[MUSIC PLAYING]
From the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, this is the Sunday afternoon session
of the 185th Annual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
with speakers selected from the General
Authorities and general officers of the Church.
Music for this session is provided
by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
This broadcast is furnished as a public service
by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent
is prohibited.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency of the Church,
will conduct this session.
Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends,
we welcome you to the concluding session of the 185th Annual
General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and extend joyous Easter greetings this afternoon
to all who are participating throughout the world.
President Thomas S. Monson, our dear prophet
who presides at this conference, has asked
that I conduct this session.
The music for this session will be provided by the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir, under the direction
of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, with Bonnie Goodliffe and Linda
Margetts at the organ.
The choir will open this meeting by singing "My Redeemer Lives."
The invocation will then be offered by Elder S. Gifford
Nielsen of the Seventy.
[MUSIC - "MY REDEEMER LIVES"]
(SINGING) I know that my Redeemer lives,
triumphant savior, Son of God, victorious
over pain and death, my King, my Leader, and my Lord.
He lives, my one sure rock of faith,
the one bright hope of men on earth,
the beacon to a better way, the light beyond the veil of death.
Oh, give me thy sweet Spirit still,
the peace that comes alone from thee,
the faith to walk the lonely road that
leads to thine eternity,
the faith to walk the lonely road
that leads to thine eternity.
Our Heavenly Father, in reverence
we come before Thee as we begin the final session
of this inspired general conference.
We love Thee.
And on this beautiful Easter afternoon,
we express our deep devotion for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
We know the tomb is empty; He is the living Savior of the world.
We are gathered here and across the world
to listen to Thy chosen apostles and prophets.
We have been inspired by their words.
We pray for them individually, and we pray for their families.
We know that there is great safety
as we follow their counsel.
We have been inspired in this conference.
And now, as we hear the teachings
of those that will present to us this afternoon,
we pray that they will feel of Thy loving arms wrapped
around them and that the Holy Ghost will bear testimony
to us of how we can better prepare ourselves to be
Thy chosen sons and daughters.
We express our love to Thee in the sacred name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
(ALL) Amen.
The choir will now favor us with "He Sent His Son."
After the singing, we will hear from Elder Robert D.
Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He will be followed by Elder Kevin W. Pearson and Rafael E.
Pino of the Seventy.
Elder Pino will deliver his message
in his native language of Spanish.
[MUSIC - "HE SENT HIS SON"]
(SINGING) How could the Father tell the world
of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us?
What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son,
help others on their way.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us?
What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son,
help others on their way.
What does he ask?
Live like his Son.
This is Easter Sunday: a day of gratitude and remembrance,
honoring our Savior Jesus Christ's Atonement
and Resurrection for all mankind.
We worship Him, grateful for our freedom of religion,
freedom of assembly, freedom of speech,
and our God-given right of agency.
As prophets foretold about these latter days in which we live,
there are many confused about who we are and what we believe.
Some are "false accusers . . .
[and] despisers of [the Word and] those that are good."
Others "call evil good, and good evil;
[and] put darkness for light, and light for darkness."
As those around us make choices about how
to respond to our beliefs, we must not
forget that moral agency is an essential part of God's plan
for all His children.
That eternal plan, presented to us
in the premortal Council in Heaven,
included the gift of agency.
In that grand council, Lucifer, known Satan,
used his agency to oppose God's plan.
God said, "Because . . .
Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency
of man which I, the Lord God had given him, . . .
I caused that he should be cast down."
He continued, "And also a third part of the hosts of heaven
turned he away from me because of their agency."
As a result, Heavenly Father's spirit children
who chose to reject His plan and follow Lucifer
lost their divine destiny.
Jesus Christ, using His agency, said: "Here am I, send me."
"Thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever."
Jesus, who exercised his agency to sustain Heavenly Father's
plan, was identified and appointed
by the Father as our Savior, foreordained to perform
the atoning sacrifice for all.
Similarly, our exercise of agency to keep the commandments
enables us to fully understand who we are and receive all
of the blessings our Heavenly Father has--including
the opportunity to have a body, to progress, to experience joy,
to have a family, and to inherit eternal life.
To keep the commandments, we need
to know the official doctrine of the Church
so we are not diverted from Christ's leadership
by ever-changing whims of individuals.
The blessings we enjoy now are because we
made the choice to follow the Savior before this life.
To everyone hearing or reading these words, whoever you are
and whatever your past may be, remember this:
it is not too late to make that same choice again and follow
Him.
Through our faith in Jesus Christ,
believing in His Atonement, repenting of our sins,
and being baptized, we then receive the supernal gift
of the Holy Ghost.
This gift provides knowledge and understanding, guidance
and strength to learn and gain a testimony, power and cleansing
to overcome sin, and comfort and encouragement
to be faithful in tribulation.
These incomparable blessings of the Spirit
increase our freedom and power to do what is right,
for "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
As we walk the path of spiritual liberty in these last days,
we must understand that the faithful use of our agency
depends on our having religious freedom.
We already know that Satan does not
want us to have this freedom, for it to be ours.
He attempted to destroy moral agency in heaven,
and now on earth he fiercely is undermining, opposing,
and spreading confusion about religious freedom--what it is
and why it is essential to our spiritual life and our very
salvation.
There are four cornerstones of religious freedom
that we as Latter-day Saints must rely upon and protect.
The first is freedom to believe.
No one should criticize, persecute,
or attack an individual--or governments should not
either--for what he or she believes about God is very
personal and very important.
An early declaration of our beliefs regarding religious
liberty states: "No government can exist in peace,
except such laws are framed and hold inviolate as will secure
to each individual the free exercise of conscience. . . .
The civil magistrate should sustain crime,
but never control conscience . . .
[or] suppress the freedom of the soul."
This fundamental freedom of belief
has since been acknowledged by the United Nations
in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and by other national and international human rights
documents.
The second cornerstone of religious liberty
is the freedom to share our faith and our beliefs
with others.
The Lord commands us, "Ye shall teach [the gospel to]
your children . . .
when thou sittest in thine house."
He also said to His disciples, "Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature."
As parents, full-time missionaries,
and member missionaries, we rely on religious freedom
in order to teach the Lord's doctrine in our families
and throughout the world.
The third cornerstone of religious liberty is
the freedom to form a religious organization--a church
to worship peacefully with others.
The eleventh Article of Faith declares,
"We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty
God according to the dictates of our own conscience,
and allow all men the same privilege, let them
worship how, where, or what they may."
International rights documents and many national constitutions
support this principle.
The fourth cornerstone of religious freedom and religious
liberty is the freedom to live our faith--free exercise
of faith not just in the home and chapel,
but also in public places.
The Lord commands us not only to pray privately
but also to go forth and "let [our]
light so shine before men, that they may see [our] good works,
and glorify [our] Father which is in heaven."
Some are offended when we bring our religion
into the public square, yet the same people
who insist that their viewpoints and actions be tolerated
in society are often very slow to give that same tolerance
to religious believers who also wish their viewpoints
and actions to be tolerated.
The general lack of respect for religious viewpoints
is quickly devolving into social and political intolerance
for religious people and institutions.
As we face increased pressure to bow to secular standards,
forfeit our religious liberties, and compromise our agency,
consider what the Book of Mormon teaches
about our responsibilities.
In the Book of Alma we read of Amlici, "a very cunning"
and "wicked man" who sought to be king over the people
and "deprive them of their rights and privileges,"
which "was alarming to the people of the church."
They were taught by King Mosiah to raise their voices for what
they thought was right.
Therefore they "assembled themselves together throughout
all the land, every man according to his mind,
whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies,
having much dispute . . .
one with another."
In these discussions, members of the Church and others
had the opportunity to come together, experience
the spirit of unity, and be influenced by the Holy Ghost.
"And it came to pass that the voice of the people
came against Amlici, that he was not made king."
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility
to work together with like-minded believers
to raise our voices for what is right.
While members should never claim or even imply that they are
speaking for the Church, we are all invited,
in our capacity as citizens, to share our personal witness with
conviction and love--"every man according to his [own] mind."
Said the Prophet Joseph Smith: "I
am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just
as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian,
a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination [as
for a Mormon]; for the same principle which would trample
upon the rights of Latter-day Saints
would trample upon the rights of Catholics,
or of any other denomination who may be unpopular
and too weak to defend themselves.
It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul,"
said the Prophet Joseph, "civil and religious liberty
to the whole of the human race."
Brothers and sisters, we are responsible to safeguard
these sacred freedoms and rights for ourselves
and our posterity.
What can you and I do?
First, we may become informed.
Be aware of the issues in your community
that could have an impact on religious liberty.
Second, in your individual capacity,
join with others who share our commitment
to religious freedom.
Work side by side to protect religious freedom.
Third, live your life to be a good example of what you
believe--in word and deed.
How we live our religion is far more important than what
we may say about our religion.
Our Savior's Second Coming is drawing nearer.
Let us not delay in this great cause.
Remember Captain Moroni, who hoisted the "title of liberty"
inscribed with the words: "In memory
of our God, our religion, and freedom,
and our peace, our wives, and our children."
Let us remember the people's response: exercising
their agency, they "came running together" with a covenant
to act.
My beloved brothers and sisters, don't walk!
Run!
Run to receive the blessings of agency
by following the Holy Ghost and exercising the freedoms
God has given to us to do His will.
I bear my special witness on this special Easter day
that Jesus Christ used His agency to do our Father's will.
Of our Savior we sing, "His precious blood
he freely spilt; His life he freely gave."
And because He did, we have the priceless opportunity
to "choose liberty and eternal life" through the power
and blessings of His Atonement.
May we freely choose to follow Him today
and always, I pray in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
Shortly before President Heber J. Grant passed away,
one of the Brethren visited his home.
Before he left, President Grant prayed, "O God,
bless me that I shall not lose my testimony
and keep faithful to the end!"
After nearly 27 years as President of the Church,
this was his fervent prayer.
His example is a striking reminder
that no one, at any age, is immune from Satan's influence.
Two of Satan's most powerful tools
are distraction and deception.
Enduring to the end is a hallmark of true discipleship
and is essential to eternal life.
But when trials and challenges come our way,
we are often told to simply "hang in there."
Let me be clear: To "hang in there"
is not a principle of the gospel.
Enduring to the end means constantly coming unto Christ
and being perfected in Him.
If enduring to the end is essential to eternal life,
why do we struggle to be faithful?
We struggle when we are caught between competing priorities.
Casual obedience and lukewarm commitment weaken faith.
Enduring to the end requires total commitment to the Savior
and to our covenants.
Lehi's vision of the tree of life
is a powerful parable on enduring to the end.
Please prayerfully study and ponder Lehi's dream,
then liken it unto yourself.
As you do, carefully consider six important principles
that help us endure to the end.
First, don't forget to pray.
We begin with Lehi alone in "a dark and dreary waste."
Each of us experience periods of darkness and loneliness.
"When life gets dark and dreary, don't forget to pray."
Follow President Heber J. Grant's example.
Pray for strength to endure to the end.
Ask Heavenly Father, "What more would You have me do?"
Two, come unto Christ and be perfected in Him.
The tree of life is the central focus in Lehi's dream.
Everything points to the tree of life.
The tree represents Christ, who is the clear manifestation
of the love of God.
The fruit is His infinite Atonement
and is great evidence of God's love.
Eternal life with our loved ones is sweeter and more
desirable than any other thing.
To realize this gift, we must come unto Christ
and be perfected in Him.
He is "the way, the truth, and the life."
We can fill our lives with accomplishment and well-doing,
but in the end, if we do not enter into sacred covenants
to follow Christ and faithfully keep them,
we will have utterly and completely missed the mark.
Number three--press forward with faith.
There is a path that leads to the tree of life, to Christ.
It is strait and narrow, strict and exact.
God's commandments are strict but not restrictive.
They protect us from spiritual and physical danger
and prevent us from getting lost.
Obedience builds faith in Christ.
Faith is a principle of action and power.
Consistently following the Savior's example
produces spiritual power and capacity.
Without the strengthening and enabling power
of the Atonement, it is impossible to stay on the path
and endure.
"Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ."
Number four--the Book of Mormon is key to spiritual survival.
Life's journey is challenging.
It's easy to be distracted, wander off the path
and get lost.
Tribulation is an inevitable and indispensable part
of our eternal progression.
When adversity comes, don't let something
you don't fully understand unravel everything you do know.
Be patient; cling to truth; understanding will come.
Trials are like great mists of darkness
that can blind our eyes and harden our hearts.
Unless we are "continually holding
fast" to the word of God and live it,
we will become spiritually blinded rather than spiritually
minded.
Search the Book of Mormon and the words
of the living prophets every day, every day, every day!
It's the key to spiritual survival
and avoiding deception.
Without it, we are spiritually lost.
Number five--don't be distracted and deceived.
To heed is to give careful attention.
Heeding those who do not believe in Christ
will not help you find Him.
Searching #spaciousbuilding for knowledge
will not lead you to truth.
It's not posted there.
Only the Savior has "the words of eternal life."
Everything else is just words.
The large and spacious building symbolizes the "vain
imaginations and the pride" of the world--in other words,
distraction and deception.
It's filled with well-dressed people
who seem to have everything.
But they mock the Savior and those who follow Him.
They are "ever learning, and never able to come
to the knowledge of the truth."
They may be politically correct, but they are spiritually lost.
Number six--stay by the tree.
Lehi's message is to stay by the tree.
We stay because we are converted unto the Lord.
Alma taught, "Behold, he changed their hearts;
yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep,
and they awoke unto God."
As we yield our hearts to God, the Holy Ghost
changes our very natures.
And we become deeply converted unto the Lord and no longer
seek the spacious building.
If we stop doing those things that
bring about deepening conversion,
we regress spiritually.
Apostasy is the reverse of conversion.
To all missionaries past and present: Elders and sisters,
you simply cannot return from your mission,
do a swan dive back into Babylon,
and spend endless hours scoring meaningless points on pointless
video games without falling into a deep spiritual sleep.
Nor can you indulge in online pornography
and ignore virtue and chastity without
dire spiritual consequences.
If you lose the Spirit, you are lost.
Don't be distracted and deceived.
True disciples continue to awaken unto God each day
in meaningful personal prayer, earnest scripture
study, personal obedience, and selfless service.
Stay by the tree and stay awake.
Several years ago, Sister Pearson and I
were called to preside over the Washington Tacoma Mission.
The call was a complete surprise.
With some trepidation I met with the chairman and the CEO
of the company where I was employed and informed
them of my mission call.
There were visibly upset with my decision to leave the firm.
"When did you make this decision,
and why didn't you discuss it with us earlier?"
they demanded.
In a moment of clarity, a profound answer
came into my mind.
I said, "I made this decision as a 19-year-old boy
when I made sacred covenants with God in the temple
to follow the Savior.
I've built my entire life on those covenants,
and I fully intend to keep them now."
Once we enter into covenants with God,
there is no going back.
Giving in, giving up, and giving out are not options.
In the kingdom of God, there is a standard
of excellence for exaltation.
It requires valiant discipleship!
There is no room for average or complacent disciples.
"Average" is the enemy of excellence,
and average commitment will prevent you
from enduring to the end.
If you are struggling, confused, or spiritually lost,
I urge you to do the one thing I know
will get you back on track.
Begin again to prayerfully study the Book of Mormon
and live its teachings every day, every day, every day!
I testify of the profound power in the Book of Mormon
that will change your life and strengthen your resolve
to follow Christ.
The Holy Ghost will change your heart
and help you see things as they really are.
He will show you what you need to do next.
This is Nephi's promise to you.
"And I said unto them . . . whoso would hearken unto
the word of God, and would hold fast unto it,
they would never perish; neither could the temptations
and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto
blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
Wherefore, I . . . did exhort them . . .
that they would give heed to the word of God
and remember to keep his commandments always
in all things."
Brothers and sisters, enduring to the end
is the great test of discipleship.
Our daily discipleship will determine our eternal destiny.
Awaken unto God, cling to truth, keep your sacred temple
covenants, and stay by the tree!
I bear witness of the resurrected, living Christ.
I know that He lives.
My greatest desire is that I will
be true and faithful to the very end
in following His magnificent example.
In the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
In a revelation given to Moses, we are told of our Heavenly
Father's declared intention: "For behold,
this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality
and eternal life of man."
According to that statement, the Father's desire
is to give everyone the opportunity
to receive a fulness of joy.
Latter-day revelations show that our Heavenly Father created
a plan of happiness for all His children, a very special plan
so that we can return to live with Him.
Understanding this plan of happiness
provides us with an eternal perspective
and helps us to truly value the commandments, ordinances,
covenants, and the trials and tribulations.
One key principle comes from Alma:
"Therefore God gave unto them commandments,
after having made known unto them the plan of redemption."
It is interesting to note the sequence in the teaching
process.
Our Heavenly Father first taught Adam and Eve
the plan of redemption, and then He gave them commandments.
This is a great truth.
Understanding the plan will help people keep the commandments,
make better decisions, and have the right motivation.
During the time that I have served in the Church,
I have witnessed the devotion and faithfulness
of members in different countries, some of which
have political, social, or economic conflict.
One common factor that I have found in these faithful members
is their perspective of eternity.
The eternal perspective of the gospel
leads us to understand the place that we occupy in God's plan,
to accept difficulties and progress through them,
to make decisions, and to center our lives
on our divine potential.
Perspective is the way we see things
when we look at them from a certain distance,
and it allows us to appreciate their true value.
It is like being in a forest and having a tree in front of us.
Unless we step back a little, we will not
be able to appreciate what a forest really is.
I once visited the Amazon jungle in Leticia, Columbia.
But I was not able to appreciate its magnitude until I flew over
it and gained perspective.
When our children were little, they
used to watch a children's television program that
was called What Do You See?
The screen would zoom in very closely on something,
and the children had to guess what it was
as the image gradually widened.
Once the entire object was visible,
you could easily tell that it was
a cat, a plant, a fruit, etc.
I remember that on one occasion they were watching that program
and it showed something very close up that
looked very ugly to them, even repulsive;
but as the image widened, they realized that it
was a very appetizing pizza.
Then they said to me, "Daddy, buy us one just like that!"
After they understood what it was,
something that at first had looked unpleasant
ended up being something very attractive.
Let me share another experience.
In our home our children like to do jigsaw puzzles.
We have probably all had the opportunity to do a puzzle.
Some are made up of many small pieces.
I remember that one of our children
(I won't give his name in order to protect his identity)
used to focus on the individual pieces,
and when one did not fit in the place
where he thought it should, he would become very angry
and assume it was no good and want to throw it away.
He finally learned to do the puzzle
when he understood that each small piece had
its place in the picture, even when he did not
know where it fit at first.
This is one way of contemplating the Lord's plan.
We do not have to be concerned with each of its parts
separately, but rather to try to bring
the entire picture into focus, keeping
the final result in mind.
The Lord knows where each piece belongs
so that it fits into the plan.
All the commandments are of eternal importance
in the context of the great plan of happiness.
It is extremely important that we do not
make decisions of eternal value from the perspective
of mortality.
Having a gospel perspective is essential for decisions
that affect eternity.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: "Though 'anchored'
in grand and ultimate hope, some of our tactical hopes
are another matter.
We may hope for a pay raise, a special date,
an electoral victory, or for a bigger house--things which may
or may not be realized.
Faith in Father's plan gives us endurance even
amid the wreckage of such proximate hopes.
Hope keeps us 'anxiously engaged' in good causes
even when these appear to be losing causes."
Not having an eternal perspective, or losing it,
can lead us to have an earthly perspective
as our personal standard and to make
decisions that are not in harmony with the will of God.
The Book of Mormon mentions the attitude that Nephite took
and the attitude of Laman and Lemuel.
They had all suffered numerous afflictions
and much difficulty; however, their attitudes toward them
were very different.
Nephi said, "And so great were the blessings of the Lord
upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat
in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck
for their children, and were strong, yea,
even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings
without murmurings."
Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, complained bitterly.
"And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest,
did murmur against their father.
And they did murmur because they knew
not the dealings of that God who had created them."
Not knowing or disregarding "the dealings of . . .
God" is one way of losing eternal perspective,
and murmuring is just one of the symptoms.
Even though Laman and Lemuel witnessed many miracles along
with Nephi, they exclaimed, saying:
"And we have wandered in the wilderness
for these many years; and our women have toiled,
being big with child; and they have
borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save
it were death; and it would have been better that they had died
before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered
these afflictions."
Those were two very different attitudes
even though the difficulties and afflictions they had faced
were similar.
Obviously, their perspectives were different.
President Spencer W. Kimball wrote the following:
"If we looked at mortality as the whole of existence,
then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity.
But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far
into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death
future, then all happenings may be put in proper perspective."
Elder David B. Haight told a story about the sculptor
Michelangelo to illustrate the importance of seeing everything
in proper perspective: "As the sculptor
was chiseling a block of marble, a boy came every day
and watched shyly.
When the figure of David emerged and appeared from that stone,
complete for all the world to admire,
the boy asked Michelangelo, 'How did you know he was in there?'"
The perspective with which the sculptor
saw that block of marble was different than that
of the boy who watched him work.
The artist's vision of the possibilities
encased in the stone allowed him to create a work of art.
The Lord knows what He wants to accomplish with each one of us.
He knows the kind of reform He wants to achieve in our lives,
and we do not have the right to counsel Him.
His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
I testify that we have a loving, just,
and merciful Heavenly Father who has
prepared a plan for our eternal happiness.
I testify that Jesus Christ is His Son
and the Savior of the world.
I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
Oh, sorry, President Monson.
I switched.
[LAUGHTER]
I went into my German native language.
[LAUGHTER]
I wanted to say, actually, on a signal from the conductor,
the choir and congregation will join in singing "Come,
O Thou King of Kings."
After the immediate hymn, we will
be pleased to hear from Elder Neil L.
Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He will be followed by Elder Jorge F.
Zeballos of the Seventy, who will
deliver his message in Spanish.
[MUSIC "COME, O THOU KING OF KINGS"]
This is the 185th Annual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As we were singing, I was deeply moved with the thought
that at this very moment hundreds of thousands, perhaps
millions, of believing Saints in more than 150 countries,
amazingly in 75 different languages,
we together were raising our voices to God, singing, "Come,
O thou King of Kings!
We've waited long for thee, with healing in thy wings,
to set thy people free.
Come, O thou King of Kings!"
We are a very large, worldwide family of believers--disciples
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have taken His name upon us, and each week
as we partake of the sacrament, we
pledge that we will remember Him and keep His commandments.
We are far from perfect, but we are not casual in our faith.
We believe in Him.
We worship Him.
We follow Him.
We deeply love Him.
His cause is the greatest cause in all the world.
We live, brothers and sisters, in the days
preceding the Lord's Second Coming,
a time long anticipated by believers through the ages.
We live in days of wars and rumors of wars,
days of natural disaster, days when the world is pulled
by confusion and commotion.
But we also live in the glorious time of the Restoration,
when the gospel is being taken to all the world--a time when
the Lord has promised that He "will raise up . . .
a pure people" and arm them "with righteousness and with
the power of God."
We rejoice in these days and pray
that we will be able to courageously face our struggles
and uncertainties.
The difficulties of some are more
severe than those of others, but no one is immune.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said to me,
"If everything is going perfectly for you right now,
just wait."
Although the Lord reassures us again and again that we "need
not fear," keeping a clear perspective
and seeing beyond this world is not always easy
when we are in the midst of trials.
President Thomas S. Monson taught me
an important lesson about keeping an eternal perspective.
Eighteen years ago while traveling
on a train in Switzerland with President Monson,
I asked him about his heavy responsibilities.
His response strengthened my faith.
"In the First Presidency," he said,
"we do everything we can to move this work forward.
But this is the Lord's work, and He directs it.
He is at the helm."
He continued, "We marvel as we watch Him open doors we cannot
open and perform miracles we can scarcely imagine."
Brothers and sisters, seeing and believing the Lord's miracles
as He establishes His kingdom on earth
can help us see and believe that the Lord's hand is at work
in our own lives as well.
The Lord declared, "I am able to do mine own work."
We each try to do our part, but He is the grand architect.
Under the direction of the Father,
He created this world: "All things were made by him;
and without him was not anything made which was made."
As we are spiritually awake and alert,
we see His hand across the world and we see His hand
in our own personal lives.
Let me share an example.
In 1831 with only 600 members of the Church, the Lord declared,
"The keys of the kingdom of God are
committed unto man on the earth, and from thence
shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth,
as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands
shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth."
The prophet Nephi foresaw that in our day
there would be few members of the Church
when compared with the population of the earth
but that they would be "upon all the face of the earth."
Three beautiful examples of the Lord's hand
in establishing His kingdom are the temples announced today
by President Monson.
Only a few decades ago, who could imagine temples
in Haiti, Thailand, and the Ivory Coast?
The location of a temple is not a convenient geographical
decision.
It comes by revelation from the Lord to His prophet,
signifying a great work to be done
and acknowledging the righteousness of the Saints
who will treasure and care for His house through generations.
My wife, Kathy, and I visited Haiti just two years ago.
High on the mountain overlooking Port-au-Prince,
we joined with the Haitian Saints
in commemorating the dedication of the country
by then Elder Thomas S. Monson only 30 years earlier.
None of us will ever forget the devastating Haitian earthquake
of 2010.
With faithful members and a courageous band of missionaries
made almost exclusively of Haitians,
the Church in this island nation has continued
to grow and strengthen.
It lifts my faith to visualize these righteous Saints of God
clothed in white, having the power of the holy priesthood
to direct and perform the sacred ordinances in the Lord's house.
Who could imagine a house of the Lord
in the beautiful city of Bangkok?
Christians are only one percent of this principally Buddhist
country.
As in Haiti, also in Bangkok the Lord
has gathered the elect of the earth.
While there a few months ago, we met Sathit and Gaew
Kaivalvatana and their devoted children.
Sathit joined the Church when he was 17,
served a mission in his native land.
Later he met Gaew at the Institute,
and they were sealed in the Manila temple.
In 1993 the Kaivalvatanas were hit
by a truck whose driver had fallen asleep,
and Sathit was paralyzed from the chest down.
Their faith has never wavered.
Sathit is an admired teacher at the International
School at Bangkok.
He serves as the stake president of the Thailand Bangkok North
Stake.
We see God's miracles in His wondrous work
and in our own personal lives.
The miracle of the Church in the Ivory Coast cannot be told
without the names of two couples:
Philippe and Annelies Assard and Lucien and Agathe Affoue.
They joined the Church as young married couples, one in Germany
and one in France.
In the 1980s Philippe and Lucien felt drawn back
to their native African country for the purpose
of building the kingdom of God.
For Sister Assard, who is German, to leave her family
and allow Brother Assard to leave
his work as an accomplished mechanical engineer
required unusual faith.
The two couples met each other for the first time in the Ivory
Coast and started a Sunday School.
That was 30 years ago.
There are now eight stakes and 27,000 members
in this beautiful African country.
The Affoues continue to serve nobly,
as do the Assards, who recently completed a mission
to the Accra Ghana Temple.
Can you see the hand of God moving His work forward?
Can you see the hand of God in the lives
of the missionaries in Haiti, or in the lives
of the Kaivalvatanas in Thailand?
Can you see the hand of God in the lives
of the Assards and the Affoues?
Can you see the hand of God in your own life?
"And in nothing doth man offend God . . .
save those who confess not his hand in all things."
God's miracles are not just happening in Haiti, Thailand,
and the Ivory Coast.
Look around you.
"God is mindful of every people, . . .
yea, he numbereth his people, and his . . .
mercy [is] over all the earth."
Sometimes we can see the hand of the Lord in the lives of others
but wonder, "How can I more clearly see
His hand in my own life?"
The Savior said, "Doubt not." "Be not afraid." "Not . . .
one [sparrow] shall . . . fall [to] the ground without
your Father [knowing]. . . .
Fear . . . not therefore, [for] ye are of more value than many
sparrows."
Remember the young man who cried out to the prophet Elisha
as they were surrounded by enemies "Alas . . .
[what] shall we do?"
Elisha answered: "Fear not: for they that be with us
are more than they that be with them.
And Elisha prayed, . . .
Lord, . . .
open his eyes, that he may see."
And the Lord did open the eyes of the young man,
and he did see that the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire.
As you keep the commandments and pray in faith
to see the Lord's hand in your life,
I promise you He will open your spiritual eyes even wider
and you will see more clearly that you are not alone.
The scriptures teach that we are to ""[stand] steadfastly
in the faith of that which is to come."
What is to come?
The Savior prayed, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
We all just sang "Come, O Thou King of Kings!"
Our faith grows as we anticipate the glorious day
of the Savior's return to the earth.
The thought of His coming stirs my soul.
It will be breathtaking!
The scope and grandeur, the vastness and magnificence
will exceed anything mortal eyes have ever experienced.
In that day, He will not come wrapped
in swaddling clothes lying in a manger,
but He will appear "in the clouds of heaven,
clothed with power and great glory;
with all the holy angels."
We will hear "the voice of the archangel, and . . .
the trump of God."
The sun and the moon will be transformed,
and "stars [will] be hurled from their places."
You and I, or those who follow us--"the saints . . .
from [every quarter] of the earth"--"shall be quickened
and caught up to meet him."
And those who have died in righteousness,
they too will "be caught up to meet him in the midst . . .
of heaven."
Then, a seemingly impossible experience:
"All flesh," the Lord says, "shall see me together."
How will it happen?
We do not know.
But I testify it will happen--exactly as prophesied.
We will kneel in reverence.
"And the Lord shall utter his voice,
and all the ends of the earth shall hear it."
"And it shall be . . . as the voice of many waters,
and as the voice of a great thunder." "And the Lord,
even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people."
There will be unforgettable reunions
with the angels of heaven and the Saints upon the earth.
But most importantly, as Isaiah declares,
"all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God,"
and He "shall reign over all flesh."
In that day the skeptics will be silent,
"for every ear shall hear . . ., and every knee shall bow,
and every tongue shall confess" that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
Today is Easter.
We rejoice with Christians all over the world
in His glorious Resurrection and in our own promised
resurrection.
May we prepare for His coming by rehearsing
these glorious events over and over in our own minds
and with those we love.
And may his prayer be our prayer: "Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
I testify that He lives.
Come, O Thou King of Kings!
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
I was only 12 years old when the missionaries
arrived for the first time to preach in the city
where I was born in Chile.
One Sunday, after attending the small branch for six months,
a missionary offered me the bread
as he was passing the sacrament.
I looked at him and softly said, "I can't." "Why not?"
he replied.
I told him, "I am not a member of the Church."
The missionary couldn't believe it.
His eyes were shining.
I suppose he thought, "This young man is in every meeting.
How can he not be a member?"
The following day, the missionaries
were in my home doing everything they
could to teach my whole family.
But since my family was not interested,
it was only my weekly church attendance
that made the missionaries feel confident enough to continue.
Finally the great moment I had been waiting for
came when they invited me to become a member
of the Church of Jesus Christ.
The missionary said, as a minor, I would
need my parents' permission.
I went to see my father, thinking that his loving answer
would be, "Son, when you are of legal age,
you will be able to make your own decisions."
While the missionary spoke with him,
I prayed fervently for his heart to be touched so he
would grant me permission.
His answer was this: "Elders, over the past six months
I have seen my son Jorge get up early every Sunday morning,
put on his best clothes, and walk to church.
I have seen only a good influence
from the Church in his life."
Then to me, he said, "Son, if you
will be responsible for this decision,
then you have my permission to be baptized."
I hugged my father, gave him a kiss, and thanked him.
The next day, I was baptized.
Last week was the 47th anniversary
of that important moment in my life.
What responsibility do we have as members
of the Church of Jesus Christ?
President Joseph Fielding Smith said,
"We have these two great responsibilities--first,
to seek our own salvation; and second,
our duty to our fellow men."
These, then, are the main responsibilities that
our Father has assigned to us--seeking our own salvation
and that of others, with the understanding that salvation
means reaching the highest degree of glory that our Father
has provided for His obedient children.
These responsibilities that have been entrusted to us--and which
we have freely accepted--must define our priorities,
our desires, our decisions, and our daily conduct.
I have come to understand that because of the Atonement
of Jesus Christ exaltation is truly within reach,
and failing to obtain it constitutes damnation.
Thus, the opposite of salvation is damnation,
just like the opposite of success is failure.
President Monson has taught us, "Men cannot really long rest
content with mediocrity once they see excellence is within
their reach."
How, then, could we be content with anything less
if we know that exaltation is possible?
Allow me to share four key principles that
will help us fulfill our desires to be
responsible to our Father in Heaven,
as well as respond to His expectations
that we become as He is.
First, learning our duty.
If we were to do God's will and be responsible to Him,
we must begin by learning, understanding, accepting,
and living according to His will for us.
The Lord has said, "Wherefore, now let every man
learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is
appointed, in all diligence."
Having the desire to do what is right
is not enough if we do not make sure to understand
what our Father expects from us and wants us to do.
In the story of Alice in Wonderland,
not knowing which way to go, Alice
asks the Cheshire cat, "Would you tell me, please, which
way I ought to go from here?"
The cat replies, "That depends a good deal
on where you want to get to."
Alice says, "I don't much care where."
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," says the cat.
However, the path that leads to the tree whose fruit is
desirable to make one happy--the way "which leadeth unto
life"--is narrow.
It takes effort to journey along the path,
"and few there be that find it."
Nephi teaches that "the words of Christ
will tell you all things what ye should do."
Then he adds that the Holy Ghost "will show unto you
all things what ye should do."
Thus, the sources that allow us to learn our duty
are the words of Christ, received
through ancient and modern prophets,
and the personal revelation we receive through the Holy Ghost.
Second, making the decision.
As we learn about the Restoration
of the gospel, a particular commandment, the duties
associated with serving in a calling,
or the covenants we make in the temple,
the choice is ours whether or not
we act according to that new knowledge.
Each person chooses freely to enter
into a sacred covenant, such as baptism or the temple
ordinances.
Anciently, swearing oaths was a normal part
of people's religious lives.
So the old law stated that, "Ye shall not swear by my name
falsely."
However, in the meridian of time the Savior
taught a higher way of keeping our commitments
when he said that yes meant yes and no meant no.
A person's word ought to be sufficient to establish
truthfulness and commitment towards someone else and even
more so when that someone else is our Father in Heaven.
Honoring a commitment becomes the manifestation
of the truthfulness and honesty of our word.
Third, acting accordingly.
After learning our duty and making the decisions associated
with that learning and understanding,
we must act accordingly.
A powerful example of the firm determination
to meet His commitment with His Father
comes from the Savior's experience
of healing a man sick with palsy.
"When Jesus saw their faith, he said
unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."
We know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ
is essential to receiving forgiveness.
But during the episode of healing the man with palsy,
that grand event had not yet taken place.
Gethsemane had yet to happen.
However, Jesus not only blessed the man with the ability
to stand up and walk, but He also
granted him forgiveness for his sins,
thereby giving an unequivocal sign that He would not fail,
that He would fulfill the commitment He had made
with His father, and that in Gethsemane and on the cross,
He would do what He had promised to do.
The path we have chosen to walk is narrow.
Along the way, challenges will require our faith
in Jesus Christ and our best efforts to stay on the path
and press forward.
We need to repent and be obedient and patient, even
if we do not understand all the circumstances that surround us.
We must forgive others and live in accordance
with what we have learned and with the choices we have made.
Fourth, willingly accept the Father's will.
Discipleship requires us not only to learn our duty,
make correct decisions, and act accordingly,
but also essential is our developing the willingness
and the ability to accept God's will,
even if it does not match our righteous desires
or preferences.
I admire the attitude of the leper who came to the Lord,
"beseeching him, and kneeling down to him,
and saying unto him, If thou wilt,
thou canst make me clean."
The leper did not demand anything,
even though his desires might have been righteous.
He was simply willing to accept the will of the Lord.
Some years ago, some dear, faithful friends of mine
were blessed with the arrival of a long yearned
for son, for whom they had been praying for a long time.
That home was filled with joy while our friends
and their daughter--who was their only other child back
then--enjoyed the company of the newly arrived little boy.
One day, something unexpected happened.
The little three-year-old boy suddenly went into a coma.
As soon as I learned of the situation,
I called my friend to express our support
at that difficult time.
But his reply was a lesson to me.
He said, "If it is the Father's will to take him home,
then it is all right with us."
My friend's words contained not the slightest degree
of complaint, rebelliousness, or discontent--on the contrary.
All I could feel in his words was gratitude to God
for having allowed them to enjoy their little son
for that brief time, as well as a total willingness to accept
the Father's will for them.
A few days later, that little one
was taken back to his celestial mansion.
Let us press forward by learning our duty,
making correct decisions, acting according to those decisions,
and accepting the will of the Father.
How grateful and happy I am for the decision that my father let
me make 47 years ago.
Over time, I have come to understand that the condition
he gave me--to be responsible for that decision--meant being
responsible to my Heavenly Father and seeking my own
salvation and that of my fellowmen,
thereby becoming more as my Father expects and wants me
to become.
On this very special day, I testify that God our Father
and His Beloved Son live.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
The choir will now favor us with "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,"
after which we will be pleased to hear from Elder Joseph W.
Sitati of the Seventy.
He will be followed by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles.
[MUSIC "TELL ME THE STORIES OF JESUS"]
(SINGING) Tell me the stories of Jesus
I love to hear, things I would ask
him to tell me if he were here.
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea, stories of Jesus,
tell them to me.
Oh, let me hear how the children stood round his knee.
I shall imagine his blessings resting on me;
words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
all in the love-light of Jesus' face.
Tell me, in accents of wonder, how
rolled the sea, tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee!
And how the Master, ready and kind, chided the billows
and hushed the wind.
Into the city I'd follow the children's band,
waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand;
one of his heralds, yes, I would sing loudest hosannahs!
Jesus is King!
Loudest hosannahs!
Jesus is King!
Thank you, Tabernacle Choir, for that sweet tribute
to the Savior of the world.
In the day that God the Father called upon His Only Begotten
Son to make man in Their image and likeness,
He blessed His children, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply,
and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion .
. .
over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
Thus, our mortal journey began with both a divine charge
and a blessing.
A loving Father gave us the charge and the blessing
to be fruitful and to multiply and to have dominion
so that we can develop and become even as He is.
Brothers and sisters, this afternoon
I invite your faith and prayers as I
share some thoughts with you about three
fundamental attributes of our divine nature.
My prayer is that we might all more fully recognize
and fulfill our sacred responsibility--our
Father's charge--to develop our divine nature so that we may
navigate our journey more successfully and obtain
our divine destiny.
First, God charged us to be fruitful.
An important part of being fruitful that is sometimes
overlooked is that of bringing forth the kingdom of God
upon the earth.
The Savior taught: "I am the vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. . . .
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit,
so shall ye be my disciples."
We become fruitful as we abide in Christ and as we "take upon
[ourselves His] name . . .
[and] serve him to the end" by helping others come unto Him.
In our day, living prophets and apostles
continue to lift their voices to invite each one of us
to become fully engaged in the work of salvation
according to our abilities and opportunities.
The starting point of a response that yields much fruit
is to "be meek and lowly in heart."
We can then more fully come unto Christ
as we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit
and keep all the covenants we have made.
We can seek and receive the gift of charity
and have power to invite our own families, our ancestors,
and our member and nonmember neighbors and friends
to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Laboring in the spirit of charity
is not our duty but our joy.
Challenges become opportunities to build faith.
We become "witnesses of [the goodness of] God at all times
and in all things, and in all places that [we]
may be in, even until death."
All of us can and should become fully engaged
in the work of salvation.
The Savior has given us the following responsibility
with our promise: "I have chosen you, and ordained you,
that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain:
that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name,
he may give it you."
Second, God charged us to multiply.
Our physical bodies are a blessing from God.
We received them for the purposes
of fulfilling Heavenly Father's work
"to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life
of man."
The body is the means by which we can
attain our divine potential.
The body enables Heavenly Father's obedient spirit
children to experience life on earth.
Bearing children gives other spirit children of God
the opportunity to also enjoy life on earth.
All who are born in mortality you
have the opportunity to progress and to be exalted if they obey
God's commandments.
Marriage between a man and a woman
is the institution that God ordained for the fulfillment
of the charge to multiply.
A same-gender relationship does not multiply.
A legal and lawful marriage sealed in the temple
and in which the sealing covenants are honored
gives parents and their children the opportunity
for the best experience of love and preparation
for a fruitful life.
It offers them the ideal environment
in which they can live their covenants made with God.
Because of His love for us, Heavenly Father
has provided that all His faithful children who
do not or are not able to enjoy the blessings of a covenant
marriage and children or a fulness of those blessings
for reasons not of their making will,
in the Lord's appointed time, enjoy these blessings.
Living prophets and apostles have
counseled all who have the opportunity
to enter into the covenant of eternal marriage
to proceed in wisdom and faith.
We should not put off the time of that sacred day because
of worldly pursuits or hold our expectations
of a suitable companion at a level that disqualifies
every possible candidate.
The promise to all who are sealed
in the covenant of eternal marriage
and who are fruitful through keeping their covenants
is that the adversary will never have power
to undermine the foundation of their eternal companionship.
Third, God charged us to subdue the earth.
To subdue the earth and have dominion over every living
thing is to control these things so they fulfil the will of God
as they serve the purposes of His children.
Subduing includes gaining mastery over our own bodies.
It does not include being helpless victims
of these things or using them contrary to the will of God.
Developing the ability to subdue the things of the earth
begins with humility to recognize
our human weakness and the power available to us
through Christ and His Atonement.
""[For] Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall
have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."
This power becomes available to us
as we choose to act in obedience to His commandments.
We increase our ability by seeking the gifts of the Spirit
and by developing our talents.
I was born and raised in humble circumstances
typical to many families in Africa.
I gained the ability to lift myself from those circumstances
by seeking and obtaining, with the caring help of my parents,
a good education.
Developing a vision of what I could become
was essential to my progress.
Later, as a young couple, my wife,
Gladys, and I found the restored gospel,
which continues to bless our lives with spiritual direction.
Like every family, we have our trials and challenges.
But as we look to the Lord for help,
we have found answers that bring peace and comfort,
and we do not feel overwhelmed by these things.
The challenges facing human society today,
including immorality, pornography, armed conflict,
pollution, substance abuse, and poverty,
flourish because many in the world
have turned themselves over by choice
"to the will of the devil and the flesh"
rather than the to the will of God.
"They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness,
but every man walketh in his own way,
and after the image of his own god, whose image is
in the likeness of the world."
However, God invites all His children to obtain His help
to overcome and endure the challenges of this life with
these words: "I am God; I made the world,
and men before they were in the flesh. . . .
If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice,
and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions,
and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only
Begotten Son, . . .
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,
asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask,
it shall be given you."
Faithful Latter-day Saints who understand
their divine potential and rely wholeheartedly
on the power available through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ are strengthened in their natural weakness
and "can do all things."
They are enabled to overcome the enticings of evil that
have put many under bondage to the adversary.
Paul taught that: "God is faithful,
[and] will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it." "For in that he himself hath
suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are
tempted."
Heavenly Father has charged and blessed us to be fruitful,
to multiply, and to subdue the earth
that we might become like Him.
He has made help available that we may
each, according to our individual choosing,
actually grow to become like Him.
I pray that we might all live our lives such
that we will be guided by the vision of our divine nature,
claim all our divine privileges, and fulfill our divine destiny.
I testify of the living reality of God the Father and
of His Beloved Son, our Savior Jesus Christ;
of His glorious plan of happiness; and of the keys
He has caused to be bestowed upon a living
prophet on earth today, even Thomas S. Monson,
whom we love and sustain.
I pray that we may have power to enjoy
the fulness of His blessings, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters, these two days of conference
have been glorious.
We have been uplifted by inspiring music
and eloquent prayers.
Our spirits have been edified by messages of light and truth.
On this Easter Sunday, we again unitedly and sincerely thank
God for a prophet!
The question for each of us is, "Because of what
I have heard and felt during this conference,
how will I change?"
Whatever your answer might be, may I
invite you also to examine your feelings about
and your behavior on the Sabbath day.
I am intrigued by the words of Isaiah, who
called the Sabbath "a delight."
Yet I wonder: is the Sabbath really
a delight for you and for me?
I first found delight in the Sabbath many years
ago when, as a busy surgeon, the Sabbath became
a day for personal healing.
By the end of each week, my hands
were sore from repeatedly scrubbing them with soap,
water, and a bristle brush.
I also needed a breather from the burden
of a demanding profession.
Sunday provided much-needed relief.
What did the Savior mean when He said
that "the sabbath was made for man,
and not man for the sabbath?"
I believe He wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was
His gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors
of daily life and opportunity for spiritual and physical
renewal.
God gave us this special day not for amusement or daily labor,
but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief.
In Hebrew, the word sabbath means "rest."
The purpose of the Sabbath dates back
to the Creation of the world, when, after six days of labor,
the Lord rested from the work of creation.
When He later revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses,
God commanded that we "remember the sabbath day,
to keep it holy."
Later the Sabbath was observed as a reminder
of the deliverance of Israel from their bondage in Egypt.
Perhaps most importantly, the Sabbath
was given as a perpetual covenant, a constant reminder
that the Lord may sanctify His people.
In addition, we now partake of the sacrament on the Sabbath
day in remembrance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Again, we covenant that we are willing to take
upon us His holy name.
The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath.
It is His day!
Repeatedly He has asked us to keep the Sabbath,
or to hallow the Sabbath day.
We are under covenant to do so.
How do we hallow the Sabbath day?
In my much younger years, I studied the work
of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things
not to do on the Sabbath.
It wasn't until later that I learned from the scriptures
that my conduct, my attitude on the Sabbath
constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father.
With that understanding, I no longer needed lists
of do's and don'ts.
When I had to make a decision whether or not
an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath,
I simply asked myself, "What sign do I want to give to God?"
That question made my choices about the Sabbath day
crystal-clear.
Though the doctrine pertaining to the Sabbath day
is of ancient origin, it has been
renewed in these latter days as part of a new covenant
with a promise.
Listen to the power of this divine decree:
"That thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from
the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up
thy sacraments upon my holy day; for verily this is a day
appointed unto you to rest from your labors,
and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High. . . .
And on this day . . . let they food be prepared with
singleness of heart that thy fasting may perfect, . . .
that thy joy may be full. . . .
And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving,
with cheerful hearts and countenances, . . .
the fulness of the earth is yours."
Imagine the scope of that statement!
The fulness of the earth is promised to those
who keep the Sabbath day holy.
No wonder Isaiah called the Sabbath a "delight."
How can you ensure that your behavior on the Sabbath
will lead to joy and rejoicing?
In addition to your going to church,
partaking of the sacrament, and being diligent
in your specific call to serve, what other activities would
help to make the Sabbath a delight for you?
What sign will you give to the Lord to show your love for Him?
The Sabbath provides a wonderful opportunity
to strengthen family ties.
After all, God wants each of us, as His children,
to return to Him as endowed Saints, sealed in the temple,
as families, to our ancestors and to our posterity.
We make the Sabbath a delight when we teach
the gospel to our children.
Our responsibility as parents is abundantly clear.
The Lord said, "Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion,
. . . that teach them not to understand the doctrine
of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God,
and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying
on of the hands, when eight years old,
the sin be upon the heads of the parents."
Years ago the First Presidency stressed the importance
of quality family time.
They wrote: "We call upon parents
to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing
of their children in gospel principles which will
keep them close to the Church.
The home is the basis of a righteous life,
and no other instrumentality can take its place
or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward
this God-given responsibility.
We counsel parents and children to give
highest priority to family prayer,
family home evening gospel study and instruction, and wholesome
family activities.
However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities
may be, they must not be permitted
to displace the divinely-appointed duties
that only parents and families can adequately perform."
When I ponder this counsel, I almost
wish I were a young father once again.
Now parents have such wonderful resources
available to help them make family time more
meaningful on the Sabbath and other days as well.
They have LDS.org, mormon.org, the Bible videos,
the Mormon Channel, the Gospel Art Library, the Friend,
the New Era, the Ensign, the Liahona, and more--much more.
These resources are so very helpful to parents
in discharging their sacred duty to teach their children.
No other work transcends that of righteous,
intentional parenting!
As you teach the gospel, you will learn more.
This is the Lord's way of helping
you to comprehend His gospel.
He said: "I give unto you a commandment that you
shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
Teach ye diligently . . . , that you may be instructed more
perfectly . . .
in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things
that pertain unto the kingdom of God."
Such study of the gospel makes the Sabbath a delight.
This promise pertains regardless of family
size, composition, or location.
In addition to time with family, you
can experience true delight on the Sabbath
from family history work.
Searching for and finding family members who have preceded you
on earth--those who did not have an opportunity to accept
the gospel while here--can bring immense joy.
I have seen this firsthand.
Several years ago my dear wife, Wendy,
determined that she was going to learn how
to do family history research.
Her progress at first was slow, but little by little
she learned how easy it is to do this sacred work.
And I have never seen her happier.
You, too, need not travel to other countries
or even to a family history center.
At home, with the aid of a computer or mobile device,
you can identify souls who are yearning for their ordinances.
Make the Sabbath a delight by finding your ancestors
and liberating them from spirit prison!
Make the Sabbath a delight by rendering service to others,
especially those who are not feeling well
or those who are lonely or in need.
Lifting their spirits will lift yours as well.
When Isaiah described the Sabbath as "a delight,"
he also taught us how to make it delightful.
He said: "If thou turn away . . .
from doing thy pleasure on my holy day;
and call the sabbath a delight, . . .
and shalt honour [the Lord], not doing thine own ways,
nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord."
Not pursuing your own pleasure on the Sabbath
requires self-discipline.
You may have to deny yourself of something you might like.
If you choose to delight yourself in the Lord,
you will not permit yourself to treat it as any other day.
Routine and recreational activities
can be done some other time.
Think of this: In paying tithing,
we return one-tenth of our increase to the Lord.
In keeping the Sabbath holy, we reserve one day in seven
as His.
So it is our privilege to consecrate
both money and time to Him who lends us life each day.
Faith in God engenders a love for the Sabbath;
faith in the Sabbath engenders a love for God.
A sacred Sabbath truly is a delight.
Now, as this conference comes to a close,
we know that wherever we live, we
are to be examples of the believers among our families,
neighbors, and friends.
True believers keep the Sabbath day holy.
I conclude with the farewell plea of Moroni
as he closed the Book of Mormon.
He wrote, "Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him,
and deny yourselves of all ungodliness;
and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness,
and love God with all your might, mind, and strength,
then . . . are ye sanctified in Christ."
With love in my heart, I leave this with you
as my prayer, testimony, and blessing in the sacred name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
At the conclusion of this conference,
we express heartfelt appreciation
to all who have worked so diligently to prepare
for these services.
We are grateful to those who have spoken and offered
prayers, and sincerely thank the choirs and their conductors
and organists for the beautiful and uplifting music.
The choir will now close the conference
by singing "Lord, I Would Follow Thee."
The benediction will then be offered
by Elder Koichi Aoyagi of the Seventy,
and the conference will be adjourned.
Our dear sisters and brothers, our dear friends,
may our Heavenly Father bless and keep you
at this Easter Sunday and always,
until we meet again in October.
[MUSIC "LORD, I WOULD FOLLOW THEE"]
(SINGING) Savior, may I learn to love thee,
walk the path that thou hast shown,
pause to help and lift another, finding strength beyond my own.
Savior, may I learn to love thee--Lord,
I would follow thee.
Who am I to judge another when I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye can't see.
Who am I to judge another?
Lord, I would follow thee.
I would be my brother's keeper; I would learn the healer's art.
To the wounded and the weary I would show a gentle heart.
I would be my brother's keeper--Lord,
I would follow thee.
Savior, may I love my brother as I know though lovest me,
find in thee my strength, my beacon, for thy servant
I would be.
Savior, may I love my brother--Lord,
I would follow thee.
Lord, I would follow thee.
Amen.
Our beloved Father in Heaven, we are
so thankful for the greatest sacrifice and the Resurrection
of Thy Son, Jesus Christ.
We thank Thee for Thy love, tender mercy, and blessings
of the Atonement.
We ask for Thy blessings to be with us.
We are so grateful to be able to hear
great teachings, and counsel, and advice
in this general conference.
And please help us to be able to apply what we
have learned in our daily life.
Please bless President Thomas S. Monson, and the Twelve
Apostles, and other General Authorities.
Also bless all of the priesthood leaders,
and missionaries, and the Saints all around the world.
We are so grateful for Thy love and tender
mercy and blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
We pray for these things humbly, in the name
of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
[ORGAN MUSIC]
This has been a broadcast of the 185th Annual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Speakers were selected from the General Authorities
and general officers of the Church.
Music was provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
This broadcast has been furnished as a public service
by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent
is prohibited.