To conclude the final session of the 194th Annual General Conference, Church President Russell M. Nelson issued several specific invitations to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
First, President Nelson spoke about the appearance of the Savior to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, where the Savior promised, “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” (Doctrine and Covenants 110:7).
“This significant promise applies to every dedicated temple today,” President Nelson said. “I invite you to ponder what the Lord’s promise means for you personally.”
Calling the priesthood keys conferred upon Joseph Smith by Moses, Elias and Elijah both “infinite and breathtaking,” President Nelson asked Latter-day Saints to “consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth.”
In his remarks, President Nelson also asked listeners to carefully consider three statements:
- “The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere.
- “The gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. He invites all to come unto Him — ‘black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God’ (2 Nephi 26:33).
- “The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.”
President Nelson then offered the following promise: “Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing!”
Finally, the Prophet and President of the Church invited members of the Church of Jesus Christ to “rejoice in the restoration of priesthood keys, which make it possible for you and me to enjoy every spiritual blessing we are willing and worthy to receive.”
During five sessions over two days April 6-7, President Nelson’s counselors and all 12 members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also offered invitations, promises and blessings to members of the Church. Below is a sampling of some of their prophetic counsel.
Keep sacred covenants
“The ordinances and associated covenants of the temple are requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom, which is eternal life, ‘the greatest of all the gifts of God’ (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). That is the focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“I testify of Jesus Christ, who is the head of that Church, and invoke His blessings on all who seek to keep their sacred covenants.”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, “Covenants and Responsibilities” Sunday morning session
Personal direction from the Lord
“Trials, challenges and heartaches will surely come to all of us. None of us are immune from thorns of the flesh (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Yet, as we attend the temple and remember our covenants, we can prepare to receive personal direction from the Lord.”
— President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, “All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants,” Saturday morning session
‘Heartfelt supplications’
“Brothers and sisters, as we repent of our sins and come boldly to the ‘throne of grace’ (Hebrews 4:16), leaving before Him there our alms and our heartfelt supplications, we will find mercy and compassion and forgiveness at the benevolent hands of our Eternal Father and His obedient, perfectly pure Son. Then, with Job and all the refined faithful, we will behold a world ‘too wonderful’ (Job 42:3) to understand.”
— President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Motions of a Hidden Fire,” Saturday morning session
Seek and find higher joy
“During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to:
- “Spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God.
- “Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace and joy.
- “Bring joy to others around you.
“My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, as you search the word of God for a deeper understanding of God’s eternal plan, accept these invitations, and strive to walk in His Way, you will experience ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7), even in the midst of sorrows. You will feel a greater measure of God’s unsurpassable love swelling within your heart. The dawn of celestial light will penetrate the shadows of your trials, and you will begin to taste the unspeakable glories and wonders of the unseen, perfect, heavenly sphere. You will feel your spirit lifting away from the gravity of this world.”
— Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “A Higher Joy,” Saturday evening session
Spiritual stillness of the soul
“I promise that as we build the foundation of our lives on the ‘rock’ of Jesus Christ, we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost to receive an individual and spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can be blessed to do and overcome hard things.”
— Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Be Still, and Know That I Am God,” Saturday afternoon session
‘Choose Christ’
“The scriptures attest that all accountable persons are required to repent of sins and keep His commandments. The Lord makes it clear that all have moral agency and ‘are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, … and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life’ (2 Nephi 2:27-28). To receive the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement, we must affirmatively exercise our moral agency to choose Christ and obey His commandments.”
— Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Be One with Christ,” Saturday afternoon session
Valiant in testimony
“My invitation is to act now to secure your place as one who is valiant in the testimony of Jesus. As repentance may be needed, ‘do not procrastinate the day of your repentance’ (Alma 34:33), lest ‘in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved’ (Doctrine and Covenants 45:2). Be zealous in keeping your covenants with God. Do not be ‘offended [by] the strictness of the word’ (Alma 35:15). ‘Remember to retain the name [of Christ] written always in your hearts, … that ye [may] hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you’ (Mosiah 5:12). And finally, ‘settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which [Jesus] shall teach, and command you’ (Luke 14:27, footnote b).”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Testimony of Jesus,” Sunday afternoon session
Armed with power
“The temple is literally the house of the Lord. I promise you as you come worthily and prayerfully to His holy house, you will be armed with His power, His name will be upon you, His angels will have charge over you, and you will grow up in the blessing of the Holy Ghost.”
— Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth,” Sunday afternoon session
‘Words do matter’
“Brothers and sisters, words do matter.
“I promise that if we ‘feast upon the words of Christ’ (2 Nephi 32:3) that lead to salvation, our prophet’s words that guide and encourage us, and our own words that speak of who we are and what we hold dear, the powers of heaven will pour down upon us. ‘The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.’ We are Heavenly Father’s children and He is our God, and He expects us to speak with ‘the tongue of angels’ (2 Nephi 32:2) by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
— Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Words Matter,” Sunday morning session
Remember the two great commandments
“For any suspension bridge to do what it was built to do, its towers must function together in complete harmony. Likewise, our ability to follow Jesus Christ depends upon our strength and power to live the first and second commandments with balance and equal devotion to both. …
“In the days ahead, when you pass over a majestic suspension bridge or even when you see a picture, with its soaring towers, I invite you to remember the two great commandments, described by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.”
— Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Bridging the Two Great Commandments,” Sunday afternoon session
Living the doctrine of Christ
“I invite you to live the doctrine of Christ repeatedly, iteratively and intentionally and help others on their way. I testify that the doctrine of Christ is central to Heavenly Father’s plan; it is, after all, His doctrine. As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we are propelled along the covenant path and motivated to help others become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. We can become heirs in Heavenly Father’s kingdom, which is the culmination of faithfully living the doctrine of Christ.”
— Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ,” Sunday morning session
All things for good
“This fickle world often feels tempest tossed, uncertain, sometimes fortunate, and — too often — unfortunate. Yet, in this world of tribulation, ‘we know that all things work together for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8:28). Indeed, as we walk uprightly and remember our covenants, ‘all things shall work together for your good’” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24).
— Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “All Things for Our Good,” Saturday afternoon session
Prepared through righteous effort
“The Savior desires that we become prepared to understand, with great clarity, exactly how to act as we make covenants with our Heavenly Father in His name. He wants us to be prepared to experience our privileges, promises and responsibilities; to be prepared to have the spiritual insights and awakenings that we need in this life. I know that when the Lord sees even a spark of desire or a flicker of righteous effort in our willingness to center our lives on Him and on the ordinances and covenants we make in His house, He will bless us, in His perfect way, with the miracles and tender mercies we need.”
— Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ,” Saturday morning session
‘Turn to Him’
“The veil of the temple was rent in twain when Jesus died upon the cross, symbolizing that access back to the presence of the Father had been ripped wide open — to all who will turn to Him, trust Him, cast their burdens on Him and take His yoke upon them in a covenant bond.”
— Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home,” Sunday morning session
