[00:00:06.65] From the Conference Center Theater
in Salt Lake City, Utah, this is the Saturday afternoon session of the 191st Annual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with speakers selected
from the General Authorities and General Officers of the Church. Music for this session is provided by The
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square from previous general conferences. [00:00:36.40] This broadcast is furnished
as a public service by Bonneville Distribution. Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent is prohibited. [00:00:51.06] President Henry B. Eyring, Second
Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, will conduct this session. [00:01:01.72] Brothers and sisters, we welcome
you to the Saturday afternoon session of the 191st Annual General Conference of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Russell M. Nelson, who presides
at the conference, has asked me to conduct this session. [00:01:26.77] We extend our greetings to members
of the Church and friends everywhere who are participating by means of television, radio,
or the internet. [00:01:39.05] The music for this session,
which has been recorded previously, will be by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square under
the direction of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, with various organists. The choir will now favor us with "Guide Us,
O Thou Great Jehovah." The invocation will then be offered by Elder
Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy. [00:04:21.91] (Singing: "Guide Us, O Thou
Great Jehovah") [00:04:44.06] Our dear Father in Heaven, humbly
we bow our heads and thank thee for all of our blessings, including being gathered for
this session of general conference. We are supremely grateful to Thee for Thy
son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. We are also grateful for prophets and apostles
to lead and guide us in these unsettled times. [00:05:11.55] We pray for those in need; please
bless them and help us to watch over and care for one another. Please bless those who will speak to us today. And open our hearts and minds that we might
receive inspiration. We love Thee, and we invite Thy Spirit to
be with us, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. [00:05:48.30] President Dallin H. Oaks will
now present the General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers of the Church
for a sustaining vote. After which, Jared B. Larson, managing director
of the Church Auditing Department, will read the Annual Report. President Oaks. [00:06:19.18] Brothers and sisters, I will
now present the General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers of the Church
for your sustaining vote. Please express your vote in the usual way
wherever you may be. If there are those who oppose any of the proposals,
we ask that you contact your stake president. [00:06:44.52] It is proposed that we sustain
Russell Marion Nelson as prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints; Dallin Harris Oaks as First Counselor in the First Presidency;
and Henry Bennion Eyring as Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Those in favor may manifest it. Those opposed, if any, may manifest it. [00:07:18.04] It is proposed that we sustain
Dallin H. Oaks as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and M. Russell Ballard
as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Those in favor, please signify. Any opposed may manifest it. [00:07:38.07] It is proposed that we sustain
the following as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: M. Russell Ballard, Jeffrey
R. Holland, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil
L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G. Renlund, Gerrit W. Gong, and Ulisses
Soares. Those in favor, please manifest it. Any opposed may so indicate. [00:08:23.32] It is proposed that we sustain
the counselors in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets,
seers, and revelators. All in favor, please manifest it. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign. [00:08:43.32] As a matter of information,
Elders Robert C. Gay and Terence W. Vinson will be released from their service as members
of the Presidency of the Seventy, effective August 1, 2021. Those who wish to express gratitude to these
Brethren for their dedicated service may do so by the uplifted hand. [00:09:11.13] The following Area Seventies
have been released: Elders Sean Douglas, Michael A. Dunn, Clark G. Gilbert, Alfred Kyungu,
Carlos G. Revillo Jr., and Vaiangina Sikahema. Those who wish to join us in expressing appreciation
for their excellent service, please manifest it. [00:09:42.05] We have released the Primary
General Presidency as follows: Joy D. Jones as President, Lisa L. Harkness as First Counselor,
and Cristina B. Franco as Second Counselor. All who wish to join us in expressing appreciation
to these sisters for their devoted service, please manifest it. [00:10:09.35] It is proposed that we sustain
Elders Paul V. Johnson and S. Mark Palmer to serve as members of the Presidency of the
Seventy, effective August 1, 2021. Those in favor may manifest it. Any opposed by the same sign. [00:10:34.79] It is proposed that we sustain
the following as General Authority Seventies: Sean Douglas, Michael A. Dunn, Clark G. Gilbert,
Patricio M. Giuffra, Alfred Kyungu, Alvin F. Trip Meredith, Carlos G. Revillo Jr., and
Vaiangina Sikahema. All in favor, please manifest it. Those opposed, by the same sign. [00:11:22.62] It is proposed that we sustain
the new Area Seventies as announced by the Church earlier this week. Those in favor, please manifest it. Any opposed, by the same sign. [00:11:40.57] It is proposed that we sustain
as the new Primary General Presidency, Camille N. Johnson as President, Susan Elizabeth Porter
as First Counselor, and Amy Eileen Wright as Second Counselor. Those in favor, manifest it. Any opposed may so signify. [00:12:11.73] It is proposed that we sustain
the other General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers as presently constituted. All in favor please manifest it. Those opposed, if any. [00:12:28.36] Again, those who oppose any
of the proposals are invited to contact their stake presidents. [00:12:35.62] Thank you for your continued
faith and prayers in behalf of the leaders of the Church. As announced, Jared B. Larson will now read
the Church Audit Report for 2020. [00:12:47.63] To the First Presidency of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dear Brethren, Directed by revelation, as
recorded in Section 120 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Council on the Disposition
of the Tithes, composed of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the
[00:13:15.77] Twelve Apostles, and the Presiding Bishopric, authorizes the expenditure of Church
funds. Church entities disburse funds in accordance
with approved budgets, policies, and procedures. [00:13:29.17] Church Auditing, which consists
of credentialed professionals and is independent of all other
[00:13:34.40] Church departments and entities, has responsibility to perform audits for the
purpose of providing reasonable assurance regarding contributions received, expenditures
made, and safeguarding of Church assets. [00:13:50.66] Based upon audits performed,
Church Auditing is of the opinion that, in all material respects, contributions received,
expenditures made, and assets of the Church for the year 2020 have been recorded and administered
in accordance with approved Church budgets, policies, and accounting practices. The Church follows the practices taught to
its members of living within a [00:14:15.90] budget, avoiding debt, and saving
against a time of need. [00:14:20.72] Respectfully submitted, Church
Auditing Department, Jared B. Larson, Managing Director. [00:14:24.53] The choir will now favor us
with "If I Listen with My Heart." After the singing, we will be
[00:14:44.98] pleased to hear from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We will then view a previously recorded message
from Elder Jorge T. Becerra of the Seventy, who is serving in the South America Northwest
Area Presidency. Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles will then address us. [00:17:40.30] (Singing: If I Listen with My
Heart) [00:18:05.63] Prior to that first Easter,
as Jesus concluded the new sacramental ordinance that He
[00:19:13.06] had administered to the Twelve, He began His majestic farewell discourse and
moved toward [00:19:24.52] Gethsemane, betrayal, and crucifixion. However, sensing the concern and perhaps even
outright fear some of those men must have exhibited, He said this to them
[00:19:39.89] (and to us): [00:19:42.83] "Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God, believe also in me. ... I will not leave you comfortless: I will
come to you. ... Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid." [00:20:16.71] Challenging times come to those
in this mortal world, including to the faithful, but the
[00:20:24.19] reassuring message of Christ is that although He, the paschal lamb, would
go like "a sheep before [its] shearers," He would nevertheless rise, as the psalmist said,
to be "our refuge and strength, [our] very present help in [times of] trouble." [00:20:46.57] Realizing what difficult hours
lay ahead for Christ as He moved toward the cross and for His
[00:20:54.25] disciples as they would take His gospel to the world in the meridian of
time, go with me now to a related message for members of the Savior's Church in the
latter days. It lies in the staggering number of verses
in the Book of Mormon devoted to conflict of one kind or another, from Laman and Lemuel's
eternally annoying behavior up to final battles involving hundreds of thousands of soldiers. [00:21:30.48] One of the obvious reasons for
this emphasis is that inasmuch as the Book of Mormon was
[00:21:35.83] written for a latter-day audience, these authors--who experienced so much of
war themselves--prophetically warn us that violence and conflict will be a signature
characteristic of relationships in the last days. [00:21:53.64] Of course, my theory about latter-day
contention isn't very original. Two thousand years ago, the Savior warned
that in the last days there would be "wars and rumors of wars," later saying that "peace
[would] be taken from the earth." Surely this Prince of Peace, who taught emphatically
that contention is of the devil, surely he must weep along with His divine Father over
those in the human family in our day who are "without affection," the scripture says, and
who cannot [00:22:35.51] figure out how to live together
in love. Brothers and sisters, we do see too much conflict,
anger, [00:22:47.13] and general incivility around
us. [00:22:51.44] Fortunately, the current generation
has not had a Third World War to fight, nor have we experienced a global economic crash
like the one in 1929 leading to a Great Depression. We are, however, facing a kind of Third World
War that is not a fight to crush our enemies but a
[00:23:15.01] conscription marshaling the children of God to care more about each other
and to help heal the wounds we find in a conflicted world. [00:23:28.37] The Great Depression we now
face has less to do with the external loss of our savings and more to do with the internal
loss of our self-confidence, with real deficits of faith and hope and charity all around us. But the instruments we need to create a brighter
day and grow an economy of genuine goodness are abundantly provided for in the gospel
of Jesus Christ. [00:24:02.63] We cannot afford--and this world
cannot afford--our failure to put these gospel concepts and fortifying covenants to full
use, personally and publicly. [00:24:21.47] So, in a world "tossed with
tempest, and not comforted," as Jehovah said it would be, how do we find what He called
the "covenant of peace"? We find it by turning to Him, who said He
would have mercy on us and, "with everlasting kindness," grant peace to our children. [00:24:51.53] In spite of frightful prophecies
and unsettling scriptures declaring that peace would be taken from the earth generally, the
prophets, including our own beloved Russell M. Nelson, have taught that it does not have
to be taken from us individually! [00:25:14.48] So this Easter, let's try to
practice peace in a personal way, applying the grace and healing balm of the Atonement
of the Lord Jesus Christ to ourselves, and our families, and all those we can reach around
us. Fortunately, even astonishingly, this soothing
salve is made available to us "without money and without price." [00:25:52.15] Such help and hope is dearly
needed because in this worldwide congregation today are many who struggle with any number
of challenges--physical or emotional, social or financial, or a dozen other kinds of trouble. But many of these we are not strong enough
to address in and [00:26:16.92] of ourselves, for the help and
peace we need is not the kind "the world giveth." [00:26:26.18] No, for the truly difficult
problems we need what the scriptures call "the powers of heaven"; and to access these
[00:26:37.70] powers we must live by what those same scriptures call "principles of
righteousness." [00:26:46.36] Now understanding that connection
between principle and power is the one lesson the
[00:26:55.01] human family never seems able to learn, so says the God of heaven and earth! [00:27:06.17] And what are those principles? Well, they're listed repeatedly in scripture. They're taught again and again and again in
conferences like this. [00:27:18.92] And in our dispensation, the
Prophet Joseph Smith was taught them in response to his own version of the cry "My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In the cold, uncaring confinement of Liberty
Jail, he was taught that the [00:27:40.92] principles of righteousness
included such virtues as patience, "long-suffering, ... gentleness, ... and ... love unfeigned." Absent those principles, it was certain we
would eventually face [00:28:00.00] discord and enmity. [00:28:04.67] In that regard, may I speak
for a moment about the absence in some quarters of these principles of righteousness in our
time? As a rule, I am an upbeat, cheerful kind of
fellow. And there is so much that is so good and so
beautiful in our world. Certainly, we have more material blessings
than any generation in all of history. [00:28:32.85] But in twenty-first-century
culture generally and too often in the Church, we still see lives that are in trouble, with
compromises resulting in too many broken covenants and too many broken
[00:28:52.42] hearts. [00:28:55.01] Consider the coarse language
that parallels sexual transgression, both of which are so omnipresent in movies or on
television. Or note the sexual harassment and other forms
of impropriety we read so much about in the workplace. In matters of covenantal purity, the sacred
is too often being made common and the holy is too often being made profane. [00:29:32.14] To any who are tempted to walk
or talk or behave in these says, "as the world giveth," so to speak, don't expect it to lead
to peaceful experience; I promise you, in the name of the Lord, it won't. "Wickedness never was happiness," an ancient
prophet once said. When the dance is over, the piper must always
be paid, and most often it is in a currency of tears and regret. [00:30:13.53] Or perhaps we see other forms
of abuse or indignity. How doubly careful we have to be as disciples
of the Lord Jesus Christ not to fall victim to any such behavior. In no case are we to be guilty of any form
of abuse or unrighteous dominion or immoral coercion--not physical or emotional or ecclesiastical
or any other kind. [00:30:44.49] I remember feeling the fervor
of President Gordon B. Hinckley a few years ago when he spoke to the men of the Church
regarding those he called "tyrants in their own homes": "How tragic and utterly disgusting
a phenomenon is wife abuse," he said. "Any man in this Church who
[00:31:08.23] abuses his wife, who demeans her, who insults her, who exercises unrighteous
dominion over her is unworthy to hold the priesthood. ... [He] is unworthy to hold a temple recommend." Equally despicable, he said, was any form
of child abuse. or any other abuse. [00:31:34.06] In too many instances, otherwise
faithful men, women, and even children can be guilty of speaking unkindly, even destructively,
to those to whom they may well be sealed by a holy ordinance in the temple of the Lord. Everyone has the right to be loved, to feel
peaceful, and to find safety at home. Please, may we try to maintain that environment
there. [00:32:16.58] The promise of being a peacemaker
is that you will have the Holy Ghost for your [00:32:23.55] constant companion, and blessings
will flow to you "without compulsory means ... forever." No one can employ a sharp tongue or unkind
words and still sing on tune "the song of redeeming love." [00:32:49.68] May I close where I began. Tomorrow is Easter, a time for the righteous
principles of the [00:33:08.42] gospel of Jesus Christ and His
Atonement to "pass over," pass over conflict and contention, pass over despair and transgression,
and pass over ultimately over death. It's a time to pledge total loyalty in word
and deed to the Lamb of God, who "[bore] our griefs, and carried our sorrows" in His determination
to finish the work of salvation in our behalf. [00:33:39.65] In spite of betrayal and pain,
mistreatment and cruelty, and bearing all the accumulated sins and sorrows of the human
family, the Son of the Living God looked down the long path of mortality, saw us this weekend,
and said: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid." [00:34:21.23] Have a blessed, joyful, peaceful
Easter. Its untold possibilities have already been
paid for by the [00:34:32.63] Prince of Peace, whom I love
with all my heart, whose Church this is, and of whom I bear unequivocal witness, even the
Lord Jesus Christ, amen. [00:34:56.98] As a boy I remember driving
in the car with my father and seeing individuals on the roadside who had found themselves in
difficult circumstances or who needed help. My father would always make the comment, "pobrecito,"
which means "poor little one." [00:35:12.24] On occasion, I watched with
interest as my father would help many of these people, especially when we would travel to
Mexico to see my grandparents. He would typically find someone in need and
then go privately and provide that help that they needed. I later discovered that he was helping them
enroll in school, buy some food, or provide in some way or another for their well-being. He was ministering to a "poor little one"
that came across his path. [00:35:37.59] In fact, in my growing up years
I cannot remember a time when we did not have someone living with us who needed a place
to stay as they became self-reliant. Watching these experiences created a spirit
of compassion towards my fellow man and for those in need. [00:35:53.18] In Preach My Gospel it states,
"you are surrounded by people. You pass them on the street, visit them in
their homes, and travel among them. They are all children of God, your brothers
and sisters. ... many of these people are searching for
purpose in life. They are concerned for their future and their
families." [00:36:10.40] Throughout the years in serving
in the Church, I have tried to seek after those who needed help in their lives both
temporally and spiritually. I would often hear the voice of my father
saying "pobrecito," poor little one. [00:36:23.65] In the Bible we find a wonderful
example of caring for a poor little one. "Now Peter and John went up together [in]to
the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb
was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to
ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into
the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with
John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive
something of them. [00:36:55.97] "Then Peter said, Silver and
gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted
him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength." [00:37:13.71] In reading this account, I was
intrigued by the use of the word fastening. The word fastening means "to direct one's
eyes, thoughts, or look intently at." As Peter looked at this man, he saw him differently
than others. He looked past his inability to walk and weaknesses
and could discern that his faith was adequate to become healed and enter into the temple
to receive the blessings he was seeking. I noticed that he took him by the right hand
and lifted him up [00:37:41.71] as he assisted the man in this
way. [00:37:43.66] The Lord miraculously healed
him, and "his feet and ankle bones received strength." His love for this man and a desire to help
him caused an increase of capacity and ability in the man who was weak. [00:37:58.58] While serving as an Area Seventy,
I reserved each Tuesday night to do ministering visits with the stake presidents in my area
of responsibility. I invited them to make appointments with those
who were in need of an ordinance of the gospel of Jesus Christ or who were not currently
keeping the covenants that they had made. Through our consistent and intentional ministering,
the Lord magnified our efforts, and we were able to find individuals and families who
were in need. [00:38:24.54] These were the poor little ones
who lived in the different stakes where we served. On one occasion, I accompanied President Bill
Whitworth, the president of the Sandy Canyon [00:38:33.94] View stake, to do ministering
visits. [00:38:36.02] He was prayerful about whom
we should visit, trying to have the same experience as Nephi, who "was led by the Spirit, not
knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do." [00:38:46.44] He demonstrated that as we minister,
we should be led by revelation to those who are most in need, as opposed to just going
down a list or visiting people in a methodical way. We should be led by the power of inspiration. [00:39:01.96] I remember going into the home
of a young couple, Jeff and Heather, and their little boy, Kai.
[00:39:06.47] Jeff grew up an active member of the Church. He was a very talented athlete and had a promising
career. He began to drift away from the Church in
his early teenage years. Later, he got into a car accident, which altered
the course of his life. [00:39:22.40] As we entered into the home
and became acquainted, Jeff asked us why we came to see his family. We responded that there were about 3,000 members
who lived within the stake boundaries. I then asked him, "Jeff, of all the homes
we could have visited tonight, tell us why the Lord has sent us here." [00:39:42.01] With that, Jeff became emotional
and began to share with us some of his worries and some issues that they were dealing with
as a family. We began to share various
[00:39:51.29] principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:39:53.27] We invited them to do a few
specific things that might seem to be challenging at first but in time would bring great happiness
and joy. Then President Whitworth gave Jeff a priesthood
blessing to help him overcome his challenges. [00:40:10.04] Jeff and Heather agreed to do
what we invited them to do. About a year later it was my privilege to
watch Jeff baptize his wife, Heather, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
[00:40:22.76] Latter-day Saints. [00:40:24.00] They are now preparing themselves
to enter the temple to be sealed as a family for time and all eternity. Our visit altered the course of their lives
both temporally and [00:40:35.10] spiritually. [00:40:36.83] The Lord has stated: "Wherefore
be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift
up the hands [that] hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. And in doing these things thou wilt do the
greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your
Lord." [00:40:56.20] Brothers and Sisters, the Apostle
Paul taught a key element in our ministering. He taught that we are all "the body of Christ,
and members in particular" and that each member of the body is needed to ensure that the entire
body is edified. He then taught a powerful principle that entered
deeply into my heart when I read it. He said, "much more those members of the body,
which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think
to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour." [00:41:29.20] Hence, in each ward and branch
we need everyone--those who may be strong and those who are perhaps struggling. All are necessary to the vital edification
of the entire "body of Christ." [00:41:40.95] I often wonder who we are missing
in our various congregations that would strengthen us and make us whole. [00:41:48.25] In 1849 Brigham Young had a
dream where he saw the Prophet Joseph Smith driving a
[00:41:54.48] large herd of sheep and goats. Some of these animals were large and beautiful;
others were small and dirty. [00:42:00.60] Brigham recalled looking into
the Prophet Joseph Smith's eyes and saying, "Joseph, you have got the darndest flock... I ever saw in my life; what are you going
to do with them?" The Prophet, who seemed unconcerned with this
unruly flock, simply replied: "Brigham, [00:42:16.90] They are all good in their places." [00:42:19.72] When President Young awoke,
he understood that while the Church will gather a variety of "sheep and goats," it was his
responsibility to bring all in and allow each of them to realize their full potential as
they took their places in the Church. [00:42:34.65] Brothers and Sisters, the genesis
of my talk came as I thought deeply about one who is not engaged in The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a moment I would like to speak to each
one of them. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that "such individuals
often stay proximate to--but do not participate fully in--the Church. They will not come inside the chapel, but
neither do they leave its porch. These are they who need and are needed by
the Church, but who in part, 'live without God in the world.'" [00:43:10.83] I would echo the invitation
of our beloved President Russell M. Nelson as he first spoke to the
[00:43:15.93] membership of the church. [00:43:17.53] "Now, to each member of the
Church I say: Keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making
covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual
blessing and privilege available to men, [00:43:33.51] women, and children." [00:43:35.73] He then pleaded: "Now, if you
have stepped off the path, may I invite you with all the hope in my heart to please come
back. Whatever your concerns, whatever your challenges,
there is a place for you in this, the Lord's Church. You and generations yet unborn will be blessed
by your actions now to return to the covenant path." [00:43:59.70] I bear witness of Him, even
Jesus Christ, the Master, minister, and Savior of us all. I invite each of us to seek out the pobrecitos,
the poor little ones among us who are in need, is my hope and prayer in the sacred name of
Jesus Christ, amen. [00:44:24.04] In 1994, a genocide took place
in the east African country of Rwanda that was partly due to
[00:44:30.48] deep-seated tribal tensions. Estimates are that more than half a million
people were [00:44:35.64] killed. Remarkably, the Rwandan people have in large
part reconciled, but these events continue to reverberate. [00:44:45.32] A decade ago, while visiting
Rwanda, my wife and I struck up a conversation with another
[00:44:50.79] passenger at the Kigali airport. He lamented the unfairness of the genocide
and poignantly [00:44:57.44] asked, "If there were a God,
wouldn't He have done something about it?" [00:45:04.51] For this man--and for many of
us--suffering and brutal unfairness can seem incompatible with the reality of a kind, loving
Heavenly Father. Yet He is real, He is kind, and He loves each
of His children perfectly. This dichotomy is as old as mankind and cannot
be explained in a simple sound bite or on a bumper sticker. [00:45:32.95] To begin to make some sense
of it, let us explore various types of unfairness. Consider a family in which each child received
a weekly monetary allowance for doing common household chores. One son, John, purchased candy; one daughter,
Anna, saved her money. [00:45:53.06] Eventually, Anna bought herself
a bicycle. John thought it was totally unfair that Anna
got a bike when [00:46:01.16] he didn't. But John's choices created the inequality,
not parental actions. Anna's decision to forgo the immediate gratification
of eating candy didn't impose any unfairness on John because he had the same opportunity
as his sister. [00:46:20.43] Our decisions can likewise yield
long-term advantages or disadvantages. As the Lord revealed, "If a person gains more
knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another,
he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." [00:46:39.66] When others receive benefits
because of their diligent choices, we cannot rightly
[00:46:45.40] conclude that we have been treated unfairly when we have had the same opportunity. [00:46:51.04] Another example of unfairness
stems from a situation my wife, Ruth, encountered as a child. One day, Ruth learned that her mother was
taking a younger sister, Merla, to buy new shoes. Ruth complained, "Mom, it's so unfair! Merla got the last new pair of shoes." [00:47:12.63] Ruth's mother asked, "Ruth,
do your shoes fit?" Ruth replied, "Well, yes." Ruth's mother then said, "Merla's shoes no
longer fit." Ruth agreed that every child in the family
should have shoes [00:47:29.69] that fit. [00:47:30.66] Although Ruth would have liked
new shoes, her perception of being treated unfairly
[00:47:36.03] dissipated when she saw the circumstances through her mother's eyes. [00:47:42.14] Some unfairness cannot be explained;
inexplicable unfairness is infuriating. Unfairness comes from living with bodies that
are imperfect, injured, or diseased. Mortal life is inherently unfair. Some people are born in affluence; others
are not. Some have loving parents; others do not. [00:48:08.00] Some live many years, others
few. And on and on and on. [00:48:16.79] Some individuals make injurious
mistakes even when they are trying to do good. Some choose not to alleviate unfairness when
they could. Distressingly, some individuals use their
God-given agency to hurt others when they never should. [00:48:35.71] Different types of unfairness
can merge, creating a tsunami of overwhelming unfairness. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately
affects those who already are subject to multifactorial, underlying disadvantages. [00:48:55.49] My heart aches for those who
face such unfairness, but I declare with all my aching heart that Jesus Christ both understands
unfairness and has the power to provide a remedy. Nothing compares to the unfairness He endured. It wasn't fair that He experienced all the
pains and afflictions of mankind. It wasn't fair that He suffered for my sins
and mistakes and for yours. [00:49:24.66] But He chose to do so because
of His love for us and for Heavenly Father. He understands perfectly what we are experiencing. [00:49:35.01] Scripture records that ancient
Israelites complained that God was treating them unfairly. In response, Jehovah asked, "For can a woman
forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?" [00:49:51.68] As unlikely as it is that a
loving mother would forget her infant child, Jehovah declared that His devotion was even
more steadfast. He affirmed, "Yea, they may forget, yet will
I not forget thee. ... Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms
of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." [00:50:18.16] Because Jesus Christ endured
the infinite, atoning sacrifice, He empathizes perfectly with us. [00:50:25.62] He is always aware of us and
our circumstances. In mortality, we can "come boldly" to the
Savior and receive compassion, healing, and help. Even while we suffer inexplicably, God can
bless us in simple, ordinary, and significant ways. [00:50:44.30] As we learn to recognize these
blessings, our trust in God will increase. In the eternities, Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ will resolve all unfairness. We understandably want to know how and when. How are They going to do that? When are They going to do it? To my knowledge, They haven't revealed how
or when. What I do know is that They will. [00:51:16.85] In unfair situations, one of
our tasks is to trust that "all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement
of Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ overcame the world and "absorbed"
all unfairness. Because of Him, we can have peace in this
world and be of good cheer. If we let Him, Jesus Christ will consecrate
the unfairness for our gain. He will not just console us and restore what
was lost; He will use the unfairness for our benefit. [00:51:53.92] When it comes to how and when,
we need to recognize and accept, as did Alma, "it mattereth not; for God knoweth all these
things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case." We can try to hold our questions about how
and when for later and focus on developing faith in Jesus Christ--that He has both the
power to make everything right and yearns to do so. For us to insist on knowing how or when is
unproductive and, after all, myopic. [00:52:33.04] As we develop faith in Jesus
Christ, we should also strive to become like Him. We then approach others with compassion and
try to alleviate unfairness where we find it; we can try to make things right within
our sphere of influence. Indeed, the Savior directed that we "should
be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will, [to]
bring to pass much righteousness." [00:53:02.03] Someone who has been anxiously
engaged in combating unfairness is attorney Bryan Stevenson. His legal practice in the United States is
dedicated to defending the wrongly accused, ending excessive punishment, and protecting
basic human rights. [00:53:20.51] Some years ago, Mr. Stevenson
defended a man who had been falsely accused of murder and
[00:53:26.54] was condemned to die. Mr. Stevenson asked the man's local Christian
church for support, even though the man was not active in his church and was disparaged
in the community due to a widely known extramarital affair. [00:53:43.48] To focus the congregation on
what really mattered, Mr. Stevenson spoke to them about the woman accused of adultery
who was brought to Jesus. The accusers wanted to stone her to death,
but Jesus said, "He that is without sin ... , let him first cast a stone at her." The woman's accusers withdrew. Jesus did not condemn the woman but charged
her to sin no more. [00:54:12.80] After recounting this episode,
Mr. Stevenson observed that self-righteousness, fear, and anger have caused even Christians
to hurl stones at people who stumble. He then said, "We can't simply watch that
happen," and he encouraged the congregants to become "stone catchers." [00:54:37.47] Brothers and sisters, not throwing
stones is the first step in treating others with compassion. The second step is to try to catch stones
thrown by others. How we deal with advantages and
[00:54:52.66] disadvantages is part of life's test. [00:54:55.77] We will be judged not so much
by what we say but by how we treat the vulnerable and disadvantaged. As Latter-day Saints, we seek to follow the
Savior's example, to go about doing good. We demonstrate our love for our neighbor by
working to ensure the dignity of all Heavenly Father's children. [00:55:18.22] With our own advantages and
disadvantages in mind, reflection is healthy. For John to understand why Anna got the bike
was revealing. For Ruth to view Merla's need for shoes through
her mother's eyes was enlightening. To try to see things with an eternal perspective
can be clarifying. As we become more like the Savior, we develop
more empathy, understanding, and charity. [00:55:50.66] I return to the question posed
by our fellow passenger in Kigali, when he lamented the unfairness of the Rwandan genocide
and asked, "If there were a God, wouldn't He have done something about it?" [00:56:05.47] Without minimizing the suffering
caused by the genocide and after acknowledging our inability to comprehend such suffering,
we replied that Jesus Christ has done something about infuriating unfairness. We explained many gospel precepts concerning
Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His Church. [00:56:28.10] Afterwards, our acquaintance
asked, with tears in his eyes, "You mean there is something I can do for my dead parents
and uncle?" We said, "Oh, yes!" We then testified that all that's unfair about
life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that by His authority,
families can be joined together forever. [00:56:56.01] When faced with unfairness,
we can push ourselves away from God or we can be drawn toward Him for help and support. For example, the prolonged warfare between
the Nephites and the Lamanites affected people differently. Mormon observed that "many had become hardened"
while others "were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble
themselves before God." [00:57:23.26] Don't let unfairness harden
you or corrode your faith in God. Instead, ask God for help. Increase your appreciation for and reliance
on the Savior. Rather than becoming bitter, let Him help
you become better. Allow Him to help you persevere, to let your
afflictions be "swallowed up in the joy of Christ." Join Him in His mission to "heal the brokenhearted";
strive to mitigate unfairness, and become a stone catcher. [00:58:05.10] I testify that the Savior lives. He understands unfairness. The marks in the palms of His hands continually
remind Him of you and your circumstances. He ministers to you in all your
[00:58:23.32] distress. [00:58:24.78] For those who come to Him, a
crown of beauty will replace the ashes of mourning; joy and gladness will replace grief
and sorrow; appreciation and celebration will replace
[00:58:39.86] discouragement and despair. [00:58:42.07] Your faith in Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ will be [00:58:46.49] rewarded more than you can imagine. [00:58:50.04] All unfairness--especially infuriating
unfairness--will be consecrated for your gain. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ,
amen. [00:59:13.04] We invite you, wherever you
are, to join the choir in singing "Come, Ye Children of the Lord." [00:59:21.93] After the singing, we will hear
from Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He will be followed by Elder Thierry K. Mutombo,
of the Seventy, who recorded his message previously and is serving in the Africa Central Area
Presidency. [00:59:56.31] This is the Saturday afternoon
session of the 191st Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. [01:00:05.96] (Singing: Come, Ye Children
of the Lord) [01:02:45.01] Each of us has been affected
by the worldwide pandemic, as family and friends have unexpectedly moved beyond mortality. Let me acknowledge three we dearly miss, representing
all those we love so much. [01:03:02.46] This is Brother Philippe and
Sister Germain Nsondi. Brother Nsondi was serving as the patriarch
of the Brazzaville Congo Stake when he passed away. He was a medical doctor who shared his talents
generously with others. [01:03:21.11] This is Sister Clara Ruano de
Villareal from Tulcn, Ecuador. She embraced the restored gospel at age 34
and was a beloved leader. Her family said goodbye singing her favorite
hymn, "I Know [01:03:38.62] That My Redeemer Lives." [01:03:42.12] This is Brother Ray Tuineau
from Utah with his beautiful family. His wife, Juliet, said, "I want [my boys]
to [remember that their dad] always tried to put God first." [01:03:59.17] The Lord has said, "Thou shalt
live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die." While we weep, we also rejoice in the glorious
resurrection of our Savior. [01:04:14.01] Because of Him, our loved ones
and friends continue their eternal journey. [01:04:20.41] As President Joseph F. Smith
explained: "We cannot forget them; we do not cease to love them. ... They have advanced; we are advancing;
we are growing as they have grown." [01:04:34.69] President Russell M. Nelson
said, "Our tears of sorrow ... turn to tears of anticipation." Our eternal perspective not only enlarges
our understanding of those who are continuing their journey beyond mortality but also opens
our understanding of those who are earlier in their
[01:05:00.04] journey and just now entering mortality. [01:05:04.95] Each person who comes to earth
is a unique son or daughter of God. Our personal journey did not begin at birth. Before we were born, we were together in a
world of preparation, where we "received [our] first lessons in the world of spirits." [01:05:24.31] Jehovah told Jeremiah, "Before
I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest
[01:05:31.90] forth out of the womb I sanctified thee." [01:05:36.88] Some may question if life begins
with the formation of an embryo, or when the heart begins to
[01:05:42.95] beat, or when the baby can live outside the womb. But for us, there is no question that spirit
daughters and sons of God are on their own personal journeys coming to earth to receive
a body and experience mortality. [01:06:02.80] As covenant children of God,
we love, honor, nurture, safeguard, and welcome those spirits who are coming from the premortal
world. For a woman, having a child can be a great
sacrifice physically, emotionally, and economically. [01:06:23.89] We love and honor the amazing
women of this Church. With intelligence and wisdom, you bear the
burdens of your family. You love. You serve. You sacrifice. You strengthen faith, minister to those in
need, and greatly contribute to society. [01:06:44.41] Years ago, feeling deep concern
for the number of abortions in the world, President Gordon B.
[01:06:51.41] Hinckley addressed the women of the Church with words that are relevant
for us today. [01:06:56.91] He said: "You who are the wives
and mothers are the anchors of the family. You bear the children. What an enormous and sacred responsibility
that is. ... What is happening to our appreciation
of the sanctity of human life? [01:07:18.06] Abortion is an evil, stark and
real and repugnant, which is sweeping over the earth. I plead with the women of this Church to shun
it, to stand above it, to stay away from those compromising situations which make it appear
desirable. [01:07:36.27] There may be some few circumstances
under which it can occur, but they are extremely limited. ... You are the mothers of the sons and daughters
of God, whose lives are sacred. Safeguarding them is a divinely given responsibility
which cannot be lightly brushed aside." [01:08:00.04] Elder Marcus B. Nash shared
with me the story of a dear 84-year-old woman who, during her baptismal interview, "acknowledged
an abortion [many years before]." With heartfelt emotion, she said: "I have
carried the burden of having aborted a child every day of my life for 46 years. ... Nothing I did would take the pain and
guilt away. I was hopeless until I was taught the true
gospel of Jesus Christ. I learned how to repent ... and suddenly I
was filled with hope. I finally came to know that I could be forgiven
if I truly repented of my sins." [01:08:47.86] How grateful we are for the
divine gifts of repentance and forgiveness. What is our responsibility as peaceful disciples
of Jesus Christ? Let us live God's commandments, teach them
to our children, and share them with others who are willing to listen. Let us share our deep feelings about the sanctity
of life with those who make decisions in society. They may not fully appreciate what we believe,
but we pray that they will more fully understand why, for us, these decisions go well beyond
just what a person wants for his or her own life. [01:09:31.37] If an unanticipated child is
expected, let us reach out with love, encouragement, and, when needed, financial help, strengthening
a mother in allowing her child to be born and continue his or her journey in mortality. [01:09:50.17] In our family, we have been
immeasurably blessed as two decades ago a young 16-year-old learned that she was expecting
a child. She and the baby's father were not married,
and they could see no way forward together. The young woman believed the life she was
carrying was [01:10:09.67] precious. She gave birth to a baby girl and allowed
a righteous family to adopt her as their own. [01:10:17.79] For Bryce and Jolinne, she was
an answer to their prayers. They named her Emily and taught her to trust
in her Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Emily grew up. How grateful we are that Emily and our grandson
Christian fell in love and were married in the house of the Lord. [01:10:42.54] Emily and Christian now have
their own little girl. Emily recently wrote: "Throughout these last
nine months of pregnancy, I had time to reflect on the events [of] my own birth. I thought of my birth mother, who was just
16 years old. [01:11:01.59] As I experienced the aches and
changes that pregnancy brings, I couldn't help but imagine how difficult it would have
been at the young age of 16. ... The tears flow even now as I think of
my birth mother, who knew she couldn't give me the life [she desired for me and unselfishly
placed] me for adoption. [01:11:23.79] I can't fathom what she might
have gone through in those nine months; being watched with judging eyes as her body
[01:11:32.12] changed, the teen experiences she missed, knowing that at the end of this
labor of motherly [01:11:39.96] love, she would place her child
into the arms of another. I am so thankful for her selfless choice,
that she did not choose to use her agency in a way that would take away my own." [01:11:59.84] Emily concludes, "I'm so thankful
for Heavenly Father's divine plan, for my incredible parents who [loved and cared for]
me, and for temples where we can be sealed to our families for eternity." [01:12:16.67] The Savior "took a child, and
set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him into his arms, he said unto
them, "Whosoever shall receive one of [these] children in my name, receiveth me." [01:12:35.73] I express my love and compassion
for righteous couples who marry and are unable to have the
[01:12:42.99] children they so eagerly anticipate, and to those women and men who have not had
the [01:12:48.90] opportunity to marry according
to God's law. The unrealized dreams of life are difficult
to understand if viewed only from the perspective of mortality. [01:13:00.43] As the Lord's servant, I promise
you that as you are faithful to Jesus Christ and your covenants, you will receive compensating
[01:13:09.86] blessings in this life and your righteous desires in the eternal timeline
of the Lord. There can be happiness in the journey of mortality
even when all of our righteous hopes are not realized. [01:13:26.67] After birth, children continue
to need our help. Some need it desperately. Each year, through caring bishops and your
generous contributions of fast offerings and humanitarian funds, the
[01:13:39.26] lives of millions and millions of children are blessed. The First Presidency recently announced an
additional 20 million dollars to assist UNICEF in their global efforts to administer 2 billion
vaccines. [01:13:54.63] Children are loved by God. It is concerning that even in some of the
most prosperous countries of the world, fewer children are being born. God's commandment for His children to multiply
and replenish the earth remains in force. When to have a child and how many children
to have are private decisions to be made between a husband and wife and the Lord. With faith and prayer, these sacred decisions
can be beautiful, revelatory experiences. [01:14:32.61] I share the story of the Laing
family of Southern California. Sister Rebecca Laing writes: "In the summer
of 2011, life for our family was seemingly perfect. We were happily married with four children-ages
9, 7, 5, and 3. ... "My pregnancies and deliveries [had been]
high risk ... [and] we felt [very] blessed to have four children, [thinking] that our
family was complete. [01:15:02.32] In October, while listening
to general conference, I felt an unmistakable feeling that we were to have another baby. As LeGrand and I pondered and prayed, ... we
knew that God had a different plan for us than we had for ourselves. [01:15:19.46] "After another difficult pregnancy
and delivery, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. We named her Brielle. She was a miracle. Moments after her birth, while still in [the
delivery room], I heard the unmistakable voice of the Spirit: 'There is one more.' [01:15:42.92] "Three years later, another
miracle, Mia. Brielle and Mia are a tremendous joy for our
family." She concludes, "Being open to the Lord's direction
and following His plan for us will always bring greater happiness than... relying on
our own understanding." [01:16:06.11] The Savior loves each precious
child. "... He took their little children, one by
one, and blessed them. ... "And ... they cast their eyes towards
heaven, ... and they saw angels descending out of heaven ... in the midst of fire; and
[the angels] encircled those little ones about, ... and the angels did minister unto them." [01:16:31.57] I testify that your own personal
journey as a child of God did not begin for you as the first flow of earth's air came
rushing into your lungs, and it will not end when you take your last breath of mortality. May we always remember that each spirit child
of God is coming to earth on his or her own personal journey. [01:16:57.61] May we welcome them, safeguard
them, and always love them. As you receive these precious
[01:17:06.31] children in the Savior's name and help them in their eternal journey, I
promise you that the Lord will bless you and shower His love and approval upon you. In the name of Jesus Christ,
[01:17:22.91] amen. [01:17:32.98] My beloved brothers and sisters,
I'm so grateful for the privilege to address you from Africa. [01:17:39.21] It is a blessing to have the
technology today and to use it in the most effective way to reach out to you wherever
you are. [01:17:47.85] In September 2019, Sister Mutombo
and I, while serving as leaders of the Maryland Baltimore Mission, had the privilege to visit
some Church historical sites in Palmyra, New York, while attending the mission leadership
seminar. We ended our visit in the Sacred
[01:18:05.16] Grove. [01:18:06.23] Our intention in visiting the
Sacred Grove was not to have a special manifestation or a vision, but we did feel God's presence
in this sacred place. Our hearts were filled with gratitude for
the Prophet Joseph Smith. On the way back, Sister Mutombo noticed that
I had a big smile while driving, so she asked, "What is the reason for your excitement?" I responded, "My dear Nathalie, the truth
will always triumph over error, and darkness will not continue on earth because of the
restored gospel of Jesus Christ." [01:18:41.89] God the Father and Jesus Christ
visited the young Joseph Smith to bring to the light what was hidden, so we may receive
the knowledge of things as they are, as they were, and as they will be. [01:18:56.02] After almost 200 years, many
still seek the truths needed to become free of some of the
[01:19:02.59] traditions and the lies that the adversary spreads throughout the world. Many are "blinded by the subtle craftiness
of men." [01:19:13.50] In his epistle to the Ephesians,
Paul taught, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give
thee [the] light." The Savior promised that he will be the light
unto all that hear His words. [01:19:31.41] Thirty-five years ago, my parents
were also blinded and were desperately seeking to know the truth and were concerned about
where to turn to find it. My parents were both born in the
[01:19:44.32] village, where the traditions were really rooted in individuals' and families'
lives. They both left their village when they were
young and came to the city, looking for a better life. [01:19:57.37] They were married and started
their family in a very modest way. We were almost eight people in a small house--my
parents, two of my sisters, and I, and a cousin who used to live with us. I was wondering if we were truly a family
as we were not permitted to have dinner at the same table with our parents. When our dad returned from work, as soon as
he entered the house, we were asked to leave and to go outside. [01:20:30.18] Our nights were very short,
as we could not sleep because of the lack of harmony and true love in our parents' marriage. Our home was not only small in size, but it
was a dark place. Before meeting with the missionaries, we attended
different churches every Sunday. It was clear that our parents were seeking
for something that the world could not provide. [01:20:58.24] This went on until we met with
Elder and Sister Hutchings, the first senior missionary couple
[01:21:05.51] called to serve in Zaire (known today as DR of Congo or Congo-Kinshasa). When we started meeting with these wonderful
missionaries, who were like angels that came from God, I noticed that something started
to change in our family. [01:21:24.97] After our baptism, we truly
started to progressively have a new lifestyle because of the restored gospel. The words of Christ began to enlarge our souls. They began to enlighten our
[01:21:38.51] understanding and became delicious to us, as the truths that we received were
discernable and we could see the light, and this light grew brighter and brighter daily. This understanding of the "why" of the gospel
was helping us to become more like the Savior. [01:21:58.14] The size of our home did not
change; neither did our social conditions. But I witnessed a change of heart of my parents
as we prayed daily, morning and evening. We studied the book of Mormon; we held family
home evening; we truly became a family. Every Sunday, we woke up at 6:00 a.m. to prepare
to go to church, and we would travel for hours to attend church meetings every week without
complaining. It was a wonderful experience to witness. [01:22:33.02] We, who previously walked in
darkness, chased darkness from among us and saw "great light." I remember one day, when I was not willing
to wake up early in the morning for our family prayer, I
[01:22:47.27] murmured to my sisters: "There is truly nothing else that we can do in this
home, only pray, [01:22:54.00] pray, pray." [01:22:55.42] My dad heard my comments. I remember his reaction as he lovingly but
firmly taught me: "As long as you will be in this house, you will pray, pray, pray." [01:23:08.57] My father's words sounded in
my ears daily. What do you think Sister Mutombo and I do
with our children today? We pray, pray, and pray. This is our legacy. [01:23:21.06] The man that was born blind
and was healed by Jesus Christ, after being pressured by his neighbors and the Pharisees,
said: "A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me,
go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. ... One thing [that] I know [is that] I was
blind, now I [can] see." [01:23:49.48] We also were blind and can now
see. The restored gospel has impacted our family
since that time. Understanding the "why" of the gospel has
blessed three generations of my family and will continue to bless many generations to
come. [01:24:06.62] Jesus Christ is the light that
shines in darkness. He that follows Him "shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life." [01:24:16.09] For almost a year between 2016
and 2017, the people in the Kasai region faced a terrible tragedy. It was a very dark period for the people because
of a conflict between a traditional group of warriors and government forces. [01:24:34.03] The violence spread from towns
in Kasai-Central province to the wider Kasai region. Many people fled their homes for safety and
hid in the bush. They had no food or water or anything really,
and among these were some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the
Kananga area. [01:24:58.06] Some members of the Church were
killed by the militia. Brother Honor Mulumba of the Nganza Ward in
Kananga and his family were some of the few people who remained hidden in
[01:25:10.51] their house, not knowing where to go because all the streets were transformed
into firing ranges. [01:25:18.11] One day some neighborhood militiamen
had noticed the presence of Brother Mulumba and his family as one evening they went out
to try to find some vegetables in the family garden
[01:25:30.76] to eat. [01:25:31.86] A group of the militia came
to their home and then pulled them out and told them to choose to
[01:25:38.65] adhere to their militia practices or they would be killed. Brother Mulumba courageously told them: "I'm
a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My family and I have accepted Jesus Christ
and have faith in Him. We will remain faithful to our covenants and
will accept to die." [01:26:00.72] They told them, "As you have
chosen Jesus Christ, your bodies will be eaten by the dogs," and they promised to come back. But they never did come back, and the family
stayed there for two months and never saw them again. Brother Mulumba and his family kept the torch
of their faith [01:26:20.01] alight. They remembered their covenants and were protected. [01:26:24.72] Jesus Christ is the light that
we should hold up even during the dark times of our mortal life. [01:26:31.91] When we choose to follow Christ,
we choose to be changed. A man changed for Christ will be
[01:26:37.88] captained by Christ, and we will be asking as Paul did, "Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do?" We will "follow his steps." We will "walk, even as he walked." [01:26:49.33] I testify of Him that died,
was buried, and rose again the third day and ascended into heaven so that you and I may
receive the blessings of immortality and exaltation. He is "the light, ... the life, and the truth." He is the antidote and remedy to the confusion
of the world. He is the standard of excellence for exaltation,
even Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. We are grateful for all who have spoken to
us this afternoon and for the beautiful music that has been provided. [01:27:34.08] We remind the brethren of the
priesthood session, which will be held this evening at 6:00 p.m. mountain daylight time. A previously recorded broadcast of Music and
the Spoken Word will be aired tomorrow morning from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. mountain daylight
time. The Sunday morning session of conference will
immediately follow. [01:27:59.15] Our concluding speaker for this
session will be President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles. Following his remarks, the choir will close
this meeting by singing "Rejoice, the Lord Is King!" The benediction will then be offered by Brother
Mark L. Pace, who serves as Sunday School General President. [01:28:37.22] Brothers and sisters, this Easter
time we focus on the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We remember His loving invitation to "Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for
I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." [01:29:13.34] The Savior's invitation to come
unto Him is an invitation to all to not only come unto Him but also to belong to His Church. In the verse preceding this loving invitation,
Jesus teaches how this is done by seeking to follow Him. He declared, "No man [or woman] knoweth the
Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he [and I add
or she] to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." [01:30:01.77] Jesus wants us to know God is
a loving Heavenly Father. Knowing that we are loved by our
[01:30:09.81] Heavenly Father will help us know who we are and know that we belong to
His great eternal [01:30:18.55] family. [01:30:20.46] The Mayo Clinic recently noted:
"Having a sense of belonging is so important. ... Nearly every aspect of our lives is organized
around belonging to something." This report adds, "We cannot
[01:30:38.10] separate the importance of a sense of belonging from our physical and mental
health." And I would add our spiritual health. [01:30:50.48] On the evening before His suffering
in Gethsemane and death on the cross, the Savior met with His disciples for the Last
Supper. He said to them, "In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." [01:31:13.84] Before the sun set the following
day, Jesus had suffered and had "died [on the cross] for our sins." I wonder how the lonely and faithful women
and men who followed Him must have felt in [01:31:33.02] Jerusalem as the sun set, and
darkness and fear encompassed them. [01:31:41.30] Like these ancient disciples
nearly 2,000 years ago, many of you may also feel lonely from time to time. I have experienced this loneliness since the
death of my precious wife, Barbara, over two and a half years ago. I know what it is to be surrounded by family
members, friends, and associates but still feel lonely--because the love of my life is
no longer here beside me. [01:32:14.47] The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted
this sense of isolation and loneliness for many. Nevertheless, despite the challenges we face
in life, like that first Easter morning, we can awake to a new life in Christ with new
and marvelous possibilities and new realities as we turn to the Lord for hope and belonging. I personally feel the pain of those who lack
a sense of belonging. [01:32:50.66] As I watch news from time to
time in the world, I see many who seem to be experiencing this loneliness. I think that, for many, it is because they
may not know that they are loved by [01:33:06.31] Heavenly Father and that we
all belong to His eternal family. [01:33:12.40] Believing that God loves us
and that we are His children is comforting and assuring. Because we are the spirit children of God,
everyone has a divine origin, nature, and potential. Each of us is "a beloved spirit son or daughter
of heavenly parents." This is our identity! This is who we really are! [01:33:43.97] Our spiritual identity is enhanced
as we understand our many mortal identities, including ethnic, cultural, or national heritage. This sense of spiritual and cultural identity,
love, and belonging can inspire hope and love for Jesus Christ. I speak of hope in Christ not as wishful thinking. [01:34:14.28] Instead, I speak of hope as
an expectation that will be realized. Such hope is essential to overcoming adversity,
fostering spiritual resilience and strength, and coming to know that we are loved by our
Eternal Father and that we are His children, who belong to His family. [01:34:44.82] When we have hope in Christ,
we come to know that as we need to make and keep sacred covenants, our fondest desires
and dreams can be fulfilled through Him. [01:34:58.08] The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
have counseled together, in a spirit of prayer and with a yearning to understand, how to
help all who feel alone or feel they don't belong. We long to help all who feel this way. [01:35:16.52] Let me mention, in particular,
those who currently are single. Brothers and sisters, more than half
[01:35:25.91] of the adults in the Church today are widowed, divorced, or have not yet
married. Some wonder about their opportunities and
place in God's plan and in the Church. [01:35:39.79] We should understand that
[01:35:41.86] eternal life is not simply a question of current marital status but of
discipleship and being "valiant in the testimony of Jesus." [01:35:55.02] The hope of all who are single
is the same as for all members of the Lord's restored Church--access to the grace of Christ
through "obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel." May I suggest that there are some important
principles we need to understand. [01:36:18.33] First, scriptures and latter-day
prophets confirm that everyone who is faithful in keeping covenants will have the opportunity
for exaltation. President Russell M. Nelson taught, "In the
Lord's own way and time, no blessing will be withheld from His faithful Saints. The Lord will judge and reward each individual
according to heartfelt desire as well as deed." [01:36:56.73] Second, the precise time and
manner in which the blessings of exaltation are to be bestowed have not all been revealed,
but they are nonetheless assured. President Dallin H. Oaks explained that some
of the circumstances "of mortality will be set right in the Millennium, which is the
time for fulfilling all that is incomplete in the great plan of happiness for all of
our Father's worthy [01:37:31.63] children." [01:37:34.10] That doesn't mean that every
blessing is deferred until the Millennium; some have
[01:37:40.41] already been received, and others will continue to be received until that day. [01:37:48.56] Third, waiting upon the Lord
implies continued obedience and spiritual progress toward Him. Waiting upon the Lord does not imply biding
one's time. You should never feel like you are in the
waiting room. [01:38:07.72] Waiting upon the Lord implies
action. I have learned over the years that our hope
in Christ increases when we serve others. Serving as Jesus served, we naturally increase
our hope in Him. [01:38:27.06] The personal growth one can
achieve now while waiting upon the Lord and His promises is an invaluable, sacred element
of His plan for each one of us. [01:38:41.43] The contributions one can make
now to help build up the Church on earth and to gather Israel are much needed. Marital status has nothing to do with one's
capacity to serve. The Lord honors those who serve and wait upon
Him in patience and faith. [01:39:05.16] Fourth, God offers eternal life
to all His children. All those who accept the Savior's gift of
repentance and live His commandments will receive eternal life, even though they do
not attain to all its characteristics and perfections in mortality. [01:39:28.04] Those who repent will experience
the Lord's readiness to forgive as He has assured: "Yea, and as often as my people repent
will I [01:39:42.02] forgive them their trespasses
against me." [01:39:46.62] In the final analysis, a person's
capacity, desires, and opportunities in matters of agency and choice, including qualification
for eternal blessings, are matters only the Lord can judge. [01:40:05.96] Fifth, our confidence in these
assurances is rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ, by whose grace all things pertaining
to mortality are set right. All promised blessings are made possible through
Him who, by His Atonement, "descended below all things" and has "overcome the world." [01:40:37.68] He "hath sat down on the right
hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of
men[;] ... wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men." [01:40:56.36] In the end, "the saints shall
be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance" as "joint-heirs with Christ." Our desire is that these principles will help
all have increased hope in Christ and feel a sense of belonging. [01:41:23.15] Never forget that you are a
child of God, our Eternal Father, now and forever. He loves you, and the Church wants and needs
you. Yes, we need you! We need your voices, talents, skills, goodness,
and righteousness. [01:41:45.94] For many years, we have talked
about "young single adults," "single adults," and "adults." Those designations can be administratively
helpful at times but can inadvertently change how we perceive others. Is there a way to avoid this human tendency
that can separate us one from another? President Nelson asked that we refer to ourselves
as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That seems to cover all of us, doesn't it? [01:42:27.42] The gospel of Jesus Christ has
the power to unite us. We are ultimately more alike than we are different. As members of God's family, we are truly brothers
and sisters. Paul stated, "And [God] hath made of one blood
all nations of men for to dwell on ... the face of the earth." [01:42:54.62] To you stake presidents, bishops,
and quorum and sister leaders, I ask you to consider every member of your stake, ward,
quorum, or organization as members who can contribute and serve in callings and participate
in many ways. Every member in our quorums, organizations,
wards, and stakes has God-given gifts and talents that can help build up His kingdom
now. [01:43:26.38] Let us call upon our members
who are single to serve, lift, and teach. Disregard old notions and ideas that have
sometimes unintentionally contributed to their feelings of loneliness and that they do not
belong or cannot serve. [01:43:48.26] I bear my witness on this Easter
weekend of our Savior Jesus Christ and the eternal hope He gives me and all who believe
in His name. And I bear this testimony humbly, in His sacred
name, even [01:44:07.30] Jesus Christ, amen. [01:44:20.26] (Singing: "Rejoice, the Lord
Is King!") [01:45:14.05] Our Dear Heavenly Father. At the conclusion of this beautiful and inspiring
session of general conference we bow our heads, and we thank thee for the privilege of having
been here. [01:48:18.41] We thy sons and daughters, as
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as friends, rejoice in the teachings
that we have heard this day. The spirit has witnessed to us of their truthfulness,
and we thank thee for the sweetness of this time, and for the blessing it has been to
us. [01:48:45.33] We love thee. We love thy son, Jesus Christ. We love learning of Him. And we love learning how to live His gospel
in this world at this time. We thank thee for President Nelson, for his
inspired leadership, and we thank thee for all the members of the First Presidency and
the Quorum of the Twelve and for their inspired guidance and blessing to us. [01:49:12.43] Thank Thee again, Heavenly Father,
for this sweet time. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. [01:49:36.03] This has been a broadcast of
the Saturday afternoon session of the 191st Annual General Conference of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Speakers were selected from the General Authorities
and general officers of the Church. Music for this session was provided by The
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square from previous general conferences. [01:50:01.67] This broadcast has been furnished
as a public service by Bonneville Distribution. Any reproduction, recording, transcription,
or other use of this program without written consent is prohibited.
