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Saturday evening session: See photos, read summaries from April 2024 general conference

‘Spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God,’ says Elder Uchtdorf

In his message that closed the Saturday evening session of general conference on April 6, titled “A Higher Joy,” Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued an invitation to do three things in the following days and months ahead:

“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.”

The Saturday evening session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints featured five speakers, including Elder Uchtdorf.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, spoke directly to the youth of the Church in her talk titled “Faithful to End.”

The Old Testament states that David brought five stones with him to defeat Goliath, though he only needed one.

Sister Spannaus wondered what strengths these stones could represent. She said, “I thought of these possibilities:

“The stone of my love for God.

“The stone of my faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

“The stone of the knowledge of my true identity.

“The stone of my daily repentance.

“And the stone of my access to God’s power.”

Elder Shayne M. Bowen, General Authority Seventy, testified that miracles have not ceased, in his message “Miracles, Angels and Priesthood Power.”

“If you desire the blessings of the priesthood, including miracles and the ministry of angels, I invite you to walk the path of covenants God has made available to each of us,” he said.

In his talk titled “Foreordained to Serve,” Elder Steven R. Bangerter, General Authority Seventy, said: “Before you were born, God appointed each of you to fulfill specific missions during your mortal life upon this earth. If you remain worthy, the blessings of that premortal decree will enable you to have all kinds of opportunities in this life, including opportunities to serve in the Church and to participate in the most important work happening on the earth today: the gathering of Israel.”

Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, General Authority Seventy, spoke about the eternal blessings of being faithful to the covenant of marriage in his talk titled “Fruit that Remains.”

“It is important to understand that to receive the blessings of exaltation, we must demonstrate that we are willing to enter into and faithfully keep this new and everlasting covenant, either in this life or the next,” he said.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles conducted the session. Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy, offered the opening prayer, and Brother Milton Camargo, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, offered the closing prayer.

Music was provided by the Utah Valley Institute Choir which was directed by Matt Johnson and Marshall McDonald, and accompanied by Linda Margetts and Joseph Peeples at the organ. They sang “The Lord Is My Light,” “Oh, What Songs of the Heart,” “Count Your Blessings” and Amazing Grace.”

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