Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of April 2024 general conference. He taught about moral agency and being one with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the Savior’s Atonement. The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Cook’s talk summary
Prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion, Jesus Christ prayed for oneness (see John 17:20-23). “Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior’s Atonement.”
Doctrine and Covenants 20 contains doctrine about the Savior’s Atonement, the plan of salvation and the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament. There are no economic, race, gender or ethnicity requirements for baptism — all qualifications are spiritual, and all people are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness.
That does not mean there are no conduct requirements. “The Lord makes it clear that all have moral agency. … To receive the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement, we must affirmatively exercise our moral agency to choose Christ and obey His commandments.”
One cannot control many events in life, such as health challenges and accidents. However, “on matters of principle, conduct, religious observance and righteous living, we are in control. Our faith in and worship of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is a choice that we make.”
To follow President Russell M. Nelson’s admonition to gather Israel, “we need to include others in our circle of oneness. … The essence of truly belonging is to be one with Christ.”
Watch his message
Notable quotes
“Without moral agency, we could not learn, progress or choose to be one with Christ.”
“On matters of principle, conduct, religious observance and righteous living, we are in control. Our faith in and worship of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is a choice that we make.”
“We are united by our love of and faith in Jesus Christ and as children of a loving Heavenly Father. The essence of truly belonging is to be one with Christ.”
See the full text of Elder Cook’s talk: ‘Be One with Christ’
Who is Elder Cook?
- Elder Quentin L. Cook was sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 6, 2007. He is a great-great-grandson of Heber C. Kimball, who was among the first missionaries in this dispensation to preach the gospel outside North America.
- He married Mary Gaddie on Nov. 30, 1962, in the Logan Utah Temple. They are the parents of three children.
- Elder Cook was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s mission companion in summer 1962 during their full-time mission service in the British Isles.
- Elder Cook worked as an attorney and business executive in California. At the time of his calling as a General Authority Seventy in 1996, he was vice chairman of Sutter/California Healthcare System — a California health care company with 25 hospitals and more than 26,000 employees.
What has Elder Cook done recently?
- During the October 2023 general conference, he spoke about being “peaceable followers of Christ.”
- Elder Cook met with Saints in Kazakhstan and Ukraine in October 2023, explaining oneness and “our united effort to follow and worship the Savior.”
- In December 2023, he spoke at the U.K. Parliament about human rights and religious freedom.
- More recently, he gave a devotional at the Provo MTC in March about the Kirtland Temple, the Book of Mormon and testimonies.
Read more of Elder Cook’s general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
