LAKE ELSINORE, California — The love of God is always within reach, testified President Jeffrey R. Holland. “He loves you because He cannot do otherwise. It is integral to His character to love even more profoundly than a mortal parent could love his or her child.”
Bearing witness of this divine love, President Holland shared his own love for ward and stake leaders in Lake Elsinore, California. “We love you. We are grateful for you. We pray for you. We are so very dependent on your faithful service to each other.”
On Saturday, June 8, the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to Church leaders in multiple stakes. He was joined by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran, a General Authority Seventy; and Elder Israel Marin, an Area Seventy.
“Go to work with urgency,” said President Holland. “However strong your prayers are, make them stronger. However often you testify, testify some more.”
The First Vision as a ‘hinge point’ of salvation
Joseph Smith’s First Vision of the Father and the Son “is a transcendent hinge point for the salvation of people living and dead,” said President Holland.
This heavenly exchange ushered in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, with him as the first latter-day Prophet.
“I testify that Russell M. Nelson is a Prophet, as were every one of his predecessors and as will be every one of his successors, until the Savior says, ‘The work is done.’”
President Holland also taught that before Joseph’s vision, the adversary attempted to bind Joseph’s tongue so that he couldn’t speak. Yet “exerting all [his] powers to call upon God” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16), the soon-to-be Prophet of the Restoration was delivered to spiritual safety.
“You will be triumphant because you have the same power, where one great, majestic, eternal force overcomes darkness, weakness and fear,” President Holland said.
President Holland invited listeners to lean on their Heavenly Father for help whenever they feel the odds are against them. “Your little challenge is nothing compared to keeping the planets in their orbits,” he said with a smile. “I promise you He is up to it. He can do it.”
Leaders can prepare others for the next ordinance
While some may needlessly complicate “the work of salvation and exaltation,” Elder Bednar clarified the principle by showing a T-chart with two columns: “Name” and “Next Ordinance.”
“That is all there is,” he said. “We do many things in church, but if what we are doing is not helping people prepare to make and keep sacred covenants, I do not know why we are doing it.” When ministering, he said leaders can ask themselves, “What might you do to assist them in being worthy and prepared for the next ordinance?”
Elder Bednar counseled with the stake presidents, bishops, elders quorum presidents and organizational leaders to discuss how they are learning from those they serve with while preparing others for the next ordinance.
Leaders can love like the Savior does, said a Relief Society president. “We gather in the temple, we gather at homes, we gather at church. There’s so much gathering, but if we don’t show the love, why are they going to come?”
One brother said, “I’m learning that I should be practicing these things in my own home before I introduce them to any of the organizations of the Church.”
Having seen those she ministers to as her sisters, a Young Women president said, “We’re in this together. [I’m learning] that I can help cultivate an environment where they feel their individual, divine worth.”
This aid is especially needed with the rising generation in an increasingly wicked world, said President Holland. “We have to be preventive. We cannot always be the ambulance picking them up at the bottom of the hill. We have to help more on their way up that hill of hope and happiness.”
How attendees felt the Spirit teach
Johanna Leiva, Primary president in the Nuevo Ward, Moreno Valley California Stake, was inspired by President Holland’s love for those in attendance and felt the Spirit testify of her role to love others. “For us to be able to serve the Lord, we need to love everybody. That’s the key for us to be able to serve in our callings or share the gospel with others, is loving them.”
While listening to President Holland and Elder Bednar, the Spirit brought several names to the mind of President David Brashear of the Corona California Stake. Effective leadership, he said, “is not just giving a great talk or sharing a great message. It’s going in ministry to look to the one.”
Tom Moody, elders quorum president in the Circle City Ward, Corona Stake, received spiritual insight on how to better engage each person in his quorum. “It takes effort from every person to meet the needs of everyone else.”
Though not an insight shared from the pulpit, Heather Gray, Relief Society president of the La Piedra Ward, Menifee California Stake, learned that the Lord watches over leaders’ families as they serve. “He will look over us as we are trying to do the work in His kingdom,” she said.
Bishop Jamie Arnold of the Pauba Ward, Temecula California South Stake, said: “We need to build relationships with our youth so that they can come to us not only in times of trouble but also for direction.”
Menifee stake Young Women President Katie Bock learned “we need to continually teach [young adults] the correct principles so that they can learn to make the right choices.”
Jennifer Eatherly, Primary president of the La Piedra Ward, Menifee stake, learned that while preparing 8-year-olds for baptism is important, it is a step to receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and the ability to renew covenants weekly. The sacrament, she said, is “a weekly reminder that we need to constantly be searching for forgiveness and repentance and striving to become more like our Savior.”
