Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday evening session of April 2024 general conference. He gave steps to finding a higher peace and joy. The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Uchtdorf’s talk summary
Life is not all full of highs, for there is opposition — and feeling sad is not a sign of failure. But there is a peaceful confidence that comes from following the Savior.
“The peace He gives us is not like what the world gives. It is better. It is higher and holier.”
Joy is the very purpose of God’s plan for His children.
Worldly happiness cannot last, but godly joy is eternal. “It is the joy that endures heartbreak, penetrates sorrow and diminishes loneliness.”
A few beginning steps on the journey of discovering pure joy include:
- Draw near unto God. “I have learned that if we draw near to God and reach out to touch Him, we can indeed find healing, peace and joy.”
- Look for it. “We rarely find something we are not looking for. Are we looking for eternal joy? Seek and ye shall find.”
- Bear one another’s burdens. “True joy multiplies when it is shared.”
As people follow these invitations and strive to walk in God’s way, they will experience “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” even in the midst of sorrows. “You will feel your spirit lifting away from the gravity of this world.”
See the full text of Elder Uchtdorf’s talk: ‘A Higher Joy’
Watch his message
Notable quotes
“God has something more to give. A higher and more profound joy — a joy that transcends anything this world offers. It is the joy that endures heartbreak, penetrates sorrow, and diminishes loneliness.”
“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.”
“We rarely find something we are not looking for. Are we looking for eternal joy? Seek and ye shall find.”
Who is Elder Uchtdorf?
- Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2004. He served as second counselor in the First Presidency under President Thomas S. Monson, from February 2008 to January 2018.
- From 1965 to 1996, he was a pilot, captain and corporate executive for the German airline Lufthansa.
- Twice in his life, he and his family have been refugees. As a 4-year-old boy, World War II forced him from Czechoslovakia. Years later, the Uchtdorfs fled their home in East Germany in search of safety in West Germany.
- He met his wife, Sister Harriet Reich Uchtdorf, in their teens while attending a branch in Frankfurt, Germany, soon after she and her family joined the Church. Years later, following Elder Uchtdorf joining the German air force and completing his training in the United States, they began a courtship and were soon married in the Swiss Temple (now the Bern Switzerland Temple) in 1962. They are the parents of two children.
What has Elder Uchtdorf done recently?
- During the October 2023 general conference, he used the parable of the prodigal son to illustrate how the Father rejoices when His children return to Him.
- Elder Uchtdorf dedicated the McAllen Texas Temple in October 2023, saying it represents unity in a place where families are divided by literal and figurative walls.
- Later that month, he met with several ambassadors, diplomats and senators in Washington, D.C., to foster friendships and transparency.
- In November 2023, he paid tribute to German prisoners of war at the Fort Douglas Military Cemetery.
Read more of Elder Uchtdorf’s general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
