Facebook Messages from the First Presidency
President Thomas S. Monson |
|
January 6, 2016
Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father will influence all that we do. Amidst the confusion of our age, the conflicts of conscience, and the turmoil of daily living, an abiding faith becomes an anchor to our lives. Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. I reiterate what we have been told repeatedly—that in order to gain and to keep the faith we need, it is essential that we read and study and ponder the scriptures. Communication with our Heavenly Father through prayer is vital. We cannot afford to neglect these things, for the adversary and his hosts are relentlessly seeking for a chink in our armor, a lapse in our faithfulness. Said the Lord, “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good.” January 12, 2016
A short while ago I heard the testimony of a woman who, with her husband, strayed from the path of safety, breaking commandments and, in the process, nearly destroying their family. When each of them could finally see through the thick haze of addiction and recognize how unhappy their lives had become, as well as how much they were hurting their loved ones, they began to change. The repentance process felt slow and was, at times, painful, but with the help of priesthood leaders, along with help from family and loyal friends, they made their way back. I share with you a portion of this sister’s testimony of the healing power of repentance: “How does someone go from being one of the lost sheep and gripped by [sin], to this peace and happiness we now feel? How does that happen? The answer … is because of a perfect gospel, a perfect Son and His sacrifice for me. … Where there was darkness, there is now light. Where there was despair and pain, there is joy and hope. We have been infinitely blessed by the change that can only come through repentance made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Despite the fact that the path is difficult, the promise is real. January 21, 2016
To each of you, I say that you are a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father. You have come from His presence to live on this earth for a season, to reflect the Savior’s love and teachings, and to bravely let your light shine for all to see. When that season on earth has ended, if you have done your part, yours will be the glorious blessing of returning to live with Him forever. How reassuring are the Savior’s words: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Of Him I testify. He is our Savior and Redeemer, our Advocate with the Father. He is our Exemplar and our strength. He is “the light which shineth in darkness.” January 27, 2016
I am confident there are within our sphere of influence those who are lonely, those who are ill, and those who feel discouraged. Ours is the opportunity to help them and to lift their spirits. The Savior brought hope to the hopeless and strength to the weak. He healed the sick; He caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the dead to life. Throughout His ministry He reached out in charity to any in need. As we emulate His example, we will bless lives, including our own. February 1, 2016
You may at times have cried out in your suffering, wondering why our Heavenly Father would allow you to go through whatever trials you are facing. On one occasion, a father accompanied his small daughter to nursery school and watched through a one-way glass window as she and her friends played with the toys which were provided. More than once this father was ready to enter the room, eager to save his daughter from the dangers of choice and discovery. His desire to protect her, however, was tempered by the instinct of a loving father, who knows that scraped knees, tears, and bruised feelings are often necessary parts of growth and development. We all have treasured memories of certain days in our lives—days when all seemed to go well for us, when much was accomplished or when relationships were pleasant and loving. It's not difficult to be happy on such perfect days. We wish all days could be so memorable for their perfection. Our mortal life, however, was never meant to be easy or consistently pleasant. Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become refined through hard challenges, heartbreaking sorrows, and difficult choices. Each one of us experiences dark days when loved ones pass away, painful times when our health is lost, feelings of being forsaken when those we love seem to have abandoned us. These and other trials present us with the real test of our ability to endure. February 13, 2016
Love is the catalyst that causes change. Love is the balm that brings healing to the soul. But love doesn’t grow like weeds or fall like rain. Love has its price. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). That Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ, gave His life that we might have eternal life, so great was His love for His Father and for us. February 24, 2016
We need not visit the Holy Land to feel Him close to us. We need not walk by the shores of Galilee or among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked. In a very real sense, all can walk where Jesus walked when, with his words on our lips, his spirit in our hearts, and his teachings in our lives, we journey through mortality. I would hope that we would walk as he walked—with confidence in the future, with an abiding faith in his Father, and a genuine love for others. March 3, 2016
As we read and ponder the scriptures, we will experience the sweet whisperings of the Spirit to our souls. We can find answers to our questions. We learn of the blessings which come through keeping God’s commandments. We gain a sure testimony of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of Their love for us. When scripture study is combined with our prayers, we can of a certainty know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. March 13, 2016
From time to time the question has been posed, “If Jesus appeared to you today, what questions would you ask of Him?” My answer has always been, “I would not utter a word. I would listen to Him.” Down through the generations of time, the message from Jesus has been the same. To Peter by the shores of beautiful Galilee, He said, “Follow me.” To Philip of old came the call, “Follow me.” To Levi who sat at receipt of customs came the instruction, “Follow me.” And to you and to me, if we but listen, shall come that same beckoning invitation, “Follow me.” March 21, 2016
When I was a boy, I had a wonderful teacher in Sunday School. From the Bible she would read to us of Jesus, the Redeemer and Savior of the world. One day she taught us how the little children were brought unto Him, that He should put His hands on them and pray. His disciples rebuked those that brought the children. “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). That lesson has never left me. March 24, 2016
I have learned that when we heed a silent prompting and act upon it without delay, our Heavenly Father will guide our footsteps and bless our lives and the lives of others. I know of no experience more sweet or feeling more precious than to heed a prompting only to discover that the Lord has answered another person’s prayer through you. March 27, 2016
My beloved brothers and sisters, in our hour of deepest sorrow, we can receive profound peace from the words of the angel that first Easter morning: “He is not here: for he is risen.” He is risen! He is risen! Tell it out with joyful voice. He has burst his three days’ prison; Let the whole wide earth rejoice. Death is conquered; man is free. Christ has won the victory! As one of His special witnesses on earth today, this glorious Easter Sunday, I declare that this is true. April 9, 2016
I remember when I was assigned to give my first talk in church. I was given the liberty to choose my subject. I’ve always liked birds, so I thought of the Seagull Monument. In preparation, I went to Temple Square and looked at the monument. First I was attracted to all the coins in the water surrounding the monument. I wondered how they would be retrieved and who would retrieve them. I shall not confess any thought of taking them. Then I looked upward at the seagulls atop that monument. I tried in my boyish mind to imagine what it would be like to be a pioneer watching the first year’s growth of precious grain being devoured by crickets and then seeing those seagulls, with their lofty wings, descending upon the fields and eating the crickets. I loved the account. I sat down with a pencil in hand and wrote out a two-and-one-half-minute talk. I’ve never forgotten the seagulls. I’ve never forgotten the crickets. I’ve never forgotten my knees knocking together as I gave that talk. I’ve never forgotten the experience of letting some of my innermost feelings be expressed verbally at the pulpit. April 13, 2016
One warm summer afternoon when I was about 12, I took a large, inflated inner tube from a tractor tire, slung it over my shoulder, and walked barefoot up the railroad track which followed the course of the river. I entered the water about a mile above the swimming hole and enjoyed a leisurely float down the river. The river held no fear for me, for I knew its secrets. That day the Greek-speaking people in Utah held a reunion at Vivian Park in Provo Canyon, as they did every year. Native food, games, and dances were the order of the day. But some left the party to try swimming in the river. When they arrived at the swimming hole, it was deserted, for afternoon shadows were beginning to envelop it. I was about to enter the swiftest portion of the river, just at the head of the swimming hole, when I heard frantic cries, “Save her! Save her!” A young lady swimmer, accustomed to the still waters of a gymnasium swimming pool, had fallen from the rock into the treacherous whirlpools. None of the party could swim to save her. I saw the top of her head disappearing under the water for the third time, there to descend to a watery grave. I stretched forth my hand, grasped her hair, and lifted her over the side of the tube and into my arms. At the pool’s lower end, the water was slower as I paddled the tube, with my precious cargo, to her waiting relatives and friends. They threw their arms around her and kissed her, crying, “Thank God! Thank God you are safe!” Then they hugged and kissed me. I was embarrassed and quickly returned to the tube and continued my float down to the Vivian Park bridge. The water was frigid, but I was not cold, for I was filled with a warm feeling. I realized that I had participated in the saving of a life. Heavenly Father had heard the cries, “Save her! Save her,” and permitted me, a deacon, to float by at precisely the time I was needed. That day I learned that the sweetest feeling in mortality is to realize that God, our Heavenly Father, knows each one of us and generously permits us to see and to share His divine power to save. April 22, 2016
I have been thinking recently about choices. It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny. When we left our premortal existence and entered mortality, we brought with us the gift of agency. Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal. April 28, 2016
Wherever you go, your priesthood goes with you. Are you standing in holy places? Before you put yourself and your priesthood in jeopardy by venturing into places or participating in activities which are not worthy of you or of that priesthood, pause to consider the consequences. Remember who you are and what God expects you to become. You are a child of promise. You are a man of might. You are a son of God. |
President Henry B. Eyring
|
|
January 8, 2016
The Lord’s way of caring for the needy provides another opportunity for parents to bless their children. I saw it in a chapel one Sunday. A small child handed the bishop his family’s donation envelope as he entered the chapel before the sacrament meeting. I knew the family and the boy. The family had just learned of someone in the ward in need. The boy’s father had said something like this to the child as he placed a more generous fast offering than usual in the envelope: “We fasted today and prayed for those in need. Please give this envelope to the bishop for us. I know that he will give it to help those with greater needs than ours.” Instead of any hunger pangs on that Sunday, the boy will remember the day with a warm glow. I could tell from his smile and the way he held the envelope so tightly that he felt the great trust of his father to carry the family offering for the poor. He will remember that day when he is a deacon and perhaps forever. January 13, 2016
A father or a bishop or a senior home teaching companion who shows that he trusts a young priesthood holder can change his life. My father was once asked by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to write a short paper on science and religion. My father was a famous scientist and a faithful priesthood holder. But I can still remember the moment he handed me the paper he had written and said, “Here, before I send this to the Twelve, I want you to read it. You will know if it is right.” He was 32 years older than me and immeasurably more wise and intelligent. I still am strengthened by that trust from a great father and priesthood man. I knew that his trust was not in me but that God could and would tell me what was true. January 20, 2016
Read the scriptures aloud together as a family. It may take unusual determination and inspiration to find a time and a setting. But reading and hearing the words of life from the scriptures will invite the Holy Ghost to confirm their truth. The Savior said it this way: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). President Marion G. Romney once recounted reading the Book of Mormon aloud, alternating paragraphs with his young son, he on the bottom level of a double-decker bed and his son on the upper. He thought his son was catching a cold but then learned that the tears came from his son feeling testimony that the book was true. And because they read together, both were blessed. January 31, 2016
A testimony is a simple expression of what we feel. The member who has fasted both for the blessing of the poor and for the companionship of the Spirit will be feeling gratitude for the love of God and the certainty of eternal truth. Even a child can feel such things, which may be why sometimes the testimony of a child so moves us and why our preparation of fasting and prayer produces in us childlike feelings. That preparation for the fast and testimony meeting is a covenant obligation for members of the Church. The offering of the gospel to those we meet and to our families are covenant obligations. We can take heart that our honest effort to keep our covenants allows God to increase our power to do it. We all need that assurance at times when our promise to love and to witness seems hard for us. February 3, 2016
Kneel together in humble prayer as a family, each having the opportunity to be voice. There may be times when the prayer seems rote and when those not praying let their minds wander. But there will be other priceless moments when someone will petition in faith for real needs and the Holy Ghost will touch hearts with testimony. I don’t remember as much of my mother’s teaching as I do her prayers for us. I could feel her love, and the Spirit confirmed in my heart that she loved Heavenly Father and the Savior and that her prayers would be answered. She brought blessings down on our heads then, and the memory of her prayers still does. February 11, 2016
When tragedy strikes or even when it looms, our families will have the opportunity to look into our hearts to see whether we know what we said we knew. Our children will watch, feel the Spirit confirm that we lived as we preached, remember that confirmation, and pass the story across the generations. I have one such story in my legacy. Grandmother Eyring learned from a doctor in his office that she would die of stomach cancer. My father, her oldest son, had driven her there and was waiting for her. He told me that on the way home she said, “Now, Henry, let’s be cheerful. Let’s sing hymns.” They sang “O My Father” and “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” where the last verse begins, “And should we die before our journey’s through.” I wasn’t there, but I imagine they sang loudly—they didn’t have very melodic voices—with faith and no tears. She spent part of her last months in the home of her oldest child, her daughter. Aunt Camilla told me that Grandma complained only once, and then it was not really a complaint but just to say that it hurt. Now, there are many people who have been cheerful and brave in the face of death. But it means far more to her family when the person has taught and testified of the power of the Savior to succor, of the sureness of the Resurrection, and of the hope of eternal life. The Spirit confirmed to me that Grandma’s peace and her courage were signs that her testimony was true, and because of that, all was well, all was well. February 16, 2016
Life in families will test us. That is one of God’s purposes in giving us the gift of mortality—to strengthen us by passing through tests. That will be especially true in family life, where we will find great joy and great sorrow and challenges which may at times seem beyond our power to endure them. President George Q. Cannon said this about how God has prepared you and me and our children for the tests we will face: “There is not one of us but what God’s love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save, and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes, and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are the children of God, and that He has actually given His angels—invisible beings of power and might—charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping.” What President Cannon taught is true. You will need that assurance, as I have needed it and depended on it. February 25, 2016
Years ago I baptized a young man in Albuquerque, New Mexico, whom my missionary companion and I had taught. I put the young man down into the water and brought him up. He must have been nearly as tall as me because he spoke directly into my ear. With water from the font and tears running down his face and with joy in his voice, he said, “I’m clean, I’m clean.” I have seen those same tears of happiness in the eyes of someone who recounted the words of an Apostle of God. He had said to her, after a searching and tender interview, “I forgive you in the name of the Lord. He will give you the assurance of His forgiveness in His own time and in His own way.” And He did. I have seen why the Lord can say that when sins are forgiven, He can remember them no more. By the power of the Atonement, people I know well and love became new, and the effects of sin were wiped away. My heart has been filled with love for the Savior and the loving Father who sent Him. March 2, 2016
Years ago a friend of mine spoke of his grandmother. She had lived a full life, always faithful to the Lord and to His Church. Yet one of her grandsons chose a life of crime. He was finally sentenced to prison. My friend recalled that his grandmother, as she drove along a highway to visit her grandson in prison, had tears in her eyes as she prayed with anguish, “I’ve tried to live a good life. Why, why do I have this tragedy of a grandson who seems to have destroyed his life?” The answer came to her mind in these words: “I gave him to you because I knew you could and would love him no matter what he did.” There is a wonderful lesson for us all. The way for loving parents and grandparents and all of God’s servants will not be easy in a decaying world. We cannot force God’s children to choose the way to happiness. God cannot do that because of the agency He has given us. Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son love all of God’s children no matter what they choose to do or what they become. March 18, 2016
You may have had an earthly parent who thought that you could be better than you thought you could be. I had such a mother. What I didn’t know when I was young was that my Heavenly Father, your Heavenly Father, sees greater potential in His children than we or even our earthly mothers see in us. And whenever you move upward on that path toward your potential, it brings Him happiness. And you can feel His approval. He sees that glorious potential in all of His children, wherever they are. Now, that puts a great responsibility on each of you. He expects you to treat every person you meet as a child of God. That is the reason He commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and to forgive them. Your feelings of kindness and forgiveness toward others come as your divine inheritance from Him. Each person you meet is His loved spiritual child. March 27, 2016
I testify that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. They are resurrected and glorified beings who love us and watch over us. April 6, 2016
I bear you my witness that God the Father lives, a glorified and exalted Man. He is the Father of our spirits. He and His Beloved Son, both resurrected and glorified, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in a grove of trees in New York. They were there. The Father spoke to Joseph, first calling him by name and then introducing His Son. Heavenly messengers came to restore all the priesthood keys of authority. Joseph translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. It had been written on plates by ancient prophets, one of whom gave them to Joseph and took them back when the translation was done. The keys of the priesthood are on the earth today. As a witness of Jesus Christ, I testify to you that I know He lives and that He leads His Church. April 12, 2016
Several years ago, I learned again the power that comes from trying harder to have the scriptures opened to our hearts. It began when I noticed the scriptures of a man sitting next to me in a meeting. He opened them as the discussion progressed, and I could see that they were marked, as I had done, but with a difference. He had placed colored tags on the edges of pages, keyed to the colors in which he had marked the scriptures. I asked him after the meeting to tell me about it. He showed me the front of his scriptures where he had placed a typed page. On that page were topics about the gospel, each with a line under it. And he had placed the colored markers on the edge of the scriptures, one color for each topic, so that he could study all the scriptures that were helpful to him on that topic. Within a day I had purchased an inexpensive set of scriptures. But it took more than a few days and more than a few prayers for me to know the topics that would open the scriptures anew for me. I chose the topics that would teach me of my call to be a witness of Jesus Christ. The first topic is the witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; the next is that He is risen; and the third is that He is the head of His Church. I would not urge you to buy a new set of scriptures, nor to get colored tags and colored pencils, nor to choose the topics that I chose. But I plead with you to return to the scriptures in some way that opens your mind and heart to be taught. April 22, 2016
Everything we do should have celestial marriage as its focus and purpose. That means we must strive to be sealed to an eternal companion in the temple of God. We must also encourage others to make and keep the covenants that bind a husband and wife together, with their family, in this life and in the world to come. Why should this matter so much to each of us—young or old, deacon or high priest, son or father? It is because our priesthood obligation is to put our families and the families of those around us at the center of our concern. Every major decision should be based on the effect it will have on a family to qualify for life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There is nothing in our priesthood service as important as this. April 27, 2016
Time and again President Thomas S Monson has said he knows the reality of the Lord’s promise: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88). One of the ways He goes before your face is to prepare the heart of a person He has asked you to serve. He will prepare your heart as well. You will also find that the Lord puts helpers by your side—on your right, on your left, and all around you. You do not go alone to serve others for Him. |
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
|
|
January 14, 2016
I have come to feel and know that temples are literally houses of the Lord. Temples are where heaven meets earth and where we can feel close to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. In 1955 the Swiss Temple was dedicated, the first outside of the United States and Canada. My family was sealed in this temple when I was a young teenager. After this wonderful experience I yearned to return to the Swiss Temple to feel that spirit again. A friend and I decided to go to the temple on our own. My friend was old enough to have a motorcycle license, so we borrowed a motor scooter and the two of us headed down to Switzerland. The roads were horrible, and it was a rough six-hour ride. The weather was cold and rainy. I remember it being a much more uncomfortable trip than I had hoped. However, when we finally arrived and walked around the temple, I experienced again the warm and wonderful feeling of goodness and wholeness. It was similar to what I felt when my family was sealed together. The Swiss Temple was special for me and my family, but it also had a significant impact on the Church in Europe. Among many other great influences, it motivated generations of members to stay in their homelands and build the Church in Europe. Today we are privileged to live at a time when the light of the temples of the Most High shines brightly in many nations. Let us strive to always be worthy to enter the house of the Lord. Let us help others prepare for the blessings available in our sacred temples. #tbt January 27, 2016
Last weekend Living Legends of Aviation honored our dear friend Colonel Gail Halvorsen for his lifelong positive impact on children. It was my honor to present him with the Kiddie Hawk Children’s Award. May we each find opportunities to serve and bless the lives of God’s children as Brother Halvorsen has. Later that evening, I was privileged to be in a photo with Brother Halvorsen and Harrison Ford. Our 95-year-old Candy Bomber looked almost the youngest between the Millennium Falcon pilot and me—a former airline captain. February 4, 2016
I often ponder about the Savior’s character. When you search the scriptures and study the Lord’s dealings in past dispensations, you will see a consistent, common pattern, like I have. The Lord has always commanded His children to serve and to love Him and to seek the welfare of their brothers and sisters. I wish we could all sit in a group and share experiences in which the Lord has worked through you, in which you have witnessed the transforming power of God’s love. I am always eager to hear about how, through one person’s act of consecration, both the giver and receiver are lifted and blessed. Since we cannot meet in person, I invite you to share with me in the comments below how you have been lifted and blessed through service. As we recognize these blessings, we grow as individuals. As always, I am eager to read your responses. February 5, 2016
I recently sat down for an interview to talk about my experiences as a refugee when I was a young boy. Through these experiences I have learned that there is much we can and should do to show our love for God’s children. There are many around us who are struggling with a variety of challenging life situations at this moment. There are many besides refugees who have lost hope and are looking for answers in their lives. I plead with you to never label anyone. We are all children of Heavenly Father and therefore brothers and sisters. Let us look for opportunities to help wherever we can. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts; let us notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us; let us be an answer to those prayers; let us be instruments in the hands of the Lord. February 5, 2016
Earlier today I shared a short clip of an interview in which I spoke about my experiences as a refugee and the Church’s role to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” I’d also invite you to watch the full interview. To view it, please click here: https://youtu.be/-uJKrJi2woQ February 9, 2016
Thank you for sharing in your responses to my recent post how the Lord worked through you to lift and bless others. I was touched by the beautiful experiences you shared as you served others. I also appreciated reading comments about when you were blessed by someone helping you. There is great power in recognizing service rendered by others and expressing gratitude for it. Please continue to listen to heavenly guidance in your service, and never forget to be grateful. I learned that we become more refined, more charitable, and more humble when we realize that life is not so much about us as it is about Him. March 9, 2016
Having charity and caring for one another is not simply a good idea. It is not simply one more in a seemingly infinite list of things we ought to consider doing. It is the core of the gospel—an indispensable, essential, foundational element. Without service we are a mere shadow of who we are meant to be—both as individuals and as a Church. We are endangering our heritage and promise as children of God. We cannot, we will not be saved without blessing and lifting the poor. No matter the outward appearance of our righteousness, if we look the other way when others are suffering, we cannot be justified. March 23, 2016
The recent dedication of the Provo City Center Temple made me think of the many missionaries who serve worldwide—not only serving as temple missionaries but also by proselyting, doing welfare and humanitarian work, and participating in many other capacities. I recently had the privilege to meet again two old friends, Grant and Sharol Wilson. They are excellent examples of what it means to give our lives in service to the Lord. They have served proselyting missions in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Germany. They also served three temple missions, in the Bern Switzerland and Washington D.C. Temples. How grateful we are to missionaries of all ages who choose to dedicate their lives to serving our Heavenly Father’s children, often under challenging circumstances. How grateful we are during this Easter season for the messages of peace and love our missionaries bring to all the world. The dedication of the Provo City Center Temple took place on Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem amid hosanna shouts of the people. The dedication of our temples include the "Hosanna Anthem," praising our Savior, who is leading our Church today. Soon we will gather worldwide in general conference to continue to praise the Lord and testify of Him. May we all look to Him, as have Brother and Sister Wilson. In this way, we can show our thanks and praise to our Savior, who suffered, died, and was resurrected so that we all may live again. March 31, 2016
Brothers and sisters, I am eager to attend and listen to general conference this weekend. I always enjoy these hours of heavenly guidance. I am confident that if we prepare and listen with real intent, we will hear messages that will touch our hearts and apply to our personal situations. #LDSconf April 2, 2016
Tonight I spoke about saving and enriching our marriages and families. As I spoke, I thought of my beloved wife Harriet. I think I fell in love with her from the first moment I saw her. Unfortunately, this beautiful young woman didn’t seem to feel the same about me. But time passed, and eventually I was married to the woman I had loved ever since I first saw her. The process hadn’t been easy—there were moments of suffering and despair—but finally my happiness was full, and it still is, even more so. I have learned that in God’s plan of happiness, we are not so much looking for someone perfect but for a person with whom, throughout a lifetime, we can join efforts to create a loving, lasting and more perfect relationship. To all, married or single, I say: let the pure love of Christ fill your heart. Whatever problems your family, marriage, or relationships face—and whatever you must do to solve them—the beginning and the end of the solution is charity, the pure love of Christ. “Charity never faileth.” It is true for saving marriages! It is true for saving families! #LDSconf April 3, 2016
Today at #LDSconf, I shared my childhood experience of witnessing a world war. I spoke of the beautiful Lutheran church Frauenkirche. Originally built in the 1700s, it had been one of the city of Dresden’s shining jewels, but the war reduced it to a pile of rubble. For many years it remained that way, until finally it was rebuilt. If man can take the ruins, rubble, and remains of a broken city and rebuild an awe-inspiring structure that rises toward the heavens, how much more capable is our Almighty Father to restore His children who have fallen, struggled, or become lost? It matters not how completely ruined our lives may seem. It matters not how scarlet our sins, how deep our bitterness, how lonely, abandoned, or broken our hearts may be. Even those who are without hope, who live in despair, who have betrayed trust, surrendered their integrity, or turned away from God can be rebuilt. To all reading this, I testify that our loving Savior knows you. He knows when you are lost, and He knows where you are. He knows your grief. Your silent pleadings. Your fears. Your tears. All that matters is that you are His child. And He loves you, His children. Because He loves you, He will find you. I testify that if you will only lift up your heart to Him, He will find you. April 10, 2016
During the October 2014 general women’s session, I spoke about living the gospel joyfully. This was—and still is—so important to me because so many of us are living beneath our privileges. If we will just close our umbrellas, our Heavenly Father will shower blessings down upon us. I was pleased to see the creation of this video that supports this message and I wanted to share it with you. I pray we all will receive the blessings our Heavenly Father wants to provide to us. April 19, 2016
The Savior exemplified the ultimate pattern for serving others. He walked among and loved the sick, the broken, the rejected. He spent time among the poor, the unpopular, and the burdened. He knew that it was the sick, not the whole, who need a physician. He loved the poor and the hungry, and He reached out to those who sorrowed and suffered. He forsook the riches and honors of men and instead ministered to and healed those who were most in need. Not only is this the pattern God has given to His children, it is also the path we must walk if we wish to please God. If we are to be His disciples, to represent Him on earth, we must follow this same path. Something happens within us as we extend ourselves to others. We become more refined, more charitable, more humble. Our hearts become more receptive to the Spirit, and the windows of heaven can be opened to us. |