Brothers and sisters, we welcome you
to the worldwide devotional for young adults.
This broadcast is originating from the Marriott Center
on the campus of Brigham Young University.
We especially want to welcome those who are attending
for the very first time.
We hope these devotionals will strengthen and bless
your lives.
I am Ritch Wood, president of the Provo YSA 13th Stake.
We welcome President Russell M. Nelson, President
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
and we are grateful that Sister Nelson has accompanied him
this evening.
President Nelson and his wife will
be introduced later in the program as this evening's
speakers.
We are grateful and pleased to acknowledge the presence
on the stand of Elder R. Scott Runia, our local YSA Area
Seventy, and his wife, Tammy; Elder Kim B.
Clark, Commissioner of Church education, and his wife, Sue;
President and Sister Nelson, our speakers for this evening;
and my wife, Rebecca.
We are also grateful for the attendance
of the president of Brigham Young University, Kevin J.
Worthen, and his wife, Peggy.
We also recognize others from Church Educational System
and Seminaries and Institutes of Religion.
Also on the stand are President and Sister Ostergar
from the Provo City Center Temple,
President and Sister Livingstone from the Provo Temple,
President and Sister Hodgman of the Utah Provo Mission,
and President and Sister Killpack of the Utah Orem
Mission, and many of our local young adult
stake presidents and their wives.
We will begin this evening with the choir and congregation
singing "Come, Follow Me," hymn number 116
in the English hymnbook.
We appreciate the assistance of Daniel Winters of the Provo YSA
187th Ward, who will be conducting the music,
and Sister Nora Hess accompanying on the organ.
After the hymn, Parker Johsnon of the Provo YSA 181st Ward
will offer the invocation.
[MUSIC PLAYING: "COME, FOLLOW ME"]
Our Eternal Father in Heaven, we gather
as a body of young single adults,
spanned across the world, coming to seek
inspiration and guidance from one of Thine anointed servants.
We are thankful to be presided over by President Nelson
and to hear him and his wife speak to us.
We pray, Father, that our hearts may
be opened, that we may be humble enough to receive
the messages spoken today.
Wilt Thou bless him and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles with strength and a desire to continue to serve.
We're thankful to have a living prophet, President Monson,
and pray that Thou may bless and sustain him.
Father, we pray at this time that those listening will
be instructed individually and that we as a body
may receive revelation to better our lives.
Help us, Father, to be a light unto this generation,
that we may continue in obedience.
Wilt Thou bless us at this time and always with heaven's help,
that we may have the courage to stand strong.
We are thankful for this gospel, which
gives us the knowledge that we need to live happy lives.
We are thankful especially for the Atonement of Thy Son
and pray that we may receive the power that it
brings each day in our lives.
We join our hearts in love to Thee, Father,
and pray for these blessings at this time
humbly in faith in the name of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ,
amen.
Thank you, Parker, for the beautiful prayer.
This evening we are joined by the Utah Valley University
institute choir, who will sing "Hope of Israel."
They are directed by Ryan Eggett, a teacher
for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion,
and accompanied by Sister Ellen Amatangelo.
After the musical number, we will
be pleased to hear from Sister Wendy W. Nelson,
followed by President Russell M. Nelson,
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
At the conclusion of President Nelson's remarks,
the choir will sing "Let Us All Press On."
The benediction will then be offered
by Natalie Castillo, a member of the Provo YSA 189th Ward.
The choir will now sing "Let Us All Press On."
[MUSIC PLAYING: "HOPE OF ISRAEL"]
Thank you, choir, for that stirring musical number.
My dear brothers and sisters, we love
you and we love being with you!
You are indeed the hope of Israel,
which is why, as I offer a few thoughts,
I pray that the Holy Ghost will deliver the exact message you
need to hear.
Prior to our marriage, I was a professor of marriage
and family therapy for more than 25 years--the last 13 right
here at Brigham Young University.
I counseled thousands of couples and heard one tragic story
after another about fractured families and ruined
relationships.
I saw firsthand what works in marriage and what does not.
I learned what can heal even ravaged marriages
and what can wreck others almost overnight.
So today, would you allow me to speak with you
about what is surely one of your very favorite topics:
love and marriage?
[LAUGHTER]
I'd like to share four truths I believe will not only save you
unnecessary heartache, but will help you to be, and to choose,
a righteous spouse and then to create a happy marriage
and a productive family.
Today I hope you'll think of me as your "Aunt Wendy"
as I speak to you from my heart, just as I would--and have--to
my own nieces and nephew.
So here are "Aunt Wendy's four truths
about love and marriage":
[LAUGHTER]
Truth number 1: Truths about love and marriage
are brought to you by the Holy Ghost from our Heavenly Father.
He decreed marriage to be an irreplaceable component
of His plan of happiness.
The Spirit is the messenger of these truths!
I urge you to seek to understand them.
By contrast, lies about love and marriage
originate with and are perpetuated
by Satan and his servants.
The adversary rejoices every time
he persuades a victim to embrace anything that defiles
or degrades love and marriage.
However, truth is truth, lies are lies,
and no amount of clever marketing, campaigning,
or advocacy can ever change that.
Truth number 2: Personal purity is the key to true love.
The more pure your thoughts and feelings,
your words and actions, the greater
your capacity to give and receive true love.
Trust me on this.
Every time you pour out your heart to your Heavenly
Father in prayer and then listen;
every time you study the scriptures seeking answers
to the questions of your heart; every time you
avoid anything that would wound your spirit,
such as pornography; every time you worship in the temple;
every time you find an ancestor's
ordinance-qualifying information,
you are choosing to increase your personal purity.
Your future spouse will thank you because in that very moment
you will be preparing for true marital intimacy.
So if you're single and wonder how
best to prepare for true love, the answer
is: Do whatever it takes to keep your thoughts, feelings, words,
and actions pure.
Invite the Spirit to guide you.
He will help you!
And if you're married, my counsel is exactly the same!
As you work to become more pure, you
will have the Holy Ghost with you more and more.
Your ability to receive personal revelation
will increase, which means you'll have clearer
direction for your life.
You'll feel more at peace and more joy, less lonely, and more
hopeful about your future.
You'll also have increased mental clarity
as you study and work.
And in addition to these great rewards for working every day
to be just a little more pure, you'll
be increasing your ability to experience
true marital intimacy.
This is why pornography is so devastating!
Contrary to what all of its promoters claim,
pornography will actually prevent you
from experiencing the most marvelous kind of intimacy.
Now, this next truth, truth number 3,
may boggle your mind because it's the exact opposite of what
the adversary and much of the world
would have you believe about love and marriage.
Truth number 3: As an important part
of the expression of their love, the Lord
wants a husband and wife to partake of the wonders
and joys of marital intimacy.
Marital intimacy is ordained by God.
It is commanded and commended by Him
because it draws a husband and wife closer together and closer
to the Lord!
True marital intimacy involves the whole soul of each spouse.
It is the uniting of the body and the spirit
of the husband with the body and the spirit of his wife.
That soulful union represents just how united
a husband and wife are in all areas of their lives.
They work together as partners.
They pray, play, struggle, grow, and enjoy life together.
They sacrifice for each other and encourage each other
to be all they were born to be.
My dear brothers and sisters, marital intimacy is sacred!
In fact, a husband and wife can be drawn closer to God
when joined in true marital intimacy.
So how can you prepare for such intimacy?
You will need to live righteously
so the Spirit can be the companion to you
and your spouse.
This leads to truth number 4: For true marital intimacy,
the Holy Ghost needs to be involved.
It is simply not possible to have
the kind of intimate experiences outside of marriage
that you can have within, because the Spirit will not
be present.
Elder Parley P. Pratt taught that the Holy Ghost
has the ability to increase, enlarge, expand,
and purify "all the natural passions and affections."
Just imagine: He can purify your feelings!
Therefore, anything that invites the Spirit into your life,
and into the life of your spouse and your marriage,
will increase your ability to experience marital intimacy.
It really is as simple, and as profound, as that!
On the other hand, anything that offends the Spirit
will decrease your ability to be one with your spouse.
Things such as anger, lust, unforgiveness, contention,
immorality, and unrepented sin will reduce your attempt
for marital intimacy to be something
that is nothing more than a sexual experience.
So to recap, while worldly sex is
under the influence of the world and the adversary
and involves carnal, sensual, and devilish passions,
God-ordained marital intimacy is under the influence
of the Spirit and involves Spirit-enhanced and purified
passions.
The truth is, the more pure you are, the more marvelous
your marital intimacy will be.
With worldly sex, anything goes.
With marital intimacy, exquisite care is taken to avoid anything
and everything--from language to music to movies--that offends
the Spirit, your spirit, or your spouse's.
While worldly sex is lustful and kills love,
marital intimacy generates more love.
Worldly sex degrades men and women and their bodies,
while marital intimacy honors men and women
and celebrates the body as one of the great prizes
of mortal life.
With worldly sex, individuals can feel used, abused,
and ultimately more lonely.
With marital intimacy, spouses feel more united
and loved, more nurtured and understood.
Worldly sex ravages and eventually ruins relationships.
Marital intimacy strengthens marriages.
It supports, heals, and hallows the lives
of spouses and their marriage.
Worldly sex has been likened to the toot of a flute,
while marital intimacy has been likened
to the grandeur of an entire orchestra.
Worldly sex becomes a total obsession
because it never fulfills its promises.
God-ordained marital intimacy is glorious
and will continue eternally for covenant-keeping husbands
and wives.
In short, marital intimacy endorsed by the Spirit
is blessed by the Lord and is sanctifying.
Now, creating a strong, happy marriage is not easy!
I can attest to that.
But it will bring you joy!
For our 10th wedding anniversary,
I wondered what I could give my husband
to represent the joy our marriage has brought me.
This is what I gave him: a swing!
[LAUGHTER]
My dear brothers and sisters, whom we love,
if you will intentionally implement these four truths,
I am confident that you can build a happy marriage that
will sustain and comfort you forever--a marriage that will
allow you to be more than you could ever be on your own.
I testify that marriage is one of the greatest privileges God
gives to His children, that marriage
can be the source of unparalleled joy,
and that personal purity is the key to that joy.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I bring greetings and love
to you from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
We thank you for being with us tonight
and for preparing your hearts and minds
to be taught spiritually.
Since January 2016, when I spoke to you
in this worldwide devotional gathering,
I have been with many of you as I
have traveled to Japan, the Philippines, China, Canada,
England, Wales, Germany, Italy, Spain, and locations
throughout the United States.
Last September I had an unforgettable experience
with Elder M. Russell Ballard and other Church leaders
when we went to Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
to meet with people there after a disastrous flood.
On Sunday each of us held four large sacrament meetings--one
for victims and three for volunteers who had come from
many states to help with the cleanup.
These photos give an idea of those Sabbath-day congregations
composed of hundreds wearing our trademark Mormon Helping Hands
T-shirts.
Note the happy faces of young men and women
who left their homes to help neighbors
they did not know, amidst Louisiana's sweltering summer
heat, and who paused on the Sabbath to worship the Lord.
As I looked at those marvelous congregations
of willing workers, the majority of whom were your age,
I had the overwhelming impression
that I was looking at men and women who would very soon be
the leaders of this Church.
So tonight, as I picture you assembled throughout the world,
I would like to underscore and speak to that impression.
You are the future leaders of the Lord's Church!
Are you ready to take the reins of leadership?
When I spoke to you a year ago, I
challenged you to rise up as the true millennials
you were born to be.
You are to help prepare the world for the millennial reign
of the Savior by helping to gather the elect from the four
quarters of the earth so that all who choose to do so
may receive the gospel of Jesus Christ
and all of its blessings.
Tonight I want to speak to you about how you can prepare.
First, focus on your marriage and family.
Implement the impressions you had
as you heard "Aunt Wendy's" four truths about love and marriage.
Your responsibility to the Lord to help gather the elect out
of the moral chaos and the swirling
preponderance of sin in our day is no small undertaking.
Lucifer and his minions are using every form
of technology and communication to spread lies
about life and about the true source of happiness.
Thus, to do what you came to earth to do
will require the finest leadership skills
your generation can muster.
Thankfully, we have superb models to follow.
While the world may look to the considerable leadership
abilities of men and women such as Napoleon, Joan of Arc,
George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother
Teresa, and others, I believe that the finest leaders
to have walked the earth are the prophets of God.
To date, 16 men have been chosen by the Lord to be Presidents
of His Church, restored in this dispensation--this culminating
dispensation in the history of the earth.
I have personally known 10 of those 16 men.
That says more about my age than anything else.
[LAUGHTER]
Let's just put it this way: I no longer buy green bananas.
[LAUGHTER]
I can even hide my own Easter eggs.
[LAUGHTER]
Now, if you are serious about rising up as a true millennial,
I urge you to study the lives and teachings
of these 16 prophets of God.
That study will change your life.
May I share a few leadership principles
I have learned from them?
President Joseph Fielding Smith, 10th President of the Church,
lived just a few houses away from my childhood home.
His two youngest sons were my boyhood friends.
They often invited me into their home.
President Smith was President of the Church in 1971,
when I was called to be the General President of the Sunday
School.
When my late wife, Dantzel, and I accompanied him
later that year to the first area conference, held
in Manchester, England, I observed a powerful lesson
in effective leadership as President Smith
asked for reports from General Authorities who
were gathered in a small room prior to the conference.
After all had spoken, rather than offering
dictatorial direction, President Smith
stood with presidential dignity, inviting
them to draw upon the wisdom of his 94 years,
while he expressed his love and sincere desire to help them.
I marveled at the power of this leader in expressing love for
and confidence in his people.
After the area conference, when we complimented President Smith
on his excellent message, he simply replied,
"I did not come here to fail."
He had faith that the Lord would guide those proceedings
as President Smith did everything in his power
to further the work.
Faith, prayer, study, and hard work
make a winning combination.
Just as President Smith didn't go to England to fail,
so our Father sent you to earth in this final dispensation not
to fail but to succeed--and to find joy while doing so.
President Ezra Taft Benson had been
a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for only two
years when in December 1945, in the aftermath of World War II,
President George Albert Smith called
then-Elder Benson to preside over the European Mission.
Conditions there were severe.
In a 10-month mission of love to members
whose lives had been upended by war,
Elder Benson traveled throughout Germany, Poland,
Czechoslovakia, and Scandinavia, distributing food, clothing,
and bedding to suffering Saints.
He repeatedly faced what seemed to be insurmountable odds.
Yet he repeatedly demonstrated "undaunted faith
in the power of the Lord to overcome obstacles."
Forty years later, in November 1985,
President Benson, then newly ordained
as President of the Church, assigned me
as a junior member of the Twelve to open
the doors of countries of Eastern Europe
then under the yoke of communism.
I felt unprepared for such a challenging assignment,
but President Benson had blazed into this wilderness before me.
How could I not do as he had done?
His example propelled me to pray and work as hard as I could
and then watch the miraculous helping hand of the Lord.
When any of us feel overwhelmed, we
can learn much from President Benson.
For eight years he served concurrently as an Apostle
and as the secretary of agriculture
in U. S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower's cabinet.
How did he manage?
These are his words: "I work as hard as I can and do everything
within my power.
And I try to keep the commandments.
Then I let the Lord make up the difference."
Those are words to live by.
President Gordon B. Hinckley was a dynamic leader
whose tutoring in Church governance was unique.
Prior to his serving as the 15th President of the Church,
he had been a counselor to three previous Presidents.
Upon returning from his mission as a young man to England,
he worked for the Church in various capacities,
always under the direction of the First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve.
Repeatedly he was asked to solve significant challenges.
For example, President David O. McKay
assigned Brother Hinckley to determine
how to commit the endowment ordinance to film so
that translation needs could be met for the expanding Church.
President Hinckley was a communicator par excellence.
He spoke confidently about the gospel with everyone
from seasoned journalists to world leaders.
I witnessed how he softened the heart of Mikhail Gorbachev,
former president of the Soviet Union,
who initially resisted an invitation
to meet with President Hinckley in his office.
Instead, Gorbachev wanted President Hinckley
to come to Gorbachev's hotel room.
But when they met at Church headquarters--
[LAUGHTER]
President Hinckley pointed out the beautiful Circassian walnut
paneling in the First Presidency's council room.
When President Hinckley told Mr. Gorbachev where that wood came
from, Mr. Gorbachev was amazed!
That wood had come from the very region
of his birthplace in Russia!
His mood warmed immediately.
President Hinckley was unfailingly optimistic,
an outgrowth of his complete faith in the Lord.
During nearly 13 years as President,
he led the Church through a remarkable period
of innovation, including the design of smaller temples,
the building of the Conference Center,
the announcement of 79 new temples,
and the dedication or rededication of 95 of the 124
temples then in operation.
President Hinckley's vision, and what
he required of himself because of that vision, knew no bounds.
President Hinckley was an authority on Church history.
He was also a seer.
As such, he was fearless in proclaiming the future.
Listen to his words:
[VIDEO PLAYBACK]
This cause will roll on in majesty and power
to fill the earth.
Doors now closed to the preaching of the gospel
will be opened.
The Almighty, if necessary, may have
to shake the nations to humble them and cause
them to listen to the servants of the living God.
Whatever is needed will come to pass.
[END VIDEO]
Now President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's living prophet
on the earth.
How we love him, sustain him, and pray for him!
And how we have learned from him!
Think of it.
He was called to be a bishop at age 22.
His ward included some 80 widows.
He was called to be an Apostle at the tender age of 36.
President Monson has lived his life
according to the motto "If the Lord needs something done,
I want Him to know that He can count on Tom Monson to do it."
He has shown us how to reach out and rescue the one.
He has taught us by example that taking care of people
is always more important than management of time,
or meetings, or schedules.
Throughout his life President Monson
has often taken random routes home at the end of a long day's
work.
Sometimes he stopped at a hospital
to comfort those in distress.
Other days he would be led to specific homes to visit.
Often his unexpected knock on a door
has been met with a tearful person saying things such as,
"How did you know it was the anniversary of our daughter's
death?" or "How did you know it was my birthday today?"
Throughout his life, President Monson has consistently
demonstrated two fundamental qualities that make prophets
of God extraordinary leaders: First,
he has exemplified the first and second great commandments--to
love God with our whole souls and to love our neighbors,
God's children, as we love ourselves.
And second, each prophet knows how
to receive revelation and respond
to it quickly when it comes.
President Thomas S. Monson is the embodiment
of righteous leadership.
Prophets of God have many attributes in common.
One is that each prophet understands
the importance of divine law.
The knowledge of divine law and effective, righteous leadership
go hand in hand.
The more of God's laws you may know--and more importantly,
the way you live them--the more effective your righteous
leadership will be.
When I was a young medical student,
my rigorous study of the human body
convinced me that God lived.
As I came to know that the body was God's creation,
I became increasingly intrigued with the laws of God
that govern the function of the body.
Through extensive laboratory research,
I later learned the law that governs
the beating of the heart.
Further, I learned that the beating heart could safely
be stopped temporarily to facilitate
delicate surgical repairs.
This could be done by changing the sodium/potassium
ratio in the blood supplied to the heart.
Later, when the heart was nourished by blood
with a normal sodium/potassium ratio,
the heart would again beat normally.
These findings proved to be predictable, dependable,
and repeatable.
I recently had the opportunity to explain this
to a medical school class.
A learned professor who was present asked me,
"But what if it doesn't work?"
I replied, "It always works!
It works according to divine law."
Divine law is incontrovertible and irrefutable.
Divine law cannot be denied or disputed.
And when God's laws are obeyed, relevant blessings
always result!
Blessings are always predicated upon obedience to applicable
law.
Existentialists can expound; relativists can rationalize
with their constricted views of reality--that truth is only
a subjective experience.
Laws are laws!
God's truth is really true!
What God says is right is right!
And what He says is wrong is wrong!
That's why it is imperative that you know God's laws.
They control this universe and multitudes of others.
When divine laws are broken, consequences follow.
Even though our hearts ache for those who break God's laws,
penalties must be paid.
Divine law must be obeyed.
I learned this as President Spencer W. Kimball's surgeon.
When the implanted pacemaker for his heart suddenly failed,
President Kimball came back to me for help.
But first he asked me to give him a priesthood blessing.
After the blessing, which promised correction
of his failed pacemaker, he then said to me,
"Now you may do whatever you need
to do to make that blessing a reality."
I proceeded with the operation.
On the wire that carried electricity from the pacemaker
to his heart, I found a break in the insulation.
When I replaced that faulty wire,
the pacemaker immediately worked again,
allowing President Kimball's heart to beat normally.
Not even for God's prophet could the law relating
to the transmission of electricity be ignored.
Indeed, President Kimball was God's prophet.
As I watched him closely through various illnesses
and observed his intense and penetrating study
as he sought revelation, he was my mentor.
My love for him is boundless!
While the world is filled with uncertainty,
there need not be uncertainty in your heart
and mind about what is true and what is not.
Uncertainty is born of imperfect or unknown information.
As an Apostle, I plead with you to learn
God's irrevocable laws.
Learn them by study and by faith.
That means, among other things, ""[living] by every word that
proceedeth forth from the mouth of God."
Pray to discern between God's laws and the philosophies
of men, including those cunning counterfeits of the adversary.
Through eons of time, Lucifer has honed his craft.
He is skilled at distraction, distortion, deception,
and misdirection.
I plead with you to avoid his cunning snares
as you would avoid a plague!
Entrapments designed by Satan can only
bring to you misery, spiritual captivity, and death.
This is true every time.
The sad consequences of yielding to Lucifer's lures
are predictable, dependable, repeatable, and regrettable.
Conversely, I promise that as you keep God's commandments,
as you live by His laws, you will become increasingly free.
This freedom will unveil to you your divine nature
and allow you to prosper personally.
You will be free from the bondage of sin.
You will be free to be you--an effective, righteous leader.
You will be prepared to lead by precept and by example
wherever you are needed.
Happily, the blessings of keeping God's commandments
are also predictable, dependable, and repeatable.
As members of His restored Church,
we know that Jesus Christ, our Master, is our ultimate Mentor.
As a true millennial, you were born
to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
In fact, the only way to be a true millennial
is to be one of His true disciples!
How can you increase in your discipleship?
I have an invitation for you that will
help--it's an assignment, actually--if you choose
to accept it.
Commence tonight to consecrate a portion of your time
each week to studying everything Jesus
said and did as recorded in the Old Testament,
for He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament.
Study His laws as recorded in the New Testament,
for He is its Christ.
Study His doctrine as recorded in the Book of Mormon,
for there is no book of scripture
in which His mission and His ministry are more
clearly revealed.
And study His words as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants,
for He continues to teach His people in this dispensation.
This may seem like a large assignment,
but I encourage you to accept it.
If you proceed to learn all you can about Jesus Christ,
I promise you that your love for Him and for God's laws
will grow beyond what you currently imagine.
I promise you also that your ability to turn away from sin
will increase.
Your desire to keep the commandments will soar.
You will find yourself better able to walk away
from the entertainment and entanglements of those who mock
the followers of Jesus Christ.
To assist you, refer to the Topical Guide for references
under the topic "Jesus Christ."
Study everything Jesus Christ is by prayerfully and vigorously
seeking to understand what each of His various titles and names
means personally for you.
For example, He really is your Advocate with the Father.
He will take your side.
He will stand up for you.
He will speak on your behalf, every time,
as you choose to be more like Him.
Get to know Him by studying all He
continues to teach through His living prophets and apostles.
Study "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."
Study the "Living Christ" document.
These were both received by revelation.
Post them online and where you can see them daily.
Those revealed words are what every true Latter-day
Saint believes.
Pray for a witness that those truths represent divine law.
Learn to articulate those truths in your own words.
Practice!
Then pray and look for opportunities
to speak about what you believe.
Your ability to lead and to have righteous influence
will increase as you do so.
In a coming day, you will present yourself
before the Savior.
You will be overwhelmed to the point of tears
to be in His holy presence.
You will struggle to find words to thank Him
for paying for your sins, for forgiving you
of any unkindness toward others, for healing you
from the injuries and injustices of this life.
You will thank Him for strengthening
you to do the impossible, for turning your weaknesses
into strengths, and for making it possible
for you to live with Him and your family forever.
His identity, His Atonement, and His attributes
will become personal and real to you.
But you don't have to wait until then.
Choose to be one of His true disciples now.
Be one who truly loves Him, who truly wants to serve
and lead as He did.
We are His people!
We are under covenant to carry the message of the gospel
to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
As we work intentionally to become righteous leaders,
we may sing with one heart, "Let us all press on
in the work of the Lord."
Now, as one of His Apostles, I invoke
those keys to leave a blessing upon each of you.
I bless you to learn God's laws and live by them.
I bless you to be a good example, in word and deed,
of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
I bless you to be free from sin, to radiate goodness and light
in a way that will attract others to want to know and feel
the source of your light.
I bless you with success in your educational and occupational
endeavors.
I bless you to seek for and care for your virtuous companion.
And I bless you each to be a righteous leader
in your family, community, country, and in the Church.
I so bless you, and declare that God lives!
Jesus is the Christ!
This is His Church!
I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING: "LET US ALL PRESS ON"]
Our dear, kind Heavenly Father, we
are so grateful at this time for the wonderful and marvelous
opportunity that we've had this evening to hear from President
and Sister Nelson.
We're grateful for Thy Son, Jesus Christ, and His life
and teachings and doctrine that help guide us every day.
We're grateful for His all-encompassing Atonement that
allows us to continue to repent and change and progress,
to become more like Thy Son.
We're grateful for the invitations
that we received tonight to always
have Thy Spirit to be with us, to guide us, and to protect us
and to purify us.
We're grateful for the invitation
we received as well to study the life and teachings of Thy
Son, Jesus Christ, and to study the teachings as well
of the prophets of this gospel and dispensation.
We ask Thee at this time to bless us with the desire
to continue to become more like Thy Son,
to continue to apply His Atonement in our lives
so that we can continue to develop His attributes
and become more like Him.
We ask a blessing of Thy Spirit to be upon us
as we continue to make important decisions in our lives
and as we continue to progress in this life.
And we ask a special blessing to be upon our prophet, President
Monson, and all of the Apostles and Thy leaders
that are on this earth to help guide us and protect us.
We ask a blessing of the Spirit to be upon us as well as we
continue throughout the rest of this evening,
and we ask a blessing of safety to be upon us
as we return to our homes, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.