From the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, this is the Saturday morning session
of the 188th 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.
Members and officers of the Church
gather from all areas of the world
to receive counsel and instruction from their Church
leaders.
This broadcast is furnished as a public service
by Bonneville Distribution.
Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent
is prohibited.
President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency of the Church,
will conduct this session.
[MUSIC PLAYING--"SWEET IS THE WORK"]
Brothers and sisters, we welcome you
to the Saturday morning session of the 188th Annual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and extend a warm welcome to members and friends
participating in the conference throughout the world, wherever
you may be.
President Russell M. Nelson, who presides at the conference,
has asked me to conduct this session.
We note the passing of our dear prophet and associate,
President Thomas S. Monson, on January 2, 2018,
and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family.
His long and devoted ministry blessed countless people
throughout the world.
We likewise remember the life and service
of Elder Von G. Keetch of the Seventy, who
passed away unexpectedly on January 26, 2018.
We express our love and warm regards to his family as well.
The music this morning will be provided by the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir under the direction
of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, with Andrew Unsworth and Clay
Christiansen at the organ.
The choir opened this meeting with "Sweet Is the Work"
and will now favor us with "We Thank Thee, O God,
for a Prophet."
The invocation will then be offered by Elder Mervyn B.
Arnold of the Seventy.
[MUSIC PLAYING--"WE THANK THEE, O GOD, FOR A PROPHET"]
Our most kind and dear Father which art in heaven,
on this most sacred occasion, we indeed
are grateful for a prophet of God, whom we dearly
love and sustain.
We ask a special blessing upon President Russell M. Nelson
as he guides and directs this Church under Thy direction.
We pray for his family and his extended family.
We're grateful at this time, Father,
to remember especially our Savior
during this beautiful Easter season.
We're grateful for His example, especially the way He
ministered, and may we be ministers unto all
who are about us, especially those whose hands hang down.
We pray for the widows and orphans.
We pray for those in this congregation,
wherever they are throughout the world, who
came here to receive answers.
May they feel of Thy love and receive
the answers which they seek.
We pray that everyone will listen intently
to the prophets this day and follow their guidance.
How we love Thee.
How we appreciate Thee.
And dear Father, we say these things very humbly in the name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
Brothers and sisters, President Nelson
has asked that I handle the business of the solemn assembly
for which we are gathered today.
This is an occasion of great significance for members
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints throughout the world.
Dating from October 10, 1880, when John Taylor was sustained
to succeed Brigham Young as prophet, seer,
and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, each of these occasions
has been designated as a formal solemn
assembly of the body of the Church
to express the voice of the Church.
We will vote by quorums and groups.
Wherever you are, you are invited
to stand, only when requested, and express
by your uplifted hand that you choose to sustain those
whose names will be presented.
You should vote only when asked to stand.
The General Authorities assigned to the Tabernacle
and the Assembly Hall on Temple Square
will observe the voting in those facilities.
In stake centers, a member of the stake presidency
will observe the voting.
If anyone casts a contrary vote, those individuals
should contact their respective stake presidents.
We will now proceed.
Again, please stand and vote only when asked to do so.
We ask members of the First Presidency to please arise.
It is proposed that the First Presidency sustain
Russell Marion Nelson as prophet, seer, and revelator
and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Those of the First Presidency in favor, please manifest it.
It is proposed that the First Presidency sustain
Dallin Harris Oaks as First Counselor and Henry Bennion
Eyring as Second Counselor in the First
Presidency of the Church.
Those members of the First Presidency in favor
may manifest it.
It is proposed that the First Presidency sustain
Dallin Harris Oaks as President of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles and Melvin Russell Ballard
as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Members of the First Presidency in favor may manifest it.
It is proposed that the First Presidency sustain
as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: M. Russell
Ballard, Jeffrey R. Holland, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A.
Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L.
Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G.
Renlund, Gerrit Walter Gong, and Ulisses Soares.
Members of the First Presidency, please manifest it.
It is proposed that the First Presidency sustain
the counselors in the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
as prophets, seers, and revelators.
Members of the First Presidency will please manifest it.
The First Presidency will now be seated.
We invite Elder Gong and Elder Soares to take their places
with the Quorum of the Twelve.
The members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles only,
including Elder Gong and Elder Soares, will please arise.
It is proposed that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
sustain Russell Marion Nelson as prophet, seer, and revelator
and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, together with his counselors and members
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
as they have been presented and voted
upon by the First Presidency.
Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
in favor, please manifest it.
You may be seated.
We ask the General Authority Seventies
and members of the Presiding Bishopric to please arise.
It is proposed that all General Authority Seventies and members
of the Presiding Bishopric sustain Russell Marion
Nelson as prophet, seer, and revelator and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
together with his counselors and members
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
as they have been presented and voted
upon by the First Presidency.
All General Authority Seventies and members
of the Presiding Bishopric who are in favor,
please manifest it.
You may be seated.
We ask the following to please arise wherever
you may be throughout the world: all Area
Seventies, ordained patriarchs, high priests, and elders.
It is proposed that Russell Marion Nelson be sustained
as prophet, seer, and revelator and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
together with his counselors and members of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles as they have been presented and voted
upon.
All in favor, please manifest it.
Any opposed may so manifest it.
Please be seated.
Will all members of the Relief Society--that is,
all women 18 years of age and older--please arise.
It is proposed that Russell Marion Nelson be sustained
as prophet, seer, and revelator and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
together with his counselors and members
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
as previously presented and voted upon.
All in favor, please indicate by the uplifted hand.
Any opposed may so indicate.
You may be seated.
Will all those holding only the Aaronic Priesthood--that is,
all ordained priests, teachers, and deacons--please arise.
It is proposed that Russell Marion Nelson be sustained
as prophet, seer, and revelator and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
together with his counselors and members
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
as previously presented and voted upon.
All in favor, please indicate by the uplifted hand.
Any opposed may so indicate.
You may be seated.
Will the Young Women who are ages 12 to 18 please arise.
It is proposed that Russell Marion Nelson be sustained
as prophet, seer, and revelator and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
together with his counselors and members
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
as previously presented and voted upon.
All in favor, please indicate by the uplifted hand.
Any opposed may so indicate.
You may be seated.
We now ask that the entire membership, wherever
you are located, including all of those who have previously
stood, to please arise.
It is proposed that Russell Marion Nelson be sustained
as prophet, seer, and revelator and President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
together with his counselors and members of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles as they have been presented and voted
upon.
All in favor, please indicate by the uplifted hand.
Any opposed may so indicate.
You may all be seated.
Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your love and support.
We will handle the business of the conference
relative to releasing and sustaining
other Church officers during the Saturday afternoon session.
The choir will now favor us with "We
Listen to a Prophet's Voice."
After the singing, we will be pleased to hear
from President M. Russell Ballard, who was just
sustained as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
He will be followed by Elders Brian K. Taylor and Larry J.
Echo Hawk of the Seventy.
[MUSIC PLAYING--"WE LISTEN TO A PROPHET'S VOICE"]
My brothers and sisters, we have just
participated in a solemn assembly,
a practice that can be traced back to the Bible
when ancient Israel gathered to feel the Lord's presence
and celebrate His blessings.
We are privileged to live in a time
when this ancient practice has been
restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I urge you to record in your personal journal what
you felt regarding this most sacred occasion in which you
have taken part.
Recently we said goodbye to our dear friend and prophet,
President Thomas S. Monson.
Although we all miss him, we are deeply
grateful the Lord has called a new prophet, President Russell
M. Nelson, to preside over His Church.
And in an orderly way, we have now
begun a new chapter in our Church history.
This is a precious gift from God.
As we each sustained President Nelson by our uplifted hands,
we stood as witnesses before God and acknowledged
that he is President Monson's rightful successor.
With our raised hands we promised to hearken unto
his voice as he receives direction from the Lord.
The Lord has said: "Thou shalt give heed unto all his [meaning
the prophet of the Church, his] words and commandments which he
shall give unto you as he receiveth them ... ;
"For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth,
in ...
patience and [in] faith."
I have known our new prophet-president
for over 60 years.
I have served with him in the Quorum of the Twelve for 33
years, and I am a witness that the hand of the Lord
has been preparing him to become our presiding apostle
and prophet to administer all the keys of the holy priesthood
on the earth.
May each one of us completely sustain him and his counselors
and follow their direction.
We also warmly welcome Elder Gong and Elder Soares
to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
After Jesus's Resurrection, an event
that we celebrate this glorious Easter weekend,
He appeared to His disciples and said,
"Peace be unto you: as my Father hath
sent me, even so send I you."
Notice a twofold action: God sends His Son.
The Son sends His servants--mortal men
and women--to accomplish Their work.
We should not be surprised to know
that those individuals called to do the Lord's work
are not humanly perfect.
Stories in the scriptures detail incidents about men and women
who were called to accomplish a great work--good sons
and daughters of our Heavenly Father called to serve
in their various assignments in the Church,
striving to do their best, but none of them yet perfect.
The same is true of us today.
Given the reality of our human weaknesses and shortcomings,
how do we move forward in supporting and sustaining
each other?
It begins with faith--real, sincere faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Faith in the Savior is the first principle of the doctrine
and gospel of Christ.
Several years ago I was visiting the Holy Land.
As we drove by a mustard plant, the director
of the BYU Jerusalem Center asked if I ever
had seen a mustard seed.
I hadn't, so we stopped.
He showed me the seeds from the mustard plant.
They were surprisingly small.
I then remembered Jesus's teachings:
"For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith
as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove;
and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
If we have faith as small as a mustard seed,
the Lord can help us remove the mountains of discouragement
and doubt in the tasks ahead of us
as we serve with God's children, including our family members,
Church members, and those who are not yet
members of the Church.
Brothers and sisters, life can be filled with faith, joy,
happiness, hope, and love when we exercise the smallest amount
of real faith in Christ--even a mustard seed of faith.
Elder George A. Smith remembered some advice the Prophet Joseph
Smith gave to him: "He told me I should never get discouraged,
whatever difficulties might surround me.
If I [were] sunk in the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all
the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I [should not]
be discouraged but hang on, exercise faith,
and keep up [your] courage and I should come out
on the top of the heap at last."
We should remember Paul's declaration:
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Knowing this is another precious gift from God.
In addition to these gifts I have mentioned,
there are many, many more.
I speak now of just a few: the gift of the Sabbath day,
the sacrament, service to others,
and the matchless gift from God of our Savior.
The power of the Sabbath day is to experience
in church and in home the delight, the joy,
and the warmth of feeling the Spirit of the Lord
without any kind of distraction.
Too many allow themselves to almost live online with
their smart devices--screens illuminating their faces day
and night and earplugs in their ears blocking out the still,
small voice of the Spirit.
If we do not find time to unplug,
we may miss the opportunities to hear the voice of Him who said,
"Be still, and know that I am God."
Now, there is nothing wrong with taking advantage
of the advances in technologies inspired by the Lord,
but we must be wise in their use.
Remember the gift of the Sabbath day.
The blessing of receiving the sacrament
must never become routine or just something
we do in sacrament meeting.
It is only 70 minutes in a whole week
when we can pause and find more peace, joy, and happiness
in our lives.
Partaking of the sacrament and renewing our covenants
is a sign by us to the Lord that we do always remember Him.
His Atonement is a gracious gift from God.
The privilege of service to Heavenly Father's children
is another opportunity to follow the example of His Beloved Son
by serving one another.
Some service opportunities are formal--in our family,
our Church callings, and our participation in community
service organizations.
Church members--both men and women--should not hesitate,
if they desire, to run for public office at any level
of government wherever they live.
Our voices are essential today and important in our schools,
our cities, our countries.
Where democracy exists, it is our duty also
as members to vote for honorable men and women who
are willing to serve.
Many opportunities to serve are informal--without
assignment--and come as we reach out to others we meet
in life's journey.
Remember, Jesus taught the lawyer
that we should love God and our neighbor
as ourselves, using the Good Samaritan as an example.
Service opens a window by which we understand the life
and ministry of Christ.
He came to serve, as the scriptures
teach, "even as the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many."
Peter may have given the best description of the Savior's
mortal ministry in five words when he referred to Jesus,
"who went about doing good."
The Lord Jesus Christ is our most precious
of all gifts from God.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Nephi captured the importance of our Savior
when he declared, "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ,
we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ,
and we write according to our prophecies,
that our children may know to what source they may look
for a remission of their sins."
We must keep Christ as the center of our lives
at all times and in all places.
We should remember that it is His name that
appears on our places of worship,
we are baptized in His name, and we
are confirmed, ordained, endowed, and sealed
in marriage in His name.
We partake of the sacrament and promise to take upon ourselves
His name--and become true Christians.
Finally, we are asked in the sacrament prayer
to "always remember him."
As we prepare for Easter Sunday tomorrow, let
us remember that Christ is supreme.
He is the righteous Judge, our faithful Advocate,
our blessed Redeemer, the Good Shepherd, the promised Messiah,
a true friend, and much, much more.
He is indeed a very precious gift to us from our Father.
In our discipleship, we have many demands, concerns,
and assignments.
However, some activities must always
be at the heart of our Church membership.
"Wherefore," the Lord commands, "be faithful;
stand in the office which I have appointed unto you;
succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down,
and strengthen the feeble knees."
This is the Church in action!
This is pure religion!
This is the gospel in its true sense
as we succor, lift, strengthen those
in spiritual and temporal need!
Doing so requires us to visit them
and to assist them that their testimonies of faith
in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement
will be anchored in their hearts.
May the Lord help and bless us to treasure
our many precious gifts from God,
including our membership in His restored Church.
I pray we will be filled with love for our Heavenly Father's
children and be able to see their needs
and be willing to answer their questions
and concerns about the gospel in clear and kind ways
which will increase understanding and appreciation
for one another.
I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior.
What we will be taught at this general conference
comes to us by inspiration from apostles and prophets,
from General Authorities and sister leaders who are
General Officers of the Church.
May the joy and peace of the Lord abide with each one
is my humble prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
We thank Thee, O God, for our prophets.
Recently I went to church with my sweet mother at our old rock
chapel.
Drawn to little voices coming from the same Primary room I
attended decades ago, I walked in the back
and observed caring leaders teach this year's theme,
"I Am a Child of God."
I smiled as I remembered patient and loving teachers who,
during our singing time back then,
would often look at me--that rambunctious little boy
at the end of the pew--as if to say,
"Is he really a child of God?
And who has sent him here?"
[LAUGHTER]
I invite each of us to open our hearts to the Holy Ghost, who
"beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God."
President Boyd K. Packer's words are plain and precious:
"You are a child of God.
He is the father of your spirit.
Spiritually you are of noble birth, the offspring
of the King of Heaven.
Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it.
However many generations in your mortal ancestry, no matter what
[your] race or [the] people you represent,
the pedigree of your spirit can be written on a single line.
You are a child of God!"
"When you ...
see our Father," Brigham Young described,
"you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted,
and he will receive you into his arms,
and you will be ready to fall into his embrace and kiss him."
Moses learned of his divine heritage talking
with the Lord face to face.
Following that experience, "Satan
came tempting" with subtle yet vicious intent to distort
Moses's identity, "saying: Moses, son of man, worship me.
And ...
Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou?
For behold, I am a son of God."
This great war over divine identity rages fiercely
as Satan's proliferating arsenal aims
to destroy belief in and knowledge of our relationship
with God.
Thankfully, we have been blessed with clear vision
and understanding of our true identity from the beginning:
"And God said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness."
And His living prophets proclaim,
"Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents,
and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny."
Coming to know these truths with certainty helps us overcome
trials, troubles, and afflictions of every kind.
When asked, "How can we help those struggling
with a personal challenge?"
an Apostle of the Lord instructed, "Teach them
their identity and their purpose."
These powerful truths were life-changing for my friend
Jen, who as a teenager caused a serious car accident.
Though her physical trauma was severe,
she felt exquisite pain because the other driver lost her life.
"Someone lost their mom, and it was my fault," she says.
Jen, who just days before stood and recited, "We are daughters
of our Heavenly Father, who loves us,"
now questioned, "How could He love me?"
"The physical suffering passed," she says,
"but I didn't think I would ever heal
from the emotional and spiritual wounds."
In order to survive, Jen hid her feelings deeply,
becoming distant and numb.
After a year, when she was finally
able to talk about the accident, an inspired counselor
invited her to write the phrase "I am a child of God"
and say it 10 times daily.
"Writing the words was easy," she recalls,
"but I couldn't speak them. ...
That made it real, and I didn't really
believe God wanted me as His child.
I would curl up and cry."
After several months, Jen was finally
able to complete the task every day.
"I poured out my whole soul," she said, "pleading with God.
...
[And] then I began to believe the words."
This belief allowed the Savior to begin
mending her wounded soul.
The Book of Mormon brought comfort and courage
in His Atonement.
"Christ felt my pains, my sorrows, my guilt,"
Jen concludes.
"I felt God's pure love and had never experienced
anything so powerful!
Knowing I am a child of God is the most powerful knowledge
I possess!"
Brothers and sisters, how can each of us
experience the power of understanding
our divine identity?
It begins by seeking to know God, our Father.
President Russell M. Nelson testified, "Something powerful
happens when a child of God seeks to know more
about Him and His Beloved Son."
Learning of and following the Savior
helps us come to know the Father.
"Being ...
the express image" of His Father,
Jesus taught, "The Son can do nothing
of himself, but what he seeth the Father do."
Christ's every word and deed reveals the true nature of God
and our relationship to Him.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught, "With blood appearing at every
pore and an anguished cry upon His lips,
Christ sought Him whom He had always sought--His Father.
'Abba,' He cried, 'Papa.'"
As Jesus earnestly sought His Father in Gethsemane,
so young Joseph Smith, in 1820, prayerfully
sought God in the Sacred Grove.
After reading, "If any of you lack wisdom,
let him ask of God," Joseph retired to pray.
"I kneeled down," he wrote, "and began to offer up the desires
of my heart to God. ...
"...
I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head. ...
"...
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--[Joseph,] This is My Beloved Son.
Hear Him!"
As we follow the examples of the Savior and the Prophet Joseph
in earnestly seeking God, we will come to understand
in a very real way, as Jen did, that our Father knows us
by name--that we are His children.
To mothers, especially young mothers who often feel
overwhelmed and underwater while striving to raise
a "sin-resistant generation," never underestimate
your central role in God's plan.
In stressful moments--perhaps when you are chasing little
ones and a charred smell from the kitchen informs you that
your lovingly prepared dinner is now a burnt offering--know
this.
Know that God sanctifies your most difficult days.
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee," He peacefully reassures.
We honor you as you fulfill the hope of Sister Joy D.
Jones, who stated, "Our children deserve to understand
their divine identity."
I invite each of us to seek God and His Beloved Son.
"Nowhere," President Nelson directed,
"are those truths taught more clearly and powerfully
than in the Book of Mormon."
Open its pages and learn that God
does "all things for [our] welfare
and happiness," that He is "merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness,"
and that "all are alike unto [Him]."
When you feel hurt, lost, scared, upset, sad, hungry,
or hopelessly abandoned in life's extremities,
open the Book of Mormon, and you will come to know "[God] will
never desert us.
He never has, and He never will.
He cannot do it.
It is not His character [to do so]."
Coming to know our Father changes everything,
especially our hearts, as His gentle Spirit
confirms our true identity and great worth in His sight.
God walks with us along the covenant path
as we seek Him through prayerful pleadings,
scriptural searching, and obedient strivings.
I love the God of my fathers, the Lord God Almighty,
who weeps with us in our sorrows,
patiently chastens our unrighteousness,
and rejoices when we seek to "give away all [our]
sins to know [Him]."
I worship Him, who is ever "a father of the fatherless"
and a companion to the companionless.
Gratefully, I testify that I have
come to know God, my Father, and bear
witness of the perfections, attributes, and the "excellency
of [His] character."
That every one of us might truly understand and cherish
our "noble birthright" as a child of God
in coming to "know [Him] the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent," is my fervent prayer.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
"Now upon the first day of the week,
very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre,
bringing the spices which they had prepared,
and certain others with them.
"And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
"And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
"And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces
to the earth, they said unto them,
Why seek ye the living among the dead?
"He is not here, but is risen."
Tomorrow, the Easter Sabbath, we will remember in a special way
what Jesus Christ has done for us:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
Eventually we will be resurrected, as He was,
to live forever.
Through the miracle of the sacred Atonement
of Jesus Christ, we can also receive the gift of forgiveness
of our sins and misdeeds if we accept
the opportunity and responsibility of repentance.
And by receiving necessary ordinances,
keeping covenants, and obeying commandments,
we can gain eternal life and exaltation.
Today I want to focus on forgiveness,
an essential and precious gift offered to us from our Savior
and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
On a December night in 1982, my wife, Terry, and I
were awakened by a phone call to our home in Pocatello, Idaho.
As I answered the phone, I heard only sobbing.
Finally my sister's struggling voice said, "Tommy is dead."
A 20-year-old drunk driver, speeding at more than 85 miles
per hour, recklessly ran a stoplight
in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.
He crashed violently into the car driven
by my youngest brother, Tommy, instantly killing him
and his wife, Joan.
They were returning home to a young daughter
after a Christmas party.
My wife and I immediately flew to Denver
and made our way to the mortuary.
We gathered with my parents and siblings
and grieved the loss of our beloved Tommy and Joan.
We had lost them to a senseless criminal act.
Our hearts were broken, and anger toward the young offender
began to well up inside me.
Tommy had served as a lawyer in the United States
Department of Justice and was on a course
to be a strong advocate for the protection
of Native American lands and natural resources for years
to come.
After some time had passed, a court sentencing hearing
was held for the young man found responsible
for vehicular manslaughter.
In their ongoing grief and sorrow,
my parents and my oldest sister, Katy, attended the hearing.
The drunk driver's parents were also there,
and after the hearing concluded, they sat on a bench and wept.
My parents and sister were sitting nearby
as they sought to gain control of their own emotions.
After a moment, my parents and sister
stood up and walked to the driver's parents
and offered them words of comfort and forgiveness.
The men shook hands; the women held hands;
there was deep sorrow and tears for all and a recognition
that both families had suffered immensely.
Mom, Dad, Katy led the way with their quiet strength
and courage and showed our family
what forgiveness looks like.
That outreach of forgiveness in those moments
caused my heart to soften and opened a pathway to healing.
Over time I learned how to have a forgiving heart.
Only with the help of the Prince of Peace
was my painful burden lifted.
My heart will always miss Tommy and Joan,
but forgiveness now allows me to remember them
with unfettered joy.
And I know we will be together again as a family.
I am not suggesting that we condone unlawful conduct.
We know full well that individuals
are to be held accountable for their criminal acts
and civil wrongdoings.
However, we also know that as sons and daughters of God,
we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
We are to be forgiving even when it seems others may not
warrant our forgiveness.
The Savior taught: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
We can all receive unspeakable peace and partnering
with our Savior as we learn to freely forgive those
who have trespassed against us.
This partnering brings the Savior's power into our lives
in an unmistakable and never-to-be-forgotten way.
The Apostle Paul counseled: "Put on therefore,
as the elect of God, ...
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering;
"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another ... :
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."
The Lord Himself declared: "Wherefore, I
say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one
another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses
standeth condemned before the Lord;
for there remaineth in him the greater sin.
"I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive,
but of you it is required to forgive all men."
The teachings of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ,
are clear: the sinner must be willing to forgive others
if he or she hopes to obtain forgiveness.
Brothers and sisters, are there people in our lives
who have hurt us?
Do we harbor what seem like fully justified feelings
of resentment and anger?
Are we letting pride keep us from forgiving and letting go?
I invite all of us to forgive completely
and let healing occur from within.
And even if forgiveness does not come today,
know that as we desire it and work for it,
it will come--just as it eventually did for me after
my brother's death.
Please also remember that an essential element
of forgiveness includes forgiving ourselves.
"He who has repented of his sins,"
the Lord said, "the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord,
remember them no more."
I plead for all of us this day to remember and follow
the example of Jesus Christ.
On the cross at Golgotha, in His anguish,
He uttered these words: "Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do."
By having a forgiving spirit and acting upon it,
like my parents and oldest sister,
we can realize the promise of the Savior:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
I witness this peace will come into our lives
as we heed the teachings of Jesus Christ
and follow His example by forgiving others.
As we forgive, I promise the Savior will strengthen us,
and His power and joy will flow into our lives.
The tomb is empty.
Christ lives.
I know Him.
And I love Him.
I am grateful for His grace, which
is the strengthening power that is
sufficient to heal all things.
In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The congregation will now join the choir
in singing "Press Forward, Saints."
After the singing, we will hear from Elder Gary E.
Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He will be followed by Elder Lynn G.
Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Following Elder Robbins, the choir
will sing "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus."
This is the 188th Annual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[MUSIC] PLAYING--"PRESS FORWARD, SAINTS"]
I have fervently prayed that the Holy Ghost
will be with each of us today on this heavenly occasion.
What we have collectively witnessed
has been most impressive as the 17th prophet
of this dispensation has been sustained in solemn assembly.
As I sought guidance to know the topic the Lord would have
me address today, my mind was directed
to a recent conversation with the newly called First
Presidency.
In this discussion, one of the counselors
shared words to this effect: "I deeply
hope that the membership of the Church
can comprehend the magnitude of what has taken place
with the calling of our new prophet, President Russell M.
Nelson, and the significance and sacredness of the solemn
assembly that will take place at general conference."
He further observed, "It has been 10 years,
and many, especially the youth of the Church, do not remember
or have not experienced this before."
This caused me to reflect upon experiences I have had.
The first prophet I remember is President David O. McKay.
I was 14 years old when he passed away.
I remember a sense of loss that accompanied
his passing, the tears in my mother's eyes,
and the sorrow felt by our whole family.
I remember how the words "Please bless President David O. McKay"
fell out of my lips so naturally in my prayers
that if I wasn't mindful, even following his passing,
I would find myself using those same words.
I wondered if my heart and mind would transition
to the same feeling and conviction for the prophets
succeeding him.
But almost like parents who love each of their children,
I found a love for, connection with,
and a testimony of President Joseph Fielding Smith, who
followed President McKay, and for each prophet thereafter:
Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson,
Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson,
and today President Russell M. Nelson.
I fully sustained each prophet with uplifted hand--and
uplifted heart.
As each of our beloved prophets have passed on,
it is only natural to feel a sense of sorrow and loss.
But our sadness is tempered by the joy and hope that
comes as we experience one of the great blessings
of the Restoration: the calling and sustaining of a living
prophet on the earth.
To that end, I will speak to this divine process as observed
over the past 90 days.
I will describe it in four segments: first,
the passing of our prophet and the dissolution
of the First Presidency; second, the time awaiting
the reorganization of the new First Presidency;
third, the calling of the new prophet;
and fourth, the sustaining of the new prophet
and First Presidency in solemn assembly.
On January 2, 2018, our dear prophet Thomas S. Monson
passed to the other side of the veil.
He will forever have a place in our hearts.
President Henry B. Eyring offered sentiments at President
Monson's passing which succinctly describe
our feelings: "The hallmark of his life,
like the Savior's, will be his individual concern in reaching
out to the poor, the sick--even all individuals--worldwide."
President Spencer W. Kimball explained:
"As one star sinks behind the horizon,
another comes into the picture, and death spawns life.
"The work of the Lord is endless.
Even when a powerful leader dies, not for a single instant
is the Church without leadership, thanks to the kind
Providence who gave his kingdom continuity and perpetuity.
As it [has already] happened ...
before in this dispensation, a people reverently
close a grave, dry their [eyes], and turn their faces
to the future."
The period of time between the death of a prophet
and the reorganization of the First Presidency
is referred to as an "apostolic interregnum."
During this period, the Quorum of the Twelve,
under the leadership of the quorum president,
jointly hold the keys to administer
the leadership of the Church.
President Joseph F. Smith taught, "There is always
a head in the Church, and if the Presidency of the Church
are removed by death or other cause,
then the next head of the Church is
the Twelve Apostles, until a presidency is again organized."
The most recent interregnum period
began when President Monson passed away on January 2
and ended 12 days later, on Sunday, January 14.
On that Sabbath morning, the Quorum of the Twelve
met in the upper room of the Salt Lake Temple
in a spirit of fasting and prayer,
under the presiding direction of President Russell M.
Nelson, the senior Apostle and President
of the Quorum of the Twelve.
In this sacred and memorable meeting,
following a well-established precedent
in unity and unanimity, the Brethren
were seated by seniority in a semicircle of 13 chairs
and raised their hands first to sustain
the organization of a First Presidency
and then to sustain President Russell Marion
Nelson as President of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This sustaining was followed by the Quorum of the Twelve
gathering in a circle and placing hands
upon the head of President Nelson
to ordain and set him apart, with the next most-senior
Apostle acting as voice.
President Nelson then named his counselors, President Dallin
Harris Oaks, President Henry Bennion Eyring,
with President Oaks as the President
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and President Melvin
Russell Ballard as the Acting President of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles.
Following similar sustaining votes, each of these Brethren
were set apart to their respective offices
by President Nelson.
This was a deeply sacred experience,
with an outpouring of the Spirit.
I offer to you my absolute witness
that the will of the Lord, for which we fervently prayed,
was powerfully manifest in the activities
and events of that day.
With the ordination of President Nelson
and the reorganization of the First Presidency,
the apostolic interregnum ended and the newly constituted First
Presidency began to operate, remarkably,
without even one second of interruption
in governing the Lord's kingdom on the earth.
This morning, this process is culminated in accordance with
the scriptural mandate outlined in Doctrine and Covenants:
"For all things must be done in order,
and by common consent in the church,
by the prayer of faith," and "three Presiding High Priests,
...
upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church,
form a quorum of the [First] Presidency of the Church."
Elder David B. Haight described a previous occurrence
of what we participated in today:
"We are witnesses to and participants in a most sacred
occasion--a solemn assembly to act upon heavenly things.
As in olden times, there has been much fasting and prayer
offered by the Saints throughout the world that they may receive
an outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord,
which is so much in evidence ...
on this occasion this morning.
"A solemn assembly, as the name implies,
denotes a sacred, sober, and reverent occasion
when the Saints assemble under the direction of the First
Presidency."
Brothers and sisters, we can rejoice--even shout,
"Hosanna!"--that the Lord's mouthpiece, a prophet of God,
is in place and that the Lord is pleased that His work is being
done in the way that He has divinely prescribed.
This divinely ordained process leads to another divinely
called prophet.
Just as President Monson was one of the grandest inhabitants
to grace this earth, so is President Nelson.
He has been profoundly prepared and specifically tutored
by the Lord to lead us at this time.
It is a great blessing to now have dear President Russell M.
Nelson as our loving and devoted prophet--the 17th President
of the Church in this final dispensation.
President Nelson is truly a remarkable man.
I had the privilege of serving in the Quorum of the Twelve
with him as my quorum president for just over two years.
I have traveled with him and marvel at his energy,
as one must move quickly to keep up with his pace!
In total, he has visited 133 countries in his lifetime.
His outreach is to all, young and old.
He seems to know everyone and is particularly
gifted at remembering names.
All who know him feel that they are his favorite.
And so it is with each of us--because of his genuine love
and concern for everyone.
My primary association with President Nelson
has been in ecclesiastical roles,
yet I have also become familiar with his professional life
that he led before he was called as a General Authority.
As many of you know, President Nelson
was a world-renowned heart surgeon
and, early in his medical career,
a pioneer developer of the heart-lung machine.
He was on the research team that supported
the first open-heart operation on a human being,
in 1951, using a heart-lung bypass.
President Nelson performed a heart operation
on President Spencer W. Kimball not long
before President Kimball became the prophet.
Interestingly, as President Nelson's call to the Twelve
34 years ago ended a professional medical career
of strengthening and repairing hearts,
it began a ministry as an Apostle devoted
to strengthening and repairing hearts
of countless tens of thousands around the world,
each having been lifted and healed
by his words and acts of wisdom, service, and love.
When I envision a Christlike heart in daily practice,
I see President Nelson.
I have not met anyone who exemplifies this trait
at a higher level than him.
It has been a remarkable tutelage for me
to be in the position to observe firsthand
the manifestations of the Christlike heart of President
Nelson.
Within weeks of my call to the Twelve in October 2015,
I had the opportunity to get an up-close glimpse
of the past professional life of President Nelson.
I was invited to attend an event where
he received the Cardiothoracic Surgery Award.
When I entered the venue, I was astonished
to see the large number of professionals
there to honor and recognize the work that President Nelson had
done many years before as a medical doctor and surgeon.
That evening, numerous professionals
expressed their respect and admiration
for President Nelson's outstanding contribution
to his medical specialty.
As impressive as each of the presenters
was in describing President Nelson's
various accomplishments, I was even more
spellbound by a conversation I struck
up with a man seated next to me.
He did not know who I was, but he knew President Nelson
as Dr. Nelson, director of the thoracic surgery residency
program at a medical school in 1955.
This man was President Nelson's former student.
He shared many memories.
Most interesting was his description
of President Nelson's teaching style, which, he said,
brought with it a large measure of notoriety.
He explained that much of the teaching of heart surgery
residents was conducted in the operating room.
There, residents observed and performed surgery
under faculty supervision, as a laboratory classroom.
He shared that the operating room environment
under certain faculty surgeons was chaotic,
competitive, pressure filled, and even ego driven.
This man described it as a difficult environment,
sometimes even demeaning.
As a result, resident surgeons even
felt their careers were often on the line.
He then explained the environment
found in President Nelson's operating room.
It was peaceful, calm, and dignified.
Residents were treated with deep respect.
However, following the demonstration of a procedure,
Dr. Nelson expected the highest standard of performance
from each of the residents.
This man further described how the best patient outcomes
and the best surgeons came out of Dr. Nelson's operating room.
This is no surprise to me at all.
This is what I have observed firsthand and been
truly blessed by in the Quorum of the Twelve.
I feel like I have been, in a sense,
one of his "residents in training."
President Nelson has an exceptional way
of teaching others and offering correction
in a positive, respectful, and uplifting manner.
He is the embodiment of a Christlike heart
and an example to us all.
From him, we learn that in any circumstance we find ourselves,
our conduct and hearts can be in accordance
with the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We now have the great blessing to sustain our prophet,
President Russell M. Nelson.
Throughout his life, he has magnified his numerous roles
as student, father, professor, husband, doctor,
priesthood leader, grandfather, and Apostle.
He fulfilled these roles then--and continues to do
so--with the heart of a prophet.
Brothers and sisters, what we have witnessed and participated
in today, a solemn assembly, leads to my witness
that President Russell M. Nelson is the Lord's living
mouthpiece for all humankind.
I also add my testimony of God the Father, of Jesus Christ,
and of His role as our Savior and Redeemer.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Mistakes are a fact of life.
Learning to skillfully play the piano is essentially impossible
without making thousands of mistakes--maybe even a million.
To learn a foreign language, one must face the embarrassment
of making thousands of mistakes--maybe even a million.
Even the world's greatest athletes
never stop making mistakes.
"Success," it has been said, "isn't the absence of failure,
but going from failure to failure without any loss
of enthusiasm."
With the invention of the light bulb,
Thomas Edison said, "I didn't fail 1,000 times.
The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."
C. S. Lewis called failures "finger posts
on the road to achievement."
Hopefully, each mistake we make becomes a lesson in wisdom,
turning stumbling blocks into stepping-stones.
Nephi's unwavering faith helped him go from failure to failure
until he finally obtained the brass plates.
It took Moses 10 attempts before he finally
found success in fleeing Egypt with the Israelites.
We may wonder--if both Nephi and Moses were
on the Lord's errand, why didn't the Lord intervene and help
them achieve success on their first try?
Why did He allow them--and why does He allow us--to flounder
and fail in our attempts to succeed?
Among many important answers to that question, here are a few:
First, the Lord knows that "these things
shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good."
Second, to allow us to "taste the bitter,
that [we] may know to prize the good."
Third, to prove that "the battle is the Lord's,"
and it is only by His grace that we can accomplish His work
and become like Him.
Fourth, to help us develop and hone scores of Christlike
attributes that cannot be refined except through
opposition and "in the furnace of affliction."
So, amid a life full of stumbling blocks
and imperfection, we all are grateful for second chances.
In 1970, as a new freshman at BYU,
I enrolled in a beginning course on the essentials
of physics taught by Jae Ballif, an outstanding professor.
After finishing each unit of the course,
he would administer an exam.
If a student received a C and wanted a better grade,
Professor Ballif would allow the student
to take a modified exam covering the same material.
If the student received a B on the second attempt
and was still unsatisfied, he could take the test
a third time and a fourth, and so on.
By allowing me numerous second chances,
he helped me excel and finally earn an A in his class.
He was an uncommonly wise professor who inspired his
students to keep trying--to consider failure as a tutor,
not as a tragedy, and to not fear failure but to learn from
it.
Recently I telephoned this great man
47 years after taking his physics course.
I asked him why he was willing to allow students
unlimited attempts to improve their grade.
His response: "I wanted to be on the same side as the students."
While we are grateful for second chances following mistakes,
or failures of the mind, we stand
all amazed at the Savior's grace in giving us
second chances in overcoming sin, or failures of the heart.
No one is more on our side than the Savior.
He allows us to take and keep retaking His exams.
To become like Him will require countless second chances
in our day-to-day struggles with the natural man,
such as controlling appetites, learning patience
and forgiveness, overcoming slothfulness, avoiding
sins of omission, just to name a few.
If to err is human nature, how many failures
will it take us until our nature is no longer human but divine?
Thousands?
More likely--a million.
Knowing that the strait and narrow path would
be strewn with trials and that failures
would be a daily occurrence for us,
the Savior paid an infinite price
to give us as many chances as it would take to successfully pass
our mortal probation.
The opposition which He allows can often
seem insurmountable and almost impossible to bear,
yet He doesn't leave us without hope.
To keep our hope resilient as we face life's trials,
the Savior's grace is ever ready and ever present.
His grace is a "divine means of help or strength, ...
an enabling power that allows men and women to lay
hold on eternal life and exaltation
after they have expended their own best efforts."
His grace and His loving eye are upon us throughout our entire
journey as He inspires, lightens burdens, strengthens, delivers,
protects, heals, and otherwise "succor[s] his people,"
even as they stumble along the strait and narrow path.
Repentance is God's ever-accessible gift
that allows and enables us to go from failure to failure
without any loss of enthusiasm.
Repentance isn't His backup plan in the event we might fail.
Repentance is His plan, knowing that we will.
This is the gospel of repentance,
and as President Russell M. Nelson has observed,
it will be "a lifetime curriculum."
In this lifetime curriculum of repentance,
the sacrament is the Lord's designated way
of providing continual access to His forgiveness.
If we partake with a broken heart and a contrite spirit,
He proffers us weekly pardon as we progress from failure
to failure along the covenant path.
For "notwithstanding their sins, my bowels
are filled with compassion towards them."
But just how many times will He forgive us?
How long is His long-suffering?
On one occasion Peter asked the Savior,
"Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me,
and I forgive him? till seven times?"
Presumably, Peter thought seven was a sufficiently high number
to emphasize the folly of forgiving too many times
and that benevolence should have its limits.
In response, the Savior essentially told Peter to not
even count--to not establish limits on forgiveness.
"Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times:
but, Until seventy times seven."
Obviously, the Savior was not establishing
an upper limit of 490.
That would be analogous to saying that partaking
of the sacrament has a limit of 490,
and then on the 491st time, a heavenly auditor intercedes
and says, "I'm so sorry, but your repentance card just
expired--from this point forward, you're on your own."
The Lord used the math of seventy times seven
as a metaphor of His Infinite Atonement, His boundless love,
and His limitless grace.
"Yea, and as often as my people repent
will I forgive them their trespasses against me."
That doesn't mean that the sacrament becomes a license
to sin.
That's one reason the Lord included this phrase
from the book of Moroni: "But as oft as they repented and sought
forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven."
"Real intent" implies with real effort and real change.
"Change" is the principal word the Guide to the Scriptures
uses to define repentance: "A change of mind and heart
that brings a fresh attitude toward God, oneself, and life
in general."
That kind of change results in spiritual growth.
Our success, then, isn't going from failure to failure,
but growing from failure to failure
without any loss of enthusiasm.
Concerning change, consider this simple insight: "Things that
don't change remain the same."
This obvious truth isn't meant to insult your intelligence
but is the profound wisdom of President Boyd K.
Packer, who then added, "And when we are through changing--
we're through."
Because we don't want to be through
until we become as our Savior is,
we need to continue getting up each time we fail or fall,
with a desire to keep growing and progressing
despite our weaknesses.
In our weakness, He reassures us,
"My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Only with time-lapse photography or growth charts
can we discern our physical growth.
Likewise, our spiritual growth is usually
imperceptible except through the rearview lens of time.
It would be wise to regularly take an introspective look
through that lens to recognize our progress
and inspire us to "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ,
having a perfect brightness of hope."
I am eternally grateful for the loving kindness, patience,
and long-suffering of Heavenly Parents and the Savior,
who allow us countless second chances on our journey back
to Their presence.
in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING--"TELL ME THE STORIES OF JESUS"]
We express gratitude to the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir for the beautiful music they
have provided this morning.
Our concluding speaker for this session
will be Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
Following his remarks, the choir will close this meeting
by singing "My Redeemer Lives."
The benediction will then be offered by Elder W. Mark
Bassett of the Seventy.
I add my welcome to Elder Gerrit Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares
to the unparalleled brotherhood of the Quorum of the Twelve.
In sustaining President Russell M.
Nelson as the Lord's prophet and as President of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
we were part of a divinely decreed solemn assembly--solemn
because the events of this past hour have been anticipated
in the heavens since before the world was.
The Lord Jesus Christ, who directs His work,
has today, through President Eyring,
presented His prophet, His anointed leader, to us,
His covenant people, allowing us publicly
to manifest our willingness to sustain him and follow
his counsel.
I'd like to just add here, to those millions of members
who are not here with us in the Conference Center,
that the Spirit of the Lord in this building
during the sustaining of President Nelson
was exactly as you would have anticipated
it, full of spiritual power and amazingly,
abundantly satisfying.
But our heavenly-directed assembly
is not in this Conference Center alone
but across the world, in chapels in Asia, Africa, and North
America; in homes in Central and South America and Europe;
on covered patios in the Pacific and the islands of the sea.
This assembly is in whatever part of the world you might be,
even if your connection is no more than the audio
of your smartphone.
Our raised hands were not counted by our bishops,
but they were surely noted in heaven,
as our covenant is with God and our action is
recorded in the book of life.
The selection of a prophet is made by the Lord Himself.
There is no campaigning, no debates;
no posturing for position; no dissension, distrust,
confusion, or commotion.
I too confirm that the power of heaven
was with us in the upper room of the temple
as we prayerfully encircled President Nelson
and felt the undeniable approval of the Lord upon him.
President Nelson's selection to serve as God's prophet
was made long ago.
The Lord's words to Jeremiah also apply to President Nelson:
"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."
Only three years ago, Elder Nelson, at age 90,
was fourth in seniority, with two
of the three senior Apostles being
younger in age than he was.
The Lord, who controls life and death, selects His prophet.
President Nelson, at age 93, is in amazing health.
We hope he will be with us for another decade or two,
but for now we are trying to persuade
him to stay off the ski slopes.
While we sustain the prophet as the Lord's anointed,
let it be clear that we worship only God, our Heavenly
Father, and His divine Son.
It is through the merits, the mercy,
and the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
that we can one day enter again into Their presence.
But Jesus also taught an important truth
about the servants He sends to us.
"He that receiveth you," He said, "receiveth me,
and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."
The most important role of the Lord's prophet
is to teach us of the Savior and lead us to Him.
There are many logical reasons to follow President Russell M.
Nelson.
Even those not of our faith would call him brilliant.
As Elder Stevenson explained, he was a medical doctor
at age 22, an esteemed cardiac surgeon,
and a renowned pioneer in the development
of open-heart surgery.
Most would acknowledge his wisdom and judgment:
nine decades of learning about life and death,
living unselfishly, loving and teaching God's children
in every corner of the globe, and the maturing experiences
of having 10 children, 57 grandchildren, and 118
great-grandchildren.
(This last number changes frequently.
A great-grandson was born only this past Wednesday.)
Those who know him well would speak
of President Nelson facing the difficulties of life
with faith and courage.
When cancer took the life of his 37-year-old daughter, Emily,
leaving a loving husband and five small children,
I heard him say, "I was her father, a medical doctor, ...
an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ,
but I had to bow my head and acknowledge,
'Not my will but thine be done.'"
Although we admire all of these noble qualities,
why do we follow President Nelson?
Why do we follow the prophet?
Because the Lord Jesus Christ has
called him and designated him as His watchman on the tower.
Carcassonne is a remarkable walled city in France that
has stood since medieval times.
Tall towers surge upward from its protected walls,
built for the watchmen who stood on those towers day and night,
keeping their attention riveted in the distance for the enemy.
When the watchman saw an enemy approaching,
his warning voice protected the people of Carcassonne
from the impending danger they could not see.
A prophet is a watchman on the tower,
protecting us from spiritual dangers we may not see.
The Lord said to Ezekiel: "I have
set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel;
therefore thou shalt hear the word [from] my mouth,
and warn them from me."
We often speak of our need to follow the prophet,
but consider this heavy burden the Lord places upon His
prophet: "If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked ... ,
[and] that wicked man ...
die in his iniquity; ...
his blood will I require at thine hand."
We embrace President Nelson as we
would have embraced Peter or Moses
if we had lived in their day.
God told Moses, "I will be with thy mouth,
and teach thee what thou shalt say."
We listen to the Lord's prophet with the faith
that his words are "from [the Lord's] own mouth."
Is this blind faith?
No, it is not.
We each have a spiritual witness of the truthfulness
of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
By our own will and choice we raised our hands this morning,
declaring our desire to sustain the Lord's prophet with
our "confidence, faith, and prayer[s]"
and to follow his counsel.
We have the privilege as Latter-day Saints
to receive a personal witness that President Nelson's call is
from God.
While my wife, Kathy, has known President Nelson personally
for nearly three decades and has no question
about his divine mantle, upon his setting apart,
she began reading all his general conference talks
of the past 34 years, praying for an even deeper assurance
of his prophetic role.
I promise you that this greater witness
will come to you as you humbly and worthily seek it.
Why are we so willing to follow the voice of the prophet?
For those diligently seeking eternal life,
the prophet's voice brings spiritual safety
in very turbulent times.
We live on a planet clamoring with a million voices.
The internet, our smartphones, our bloated boxes
of entertainment all plead for our attention
and thrust their influence upon us,
hoping we will buy their products
and adopt their standards.
The seemingly endless array of information and opinion
remind us of the scriptural warnings of being
"tossed to and fro," "driven [by] the wind,"
and overcome by the "cunning craftiness" of those
who "lie in wait to deceive."
Anchoring our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ
requires listening to those He sends.
Following the prophet in a world of commotion
is like being wrapped in a soothing, warm blanket
on a freezing cold day.
We live in a world of reason, debate, argument, logic,
and explanation.
Questioning "Why?" is so positive in so
many aspects of our lives, allowing
the power of our intellect to guide a multitude of choices
and decisions we face each day.
But the Lord's voice often comes without explanation.
Long before academics studied the impact of infidelity
upon trusting spouses and children, the Lord declared,
"Thou shalt not commit adultery."
Beyond the intellect alone, we treasure
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The prophet's voice, while spoken kindly,
will often be a voice asking us to change, to repent and return
to the Lord.
When correction is needed, let's not delay.
And don't be alarmed when the prophet's warning
voice counters popular opinions of the day.
The mocking fireballs of annoyed disbelievers
are always hurled the moment the prophet begins to speak.
As you are humble in following the counsel of the Lord's
prophet, I promise you an added blessing of safety and peace.
And don't be surprised if at times your personal views
are not initially in harmony with the teachings
of the Lord's prophet.
These are moments of learning, of humility, when
we go to our knees in prayer.
We walk forward in faith, trusting in God,
knowing that with time we will receive more spiritual clarity
from our Heavenly Father.
One prophet described the incomparable gift of the Savior
as "the will of the Son being swallowed up
in the will of the Father."
The surrender of our will to God's will
is in fact not surrender at all but the beginning
of a glorious victory.
Some will try to overly dissect the prophet's words, struggling
to determine what is his prophetic voice
and what is his personal opinion.
In 1982, two years before being called as a General Authority,
Brother Russell M. Nelson said: "I never ask myself,
'When does the prophet speak as a prophet and when does he
not?'
My interest has been, 'How can I be more like him?'" And he
added, "My [philosophy is to] stop putting question marks
behind the prophet's statements and put exclamation points
instead."
This is how a humble and spiritual man
chose to order his life.
Now, 36 years later, he is the Lord's prophet.
In my personal life, I have found
that as I prayerfully study the words of the prophet of God
and carefully, with patience, spiritually
align my will with his inspired teachings,
my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ always increases.
If we choose to set his counsel aside and determine
that we know better, our faith suffers
and our eternal perspective is clouded.
I promise you that as you remain resolute in following
the prophet, your faith in the Savior will increase.
The Savior said, "All the prophets ...
have testified of me."
A prophet does not stand between you and the Savior.
Rather, he stands beside you and points the way to the Savior.
A prophet's greatest responsibility
and most precious gift to us is his sure witness,
his certain knowledge that Jesus is the Christ.
Like Peter of old, our prophet declares, "[He is] the Christ,
the Son of the living God."
In a future day, looking back on our mortality,
we will rejoice that we walked the earth
at a time of a living prophet.
At that day, I pray that we will be able to say:
We listened to him.
We believed him.
We studied his words with patience and faith.
We prayed for him.
We stood by him.
We were humble enough to follow him.
We loved him.
I give you my solemn witness that Jesus
is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer,
and that President Russell M. Nelson is His anointed prophet
upon the earth.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING--"MY REDEEMER LIVES"]
Our dear Father in Heaven, at the conclusion
of this first session of our worldwide general conference,
we express our gratitude for the things which we have heard
and particularly those things we have felt.
We ask Thee, Father, to help us to act and to do
those things which would lead us closer to Thee.
We are particularly grateful, Father,
for this solemn assembly, for the privilege and blessing
of raising our hands and uniting our hearts to sustain
our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson;
his counselors; and the Twelve.
We love our prophet.
We are grateful for the feelings we felt as we raised our hands
and recognized and pledged our hearts to him and to Thee.
We ask Thee to bless us, Father, that our hearts will be further
united, that we may be one as we follow our leaders,
that thereby we might become the covenant children of Thy Son.
We love Thee.
We express our gratitude to Thee for this sacred occasion
and particularly for Thy Son, for His life, His sacrifice,
and the knowledge of His Resurrection.
And we say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
This has been a broadcast of the 188th 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.