it is a reality, and nothing is more important in the entire divine plan of salvation than the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We believe that salvation comes because of the atonement. In its absence the whole plan of creation would come to naught. Jesus said, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
"No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father". Without this atoning sacrifice, temporal death would be the end, and there would be no resurrection and no purpose in our spiritual lives. There would be no hope of eternal life.
Resurrection of Jesus
Those who call themselves modernists deny the fact that Jesus rose from the tomb with the same body that he laid down, and many deny the fact that he was indeed resurrected. Latter-day Saints believe in the literal resurrection of Christ in precisely the same manner described by the writers of the New Testament. From their record we learn that the same body of flesh and bones that was taken from the cross and laid in the tomb did come forth to live again. After this event, those who had been with him during his ministry were discussing what had been said of his resurrection:
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
"But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
"Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have".
Ascension of Jesus
Modernists refute the fact of his ascension, but Luke testifies as to what took place on that occasion after the resurrected Savior had given instructions to the apostles:
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
"And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight".
Divine sonship attested
God the Father attested to the divinity of the sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ at the very commencement of his ministry:
"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased".
He was the Creator of the earth, for he said, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name".
God the Father also attested to his saviorship when speaking to Moses: "And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth".
His birth foretold
In the Old Testament the birth of the Master was foretold in the Book of Isaiah: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel". And in the Book of Micah, we are told he would be born in Bethlehem.
Thus the ancient prophets testified of his divine birth and mission, and the New Testament confirms the happenings foretold by these Old Testament prophets and bears witness of that virgin birth and divine mission of the Savior. Peter said, "And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins".
Testimony of Apostle John
One of the greatest testimonies and witnesses of the divinity of Christ that has ever been penned was written by the apostle John in his gospel, one of the simplest yet most profound books in the New Testament. After Simon Peter and his brother were called by Jesus to follow him, he saw John and his brother James "mending their nets; and he called them.
"And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him".
John was well qualified to attest to the divinity of the Master, because he was with him from this time throughout the remainder of his ministry. He was chosen by Jesus as one of the twelve, and was one of the three apostles who were closest to Jesus. He was present when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, when Jesus was transfigured, when Jesus went apart to pray in Gethsemane. He was sent with Peter to prepare the Passover. He was with the twelve at the appearance of the Savior after his resurrection and at the time of his ascension. No one could be more qualified to testify of him.
"The Word"
In writing the prologue to his gospel, John commenced with these words: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
"The same was in the beginning with God".
The phrase "in the beginning" echoes the opening words of the Old Testament. John refers to Jesus as the "Word," a title given to him in many instances in both the New and the Old Testament. He continues: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." This statement leaves no room for an exception-all things were made by him. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not".
The life mentioned is life eternal, which he revealed to the world, which he promised to his believers, which he died to give them, to which he will raise them up, because he hath the life in himself. He is the resurrection and the life. The darkness mentioned is the state of man's mind, which drags him down, that he does not comprehend.
Mission of John the Baptist
The evangelist then explains that the mission of John the Baptist is inferior to that of Jesus: "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
"The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
"He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light".
In other words, the immediate purpose of the mission of John the Baptist was to bear witness that Jesus was the true Light, the true teacher of the way of life eternal, and to invite men to believe in him for the remission of their sins and be baptized. John the Baptist was not the Messiah or the leader of a great movement; he was the herald and witness, bearing testimony to the nature and divine titles of Jesus, and the witness through whom God attested the divine sonship of Jesus.
The true Light
After stating that the mission of the Baptist was to bear witness of the Light, John continues his testimony of Jesus: "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
"He came unto his own, and his own received him not".
Why was it at that time or why is it now that some will not receive him? No doubt they had expected something entirely different. They were looking for a leader in political and social reform and they had little interest in spiritual things. "The world was made by him, and the world knew him not." There are those today who pass him by without recognizing him.
True sons of God
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God".
Thus, to those who have faith in him is given the right or the authority to become the sons of God. The fatherhood of God is universal in the sense that we are all his created children, but those who believe in Christ, who accept him as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, have the right to become true sons of God. This is a gift of God dependent upon faith in Christ.
In conclusion, John states his purpose for the writing of this theological message in these words: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name". This is John's witness, and this apostolic testimony has been preserved and comes down to us as a record of what the first witnesses saw with their own eyes and heard with their own ears.
As John infers, this record sets forth the historic facts, but merely accepting the facts will not produce belief. There is a bigger faith than one which comes from seeing and hearing, a faith that can dispense with tangible proof and visible evidence. It is the faith that comes from reliance upon the word of the Lord. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
Evidences in this day
These are the attestations to the divinity of Jesus Christ by God the Father, by the prophets of the Old Testament, by those who were with him in his ministry, by those who, after a study of the facts, are touched by the Spirit and have faith. In addition, there are many other evidences of his divinity in this day. I refer to the marvelous first vision in which the Father and the Son appeared to the boy Prophet, the revelations to the Prophet for the benefit of the Saints, the organization of this Church in these latter-days, the missionary work, the temple work for the living and the dead, the testimony of a present living prophet.
If, after all of the cumulative evidence and all of these testimonies, Christ should be eliminated from our belief, what would be the result? This would not be his Church; the Bible would fall as the word of God; there would be no hope of a literal resurrection; there would be no assurance of eternal life. But Christ is not eliminated from our belief. His divinity is a reality, and to all of the testimonies that have been borne of him, we add our witness.
I have intended these statements to represent my belief, my conviction, my witness that God lives; that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that this is his Church; that there is a prophet of the Lord on the earth today who speaks the will of the Lord to his children. This is a restatement of our belief, our testimony, and the teachings of this conference by those whom we sustain as our leaders. I pray the Lord to bless us with this abiding faith, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Matthew 28:19-20
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Silvia H. Allred gave the following talk in the October 2008 General Conference:
The Lord taught that "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Baptism is, therefore, essential for our salvation.
Before the resurrected Savior ascended to heaven, He instructed His disciples, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."
At the time of the Restoration, He repeated His mandate: "Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people."
The Lord's Church has the responsibility to preach the gospel in the world. This is the foundation of missionary work, and the duty of our missionaries is to "invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."
I would like to speak and testify of the significant impact and the blessings of missionary work in the lives of converts, future generations, and missionaries and of how we can participate in missionary work.
When I was 14 years old, on a beautiful August morning, Elder Prina and Elder Perkins knocked at our door. They began teaching our family about the true nature of God. In the visits that followed, they taught us how to pray. They also taught us about the Restoration and the plan of salvation. After the third or fourth visit, most of my family stopped listening to the missionaries, except for my 17-year-old sister, Dina, and me. We both felt the witness of the Holy Ghost in our hearts and received the spiritual confirmation that the message was true.
We bought a copy of the Book of Mormon and began reading it. Every day after school, we would race home to get to the book first. While the first one home was reading, the other one impatiently waited until mealtime, ate in a hurry, and then took her turn reading until bedtime. Such was the excitement we felt. We started attending church, and soon we asked to be baptized. Our father readily gave his permission, but our mother was hesitant, and it took one more month to persuade her to sign the permission slip. On the day of our baptism, she and the rest of our siblings went to church for the first time. She felt the Spirit. After hearing our testimonies, she went to the missionaries and asked them to start teaching her again. A few weeks later, Mother and our younger sister and brothers were baptized. My life changed forever, and the gospel of Jesus Christ became the compelling force in my life.
Words fail to express the deep feelings of gratitude for the Lord and the missionaries He sent to our home. The Lord blessed me with the knowledge of the restored gospel, and I felt an urgency to share this knowledge with others. I wanted to be a missionary.
Within months, my sister Dina and I were called as local missionaries in San Salvador. This calling gave us the opportunity to go door to door to share the glad news of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and bring many people to the waters of baptism. In due time, we both served full-time missions in the Central America Mission.
My mission had a great impact on my life. I learned to rely more on the Lord, to seek the guidance of the Spirit, and to feel an overwhelming love for God's children. My knowledge of the scriptures and my understanding of the doctrines increased. So did my desire to be obedient and to keep the commandments with exactness. My testimony of the Savior and His infinite Atonement was strengthened. My missionary experiences became part of who and what I am. Missionary work became my passion. It has impacted my life and that of my family more than anything else.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland describes the impact his mission has had in his life with these words: "My mission means everything to me 47 years after the fact. There may have been one day in those 47 years that I have not thought of my mission; I'm just not sure what day that would have been."
A couple of years ago, my grandson Christian was turning eight and planning his baptismal service with great anticipation. He asked his mother if I could be one of the speakers and share my conversion story. When I asked him why he wanted me to do that, he replied, "Grandma, that is so important. Do you realize that if you hadn't accepted the gospel, I wouldn't be getting baptized? I wouldn't even be who I am."
I don't know if missionaries realize the far-reaching impact of their work. In my own family, the blessings of the gospel have now touched four generations. Didn't President Gordon B. Hinckley say that "when we save a girl, we save generations"? I got married in the temple and have eight children. They are all faithful members of the Church, endowed in the temple. Six of them are now married and have their own children. At present there are 34 of us. And that is not all. Both my husband and I served missions, and our two sons and three of our six daughters have also served missions. Collectively we have helped hundreds embrace the gospel in many countries. Some of those converts and their children have also served missions.
Missionary work is the lifeblood of the Church. There is no greater work, no more important work. It blesses the lives of all those who participate in it. It will continue blessing future generations.
You might be asking yourself: How can I assist in missionary work? In what ways can I participate? There are two fundamental truths to keep in mind as you embark on the work. First, have a clear understanding that God loves all His children and desires their salvation. In Doctrine and Covenants 18:13 we read, "And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth." Second, our message of Christ and His restored gospel is the most important gift you have to give.
As outlined in Preach My Gospel, missionary work is a four-fold endeavor: finding investigators, teaching and baptizing, fellowshipping new members, and fellowshipping and teaching less-active members. Every member of the Church-children, youth, and adults-can assist in any or all of these efforts.
Begin by being a good neighbor and a good friend. Set an example of righteousness and kindness. Let your smile radiate love, peace, and happiness. Live a gospel-centered life.
Then, be more specific in your missionary efforts. Let me suggest some ideas. You might find two or three that work for you:
If you have children at home, help prepare them for missionary service.
Prepare yourself for missionary service.
Invite family and friends to listen to the missionaries or to attend our Church meetings and activities.
Accompany the missionaries to investigators' homes, or invite the missionaries to teach nonmembers in your home.
Invite people to a family home evening in your home.
Invite people to a family history center, or help them do family history research.
Give referrals to the missionaries. Members can be the greatest and best source of referrals.
Share your beliefs and testimony with nonmember friends and family.
Seek for opportunities to reach out to others.
Extend friendship to investigators and new converts.
Give your best efforts to finding those who are seeking the truth.
If you have family members or friends on missions, send them letters of love and encouragement, and pray for them.
You will experience joy in the fruits of your labor. A greater enthusiasm for missionary work will strengthen your entire ward or branch. The whole Church will feel the effects of your labor.
When our daughter Margie was in the second grade, she invited her best friend to go with her to Primary. Both were assigned parts for the sacrament meeting presentation. Her friend's father had rejected the missionaries in the past, but when Margie showed up in his house with a handful of Church pamphlets, he listened carefully to her simple explanations and testimony of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. He not only allowed his daughter to continue going to Primary but also gave her permission to receive the lessons from the missionaries and be baptized. He and his wife attended the baptismal service.
We can all participate in missionary work. This is the Lord's work, and He will help us do it. His gospel has to go to every nation, and we can be instruments in His hands to bless the lives of others by sharing with them His truth. We will be greatly blessed in the process.
We are the children of a loving Heavenly Father. He sent His Son to open the way so we can live with Him forever. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Matthew 22:36-39
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
"This is the first and great commandment.
"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

President Monson gave the following talk in the October 1985 General Conference:
Driving on the modern freeways during the sunshine of summer is often a pleasant experience. Frequently, one can view the grandeur of majestic mountains and the mesmerizing surf of the sea all in a single drive. However, when the traffic is heavy, the mountains and seas are set aside, and concentration is focused on the car ahead. Such was the occasion when I read with keen interest the words of a bumper sticker readily visible on the highly polished chrome bumper of a car which was weaving in and out of the traffic stream. The words were these: "Honk if you love Jesus." No one honked. Perhaps each was disturbed by the thoughtless and rude actions of the offending driver. Then, again, would honking be an appropriate manner in which to show one's love for the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer of all mankind? Such was not the pattern provided by Jesus of Nazareth.
The importance of demonstrating daily a true and an abiding love was convincingly taught by the Master when the inquiring lawyer stepped forward and boldly asked him, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"
Matthew records that "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
"This is the first and great commandment.
"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Mark concludes the account with the Savior's statement, "There is none other commandment greater than these."
His answer could not be faulted. His very actions gave credence to His words. He demonstrated genuine love of God by living the perfect life, by honoring the sacred mission that was His. Never was He haughty. Never was He puffed up with pride. Never was He disloyal. Ever was He humble. Ever was He sincere. Ever was He true.
Though He was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by that master of deceit, even the devil; though He was physically weakened from fasting forty days and forty nights and was an hungered; yet when the evil one proffered Jesus the most alluring and tempting proposals, He gave to us a divine example of true love of God by refusing to deviate from what He knew was right.
Jesus, throughout His ministry, blessed the sick, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear and the maimed to walk. He taught forgiveness by forgiving. He taught compassion by being compassionate. He taught devotion by giving of Himself. Jesus taught by example.
As we survey the life of our Lord, each of us could echo the words of the well-known hymn:
I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
("I Stand All Amazed," Hymns, 1985, no. 193.)
To demonstrate our gratitude, is it required that we, too, lay down our lives as did He? Some have.
In the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia, there is situated in an impressive setting a historic war memorial. As one walks through the memorial's silent corridors, one sees tablets of marble that note the deeds of valor and acts of courage of those who made the supreme sacrifice. One can almost hear the roar of the cannon, the scream of the rocket, the cry of the wounded. One can feel the exhilaration of victory and, at the same time, sense the despair of defeat.
In the center of the main hall, inscribed for all to see, is the message of the memorial. The skylight overhead permits easy reading. The words almost stand up and speak: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Today, the challenge which we face and must meet is not that we should go forth on the battlefield of war and lay down our lives. Rather, it is that we, on the battlefield of life, so live and serve that our lives and actions reflect a true love of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and of our fellowmen. This is not accomplished by clever signs printed on bumper stickers affixed to automobiles.
Jesus teaches us: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. ...
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
Years ago we danced to a popular song, the words of which were, "It's easy to say I love you, easy to say I'll be true, easy to say these simple things, but prove it by the things you do."
From our lessons learned in Primary we remember the poem entitled "Which Loved Best?"
"I love you, Mother," said little [John];
Then, forgetting his work, his cap went on,
And he was off to the garden swing,
And left her the water and wood to bring.
"I love you, Mother," said rosy Nell-
"I love you better than tongue can tell";
Then she teased and pouted full half the day,
Till her mother rejoiced when she went to play.
"I love you, Mother," said little Fan;
"Today I'll help you all I can;
How glad I am that school doesn't keep!"
So she rocked the babe till it fell asleep.
Then, stepping softly, she fetched the broom,
And swept the floor and tidied the room;
Busy and happy all day was she,
Helpful and happy as child could be.
"I love you, Mother," again they said,
Three little children going to bed;
How do you think that Mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?
(Joy Allison, The World's Best Loved Poems, New York: Harper and Row, 1955, pp. 243-44.)
Years pass. Childhood vanishes. Truth remains. The transition from Primary's poems to today's truths is not difficult. True love continues to be an outward expression of an inward conviction.
Today, on a gentle rise in the historic city of Freiberg, German Democratic Republic, there stands a beautiful, dedicated temple of God. The temple provides the ultimate-even the eternal-blessings of a loving Heavenly Father to His faithful Saints.
Ten years ago, on a Sunday morning, April 27, 1975, I stood on an outcropping of rock situated between the cities of Dresden and Meissen, high above the Elbe River. I responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and offered a prayer of dedication on that land and its people. That prayer noted the faith of the members. It emphasized the tender feelings of many hearts filled with an overwhelming desire to obtain temple blessings. A plea for peace was expressed. Divine help was requested. I voiced the words, "Dear Father, let this be the beginning of a new day for the members of Thy church in this land."
Suddenly, from far below in the valley, a bell in a church steeple began to chime and the shrill crow of a rooster broke the morning silence, each heralding the commencement of a new day. Though my eyes were closed, I felt a warmth from the sun's rays reaching my face, my hands, my arms. How could this be? An incessant rain had been falling all morning. At the conclusion of the prayer, I gazed heavenward. I noted a ray of sunshine which penetrated an opening in the heavy clouds, a ray which engulfed the spot where our small group stood. From that moment I knew divine help was at hand.
Full cooperation of government officials was forthcoming. President Spencer W. Kimball and his counselors provided enthusiastic approval. A temple was planned, a site selected, ground-breaking services held, and construction commenced. At the time of dedication, the attention of the international press was focused on this temple in its unusual setting. Words like "How?" and "Why?" were voiced frequently. This was particularly in evidence during the public open house, when 89,872 persons visited the temple. At times the waiting period stretched to three hours, occasionally in the rain. None wavered. All were shown God's house.
During the actual dedicatory services when President Gordon B. Hinckley offered the dedicatory prayer, hymns of praise, testimonies of truth, tears of gratitude, and prayers of thanksgiving marked the historic event. To understand how, to comprehend why, it is necessary to know the faith, the devotion, the love of the members of the Church in that nation. Though fewer than five thousand in number, the activity levels exceed those found anywhere else in the world.
During the many years I have served on assignment in that area, I have noted the absence of spacious chapels with multiple teaching stations and grounds featuring the greenery of lawns and the blossoms of flowers. The meetinghouse libraries, as well as the personal libraries of our members, consist only of the standard works, a hymnbook, and one or two other volumes. These books do not remain on bookcase shelves. Their teachings are engraved on the hearts of members. They are displayed in their daily lives. Service is a privilege. A branch president, forty-two years of age, has served in his calling for twenty-one years-half his life. Never a complaint-just gratitude. In Leipzig, when the meetinghouse furnace failed one cold winter day, the meetings were not dismissed. Rather, the members met in the chill of the unheated building, sitting shoulder to shoulder, wearing their coats, singing the hymns of Zion and worshiping Him who counseled, "Be not weary in well doing," "Follow me," "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."
The Apostle Paul taught the Corinthians, "If any man love God, the same is known of him." The love which these faithful members have for God, for His Son, Jesus Christ, and for His everlasting gospel is confirmed by their very lives. It is reminiscent of the love demonstrated by the brother of Jared as described in the Book of Mormon. The blessings of a loving, caring, and just Heavenly Father simply could not be withheld. Faith preceded the miracle. Eternal ordinances are now performed. Everlasting covenants are now made. The love of God has again blessed His people.
For those who love Jesus, these prophetic words have sublime meaning:
"Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and beside him there is no Savior.
"Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways. ...
"His purposes fail not. ...
"For thus saith the Lord-I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
"Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory."
Such is the blessing reserved for those who love Jesus. May each of us qualify for this great reward, this eternal glory, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, whom I love and of whom I testify, amen.
Matthew 16:15-19
"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Just this weekend, I was a part of my best friend's wedding to the love of her life. Seeing this happy couple able to be sealed with the keys of the kingdom of heaven, as the Savior promised, was one of the most beautiful things one can see in this life.
N. Eldon Tanner spoke about this in the April 1980 General Conference:
During my many years of service as a Church official I have been asked by brides- or grooms-to-be if I would perform their marriage ceremony. This I have always been pleased to do when possible, and so I have united in the holy bonds of matrimony many couples-some civil marriages for this life only before I became a General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and some marriages in the temple of God for time and for all eternity. I shall comment later on the difference.
I suppose one of the happiest times in a person's life is when contemplating marriage-particularly if the person feels that the choice of mate is the one and only. It is safe to assume that at the time of marriage most couples are sure they are making the right choices; but all too often the honeymoon ends, and trouble begins, and the marriage terminates in divorce.
The frequency of divorce has led some to a life-style where they feel inclined to escape from the seemingly meaningless rituals, without benefit of clergy or other legal sanctions. I often wonder how well-informed they are about the purpose of the creation of the earth on which they dwell, and how fully they have researched the scriptures to learn why God created man and woman and instituted the sacred ordinance of marriage.
Let us consider first the purpose of the creation of the earth. The scriptures make it clear that it was for no other purpose than to provide a place for the sons and daughters of God to dwell in mortality and prove themselves worthy, through keeping the commandments, to return to the presence of God from whence they came.
Following the creation of the earth, "God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. ...
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it" (Gen. 1:26-28).
When God created woman and brought her to the man, he said:
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:24).
Yes, marriage is ordained of God, and following that first reference to husband and wife, we find recurring scriptures as evidence that men and women became husbands and wives in marriage ceremonies followed by wedding feasts. We are not here just to "eat, drink, and be merry"(2 Ne. 28:7). We have been given an earth to subdue, and instructions to multiply and replenish it. It is interesting to note that God said "multiply" and not just "replenish" the earth (see Gen. 1:28).
It is important for us to understand, as we can learn from the scriptures, that God is eternal, that his creations are eternal, and that his truths are eternal. Therefore, when he gave Eve to Adam in marriage, that union would be eternal. Marriage as ordained of God and performed in his holy temples is eternal-not just until death. In Ecclesiastes we read:
"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever" (Eccl. 3:14).
When Christ asked Peter to tell him who he was, Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus gave Peter the assurance that he knew this by revelation from God the Father, and that it would be upon this rock of revelation that he would build his church. Then he said, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (see Matt. 16:15-19).
When the Pharisees came to Jesus, tempting him, to ask about divorce, his answer included the following: "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
"And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
"Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matt. 19:4-6).
These scriptures indicate that celestial marriage, ordained by God and performed by his authority in his holy temples, is eternal, and couples so united are sealed for time and all eternity, and their children are born in the covenant of the everlasting gospel. They will be an eternal family according to their faithfulness.
How does one prepare for such a marriage? All young people should consider very carefully and prayerfully the kind of mate they would like to have for eternity and for the father or mother of their children. Parents have a responsibility to teach their children the importance of keeping themselves clean and pure, with high moral standards, so they will be worthy of the kind of men and women with whom they want to associate and marry. Someone has said that a man breeding livestock is very careful about what he allows in the pasture with his prize animals, but he lets his son or daughter go with anyone without checking on their credentials.
Another example is given of a man whose daughter came to him one evening and said, "Dad, may I use the car tonight?"
He replied, "It isn't here."
"What do you mean, 'It isn't here.' Where is it?"
"I don't know. I let a man borrow it."
"Well, who is he?"
"I don't know."
"I don't understand. When will he bring it back?"
The father then explained, saying, "You seem to be quite concerned about my car, and yet you don't seem to appreciate my wanting to know about your dates-with whom and where you are going and when you will come back. I have far more interest in you and your welfare than in my automobile, and I hope you can understand now why I ask you those questions."
Children should understand and be made to feel the love and concern their parents have for them. If the proper relationship exists they will willingly confide their plans and be happy to have their friends and parents meet.
When young people come to me for advice about courtship and marriage I usually suggest that they ask themselves the following questions:
What kind of mother or father do I want my children to have?
What kind of parent am I prepared to be?
Do I want to associate with someone because of his or her popularity only, or do I look deeper for spiritual and moral qualities?
Am I analyzing our similarities and differences in background, culture, and intellect?
Am I prepared to adjust to these differences?
Do I realize that such adjustments need to be made before marriage?
These considerations will certainly help in making a proper choice for a companion with whom one is prepared to spend eternity. Then after the marriage there are many responsibilities that cannot be taken lightly; but with each contracting party assuming his or her full share of the responsibility, there is nothing in this life that will bring greater satisfaction and happiness.
As I have performed marriage ceremonies for young couples, I have talked with them about their future and the things that will go into building an increase of love for one another and into the establishment of a happy home. There are four specific things, among others, which I always include.
First, I remind them to keep the covenants which they make as they are married.
Second, addressing myself to the young man, I tell him to make her happy. If he will do all he can to make her happy, she cannot help but want to reciprocate and do everything she can for his comfort and welfare.
Third, I stress the importance of clearing up any misunderstandings they may have. I remind them that it does not matter who is right, but what is right. They should never retire at night with any differences between them. As they kneel together in prayer and ask the Lord to bless them and help them overcome their difficulties, the sweet spirit of forgiveness will come into their hearts, and they will forgive one another as they ask the Lord to forgive them.
Fourth, and very important, I remind them to continue to love one another.
I tell them too that marriage is not a fifty-fifty proposition. Each must go the extra mile so there is no contention about the halfway mark. They must keep private matters confidential, and I advise them to solve their own problems without interference from family or friends.
Sometimes young people do not have the patience to wait for material comforts and luxuries which they may not be able to afford. Wanting too much too soon can be a hardship on both husband and wife, and financial burdens brought on by careless management are often a source of contention. It is far more important to build an atmosphere of love and harmony and spirituality in the home than to concentrate on material possessions which can be accumulated in time as financial ability permits.
Into this happy home and pleasant atmosphere will eventually come the children for which the marriage was consummated, and who will add immeasurably to the joy and fulfillment which God the Father intended when he instructed Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth. When parents understand the purpose of their existence, that they are literally the spiritual offspring of their Father in Heaven and that they have a responsibility to provide mortal bodies for others, then they rejoice in the miracle of birth as they realize they are copartners with God in the creation of each child who comes into that home.
In keeping with the revelations on this subject, one of our early leaders, the late Melvin J. Ballard, said this:
"There is a passage in our Scriptures which the Latter-day Saints accept as divine: 'This is the glory of God-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' [see Moses 1:39]. Likewise we could say that this is the glory of men and women-to bring to pass the mortality of the sons and daughters of God, to give earth-life to the waiting children of our Father. ... The greatest mission of woman is to give life, earth-life, through honorable marriage, to the waiting spirits, our Father's spirit children who anxiously desire to come to dwell here in this mortal state. All the honor and glory that can come to men or women by the development of their talents, the homage and the praise they may receive from an applauding world, worshipping at their shrine of genius, is but a dim thing whose luster shall fade in comparison to the high honor, the eternal glory, the ever-enduring happiness that shall come to the woman who fulfils the first great duty and mission that devolves upon her to become the mother of the sons and daughters of God" (Sermons and Missionary Services, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1949, pp. 203-4, italics added).
We reaffirm today what U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt said in 1917:
"What this nation vitally needs is not the negative preaching of birth control to a submerged tenth, and the tenth immediately adjoining, but the positive preaching of birth encouragement to the eight-tenths who make up the capable self-respecting American stock which we wish to see perpetuate itself" (Metropolitan, Oct. 1917).
There are various arguments for curtailing the birth of children or the size of families, but they are contrary to the laws of God. Our early citizens who were patriotic and God-fearing, and in many instances lacked for material possessions, believed in large families; and from that stock came some of our greatest statesmen and finest lawyers, scientists, and educators. They were self-made men reared in humble homes where spirituality abounded.
The happy home is one where the family lives together, works together, plays together, and prays together; where the parents show love and courtesy and demonstrate it to each other. Love is expressed often through actions and by the spoken word. We should not be like the Scotsman who, at the death of his wife, was receiving expressions of sympathy from his friends. One neighbor commented on what a fine person she was. Jock replied, "Aye, she was a good woman, and I came near telling her so once or twice."
In a recent publication of a small pamphlet called Family Matters, the opening sentence was, "Will your family survive the '80s intact?" It mentions economic conditions and inflation, then says:
"Inflation isn't the biggest concern for many. ... Moral decay will be the key threat to family life in the '80s. That's what a majority of your neighbors told Better Homes and Gardens in a survey with a huge response. They blame inattentive parents and lack of a spiritual foundation.
"Today's trends give a parent much to be concerned about." The article goes on to list shocking statistics on divorce, teenage pregnancies, use of drugs and alcohol. Then the question is asked, "What can be done to help children live happy, fulfilling lives?" Dr. Paul Glick, the Census Bureau's chief demographer, gives this answer:
"Caring, attentive parents give children their best start in life. There's no real alternative for their optimum growth" (American Family Society, vol. 4, no. 1).
Dr. Sydney Harris, in a recent syndicated newspaper column, reached the same conclusion. He said people asked him why he didn't write about the energy crisis, and he responded that he didn't have enough solid facts to make a judgment about that subject. He went on to say that he also felt it was not important enough, because mankind can solve its technical problems, but what concerned him was the greater problem, we have which is moral, not technical. He concluded by saying that if we fail as a species it will have nothing to do with energy or any other technological obstacle, but with the way we regard ourselves and others as threats and enemies rather than as members of the same family. He said that until we know who we are and what we are supposed to do, all our other knowledge cannot save us.
Jesus Christ came to earth to give us that very message-who we are and what we are supposed to do. He gave us the gospel plan of life and salvation and said there was no other name under heaven whereby we could be saved (see Acts 4:12). We have that same gospel restored in these latter days, with the living prophet today, even Spencer W. Kimball, to speak for God, as has been God's method of communication with man through the ages. The answers to all life's problems are to be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Continuous revelation keeps us advised on current problems.
To strengthen the weakening family structure, the Church has instituted the family home evening program, where at least one night each week the entire family meets together to solve problems, enjoy recreation, and learn to better know and love one another. Here is opportunity for the parents to lead out as examples of love, kindness, courtesy, and support as father and mother together take their places as patriarch and matriarch of the family. In such a home are taught the moral principles and other virtues which will help those family members to be the future leaders of their communities and countries.
From such homes come children who will eventually establish their own homes founded on righteousness and morality. They will enter into their marriage covenants in purity of body and mind, so they too can be examples of virtue to their own posterity.
I conclude by reading from a letter I received from a convert to the Church who, after the required waiting period, took his family to the holy temple of God for a sealing ordinance. He wrote:
"We love this church and we love the Lord and our Heavenly Father. We were on the verge of a total family failure when some of our LDS friends here began to work with us.
"Even now as I sit here and think back to Saturday, I have to be amazed at the way the Church has changed our lives, from almost total family loss to an eternal family! ...
"Nothing can compare to seeing my wife and child dressed in white, with a radiant glow around them, and feeling the very Spirit of God whisper in my ear, 'John, they're yours for all time and all eternity.'"
I know that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and through keeping the commandments of God and the covenants we make with him, we can each make of our home a heaven on earth while we prepare ourselves and our children to return to our Heavenly Father. I bear testimony to the truthfulness of the things I have said this day, and I do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Life is challenging. As we come to Christ, we will find rest. Dallin H. Oaks spoke about this in the October 2006 General Conference:
The Savior said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Many carry heavy burdens. Some have lost a loved one to death or care for one who is disabled. Some have been wounded by divorce. Others yearn for an eternal marriage. Some are caught in the grip of addictive substances or practices like alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or pornography. Others have crippling physical or mental impairments. Some are challenged by same-gender attraction. Some have terrible feelings of depression or inadequacy. In one way or another, many are heavy laden.
To each of us our Savior gives this loving invitation:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).
The scriptures contain many accounts of the Savior's healing the heavy laden. He caused the blind to see; the deaf to hear; the palsied, withered, or maimed to be restored; lepers to be cleansed; and unclean spirits to be cast out. Often we read that the person healed of these physical ailments was "made whole" (see Matthew 14:36; 15:28; Mark 6:56; 10:52; Luke 17:19; John 5:9).
Jesus healed many from physical diseases, but He did not withhold healing from those who sought to be "made whole" from other ailments. Matthew writes that He healed every sickness and every disease among the people (see Matthew 4:23; 9:35). Great multitudes followed Him, and He "healed them all" (Matthew 12:15). Surely these healings included those whose sicknesses were emotional, mental, or spiritual. He healed them all.
In His early sermon in the synagogue, Jesus read aloud from this prophecy of Isaiah: "He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke 4:18). As Jesus declared that He was come to fulfill that prophecy, He expressly affirmed that He would heal those with physical ailments and He would also deliver the captive, liberate the bruised, and heal the brokenhearted.
The Gospel of Luke contains many examples of that ministry. It tells of the time when "great multitudes came together to hear [Jesus], and to be healed by him of their infirmities" (Luke 5:15). On other occasions it records that Jesus "cured many of their infirmities" (Luke 7:21) and that He "healed them that had need of healing" (Luke 9:11). It also describes how a great multitude of people out of Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Sidon came down to the plain "to hear him, and to be healed" (Luke 6:17).
When the Savior appeared to the righteous in the New World, He called for persons to come forward who were lame or blind or had other physical ailments. He extended the same invitation to those "that are afflicted in any manner" (3 Nephi 17:7). "Bring them hither," He said, "and I will heal them" (v. 7). The Book of Mormon tells how the multitude brought forward "all them that were afflicted in any manner" (v. 9). This must have included persons with every kind of physical or emotional or mental affliction, and the scripture testifies that Jesus "did heal them every one" (v. 9).
The Savior teaches that we will have tribulation in the world, but we should "be of good cheer" because He has "overcome the world" (John 16:33). His Atonement reaches and is powerful enough not only to pay the price for sin but also to heal every mortal affliction. The Book of Mormon teaches that "He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people" (Alma 7:11; see also 2 Nephi 9:21).
He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Like the good Samaritan in His parable, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He binds up our wounds and cares for us (see Luke 10:34). Brothers and sisters, the healing power of His Atonement is for you, for us, for all.
His all-encompassing healing power is sought in the prayerful words of our hymn "Master, the Tempest Is Raging":
Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today.
The depths of my sad heart are troubled.
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o'er my sinking soul,
And I perish! I perish! dear Master.
Oh, hasten and take control!
We can be healed through the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Jesus gave His Apostles power "to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Matthew 10:1; see also Mark 3:15; Luke 9:1-2), and they went forth "preaching the gospel, and healing every where" (Luke 9:6; see also Mark 6:13; Acts 5:16). The Seventy were also sent forth with power and direction to heal the sick (see Luke 10:9; Acts 8:6-7).
Although the Savior could heal all whom He would heal, this is not true of those who hold His priesthood authority. Mortal exercises of that authority are limited by the will of Him whose priesthood it is. Consequently, we are told that some whom the elders bless are not healed because they are "appointed unto death" (D&C 42:48). Similarly, when the Apostle Paul sought to be healed from the "thorn in the flesh" that buffeted him (2 Corinthians 12:7), the Lord declined to heal him. Paul later wrote that the Lord explained, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (v. 9). Paul obediently responded that he would "rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me ... for when I am weak, then am I strong" (vv. 9-10).
Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a "healing" cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are "healed" by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.
The people who followed Alma were in bondage to wicked oppressors. When they prayed for relief, the Lord told them He would deliver them eventually, but in the meantime He would ease their burdens "that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses ... that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions" (Mosiah 24:14). In that case the people did not have their burdens removed, but the Lord strengthened them so that "they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (v. 15).
This same promise and effect applies to you mothers who are widowed or divorced, to you singles who are lonely, to you caregivers who are burdened, to you persons who are addicted, and to all of us whatever our burden. "Come unto Christ," the prophet says, "and be perfected in him" (Moroni 10:32).
At times we may despair that our burdens are too great. When it seems that a tempest is raging in our lives, we may feel abandoned and cry out like the disciples in the storm, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" (Mark 4:38). At such times we should remember His reply: "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (v. 40).
The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ-whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul-is available for every affliction in mortality.
After I gave a general conference talk on the evils of pornography (see "Pornography," Liahona and Ensign, May 2005, 87-90), I received many letters from persons burdened with this addiction. Some of these letters were from men who had overcome pornography. One man wrote:
"There are several lessons I've gleaned from my experience coming out of the darkness of a sin that so thoroughly dominates the lives of the people it ensnares: (1) This is a major problem that is unbelievably difficult to overcome. ... (2) The most important source of support and strength in the repentance process is the Savior. ... (3) Intense, daily scripture study, regular temple worship, and serious, contemplative participation in the ordinance of the sacrament are all indispensable parts of a true repentance process. This, I assume, is because all of these activities serve to deepen and strengthen one's relationship with the Savior, one's understanding of His atoning sacrifice, and one's faith in His healing power" (letter dated Oct. 24, 2005).
"Come unto me," the Savior said, "and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29). That heavy-laden man turned to the Savior, and so can each of us.
A woman whose marriage was threatened by her husband's addiction to pornography wrote how she stood beside him for five pain-filled years until, as she said, "through the gift of our precious Savior's glorious Atonement and what He taught me about forgiveness, [my husband] finally is free-and so am I." As one who needed no cleansing from sin, but only sought a loved one's deliverance from captivity, she wrote this advice:
"Commune with the Lord. ... He is your best friend! He knows your pain because He has felt it for you already. He is ready to carry that burden. Trust Him enough to place it at His feet and allow Him to carry it for you. Then you can have your anguish replaced with His peace, in the very depths of your soul" (letter dated Apr. 18, 2005).
A man wrote a General Authority about how the power of the Atonement helped him with his problem of same-gender attraction. He had been excommunicated for serious transgressions that violated his temple covenants and his responsibilities to his children. He had to choose whether to attempt to live the gospel or whether to continue a course contrary to its teachings.
"I knew it would be difficult," he wrote, "but I didn't realize what I would have to go through." His letter describes the emptiness and loneliness and the incredible pain he experienced from deep within his soul as he sought to return. He prayed mightily for forgiveness, sometimes for hours at a time. He was sustained by reading the scriptures, by the companionship of a loving bishop, and by priesthood blessings. But what finally made the difference was the help of the Savior. He explained:
"It [was] only through Him and His Atonement. ... I now feel an overwhelming gratitude. My pains have been almost more than I could bear at times, and yet they were so small compared to what He suffered. Where there once was darkness in my life, there is now love and gratitude."
He continues: "Some profess that change is possible and therapy is the only answer. They are very learned on the subject and have so much to offer those who struggle ..., but I worry that they forget to involve Heavenly Father in the process. If change is to happen, it will happen according to the will of God. I also worry that many people focus on the causes of [same-gender attraction]. ... There is no need to determine why I have [this challenge]. I don't know if I was born with it, or if environmental factors contributed to it. The fact of the matter is that I have this struggle in my life and what I do with it from this point forward is what matters" (letter dated Mar. 25, 2006).
The persons who wrote these letters know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the healing it offers do much more than provide the opportunity for repentance from sins. The Atonement also gives us the strength to endure "pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind," because our Savior also took upon Him "the pains and the sicknesses of his people" (Alma 7:11). Brothers and sisters, if your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden.
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden," the Savior said, "and I will give you rest ... unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29).
As we struggle with the challenges of mortality, I pray for each of us, as the prophet Mormon prayed for his son, Moroni: "May Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, ... and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever" (Moroni 9:25).
I testify of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who invites us all to come unto Him and be perfected in Him. He will bind up our wounds and He will heal the heavy laden. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Matthew 5:14-16
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

In the October 1978 General Conference, Joseph B. Wirthlin talked about this:
Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming! One such memory was the mission conference we attended last year at Dresden, DDR (or East Germany). A president of the Church had not visited there since 1936-a span of over forty years. Now, at last, the prayers of the people were to be answered. President Kimball, it was announced, would be present at the mission conference.
Over 1,200 people, Saints and investigators, came from far and near to hear the prophet speak. Some of them traveled several hundred miles. As the hour for the meeting approached it seemed as if there wasn't room for even one more person. Not to be denied this grand experience, one brother obtained an unwieldy ladder and placed it alongside a window so that he could see and hear President Kimball and be part of the congregation. As I looked at him, he smiled, and I understood the message of that smile. He was thrilled and grateful to be present, even though he was poised precariously on the top rung of that fifteen-foot ladder throughout the two-hour session.
There was scarcely a dry eye in that packed audience as President Kimball spoke. He not only blessed and inspired the large congregation, and the brother on the stepladder, but also a sister in a wheelchair, as well. Sister Margarete Hellmann had suffered an ailment of the hip since youth. As the years came and went, the affliction brought her an ever-increasing burden of pain. Finally, she could walk only with the aid of a pair of crutches. To facilitate her travel from place to place, and to alleviate the terrible pain she keenly felt with every single step, some of the Saints contributed money and bought her a wheelchair. But this relief was short-lived. Soon, even sitting in her wheelchair was accompanied by almost unbearable pain. Then an inflammation of the nerves on the left side of her face further intensified her suffering. One day she heard the heartening news: the prophet of the Lord was to be in Dresden. She had one all-consuming desire-to attend the conference and touch the prophet.
She had faith and the absolute conviction that the prophet would not even have to take the time to lay his hands upon her head and give her a blessing. She felt assured that it would be with her as it was with a certain woman who, according to St. Mark, had suffered for twelve years and still grew worse. And "when she had heard of Jesus, ... she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole." This she did, and Jesus "said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." (See Mark 5:25-34.)
Sister Hellmann had asked her grandson, Frank, to bring her to the service at an early hour and position her wheelchair near the aisle where the prophet was to pass. This statement from her letter tells the rest of the story in her tender words: "When our prophet came close to me," she wrote, "he warmly shook my hand and looked at me in the spirit of love, as did those who were with him. After that, I did not feel any more pain-not then, nor any to this day. That is the greatest testimony of my life!"
After the benediction on that memorable day, as we moved through the crowd, the congregation sang, with great fervor, that beautiful hymn, "Auf Wiedersehen." It was an unforgettable experience and a powerful testimony of faith and the power of God.
Brethren, my fervent hope is for every one of us to be as willing as the man on the ladder to inconvenience ourselves for the sake of the gospel. And I would pray that each one of us could develop a faith as strong as that of the sister in the wheelchair.
It is my testimony that the best way in all the world for us to do this is to serve the Lord and be sure we honor our priesthood. We honor our priesthood by making an intrinsic part of our every thought and action those great teachings that Jesus proclaimed during his glorious ministry on earth and that are still proclaimed today through latter-day revelation. We honor our priesthood through prayer, pure thoughts, clean language, wholesome appearance, service to others, and through striving for the powerful, personal conversion that will help us to withstand the temptations of the day. In addition to being shining examples in our individual lives, let's make sure that we strengthen our homes and families and, at the same time, do all we can to reach out with understanding to encourage and bring blessings into the lives of the single adults of our church.
There is much we can do to strengthen home and family. Among the most important is to inspire our wives and daughters to take advantage of Relief Society. I am sorry to relate that many of our women are not receiving these blessings. If, through your efforts, you can improve this commitment to Relief Society, your families will be blessed.
This fact was dramatically emphasized in a recent statement made by a law enforcement officer in Idaho. He said that in over twenty years he had never had a child brought in for correction where the mother was an active Relief Society woman.
In working together as husbands, wives, sons, and daughters, we can achieve the true meaning of those most thrilling words spoken by Jesus, when he said:
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:14-16.)
If we live the principles of the gospel, we are the fulfillment of the Savior's pronouncement: "Ye are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). And possessing this light, we can shine among our fellowmen through our lives and deeds, influencing them to glorify our Father in Heaven.
Jesus wants every one of us to know him because of the transforming power of that knowledge and because of the indescribable joy it brings into our lives. But the influence of the gospel is to extend beyond each individual. It is to be as a light that dispels the darkness from the lives of those around us. No one of us is saved solely and simply for himself alone, just as no lamp is lighted merely for its own benefit.
Today there are far too many so-called Christian leaders who are divided over the most fundamental of all Christian doctrines, one about which no faithful member of our church in all the world has the slightest doubt. This schism is dramatically set forth in a recent issue of Time magazine and is entitled "New Debate Over Jesus' Divinity." Many modern scholars express the view that "Jesus did not proclaim himself as the eternal Son of God, nor did the early Christians." Seven university theologians in England published a book contending that Jesus was not really God at all. In America much of the same is going on. An eminent clergyman expressed the conviction of many "that Jesus never claimed to be God, nor to be related to him as son." In summarizing, Time said that "in view of the new Christology (of the so-called Christian advocates) Christ is not as divine as he used to be." (Time, 27 Feb. 1978.)
Such a twisted and compromising viewpoint sounds a clarion call for the priesthood and the sisters, pillars of the Church whose example "is like unto leaven" (Matt. 13:33), to make an even greater effort to move in and fill the tragic void. On the divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the position of the restored church and its members is eloquently stated by Elder James E. Talmage in these words:
"The solemn testimonies of millions dead and of millions living unite in proclaiming Him as divine, the Son of the Living God, the Redeemer and Savior of the human race, the Eternal Judge of the souls of men, the Chosen and Anointed of the Father-in short, the Christ." (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed., Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1916, pp. 1-2.)
Our church does not and will not in any way compromise its position! It never at any time or place falters, hesitates, or shows any reluctance to bear unwavering testimony to the divinity of Jesus Christ. The state of the world being what it is, each priesthood bearer must take advantage of every opportunity to testify of the Savior and teach and exemplify gospel truth, letting his light so shine before friends and strangers alike to perpetuate the truth concerning our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In closing I bear deep and solemn testimony of my absolute conviction of the Savior as expressed in these words from a simple and beautiful poem by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, entitled "I Believe in Christ."
I believe in Christ-my Lord, my God-
My feet he plants on gospel sod;
I'll worship him with all my might;
He is the source of truth and light.
I believe in Christ; so come what may,
With him I'll stand in that great day
When on this earth he comes again,
To rule among the sons of men.
I testify to you that President Kimball is indeed a mighty prophet of the Lord. His divinely inspired words and example convey the certainty of an unwavering testimony. Upon us he pronounces rich blessings and unbounded love and encouragement. May we follow his great leadership, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Malachi 4:5-6
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Dennis B. Neuenschwander taught in the April 1999 General Conference about the blessings of family history:
Brethren and sisters, every family has keepsakes. Families collect furniture, books, porcelain, and other valuable things, then pass them on to their posterity. Such beautiful keepsakes remind us of loved ones now gone and turn our minds to loved ones unborn. They form a bridge between family past and family future.
Every family has other, more valuable, keepsakes. These include genealogies, family stories, historical accounts, and traditions. These eternal keepsakes also form a bridge between past and future and bind generations together in ways that no other keepsake can.
I would like to share a few thoughts about family history, bridges, and eternal keepsakes. Family history builds bridges between the generations of our families, builds bridges to activity in the Church, and builds bridges to the temple.
First, family history builds bridges between the generations of our families. Bridges between generations are not built by accident. Each member of this Church has the personal responsibility to be an eternal architect of this bridge for his or her own family. At one of our family gatherings this past Christmas, I watched my father, who is 89 years old, and our oldest grandchild, Ashlin, who is four and a half. They enjoyed being together. This was a bittersweet moment of realization for me. Though Ashlin will retain pleasant but fleeting memories of my father, he will have no memory of my mother, who passed away before his birth. Not one of my children has any recollection of my grandparents. If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build the bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. It is my responsibility to knit their hearts together through love and respect, even though they may never have known each other personally. My grandchildren will have no knowledge of their family's history if I do nothing to preserve it for them. That which I do not in some way record will be lost at my death, and that which I do not pass on to my posterity, they will never have. The work of gathering and sharing eternal family keepsakes is a personal responsibility. It cannot be passed off or given to another.
A life that is not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory. What a tragedy this can be in the history of a family. Knowledge of our ancestors shapes us and instills within us values that give direction and meaning to our lives. Some years ago, I met the director of a Russian Orthodox monastery. He showed me volumes of his own extensive family research. He told me that one of the values, perhaps even the main value, of genealogy is the establishment of family tradition and the passing of these traditions on to younger generations. "Knowledge of these traditions and family history," he said, "welds generations together." Further, he told me: "If one knows he comes from honest ancestors, he is duty and honor bound to be honest. One cannot be dishonest without letting each member of his family down."
If you are among the first to have embraced the gospel in your family, build bridges to your posterity by recording the events of your life and writing words of encouragement to them. In 1892 sisters of the Kolob Stake in Springville, Utah, wrote letters to their children and sealed them in a time capsule to be opened March 17, 1942, the centennial anniversary of the Relief Society. After recording a brief genealogy of her family reaching back to those who first joined the Church, Mariah Catherine Boyer wrote the following to her two children: "Dear children, when you read this, parents and grandparents will be sleeping in the silent tomb. Those hands that toiled so hard in love for you will toil no more, and those eyes that gazed in love and approbation on your innocent brows will see you no more, until we meet in heaven. Dear children, ... may the bands of a sister and a brother's love entwine your hearts. ... Do right by your fellowmen, follow the dictates of your conscience, ask God to give you power to resist all temptations to do evil, and let it be said of you, 'that the world is better for you having lived in it.' Keep the commandments of God. May your paths in life be strewn with flowers, and may you at all times do right. May you never taste adversity. May the Spirit and blessings of God attend you at all times is the prayer of your mother. I will enclose the photographs of our family. Goodbye my dear children, until we meet." These tender and beautiful words have now bridged six generations of a faithful family.
Family history and temple work have a great power, which lies in their scriptural and divine promise that the hearts of the fathers will turn to the children and those of the children will turn to their fathers. Woodrow Wilson stated: "A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about." Well might this be said of families also: A family "which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about."
Second, family history builds bridges to activity in the Church. Family history work solidifies converts and strengthens all members of the Church. Family history research and the preparation of names for the temple can be most valuable in the retention of new members. Faith and confidence grow as family members are included in the saving ordinances of the gospel. During a recent stake conference, I met John and Carmen Day, who were recently baptized. They told me that they had already prepared family names and were planning to enter the temple as soon as they could. Is retention a question here? A new member of the Church can be introduced to family history and temple work very quickly by missionaries, friends, neighbors, and priesthood and auxiliary leaders. Participation in temple ordinances is, after all, at the center of our gospel experience. No official call is required to participate in family history and the accompanying gospel ordinances.
Recently I read an article in the Improvement Era of August 1940. I quote: "A year ago last April Conference, Dr. John A. Widtsoe of the Council of the Twelve asked the mission presidents of the Church what single phase of the Gospel was most responsible in their respective missions for making new friends, new interests, new converts. President Frank Evans of the Eastern States Mission looked into the subject and concluded that genealogy, and its attendant Gospel ordinances and beliefs, was the greatest factor in his mission."
A more recent Church study reveals that early involvement in finding and preparing family names for the temple and, where possible, participating in vicarious baptisms for them are major factors in the retention of new members. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have encouraged a much broader use of family history and the Family History Centers in the retention of new converts and the activation of those who have fallen out of regular Church activity. Priesthood leaders, missionaries, and Family History Center directors all play important roles in the expanded use of these centers.
Third, family history builds bridges to the temple. Family history work leads us to the temple. Family history and temple work are one work. The words family history should probably never be said without attaching the word temple to them. Family history research should be the primary source of names for temple ordinances, and temple ordinances are the primary reason for family history research. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said: "All of our vast family history endeavor is directed to temple work. There is no other purpose for it."
Family history research provides the emotional bridge between the generations. Temple ordinances provide the priesthood bridge. Temple ordinances are the priesthood ratification of the connection that we have already established in our hearts. Mother Teresa said that "loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty." The thought that this poverty of loneliness-this being unwanted and separated from loved ones-could extend beyond this life is truly sad. The promise of family history and temple work is eternal connection born of both love and priesthood ordinances.
Brethren and sisters, family history and temple work are the eternal family keepsakes that build bridges. They build bridges between the generations of our families, bridges to activity in the Church, and bridges to the temple. It is my desire that each of us will recognize the great keepsakes we have received from those who preceded us and our own personal responsibility to pass them on to future generations. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Malachi 3:8-10
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
"Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

The Lord blesses us as we pay a full an honest tithe. It isn't about the money; it's about the heart and sacrifice to Him.
Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi taught us more in the April 2007 General Conference:
I would like to discuss the law of tithing. In the book of Malachi, the Lord asks:
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
"Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Tithing is such an important commandment that when the Lord appeared on the American continent after His Resurrection, He repeated those same exact words. And the Lord said in our day, "Those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually."
In the book of Leviticus, the Lord stated three different times that tithing is "holy unto the Lord."
The Lord said, "Prove me now [or test me now] ... , if I will not open you the windows of heaven." Many of us test the Lord in the right way; however, some do not.
Consider, for example, ten apples. Now, all ten of these apples actually belong to the Lord, but He asks us to return to Him only one-tenth, or one apple.
Are you offering only a small bite of that apple and keeping 90 percent? Are you willing to offer the Lord such a small portion?
Are you ashamed, or do you try to patch up and hide the bitten portion of the apple and then offer that to the Lord?
We want our offerings to be full and clean. We have been taught: "Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days."
A few years ago I received the assignment to reorganize the Carey Idaho Stake. The plane landed at Twin Falls, and President Roy Hubert, who had served so well, met me there and drove me to his home. While we were driving, I asked him, "Is there anything I can do for you and your Saints?"
He said: "Oh, we have had a terrible drought for the last few years. This year it is particularly severe, and many farmers have left town to find employment elsewhere."
I was so disturbed for our faithful members who love the Lord and the Church yet were losing their farms.
A young bishop, R. Spence Ellsworth, was called to serve as the new stake president. During the Sunday general session, results of the drought weighed heavily on my mind. As I was speaking, a strong prompting came. I asked them to do the following:
1. Faithfully pay an honest tithe, both young and old.
2. Humbly hold regular individual and family prayers.
3. Devotedly have daily personal and family scripture study.
4. Thankfully keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Gratefully go to the temple often, there offering thanksgiving.
6. Willingly sustain and follow the new leaders.
7. Hold a stakewide fast, including everyone in the affected communities who would like to participate.
For the next couple of days following the stake conference, many members planted their crops with complete faith, even though there was no forecast of rain.
On Wednesday, under the direction of President Ellsworth, the whole stake fasted. That same week many members, the leaders, and their spouses went to the Boise Idaho Temple and offered their thanksgiving. While these faithful Saints were in the temple, rain began to fall on the entire community, though the weather forecast indicated no moisture for the next few weeks. The following Saturday, good rain fell again and continued for a few days. This happened late in the month of April. Significant snow fell in the mountains, providing enough moisture. In the Dietrich and Richfield communities, their reservoir had been under 30 percent, but after the people fasted, the reservoir was nearly full. The Carey water supply increased from about 44 percent to more than 100 percent of normal. Through the rest of the growing season, as members of the Carey Stake increased their faith by fasting a few more times, paying honest tithes, and attending the temple more frequently, the Lord heard and answered their prayers. Frost came late that year, so the farmers were able to harvest grain, sugar beets, alfalfa, potatoes, and other crops. From that day, and each year since, they have offered their thanksgiving prayers, and "because of ... his tender mercies," the Lord continues to bless them.
In the book of Chronicles, the Lord said, "If my people, ... called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Paying a full and honest tithe leads us to the temple. Tithing, I believe, is one of President Hinckley's prophetic priorities.
Last week in the Young Women meeting, President Hinckley said, "While tithing is paid with money, more importantly it is paid with faith."
Another time he said: "This is not so much a matter of money as it is a matter of faith. ... I urge you, ... every one of you, to take the Lord at His word in this important matter."
It is a matter of commitment. The earth belongs to the Lord, and this includes our own lives. He allows us to use everything on this earth. He only asks us to return one-tenth. Tithing is a token of gratitude, obedience, and thanksgiving-a token of our willingness and dedication. Paying tithing, willingly, develops an honest and pure heart. Paying tithing increases our love for the Lord.
The Lord said, "It is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people."
Brothers and sisters, let us demonstrate our faith. Let us show our willingness to obey. I promise you, in the name of Jesus Christ, when you and I pay honest, true tithes to the Lord, the Lord will open the windows of heaven.
I know that Heavenly Father lives. Therefore, He will bless you. Jesus Christ is our Savior. Joseph saw Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. This is His Church. President Gordon B. Hinckley is a living oracle of God. He asks you to come often to the temple. This is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amos 3:7
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

Knowing that the Lord reveal His Will to His prophets reminds us to focus on their guidance and to sustain them. Those who lead the Church were called of God to speak His Word to all His people.
President Russell M. Nelson spoke in the October 2014 General Conference about this:
President Eyring, we thank you for your instructive and inspiring message. My dear brothers and sisters, we thank you for your faith and devotion. Yesterday, we were each invited to sustain Thomas S. Monson as the prophet of the Lord and President of the Lord's Church. And often we sing, "We thank thee, O God, for a prophet." Do you and I really understand what that means? Imagine the privilege the Lord has given us of sustaining His prophet, whose counsel will be untainted, unvarnished, unmotivated by any personal aspiration, and utterly true!
How do we really sustain a prophet? Long before he became President of the Church, President Joseph F. Smith explained, "It is an important duty resting upon the Saints who ... sustain the authorities of the Church, to do so not only by the lifting of the hand, the mere form, but in deed and in truth."
Well do I remember my most unique "deed" to sustain a prophet. As a medical doctor and cardiac surgeon, I had the responsibility of performing open-heart surgery on President Spencer W. Kimball in 1972, when he was Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He needed a very complex operation. But I had no experience doing such a procedure on a 77-year-old patient in heart failure. I did not recommend the operation and so informed President Kimball and the First Presidency. But, in faith, President Kimball chose to have the operation, only because it was advised by the First Presidency. That shows how he sustained his leaders! And his decision made me tremble!
Thanks to the Lord, the operation was a success. When President Kimball's heart resumed beating, it did so with great power! At that very moment, I had a clear witness of the Spirit that this man would one day become President of the Church!
You know the outcome. Only 20 months later, President Kimball became President of the Church. And he provided bold and courageous leadership for many years.
Since then we have sustained Presidents Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, and now Thomas S. Monson as Presidents of the Church-prophets in every sense of the word!
My dear brothers and sisters, if the Restoration did anything, it shattered the age-old myth that God had stopped talking to His children. Nothing could be further from the truth. A prophet has stood at the head of God's Church in all dispensations, from Adam to the present day. Prophets testify of Jesus Christ-of His divinity and of His earthly mission and ministry. We honor the Prophet Joseph Smith as the prophet of this last dispensation. And we honor each man who has succeeded him as President of the Church.
When we sustain prophets and other leaders, we invoke the law of common consent, for the Lord said, "It shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church."
This gives us, as members of the Lord's Church, confidence and faith as we strive to keep the scriptural injunction to heed the Lord's voice as it comes through the voice of His servants the prophets. All leaders in the Lord's Church are called by proper authority. No prophet or any other leader in this Church, for that matter, has ever called himself or herself. No prophet has ever been elected. The Lord made that clear when He said, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you." You and I do not "vote" on Church leaders at any level. We do, though, have the privilege of sustaining them.
The ways of the Lord are different from the ways of man. Man's ways remove people from office or business when they grow old or become disabled. But man's ways are not and never will be the Lord's ways. Our sustaining of prophets is a personal commitment that we will do our utmost to uphold their prophetic priorities. Our sustaining is an oath-like indication that we recognize their calling as a prophet to be legitimate and binding upon us.
Twenty-six years before he became President of the Church, then-Elder George Albert Smith said: "The obligation that we make when we raise our hands ... is a most sacred one. It does not mean that we will go quietly on our way and be willing that the prophet of the Lord shall direct this work, but it means ... that we will stand behind him; we will pray for him; we will defend his good name, and we will strive to carry out his instructions as the Lord shall direct."
The living Lord leads His living Church! The Lord reveals His will for the Church to His prophet. Yesterday, after we were invited to sustain Thomas S. Monson as President of the Church, we also had the privilege to sustain him, the counselors in the First Presidency, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators. Think of that! We sustain 15 men as prophets of God! They hold all the priesthood keys that have ever been conferred upon man in this dispensation.
The calling of 15 men to the holy apostleship provides great protection for us as members of the Church. Why? Because decisions of these leaders must be unanimous. Can you imagine how the Spirit needs to move upon 15 men to bring about unanimity? These 15 men have varied educational and professional backgrounds, with differing opinions about many things. Trust me! These 15 men-prophets, seers, and revelators-know what the will of the Lord is when unanimity is reached! They are committed to see that the Lord's will truly will be done. The Lord's Prayer provides the pattern for each of these 15 men when they pray: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
The Apostle with the longest seniority in the office of Apostle presides. That system of seniority will usually bring older men to the office of President of the Church. It provides continuity, seasoned maturity, experience, and extensive preparation, as guided by the Lord.
The Church today has been organized by the Lord Himself. He has put in place a remarkable system of governance that provides redundancy and backup. That system provides for prophetic leadership even when the inevitable illnesses and incapacities may come with advancing age. Counterbalances and safeguards abound so that no one can ever lead the Church astray. Senior leaders are constantly being tutored such that one day they are ready to sit in the highest councils. They learn how to hear the voice of the Lord through the whisperings of the Spirit.
While serving as First Counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson, who was then nearing the end of his mortal life, President Gordon B. Hinckley explained:
"The principles and procedures which the Lord has put in place for the governance of His church make provision for any ... circumstance. It is important ... that there be no doubts or concerns about the governance of the Church and the exercise of the prophetic gifts, including the right to inspiration and revelation in administering the affairs and programs of the Church, when the President may be ill or is not able to function fully.
"The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, called and ordained to hold the keys of the priesthood, have the authority and responsibility to govern the Church, to administer its ordinances, to expound its doctrine, and to establish and maintain its practices."
President Hinckley continued:
"When the President is ill or not able to function fully in all of the duties of his office, his two Counselors together comprise a Quorum of the First Presidency. They carry on with the day-to-day work of the Presidency. ...
"... But any major questions of policy, procedures, programs, or doctrine are considered deliberately and prayerfully by the First Presidency and the Twelve together."
Last year, when President Monson reached the milestone of 5 years of service as President of the Church, he reflected on his 50 years of apostolic service and made this statement: "Age eventually takes its toll on all of us. However, we join our voices with King Benjamin, who said, ... 'I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen ... and consecrated by my father, ... and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me' (Mosiah 2:11)."
President Monson continued: "Despite any health challenges that may come to us, despite any weakness in body or mind, we serve to the best of our ability. I assure you that the Church is in good hands. The system set up for the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve [Apostles] assures [us] that it will always be in good hands and that, come what may, there is no need to worry or to fear. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom we follow, whom we worship, and whom we serve, is ever at the helm."
President Monson, we thank you for those truths! And we thank you for your lifetime of exemplary and dedicated service. May I presume to speak for the members of the Church throughout the world in our united and sincere expression of gratitude for you. We honor you! We love you! We sustain you, not only with uplifted hands but with all our hearts and consecrated efforts. Humbly and fervently, "we ever pray for thee, our prophet dear"! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Ezekiel 37:15-17
"The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
"Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
"And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand."

In October 1959, Gordon B. Hinckley spoke about "The Stick of Joseph":
My dear brethren and sisters, I seek the direction of the Lord that the things I say may be in harmony with the inspirational things to which we have listened these past three days.
This has been a marvelous conference. I have missed one voice. That is the voice of President Stephen L Richards. His wisdom, his kindly persuasion, his unfailing courtesy were always an inspiration to me, and I shall be eternally grateful to him.
I rejoice in the appointment of President Henry D. Moyle as a member of the First Presidency. I am grateful for the opportunity of working under his direction in the great missionary program of the Church. I pledge him my loyalty and my energy.
I rejoice likewise in the appointment of Howard W. Hunter to the Council of the Twelve.
I am satisfied that the Lord guides this work. I echo the words of the Psalmist ". . . he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep".
I wish to say a few words in furtherance of the theme set before us by President McKay in the opening address of the conference-"Preach the Word." I have in mind one of the great facilities available to us in carrying forth this assignment.
The other day in a stake conference, I heard an officer of the Air Force stand before the group and tell of the circumstances surrounding his coming into the Church. He said in substance:
"I had a date with a lovely young woman. When I called for her, I noticed on the table a copy of the Book of Mormon. I had never heard of it before. I began to read. I became interested. I secured a copy of the book and read it through.
"I had only the traditional idea of God and Jesus Christ. I had never given serious thought to the matter. But as I read this book there came into my mind light and understanding of eternal truths, and into my heart a testimony that God is our Eternal Father, and that Jesus is our Savior."
I am confident that the experience of this man who was influenced by the Book of Mormon is similar to that of many others of our people.
Brethren and sisters, if there are miracles among us, certainly one of them is this book. Unbelievers may doubt the First Vision and say there were no witnesses to prove it. Critics may scorn every divine manifestation incident to the coming forth of this work as being of such an intangible nature as to be unprovable to the pragmatic mind, as if the things of God could be understood other than by the Spirit of God. They may discount our theology. But they cannot in honesty dismiss the Book of Mormon. It is here. They can feel it. They can read it. They can weigh its substance and its content. They can witness its influence.
Faced with its presence, but unwilling to believe the story of its coming forth, they have sought an explanation for it, other than the one given by the Prophet that it was engraven on golden plates by ancient prophet-historians, and that their record was revealed and translated by the gift and power of God.
The Book of Mormon was first printed on a little hand-operated flat-bed press in a backwoods village of New York in the year 1830. From that first edition, while critics have published volume after volume in an effort to discredit the Prophet's story, the book has gone through one edition after another. From English it has been translated into thirty-one other languages, and printed in twenty of these.
While its detractors have called it blasphemous, the work of a paranoiac, the outpouring of a myth-maker, the result of a man's environment, the book has gone forth to change for good the lives of men and women in a score of nations. What a concourse of the people of the earth we would have if all of those who have read this book and been influenced by its message were gathered together in one place.
The first edition was comprised of 5,000 volumes. That edition met all demands for a number of years. I think you may be interested to know that during the first nine months of this year, more than 350,000 copies were sold in English alone. I am satisfied that by the close of the year we shall have sold more than 500,000 copies of the Book of Mormon in various languages, all within a period of a single year. We now distribute every three or four days, more copies than were included in the entire first edition.
The same book which converted Brigham Young, Willard Richards, Orson and Parley Pratt, and many others of the early leaders of the Church, is also converting people in Germany, in the British Isles, in Finland, in Japan, in Tonga, and wherever else men and women are reading it prayerfully and with real intent. The promise of Moroni, written in his loneliness, following the destruction of his people, is being fulfilled every day.
Each time we encourage a man to read the Book of Mormon we do him a favor. If he reads it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, he will know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the book is true. And from that knowledge there will flow a conviction of the truth of many other things.
For if the Book of Mormon is true, then God lives. Testimony upon testimony runs through its pages of the solemn fact that our Father is real, that he is personal, that he loves his children and seeks their happiness.
If the Book of Mormon is true then Jesus is the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, born of Mary, "a virgin most beautiful above all other virgins" for the book so testifies in a description unexcelled in all literature.
If the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is verily our Redeemer, the Savior of the world. The great purpose of its preservation and coming forth, according to its own statement, is "to the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations".
If the Book of Mormon is true, then this land is choice above all other lands, but if it is to remain such the inhabitants of the land must worship the God of the land, the Lord Jesus Christ. The histories of two great nations, told with warning in this sacred volume, indicate that while we must have science, while we must have education, while we must have arms, we must also have righteousness if we are to merit the protection of God, as Brother Benson has so eloquently indicated here this afternoon.
If the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, for he was the instrument in the hands of God in bringing to light this testimony of the divinity of our Lord.
If this book is true, David O. McKay is a prophet, for he holds all of the keys, the gifts, powers, and authority held by the Prophet Joseph who brought forth this latter-day work.
I repeat, if the Book of Mormon is true, the Church is true, for the same authority under which this sacred record came to light is present and manifest among us today. It is a restoration of the Church set up by the Savior in Palestine. It is a restoration of the Church set up by the Savior when he visited this continent as set forth in this sacred record.
If the Book of Mormon is true, the Bible is true. The Bible is the Testament of the Old World. The Book of Mormon is the Testament of the New. The one is the record of Judah, the other is the record of Joseph, and they have come together in the hand of the Lord in fulfillment of the prophecy of Ezekiel. Together they declare the Kingship of the Redeemer of the world, and the reality of his kingdom.
Here is a voice that has spoken from the dust with a familiar spirit and touched the hearts of men and women in many lands. Those who have read it prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power.
Let me tell you of a letter which we received a few years ago. A man wrote saying in substance: "I am in a federal reformatory in Ohio. I recently came across a copy of the Book of Mormon in the prison library. I have read it, and when I read Mormon's lamentation, over his fallen people-'O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen'. When I read this I felt that Mormon was talking to me. Can I get a copy of that book?"
We sent him a copy. He walked in the office some months later, a changed man. I am happy to report that a boy who had stolen gasoline, and then stolen automobiles, and then done other things until finally he was placed in a federal reformatory, was touched by the spirit of this book, and the report today is that he is now a successful man, rehabilitated, earning a living honestly for himself and family in a west coast city.
Such has been the power of this great book in the lives of those who have read it prayerfully.
I give you my testimony that it is true. That I know by the witness of the Holy Ghost, and that knowledge to me is certain.
Sidney Rigdon did not write it. Oliver Cowdery did not write it. It is not the result of a paranoiac or of a dissociated personality, as some have said. It is not the product of a myth-maker. It is not the result of the environment of a farm boy who grew up in western New York. Joseph Smith did not write it. He, the Prophet of this dispensation, translated the writings of prophets of old under the power of God, to testify in our day.
We invite all men everywhere to read it. Its witness lies within itself.
I so testify. This marvelous record, preserved over fourteen centuries, has confirmed my faith in God, in my Redeemer, in the land in which I live, in the work of which I am a part. I leave you my witness in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
"Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

Each of us can have, and do have, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Where we are at the beginning of that discovery or been on a life long journey, we can always go closer to Him. In October 1976, James E. Faust gave the following talk about this very subject:
I join with all in acknowledging the greatness of President S. Dilworth Young and his associates of the First Council of the Seventy. I am humbled and honored to be invited to serve in that council and in the First Quorum as well.
It has been interesting to return to this country from South America and see the billboards and signs memorializing a revolution in this country which happened two hundred years ago. In the world I think we need fewer revolutions and more revelations. In my opinion, the greatest change in South America is a spiritual revolution which is coming about as a result of the influence of this Church and of the temple now under construction in São Paulo-and that influence is all within the counsel of Paul to the Ephesians: "the perfecting of the saints, ... the unity of the faith, and ... the knowledge of the Son of God." (Eph. 4:12, 13.)
There is a great humility and timidity in my soul as I presume to speak about coming to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world and the Son of God.
Recently in South America, a seasoned group of outstanding missionaries was asked, "What is the greatest need in the world?" One wisely responded: "Is not the greatest need in all of the world for every person to have a personal, ongoing, daily, continuing relationship with the Savior?" Having such a relationship can unchain the divinity within us, and nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God.
We should earnestly seek not just to know about the Master, but to strive, as He invited, to be one with Him (see John 17:21), to "be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man" (Eph. 3:16). We may not feel a closeness with Him because we think of Him as being far away, or our relationship may not be sanctifying because we do not think of Him as a real person.
How can we receive the personal blessing of the Master's divine and exalting influence in our own lives? Since our own feelings are sacred to us and cannot be disputed by others, let us begin with those quiet assurances which occasionally can come to all of us and which we know are true. We cannot always prove these verities to others, yet they come as a form of knowledge. Is this part of the divine which ferments within us, reaching to its source? Is it not like a personal witness of truth flowing through the thin curtain which separates this world from another?
Is there not a yearning to understand in your mind what is in your heart, a feeling which you cannot give utterance to because it is so unspeakably personal? The Master said that this quiet reality can "speak peace to your mind concerning the matter." (D&C 6:23.)
May I suggest five beginning, essential measures which will greatly clear the channel for a daily flow of "living water" from the very source of the spring, even the Redeemer Himself.
First: A daily communion involving prayer. A fervent, sincere prayer is a two-way communication which will do much to bring His Spirit flowing like healing water to help with the trials, hardships, aches, and pains we all face. What is the quality of our secret prayers when only He listens? As we pray, we should think of Him as being close by, full of knowledge, understanding, love, and compassion, the essence of power, and as having great expectations of each of us.
Second: A daily selfless service to another. The followers of the divine Christ have to be weighed on the scales of what their actions are rather than on solemn professions of belief. The true measure is found in Matthew: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ..., ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40.) A wise man observed, "The man who lives by himself and for himself is apt to be corrupted by the company he keeps." (Charles Henry Parkhurst, quoted in The International Dictionary of Thoughts, Chicago: J. G. Ferguson, 1969, p. 659.)
Third: A daily striving for an increased obedience and perfection in our lives. "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am," said the Savior. (3 Ne. 27:27.) Because of the perfect atonement of Jesus, just men may be made perfect. (See D&C 76:69.)
Fourth: A daily acknowledgment of His divinity. To have a daily, personal relationship with the Master, we must be His disciples. "For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" (Mosiah 5:13.)
Fifth: A daily study of the scriptures. President Kimball has said: "I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures, the distance narrows and the spirituality returns." ("What I Hope You Will Teach My Grandchildren ..., " address to seminary and institute personnel, July 11, 1966.)
For those who have honest doubts, let us hear what eyewitnesses had to say about Jesus of Nazareth. The ancient apostles were there. They saw it all. They participated. No one is more worthy of belief than they. Said Peter: "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Pet. 1:16.) Said John: "For we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." (John 4:42.) Modern-day witnesses, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, declared: "For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father." (D&C 76:23.)
Peter counsels us to be "partakers of the divine nature." (2 Pet. 1:4.) The influence and teaching of the Messiah should have a transcendence over all other interests and concerns in our lives. We must constantly be reaching upward for the riches of eternity, for the kingdom of God is within us. (See Luke 17:21.)
Speaking through the Doctrine and Covenants, God promises that you may be told in your minds and in your hearts, of whatsoever you ask, by the Holy Ghost. (See D&C 8:1-2.)
By sanctifying yourselves, the day will come when "he will unveil his face unto you." (D&C 88:68.) "If your eye be single to [His] glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things." (D&C 88:67.)
In the many trials of life, when we feel abandoned and when sorrow, sin, disappointment, failure, and weakness make us less than we should ever be, there can come the healing salve of the unreserved love in the grace of God. It is a love that forgives and forgets, a love that lifts and blesses. It is a love that sustains a new beginning on a higher level and thereby continues "from grace to grace." (D&C 93:13.)
President Kimball has said: "The spiritual knowledge of truth is the electric light illuminating the cavern; the wind and sun dissipating the fog. ... It is the mansion on the hill replacing the shack in the marshes; the harvester shelving the sickle and cradle. ... It is the rich nourishing kernels of corn instead of the husks. ... It is much more than all else. ..." (Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, Deseret Book Co., 1972, p. 14.)
During the years of my life, and often in my present calling, and especially during a recent Gethsemane, I have gone to my knees with a humble spirit to the only place I could for help. I often went in agony of spirit, earnestly pleading with God to sustain me in the work I have come to appreciate more than life itself. I have, on occasion, felt the terrible aloneness of the wounds of the heart, of the sweet agony, the buffetings of Satan, and the encircling warm comfort of the Spirit of the Master.
I have also felt the crushing burden, the self-doubts of inadequacy and unworthiness, the fleeting feeling of being forsaken, then of being reinforced an hundredfold. I have climbed a spiritual Mount Sinai dozens of times seeking to communicate and to receive instructions. It has been as though I have struggled up an almost real Mount of Transfiguration and upon occasion felt great strength and power in the presence of the Divine. A special sacred feeling has been a sustaining influence and often a close companion.
It is my testimony that we are facing difficult times. We must be courageously obedient. My witness is that we will be called upon to prove our spiritual stamina, for the days ahead will be filled with affliction and difficulty. But with the assuring comfort of a personal relationship with the Savior, we will be given a calming courage. From the Divine so near we will receive the quiet assurance:
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
"And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." (D&C 121:7-8.)
As I come to a new calling, I recognize that I am a very ordinary man. Yet I gratefully acknowledge one special gift. I have a certain knowledge that Jesus of Nazareth is our Divine Savior. I know that He lives. From my earliest recollection I have had a sure perception of this. As long as I have lived, I have had a simple faith that has never doubted. I have not always understood, yet still I have known through a knowledge that is so sacred to me that I cannot give utterance to it.
I know and I testify with an absolute awareness in every fiber and innermost recess of my being that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Divine Redeemer, and the Son of God. May we be obedient to His wish, "Come unto me thy Savior" (D&C 19:41), I pray humbly in His holy and sacred name. Amen.
Isaiah 58:13-14
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
"Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

In October 2000, H. Aldridge Gillespie gave a talk called, "The Blessing of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy" that helps to expound this scripture:
To all you beautiful, faithful Sunday afternoon Saints, we commend you for the respect of the Sabbath day which you show by attending conference this afternoon, wherever you may be.
We have been instructed, edified, and spiritually nourished through the five sessions of this magnificent general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have been taught "how to act upon the points of [the Lord's] law and commandments" and have been "sanctified by that which [we] have received."
Now it is time to "bind [ourselves] to act in all holiness before [the Lord]." In other words, based on this conference, we need to decide on specific actions to bring about needed changes in our lives. This action is called faith, and the changes are repentance. Blessings always follow these two principles. If we do not take action quickly, then the very thing which could have sanctified us may turn to our condemnation.
Today is the Sabbath. It does not end when we leave this session; it does not end if someone calls on the phone or knocks at our door inviting us to come out and play, go for a ride, to a ball game, or shopping; it does not end because we are on vacation or someone is visiting us, whether member or nonmember.
The Lord commanded: "Go ye out from among the wicked. Save yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." A critical element in observing this commandment is to "remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
The Sabbath lasts all day! In a revelation "especially applicable to the saints in Zion," the Lord states that the Sabbath was given that we might keep ourselves "unspotted from the world." It is a day to partake of the sacrament, a day "to pay [our] devotions unto the Most High," a day of "fasting and prayer," a day to offer our time, talent, and means in service to our God and our fellowmen, a day to "[confess our] sins [to our] brethren, and before the Lord." It is also a good day to pay our tithes and fast offerings, a day to be marked by sincere sacrifice of the pursuits and pleasures of the world. It is a day to keep the Sabbath covenant, a day of "rejoicing and prayer," a day of "cheerful hearts and countenances."
Isaiah promised, "If thou turn away thy foot ... from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, ... and ... honour him, not ... finding thine own pleasure, ... then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord."
Obviously, our attention is on doing the Lord's will and not continuing to work nor indulge our carnal appetites for recreation and loafing.
The prophet Spencer W. Kimball counseled: "The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected. [Failure] to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side."
Our beloved prophet Gordon B. Hinckley has promised: "If you have any doubt about the wisdom, the divinity of observing the Sabbath Day, ... stay home and gather your family about you, teach them the gospel, enjoy yourselves together on the Sabbath Day, come to your meetings, participate. You will know that the principle of the Sabbath is a true principle which brings with it great blessings."
Jesus taught, "The sabbath was made for man." What does that mean? It means for a man to have the joy and happiness which the gospel promises, on this day he must sacrifice the world, set aside his employment as possible, and keep the eternal covenant of the Sabbath day. The Lord commanded: "Wherefore the children of Israel [which includes all Latter-day Saints] shall keep the sabbath ... throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever."
Of all people on the earth, the Latter-day Saints must lead out in sanctifying this appointed day each week. "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees," said the Lord, "ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
To this very day, "the matter of Sabbath observance remains ... as one of the great tests which divides the righteous from the worldly and wicked," said Elder Bruce R. McConkie.
The promises of the Lord to those who keep the Sabbath day holy are so wonderfully clear in the scriptures that they leave one asking, "Why would anyone throw away such blessings for the tawdry, temporary pleasures of the world?" Hear again the words of Jehovah as they roll down from Mount Sinai: "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
"If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
"Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase. ...
"... And ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
"And I will give [you] peace in the land, ... neither shall the sword go through your land. ...
"For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, ... and establish my covenant with you. ...
"And I will set my tabernacle [that is, my temple] among you. ...
"And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people."
I love the Sabbath day! It has blessed my family in countless ways. I bear a testimony born of personal experience that the commandments of the Lord are "true and faithful."
I know you will be happier, enjoy greater peace, and find your lives made glad as you witness the miracles that come to each person and family who make the sacrifice of keeping this eternal covenant.
I love our Lord and Savior. I know He lives and that this is His Church and kingdom on earth. I know He is at once a just and merciful God, who loves His children with all the tenderness of a kind and loving Father. May we, in turn, "offer a sacrifice unto the Lord [our] God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit," I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Isaiah 58:6-7
"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
"Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke on this subject in October 2014:
In what would be the most startling moment of His early ministry, Jesus stood up in His home synagogue in Nazareth and read these words prophesied by Isaiah and recorded in the Gospel of Luke: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and ... set at liberty them that are bruised."
Thus the Savior made the first public announcement of His messianic ministry. But this verse also made clear that on the way to His ultimate atoning sacrifice and Resurrection, Jesus's first and foremost messianic duty would be to bless the poor, including the poor in spirit.
From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus loved the impoverished and the disadvantaged in an extraordinary way. He was born into the home of two of them and grew up among many more of them. We don't know all the details of His temporal life, but He once said, "Foxes have holes, and ... birds ... have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Apparently the Creator of heaven and earth "and all things that in them are" was, at least in His adult life, homeless.
Down through history, poverty has been one of humankind's greatest and most widespread challenges. Its obvious toll is usually physical, but the spiritual and emotional damage it can bring may be even more debilitating. In any case, the great Redeemer has issued no more persistent call than for us to join Him in lifting this burden from the people. As Jehovah, He said He would judge the house of Israel harshly because "the spoil of the [needy] is in your houses."
"What mean ye," He cried, "that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?"
The writer of Proverbs would make the matter piercingly clear: "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker," and "whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor ... shall [also] cry himself, but shall not be heard."
In our day, the restored Church of Jesus Christ had not yet seen its first anniversary when the Lord commanded the members to "look to the poor and ... needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer." Note the imperative tone of that passage-"they shall not suffer." That is language God uses when He means business.
Given the monumental challenge of addressing inequity in the world, what can one man or woman do? The Master Himself offered an answer. When, prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion, Mary anointed Jesus's head with an expensive burial ointment, Judas Iscariot protested this extravagance and "murmured against her."
Jesus said:
"Why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work. ...
"She hath done what she could."
"She hath done what she could"! What a succinct formula! A journalist once questioned Mother Teresa of Calcutta about her hopeless task of rescuing the destitute in that city. He said that, statistically speaking, she was accomplishing absolutely nothing. This remarkable little woman shot back that her work was about love, not statistics. Notwithstanding the staggering number beyond her reach, she said she could keep the commandment to love God and her neighbor by serving those within her reach with whatever resources she had. "What we do is nothing but a drop in the ocean," she would say on another occasion. "But if we didn't do it, the ocean would be one drop less [than it is]." Soberly, the journalist concluded that Christianity is obviously not a statistical endeavor. He reasoned that if there would be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine who need no repentance, then apparently God is not overly preoccupied with percentages.
So how might we "do what we can"?
For one thing, we can, as King Benjamin taught, cease withholding our means because we see the poor as having brought their misery upon themselves. Perhaps some have created their own difficulties, but don't the rest of us do exactly the same thing? Isn't that why this compassionate ruler asks, "Are we not all beggars?" Don't we all cry out for help and hope and answers to prayers? Don't we all beg for forgiveness for mistakes we have made and troubles we have caused? Don't we all implore that grace will compensate for our weaknesses, that mercy will triumph over justice at least in our case? Little wonder that King Benjamin says we obtain a remission of our sins by pleading to God, who compassionately responds, but we retain a remission of our sins by compassionately responding to the poor who plead to us.
In addition to taking merciful action in their behalf, we should also pray for those in need. A group of Zoramites, considered by their fellow congregants to be "filthiness" and "dross"-those are scriptural words-were turned out of their houses of prayer "because of the coarseness of their [wearing] apparel." They were, Mormon says, "poor as to things of the world; and also ... poor in heart"-two conditions that almost always go together. Missionary companions Alma and Amulek counter that reprehensible rejection of the shabbily dressed by telling them that whatever privileges others may deny them, they can always pray-in their fields and in their houses, in their families and in their hearts.
But then, to this very group who had themselves been turned away, Amulek says, "After [you] have [prayed], if [you] turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if [you] have [it], to those who stand in need-I say unto you, ... your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and [you] are as hypocrites who do deny the faith." What a stunning reminder that rich or poor, we are to "do what we can" when others are in need.
Now, lest I be accused of proposing quixotic global social programs or of endorsing panhandling as a growth industry, I reassure you that my reverence for principles of industry, thrift, self-reliance, and ambition is as strong as that of any man or woman alive. We are always expected to help ourselves before we seek help from others. Furthermore, I don't know exactly how each of you should fulfill your obligation to those who do not or cannot always help themselves. But I know that God knows, and He will help you and guide you in compassionate acts of discipleship if you are conscientiously wanting and praying and looking for ways to keep a commandment He has given us again and again.
You will recognize that I speak here of difficult societal needs that go well beyond members of the Church. Fortunately the Lord's way of assisting our own is easier: all who are physically able are to observe the law of the fast. Isaiah wrote:
"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? ...
"Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him ... ? [that thou] undo the heavy burdens, and ... let the oppressed go free ... ?"
I bear witness of the miracles, both spiritual and temporal, that come to those who live the law of the fast. I bear witness of the miracles that have come to me. Truly, as Isaiah recorded, I have cried out in the fast more than once, and truly God has responded, "Here I am." Cherish that sacred privilege at least monthly, and be as generous as circumstances permit in your fast offering and other humanitarian, educational, and missionary contributions. I promise that God will be generous to you, and those who find relief at your hand will call your name blessed forever. More than three-quarters of a million members of the Church were helped last year through fast offerings administered by devoted bishops and Relief Society presidents. That is a lot of grateful Latter-day Saints.
Brothers and sisters, such a sermon demands that I openly acknowledge the unearned, undeserved, unending blessings in my life, both temporal and spiritual. Like you, I have had to worry about finances on occasion, but I have never been poor, nor do I even know how the poor feel. Furthermore, I do not know all the reasons why the circumstances of birth, health, education, and economic opportunities vary so widely here in mortality, but when I see the want among so many, I do know that "there but for the grace of God go I." I also know that although I may not be my brother's keeper, I am my brother's brother, and "because I have been given much, I too must give."
In that regard, I pay a personal tribute to President Thomas Spencer Monson. I have been blessed by an association with this man for 47 years now, and the image of him I will cherish until I die is of him flying home from then-economically devastated East Germany in his house slippers because he had given away not only his second suit and his extra shirts but the very shoes from off his feet. "How beautiful upon the mountains [and shuffling through an airline terminal] are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace." More than any man I know, President Monson has "done all he could" for the widow and the fatherless, the poor and the oppressed.
In an 1831 revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said the poor would one day see the kingdom of God coming to deliver them "in power and great glory." May we help fulfill that prophecy by coming in the power and glory of our membership in the true Church of Jesus Christ to do what we can to deliver any we can from the poverty that holds them captive and destroys so many of their dreams, I pray in the merciful name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Isaiah 53:3-5
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

In April 1985, Neal A. Maxwell gave a talk about this subject:
I do not apologize for trying to speak about one of what Paul called "the deep things of God," only for my inability to go deeply enough.
While we see this quality in the quiet but spiritually luxuriant lives of the genuine, spiritual heroes and heroines about us, the lack of it keeps so many of us straggling in the foothills and off the peaks in the adventure of full discipleship. I refer to our hesitancy and our holding back in submitting fully to the Lord and His purposes for us.
This holding back is like leaving Egypt without journeying all the way to the Holy Land, or waiting in Nauvoo for the railroad to come through, or staying permanently at Winter Quarters.
Though possessed of other fine attributes, we may still lack this one quality. Such was the case with the righteous young man who knelt sincerely at Jesus' feet. Lacking one thing, he went away sorrowing and unsubmissive when a particularized challenge was given. Whether it is walking away without looking back from "great possessions" or from a statusful place in the secular synagogue or from proud but erroneous attitudes accrued over the years, or merely "straightway" from fishing nets the test is always the same.
With honest, individualized introspection, each of us could name what we yet lack-and in my case more than one thing.
Spiritual submissiveness is so much more than bended knee or bowed head. Alas, insofar as we "mind the things of the flesh" we simply cannot have the "mind of Christ."
Jesus laid down this sobering requirement: "Except ye ... become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
One of Jesus' prophets delineated-with submissiveness thrice stipulated-how a disciple can become "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."
Three other clusters of scriptures stress these towering qualities. Stunningly parallel, they form an almost seamless litany of attributes to be developed, with submissiveness at their catalytic center. This repeated clustering is too striking to be random.
Moreover, the descriptive simplicity of this quality is matched by its developmental difficulty. It is so easy to be halfhearted, but this only produces half the growth, half the blessings, and just half a life, really, with more bud than blossom.
A superficial view of this life, therefore, will not do, lest we mistakenly speak of this mortal experience only as coming here to get a body, as if we were merely picking up a suit at the cleaners. Or, lest we casually recite how we have come here to be proved, as if a few brisk push-ups and deep knee bends would do.
Just how much submissiveness to circumstance there should be is not treated in these brief remarks. Suffice it to say, God "allotteth unto men" certain things with which we are to be content. A missing parent or limb is to be lived without. Yet temper and lust are to be tamed. One's race is fixed, but one's genetic endowment offers opportunity to be a careful steward. The submissive soul will be led aright, enduring some things well while being anxiously engaged in setting other things right-all the time discerning the difference.
Required, in particular, is meekness of mind which recognizes God's perfect love of us and His omniscience. By acknowledging these reassuring realities and accepting that God desires our full development and true happiness, we are readied even as the learning experiences come. Such meekness requires genuine intellectual honesty, owning up to the learning experiences of the past and listening to the Holy Ghost as he preaches to us from the pulpit of memory.
As the Lord communicates with the meek and submissive, fewer decibels are required, and more nuances are received. Even the most meek, like Moses learn overwhelming things they "never had supposed." But it is only the meek mind which can be so shown and so stretched-not those, as Isaiah wrote, who "are wise in their own eyes."
God's counsel aligns us and conjoins us with the great realities of the universe; whereas sin empties, isolates, and separates us, confining us to the solitary cell of selfishness. Hence the lonely crowd in hell.
Spiritual submissiveness means, instead, community and communion as the mind and the heart become settled. We then spend much less time deciding, and much more time serving; otherwise, the more hesitation, the less inspiration.
Yielding one's heart to God signals the last stage in our spiritual development. Only then are we beginning to be fully useful to God! How can we sincerely pray to be an instrument in His hands if the instrument seeks to do the instructing?
As we really begin to keep the first commandment-loving God with "all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength" giving time, talent, and treasure is then accompanied by fully giving of ourselves.
Sometimes, our holding back occurs because we lack faith or we are too entangled with the cares of the world. Other times, there is in us an understandable tremulousness which slows our yielding, because we sense what further yielding might bring.
Yet we need to break free of our old selves-the provincial, constraining, and complaining selves-and become susceptible to the shaping of the Lord. But the old self goes neither gladly nor quickly. Even so, this subjection to God is really emancipation.
How can we truly acknowledge the Fatherhood of God and refuse His tutorials? Especially in view of the fact, the Lord even chastens those whom He loves.
Saul, when chosen, was "A choice young man, ... and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he." Later, he became encrusted with ego and puffed by power. Samuel then recalled a time when Saul "wast little in [his] own sight." In contrast, true submissiveness greatly enlarges the soul, but without hypocrisy and guile.
Submissiveness also checks our tendency to demand advance explanations of the Lord as a perplexed yet trusting Nephi understood: "I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."
So did a wondering but submissive Mary: "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."
Just as the capacity to defer gratification is a sign of real maturity, likewise the willingness to wait for deferred explanation is a sign of real faith and of trust spread over time.
If faithful, we end up acknowledging that we are in the Lord's hands and should surrender to the Lord on His terms-not ours. It is total surrender, no negotiating; it is yielding with no preconditions.
Suppose Enoch had demurred when called by the Lord? He would have gone on being a good person, serving the Lord part-time, living in a city which was a slum compared to the glorious City of Enoch; nor would Enoch be a part of that scene of glorious greeting yet to come.
Suppose Peter had not left his nets "straightway"? He might have become the respected president of the local Galilean fishermen's association. But he would not have been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, Moses, and Elias and heard the voice of God.
We have been given three special words-but if not-by three submissive young men who entered their fiery furnace, knowing "our God ... is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, ... But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods."
Moreover, our prayers should allow for three more special words: "And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you."
It is only by yielding to God that we can begin to realize His will for us. And if we truly trust God, why not yield to His loving omniscience? After all, He knows us and our possibilities much better than do we.
"Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ ... even to the ... yielding their hearts unto God."
Otherwise, one can be too busy promoting his own agendum: "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
Distinguished therefrom is Jesus' clear call: "Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness."
While events often induce submissiveness, one's development need not be dramatic or tied to a single moment; it can occur steadily in seemingly ordinary, daily settings. If we are meek, a rich and needed insight can be contained in reproof. A new calling can beckon us away from comfortable routine and from competencies already acquired. One may be stripped of accustomed luxury in order that the malignant mole of materialism be removed. One may feel humiliated in order that pride be chipped away.
The shaping goes on, and it is anything but merely cosmetic.
The tilt of our souls in first moments is so vital. Will what follows be viewed with disdain or as having some design? Which will we do most, murmur or ponder?
While most of our suffering is self-inflicted, some is caused by or permitted by God. This sobering reality calls for deep submissiveness, especially when God does not remove the cup from us. In such circumstances, when reminded about the premortal shouting for joy as this life's plan was unfolded we can perhaps be pardoned if, in some moments, we wonder what all the shouting was about.
For the faithful, what finally emerges is an understanding of "things as they really are" such as the reassuring realization that we are in the Lord's hands! But, brothers and sisters, we were never really anywhere else! Demonstrating this great attitude is our beloved and submissive brother, Bruce R. McConkie.
"Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?" Likewise, "all flesh" and "the heavens and the earth". Perhaps the realization of being in God's hands comes fully only as we ponder the significance of the prints in the hands of our submissive Savior. Some will have to ask what those wounds are, having been estranged. These are they who "regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands."
The more we study, pray, and ponder the awesome Atonement, the more we are willing to acknowledge that we are in His and the Father's hands. Let us ponder, therefore, these final things.
When the unimaginable burden began to weigh upon Christ, it confirmed His long-held and intellectually clear understanding as to what He must now do. His working through began, and Jesus declared: "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour." Then, whether in spiritual soliloquy or by way of instruction to those about Him, He observed, "But for this cause came I unto this hour."
Later, in Gethsemane, the suffering Jesus began to be "sore amazed" or, in the Greek, "awestruck" and "astonished."
Imagine, Jehovah, the Creator of this and other worlds, "astonished"! Jesus knew cognitively what He must do, but not experientially. He had never personally known the exquisite and exacting process of an atonement before. Thus, when the agony came in its fulness, it was so much, much worse than even He with his unique intellect had ever imagined! No wonder an angel appeared to strengthen him!
The cumulative weight of all mortal sins-past, present, and future-pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow, too, a part of the awful arithmetic of the Atonement. The anguished Jesus not only pled with the Father that the hour and cup might pass from Him, but with this relevant citation. "And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me."
Had not Jesus, as Jehovah, said to Abraham, "Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" Had not His angel told a perplexed Mary, "For with God nothing shall be impossible"?
Jesus' request was not theater!
In this extremity, did He, perchance, hope for a rescuing ram in the thicket? I do not know. His suffering-as it were, enormity multiplied by infinity-evoked His later soul-cry on the cross, and it was a cry of forsakenness.
Even so, Jesus maintained this sublime submissiveness, as He had in Gethsemane: "Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."
While bearing our sins, our infirmities, our sicknesses, and bringing to pass the Atonement. Jesus became the perfect Shepherd, making these lines of Paul's especially relevant and reassuring: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
Indeed, we are in His hands, and what hallowed hands!
The wondrous and glorious Atonement was the central act in all of human history. It was the hinge on which all else that finally matters turned. But it turned upon Jesus' spiritual submissiveness!
May we now, in our time and turn, be "willing to submit" I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
Isaiah 29:13-14
"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
"Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."

This passage of scripture immediately reminds me of Joseph Smith History 1:8-54, which is the fulfilment of the prophecy given by Isaiah:
During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.
My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to "ask of God," concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.
So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.
After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction-not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being-just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)-and which I should join.
I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."
He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, "Never mind, all is well-I am well enough off." I then said to my mother, "I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true." It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?
Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.
I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects-all united to persecute me.
It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself.
However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.
I had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian world was concerned-that it was not my duty to join with any of them, but to continue as I was until further directed. I had found the testimony of James to be true-that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided.
I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, because I continued to affirm that I had seen a vision.
During the space of time which intervened between the time I had the vision and the year eighteen hundred and twenty-three-having been forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the day, and being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me-I was left to all kinds of temptations; and, mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was called of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native cheery temperament.
In consequence of these things, I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.
While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.
Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.
He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
Also, that there were two stones in silver bows-and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim-deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted "seers" in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:
For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when "they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people," but soon would come.
He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here.
Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken-for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled-I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.
After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me, and it continued to do so until the room was again left dark, except just around him; when, instantly I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he ascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance.
I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my meditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside.
He commenced, and again related the very same things which he had done at his first visit, without the least variation; which having done, he informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before.
By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in astonishment at what I had both seen and heard. But what was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger at my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things as before; and added a caution to me, telling me that Satan would try to tempt me (in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my father's family), to get the plates for the purpose of getting rich. This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them.
After this third visit, he again ascended into heaven as before, and I was again left to ponder on the strangeness of what I had just experienced; when almost immediately after the heavenly messenger had ascended from me for the third time, the cock crowed, and I found that day was approaching, so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night.
I shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the necessary labors of the day; but, in attempting to work as at other times, I found my strength so exhausted as to render me entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along with me, discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go home. I started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything.
The first thing that I can recollect was a voice speaking unto me, calling me by name. I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before. He then again related unto me all that he had related to me the previous night, and commanded me to go to my father and tell him of the vision and commandments which I had received.
I obeyed; I returned to my father in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him. He replied to me that it was of God, and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger. I left the field, and went to the place where the messenger had told me the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vision which I had had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I arrived there.
Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around was covered with earth.
Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them.
I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time; but he told me that I should come to that place precisely in one year from that time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I should continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates.
Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days.
Isaiah 5:20
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

In 1987, Neal A. Maxwell gave the talk "Overcome ... Even As I Also Overcame":
Events and circumstances in the last days make it imperative for us as members of the Church to become more grounded, rooted, established, and settled. Jesus said to His disciples, "settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you". If not so settled, the turbulence will be severe. If settled, we will not be "tossed to and fro," whether by rumors, false doctrines, or by the behavioral and intellectual fashions of the world. Nor will we get caught up in the "talk show" mentality, spending our time like ancient Athenians "in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing". Why be concerned with the passing preferences of the world anyway? "For the fashion of this world passeth away".
However, we cannot be thus settled in doing what Jesus has commanded unless we are first settled about Him. If Jesus were only a man, albeit a very good man, His counsel is merely that of a meridian moralist. It is quite another thing, however, for the Creator of multiple worlds, whose central concern is our individual happiness, to command, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Our task, therefore, is to "reconcile [ourselves] to the will of God, and not to the will of ... the flesh".
The poet-prophet Jacob witnessed among Church members how covenant-breaking wounded "delicate minds" and how hearts were "pierced with deep wounds". He was "weighed down" and so heavy with sorrow because some members esteemed their covenants so lightly. As I witness some of today's walking wounded, I understand Jacob's feelings as never before!
Some Church members, alas, are neither reconciled to the will of God nor are they sufficiently settled as to their covenants.
Some unworthily covenant afresh, partaking of the broken bread while having broken their covenants of marriage.
Some give of their time yet withhold themselves, being present without giving of their presence and going through the superficial motions of membership instead of the deep emotions of consecrated discipleship.
Some try to get by with knowing only the headlines of the gospel, not really talking much of Christ or rejoicing in Christ and esteeming lightly His books of scripture which contain and explain His covenants.
Some are so proud they never learn of obedience and spiritual submissiveness. They will have very arthritic knees on the day when every knee shall bend. There will be no gallery then to play to; all will be participants!
Maintaining Church membership on our own terms, therefore, is not true discipleship.
Real disciples absorb the fiery darts of the adversary by holding aloft the quenching shield of faith with one hand, while holding to the iron rod with the other. There should be no mistaking; it will take both hands!
Real disciples are also, precept by precept and experience by experience, becoming ever more like the Master they serve. We can neither be the woman nor the "man of Christ" unless we are coming to have the "mind of Christ". This process can happily include, wrote Paul, those once "alienated and enemies in [their] mind". We can be so clever, like the adversary, and still not know the mind of God!
We can be "ever learning" and yet allow the everlasting truths to get lost in life's shuffle as in this lamentation:
Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
(T. S. Eliot, "Choruses from 'The Rock,'" in The Complete Poems and Plays, 1909-1950, New York: Harcourt, Brace, and World, 1971, p. 96).
To help us become true disciples, the Lord has given us prophets and scriptures to strengthen us, "to prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord's errand in the day when ... by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thrash the nations by the power of his Spirit".
Feasting upon the fulness of the gospel will help us to overcome. Additionally, if we will keep our covenants, the covenants will keep us spiritually safe.
One day, and why not soon, the people of the Church will fulfill this prophecy: "The power of the Lamb of God ... descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, ... the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory".
However, our collective light does not yet shine brightly enough to be "a standard for the nations".
The Church would grow much faster now, numerically and spiritually, if it were not for the wickedness of the world. It would also grow much faster if you and I were better by taking up the Christian cross daily. Part of taking up the cross is denying ourselves the lusts and appetites of the flesh. "For it is better," the resurrected Jesus said, "that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross".
Thus, the daily taking up of the cross means daily denying ourselves the appetites of the flesh.
By emulating the Master, who endured temptations but "gave no heed unto them," we, too, can live in a world filled with temptations "such as [are] common to man". Of course Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, He rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us! Turning these unwanted lodgers away at the doorstep of the mind is one way of giving "no heed." Besides, these would-be lodgers are actually barbarians who, if admitted, can be evicted only with great trauma.
In a decaying environment, the mind is the last redoubt of righteousness, and it must be preserved even amid bombardment by evil stimuli. Christ is competent to see us through, "for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted".
As promised, He will make either "a way to escape" or a way "to bear it".
We surely have been warned and forewarned about our time, a period in which the compression of challenges may make a year seem like a decade. Members will be cleverly mocked and scorned by those in the "great and spacious building," representing the pride of the world. No matter, for ere long, He who was raised on the third day will raze that spacious but third-class hotel!
Ours will be a time of great inversion as well as perversion, as some will call good evil and evil good. Others, in their ignorance of spiritual truths, will "speak evil of those things which they know not".
Peace has already been taken from the earth. Nation will rise against nation. It will also be a time of hardening as the love of many waxes cold and iniquity abounds. Secular bewilderment will be epidemic amid the "distress of nations, with perplexity" as various vexations will mock man's cosmetic remedies:
How small, of all that human hearts endure,
That part which laws or kings can cause or cure!
(Samuel Johnson, "Lines added to Goldsmith's Traveller," in Familiar Quotations, comp. John Bartlett, Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1968, p. 428).
We cannot expect to live in such a world without experiencing certain consequences of these conditions. Yet we can always keep our covenants, even if we cannot keep such conditions from coming.
The Lord, who knows all that through which we will pass, will help us to overcome in our "small moment" of time. If we are settled, we will "endure it well" and "hold fast". Endured righteously, "all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good". "Think it not strange" when disciples are called upon to pass through "the fiery trial," said Peter.
Even so, the Saints of God, as prophesied, will eventually "cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes".
The spiritually settled will finally overcome, and the glorious promise is, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne".
Meanwhile, let us remember "what manner of persons [we] ought ... to be". Attributively, we are to become even as Jesus, with His virtues being increasingly replicated in our lives. Even in the midst of our obvious imperfections, a sacred process is to be underway-if slowly, nevertheless resolutely. Whatever one's unfolding agendum, he can be overcoming if he is becoming more like Christ!
Even though scarred by the past, if contrite, Jesus' promise is: "I shall heal them". Such shall become "alive again" "in Christ because of [their] faith". As part of His infinite atonement, Jesus knows "according to the flesh" all that through which we pass. He has borne the sins, griefs, sorrows, and, declared Jacob, the pains of every man, woman, and child. Having been perfected in His empathy, Jesus thus knows how to succor us.
We can, therefore, actually do as Peter urged and cast our cares upon the Lord. He is familiar with them, including even the feeling of being forsaken. Nothing is beyond His redeeming reach or His encircling empathy. Therefore, we should not complain about our own life's not being a rose garden when we remember who wore the crown of thorns!
I turn now to the conclusion of Jesus' mortal Messiahship. Luke reported Jesus' sweating in Gethsemane "as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground". This fact is fully validated in the "other books" of restoration scripture. "Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, ... to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit-and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink".
The necessary but awesome shedding of Jesus' blood thus occurred not only in the severe scourging, but earlier in Gethsemane. A recent and thoughtful article by several physicians on the physical death of Jesus Christ indicates that "the severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a preshock state." (We all recall, of course, that a dramatically weakened Jesus needed help to carry the cross.) "Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus' physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical. ... Although scourging may have resulted in considerable blood loss, crucifixion per se was a relatively bloodless procedure".
In addition to the consequences of scourging, how Christ's lifeblood had already flowed in Gethsemane! Remember, he suffered "both body and spirit". Declared King Benjamin, Christ would suffer "even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish".
Having bled at every pore, how red His raiment must have been in Gethsemane, how crimson that cloak!
No wonder, when Christ comes in power and glory, that He will come in reminding red attire signifying not only the winepress of wrath, but also to bring to our remembrance how He suffered for each of us in Gethsemane and on Calvary!
In recent years, as I have sung the hymns of the Atonement, it has been with an especially full heart-and also with full voice, when I can continue to sing-lines such as "How great thou art," "I scarce can take it in," "To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine," "I stand all amazed," and "Oh, it is wonderful!"
Now, my brothers and sisters, let not Jesus' redemption for us stop at the immortalizing dimension of the Atonement, "the loosing of the bands of death". Let us grasp the proffered gift of eternal life! We will end up either choosing Christ's manner of living or His manner of suffering! It is either "suffer even as I" or overcome "even as [He] ... overcame". His beckoning command is to become "even as I am". The spiritually settled accept that invitation, and "through the atonement of Christ," they become and overcome!
In this unsettled world, may we settle in our hearts on this determination, I pray in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen
.Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Thisscripture is all about using the Atonement. President Boyd K. Packer gave a great talk about this in October 2012:
My message is directed to those among us who are suffering, burdened down with guilt and weakness and failure, sorrow, and despair.
In 1971, I was assigned to stake conferences in Western Samoa, including the organization of a new stake on Upolu island. After interviews we chartered a small plane to Savai'i island to hold a stake conference there. The plane landed on a grassy field at Faala and was to return the next afternoon to take us back to Upolu island.
The day we were to return from Savai'i, it was raining. Knowing the plane could not land on the wet field, we drove to the west end of the island, where there was a runway of sorts atop a coral break. We waited until dark, but no plane arrived. Finally, we learned by radio that there was a storm, and the plane could not take off. We radioed back that we would come by boat. Someone was to meet us at Mulifanua.
As we pulled out of port on Savai'i, the captain of the 40-foot (12 m) boat asked the mission president if he had a flashlight. Fortunately, he did and made a present of it to the captain. We made the 13-mile (21 km) crossing to Upolu island on very rough seas. None of us realized that a ferocious tropical storm had hit the island, and we were heading straight into it.
We arrived in the harbor at Mulifanua. There was one narrow passage we were to go through along the reef. A light on the hill above the beach and a second lower light marked the narrow passage. When a boat was maneuvered so that the two lights were one above the other, the boat would be lined up properly to pass through the dangerous rocks that lined the passage.
But that night there was only one light. Two elders were waiting on the landing to meet us, but the crossing took much longer than usual. After watching for hours for signs of our boat, the elders tired and fell asleep, neglecting to turn on the second light, the lower light. As a result, the passage through the reef was not clear.
The captain maneuvered the boat as best he could toward the one upper light on shore while a crewman held the borrowed flashlight over the bow, searching for rocks ahead. We could hear the breakers crashing over the reef. When we were close enough to see them with the flashlight, the captain frantically shouted reverse and backed away to try again to locate the passage.
After many attempts, he knew it would be impossible to find the passage. All we could do was try to reach the harbor at Apia 40 miles (64 km) away. We were helpless against the ferocious power of the elements. I do not remember ever being where it was so dark.
We made no progress for the first hour, even though the engine was at full throttle. The boat would struggle up a mountainous wave and then pause in exhaustion at the top of the crest with the propellers out of the water. The vibration of the propellers would shake the boat almost to pieces before it slid down the other side.
We were lying spread-eagled on the cover of the cargo hold, holding on with our hands on one side and with our toes locked on the other to keep from being washed overboard. Brother Mark Littleford lost hold and was thrown against the low iron rail. His head was cut, but the rail kept him from being washed away.
Eventually, we moved ahead and near daylight finally pulled into the harbor at Apia. Boats were lashed to one another for safety. They were several deep at the pier. We crawled across them, trying not to disturb those sleeping on deck. We made our way to Pesega, dried our clothing, and headed for Vailuutai to organize the new stake.
I do not know who had been waiting for us at the beach at Mulifanua. I refused to let them tell me. But it is true that without that lower light, we all might have been lost.
There is in our hymnbook a very old and seldom-sung hymn that has very special meaning to me.
Brightly beams our Father's mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.
Dark the night of sin has settled;
Loud the angry billows roar.
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.
I speak today to those who may be lost and are searching for that lower light to help guide them back.
It was understood from the beginning that in mortality we would fall short of being perfect. It was not expected that we would live without transgressing one law or another.
"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."
From the Pearl of Great Price, we understand that "no unclean thing can dwell [in the kingdom of God]," and so a way was provided for all who sin to repent and become worthy of the presence of our Father in Heaven once more.
A Mediator, a Redeemer, was chosen, one who would live His life perfectly, commit no sin, and offer "himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered."
Concerning the importance of the Atonement, in Alma we learn, "For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; ... or else all mankind must unavoidably perish."
If you have made no mistakes, then you do not need the Atonement. If you have made mistakes, and all of us have, whether minor or serious, then you have an enormous need to find out how they can be erased so that you are no longer in darkness.
"[Jesus Christ] is the light and the life of the world." As we fix our gaze on His teachings, we will be guided to the harbor of spiritual safety.
The third article of faith states, "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."
President Joseph F. Smith taught: "Men cannot forgive their own sins; they cannot cleanse themselves from the consequences of their sins. Men can stop sinning and can do right in the future, and so far [as] their acts are acceptable before the Lord [become] worthy of consideration. But who shall repair the wrongs they have done to themselves and to others, which it seems impossible for them to repair themselves? By the atonement of Jesus Christ the sins of the repentant shall be washed away; though they be crimson they shall be made white as wool. This is the promise given to you."
We do not know exactly how the Lord accomplished the Atonement. But we do know that the cruel torture of crucifixion was only part of the horrific pain which began in Gethsemane-that sacred site of suffering-and was completed on Golgotha.
Luke records:
"He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
"Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
"And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."
So far as I have been able to tell, there is only one account in the Savior's own words that describes what He endured in the Garden of Gethsemane. The revelation records:
"For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
"But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
"Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore."
Throughout your life there may be times when you have gone places you never should have gone and done things you never should have done. If you will turn away from sin, you will be able one day to know the peace that comes from following the pathway of complete repentance.
No matter what our transgressions have been, no matter how much our actions may have hurt others, that guilt can all be wiped out. To me, perhaps the most beautiful phrase in all scripture is when the Lord said, "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more."
That is the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement: to take anyone who comes, anyone who will join, and put them through an experience so that at the end of their life, they can go through the veil having repented of their sins and having been washed clean through the blood of Christ.
That is what Latter-day Saints do around the world. That is the Light we offer to those who are in darkness and have lost their way. Wherever our members and missionaries may go, our message is one of faith and hope in the Savior Jesus Christ.
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote the lyrics to the hymn "Does the Journey Seem Long?" He was a dear friend of mine. It contains encouragement and a promise to those who seek to follow the teachings of the Savior:
Does the journey seem long,
The path rugged and steep?
Are there briars and thorns on the way?
Do sharp stones cut your feet
As you struggle to rise
To the heights thru the heat of the day?
Is your heart faint and sad,
Your soul weary within,
As you toil 'neath your burden of care?
Does the load heavy seem
You are forced now to lift?
Is there no one your burden to share?
Let your heart be not faint
Now the journey's begun;
There is One who still beckons to you.
So look upward in joy
And take hold of his hand;
He will lead you to heights that are new-
A land holy and pure,
Where all trouble doth end,
And your life shall be free from all sin,
Where no tears shall be shed,
For no sorrows remain.
Take his hand and with him enter in.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Elder Richard G. Scott gave the following talk in 1995:
It is so hard when sincere prayer about something we desire very much is not answered the way we want. It is especially difficult when the Lord answers no to that which is worthy and would give us great joy and happiness. Whether it be overcoming illness or loneliness, recovery of a wayward child, coping with a handicap, or seeking continuing life for a dear one who is slipping away, it seems so reasonable and so consistent with our happiness to have a favorable answer. It is hard to understand why our exercise of deep and sincere faith from an obedient life does not bring the desired result.
No one wants adversity. Trials, disappointments, sadness, and heartache come to us from two basically different sources. Those who transgress the laws of God will always have those challenges. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord's own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different.
If you are suffering the disheartening effects of transgression, please recognize that the only path to permanent relief from sadness is sincere repentance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Realize your full dependence upon the Lord and your need to align your life with His teachings. There is really no other way to get lasting healing and peace. Postponing humble repentance will delay or prevent your receiving relief. Admit to yourself your mistakes and seek help now. Your bishop is a friend with keys of authority to help you find peace of mind and contentment. The way will be opened for you to have strength to repent and be forgiven.
Now may I share some suggestions with you who face the second source of adversity, the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments.
Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11-12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.
When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, "Please let me know Thy will" and "May Thy will be done," you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father.
This life is an experience in profound trust-trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5-7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.
To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love.
As in all things, the Master is our perfect example. Who could have asked with more perfect faith, greater obedience, or more complete understanding than did He when He asked His Father in Gethsemane: "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matt. 26:39). Later He pled twice again: "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done" (Matt. 26:42, see also Matt. 26:44).
How grateful I am personally that our Savior taught we should conclude our most urgent, deeply felt prayers, when we ask for that which is of utmost importance to us, with "Thy will be done" (Matt. 26:42). Your willingness to accept the will of the Father will not change what in His wisdom He has chosen to do. However, it will certainly change the effect of those decisions on you personally. That evidence of the proper exercise of agency allows His decisions to produce far greater blessings in your life. I have found that because of our Father's desire for us to grow, He may give us gentle, almost imperceptible promptings that, if we are willing to accept without complaint, He will enlarge to become a very clear indication of His will. This enlightenment comes because of our faith and our willingness to do what He asks even though we would desire something else.
Our Father in Heaven has invited you to express your needs, hopes, and desires unto Him. That should not be done in a spirit of negotiation, but rather as a willingness to obey His will no matter what direction that takes. His invitation, "Ask, and ye shall receive" (3 Ne. 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than do you.
I testify that when the Lord closes one important door in your life, He shows His continuing love and compassion by opening many other compensating doors through your exercise of faith. He will place in your path packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten your way. They often come after the trial has been the greatest, as evidence of the compassion and love of an all-knowing Father. They point the way to greater happiness, more understanding, and strengthen your determination to accept and be obedient to His will.
It is a singularly marvelous blessing to have faith in the Savior and a testimony of His teachings. So few in the world have that brilliant light to guide them. The fulness of the restored gospel gives perspective, purpose, and understanding. It allows us to face what otherwise appear to be unjust, unfair, unreasonable challenges in life. Learn those helpful truths by pondering the Book of Mormon and other scriptures. Try to understand those teachings not only with your mind but also with your heart.
True enduring happiness with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the most challenging difficulties comes from a life centered in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a sure foundation upon which to build. That takes effort. There is no guarantee of overnight results, but there is absolute assurance that, in the Lord's time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and emptiness will be filled.
Recently a great leader, suffering from physical handicaps that come with advancing age, said, "I am glad I have what I have." It is wisdom to open the windows of happiness by recognizing your abundant blessings.
Don't let the workings of adversity totally absorb your life. Try to understand what you can. Act where you are able; then let the matter rest with the Lord for a period while you give to others in worthy ways before you take on appropriate concern again.
Please learn that as you wrestle with a challenge and feel sadness because of it, you can simultaneously have peace and rejoicing. Yes, pain, disappointment, frustration, and anguish can be temporary scenes played out on the stage of life. Behind them there can be a background of peace and the positive assurance that a loving Father will keep His promises. You can qualify for those promises by a determination to accept His will, by understanding the plan of happiness, by receiving all of the ordinances, and by keeping the covenants made to assure their fulfillment.
The Lord's plan is to exalt you to live with Him and be greatly blessed. The rate at which you qualify is generally set by your capacity to mature, to grow, to love, and to give of yourself. He is preparing you to be a god. You cannot understand fully what that means, yet, He knows. As you trust Him, seek and follow His will, you will receive blessings that your finite mind cannot understand here on earth. Your Father in Heaven and His Holy Son know better than you what brings happiness. They have given you the plan of happiness. As you understand and follow it, happiness will be your blessing. As you willingly obey, receive, and honor the ordinances and covenants of that holy plan, you can have the greatest measure of satisfaction in this life. Yes, even times of overpowering happiness. You will prepare yourself for an eternity of glorious life with your loved ones who qualify for that kingdom.
I know the principles that we have discussed are true. They have been tested in the crucible of personal experience. To recognize the hand of the Lord in your life and to accept His will without complaint is a beginning. That decision does not immediately eliminate the struggles that will come for your growth. But I witness that it is the best way there is for you to find strength and understanding. It will free you from the dead ends of your own reasoning. It will allow your life to become a productive, meaningful experience, when otherwise you may not know how to go on (see D&C 24:8).
I testify that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you. I witness that the Savior gave His life for your happiness. I know Him. He understands your every need. I positively know that as you accept Their will without complaint, They will bless and sustain you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Psalm 127:3
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."

President Boyd K. Packer taught, "Some years ago two of our little boys were wrestling on the rug before the fireplace. They had reached the pitch-you know the one-where laughter turns to tears and play becomes a struggle. I worked a foot gently between them and lifted the older boy (then just four years of age) to a sitting position on the rug, saying, "Hey there, you monkey, you had better settle down." He folded his little arms and looked at me with surprising seriousness. His little boy feelings had been hurt, and he protested, "I not a monkey, Daddy-I a person."
"I thought how deeply I loved him, how much I wanted him to be "a person"-one of eternal worth. For "children are an heritage of the Lord" (Ps. 127:3 ).
"That lesson has lingered with me. Among the many things we have learned from our children, this, perhaps, has been the most tempering."
Having worked for most of my career in education, I would agree with these words from President Packer, "Much of what I know-of what it matters that one knows-I have learned from my children."
He continued, "We are grateful for our family, grateful for all of our children. We have learned so much from them, some of the things we weren't conscious that we wanted to know. Each of them is needed and wanted in our family; and I say again, much of what I know, of that which matters that one knows, I have learned from our children."
I am not a mother, biologically, but the children that have come in and out of my life will hold a special place in my heart for an eternity. Children can and do have that effect on us. I believe that is because they are often the closest to Christ. As we learn from them, we will become more Christlike as well.
President Packer's advice to parents, current or future, is this, "Young couples, draw reverently close to your Father in heaven in these monumental decisions of life. Seek inspiration from the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Grow close to him. Perhaps you, as he, will come to "suffer the little children to come unto [you], and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:14 )."
Psalm 119:105
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

This scripture reminds me of a talk given by Elder Eduardo Gavarret in the October 2014 General Conference entitled 'Yes, Lord, I Will Follow Thee':
"For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word." Today this scripture is fulfilled once more as I have been given the opportunity to express my feelings in my native tongue.
It was the year 1975, and I was serving in the Uruguay-Paraguay Mission as a young missionary. During my first month in the mission, the zone leaders held an activity to demonstrate a gospel principle. Each missionary in the zone was blindfolded, and we were told that we were to follow a path leading to the cultural hall. We were to follow the voice of one particular leader, a voice we heard before starting to walk. However, we were warned that during the journey, we would hear several voices that would try to confuse us and get us to stray from the path.
After some minutes of hearing noises, talking, and-in the midst of it all-a voice that said, "Follow me," I felt confident I was following the right voice. When we arrived at the cultural hall of the chapel, we were asked to take off our blindfolds. When I did so, I realized that there were two groups and that I was in the group that had followed the wrong voice. "It sounded so much like the right one," I said to myself.
That experience of 39 years ago had a lasting effect on me. I told myself, "Never, ever again follow the wrong voice." Then I told myself, "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee."
I want to relate this experience with the Savior's tender invitation to us:
"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep. ...
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
The invitation to "follow Him" is the most simple, direct, and powerful invitation we can receive. It comes from a clear voice that cannot be confused.
The Lord invites us using various verbs: "Come unto me," "Follow me," "Walk with me." In each case it is not a passive invitation; it is an invitation to act. It is addressed to all mankind by the one who is the Prophet of prophets, the Teacher of teachers, the Son of God, the Messiah.
The Invitation to "Come unto Me"
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
You who are not yet members of the Church will receive this invitation through the voice of the missionaries with the words, "Will you read the Book of Mormon? Will you pray? Will you attend church? Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by those who have authority?" How will you answer this invitation today?
I invite you to listen to and accept the message by saying, "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!"
Carlos Badiola and his family, of Minas, Uruguay, were meeting with the missionaries. Since the elders asked a lot of questions during the lessons, they decided to invite a nonmember neighbor-a beautiful 14-year-old girl named Norma-to help them answer. Norma was a dedicated high school student who was studying the Bible at school that year, so when the missionaries asked a question, Norma answered. She was a "golden investigator." The lesson taught that day was about the Word of Wisdom.
When she returned home after the lesson with the missionaries, Norma knew what she had to do. She said to her mother, "Mom, from now on, no more coffee with milk for me. Just milk." That response was the visible manifestation of her desire to accept the invitation to follow Christ, as extended by the missionaries.
Both Carlos Badiola and Norma were baptized. Later on, following Norma's example, her mother, father, and siblings were also baptized. Norma and I grew up together in that little but powerful branch. Later on, when I returned from serving a mission, we were married. I always knew that it would be easier to follow the Savior with her by my side.
One who is a member of the Church and has accepted this invitation renews the commitment each week by partaking of the sacrament. Part of that commitment includes keeping the commandments; by doing so you are saying, "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!"
The Invitation to "Follow Me"
"Follow me" was the Lord's invitation to the rich young ruler. The rich man had kept the commandments throughout his life. When he asked what more he could do, he received an answer with a clear invitation: "Come, ... follow me." However, even though the invitation was simple, it was not without sacrifice. It required effort-coupled with decision and action.
The prophet Nephi invited self-reflection when he questioned: "And [Jesus] said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?"
The invitation to "come unto me," to listen to His voice, and to follow it has been the message of missionaries from the beginning, helping many to change their lives for good.
Fifty years ago the missionaries entered my father's watchmaker shop to leave a watch to be repaired. As good missionaries do, they took advantage of the opportunity to speak with my father and mother about the gospel. My father accepted the missionaries, and my mother accepted the message and invitation to follow Christ. From that day to this, she has remained active in the Church. She said, "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!"
As you strive to come to Him, you will gain the power to relieve life's burdens, whether physical or spiritual, and experience a positive inner change that will help you be happier.
The Invitation to "Walk with Me"
Enoch was called to preach the gospel to a difficult, hard-hearted people. He did not feel qualified. He had doubts about whether he could do it. The Lord calmed his doubts and strengthened his faith through the invitation "Walk with me"-an invitation that, like a blind man's cane or a friend's arm, can guide the footsteps of one whose step is not sure. By taking the Savior's arm and walking with Him, Enoch found that his step became firm and he became a great missionary and a prophet.
The decision to "come unto me" and "follow me" is personal. When we accept this invitation, our level of commitment is raised, and it is then that we can "walk with Him." This level establishes a closer relationship with the Savior-the fruit of our accepting the first invitation.
Norma and I individually accepted the invitation to "come unto me" and to "follow me." Then, together, supporting each other, we have learned to walk with Him.
The effort and the determination to seek Him and to follow Him will be rewarded with the blessings we need.
Such was the case of the woman who, with great effort, managed to touch the Savior's garment or of Bartimaeus the blind man, whose determination was a key factor in the miracle that happened in his life. In both cases a healing of body and spirit was granted.
Reach out your hand, touch His garment, accept His invitation, say, "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!"-and walk with Him.
"Come unto me," "Follow me," and "Walk with me" are invitations containing inherent power-for those who accept them-to transform your life and generate a change within you that will lead you to say, "[I] have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."
As an outward manifestation of that change, you will feel the strong desire to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."
What steps can we take today to "walk with Him"?
Feed the desire to be a better follower of Christ.
Pray for this desire that your faith in Him may grow.
Obtain knowledge from the scriptures, lighting the way and strengthening your desire to change.
Make the decision today to act and say, "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!" Simply knowing the truth will not change your world unless you turn knowledge into action.
Persevere in the decision you have made by exercising these principles daily. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased"
May the words of our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, motivate us to action in our desire to accept the Savior's invitation. President Monson said: "Who is the King of glory, this Lord of hosts? He is our Master. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is the Author of our Salvation. He beckons, 'Follow me.' He instructs, 'Go, and do thou likewise.' He pleads, 'Keep my commandments.'"
May we make the decision today to increase our level of worship and commitment to God, and may our response to His invitation be heard loud and clear: "Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!" In the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Psalms 24:3-4
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."

Our goal is to return to our Heavenly Home and live with our families forever. So how can we do that? We need to have clean hands and a pure heart.
David A. Bednar taught, "Repenting and coming unto Christ through the covenants and ordinances of salvation are prerequisite to and a preparation for being sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost and standing spotless before God at the last day."
There is so much more than repentance. Elder Bednar continued, "The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also essentially entails doing good, being good, and becoming better. Repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness are spiritually necessary, and we must always do so. But remission of sin is not the only or even the ultimate purpose of the gospel. To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that "we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin's people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin."
Elder Bednar adds, "Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place."
So how do we have both? Elder Bednar clarifies saying, "Let me suggest that hands are made clean through the process of putting off the natural man and by overcoming sin and the evil influences in our lives through the Savior's Atonement. Hearts are purified as we receive His strengthening power to do good and become better. All of our worthy desires and good works, as necessary as they are, can never produce clean hands and a pure heart. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could by relying only upon our own strength. The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us."
He goes on to say, "Our sincere desire should be to have both clean hands and a pure heart-both a remission of sins from day to day and to walk guiltless before God. Clean hands alone will not be enough when we stand before Him who is pure and who, as "a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:19), freely spilled His precious blood for us."
Elder Bednar testifies, "We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and should press forward with faith in Christ along the strait and narrow path and make steady progress toward our eternal destiny. The Lord's pattern for spiritual development is "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Nephi 28:30 ). Small, steady, incremental spiritual improvements are the steps the Lord would have us take. Preparing to walk guiltless before God is one of the primary purposes of mortality and the pursuit of a lifetime; it does not result from sporadic spurts of intense spiritual activity.
"I witness that the Savior will strengthen and assist us to make sustained, paced progress."
As we strive to move forward, cleaning our hands and purifying our hearts, the Lord will give us the strength to become clean and pure. For it is He who can complete the cleansing and purification. It is a daily task, but as we continue forward, the Lord will bless us in our endeavors to become more like Him and the people He needs us to be.
1 Samuel 16:7
"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

Marvin J. Ashton taught, "Human measurement, of course, is subject to human fallibility. My generation, for example, was taught that a person's I.Q. was supposedly a fixed measurement of a person's capacity to learn. Such a notion is now generally discredited by the teaching profession. Interestingly, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught in the nineteenth century: "We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 51.) He was obviously ahead of his time!
"We also tend to evaluate others on the basis of physical, outward appearance: their "good looks," their social status, their family pedigrees, their degrees, or their economic situations.
"The Lord, however, has a different standard by which he measures a person. When it came time to choose a king to replace King Saul, the Lord gave this criteria to his prophet Samuel: "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; ... for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7.)
"When the Lord measures an individual, He does not take a tape measure around the person's head to determine his mental capacity, nor his chest to determine his manliness, but He measures the heart as an indicator of the person's capacity and potential to bless others."
Then he asks this question, "Why the heart? Because the heart is a synonym for one's entire makeup. We often use phrases about the heart to describe the total person. Thus, we describe people as being "bighearted" or "goodhearted" or having a "heart of gold." Or we speak of people with faint hearts, wise hearts, pure hearts, willing hearts, deceitful hearts, conniving hearts, courageous hearts, cold hearts, hearts of stone, or selfish hearts.
"The measure of our hearts is the measure of our total performance. As used by the Lord, the "heart" of a person describes his effort to better self, or others, or the conditions he confronts."
Elder Ashton concludes, "I pray that God will give each of us the courage and desire to strive for a pure heart, a willing heart, an understanding and loving heart. May we take the seeds offered to all of us, plant them, and nourish them that we may help harvest the matured fruit of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"If we can do this, when the final judgment is made and our hearts are measured by the Lord, our measurements will not be found deficient.
"I bear my testimony and witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to change hearts and help individuals become pure, gentle, honest, kind, and loving."
Joshua 24:15
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Choosing who we will serve dates back to, at least, the Council in Heaven. In that meeting, we had a choice: to follow Lucifer or to follow Jehovah. Because we are all here on this Earth, we chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior.
President Thomas S. Monson taught, "All of us commenced an awesome and vital journey when we left the spirit world and entered this often challenging stage called mortality. We brought with us that great gift from God-our agency. Said the prophet Wilford Woodruff: "God has given unto all of His children ... individual agency. ... [We] possessed it in the heaven of heavens before the world was, and the Lord maintained and defended it there against the aggression of Lucifer. ... By virtue of this agency you and I and all mankind are made responsible beings, responsible for the course we pursue, the lives we live, the deeds we do."
Everything is about agency. We know the Lord has asked us to serve Him, but the key word there is "asked". He didn't demand it of us. He allows us to choose to follow Him.
President Brigham Young spoke of the importance of agency when he said, "All must use [this agency] in order to gain exaltation in [God's] kingdom; inasmuch as [we] have the power of choice [we] must exercise that power."
President Monson reminds us, "Some choices may seem more important than others, but no choice is insignificant."
Life is all about choices. I am currently living in the time of life when some of the most significant and important choices are made. I'm faced with choices about my career, furthering my education, expanding my social circle, where to live, who to date and who to marry, when to start a family, and what to have for dinner. All of these choices cross my mind on a weekly, if not daily, basis.
President Monson shared this lesson, "Let us not find ourselves as indecisive as is Alice in Lewis Carroll's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, "Which path shall I follow?"
"The cat answers: "That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn't matter which path you take.""
I had a friend who felt that if he wasn't feeling the hand of God in his life about a decision, he wouldn't make the decision. This was in regard to both simple and serious decisions in his life.
I believe that sometimes the Lord is like the Cheshire cat from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. When we go to the Lord for guidance, He wants to know what we want, what our goals are, and what we have researched out as He leads us.
Think of the story of Nephi and his family. The Lord asked them to build a boat to travel to the Promised Land. We don't know Nephi's boat making experience or what happened in his life to prepare him for this request from the Lord, but considering how the Lord works, I'd imagine that Nephi had been prepared. Nephi, upon hearing this request, didn't sit idly and say, "I will move from this spot when the Lord tells me how to build this ship." Nope, that's not Nephi-like. He thought about what it would take to make a ship and then prayed to be guided to find the ore to make the tools.
The Lord has prepared us to make decisions for ourselves. This is why we are here on this Earth. We've been blessed with a brain and ability to think and choose for ourselves. This isn't to say that being prayerful isn't an important part of the decision making process, because it is. But the Lord won't tell us what to do, He will guide us.
There have been times in my life where I have prayed about something and the Lord has told me "yes" or "no". However, those are times I could probably count on one hand. My experience with answers to prayers on big decisions are more like those that John Bytheway shared how he felt that he could marry his wife.
Brother Bytheway shared the experience of his courtship with his future wife, saying that along the way he would ask the Lord to stop him if he was wrong. He felt that this woman was someone he wanted to pursue, so he did, asking the Lord to stop him if this wasn't the best direction for him to go. The Lord didn't and the Bytheway's have been happily married ever since.
If we compare answers we receive to a traffic light, from my experience, Heavenly Father mostly gives us yellow lights. If we are obedient in our lives and are striving to become better each day, He will guide us. But part of the blessing of agency is to choose righteously.
We should keep in mind that while we have the best People on our side, we also have someone who doesn't want us to succeed. President Monson warns, "At times many of us let that enemy of achievement-even the culprit "selfdefeat"- dwarf our aspirations, smother our dreams, cloud our vision, and impair our lives. The enemy's voice whispers in our ears, "You can't do it." "You're too young." "You're too old." "You're nobody." This is when we remember that we are created in the image of God. Reflection on this truth provides a profound sense of strength and power."
President David O. McKay taught, "'The greatest battle of life is fought within the silent chambers of your own soul.' ... It is a good thing to sit down and commune with yourself, to come to an understanding with yourself and decide in that silent moment what your duty is to your family, to your Church, to your country, and ... to your fellowmen."
If we are doing as the Savior has taught us, we will be guided in making the best decisions for ourselves and our families.
I'll conclude with this last quote from our beloved President Monson, "May I leave with you today a simple yet farreaching formula to guide you in the choices of life:
"Fill your minds with truth.
"Fill your hearts with love.
"Fill your lives with service.
"By doing so, may we one day hear the plaudit from our Lord and Savior, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." [Matt. 25:23]”
Exodus 20:3-17
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:
"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
"And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
"Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
"But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
"For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
"Thou shalt not kill.
"Thou shalt not commit adultery.
"Thou shalt not steal.
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's."

The Ten Commandments - a lot of times we look as these as a list of don'ts. These verses could also be put as:
(1) Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost make up the Godhead.
(2) Heavenly Father is and should be the focus of our worship, and the Son through Him.
(3) Speak of Heavenly Father respectfully.
(4) Keep the Sabbath Day holy.
(5) Honor and respect your parents.
(6) Life is precious and should be treated with respect.
(7) Marriage between one man and one woman is ordained of God and should be respected as such.
(8) Respect what is yours and show respect to what belongs to someone else.
(9) Honesty is the best policy.
(10) Be grateful for your own blessings.
True, yes?
These were given to the Israelites after they were led out of Egypt by Moses. Though thousands of years ago, they are still standards in our lives. Let's look at each commandment and apply it to life today.
(1) Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost make up the Godhead.
Heavenly Father is our literal Father. He is our Creator. We know that our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, was part of that Creation process and is our Advocate with the Father. The Holy Ghost has devoted Himself as a means for us to understand what our Father and Brother need of us.
(2) Heavenly Father is and should be the focus of our worship, and the Son through Him.
While this might be obvious, how many times do we allow our priorities to go to other places? How many times have we said we don't have enough time to really study the scriptures but spent hours on social media, catching up on our favorite shows, or playing video games? How many half-hearted prayers have we given because we were too tired or forgot, but we jump to our phone as soon as we get a notification that we've received a text message from our friends? I know I'm guilty of this.
I'm not saying social media and texting is evil. It's not if we use it appropriately. I love social media to stay in touch with friends and family from all over the world. Texting is a great way to get information between people quickly. Television and video games are fun things to participate in while relaxing. We just need to remember what's most important.
I remember a FHE in my singles ward once where someone had a jar, a pile of rocks, a pile of pebbles, sand, and water. They asked us if all of that could fit in the jar. The answer was yes, but only if you put it in the right order. If you put the pebbles, sand, or water in first, you won't have space for the rocks. But if you put in the rocks, then the pebbles, then the sand, and then the water, it all fit perfectly.
This is like our lives. We've been told that our Rock is the Savior so the rocks signify anything that brings us closer to Him - prayer, scripture study, temple and church attendance, etc. The pebbles are other good things in life - reading good books, visiting friends or family, etc. The sand and water are all those extra things - one more episode, etc. We can accomplish a lot more if we put our priorities in order.
(3) Speak of Heavenly Father respectfully.
Out of respect, we call our parents "Mom" or "Dad". We call their parents "Grandma" or "Grandpa". We call our other elders "Brother," "Sister," "Mr.," or "Mrs." Anything else we might call them would have to respect their wishes.
There are also some circumstances when some terms wouldn't be appropriate. It would be odd if I called my boss "Sister Oldham" at work. I call her by her first name, because that's what is most appropriate in our work environment.
Just as we show respect for what we call our superiors, we should speak of Heavenly Father respectfully. It isn't just in the name. Anytime we speak of someone we respect or should respect, our words should show that as well as our behaviors. Speaking of Heavenly Father, or His leaders, should be in reverence.
(4) Keep the Sabbath Day holy.
Sunday's are meant to be set aside for worshiping the Lord. They are also meant for us to experience a spiritual charge to help us through the week.
Of course, there are some circumstances that might require someone to not be able to completely rest from their labors. Police officers and doctors are necessary to protecting the lives of others. Planes fly around the clock. And there are many other reasons a person may not be able to have Sunday's off.
It isn't completely about that. It's about setting the day apart from the others. Those who have to work on Sundays can find ways to make Sunday a day to worship the Lord. They could find a way to get to a Sacrament Meeting, listen to hymns instead of their typical music, spend more time in the scriptures or words of our leaders, etc.
To those who aren't required to work on Sunday, how are we setting it apart? Are we spending time with our families or running our errands? Are we using the extra time to catch up on our favorite shows or spending that time in good books?
While I was still in school, I made a commitment not to do my homework or take a job that would require me to work on Sunday. It was a simple commitment and generally was easy for me to do. There were a few times I had to turn down a job or get up super early to get an assignment done. There were times when I was blessed with a surprise extension on an assignment I hadn't completed because I chose not to work on Sunday.
I've realized that, for me, giving those things up weren't enough. It was more about what I put in place to appropriately worship my Heavenly Father on Sundays. If I just sat at home and watched TV all day, that really wasn't a good use of my time or helping with my spiritual rejuvenation. I could use my time playing board games with my family or catching up on my journal. A Sunday nap is completely fine, but if I'm sleeping the day away, that's a waste.
What you choose to do on Sunday is between you and the Lord. If you ask Him, He will guide you on what it most appropriate for you to worship on His day.
(5) Honor and respect your parents.
This one is fairly self-explanatory. We must honor and respect our parents. Without them, we wouldn't be here. They deserve our love and respect for what they do for us.
However, I am not naïve in thinking that parents are perfect. They aren't. While I have great parents, they are not perfect. There are times we might disagree with our parents and have different views on life, and that's okay. When these moments arise, and they will, we have to speak of them respectfully. If we respect one another, we will see that we all have each other's best interests at heart and love will continue to bind us together.
There are also parents that have done things in life that one might think they don't deserve honor and respect. To be honest, they might not. The mortal in me hears of mothers or fathers who leave their families, parents who abuse their children or one another, etc. and feels that they don't deserve the love and respect from their family. But it isn't our place to judge them. That is the Lord's. To honor and respect these parents, maybe it is to forgive them and turn it over to the Lord. This is not easy, but if you are doing it with the right intentions to move on from the hurt, the Lord will guide and bless you.
(6) Life is precious and should be treated with respect.
I don't know about you, but I don't struggle going out and killing people. Not a problem for me. I think it would be safe for me to say that most people don't struggle with this. There are extreme people who do kill innocent people or people they feel deserve it. However, this is an extreme minority.
An overwhelming commonalty in this day and age is ending life in its developing stages. Life, according to my beliefs, begins at conception. If that's not enough, heartbeat begins six weeks after conception. It is about this point that the mother might suspect life growing within her.
While I agree in the gift of agency, I don't agree in taking away someone else's, especially when that individual is helpless.
The worth of every soul is great in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. He allowed each of His precious children to be granted a body, the thing they've desired greatly since the Council in Heaven. Conception gave that child of God a body, a requirement for that individual to become more like Him.
Here is what the Church's, and thereby the Lord's stance, on abortion:
"Human life is a sacred gift from God. Elective abortion for personal or social convenience is contrary to the will and the commandments of God. Church members who submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions may lose their membership in the Church.
"In today's society, abortion has become a common practice, defended by deceptive arguments. Latter-day prophets have denounced abortion, referring to the Lord's declaration, "Thou shalt not ... kill, nor do anything like unto it" (D&C 59:6). Their counsel on the matter is clear: Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must not submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for an abortion. Church members who encourage an abortion in any way may be subject to Church discipline.
"Church leaders have said that some exceptional circumstances may justify an abortion, such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, when the life or health of the mother is judged by competent medical authority to be in serious jeopardy, or when the fetus is known by competent medical authority to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth. But even these circumstances do not automatically justify an abortion. Those who face such circumstances should consider abortion only after consulting with their local Church leaders and receiving a confirmation through earnest prayer.
"When a child is conceived out of wedlock, the best option is for the mother and father of the child to marry and work toward establishing an eternal family relationship. If a successful marriage is unlikely, they should place the child for adoption...."
(7) Marriage between one man and one woman is ordained of God and should be respected as such.
Marriage is a special, sacred, and can be an eternal thing. Words cannot express the feeling you have as you are looking at the person you are committing yourself to for eternity and knowing they will be yours forever if you both choose to continue in the ways the Lord would have you go.
Sexual intimacy is a part of that sacred marital bond that should be saved for that time. Nothing can be more beautiful than sharing that kind of love and respect to your spouse.
On the flipside, nothing can describe the pain of eternal marriage being taken from you through divorce or the pain of having those blessings withheld through continued time in the single phase of life.
The beauty of intimate acts when put at inappropriate times or in inappropriate ways, can cause damage that can only be repaired through the Atonement of Christ.
If you are single, use the Atonement to know that one day you will have the blessings of an eternal marriage and family. If you are divorced, use the Atonement to heal from the pain that goes through any divorce as well as repenting for any wrong doings you may have had a hand in that lead to that end.
If you've gotten involved in a premature intimate relationship, use the Atonement to become whole once again. If you've been victimized, use the Atonement to heal and to forgive those who've wronged you.
Nothing is more precious than eternal families. That's why we are here on this Earth. So is it any wonder that those ideals are being attacked on every side?
(8) Respect what is yours and show respect to what belongs to someone else.
Everyone lives in different circumstances. Some seem to have everything while others seem to have nothing. We cannot focus on what others have or don't have. We need to focus on what we have been blessed with. We can service and give to others, as well as strive to improve our situations, financially or otherwise. Regardless, our focus should be on giving thanks to the Lord and respecting what we have.
(9) Honesty is the best policy.
William Shakespeare wrote, "No legacy is so rich as honesty." Think of the honest people in your life. These are people you respect and hold close to you because you know that they are honest and you can trust them.
We must be honest in all of our doings. James E. Faust taught, "Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving."
(10) Be grateful for your own blessings.
Gratitude is everything. We must show our thankfulness for all that we have been blessed with. John F. Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
In Conclusion
While this was a lengthy post, I hope we look at the Ten Commandments not as a list of what we can't or shouldn't do, but as guidelines of how to come closer to our Home.
Hugh B. Brown taught, "I think it important as we think of life, its opportunities, its possibilities, its challenges, its inspirations, that we undertake to qualify ourselves to receive from the Holy Spirit the instruction and direction from day to day that will keep us in the path of duty.
"May I make a suggestion, and I thought of it after I came into the building tonight. I wish the head of every house would get a large cardboard and print on it by hand in letters large enough to be seen across the room the twentieth chapter of Exodus, the third through the seventeenth verses (Ex. 20:3-17). Will you put that on the wall where you and other members of the family will see it every day. Read it, assimilate its meaning, profit by its instruction.
"And then get another cardboard the same size and write on that one the fifth chapter of
Matthew, from the third through the twelfth verses (Matt. 5:3-12). If you will put these side by side and read them every morning-you can read them while you are shaving or washing or getting ready to go to work or to school-they will remind you of who you are and what is expected of you.”
Exodus 19:5-6
"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
"And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."

Erastus Snow taught, "The salvation of God is revealed for the good of all men who will receive it."
Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines agency as, "The quality of moving or of exerting power; the state of being in action...."
The Lord has provided the way for us to return Home and to inherit our eternal reward. It is right there waiting for us. However, in order to receive it, we must choose to obey the will of the Lord, keep His commandments, and live up to the covenants we make with Him.
The key is that it is our choice.
Imagine it is Christmas morning. You have all these lovely gifts wrapped under the tree. They are all right there and waiting for you to open and enjoy. But what if you decided not to open them. You're content to just look at the presents. Or you decide to open them, but not take them out of their boxes and packaging to put them to use.
What a waste!
It's the same thing when our Heavenly Father provides us with gifts. He has them there and ready to use when we need them, but we have to have followed His guidance and then chosen to use those gifts when they become available.
Elder Robert D. Hales taught, "Agency allows us to be tested and tried to see whether or not we will endure to the end and return to our Heavenly Father with honor. ... Agency permits us to make faithful, obedient choices that strengthen us so that we can lift and strengthen others."
We must choose to accept the blessings and hand of our Savior in our lives. He will not force Himself upon us. We have to invite Him through our own choice, the gift of agency that we fought for in the War in Heaven. It is up to us to choose, or continue to choose, Christ.
Genesis 39:9
"[There is] none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou [art] his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
In order to get the full power of this statement from Joseph, we need to understand what brought him to this moment.
Joseph was the second to youngest son of Jacob. His mother, Rachel, was the wife that Jacob had worked years and years for his future father in law, Laban, for before he was secretly wed to Rachel's sister, Leah. He worked for even longer before he was given Rachel. Unfortunately, Rachel struggled to bear him children. She gave him her sister and servants to bear him children.
When she finally gave him Joseph, Jacob was thrilled! He treated him well, making his brothers jealous.
The brothers got fed up with everything, him being the chosen son and having "crazy" dreams, so they sold him into slavery and then told their father that his beloved son was killed.
Joseph found himself in the home of a prominent leader in Egypt. He proved to be a hard worker for Potiphar.
Now Potiphar's wife took a particular interest in Joseph. She asks him to participate in some inappropriate acts leading to his response in this verse.
Joseph knew that he was the highest ranked among the servants in the house. Potiphar had been treating him well and would give him of anything if he only asked for it. He could have probably gotten away with it. But Joseph knew what the Lord expected of him. He had standards and regardless of the power he had and possible power he could have had thanks to Potiphar's wife, he knew that some things were more important.
This is a great example of standing up for your beliefs. Most of us won't be in a situation exactly like Joseph's, but similar situations will arise in our lives. I know that it has happened in my life. I've been trusted to be the only one to lock up a store or tempted to take things too far when I was alone with a boyfriend. Even participating in activities that wouldn't be uplifting when with friends. Though no one would have known if I had done something I shouldn't and may have been more popular because of those actions, nothing matters more to me (or should matter more to any of us) than the opinion and trust of our Heavenly Father. As we strive to live as He would have us, we will be blessed. Those blessings will come, even if there is some temporary trials in the moment.
Look at Joseph. After this situation, he ran away from Potiphar's wife. Because she was angry, she took it out on Joseph by telling her husband that Joseph had taken advantage of her. Potiphar then threw him in prison, even though he was innocent.
While in prison, he interpreted the dreams of the butler and baker of Pharaoh. The butler, who was restored to his former position, believed that Joseph was a good man and had a relationship with the Lord so when Pharaoh was having dreams that he couldn't make sense of, the butler recommended Joseph.
Joseph was then brought to the feet of the Pharaoh. The king of Egypt. The most powerful man in the nation. He interpreted his dreams and gained favor in his eyes, becoming the right hand man of Pharaoh. He instilled a food storage program that led to the prosperity of Egypt during a famine, including Joseph's own family, who he was eventually reunited with. He was married and had his own family.
Even though some trials came, Joseph was blessed because he stood for what he knew his Heavenly Father wanted him to do. Just as Joseph, we will be blessed for following the Lord's commandments, even if it seems difficult or unpopular. The only opinion that matters is that of our Savior.
Genesis 2:24
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
This verse is given just after Eve was created. Adam is bearing testimony of the importance of Eve in his life. Adding verse 23, his testimony is:
"This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
This scripture mastery scripture was not a part of scripture mastery while I was attending seminary, but it is no wonder than in this day and age why this particular verse was added.
The War in Heaven, that continues today, is about destroying our Family. It is destroying our Family, at least, people are choosing to remove themselves from their Eternal Family. A third of our Family chose to follow the Destroyer to his kingdom and have been trying to bring more of our Family with them. Trying, and in some cases, succeeding.
The attack on the family is prevalent today, more than ever. Singles striving for more stability before settling down, postponing marriage and children. Adults living with one another without the bonds of marriage. Couples choosing to remain childless. The term "marriage" being defined not as the Lord has defined it. Children being conceived without temporary or even permanent commitment where it was meant to be, within marriage. Unborn children are destroyed before having a chance to live. Married couples choose not to treat their spouses the way they should and cast them aside. You cannot go through more than minutes of the news or most popular television shows, let alone stepping outside, without facing these issues.
As a divorced member of the LDS Church, I am often asked about my stance on marriage, family, and divorce. I believe that I have a different perspective due to my circumstances, as I know everyone else has a right to.
I am a firm believer in the sanctity of marriage and family. I have always wanted to be a loving wife and mother. I believe that I desire that more now and am more prepared because of all of my life experiences. I only hope to one day be blessed with the opportunity.
President Russell M. Nelson taught, "The noblest yearning of the human heart is for a marriage that can endure beyond death. Fidelity to a temple marriage does that. It allows families to be together forever."
There are many individuals out there who, like me, have the desire for a family as God intended, but have continued to live their lives preparing for an opportunity, if it arises. To us, President Nelson testifies, "But what of the many mature members of the Church who are not married? Through no failing of their own, they deal with the trials of life alone. Be we all reminded that, in the Lord's own way and time, no blessings will be withheld from His faithful Saints. The Lord will judge and reward each individual according to heartfelt desire as well as deed."
Marriage is everything. We are not on this Earth to be alone. The family, both earthly and Heavenly, is everything. While we are here to learn, we learn best when we have support and opportunities to learn with and through those around us, especially those closest to us.
President Nelson also stated, "While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter. Only those who are married in the temple and whose marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise will continue as spouses after death and receive the highest degree of celestial glory, or exaltation. A temple marriage is also called a celestial marriage. Within the celestial glory are three levels. To obtain the highest, a husband and wife must be sealed for time and all eternity and keep their covenants made in a holy temple."
But how can we be successful in marriage, families, or whatever our circumstances in life? President Thomas S. Monson teaches, "To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty-the fulfillment of which brings true joy."
This is the key to successful families. I know this because my family has been through the battlefields. We have fought countless illnesses and other attempts to destroy both the individuals of my family and our family unit as a whole. Despite Satan's best efforts, we keep fighting. He will continue to rage war against us, I know, as he will for all people. But it is up to us to choose to stick with one another. Serving those we love brings us closer together and together it makes the fight easier.
President Nelson said, "Harmony in marriage comes only when one esteems the welfare of his or her spouse among the highest of priorities. When that really happens, a celestial marriage becomes a reality, bringing great joy in this life and in the life to come."
It is easy to focus on our individual needs, but it is vital that we focus on the needs of others, especially those of our spouse and other family members. Communication, trust, and love are achieved as we seek to reach those needs. As we do this and look inward, we will see that our needs are met as well because often what we want and need is for our loved ones to be taken care of, and they will want the same for us in return.
President Nelson also imparted these words, "Celestial marriage is a pivotal part of preparation for eternal life. It requires one to be married to the right person, in the right place, by the right authority, and to obey that sacred covenant faithfully. Then one may be assured of exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God."
As we strive to fight for marriage and family the way the Lord would have us, we will be blessed to see the successes in our own marriage and family. The marriage covenant is between a husband and a wife with the Lord. As the husband and wife come closer together, they will come closer to the Lord. As they come closer to the Lord, they will come closer to one another.
Battles will rage and Satan will not stop until the Lord Himself comes, but we will be protected as a family if we turn to the Lord and stand with Him and face the Destroyer. As we stand with the Lord, the Destroyer can have no permanent effect on the eternal destiny of our family.
May we all look to the temple where our families can be bonded forever, where we know that through the Savior's Atonement and our faithfulness, we will live with our earthly and Heavenly families in eternal bliss and happiness forever.
Genesis 1:26-27
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
"So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
This passage of scripture teaches us some vital elements about who we are.
(1) We were created by God.
(2) We were created like God.
(3) We were created for a purpose.
Bernard P. Brockbank taught, "One of the most valuable passages of scripture is found in the very first chapter of the Old Testament: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:26-27). This scripture is well-known by many, but not comprehended by many, when you take the world as a whole.
"To know that we were created in the image and likeness of God is important knowledge and a great blessing, and it is a challenge to know and to do the will of the Creator. I find that many of the Lord's children never learn the important truth that they are created in the image and likeness of God."
Just as we were created and look like our earthly parents, we were created and look like our Heavenly Parents. I would argue that understanding this truth is vitally important. We are children of God. He is our Father. We have a Heavenly Mother. They love us and sent us to this Earth to be tried, tested, and to become as They are.
Bernard P. Brockbank also said, "When God created man, he created a holy temple, his masterpiece."
Think of all the wonderful creations on this Earth. There are waterfalls, mountains, deserts, coral reefs, etc. So many beautiful and incredible places where you wonder at the magnificence of God's creations. But when He created man, it was the most important thing. During the Creation, He overlooked His work after each period and called it good. But it wasn't until man and woman were created that He pronounced the Creation complete.
President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, "There came first the forming of heaven and earth, to be followed by the separation of the light from the darkness. The waters were removed from the land. Then came vegetation, followed by the animals. There followed the crowning creation of man. Genesis records that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31).
"But the process was not complete.
""For Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
""And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
""And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
""And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman" (Gen. 2:20-23).
"And so Eve became God's final creation, the grand summation of all of the marvelous work that had gone before."
He later continued, "In His grand design, when God first created man, He created a duality of the sexes. The ennobling expression of that duality is found in marriage. One individual is complementary to the other. As Paul stated, "Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:11).
"There is no other arrangement that meets the divine purposes of the Almighty. Man and woman are His creations. Their duality is His design. Their complementary relationships and functions are fundamental to His purposes. One is incomplete without the other."
All of Heavenly Father's children are important and have divine roles here on Earth as well as in the Eternal Life to come. It is our task to learn our individual worth, talents, and skills that are uniquely ours and, with the Lord, mold them to become who He needs us to be.
Abraham 3:22-23
"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born."

Abraham was given a vision of the Council in Heaven. He saw the Plan of Salvation. He saw all of us. He was given a witness of what our purpose is here on Earth.
Many important principles are taught in these scriptures, but one stands out to me. Abraham is taught that he was "chosen" before he was born. Abraham, like all of us, was given a calling to fulfill in this life. He was given responsibilities to bring forth Heavenly Father's Plan.
This is the goal of our lives - to strive to learn what our calling is and how to fulfill it. As we do those things that the Lord asks us to and live His Gospel, we will learn more and more about what we were chosen to do.
Moses 7:18
"And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."
Doctrine and Covenants 97:21 says this of Zion, "Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion - THE PURE IN HEART;...."
This verse in Moses is referring to the people of the City of Enoch. The Lord is using them as an example of the type of people we should become.
(1) They were one.
Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines one as, "Single in number; individual;....Indefinitely, some or any. ... Single by union; undivided; the same. ... Single in kind; the same. ...It also denotes union, a united body."
(2) They were of one heart.
Not the literal heart as in the primary organ of blood in one's body. Heart as in, "...The chief part; the vital part; the vigorous or efficacious part. ... The seat of the understanding; as an understanding heart.... The seat of the will; hence, secret purposes, intentions or designs. ...Secret meaning; real intention. ... Conscience, or sense of good or ill. ... Strength; power of producing; vigor; fertility." (Webster's 1828 Dictionary.)
(3) They were of one mind.
Mind, as Webster defined, being intention, purpose, and design. They were united in purpose, all works flowing together for one cause, that of the Lord.
(4) They lived in righteousness.
The people of Enoch lived the gospel. They knew what the Lord would have them do and they lived it.
(5) They lived the Law of Consecration.
The Law of Consecration, in essence, is that all goods were divided equally between all members of the community so everyone's needs were met. There are no rich or poor. Everyone is equal and work together for their success as a community, not as individuals.
Keith B. McMullin said, "Take special note of the word because in this scripture. Zion is established and flourishes because of the God-inspired lives and labors of its citizens. Zion comes not as a gift but because virtuous covenant people are drawn together and build it."
We can strive to live as the people of Enoch, working together to become closer to God. As we do this, we will become perfected and see success as a family.
Moses 1:39
"For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."
If you could put Heavenly Father's Plan into one sentence, this would be it.
Let's break this down one concept at a time:
Work - His labor, why and how He operates, and what influences His actions.
Glory - His praise, honor, fame, excellence, and what He finds pride in.
His work and His glory. Basically everything that He is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man".
So what's the difference between immortality and eternal life. According to Webster's 1828 Dictionary, immortality is, "The quality of never ceasing to live or exist; exemption from death and annihilation; life destined to endure without end...." This is the blessing we received by accepting the Plan in the Council in Heaven.
According to lds.org, eternal life "or exaltation, is to live in God's presence and to continue as families". Receiving the blessing of eternal life comes to us as we continue to accept and live the Plan on this Earth.
Heavenly Father gives everything He is and finds eternal success in the return of His children to His arms. He is thrilled that 2/3rds of His children chose to come to this Earth. And He wants all of us to come Home.
Christoffel Golden Jr. said, "According to this decree, the Father's desire is to provide all of us with the opportunity to receive a fulness of joy, even the fulness that He possesses in His perfected and glorified state.”
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