After about 8-10 hours of general conference it can be difficult to keep track of all of the counsel our leaders give us. We got your back. We recently published an article that covered every bit of counsel that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave us during the conference. But due to time and space restraints, we omitted talks from the Quorum of the Seventy and other auxiliary leaders in that previous article. Never fear! If there was a talk you didn’t see in the last article (ahem, Sister Eubank) it’ll be HERE. Take a look at the table of contents below (organized by session, in order of appearance) and click on whose counsel you’d like to jump to. Enjoy!
Saturday morning session
Sister Becky Craven: “Careful versus Casual”
Elder Brook P. Hales: “Answers to Prayer”
Bishop W. Christopher Waddell: “Just as He Did”
Saturday afternoon session
Elder Mathias Held: “Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit”
Elder Takashi Wada: “Feasting upon the Words of Christ”
Elder David P. Homer: “Hearing His Voice”
General Priesthood session
Elder Carl B. Cook: “The Quorum: “A Place of Belonging”
Elder Kim B. Clark: “Look unto Jesus Christ”
Sunday morning session
Sister Sharon Eubank: “Christ: The Light That Shines in Darkness”
President Tad R. Callister: “The Atonement of Jesus Christ”
Sunday afternoon session
Elder Juan Pablo Villar: “Exercising Our Spiritual muscles”
Elder Kyle S. McKay: “The Immediate Goodness of God”
Sister Becky Craven: “Careful versus Casual“
- “As the influences of the world increasingly embrace the evil, we must strive with all diligence to stay firmly on the path that leads us safely to our Savior.”
- “As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are blessed to know how and where true happiness is found. It is found in carefully living the gospel established by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and in striving to become more like Him.”
- “If we are not careful in living our covenants with exactness, our casual efforts may eventually lead us into forbidden paths or to join with those who have already entered the great and spacious building. If not careful, we may even drown in the depths of a filthy river.”
- “There is a careful way and a casual way to do everything, including living the gospel. As we consider our commitment to the Savior, are we careful or casual? Because of our mortal nature, don’t we sometimes rationalize our behavior, at times referring to our actions as being in the gray, or mixing good with something that’s not so good? Anytime we say, ‘however,’ ‘except,’ or ‘but’ when it applies to following the counsel of our prophet leaders or living the gospel carefully, we are in fact saying, ‘That counsel does not apply to me.’ We can rationalize all we want, but the fact is, there is not a right way to do the wrong thing!”
- “The youth theme for 2019 is taken from John 14:15, where the Lord instructs, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ If we love Him as we claim, can’t we show that love by being a little more careful in living His commandments?”
- “Being careful in living the gospel does not necessarily mean being formal or stuffy. What it does mean is being appropriate in our thoughts and behavior as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
- “As we ponder the difference between careful and casual in our gospel living, here are some thoughts to consider:”
- “Are we careful in our Sabbath-day worship and in our preparation to partake of the sacrament each week?”
- “Could we be more careful in our prayers and scripture study or be more actively engaged in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families?”
- “Are we careful in our temple worship, and do we carefully and deliberately live the covenants we made both at baptism and in the temple?”
- “Are we careful in our appearance and modest in our dress, especially in sacred places and circumstances?”
- “Are we careful in how we wear the sacred temple garments? Or do the fashions of the world dictate a more casual attitude?”
- “Are we careful in how we minister to others and in how we fulfill our callings in the Church, or are we indifferent or casual in our call to serve?”
- “Are we careful or casual in what we read and what we watch on TV and our mobile devices?”
- “Are we careful in our language? Or do we casually embrace the crude and vulgar?”
- “The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet contains standards that, when followed carefully, will bring rich blessings and help us stay on the covenant path. Although it was written for the benefit of the youth, its standards do not expire when we leave the Young Men and Young Women programs. They apply to each of us all the time. A review of these standards may prompt other ways we can be more careful in our gospel living.”
- “I invite each of us to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost to know what adjustments we need to make in our lives to be more carefully aligned with our covenants. I also plead with you not to be critical of others making this same journey. ‘Judgment is mine, saith the Lord.'”
- “As a covenant people, we are not meant to blend in with the rest of the world.”
- “As the influences of the world increasingly embrace the evil, we must strive with all diligence to stay firmly on the path that leads us safely to our Savior, widening the distance between our covenant living and worldly influences.”
- “Temptation and casualness can cause us to subtly divert our course into the darkness of the world and away from the covenant path. For the times when this might happen, our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has urged us to get back on the covenant path and to do so quickly.”
Elder Brook P. Hales: “Answers to Prayer“
- “When we honor our covenants and strive to be more like our Savior, we are entitled to a constant stream of divine guidance through the influence and inspiration of the Holy Ghost.”
- Quoting Patricia Parkinson: “”Well, sometimes Heavenly Father doesn’t work like that. Sometimes He needs you to learn something, and so He doesn’t give you everything you want. Sometimes you have to wait. Heavenly Father and the Savior know best what is good for us and what we need. So They aren’t going to grant you everything you want in the moment you want it.”
- “Brothers and sisters, sometimes our prayers are answered quickly with the outcome we hope for. Sometimes our prayers are not answered in the way we hope for, yet with time we learn that God had greater blessings prepared for us than we initially anticipated. And sometimes our righteous petitions to God will not be granted in this life. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, ‘Faith also includes trust in God’s timing.'”
- “To quote King Benjamin: ‘And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.'”
Bishop W. Christopher Waddell: “Just as He Did“
- “As we seek to minister just as He did, we will be provided opportunities to forget self and lift others.”
- “Just one year ago, a call was extended by President Russell M. Nelson for each of us to care for our brothers and sisters in a ‘higher, holier way.'”
- “…a former mission president, used to tell his missionaries that ‘if someone is on a list that says “not interested,” don’t give up. People change.'”
- “…no one is too far gone, and it’s never too late for the Savior’s loving reach.”
- “We are taught on the ministering website of the Church that ‘while there are many purposes of ministering, our efforts should be guided by the desire to help others achieve a deeper individual conversion and become more like the Savior.'”
- “Elder Neil L. Andersen said it this way: ‘A person with a good heart can help someone fix a tire, take a roommate to the doctor, have lunch with someone who is sad, or smile and say hello to brighten a day. ‘But a follower of the first commandment will naturally add to these important acts of service.'”
- “In modeling our ministering after Jesus Christ, it is important to remember that His efforts to love, lift, serve, and bless had a higher goal than meeting the immediate need. He clearly knew of their day-to-day needs and had compassion on their current suffering as He healed, fed, forgave, and taught. But He wanted to do more than take care of today. He wanted those around Him to follow Him, to know Him, and to reach their divine potential.”
- “As we seek to minister just as He did, we will be provided opportunities to forget self and lift others. These opportunities may often be inconvenient and test our desire to become more like the Master, whose greatest service of all, His infinite Atonement, was anything but convenient.”
- “Whether we serve as ministering brothers or sisters, or simply when we are made aware of someone in need, we are encouraged to seek the guidance and direction of the Spirit—and then to act.”
- “As we seek the guidance of the Spirit and trust the Lord, we will be placed in situations and circumstances where we can act and bless—in other words, minister.”
- “There may be other times when we recognize a need but feel inadequate to respond, assuming that what we have to offer is insufficient. To do just as He did, however, is to minister by giving what we are capable of giving and to trust that the Lord will magnify our efforts to bless our ‘fellow travelers on this mortal journey.’ For some, it may be giving the gift of time and talents; for others, it may be a kind word or a strong back. Although we may feel that our efforts are inadequate, President Dallin H. Oaks shared an important principle regarding ‘small and simple.’ He taught that small and simple acts are powerful because they invite ‘the companionship of the Holy Ghost,’ a companion who blesses both the giver and the receiver.”
- “…we must remember that it is never too late and no one has ever wandered so far from the path that he or she is beyond the reach of the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, which is limitless in its duration and scope.”
- “That decision to change, however, is often the result of an invitation such as ‘I think you’d enjoy hearing the gospel message.’ Just as it is never too late for the Savior, it is never too soon for us to extend an invitation.”
- “This Easter season provides us, once again, a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the great atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and what He did for each of us at such a tremendous cost—a cost that He Himself declared ’caused [Him], the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain.'”
Elder Mathias Held: “Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit“
- “We should learn to discern the truth not only through our rational minds but also through the very still and small voice of the Spirit.”
- “Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord has repeatedly told us to ‘seek learning even by study and also by faith.'”
- “First, we learned that we can fully trust in a loving Heavenly Father, who is constantly trying to help us become the person He knows we can become. We confirmed the profound truth of His words when He said, ‘I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, … for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more.'”
- “And second, we learned that, in addition to our rational minds, another dimension to gaining knowledge can give us guidance and understanding. It is the still and soft voice of His Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts and also to our minds.”
- “Our mind produces one perception through our physical senses and through our reasoning. But through the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Father has also provided us with a second perspective, which is really the most important and true one because it comes directly from Him … When these two perspectives are then combined in our souls, one complete picture shows the reality of things as they truly are. In fact, through the additional perspective of the Holy Ghost, certain ‘realities,’ as pictured exclusively through our mental understanding, can be exposed as deceiving or plainly wrong.”
- “Only the combination of both views can give us the true and complete picture of all truths and of everything we experience in our lives, as well as of the whole and profound understanding of our identity and purpose as children of a living Heavenly Father.”
- “I am reminded of what President Russell M. Nelson taught us a year ago when he said that ‘in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.'”
- “These and many other precious truths have become spiritual building blocks of what God is helping me to become. And I look forward to the many new teachings that He still wants me—and you—to receive as we go through this wonderful life and ‘learn … even by study and also by faith.'”
Elder Takashi Wada: “Feasting upon the Words of Christ“
- “Feasting upon the words of Christ can happen at any time and on any occasion if we prepare our hearts.”
- “Nephi … reminds us to continue to ‘press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, … feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,’ in order to receive all the blessings Heavenly Father has in store for us (2 Nephi 31:19–20).”
- “Nephi further reminds us that if we will ‘feast upon the words of Christ,’ they ‘will tell [us] all things [we] should do’ (2 Nephi 32:3) and that we will be empowered to overcome the ‘fiery darts of the adversary’ (1 Nephi 15:24).
- “… true feasting is more than enjoying a delicious meal. It is an experience of joy, nourishment, celebration, sharing, expressing love to families and loved ones, communicating our thanksgiving to God, and building relationships while enjoying abundant, incredibly delicious food. I believe when we feast upon the words of Christ, we ought to be thinking of the same kind of experience. Feasting upon the scriptures is not just reading them. It should bring us real joy and build our relationship with the Savior.”
- “When we feast, we will also likely find that the amount or kind of food we have may not matter if our hearts are filled with gratitude. Lehi’s family lived on raw meat in the wilderness, but Nephi described this difficult trial, saying, ‘So great were the blessings of the Lord’ that ‘our women … were strong’ and were able ‘to bear their journeyings without murmurings’ (1 Nephi 17:1–2).”
- “Feasting sometimes involves experimenting and tasting. Alma talks about a good seed being planted in our hearts. As we experiment on it, we will realize the seed begins ‘to be delicious’ (see Alma 32:28–33).”
- “The blessings of feasting upon the words of Christ are powerful and life changing. There are three in particular I would like to invite you to apply in your life.”
- “First, the words of Christ can help us ‘increase [our] spiritual capacity to receive revelation’ (Russell M. Nelson, ‘Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,’ Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 96) and safely guide us through our life.”
- “Our prophet, Russell M. Nelson, has taught us that ‘in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost’ (‘Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,’ 96). Needed revelation will come as we try the ‘virtue of the word,’ and that word will be more powerful than anything else we could try or imagine.”
- “Second, when we struggle with our own identity and lack of self-esteem, the ‘pleasing word of God’ (Jacob 2:8) in the scriptures will help us know who we really are and give us strength beyond our own.”
- “Third, we can lift the lives of others through the words of Christ.”
- “Regardless of the outcome, the Lord invites us to open our mouth and share the gospel message with others.”
- “First, the words of Christ can help us ‘increase [our] spiritual capacity to receive revelation’ (Russell M. Nelson, ‘Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,’ Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 96) and safely guide us through our life.”
- “As we—or our friends, associates, and neighbors—feast and break bread with Him, our eyes of understanding will open. When the disciples at Emmaus reflected on their time with the resurrected Savior, they said that their hearts burned within them while He opened the scriptures to them (see Luke 24:27–32). This will be true for all of us.”
- “…feasting upon the words of Christ can happen at any time and on any occasion if we prepare our hearts to receive them. Feasting upon the words of Christ will bring life-sustaining revelation, reaffirm our true identity and worth before God as His child, and lead our friends unto Christ and everlasting life. Let me end by echoing the invitation of Nephi when he said: ‘Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life’ (2 Nephi 31:20).”
Elder David P. Homer: “Hearing His Voice“
- “…at critical moments in our lives, we will hear multiple voices competing for our attention … it is vital that we listen to the right ones.”
- “What is popular is not always what is best. Halting between two opinions brings no direction. Convenience rarely leads to things that matter. Fixation on a single voice or issue can impair our ability to see. And relying solely upon our own thinking can lead us into a hyperintellectual stupor of thought. If we are not careful, the wrong voices can draw us away from the gospel center to places where faith is difficult to sustain, and we find little more than emptiness, bitterness, and dissatisfaction.”
- “If we spend too much time in faithless places, seemingly well-intended voices deprive us of the spiritual oxygen we need.”
- “The Spirit speaks to different people in different ways, and He may speak to the same person in different ways at different times. As a result, learning the many ways He speaks to us is a lifelong quest. Sometimes, He speaks to our ‘mind and in [our] heart’ in a voice that is small yet powerful, piercing ‘them that … hear to the center.’ Other times His impressions ‘occupy [our] mind[s]’ or ‘press … upon [our] feelings.’ Other times our bosom will ‘burn within [us].’ Still other times He fills our souls with joy, enlightens our minds, or speaks peace to our troubled hearts.”
- “We will find our Father’s voice in many places. We will find it when we pray, study the scriptures, attend church, engage in faithful discussions, or go to the temple. Surely, we will find it in conference this very weekend.”
- “Today we sustained 15 men as prophets, seers, and revelators. Their spirituality and experience give them a unique perspective that we desperately need. Their messages are easy to find and spoken with absolute clarity. They tell us what God wants us to know, whether it is popular or not.”
- “Seeking His voice in any one of these places is good, but seeking it in many of them is even better. And when we hear it, we need to follow the direction that is given. The Apostle James said, ‘Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.’ And President Thomas S. Monson once taught: ‘We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When it speaks, wise men and women obey.'”
- “Richard G. Scott once taught that we should be grateful for such times and made this promise: ‘When you are living worthily and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed with trust. … God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision.'”
- “And so, we need to decide which among all the different voices we will obey. Will we follow the unreliable voices advocated by the world, or will we do the work required to allow our Father’s voice to guide us in our decisions and protect us from danger? The more diligently we seek His voice, the easier it becomes to hear. It is not that His voice gets louder but that our ability to hear it has increased. The Savior has promised that if we ‘hearken unto [His] precepts, and lend an ear unto [His] counsel,’ He ‘will give [us] more.’ I testify that this promise is true—for each of us.”
Elder Carl B. Cook: “The Quorum: “A Place of Belonging“
- “The Lord would have you establish a strong quorum. As He gathers His children, they need a place to belong and grow.”
- “My young brothers who hold the Aaronic Priesthood, the Lord would have you establish a strong quorum, a place of belonging for each and every young man, a place where the Lord’s Spirit is present, a place where all quorum members are welcome and valued.”
- “Each of you quorum presidency members lead the way as you seek inspiration and develop love and brotherhood among all quorum members. You give special attention to those who are new members, who are less active, or who have special needs. With priesthood power, you build a strong quorum. And a strong, united quorum makes all the difference in the life of a young man.”
- “We, as priesthood holders, are the Lord’s hands. We are the Church support to home-centered efforts. When there is limited support at home, priesthood quorums and other leaders and friends watch over and support each individual and family as needed.”
- “The quorum is ‘all for one and one for all.’ It is a place where we instruct each other, serve others, and build unity and brotherhood as we serve God. It is a place where miracles happen.”
- “It is my prayer that we will accept the Lord’s invitation to be united with Him in our priesthood quorums so that each quorum might be a place of belonging, a place of gathering, a place that grows.”
Elder Kim B. Clark: “Look unto Jesus Christ“
- “If we look to Jesus Christ, He will help us live our covenants and magnify our calling as elders in Israel.”
- “Brethren, as bearers of the holy priesthood, we are engaged in the work of salvation. In the last year, the Lord has placed the leadership of this work squarely on the shoulders of the elders in Israel. We have an inspiring charge from the Lord—working with our sisters, we are to minister in a holier way, accelerate the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil, establish our homes as sanctuaries of faith and gospel learning, and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”
- “As in all things, the Savior has shown us the way: we need to look to and serve Jesus Christ as He looked to and served His Father. The Savior said it this way to the Prophet Joseph: ‘Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not … Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.'”
- “When the Lord calls the elders in Israel to ‘look unto me in every thought’ and ‘behold the wounds’ in His resurrected body, it is a call to turn away from sin and the world and to turn to Him and love and obey Him. It is a call to teach His doctrine and do His work in His way. It is, therefore, a call to trust Him completely, surrender our will and yield our hearts to Him, and through His redeeming power become like Him.”
- “President Russell M. Nelson has called us to look unto Jesus Christ in just this way: ‘There is nothing easy or automatic about becoming such powerful disciples. Our focus must be riveted on the Savior and His gospel. It is mentally rigorous to strive to look unto Him in every thought. But when we do, our doubts and fears flee.'”
- “We rivet our focus on Jesus Christ and His gospel by living our covenants.”
- “When we live our covenants, they influence everything we say and do. We live a covenant life full of simple, everyday acts of faith that focus us on Jesus Christ: prayer from the heart in His name, feasting on His word, turning to Him to repent of our sins, keeping His commandments, partaking of the sacrament and keeping His Sabbath holy, worshipping in His holy temple as often as we can, and exercising His holy priesthood to serve God’s children.”
- “You young men who hold the holy Aaronic Priesthood, everything I have said tonight applies to you.”
- “When you prepare, bless, or pass the sacrament; minister; baptize in the temple; invite a friend to an activity; or rescue a member of your quorum, you are doing the work of salvation. You too can look unto Jesus Christ and live your covenants every day. I promise you that if you do, you will be trusted servants of the Lord now and, in a coming day, mighty elders in Israel.”
- “I close with this prayer from my heart, that all of us, every one, will look unto Jesus Christ in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not.”
Sister Sharon Eubank: “Christ: The Light That Shines in Darkness“
- “If you feel that the beacon of your testimony is sputtering and darkness is closing in, take courage. Keep your promises to God.”
- “Seeing darkness where I expected to see light reminded me that one of the fundamental needs we have in order to grow is to stay connected to our source of light—Jesus Christ. He is the source of our power, the Light and Life of the World. Without a strong connection to Him, we begin to spiritually die.”
- “When expectations overwhelm us, we can step back and ask Heavenly Father what to let go of. Part of our life experience is learning what not to do. But even so, sometimes life can be exhausting. Jesus assures us, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'”
- “It is an unwavering requirement of Christian disciples and Latter-day Saints to show true love to one another. Jesus extends the same kind of invitation to us that He did to Zacchaeus: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if [you] hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to [you], and will sup with [you], and [you] with me.'”
- “Our mortal brains are made to seek understanding and meaning in tidy bundles. I don’t know all the reasons why the veil over mortality is so thick. This is not the stage in our eternal development where we have all answers. It is the stage where we develop our assurance (or sometimes our hope) in the evidence of things not seen.”
- “For those seeking truth, it may seem at first to be the foolish claustrophobia of windows made of stone. But with patience and faithful questions, Jesus can transform our windows of stone to glass and light. Christ is light to see.“
- “The Lord says emphatically: he or she “who has repented of … sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”17 In essence: Come, let us reason together.18 You made mistakes; all come short.19 Come unto me and repent.20 I will remember the sin no more.21 You can be whole again.22 I have a work for you to do.23 Christ makes wool white.”
- “But what are the practical steps? What is the key to reconnecting to the power of Jesus Christ when we are flickering? President Russell M. Nelson said it very simply: ‘The key is to make and keep sacred covenants. … It is not a complicated way.’ Make Christ the center of your life.”
- “If you feel that the beacon of your testimony is sputtering and darkness is closing in, take courage. Keep your promises to God. Ask your questions. Patiently melt stone to glass. Turn to Jesus Christ, who loves you still.”
- “Jesus said, ‘I am the light [that] shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.’ That means no matter how hard it tries, the darkness cannot put out that light. Ever. You can trust that His light will be there for you.”
- “It’s hard to get the lights back on by yourself. We need friends. We need each other. Just like the temple facilities staff, we can help each other by showing up in person, recharging our spiritual batteries, repairing what went wrong.”
- “…as President Nelson has encouraged, we can bring the Savior’s light to ourselves and the people important to us by the simple act of keeping our covenants. In a variety of ways, the Lord rewards that faithful act with power and with joy.”
- “I testify you are beloved. The Lord knows how hard you are trying. You are making progress. Keep going. He sees all your hidden sacrifices and counts them to your good and the good of those you love. Your work is not in vain. You are not alone. His very name, Emmanuel, means ‘God with us.’ He is surely with you.
- “Take a few more steps on the covenant path, even if it’s too dark to see very far. The lights will come back on. I testify of the truth in Jesus’s words, and they are filled with light: ‘Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.'”
President Tad R. Callister: “The Atonement of Jesus Christ“
- “…the Savior’s Atonement … is what gives hope and purpose to our lives.”
- “If we have faith in Jesus Christ and repent (meaning we do our part and pull the rip cord), then the protective powers of the Savior are unleashed on our behalf and we can land spiritually unharmed.”
- “Truman G. Madsen made this comforting observation: ‘If there are some of you who have been tricked into the conviction that you have gone too far, … that you have had the poison of sin which makes it impossible ever again to be what you could have been—then hear me … I bear testimony that you cannot sink farther than the light and sweeping intelligence of Jesus Christ can reach. I bear testimony that as long as there is one spark of the will to repent and to reach, he is there.He did not just descend to your condition; he descended below it, “that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth.” [Doctrine and Covenants 88:6.]'”
- “One reason it is so essential to understand the Savior’s Atonement and its infinite implications is that with increased understanding comes an increased desire to forgive ourselves and others.”
- “Even though we may believe in Christ’s cleansing powers, the question often arises: ‘How do I know if I have been forgiven of my sins?’ If we feel the Spirit, then that is our witness that we have been forgiven, or that the cleansing process is taking place. President Henry B. Eyring taught, ‘If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost … , you may take it as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life.'”
- “Some have asked, ‘But if I am forgiven, why do I still feel guilt?’ Perhaps in God’s mercy the memory of that guilt is a warning, a spiritual ‘stop sign’ of sorts that, at least for a time, cries out when additional temptations confront us: ‘Don’t go down that road. You know the pain it can bring.’ In this sense, it serves as a protection, not a punishment.”
- “Moroni so taught: ‘Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, … that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.’ There seem at least two channels or means of availing ourselves of those enabling powers that can refine—even perfect—us.
- “First, the saving ordinances. The scriptures tell us, ‘In the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.’ Sometimes we may think of ordinances as a checklist—necessary for exaltation; but in truth each unleashes a godly power that helps us become more like Christ.”
- “A second channel for these enabling powers is the gifts of the Spirit. Because of Christ’s Atonement, we are eligible to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and its accompanying spiritual gifts. These gifts are attributes of godliness; therefore, each time we acquire a gift of the Spirit, we become more like God. No doubt that is why the scriptures enjoin us on multiple occasions to seek these gifts.”
- “President George Q. Cannon taught: ‘No man ought to say, “Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.” He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to … give gifts that will eradicate [our weaknesses]. … If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect.'”
- “Because the Savior performed His Atonement, there is no external force or event or person—no sin or death or divorce—that can prevent us from achieving exaltation, provided we keep God’s commandments. With that knowledge, we can press forward with good cheer and absolute assurance that God is with us in this heavenly quest.”
Elder Juan Pablo Villar: “Exercising Our Spiritual muscles“
- “Just as reading and learning about muscles is not enough to build muscle, reading and learning about faith without adding action is insufficient to build faith.”
- “Thanks to the Restoration of the gospel, we can come to understand how our Heavenly Father helps us develop spiritual gifts. It is more likely that He will give us opportunities to develop those gifts rather than just granting them to us without spiritual and physical effort. If we are in tune with His Spirit, we will learn to identify those opportunities and then act upon them.”
- “If we seek more patience, we may find ourselves needing to practice it while waiting for a response. If we want to have more love for our neighbor, we can foster it by sitting next to a new face at church. With faith it is similar: when doubts come to our minds, trusting in the Lord’s promises will be required to move forward. In this way, we are exercising spiritual muscles and developing them into sources of strength in our lives.”
- “It will probably not be easy at the beginning, and it might even become a big challenge. The words of the Lord, through the prophet Moroni, apply to us today: ‘And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have [or exercise] faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.'”
- “Let’s accept the invitation of President Russell M. Nelson and intently come unto the Savior by identifying those muscles that need more spiritual activity and starting to exercise them. This is a long-distance race, a marathon, rather than a sprint, so do not forget those small but constant spiritual activities that will strengthen those important spiritual muscles. If we want to increase our faith, then let’s do things that require faith.”
- “The Savior invites us to follow His perfect example, to exercise our faith in Him and His Atonement, and to expand all the spiritual gifts that we have been blessed with. He is the way.”
Elder Kyle S. McKay: “The Immediate Goodness of God“
- “When the Lord or His servants say things like, ‘Not many days hence’ or ‘The time is not far distant,’ it can literally mean a lifetime or longer. His time, and frequently His timing, is different from ours. Patience is key. Without it, we can neither develop nor demonstrate faith in God unto life and salvation.”
- “The immediate goodness of God comes to all who call upon Him with real intent and full purpose of heart. This includes those who cry out in earnest desperation, when deliverance seems so distant and suffering seems prolonged, even intensified.”
- “And thus we see that ‘if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.'”
- “I bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Great Deliverer, and in His name, I promise that as you turn to Him with real intent and full purpose of heart, He will deliver you from everything that threatens to diminish or destroy your life or joy. That deliverance may take longer than you would like—perhaps a lifetime or longer. So, to give you comfort, courage, and hope, to sustain and strengthen you to that day of ultimate deliverance, I commend to you and testify of the immediate goodness of God…”
