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Episode 183: April 2024 general conference — leaders emphasize the importance of temples, covenants and joy

Special edition of the Church News podcast features excerpts from every April 2024 general conference talk, including President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to ‘rejoice in the gift of priesthood keys’

Millions listened to the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6 and 7, 2024. During the conference, Church leaders — including members of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other general leaders — emphasized the importance of temples and covenants and encouraged seeking higher joy.

This special edition of the Church News podcast features excerpts from every general conference talk, including President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to “rejoice in the gift of priesthood keys” and his announcement that the Church will build 15 new temples.

Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.

Transcript:

President Russell M. Nelson: The power of these priesthood keys is infinite and breathtaking. Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth. Without priesthood keys, you could not be endowed with the power of God. Without priesthood keys, the Church could serve only as a significant teaching and humanitarian organization but not much more. Without priesthood keys, none of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us eventually to live with God.

1:03

Sarah Jane Weaver: This is Sarah Jane Weaver, executive editor of the Church News, welcoming you to the Church News podcast. We are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Millions tuned in April 6 and 7 to the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. April 2024 general conference featured messages from the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders. This special conference edition of the Church News podcast features excerpts from each conference address, which emphasized the promise of covenants, overcoming trials through faith, the power of prayer and the joy found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, opened the Saturday morning session of conference. He testified of and shared gratitude for resolute prayers.

2:06

President Jeffrey R. Holland: Now, brothers and sisters, I testify that God hears every prayer we offer, and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection. I recognize that at roughly the same time so many were praying for the restoration of my health, an equal number, including me, were praying for the restoration of my wife’s health. And I testify that both of those prayers were heard and answered by a divinely compassionate Heavenly Father, even if the prayers for Pat were not answered the way I asked. It is for reasons known only to God why prayers are answered differently than we hope. But I promise you they are heard and they are answered, according to His unfailing love and cosmic timetable.

3:06

Sarah Jane Weaver: The first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, Sister J. Anette Dennis, spoke about the power of a covenant relationship with God.

Sister J. Anette Dennis: Each person on earth is a beloved son or daughter of God. When we choose to be part of a covenant, it enhances and deepens our relationship with Him. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that when we choose to make covenants with God, our relationship with Him can become much closer than it was before our covenant, and it enables Him to bless us with an extra measure of His mercy and love, a covenantal love referred to as “hesed” in the Hebrew language. The covenant path is all about our relationship with God, our “hesed” relationship with Him. Our Father wants a deeper relationship with all His sons and daughters, but it is our choice. As we choose to draw nearer to Him through a covenant relationship, it allows Him to draw nearer to us and more fully bless us.

Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, speaks during the Saturday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2024.
Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, speaks during the Saturday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2024. | CRISTY POWELL

4:18

Sarah Jane Weaver: In his first conference address as a general authority, Elder Alexander Dushku, a General Authority Seventy, explained that a testimony comes over time, from rays of light.

Elder Alexander Dushku: The reality and power of one ray of testimony reinforces and combines with another, and then another, and another. Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a ray and there a ray — one small, treasured spiritual moment at a time — there grows up within us a core of light-filled, spiritual experiences. Perhaps no one ray is strong enough or bright enough to constitute a full testimony, but together they can become a light that the darkness of doubt cannot overcome.

5:13

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the meaning of covenant confidence through Jesus Christ.

Elder Ulisses Soares: My dear friends, if there is one thing we could possess and one thing we could pass on to our children and grandchildren that would help each in the tests and trials ahead, it would be the confidence in the covenants made through Jesus Christ. Obtaining such a divine possession will help them live as the Lord promised His faithful followers: “My disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:32). How do we gain such confidence through Jesus Christ? It comes through humility, centering our lives on the Savior, leaving by the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, receiving the ordinances of salvation and exaltation, and honoring the covenants we make with God in His holy house.

6:17

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Jack N. Gerard, a General Authority Seventy, taught about the Christlike attribute of integrity.

Elder Jack N. Gerard: The oppositional pull of this world is an essential part of God’s plan of salvation. How we respond to the pull is the essence of who we are — a measure of our integrity. The worldly pull can be as direct as to destroy fidelity in marriage or as subtle as posting anonymous comments critical of Church doctrine or culture. Exercising integrity in our choices is an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ.

President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, waves as he exits the morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

7:02

Sarah Jane Weaver: President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, testified of the importance of temple covenants and urged all Latter-day Saints to qualify for and become eligible to attend the temple.

President Henry B. Eyring: Trials, challenges and heartaches will surely come to all of us. None of us are immune from “thorn[s] [of] the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Yet, as we attend the temple and remember our covenants, we can prepare to receive personal direction from the Lord. My dear brothers and sisters, I bear witness that there is nothing more important than honoring the covenants you make, or may make, in the temple. No matter where you are on the covenant path, I urge you to qualify and become eligible to attend the temple. Visit as frequently as circumstances will allow. Make and keep sacred covenants with God. I can assure you of the same truth I shared with Kathy in the middle of the night nearly five decades ago in an Idaho Falls motel room: “No matter the outcome, all will be well because of the temple covenants.”

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Saturday afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2024.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Saturday afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2024. | CRISTY POWELL

8:38

Sarah Jane Weaver: In the first address of the Saturday afternoon session, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed the need for and blessings of inner spiritual stillness.

Elder David A. Bednar: A strong and reliable connection between the ground and a foundation is essential if a structure is to remain sturdy and stable over time. And for particular types of construction, anchor pins and steel rods can be used to attach the foundation of a building to bedrock, the hard, solid rock beneath surface materials such as soil and gravel. In a similar way, the foundation of our lives must be connected to the rock of Christ if we are to remain firm and steadfast. The sacred covenants and ordinances of the Savior’s restored gospel can be compared to the anchor pins and steel rods used to connect a building to bedrock. Every time we faithfully receive, review, remember and renew sacred covenants, our spiritual anchors are secured ever more firmly and steadfastly to the “rock” of Jesus Christ.

10:02

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Massimo De Feo, a General Authority Seventy, used a New Testament story of a blind man to teach three principles about keeping clear spiritual vision.

Elder Massimo De Feo: So, the first principle we learn is we keep a clear spiritual vision when we focus on Jesus Christ and stay true to what we know to be true. Brothers and sisters, to keep our spiritual sight intact, we need to decide not to listen to the voices of the world around us. In this confusing and confused world, we must stay faithful to what we know, faithful to our covenants, faithful in keeping the commandments, and reaffirm our beliefs, even stronger, like this man did. We need to cry even louder our testimony of the Lord to the world.

10:56

Sarah Jane Weaver: Offering his final general conference address before becoming an emeritus general authority on Aug. 1, Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Presidency of the Seventy shared his witness of Jesus Christ.

Elder Brent H. Nielson: Brothers and sisters, today I declare my witness and make a record of what I have both seen and heard during my sacred ministry as a Seventy of the Lord Jesus Christ. In doing so, I testify to you of a loving Heavenly Father and His Benevolent Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered, died and rose again to offer eternal life to God’s children. I testify of a marvelous work and a wonder, and that the Lord has set His hand once again to restore His gospel on the earth through His living prophets and apostles. I testify that based upon what I have both seen and heard, there has never been a better time to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than today. I know this of my own knowledge, independent of any other source, because of what I have both seen and heard.

Conferencegoers gather after the Sunday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on April 7, 2024. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News

12:11

Sarah Jane Weaver: Jesus Christ offers hope and healing through trials, said Elder Jose L. Alonso, a General Authority Seventy.

Elder Jose L. Alonso: When we encounter difficulties, we naturally tend to concentrate on the obstacles we face. Our challenges are tangible and command our attention, yet the principle of surmounting them is in our focus. By placing Christ at the core of our thoughts and deeds, we align ourselves with His outlook and strength. This adjustment does not discount our struggles; instead, it helps us to navigate through them under divine guidance. As a result, we discover solutions and support that arise from a higher wisdom. Adopting this Christ-centric perspective empowers us with the fortitude and insight to turn our trials into victories, reminding us that with the Savior, what seems like a major problem can become a pathway to greater spiritual progress.

13:21

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about God’s promise that for those who love and follow Him, all things will work together for good.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong: As temples come closer to us in many places, a temple sacrifice we can offer is to seek holiness in the house of the Lord more frequently. For many years, we have saved, planned and sacrificed to come to the temple. Now, as circumstances permit, come even more often to the Lord in His holy house. Let regular temple worship and service bless, protect and inspire you and your family — the family you have or the family you will have and become someday.

14:06

Sarah Jane Weaver: Brother Michael T. Nelson, second counselor in the Young Men general presidency, shared how the story of Helaman and the stripling warriors teaches leaders and parents today how to strengthen the youth of the Church.

Brother Michael T. Nelson: We express our confidence in the youth by offering support and direction, without taking over. As we step back and allow the youth to learn through counseling together, choosing an inspired course and putting their plan into action, they will experience true joy and growth. Our youth amaze us with their courage, their faith and their abilities. As they choose to be fully engaged disciples of Jesus Christ, His gospel will be etched upon their hearts. Following Him will become a part of who they are, not just what they do.

14:58

Sarah Jane Weaver: In the concluding address of the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about moral agency and being one with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the Savior’s Atonement.

Elder Quentin L. Cook: Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and crucifixion. Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior’s Atonement. The Lord’s saving mercy is not dependent on lineage, education, economic status or race. It is based on being one with Christ and His commandments. 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. The ordinances of baptism and the sacrament — set forth in Doctrine and Covenants 20 — together with our temple covenants, unite us in special ways and allow us to be one in every eternally significant way and to live in peace and harmony.

Elder Quentin L. Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks during the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

16:15

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Shayne M. Bowen, a General Authority Seventy, opened the Saturday evening session of general conference. Elder Bowen explained that miracles and priesthood blessings are available through the Lord’s restored Church.

Elder Shayne M. Bowen: I testify that miracles and ministrations are continually occurring in our lives, often as a direct result of priesthood power. Some priesthood blessings are fulfilled immediately, in ways we can see and understand. Others are unfolding gradually and will not be fully realized in this life. But God keeps all of His promises, always.

16:54

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Steven R. Bangerter, a General Authority Seventy, said that God’s children were foreordained to missions in mortality and that they can find these missions as they seek to follow His will.

Elder Steven R. Bangerter: Our Heavenly Father will answer your prayers, especially your prayers offered during the private times of your life. He will reveal to you your foreordained gifts, talents and blessings, you will feel His love envelop you, if you will sincerely ask and genuinely desire to know. Do you want to know God’s plan for you? I bear witness He wants you to know, and He’s inspired His prophet to the world to invite you to pray and receive this eye-opening experience.

17:41

Sarah Jane Weaver: Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, spoke about five strengths a Latter-day Saint can develop as they become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: What if each of David’s stones represented a strength we need to be triumphant in our lives? What could those five stones be? 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.

18:28

Sarah Jane Weaver: A General Authority Seventy, Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, spoke about the eternal blessings of being faithful to the covenant of marriage.

Elder Matthew L. Carpenter: Christ directed us to “go and bring forth fruit, ... that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). But He wasn’t speaking about peaches. He was talking about God’s blessings to His children. If we make and keep covenants with God, the blessings associated with our covenants can extend beyond this life and be sealed upon us, or preserved, forever, becoming fruit that remains for all eternity.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Sister Harriet Reich Uchtdorf, wave at the crowd during the Saturday evening session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News

19:03

Sarah Jane Weaver: Offering the concluding address of the Saturday sessions of the Church’s April 2024 general conference, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave steps to finding a higher peace and joy.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: For me, flying brought great happiness. Others find it in music, in art, in hobbies or nature. By inviting everyone and sharing the Savior’s good news of great joy, we do not discount only these sources of joy, any of those. We are simply saying that God has something more to give, a higher and more profound joy; joy that transcends anything this world offers. It is a joy that endures heartbreak, penetrates sorrow and diminishes loneliness. Worldly happiness, by contrast, does not last. It cannot. It is the nature of all earthly things to grow old, decay, wear out or become stale. But godly joy is eternal because God is eternal. Jesus Christ came to lift us out of the temporal and replace corruption with incorruption. Only He has that power, and only His joy is perpetual.

20:37

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles opened the Sunday morning session, reminding us that words do matter.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband: 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” (2 Nephi 32:3). We are His 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.

21:23

Sarah Jane Weaver: In an address for Latter-day Saint children, Primary General President Susan H. Porter spoke about prayer.

President Susan H. Porter: I want to talk to you about a very special gift that Heavenly Father has given to help you. It is the gift of prayer. What a blessing prayer is. We can talk to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere. When Jesus was on the earth, He taught us to pray. He said, “Ask, and ye shall receive” (John 16:24). What gifts can you pray for? There are many, but today I want to share three: Pray to know, pray to grow, and pray to show.

The congregation stands for a hymn during the Sunday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

22:18

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles compared living the gospel of Jesus Christ to kayaking in the ocean.

Elder Dale G. Renlund: As the Holy Ghost exerts a greater influence in our lives, we progressively and iteratively develop Christlike attributes, our hearts change, our disposition to do evil diminishes, our inclination to do good increases, until we only want to do good continually. And we thereby access the heavenly power needed to endure to the end. Our faith has increased, and we are ready to repeat the powerful virtuous cycle again.

23:03

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Paul B. Pieper, a General Authority Seventy, spoke about how to have trust in the Lord and build a relationship with Him.

Elder Paul B. Pieper: Nephi strengthened his relationship with God by consistently and continuously trusting Him. God uses the same pattern with us. He extends us personal invitations to strengthen and deepen our trust in Him. Each time we accept and act on an invitation, our trust in God grows. If we ignore or decline an invitation, our progress stops, until we’re ready to act on a new invitation. The good news is that regardless of the trust we may or may not have chosen to place in God in the past, we can choose to trust God today and every day going forward. I promise that each time we do, God will be there to catch us. And our relationship of trust will grow stronger and stronger until the day that we become one with Him and His Son.

24:15

Sarah Jane Weaver: In his first general conference address after being sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Patrick Kearon outlined how God’s intent is for His children to choose to come home.

Elder Patrick Kearon: God is in relentless pursuit of you. He wants all of His children to choose to return to Him, and He employs every possible measure to bring you back. Our loving Father oversaw the creation of this very earth for the express purpose of providing an opportunity for you and for me to have the stretching and refining experiences of mortality, the chance to use our God-given moral agency to choose Him, to learn and grow, to make mistakes, to repent, to love God and our neighbor and to one day return to Him. Christ’s great atoning gift removes every roadblock of physical and spiritual death that would separate us from our eternal home. Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.

25:38

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Brian K. Taylor, a General Authority Seventy, taught about finding joy in Christ while facing life’s trials.

Elder Brian K. Taylor: Life’s trials “prove” us (Abraham 3:25). Even the Savior “learned obedience by” and was made “perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 5:8). And one day He will compassionately declare, “Behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (1 Nephi 20:10). Coming to trust in God’s divine purposes breathes hope into weary souls and kindles determination in seasons of anguish and heartache. To avoid the darkness of discontent and instead find greater peace, hope and even joy during life’s difficult challenges, I share three divine principles as invitations. One, stronger faith comes by putting Jesus Christ first. Two, brighter hope comes by envisioning our eternal destiny. Three, greater power comes by focusing on joy.

President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, speaks during the Sunday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 7, 2024.
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, speaks during the Sunday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 7, 2024. | CRISTY POWELL

26:53

Sarah Jane Weaver: Offering the concluding address of the Sunday morning session, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke on covenants and responsibilities.

President Dallin H. Oaks: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is constructing temples all over the world. Their purpose is to bless the covenant children of God with temple worship and with the sacred responsibilities and powers and unique blessings of being bound to Christ they receive by covenant. The Church of Jesus Christ is known as a church that emphasizes making covenants with God. Covenants are inherent in each of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation this restored Church administers. The ordinance of baptism and its associated covenants are requirements for entrance into the celestial kingdom. 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.

28:15

Sarah Jane Weaver: Opening the Sunday afternoon session of general conference, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about what it means to be valiant in one’s testimony of Jesus Christ.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson: God’s plan of redemption constitutes a universal opportunity for all His children, whenever and wherever they may have lived on the earth. While the glory of even the least of the three kingdoms, the telestial, surpasses all understanding, our Father’s hope is that we will choose — and through the grace of His Son qualify for — the highest and most glorious of these kingdoms, the celestial, where we may enjoy eternal life as “joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

29:02

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Taylor G. Godoy, a General Authority Seventy, encouraged Latter-day Saints to faithfully turn to their Heavenly Father in prayer and then take action.

Elder Taylor G. Godoy: Of course, we need to remember that “calling” is a matter of faith and action — faith to recognize that we have a Heavenly Father who answers our prayers according to His infinite wisdom, and then action consistent with what we asked for. Praying, “calling,” can be a sign of our hope; but taking action after praying is a sign that our faith is real, faith that is tested in moments of pain, fear or disappointment. I suggest you consider the following: First, always think of the Lord as your first option for help. Then, second, call, don’t fall. Turn to God in sincere prayer. Third, after praying, do all you can to obtain the blessings you prayed for. Fourth, humble yourselves to accept the answer in His time and His way. And fifth, don’t stop. Keep moving forward on the covenant path while you wait for an answer.

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, left, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, sit in their seats prior to the Sunday afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

30:21

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed the interdependency between the two great commandments.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson: To love the Lord centers first on your heart, your very nature. The Lord asks you to love with all your soul — your entire consecrated being — and to love with all your mind — your intelligence and intellect. Love for God is not limited or finite; it is infinite and eternal. Loving the Lord leads to eternal happiness. Love of the Lord is not complete if we neglect our neighbors. This outward love includes all of God’s children without regard to gender, social class, race, sexuality, income, age or ethnicity. We seek out those who are hurt and broken. The marginalized, for all are alike unto God.

31:20

Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Mathias Held, a General Authority Seventy, asked Latter-day Saints to choose to handle opposition with faith.

Elder Mathias Held: Life is all about making choices. Our Father in Heaven gave us the divine gift of agency precisely so that we could learn from our choices — from the right ones and also from the wrong ones. We correct our wrong choices when we repent. This is where growth happens. Heavenly Father’s plan for all of us is about learning, developing and progressing towards eternal life.

32:02

Sarah Jane Weaver: There are power and blessings in temple work and temple covenants, taught Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Elder Neil L. Andersen: Why is the Lord now bringing hundreds of His temples closer to us? One reason is that amid the turmoil and temptations of the world, He has promised to strengthen and bless His covenant Saints, and His promises are being fulfilled. In His house, we are literally endowed with heavenly power. Our faith in Jesus Christ and our love for Him is confirmed and fortified. We are spiritually assured of our true identity and the purposes of life. As we are faithful, we are blessed with protection from temptations and distractions. We feel our Savior’s love as He lifts us from our difficulties and sorrows. We are armed with the power of God. In His holy house, we take His name more completely upon us. When we are baptized, we profess our belief in Him and our willingness to keep His commandments. In the temple, we sacredly promise, through our covenants, to follow Him forever.

33:30

Sarah Jane Weaver: Sunday School President Mark L. Pace, who will complete his service on Aug. 1, shared his personal witness of the Book of Mormon and reiterated President Nelson’s invitation to study it every day.

President Mark L. Pace: What has the Lord provided us today, especially for our time, that will help us draw near to the Savior and never leave Him? One answer that comes to my mind is the scriptures — and particularly the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. While God has promised there will never be another general apostasy, we need to be mindful and careful to avoid a personal apostasy — remembering, as President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth.” Studying the Book of Mormon, as we are doing this year, always brings us closer to the Savior — and helps us stay close to Him.

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clasps his hands and gestures toward the audience as he and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, left, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, take their seats prior to the Sunday afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

34:29

Sarah Jane Weaver: Offering the final address of the Church’s April 2024 general conference, our beloved Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, announced 15 new temples and addressed the incredible personal spiritual privileges available through the gift of priesthood keys. We conclude this special general conference edition of the Church News podcast with his words.

34:54

President Russell M. Nelson: The power of these priesthood keys is infinite and breathtaking. Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth. Without priesthood keys, you could not be endowed with the power of God. Without priesthood keys, the Church could serve only as a significant teaching and humanitarian organization but not much more. Without priesthood keys, none of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us eventually to live with God.

Priesthood keys distinguish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other organization on earth. Many other organizations can and do make your life better here in mortality. But no other organization can and will influence your life after death. Priesthood keys give us the authority to extend all of the blessings promised to Abraham to every covenant-keeping man and woman. Temple work makes these exquisite blessings available to all of God’s children, regardless of where or when they lived or now live. Let us rejoice that priesthood keys are once again on the earth.

I invite you to consider carefully the following three statements: One, the gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. Two, 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). And three, 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. Priesthood keys restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith make it possible for every covenant-keeping man and woman to enjoy incredible, personal spiritual privileges.

38:30

Sarah Jane Weaver: You have been listening to the Church News podcast. I’m your host, Church News executive editor Sarah Jane Weaver. I hope you have learned something today about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by peering with me through the Church News window. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast so it can be accessible to more people. And if you enjoyed the messages we shared today, please make sure you share the podcast with others. Thanks to our guests; my producer, KellieAnn Halvorsen; and others who make this podcast possible. Join us every week for a new episode. Find us on your favorite podcasting channels or with other news and updates on the Church on TheChurchNews.com.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles bends down to kiss Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on the head as they exit following the Saturday morning session at the Conference Center.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, bends down to kiss Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on the head as they exit after the Saturday morning session at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Audience members watch as President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivers his talk by recorded video during the Sunday afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kisses the hand of his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, as he moves toward his seat prior to the afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, left, speaks with President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, during the Sunday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 7, 2024.
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, left, speaks with President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, during the Sunday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 7, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Sister Jennifer Kearon, wave as they leave the afternoon session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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