- The historic adjustments announced today have only one overarching purpose: to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His plan and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. The Sunday meeting schedule was not simply shortened. Rather, we now have increased opportunities and responsibilities as individuals and families to use our time for enhancing the Sabbath as a delight at home and at church.
Elder Bednar promises us that as we implement these changes, we will be able to see the Lord's influence and have a great capacity to hear His voice in our everyday lives.
- As we learn and link together revealed gospel truths, we are blessed to receive precious perspective and increased spiritual capacity through eyes that can see the Lord’s influence in our lives and ears that can hear His voice.
He uses the example of the fourth article of faith as steps that are made to follow the Savior. He shares that the principles build upon each other to bring us closer to the Savior.
- Exercising faith in Christ is trusting and placing our confidence in Him as our Savior, on His name, and in His promises.
- Repentance is trusting in and relying upon the Redeemer to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
- The ordinance of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins requires us to trust in Him, rely upon Him, and follow Him.
- The ordinance of laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost requires us to trust in Him, rely upon Him, follow Him, and press forward in Him with the assistance of His Holy Spirit.
Elder Bednar speaks about the consolidation of church meetings in 1980 to encourage family learning and provide family more time in their homes to increase faith. He also speaks about the announcement in 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley that their were would be smaller temples throughout the world to bring temples to the people. He continues by talking about the combining of priesthood quorums to help strengthen each other and the consolidation of the two hour church service to emphasis the need for family study in the home. All these changes that have been made in years past were to bring Christ more into our lives and increase our faith in our Heavenly Fathers plan.
Elder Bednar concludes by promising us an increase recognition of the Savior in our lives as we live the gospel and effectively change ourselves to be more in tune with the spirit.
- I promise that increased perspective, purpose, and power will be evident in our learning and living of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as we strive to gather together in one all things in Christ—even in Him. All opportunities and blessings of eternal consequence originate in, are possible and have purpose because of, and endure through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Elder Bednar clarifies that the changes that are being made under the direction of President Russell M. Nelson are for the purpose of bringing more and more of us to Christ. The changes are to encourage us to build a personal relationship with the Savior individually and with our families. I am grateful that we have leaders today that are helping us come closer to God.