Women’s Session | October 2020

[Music] from the conference center theater in salt lake city utah we bring you the women's session of the 190th semi-annual general conference of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints the music for this session will be provided by a variety of choirs from previous women's sessions women and young women throughout the world have been invited to view this broadcast to receive counsel and instruction from church leaders 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 bonnie h corden young women general president will conduct this session dear sisters it is a joy to welcome you to the women's session of the 190th semi-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 my name is bonnie h corden and i serve as a young woman general president it is a great pleasure to be with you this evening we are grateful for the technology that makes such a glorious worldwide gathering possible we hope you feel of our love for each one of you we recognized in attendance this evening the first presidency and the members of the priesthood and family executive council also seated on the stand are those serving in the primary young women in relief society general presidencies the music for this session will consist of selections from previous women's sessions by a variety of choirs with their directors and the choir will open this meeting by singing as zion's youth in the latter days the invocation will then be offered by sister liz darger a member of the young woman general board [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] we will be [Music] [Applause] yes [Music] uh [Music] is [Music] is [Music] as they are as strong [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] our dear father in heaven we are grateful for the opportunity to gather as thy daughters to hear messages from thy prophet and other inspired leaders we are grateful for their preparation and ask thee to bless them with thy spirit father we come to the amidst worldly pandemic and chaos and we come seeking peace we come seeking direction and instruction that we might know how we can be better disciples of thy son jesus christ father we're grateful for our knowledge of the restored gospel of jesus christ and we recognize our covenant responsibility that comes with that knowledge to share with all the world and to unite families for eternity father we ask thee to bless us with thy spirit bless us that we might have the courage and might be able to access thy power to act on the promptings that we receive during this meeting we love thee and we love thy son and we say these things in the name of thy son jesus christ amen we will now be blessed to hear from sister sharon eubank who serves as the first counselor in the release society general presidency she will be followed by sister rebecca m craven who serves as the second counselor in the young woman general presidency sister christina b franco second counselor in the primary general presidency will then address us following sister franco's remarks we will join the choir in singing the first and third verse of i am a child of god gordon's mother told him if he would finish his chores she would make him a pie his favorite kind just for him so gordon went to work on getting those chores done and his mother rolled out the pie his older sister kathy came into the house with a friend she saw the pie and she asked if she and her friend could have a slice no gordon said it's my pie mom baked it for me and i had to earn it kathy snapped at her little brother he was so self-centered and ungenerous how could he keep this all to himself hours later when kathy opened the car door to take her friend home there on the seat were two napkins folded nicely two forks set on top and two wide pieces of pie on plates kathy told this story at gordon's funeral to show that he was willing to change and show kindness to those who didn't always deserve it in 1842 the saints were working hard to build the nauvoo temple after the founding of the relief society in march the prophet joseph often came to their meetings to prepare them for the unifying covenants that they would soon be making in the temple on june 9th the prophet said he was going to preach mercy supposing that jesus christ and the angels should object to us on frivolous things what would become of us we must be merciful and overlook small things president smith continued it grieves me that there is no fuller fellowship if one member suffer all feel it by union of feeling we obtain power with god that small sentence struck me like lightning by union of feeling we obtain power with god this world isn't what i want it to be there are many things that i want to influence and make better and frankly there's a lot of opposition to what i hope for and sometimes i feel powerless lately i've been asking myself searching questions how can i understand people around me better how will i create that union of feeling when everybody's so different what power from god might i access if i'm just a little bit more unified with others from my soul searching i have three suggestions and maybe they'll help you too the first one is have mercy jacob 2 17 reads think of your brothers and sisters like unto yourselves and be familiar with all and free with your substance that they may be rich like unto you let's replace the word substance with mercy be free with your mercy that they may be rich like unto you we often think of substance in terms of food or money but perhaps what we all need more of in our ministering is mercy my own relief society president recently said the thing i promise you is that i will keep your name safe i will see you for who you are at your best i will never say anything about you that is unkind that's not going to lift you i ask you to do the same for me because i'm terrified frankly of letting you down joseph smith told the sisters on that june day in 1842 when persons manifest the least kindness and love to me oh what power it has over my mind the nearer we get to our heavenly father the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders and cast their sins behind our back my talk is intended for all this society if you would have god have mercy on you have mercy on one another now this was counsel specifically to the relief society so let's not judge each other let's not let our words bite let's keep each other's names safe and give the gift of mercy the second thing make your boat swing in 1936 an obscure rowing team from the university of washington traveled to germany to participate in the olympic games it was the depths of the great depression and these were working-class boys whose small mining and lumber towns donated little bits of money so they could travel to berlin every aspect of the competition seemed stacked against them but something happened in the race in the rowing world they call it swing listen to this description that's based on the book the boys in the boat there's a thing that sometimes happens that is hard to achieve and hard to define it's called swing it happens only when all are rowing in such perfect unison that not a single action is out of sync rowers must reign in their fierce independence and at the same time hold true to their individual capabilities races are not won by clones good crews are good blends someone to lead the charge someone to hold something in reserve someone to fight the fight someone to make peace no rower is more valuable than another all are assets to the boat but if they are to row well together each must adjust to the needs and capabilities of the others the shorter armed person reaching a little farther the longer armed person pulling in just a bit differences can be turned to advantage instead of disadvantage only then will it feel as if the boat is moving on its own only then does pain entirely give way to exaltation good swing feels like poetry against towering obstacles this team found perfect swing and won the olympic gold was exhilarating but the unity that each rower experienced that day was a holy moment that stayed with them their whole lives the third thing clear away the bad as fast as the good can grow in the beautiful allegory in jacob five the lord of the vineyard planted a good tree in good ground but it became corrupted over time and brought forth wild fruit the lord of the vineyards says eight times it grieveth me to lose this tree the servant says to the lord of the vineyard spare the tree a little longer and the lord said yea i will spare it a little longer and then comes instruction that can be applied to all of us trying to dig about and find good fruit in our own little vineyards ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow unity doesn't magically happen it takes work it's messy sometimes it's uncomfortable and it happens gradually when we clear away the bad as fast as the good can grow we're never alone in our efforts to create unity jacob five continues the servants did go and labor with their mites and the lord of the vineyard labored also with them each of us is going to have deeply wounding experiences things that should never happen each of us will also at various times allow pride and loftiness to corrupt the fruit we bear jesus christ is our savior in all things his power reaches to the very bottom and is reliably there for us when we call on him we all beg for mercy for our sins and failures he freely gives it he asks us if we can give that same mercy and understanding to each other jesus put it bluntly be one and if you are not one you are not mine but if we are one if we can spare a piece of our pie or fit our individual talent so that the boat can swing in perfect unison then we are his and he will help clear away the bad as fast as the good does grow we may not yet be where we want to be and we are not now where we will be i believe the change we seek in ourselves and in the groups we belong to will come less by activism and more by actively trying every day to understand one another why we're building zion a people of one heart and one mind as covenant women we have broad influence that influence is applied in everyday moments when we're studying with a friend or putting little kids to bed or talking to a seat mate on the bus or preparing a presentation with a colleague we have power to remove prejudice and build unity relief society and young women aren't just classes they can also be unforgettable experiences where very different women all get in the same boat and row until we find our swing i offer this invitation be part of a collective force that changes the world for good our covenantal assignment is to minister to lift up the hands that hang down to put struggling people on our backs or in our arms and carry them it isn't complicated to know what to do but it often goes against our selfish interests and we have to try the women of this church have unlimited potential to change society i have full spiritual confidence that as we seek union of feeling we will call down the power of god to make our efforts whole when the church commemorated the 1978 revelation on priesthood president russell m nelson extended a powerful prophetic blessing it is my prayer he said and blessing that i leave upon all who are listening that we may overcome any burdens of prejudice and walk uprightly with god and with one another in perfect peace and harmony may we draw on this prophetic blessing and use our individual and collective efforts to increase unity in the world i leave my testimony in the words of the lord jesus christ's humble timeless prayer that they all may be one as thou father art in me and i in thee that they also may be one in us in the name of jesus christ amen sisters it is such a joy to be with you imagine someone going to a market to purchase an item if she pays the cashier more than the item is worth the cashier will give her change king benjamin taught his people in ancient america other tremendous blessings we receive from our savior jesus christ he created the heavens the earth and all the beauty we enjoy through his loving atonement he provides a way for us to be redeemed from sin and death as we show our gratitude to him by diligently living his commandments he immediately blesses us leaving us always in his debt he gives us much much more than the value of what we can ever return to him so what can we give to him who paid the incalculable price for our sins we can give him change we can give him our change it may be a change of thought a change in habit or a change in the direction we are headed in return for his priceless payment for each of us the lord asks us for a change of heart the change he requests from us is not for his benefit but for ours so unlike the purchaser at the market who would take back the change we offer our gracious savior beckons us to keep the change after hearing the words spoken by king benjamin his people cried out declaring that their hearts had changed saying because of the spirit of the lord omnipotent which has brought a mighty change in us we have no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually the scriptures do not say that they immediately became perfect rather that their desire to change compelled them to action their change of heart meant putting off the natural man or woman and yielding to the spirit as they strove to become more like jesus christ president henry b eyring teaches quote true conversion depends on seeking freely in faith with great effort and some pain then it is the lord who can grant the miracle of cleansing and change end quote combining our effort with a savior's ability to change us we become new creatures when i was younger i visualized myself walking along an upward vertical path towards my goal of eternal life each time i did or said something wrong i felt myself sliding down the path only to start my journey all over again it was like landing on that one square in the children's game shoots and ladders that slides you down from the top of the board back to the beginning of the game it was discouraging but as i began to understand the doctrine of christ and how to apply it daily in my life i found hope jesus christ has given us a continuous pattern for change he invites us to exercise faith in him which inspires us to repent which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart as we repent and turn our hearts to him we gain a greater desire to make and live sacred covenants we endure to the end by continuing to apply these principles throughout our lives and inviting the lord to change us enduring to the end means changing to the end i now understand that i am not starting over with each failed attempt but that with each try i'm continuing my process of change there is an inspired phrase in the young women theme that states i cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day i pray that we do cherish this beautiful gift and that we are intentional in seeking change sometimes the changes we need to make are associated with serious sin but most often we strive to refine our character to align ourselves with the attributes of jesus christ our daily choices will either help or hinder our progress small but steady deliberate changes will help us improve do not become discouraged change is a lifelong process i am grateful that in our struggles to change the lord is patient with us through jesus christ we are given the strength to make lasting changes as we humbly turn to him he will increase our capacity to change in addition to the transforming power of the savior's atonement the holy ghost will support and guide us as we put forth our effort he can even help us know what changes we need to make we can also find help and encouragement through priesthood blessings prayer fasting and attending the temple likewise trusted family members leaders and friends can be helpful in our efforts to change when i was eight years old my older brother lee and i would spend time with our friends planting the branches of a neighborhood tree we loved being together in the fellowship of our friends in the shade of that tree one day lee fell out of the tree and broke his arm having a broken arm made it hard for him to climb the tree by himself but life in the tree just wasn't the same without him there so some of us steadied him from behind while others pulled on his good arm and without too much effort lee was back in the tree his arm was still broken but he was with us again enjoying our friendship as he healed i have often thought about my experience of planing the tree as being a type of our activity in the gospel of jesus christ in the shade of gospel branches we enjoy many blessings associated with our covenants some may have fallen from the safety of their covenants and need our help climbing back into the security of gospel branches it can be difficult for them to come back on their own can we gently tug a little here and hoist up a little there to help them heal while they enjoy our friendship if you are suffering an injury from a fall please allow others to help you return to your covenants and the blessings they offer this savior can help you heal and change while surrounded by those who love you i occasionally run into friends who i haven't seen for many years and sometimes they say you haven't changed at all but each time i hear that i cringe a little because i hope i have changed over the years i hope i have changed since yesterday i hope i am a little kinder less judgmental and more compassionate i hope i am quicker to respond to the needs of others and i hope i am just a little bit more patient i love hiking in the mountains near my home often i get a little rock on my shoe as i walk along the trail eventually i stop and shake out my shoe but it astounds me how long i allow myself to hike in pain before i stop it rid myself of the irritant as we travel the covenant path sometimes we pick up stones in our shoes in the form of poor habits sins or bad attitudes the quicker we shake them from our lives the more joyful our mortal journey will be maintaining change takes effort i cannot imagine stopping along the trail only to put back in my shoe the annoying and painful pebble i just removed i would not want to do that any more than a beautiful butterfly would choose to return to her cocoon i testify that because of jesus christ we can change we can adjust our habits alter our thoughts and refine our character to become more like him and with his help we can keep the change in the name of jesus christ amen since the beginning of this year we have dealt with many unexpected events the loss of life and income due to the worldwide pandemic has seriously affected the global community and economy earthquakes fires and floods in different parts of the world as well as other weather related disasters have left people feeling helpless hopeless and broken-hearted wondering if their lives will ever be the same let me tell you a personal story about brokenness when our children were young they decided they wanted to take piano lessons my husband rudy and i wanted to provide our children this opportunity but we had no piano we could not afford a new piano so i already started looking for a used piano that year for christmas he surprised us all with a piano and through the years our children learned to play when our sons grew up and left the house the old piano just collected dust so we sold it a few years went by and we had saved some money one day rudy said i think it's time to get a new piano i asked why would we get a new piano when neither of us play he said oh but he can we can get a piano that plays itself by using an ipad you can program the piano to play over 4 000 songs including kim's tabernacle choir songs all the primary songs and so many more well rudy is a great salesperson to say the least we purchased a beautiful new player piano and a few days later two big strong men deliver it to our house i showed them away where i wanted it and move out of the way it was a heavy baby ground and to fit it through the door they removed the legs and managed to put the pianos sideways on top of a moving dolly that they had wrapped with them our house sat on a little bit of a slope and unfortunately earlier that day it has snowed leaving things wet and slushy can you see where this is going while moving the piano up the little slope it slipped and i heard a big loud crash the piano had fallen off the moving dolly and hit the ground so hard that he left a big dent in our lawn i said oh my goodness are you okay thankfully both men were okay their eyes were wide as they looked at each other and then they looked at me and said we are so sorry we'll take it back to the store and our manager will call you soon the manager was talking with rudy to arrange delivery of a new piano rudy is kind and forgiving and told the manager it was okay if they just repaired the damage and brought back the same piano but the manager and sister insisted that we would get a new one rudy responded saying it couldn't be that bad just fix it up and bring it over the manager said the wood is broken and once the wood is broken it can never sound the same you will get a new piano sisters and brothers are and we all like this piano a little broken cracked and damaged feeling like we will never be the same again however as we come unto jesus christ by exercising faith in him repenting and making and keeping covenants our brokenness whatever his cause can be healed this process which invites the savior's healing power into our lives does not just restore us to what we were before that makes us better than we ever were i know that through our savior jesus christ we can all be mended made whole and fulfill our purpose just like a beautiful sounding brand new piano president russell m nelson taught where sword trials come upon us it's time to deepen our faith in god to work hard and to serve others then he will heal our broken hearts he will bestow upon us personal peace and comfort those great gifts will not be destroyed even by death jesus said come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and i will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn of me for i am meek and lonely in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light to heal brokenness by coming unto him we need to have faith in jesus christ having faith in jesus christ means relying completely on him trusting in his infinite power and love it includes believing his teachings it means believing that even though we do not understand all things he does because he has experienced all of our pains afflictions and infirmities he knows how to help us rise above our daily difficulties as we come unto him we can be filled with joy peace and consolation all that is hard and challenging about life can be made right through the atonement of jesus christ he has counseled us look unto me and every thought doubt not fear not in the book of mormon when almighty's people were nearly crushed by the burdens placed upon them the people pleaded for relief the lord didn't take away their burdens instead he promised them and i will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders that even you cannot feel them upon your backs even while you are in bondage and this will i do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter and that ye may know of a surety that i the lord god to visit my people in their afflictions and now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon alma and his brethren were made light yea the lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the lord of the savior's ability to heal and lighten burdens alert had our callister has taught quote one of the blessings of the atonement is that we can receive of the savior's suckering powers i say i spoke repeatedly of the lord's healing calming influence he testified that the savior was a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat i said to those as those who sorrow i say declare that the savior possess the power to comfort all that mourn and wipe away tears from off all faces revive the spirit of the humble and bind up the brokenhearted so expansive was his succumbing powers that he could exchange beauty for ashes the oil of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness oh what hope source in those promises his spirit heals it refines it comforts he breathes new life into hopeless hearts he has the power to transform all that is ugly and vicious and worthless in life to something of supreme and glorious splendor he has the power to convert the ashes of mortality to the beauties of eternity close quote i testify that jesus christ is our loving savior redeemer the master healer and faithful friend if we turn to him he will heal us and make us whole again i testify this is his church and he is preparing to return once again to reign with power and glory on this earth in the name of jesus christ amen this is the women's session of the 190th semi-annual general conference of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints is [Music] me is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] me [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] me [Music] me [Music] thank you sister eubank sister craven and sister franco sisters along with the first presidency we pray for you we know life can feel uncertain at times but we also know that nothing is uncertain to the lord these past six months have been unusually challenging the opportunities to be with one another has been limited and yet here we are again blessed to gather in worship and to rejoice with one another in a worldwide sisterhood last april our dear prophet president russell m nelson reminded us that increasing darkness that accompanies tribulation makes the light of jesus christ shine ever brighter we have watched you seek the light of the savior through study and prayer as covenant daughters you have reached out and shared the light through service to to those around you expressing your faith through your actions your individual efforts have considered have been considered collectively and have had a magnificent global influence our savior jesus christ truly is the light and life of the world the light which shineth in the darkness may we continue to seek and share his light as demonstrated in the video we will see next following the video presentation we will be pleased to hear from president henry b eyring second counselor in the first presidency he will be followed by president dallin h oaks first counselor in the first presidency [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] my beloved sisters i am blessed to speak during this wonderful time in the history of the world every day we are approaching closer to the glorious moment when the savior jesus christ will come to earth again we know something of the terrible events that will precede his coming yet our hearts swell with joy and confidence also knowing of the glorious promises that will be fulfilled before he returns as the beloved daughters of heavenly father and as the daughters of the lord jesus christ in his kingdom you will play a crucial part in the grand times ahead we know that the savior will come to a people who have been gathered and prepared to live as the people did in the city of enoch the people there were united in faith in jesus christ and had become so completely pure that they were taken up to heaven here is the lord's revealed description of what would happen to enoch's people and what will happen in this last dispensation of the fullness of times open quote and the day shall come that the earth shall rest but before that day the heavens shall be darkened and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth and the heavens shall shake and also the earth and great tribulations shall be among the children of men but my people will i preserve and righteousness will i send down out of heaven and truth will i send forth out of the earth to bear testimony of mine only begotten his resurrection from the dead yea and also the resurrection of all men and righteousness and truth will i cause to sweep the earth as with a flood to gather out mine elect from the four corners of the earth unto a place which i shall prepare and holy city that my people may gird up their loins and be looking forth for the time of my coming and there shall be my tabernacle and it shall be called zion a new jerusalem and the lord said unto enoch then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there and we will receive them into our bosom and they shall see us and we will fall upon their necks and they shall fall upon our necks and we will kiss each other and there shall be mine abode and it shall be zion which shall come forth out of all the creations which i have made and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest close quote you sisters your daughters your granddaughters and the women you have nurtured will be at the heart of creating that society of people who will join in glorious association with the savior you will be an essential force in the gathering of israel and in the creation of a zion people who will dwell in peace in the new jerusalem the lord has through his prophets made a promise to you in the early days of the holy society the prophet joseph smith said to the sisters open quote if you live up to your privileges the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates close quote that marvelous potential lies within you and you are being prepared for it president gordon b hinckley said open quote you sisters do not hold a second place in our father's plan for the eternal happiness and well-being of his children you are an absolutely essential part of that plan without you the plan could not function without you the entire program would be frustrated each of you is a daughter of god endowed with a divine birthright close quote our current prophet president russell m nelson has given this descript description of the part you play in preparation for the savior's coming open quote it would be impossible to measure the influence that women have not only on families but also on the lord's church as wives mothers and grandmothers as sisters and aunts as teachers and leaders and especially as exemplars and devout defenders of the faith this has been true in every dispensation since the days of adam and eve yet the women of this dispensation are distinct from the women of any other because this dispensation is distinct from any other this distinction brings both privileges and responsibilities cause quote this dispensation is distinct in that the lord will lead us to become prepared to be like the city of enoch he has described through his apostles and prophets what that transformation to a zion people will entail elder bruce r mcconkey said it so well open quote enochs was a day of wickedness and evil a day of darkness and rebellion a day of war and desolation a day leading up to the cleansing of the earth by water enoch however was faithful he saw the lord and talked with him face to face as one man speaks with another the lord sent him to cry repentance to the world and commissioned him to baptize in the name of the father and of the son which is full of grace and truth and of the holy ghost which beareth record of the father and the son enoch made covenants and assembled a congregation of true believers all of whom became so faithful that the lord came and dwelt with his people and they dwelt in righteousness and were blessed from on high and the lord called his people zion because they were of one heart and one mind and dwelt in righteousness and there was no poor among them after the lord called his people to zion the scripture says that enoch built a city that was called the city of holiness even zion and that zion was taken up into heaven where god received it into his own bosom and that from fence went forth to saying zion is fled this same zion which was taken up into heaven shall return when the lord brings against zion and its inhabitants shall join with the new jerusalem which shall then be established close quote now if the past is prologue at the time of the savior's coming the daughters who are deeply committed to their covenants with god will be more than half of those who are prepared to welcome him when he comes but whatever the numbers your contribution creating unity among the people prepared for that zion will be far greater than half i will tell you why i believe that will be so the book of mormon gives an account of a zion people you remember that it was after they had been taught loved and blessed by the resurrected savior there was no contention in the land because of the love of god which did dwell in the hearts of the people my experience has taught me that heavenly father's daughters have a gift to allay contention and to promote righteousness with their love of god and with the love of god they engender in those they serve i saw it in my youth when our tiny branch met in my childhood home a very small home my brother and i were the only aaronic priesthood holders and my father the only melchizedek priesthood holder in the branch the branch relief society president was a convert whose husband was unhappy with our church service the members were all older sisters without a priesthood holder in their homes i watched my mother and those sisters love lift and care for each other unfailingly i realize now that i was given an early glimpse of zion my tutorial in the influence of faithful women continued in a small branch of the church in albuquerque new mexico i watched the branch president's wife the district president's wife and the reef society president warm the heart of every newcomer and convert two years after i arrived the sunday i left albuquerque after observing the influence of sisters there the first stake was created and the lord has placed a temple there i moved next to boston where i served in the district presidency that presided over little branches spread across two states there were contentions that more than once were resolved by loving and forgiving women who helped soften hearts the sunday i left boston a member of the first presidency organized the first stake in massachusetts there is a temple there now close to where the district presidents once lived he had been brought into church activity and was later called to serve as a state president and then a mission president all influenced by a faithful and loving wife sisters you were given the blessing of being daughters of god with special gifts you brought with you into mortal life a spiritual capacity to nurture others and to lift them higher toward the love and purity that will qualify him to live together in a zion society it is not accident that the relief society the first church organization specifically for heavenly father's daughters has its motto charity never faileth charity is the pure love of christ and it is faith in him and the full effects of his infinite atonement that will qualify you and those you love and serve this for the supernal gift to live in that sociality of a long look for and promised zion there you will be sisters in zion loved in person by the lord and those you have blessed i testify that you are citizens of the lord's kingdom on the earth you are daughters of a loving heavenly father who sent you into the world with unique gifts that you promise to use to bless others i promise you that the lord will lead you by the hand through the holy ghost he will go before your face as you help him prepare his people to become his pride promised zion i so testify in the sacred name of jesus christ amen in the final days of his mortal life jesus christ told his apostles of the persecutions and hardships they would suffer he concluded with this great assurance in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer i have overcome the world that is the savior's message to all of our heavenly father's children that is the ultimate good news for each of us in our mortal lives be of good cheer was also a needed assurance in the world into which the resurrected christ sent his apostles we are troubled on every side the apostle paul later told the corinthians yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed two thousand years later we are also troubled on every side and we also need that same message not to despair but to be of good cheer the lord has special love and concern for his precious daughters he knows of your wants your needs and your fears the lord is all-powerful trust him the prophet joseph smith was taught that the works and the designs and the purposes of god cannot be frustrated neither can they come to not to his struggling children the lord gave these great assurances behold this is the promise of the lord unto you o ye my servants wherefore be of good cheer and do not fear for i the lord am with you and will stand by you and ye shall bear record of me even jesus christ that i am the son of the living god the lord stands near us and as he has said what i say unto one i say unto all be of good cheer little children for i am in your midst and i have not forsaken you for after much tribulation come the blessings sisters i testify that these promises given in the midst of persecutions and personal tragedies apply to each of you in your troubling circumstances today they are precious to remind each of us to be of good cheer and to have joy in the fullness of the gospel as we press forward through the challenges of mortality tribulation and challenges are the common experiences of mortality opposition is an essential plan is an essential part of the divine plan for helping us grow and in the midst of that process we have god's assurance that in the long view of eternity opposition will not be allowed to overcome us with his help and our faithfulness and endurance we will prevail like the mortal life of which they are apart all tribulations are temporary in the controversies that preceded a disastrous war united states president abraham lincoln wisely remanded his audience of the ancient wisdom that this too shall pass away as you know the mortal adversities of which i speak which make it difficult to be of good cheer sometimes come to us in common with many others like the millions now struggling through some of the many devastating effects of the covet 19 pandemic similarly in the united states millions are suffering through a season of enmity and contention that always seems to accompany presidential elections but this time is the most severe many of the oldest of us can ever remember on a personal basis each of us struggles individually with some of the many adversities of mortality such as poverty racism ill health job losses or disappointments wayward children bad marriages or no marriages and the effects of sin our own or others yet in the midst of all of this we have that heavenly council to be of good cheer and to find joy in the principles and promises of the gospel and the fruits of our labors that council has always been so for profits and for all of us we know this from the experiences of our predecessors and what the lord said to them remember the circumstances of the prophet joseph smith looked at through the lens of adversities his life was one of poverty persecution frustration family sorrows and ultimate martyrdom as he suffered imprisonment his wife and children and the other saints suffered incredible hardships as they were driven out of missouri when joseph pleaded for relief the lord answered my son peace be unto thy soul thine adversity and thine affliction shall be but a small moment and then if thou endure it well god shall exalt thee on high thou shalt triumph over all thy foes this was the personal eternal counsel that helped the prophet joseph to maintain his native cheery temperament and the love and loyalty of his people these same qualities strengthened the leaders and pioneers who followed and can strengthen you as well think of those early members again and again they were driven from place to place finally they faced the challenges of establishing their homes and the church in a wilderness two years after the initial band of pioneers arrived in the valley of the great salt lake the pioneers grip on survival in that hostile area was still precarious most members were still on the trail across the plains or struggling to get resources to do so yet leaders and members were still of hope and good cheer even though not settled in their new homes at october 1849 general conference a new wave of missionaries was sent out to scandinavia france germany italy and the south pacific at what could have been thought their lowest level the pioneers rose to new heights and just three years later another 98 were also called to begin to gather scattered israel one of the church leaders explained then that these missions quote are generally not to be very long ones probably from three to seven years will be as long as any man will be absent from his family end of quote sisters the first presidency is concerned about your challenges we love you and pray for you at the same time we often give thanks that our physical challenges apart from earthquakes fires floods and hurricanes are usually less than our predecessors faced in the midst of hardships the divine assurance is always be of good cheer for i will lead you along the kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours and the riches of eternity are yours how does this happen how did it happen for the pioneers how will it happen to women of today by following prophetic guidance the lord has said to the women of today the gates of hell shall not prevail against us the lord said by revelation in april 1830 yea he said the lord god will disperse the powers of darkness from before you and cause the heavens to shake for your good and his name's glory fear not little flock do good let earth and hell combine against you for you for if you are built upon my rock they cannot prevail with the lord's promises we lift up our hearts and rejoice and with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance we go forward on the covenant path most of us do not face decisions of giant proportions like leaving our homes to pioneer an unknown land our decisions are mostly in the daily routines of life but as the lord has told us be not weary in well-doing for ye are found laying the foundation of a great work and out of small things proceedeth that which is great there is boundless power in the doctrine of the restored gospel of jesus christ our unshakeable faith in that doctrine guides our steps and gives us joy it enlightens our minds and gives strength and confidence to our actions this guidance and enlightenment and power are promised gifts we have received from our heavenly father by understanding and conforming our lives to that doctrine including the divine gift of repentance we can be of good cheer as we keep ourselves on the path toward our eternal destiny reunion and exaltation with our loving heavenly parents quote you may be facing overwhelming challenges elder richard g scott taught quote sometimes they are so concentrated so unrelenting that you may feel they are beyond your capacity to control don't face the world alone trust in the lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding it was intended that life be a challenge not so that you would fail but that you might succeed through overcoming endure quote it is all part of the plan of god the father and his son jesus christ of which i testify as i pray that we will all persist to our heavenly destination in the name of jesus christ amen amen dear sisters we express our sincere appreciation to each of you for sharing this evening with us we thank the various choirs and others who have participated and gratefully acknowledge those who have assisted in preparing for this meeting in any way before hearing from our beloved prophet president russell m nelson the choir will sing my heavenly father loves me following president nelson's remark the choir will close this meeting by singing more holiness give me we invite you to join the choir in singing the third verse as d as directed the benediction will then be offered by sister catherine reynolds a member of the release society general board [Music] whenever [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] whenever see [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] that was wonderful this has been a unforgettable evening my dear sisters i'm honored to be with you you've been on my mind so often during these past few months you are more than eight million strong you have not only the numbers but the spiritual power to change the world i have watched you during doing just that during this pandemic some of you suddenly found yourself searching for scarce supplies or a new job many tutored children and checked on neighbors some welcomed missionaries home earlier than expected while others transformed their homes into missionary training centers you have used technology to connect with family and friends minister to those who have felt isolated and to study come follow me with others you have found new ways to make the sabbath a delight and you have made protective masks millions of them with heartfelt compassion and love my heart goes out to the many women around the world whose loved ones have died we weep with you and we pray for you we praise and pray for all who work tirelessly to safeguard the health of others you young women have also been remarkable those social media have been flooded with contention many of you have found ways to encourage others and share our savior's light sisters you have all been absolutely heroic i marvel at your strength and your faith you have shown that in difficult circumstances you bravely carry on i love you and i assure you that the lord loves you and sees the great work you are performing thank you once again you have proven that you are literally the hope of israel you embody the hopes that president gordon b hinckley had for you when he introduced the family a proclamation to the world 25 years ago in september 1995 general relief society meeting it is significant that he chose to introduce this important proclamation to the sisters of the church by doing so president hinckley underscored the irreplaceable influence of women in the lord's plan now i would love to know what you have learned this year have you grown closer to the lord or do you feel further away from him and how have current events made you feel about the future admittedly the lord has spoken of our day in sobering terms he warned that in our day men's hearts would fail them and that even the very elect would be at risk of being deceived he told the prophet joseph smith that peace would be taken from the earth and calamities would befall mankind yet the lord has also provided a vision of how remarkable this dispensation is he inspired the prophet joseph smith to declare that the work of these last days is one of vast magnitude its glories are past description and its grandeur unsurpassable close quote now grandeur may not be the word you would choose to describe these past few months how are we to deal with both the somber prophecies and the glorious pronouncements about our day the lord told us how with simple but stunning reassurance if ye are prepared ye shall not fear what a promise it is one that can literally change the way we see our future i recently heard a woman of deep testimony admit that the pandemic combined with an earthquake in the salt lake valley had helped her realize she was not as prepared as she thought she was when i asked whether she was referring to her food storage or her testimony she smiled and said yes if preparation is our key to embracing this dispensation and our future with faith how can we best prepare for decades the lord's prophets have urged us to store food water and financial reserves for a time of need the current pandemic has reinforced the wisdom of that council i urge you to take steps to be temporarily prepared but i am even more concerned about your spiritual and emotional preparation in that regard we can learn a lot from captain moroni as commander of the nephite armies he faced opposing forces that were stronger greater in number and meaner so merle and i prepared his people in three essential ways first he helped them create areas where they would be safe places of security he called them second he prepared the minds of the people to be faithful unto the lord and third he never stopped preparing his people physically or spiritually let's consider these three principles principle number one create places of security moroni fortified every nephite city with embankments forts and walls when the lamanites came against them they were astonished exceedingly because of the wisdom of the nephites in preparing their places of security similarly as turmoil rages around us we need to create places where we are safe both physically and spiritually when your home becomes a personal sanctuary of faith where the spirit resides your home becomes the first line of defense likewise the stakes of zion are a refuge from the storm because they are led by those who hold priesthood keys and exercise priesthood authority as you continue to follow the council of those whom the lord has authorized to guide you you will feel greater safety the temple the house of the lord is a place of security unlike any other there you sisters are endowed with priesthood power through the sacred priesthood covenants you make there your families are sealed for eternity even this year when access to our temples has been seriously limited your endowment has given you constant access to god's power as you have honored your covenants with him simply said a place of security is anywhere you can feel the presence of the holy ghost and be guided by him when the holy ghost is with you you can teach truth even when it runs counter to prevailing opinions and you can ponder sincere questions about the gospel in an environment of revelation i invite you my dear sisters to create a home as a place of security and i renew my invitation for you to increase your understanding of priesthood power and of temple covenants and blessings having places of security to which you can retreat will help you embrace the future with faith principle number two prepare your mind to be faithful to god we haven't undertaken a major project to extend the life and capacity of the salt lake temple some question the need for taking such extraordinary measures however when the salt lake valley suffered a 5.7 magnitude earthquake earlier this year this venerable temple shook hard enough that the trumpet on the statue of the angel mural and i fell well just as the physical foundation of the salt lake temple must be strong enough to withstand natural disasters our spiritual foundations must be solid then when metaphorical earthquakes rock our lives we can stand steadfast and immovable because of our faith the lord taught us how to increase our faith by seeking learning even by study and also by faith we strengthen our faith in jesus christ as we strive to keep his commandments and always remember him further our faith increases every time we exercise our faith in him that is what learning by faith means for example each time we have the faith to be obedient to god's laws even when popular opinions belittle us or each time we resist entertainment or ideologies that celebrate covenant breaking we are exercising our faith which in turn increases our faith further few things build faith more than does regular immersion in the book of mormon no other book testifies of jesus christ with such power and clarity its prophets as inspired by the lord saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most the book of mormon is our latter-day survival guide of course our ultimate security comes as we yoke ourselves to heavenly father in jesus christ life without god is a life filled with fear life with god is a life filled with peace this is because spiritual blessings come to the faithful receiving personal revelation is one of the greatest of those blessings the lord has promised that if we will ask we may receive revelation upon revelation i promise that as you increase your capacity to receive revelation the lord will bless you with increased direction for your life and with boundless gifts of the spirit principle number three never stop preparing even when things went well captain merle and i continued to prepare his people he never stopped he never became complacent the adversary never stops attacking so we can never stop preparing the more self-reliant we are temporarily emotionally and spiritually the more prepared we are to thwart satan's relentless assaults dear sisters you are adept at creating places of security for yourselves and those you love further you have a divine endowment that enables you to build faith in others in compelling ways and you never stop you have demonstrated that once again this year please keep going your vigilance in safeguarding your homes and instilling faith in the hearts of your loved ones will reap rewards for generations to come my dear sisters we have so much to look forward to the lord placed you here now because he knew you had the capacity to to negotiate the complexities of the latter part of these latter days who knew you would grasp the grandeur of his work and be eager to help bring it to pass i'm not saying that the days ahead will be easy but i promise you that the future will be glorious for those who are prepared and who contribute to continue to prepare to be instruments in the lord's hands my dear sisters let us not just endure this current season let us embrace the future with faith turbulent times are opportunities for us to thrive spiritually there are times when our influence can be much more penetrating than in calmer times i promise that as we create places of security prepare our minds to be faithful to god and never stop preparing god will bless us he will deliver us yea in so much that he will speak peace to our souls and will grant unto us great faith and cause us that we can hope for our deliverance in him as you prepare to embrace the future with faith these promises will be yours i so testify with my expression of love for you and my confidence in you in the sacred name of jesus christ amen [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] oh [Music] me hey [Music] me [Music] me our loving heavenly father we come before thee as a global sisterhood and of thy daughters we're grateful for this beautiful time together and for the gift of thy son to teach us and to testify through the power of the holy ghost to each of our hearts we're grateful for chosen servants that thou has called to teach us and to be a conduit for revelation in our day we know when we recognize that we are blessed to have a living prophet even president nelson and we love and honor and sustain him and ask for thy beloved care over him in his sacred role we are thankful for the gift of knowing that we are thy daughters and that there is a power in our innate nature and we recognize also that thou wants us to come unto thee and set down our burdens and be healed and comforted by the atonement of jesus christ and that his love will conquer those things that we struggle with or those heartaches that we seek comfort for we're grateful for the refuge of the temple and the blessing it is to go there and to be able to bring it into our home and into our personal lives and pray that we might always be worthy and open to attend and to be worthy of that sacred edifice and we thank thee again for the meeting today for this power of unity that we enjoy and for the hope and the blessings of love charity and for thy tender care we offer our thanks this time in humility and say these things humbly in the name of jesus christ amen this has been a broadcast of the women's session of the 190th semi-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 the music for this session was provided by a variety of choirs from previous women's sessions 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 [Music] mom why don't we

Channel: General Conference

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Keywords: LDS, General, Conference, mormon, Church, Of, Jesus, Christ, Latter-day, Saints, Religion, Inspiration, Gospel, God, LDSConf

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Length: 97min 34sec (5854 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 05 2020