come ye accord from the conference center in Salt Lake City Utah this is the Saturday morning session of the 195th annual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with speakers selected from leaders of the church music for this session is provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square this broadcast is furnished as a public service by Bonavville Distribution it may be used for personal and non-commercial home family or church uses president Don H oaks first counselor in the first presidency of the church will conduct this session joy will brothers and sisters we welcome you most warmly to the 195th annual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are grateful for your attendance throughout the world wherever you may be president Russell M nelson who is viewing this session of conference from home has asked me to conduct we acknowledge the general authorities and the general officers who will be in attendance throughout the conference the music for this session will be provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square we express appreciation to M wilberg and Ryan Murphy who direct the choir and Andrew Unsworth and Richard Elliot at the organ we welcome church members from outside the United States who are joining the tabernacle choir during the conference they represent the countries of Argentina Brazil Chile Malaysia New Zealand the Philippines South Africa Sweden and Taiwan thank you for sharing your talents with us the choir opened this meeting with "Come ye children of the Lord," and will now sing with songs of praise the invocation will then be offered by Elder Kevin S hamilton of the 70 songs of praise and gratitude we worship God above in words and music give our thanks for his redeeing love then come before God's presence with singing worship him express the heart to speak in one exaltedity the Lord has set a heart by righteous ones pray init the spit to be then come before God's presence with singing worship him express the heart to full to speak in one exultant All the days that the song of Abraham the saint shall sing when Christ shall come the new song of the lamb and come before God's presence we singing worship Express the heart to go to sleep in one express our beloved father in heaven with songs of praise and gratitude we come before thee with deep humility and gratitude in our hearts for this worldwide general conference we are grateful to be led by prophets and seers we pray for a blessing upon the first presidency and the quorum of the 12 father we acknowledge that the Holy Ghost is the teacher and we pray that thy spirit will be with us today that we might learn and be taught and instructed in the ways that we should go we love thee we love thy son we are so grateful to be part of this restored gospel and we say this humbly in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen brothers and sisters I will now present the general authorities Area70s and general officers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for your sustaining vote please express your support in the usual way if there are those who oppose any of the proposals we ask that you contact your state president it is proposed that we sustain Russell Marian Nelson as prophet seer and revelator and president of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don Harris Oaks as first counselor in the first presidency and Henry Benyan Iring as second counselor in the first presidency those in favor may manifest it those opposed if any may manifest it it is proposed that we sustain Dalon H oaks as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Jeffrey R holland as acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles those in favor please signify any opposed may manifest it it is proposed that we sustain the following as members of the quorum of the twelve apostles jeffrey R holland deer F ukdorf David A bedar Quinton L cook D todd Kristofferson Neil L anderson Ronald A rasband Gary E stevenson Dale G renland Garrett W gong and Ulysi Sawis and Patrick Kieran those in favor please manifested any opposed may so indicate 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 the following general authority 70s will be released from their assignments and given ameritus status effective August 1st 2025 elders David S baxter Randall K bennett Kevin S hamilton Raphael E pino and Jorge F sabios those who wish to express gratitude to these brethren and to their wives and families for their years of dedicated service throughout the church may do so by the uplifted hand we also release Jose A terara from serving as a member of the presidency of the 70 effective August 1st 2025 those who wish to express appreciation to Elder Terara for his service in this capacity may do so we note with gratitude the 65 area70s who will complete their service and whose names can be found on the church's website those who wish to join in expressing appreciation to these brethren and to their families for their years of selfless service may manifest it we extend releases to the young men general presidency effective August 1st 2025 as follows steven J lond as president Bradley R wilcox as first counselor and Michael T nelson as second counselor all who wish to join in expressing appreciation to these brothers for their devoted service may manifest it it is proposed that we sustain Elder Kevin R duncan as a member of the presidency of the 70 effective August 1st 2025 those in favor may manifest it any opposed may manifest it it is proposed that we sustain the following as new general authority 70s john D amos Ronald M barcelos Stephen G barlo Kevin G brown B corey Kuvalier Michael Cela James E evansson Brick Vy Ozani Faras Aaron T hall Brian J holmes Pedro X L'Oreal Clement M montagot Tata Eduardo F ortega Edward B row and Juan Leong Woo all in favor please manifest it those opposed by the same sign we note that 78 new area 70s were sustained during the general conference leadership meetings on Thursday April 3rd and then announced on the church's website we invite you to sustain these brethren in their new assignments those in favor please manifest it and he opposed by the same side it is proposed that we sustain the following as the new young men general presidency effective August 1st 2025 timothy L farns as president David J wonderly as first counselor and Shaun R dixon as second counselor those in favor may manifest it any opposed may so signify it is proposed that we sustain the other general authorities area70s and general officers as presently constituted all in favor may do so by the uplifted hand those opposed if any thank you brothers and sisters for your sustaining vote on behalf of the leadership of the church we invite the new general authorities and general officers to take their places on the rostroom brother Jared B larson managing director of the church auditing department will now read the church audit report for 2024 at the conclusion of his report the choir will sing "He sent Sent his son." We will then be pleased to hear from President Jeffrey R holland acting president of the quorum of the twelve apostles he will be followed by President Camille N johnson Relief Society General President Elder Ronald A rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will then address us 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 twel apostles and the presiding bishop Rick authorizes the expenditure of church funds church entities disperse funds in accordance with approved budgets policies and procedures church auditing which consists of credentialed professionals and is independent of all other 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 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 2024 have been recorded and administered in accordance with church approved budgets accounting practices and policies the church follows the practices taught to its members of living within a budget avoiding debt and saving against a time of need respectfully submitted church auditing department jared B larson managing director how could the father tell the world of love and tenderness he sent his son a newborn with peace and holy how could the father show the world we should go he sent his son to walk with men on earth that we may know how could the father tell the world of sacriice he sent his son to die for us and rise with living bread what does the father ask of us what do the scriptures say have faith live his help others how could the father tell the world a sacriice of death he sent his son to die for us and rise with living what does the father ask of us what do the scriptures say of faith of hope live like his son help father my son jesus began the last year of his mortal life by intensifying the training of his apostles if his message and his church were to survive him Moore had to be pressed into the hearts of 12 very ordinary men who had known him for scarcely 24 months one day Jesus witnessed an argument among the twel and later asked "What was it that ye disputed among yourselves?" Apparently embarrassed they held their peace the record says "But this greatest of all teachers perceived the thoughts of their hearts and sensed the first blush of personal pride." So he called a little child unto him and said "Verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven now it should be noted that even before Christ's birth King Benjamin's farewell sermon included this profound comment on a child's humility it says the natural man is an enemy to God and will be forever and ever unless he becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord and submiteth as a child humble full of love even as a child responds to his father now there are obviously some infantile inclinations we don't encourage 25 years ago my then three-year-old grandson bit his 5-year-old sister on the arm my son-in-law caring for the children that night frantically taught his daughter all the lessons on forgiveness that he could think of concluding that her little brother probably didn't even know what a bite on the arm felt like well that ill-conceived fatherly comment worked for about a minute maybe a minute and a half until there was a window rattling cry from the children's bedroom where my granddaughter calmly called out "He He does now so what is it that we are to see in the virtues of life's junior varsity what was it that brought Christ to tears the most tender scene in the entire Book of Mormon what was Jesus teaching when he called down heavenly fire and protective angels to surround those children commanding the adults to behold their little ones we don't know what prompted all of that but I have to think it had something to do with their purity and their innocence their inborn humility and what it could bring to our lives if we retain it what are our days of despair labeled for by one prophet as vanity of vanities how is it that vain imagination and the pride of the children of men are the words that characterize the great and spacious building so spiritually dead in Lehi's vision and the Zoromites that group who prayed so selfservingly ly of them elma said "Oh God they pray unto thee with their mouths while they are puffed up with the vain things of the world." Now by contrast is there anything sweeter more pure more humble than a child at prayer it is as if heaven is in the room god and Christ are so real but for others later on the experience can become more superficial as Elder Richard L le Evans quoted from similar pulpit 60 years ago many of us profess to be Christians yet we do not take him seriously we respect him but we don't follow him we quote his sayings but we don't live by them we admire him but we don't worship him how different life could be if the world esteemed Jesus above the level of a profane swearing streak from time to time but children really do love him and that love can carry over into their other relationships in the playground of life as a rule even in their youngest years children love so easily they forgive so readily they laugh so delightfully that even the coldest hardest heart can melt well the list goes on and on purity trust courage character come with me to view the humility before God demonstrated by one young very dear friend of mine on January 5th 2025 91 days ago Eastston Darren Jolly had the ironic priesthood conferred upon him and was ordained a deacon in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints eastston had longed to pass the sacrament of the Lord's supper for as long as he could remember but this sacred opportunity was accompanied by the stomachwrenching fear that he would fail that he would fall that he would be teased or embarrassed he and his family with him you see Eastston has a rare and very destructive illness olri congenital muscular distrophe it has progressively filled his young life with formidable challenges while shattering his hopes and dreams for the future he will soon be in a wheelchair permanently his family does not talk about what awaits him after that the Sunday after his ordination Eastston would pass the sacrament for the first time and his privately held motivation was that he could present himself and these sacred emblems to his father who was the bishop of the ward in anticipating that task he had begged and pled and wept and begged extracting a guarantee that no one no one would try to help him for many reasons private to himself he needed to do this alone and unaided well after the priest had broken the bread and blessed it an emblem representing the broken body of Christ Eastston with his broken body limped up to receive his tray however there were three sizable steps from the meeting house floor to the elevated stand so after receiving his tray he stretched up as high as he could and placed his tray on the surface above the handrail then sitting down on one of the higher steps with both hands he pulled his right leg up onto the first step then he pulled his left leg up onto the same step and so on until arduously he was at the summit of his personal three-step Mount Everest he then maneuvered himself to a structural post by which he could climb to a standing position he made his way back to the tray a few more steps and he stood in front of the bishop his father who with tears drenching his eyes and flooding down his face he had to restrain himself from embracing this perfectly courageous and faithful son and Eastston with relief and a broad smile consuming his face my well have said I have glorified my father and I have finished the work he gave me to do faith loyalty purity trust honor and in the end love for that father he so wished to please these and a dozen dozen other qualities make us also say "Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child the same as greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Brothers and sisters at the top of the list of the most beautiful images I know are babies and children and youth as conscientious and as priceless as those we refer to today i testify that they are images of the kingdom of God flourishing on earth in all of its strength and beauty in that same spirit of testimony I bear witness that in his youth Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw and conversed with those whom he said he spoke i testify that a humble and pure Russell M nelson is God's ordained and gifted prophet and seer and coming from a lifetime of reading I bear witness that the Book of Mormon is the most rewarding book I have ever read and the keystone of my little dwelling in a kingdom of many mansions i bear witness that priesthood and prayer are restoring my life christ's priesthood and your prayers i know all of this to be true and bear witness of it in the name of the most loyal and humble of all God's sons Alpha and Omega the great I am the crucified the faithful witness even the Lord Jesus Christ amen amen 10 lepers hollowed hollered to the Savior "Have mercy on us." And Jesus did he told them to show themselves to the priest and as they went they were cleansed of the disease and one of them when he saw that he was healed shouted praises to God he returned to the Savior fell at his feet and expressed gratitude and the Savior said to him who was thankful "Thy faith hath made thee whole." Jesus Christ had healed 10 lepers but one coming back to the Savior received something in addition he was made whole nine lepers were physically healed one was physically healed and made spiritually whole in pondering this story I have wondered if the converse is true if healing and wholeness are not the same can one be made spiritually whole by him but not yet physically and emotionally healed the master healer will heal all our afflictions physical and emotional in his time but in the waiting to be healed can one be whole what might it mean to be spiritually whole we are whole in Jesus Christ when we exercise our agency to follow him in faith submit our hearts to him so he can change them keep his commandments and enter a covenant relationship with him meekly enduring and learning from the challenges of this earthly estate until we return to his presence and are healed in every way i can be whole while I wait for healing if I am wholehearted in my relationship with him faith in Jesus Christ begets hope i find hope in striving to be whole a wholeness born of faith in Jesus Christ faith in him increases my hope for healing and that hope reinforces my faith in Jesus Christ it is a powerful cycle the Lord told Enus his faith had made him whole wholeness came as Enus pondered on the words of his prophet father Jacob as he hungered to understand the opportunity for eternal life as he cried unto God in mighty prayer and in that state of desire and humility the voice of the Lord came to him announcing his sins were forgiven and Enus asked the Lord "How is it done?" And the Lord responded "Because of thy faith in Christ thy faith hath made thee whole." Through our faith in Jesus Christ we can seek to be spiritually whole while we wait and hope for physical and emotional healing by virtue of his atoning sacrifice and when we sincerely repent the Savior heals us from sin as he did with Enus his infinite atonement also reaches our griefs and sorrows but he may not provide healing from illness and disease chronic pain autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis cancer anxiety depression and the like that kind of healing is on the Lord's time and in the meantime we can choose to be made whole by exercising our faith in him to be whole means to be complete and full much like the five wives virgins who had their lamps full with oil when the bridegroom came we can be whole in Jesus Christ as we fill our lamps with the nourishing oil of conversion to him in that way we are prepared for this symbolic wedding supper his second coming in the parable all 10 of the virgins were in the right location awaiting the bridegroom every one of them came with a lamp but when he came at the unexpected midnight hour the five foolish did not have sufficient oil for their lamps they were not described as wicked but rather as foolish the foolish failed to adequately prepare to keep their lamps burning with the oil of conversion and so in response to their petition to be permitted to enter the wedding supper the bridegroom responded "Ye know me not." implying then that the five wise virgins did know him they were whole in him their lamps were full of the precious oil of conversion which allowed the wise virgins to enter the marriage feast on the right hand of the bridegroom ex as expressed by the Savior be faithful praying always having your lamps trimmed and burning and oil with you that you may be ready at the coming of the bridegroom a magnificent sculpture depicting the five wise virgins was recently placed on Temple Square just outside the doors to the Relief Society building and in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple it is a location befitting application of the parable because when we make and keep covenants particularly those available in the house of the Lord we fill our lamps with the oil of conversion while the women represented as the five wise virgins are not sharing the oil of their conversion they are sharing their light as they hold up their lamps which are full of oil and burning brightly significantly they are depicted supporting one another shouldertosh shoulder an arm around another making eye contact and beckoning others to come to the light indeed we are the light of the world the Savior declared "I give unto you to be the light of this people a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid do we light a candle and put it under a bushel nay but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house therefore let your light so shine before this people that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven we are commanded to share his light so keep your lamp full of the oil of conversion to Jesus Christ and be prepared to keep your lamp trimmed and burning bright then let that light shine when we share our light we bring the relief of Jesus Christ to others our conversion to him is deepened and we can be whole even while we wait for healing and as we let our light shine brightly we can be joyful even while we wait a scriptural example is useful in reinforcing the principle that we can be whole as we are converted to Jesus Christ and draw strength from him even while we wait for healing the Apostle Paul had some kind of affliction what he described as a thorn in the flesh which three times he had asked the Lord to remove and the Lord said to Paul "My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness." to which Paul declared,"Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong." Paul's example suggests that even in our weakness our strength in Jesus Christ can be made perfect that is complete and whole those who wrestle with mortal struggles and turn to God in faith like Paul can receive the blessings of becoming acquainted with God paul was not healed of his affliction but he was spiritually whole in Jesus Christ and even in his adversity the light of his conversion to and strength from Jesus Christ was shining and he was joyful in his epistle to the Philippians he exclaimed "Rejoice in the Lord always." And again I say "Rejoice." Sisters and brothers the answer is yes we can be spiritually whole even while we wait for physical and emotional healing wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ and in letting the light of that conversion shine many are called but few choose to be chosen all will be physically and emotionally healed in the resurrection but will you choose now to be whole in him i declare with joy that I am converted to the Lord Jesus Christ i am striving to be whole in him i am sure that all things will be restored and healing will come in his time because he lives mary Magdalene was a woman healed of Jesus Christ she was a woman whole in Jesus Christ as his disciples she followed the Savior throughout Galilee and ministered to him she was present at the foot of the cross a witness to his death she went to his tomb to complete the burial preparations and discovered that the stone covering had been taken away that the Lord's body was gone mary was at the tomb weeping when she was asked first by the angels and then by the Savior himself "Woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou?" Mary cried "They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him." And Jesus tenderly called her by name Mary and she recognized him and reverently replied "Raboni Master." Prophesying of the Savior Isaiah said "He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces." His resurrection allowed Mary's tears to be wiped away surely he will wipe away yours too mary was the first witness of the resurrected Savior and she was the first to witness to others of what she had seen i humbly add my testimony to Mary's he is risen jesus Christ lives ultimately all will be healed physically and emotionally and in him and in the waiting for that healing faith in the master healer will make us spiritually whole in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen brothers and sisters I'm so grateful to be with you we love you we are grateful for you and we feel blessed by your prayers president Russell M nelson said at our last conference do you see what is happening right before our eyes i pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment the Lord is indeed hastening his work hastening his work hastening is a word that matters it suggests moving quickly accelerating even urgency in the growth of the church and the plan of Christ hastening is happening and we are all a part of it in April 1834 in Kirtland Ohio the prophet Joseph Smith gathered all who held the priesthood into a little schoolhouse about 14 ft square we could fit dozens of those schoolh houses in this conference center with room to spare joseph Smith said "It is only a little handful of priesthood you see here tonight but this church will fill North and South America it will fill the world." That prophecy is being fulfilled right before our eyes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing in members and families missions and missionaries meeting houses and temples and in enrollment in our seminaries institutes and universities all around the world we are grateful to be on the earth when the church is increasing in numbers and influence but more importantly in the hearts and lives of its members we are known as disciples of Jesus Christ we share our testimonies of him his church his ways and his covenant path we are his people and he is our savior i marvel at what President Nelson calls the majesty of this moment and express profound gratitude to to the Lord for his work i encourage us to stand tall as his disciples eyewitnesses of the fulfillment of prophecy both ancient and modern there are naysayers who shout "Lo here and low there," just as they did in the prophet Joseph Smith's time however they are and will be but mere footnotes in this noble work remember the words of Joseph Smith "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progress progressing persecutions may rage but the truth of God will go forth boldly nobly and independent till it has penetrated every continent visited every climb swept every country and sounded in every ear till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say "The work is done." In my assignments this year I have had a front row seat to the Lord hastening his work the church is building temples at an unprecedented pace giving more members an opportunity to worship in the house of the Lord second missionary work is gathering record numbers to the fold of the good shepherd Jesus Christ and third church education in many configurations is at a new high in teaching those who seek this Jesus today the church has 367 temples in various stages of design construction or operation and for what purpose the answer is proclaimed on each temple holiness to the Lord the temple opens the way to the highest blessings our father in heaven has for each one of us brothers and sisters we are hastening our holiness as we live templew worthy as we worship in the house of the Lord and as we make covenants with God for ourselves and on behalf of our ancestors on the other side of the veil president Nelson has said "The assaults of the adversary are increasing exponentially in intensity and in variety our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater i plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time." In his house we can feel the Lord's hallowed presence and transcendent peace last year I was privileged to preside at the dedication of the Mendoza Argentina Temple in my message I referred to Elder Melvin J ballard's 1926 prophecy that the work of the Lord would grow slowly for a time in South America just as an oak grows slowly from an acorn it will not shoot up in a day but thousands would join the church and the nations of South America would become a power in the church i saw that prophecy fulfilled right before my eyes mendosa once a small acorn has become a mighty oak that growth is being repeated across the continents and isles of the sea we see the Lord hastening his work in missions in 2024 80,000 missionaries were serving in 450 missions 36 of those are new missions last year missionary work brought over 38,000 new new members into the church more than numbers the spirit of the gathering is bringing souls to Jesus Christ and his gospel i think of apostles Brigham Young and Heber C kimble who in 1839 set off as missionaries to the British Isles they were ill they left families sick and destitute nevertheless the two climbed into a wagon and while still inside of their loved ones Heber said "Let's rise up and give them a cheer." The two struggled to their feet and shouted "Hurrah harrah!" for Israel i saw that same enthusiasm for the Lord's work in Lima Peru when I met with missionaries from the missionary training center and missions in Lima what a sight i saw the hastening right before my eyes there are now seven missions in just the city of Lima at the end of our meeting the missionaries had a little surprise for me they rose up all together and cheered Harrah for Israel i'll never forget that moment i wish all of you could have been there right before my eyes were missionaries who had set aside the things of this world to serve the Lord and help hasten his coming we see the Lord hastening educational opportunities for our members and even non-members around the world one of the things that distinguishes us as a church is our emphasis on education the Lord commanded in the early days of the restoration to seek learning even by study and also by faith that is happening today and is worthy of a resounding harrah currently more than 800,000 students worldwide are enrolled in seminary and institute the highest enrollment in the history of the church our youth gather in a variety of ways from early morning daytime and evening classes to online and inhome study they are a mighty and righteous battalion gaining strength from each other as they learn of Jesus Christ follow and testify of him as the son of God last fall I spoke at a devotional to an arena full of seminary and institute students and their parents at the University of Utah their attendance said much about their desire to follow and know Jesus Christ my message to those students was clear give the Lord equal time i counsel them to balance their studies with true higher learning even a study of the son of the living God i ask the same of everyone today whatever is on your to-do list give equal time not spare time to the Lord in personal scripture study family study of come follow me prayer church callings ministering partaking of the sacrament worshiping in the temple and pondering the things of God our Lord and Savior has said "Learn of me and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Take him at his word and give him equal time president Nelson has said "I plead with you to let God prevail in your life give him a fair share of your time as you do notice what happens to your positive spiritual momentum." We see that momentum building at seminaries institutes and church universities in these environments the Lord is a priority so should he be in each one of our lives another area that shows the growing reach of education in the church is BYU pathway across the world enrollment has reached nearly 75,000 and continues to grow rapidly most are members and more than onethird are in Africa pathway is all about access to education completing the courses means access to employment and access to employment means a better life for families and more opportunities to serve the Lord when I was meeting with state leaders in Uganda I learned that the entire stake presidency was enrolled in BYU pathway the more prepared we are temporally and spiritually the more we can thwart the adversaries cunning attacks remember the words of Peter the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour now I recognize that in the midst of good news of the gospel there are those who struggle who have faith challenges doubts and questions that seem to have no answers brothers and sisters Jesus Christ is the answer start with him look for his hand in your life listen to him let not your heart be troubled he said in his last hours to his disciples before Gethsemane before carrying his cross through the streets of Jerusalem before Golgtha where he completed his atoning sacrifice what only he the begotten son of God could do know that he understands he took upon himself all our sins mistakes misery and very bad days that we might live again with our father in heaven in eternity he has said "Look unto me in every thought doubt not fear not." Faith in Jesus Christ can lift you up and heal your wounded soul trust in him and you will hasten your return to the arms of his love i emphasize again the words of our living prophet do you see what is happening right before our eyes i pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment the Lord is hastening his work may we as his disciples of of our day shout harrah for Israel as we prepare for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the name of Jesus Christ amen as directed by brother Murphy we invite you to join the choir in singing High on the mountaintop after the singing we will hear from Elder Quinton El Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Ricardo P jimenez of the 70 following their remarks the choir will sing God is love president Henry B iring second counselor in the First Presidency will be our concluding speaker this morning following President Iring's remarks the choir will sing "Come come ye saints." The benediction will then be offered by Elder Jorge F sios of the 70 this is the Saturday morning session of the 195th annual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints high on the mountain is the nations of the God raising all the world in desert ever behold for his promise made alone that he And when I shall be his glory to his name and people shall in distant will for shall be the Oh Christ forever the atonement of Jesus Christ provides the ultimate rescue from the trials we face in this life president Russell M nelson assigned me to dedicate the Casper Wyoming Temple late last year it was a profound emotional and spiritual experience it brought into clear focus the role temples play in rescuing God's children through the Savior's atonement the stakes in the Casper Wyoming Temple District include a portion of the overland trail used by Latter-day Saint pioneers between 1847 and 1868 in preparation for the temple dedication I reread some of the history of the trail along the Plat River near Casper and continuing to Salt Lake City the trail had been a thoroughfare for hundreds of thousands of Western immigrants my primary emphasis was the more than 60,000 Latterday Saint pioneers who traveled the trail most of our pioneers came by wagon but about 3,000 crossed in 10 handcart companies eight of these handcart companies made the monumental trek with remarkable success and few deaths the Willie and Martin handcart companies of 1856 were the exception i reviewed the accounts of the Willie and Martin handcart companies from the time the terrible weather conditions commenced i became intimately aware of the challenges they faced at the crossing of the Sweetwater River Martins's Cove Rocky Ridge and Rock Creek Hollow i had not been inside the Casper Temple prior to the dedication when I entered the foyer my attention was immediately drawn to an original handcarp painting titled Between Storms the painting was clearly not intended to depict the tragedies that it that had occurred as I gazed at it I thought "This painting is correct the vast majority of handcart pioneers did not experience tragedies i could not help feeling that this is like life in general sometimes we are between storms and sometimes between clouds and sunshine when I turned to the original painting on the other wall titled Heaven's Portal I realized that this beautiful summer painting of what was called Devil's Gate with the calm and clear Sweetwater River flowing through it presented the beauty of the Lord's creation not just the challenges the pioneers faced in that horrible winter season then I looked forward behind the recommend desk and saw a beautiful painting of the Savior this immediately invoked overwhelming feelings of gratitude in a world of great beauty there are also enormous challenges as we turn to Jesus Christ the Savior of the world he rescues us from the storms of life through his atonement in accordance with the Father's plan for me the foyer was a perfect preparation for the temple ordinance rooms that allow us to receive the ordinances of exaltation make sacred covenants and to fully accept and experience the blessings of the Savior's atonement the Father's plan of happiness is based on the Savior's atoning rescue the pioneer experience provides Latter-day Saints with a unique historical tradition and a powerful collective spiritual legacy for some the migration had been years in the making after being forcefully driven from both Missouri and Nauvoo for others it began after President Brigham young announced the handcart plan which was intended to make immigration more affordable the handcarts cost much less than wagons and oxen a missionary in England Milan Atwood said that when the handcart plan was announced it ran like fire in dry stubble and the hearts of the poor saints leapt with joy and gladness many had prayed and fasted day after day and night after night that they might have the privilege of uniting with their brethren and sisters in the mountains most of the handcart saints experienced hardship but avoided major adverse events but two handcart companies the Willie company and the Martin Company experienced starvation exposure to freezing weather and many deaths most of these travelers sailed from Liverpool England in May of 1856 aboard two ships they arrived at the Handcart outfitting site in Iowa City in June and July despite warnings both companies departed for the Salt Lake Valley too late in the season president Brigham Young first became aware of the perilous situation of these companies on October 4th 1856 the next day he stood before the saints in Salt Lake City and said quote "Many of our brethren and sisters are on the planes with handcarts and they must be brought here we must send assistance to them before the winter sets in." He asked the bishops to provide 60 mule teams 12 or more wagons and 12 tons of flour and proclaimed "Go and bring in those people now on the plains the combined number of pioneers in the Willie and Han and Martin handcart companies was approximately 1,100 some 200 of these precious saints died along the trail without the timely rescue many more would have perished the winter storms began nearly two weeks after the first rescuers left Salt Lake City the accounts of members of the Willie and Martin companies describe devastating challenges after the storms began these accounts also depict the great joy when the rescuers arrived describing the arrival scene Mary Hur said "Tears streamed down the cheeks of the men and children danced for joy as soon as the people could control their feelings they all knelt in the snow and gave thanks to God two days later the Willie company had to travel the most difficult part of the trail going over Rocky Ridge in a freezing storm the last of them didn't reach camp until 5 the next morning 13 people died and were buried in a common grave on November 7th the Willie Company was nearing the Salt Lake Valley but that morning there were still three deaths two days later the Willie company finally reached Salt Lake where they had a marvelous greeting and were welcomed into the homes of the Saints the same day the Martin Company was still 325 miles back on the trail continuing to suffer from cold and inadequate food a few days earlier they had crossed the Sweetwater River to reach what is now called Martins's Cove where they hoped to find protection from the elements one of the pioneers said it was the worst river crossing of the expedition some of the rescuers like my great-grandfather David Patton Kimble who was just 17 years old along with his young friends George W grant Alan Huntington Steven Taylor and Ira Neber spent hours in the frigid water helping heroically the company make the Sweetwater crossing while this event has received much attention as I learned more about the rescuers I realized that all of them were following the prophet and played critical roles in saving the stranded saints all the rescuers were heroic as were the immigrants studying their story I appreciated the precious relationship and the long-term long-term eternal vision among the im immigrants john and Mariah Lynford and their three sons were members of the Willie company john died hours before the res first rescuers arrived he had told Mariah that he was glad they had made the journey i shall not live to reach Salt Lake he said but you and the boys will and I do not regret all we have gone through if our boys can grow up and raise their families in Zion president James E fa provided this marvelous summary in the heroic effort of the Hancoart pioneers we learn a great truth all must pass through a finer's fire and the insignificant and unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our fa faith bright intact and strong there seems to be a full measure of anguish sorrow and often heartbreak for everyone including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful yet this is part of the purging to become acquainted with God." End quote in his eternity shaping atonement and resurrection the Savior broke the bands of death having gained the victory over death for everyone for those who have repented of sins he has granted upon himself their iniquity and taken and their transgressions having redeemed them and satisfied the demands of justice without the atonement we cannot save ourselves from sin and death while sin can play a significant role in our trials like adversaries are compounded by mistakes bad decisions evil actions by others and many things outside of our control preach my gospel teaches as we rely on Jesus Christ and his atonement he can help us endure our trials sicknesses and pain we can be filled with joy peace and consolation all that is unfair about life can be made right through the atonement of Jesus Christ during this Easter season our focus is on the Savior and his atoning sacrifice the atonement provides hope and light at a time that for many seems dark and dreary president Gordon B hinckley declared "When all of history is examined there is nothing so wonderful so majestic so tremendous as this act of grace." I share three recommendations which I think are particularly relevant for our day first do not underestimate the importance of doing what we can to rescue others from physical and especially spiritual challenges second gratefully accept the Savior's atonement we all should strive to exhibit joy and happiness even as we face the challenges of life our goal should be to live optimistically on the sunny side of the street i have observed my precious companion Mary do this her entire life i have appreciated her sparkling uplifting approach even as we have faced problems throughout the years my third council is to set aside consistent time to faithfully contemplate the Savior's atonement there are many ways to do this in our personal religious observance however attending sacrament meeting and partaking of the sacrament is especially significant equally important is regular attendance in a temple where possible the temple provides a continuing remembrance of the Savior's atonement and what it overcomes and even more important temple attendance allows us to provide a spiritual rescue for our deceased loved ones and more distant ancestors president Russell M nelson at our last conference emphasized this principle and added "Temple blessings help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the second coming of the Lord." We must never forget the sacrifices and examples of prior generations but our agilation appreciation and worship should be centered on the savior of the world and his atoning sacrifice i testify that the key to the father's plan of happiness is the atonement wrought by our savior Jesus Christ he lives and guides his church the atonement of Jesus Christ provides the ultimate rescue from the trials we face in this life in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen have you ever noticed that our dear prophet President Russell M nelson continuously extends invitations to us not surprisingly he has invited us to study and ponder the messages shared at the last two conferences in April 2024 he said "I hope you will repeatedly study the messages of this conference throughout the coming months." Then in October 2024 he said "I urge you to study their messages use them as a litmos test of what is true and what is not in the next during the next six months these invitations can be added to prophetic invitations we have received throughout our lifetime including and especially those we have received in recent years we might feel or think these invitations are another thing we need to add to our to-do lists simply because we were invited or asked to do it but could there be more to it pondering over this and all the invitations we received I recall something that I learned and decided long ago i am trying to do these things which are essential to me because I love him i love our savior this is the real and most powerful reason why I do what I do and then connected with this is my love for you my fellow brothers and sisters as your brother I hope you will consider my words as a sincere invitation to seek to understand the opportunity to link everything we do with our love for the Savior doing this will help us understand the real why behind everything we do as disciples of the Savior this will help us strengthen our covenantal connection with God understanding his divine and eternal truth his eternal and absolute truth that will never change eternal truth like for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life it is interesting that sometimes because we have consistently done things to the point that they have turned into traditions we allow this traditions or activities to dictate our efforts to be to build faith faith in Jesus Christ it seems that we do these things because we have done them for many years without considering their impact on our covenantal connection with the savior in our world we usually focus on what we do and on consistently accomplishing tasks and goals in this environment we have the opportunity to go beyond just doing things or achieving goals by understanding why we are doing them especially in a spiritual sphere if we can understand and connect that the reason behind our actions relates to our love for the Savior and our heavenly father by taking advantage of these opportunities we will understand that even though doing righteous things like having church activities or traditions and appropriately doing them is a good thing when we connect them with the why we will be blessed to understand the reason it won't be just doing good things or doing it right we will also get it right for example when you set a goal to read the scriptures offer sincere prayers or prepare an activity for your family or word is the real goal simply accomplish these tasks or are these the actions the means the tools at your disposal to achieve the true goal is the purpose merely to hold an activity because we have done it for many years and then check the box that we have completed it or once again are these the means we use to connect to learn to fill with the savior please don't misunderstand my point about activities and traditions or setting goals and working hard to achieve them there is nothing wrong with this however I invite you to open your hearts and minds to the opportunity and blessing of understanding why we do these things and how we practice our religion a prime example of Christ-c centered traditions is the challenge ex the challenge President Darling H oaks extended to all of us in the name of the first presidency president Oak said "As we enter this new year let us prepare for an Easter celebration of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ no matter what others believe or do we should celebrate the resurrection of our living savior by studying his teachings and helping to establish Easter traditions in our society as a whole especially within our own families as you can see it is not just an invitation to have traditions instead we use these traditions as a means to learn more about the Savior and remember his resurrection the more we can connect the reason with our love for the Savior the more we will be able to receive what we need or are seeking president Nelson said "Whatever questions or problems you have the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ." And then he extended this invitation learn more about his atonement his love his mercy his doctrine and his restored gospel of healing and progression turn to him follow him ponder this in your hearts and minds do you believe President Nelson's invitation had the intention of helping us prepare a checklist where we'll accumulate more knowledge and complete tasks so we can check off his invitation from our to-do list or is he inviting us to consider the aspects of this eternal truth and principles as an opportunity to understand the why and connect the Savior's covenantal love for us with our lifelong disciplehip journey let me illustrate the principle that I'm trying to convey one option which is probably extreme could be to read all the messages from general conference all at once then when I'm done I will check this invitation from my to-do list without doing anything else with what I read i understand this is an extreme case but it is not unreal probably many of us are at a point between this and the ideal the invitation is to study and ponder the messages from the general conference and use them to determine and understand what we each can do to improve when we accept the invitation understanding the why behind it we will have more opportunities to become closer to the Savior we will begin to understand that because I love the Savior I want to learn more about him by studying the words of the living prophets and because I love my fellow men I will share the teachings of prophets seers and revelators with others starting with my loved ones in both examples you are doing a righteous thing in one the goal seems to be using the means that heavenly father and the savior have given us which are the messages shared during general conference the second version embraces the profound blessing of gaining insight into the underlying reasons offering a pathway to understand eternal truth and the blessings promised to all who make the teachings and life of our savior Jesus Christ the focal point of their lives dear brothers and sisters I hope you can feel and see the importance of connecting our actions with our love for the Savior in a globalized world many voices will try to influence you and if possible lead you to believe that some fundamental truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are unnecessary starting with the essential truth of the need for a restoration in these the last days including the necessity of having God's kingdom on earth represented by the restored church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you may hear voices insisting that only a personal relationship or understanding with the Savior is sufficient and that religion or the restored church is unnecessary or non-essential i invite you to be slow to consider or even be immune to to being influenced by these misleading ideas and to be quicker to remember what the Savior has been telling and teaching us since ancient times beginning with the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for us and connecting our love for them as the reason to follow them god the Father and his son came and spoke with Joseph Smith to restore Jesus Christ Church and to initiate the dispensation of the fullness of times his kingdom on earth therefore the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the means established by Heavenly Father to access covenants that enable us to return home thus we need more than just a personal relationship with Heavenly Father and his son we require essential priesthood ordinances through which we make covenants with them these provides a covenantal connection with them and grant us access to their covenantal love making it possible to attain the highest kingdom of glory prepared for all those who are true and faithful to their covenants with all the energy of my soul I bear witness to the reality and divinity of our savior Jesus Christ he loves you he knows what is happening in your life his arms are wide open extending the invitation come unto me and I will give you rest i love the Savior and my love for him is my why in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen amen earth with earth and thome and flowers with all his and shed counter all around there is God is love the fail and in the woods and by the hills of the And of the gentle meus god is love all the sweet from the B and all the all the comes to our earthly voicees from We go is all the voice from Sweeter God is love my dear brothers and sisters It is a joy for me to be with you in this general conference of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this is his church we are gathered in buildings and homes all over the world in his name we take his name upon us when we enter his kingdom by covenant he is the resurrected and glorified son of God we are mortals subject to sin and death yet in his love for each of us the Savior invites us to come closer to him here is his invitation to us draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you seek me diligently and ye shall find me ask and ye shall receive knock and it shall be answered open unto you there are times we feel close to the savior Jesus Christ and yet sometimes during our mortal trials we feel some distance from him and wish for an assurance that he knows what is in our heart and loves us as individuals the Savior's invitation includes the way to feel that assurance draw near him by always remembering him seek him diligently through scripture study ask through heartfelt prayer to heavenly father to feel closer to his beloved son there is a simple way to think about it is what you would do if you were separated for a time from dear friends you would find a way to communicate with them you would cherish any message you received from them and you would do all you could to help them the more that happened the longer it lasted the deeper the bond of affection would be strengthened and you would feel yourself drawing ever nearer if much time passed without the cherished communication and the opportunity to help one another the bond would weaken jesus Christ loves each of us he offers that opportunity to draw closer to him as with a loving friend you will do it in much the same way by communicating through prayer to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ listening for cherished guidance from the Holy Ghost and then serving others for the Savior cheerfully soon he would feel that blessing of drawing nearer to him in my youth I experienced the joy of coming closer to the Savior and of his coming closer to me through simple acts of obedience to the commandments when I was young the sacrament was offered during an evening meeting i can still remember one specific night more than 75 years ago when it was dark and cold outside i remember a feeling of light and warmth as I realized that I had kept the commandment to gather with the saints to partake of the sacrament covenanting with our heavenly father to always remember his son and keep his commandments at the end of the meeting that night we sang the hymn Abide with me it is even tied with the memorable words "Oh Savior stay this night with me." These words brought an overwhelming sense of the spirit to me even as a young boy I felt the Savior's love and closeness that evening through the comfort of the Holy Ghost years later I wanted to rekindle the same feeling of the Savior's love and the closeness I had felt to the Lord during that sacrament meeting in my youth so I kept another simple commandment i searched the scriptures in the book of Luke I read of the third day after his crucifixion and burial when faithful servants had come out of love for the Savior to anoint his body when they arrived they found the stone rolled away from the tomb and saw that his body was not there two angels stood by and asked why they were afraid why seek ye the living among the dead he is not here but is risen remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee saying "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again." That evening at dusk two disciples walked from Jerusalem on the road to Emmas and the resurrected Lord appeared to them and walked with them the book of Luke allows us to walk with them that evening and it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned Jesus himself drew near and went with them but their eyes were holden that they should not know him and he said unto them "What manner of communications are these that you have one to another as you walk and are sad?" And one of them whose name was Cleopus answering said unto him "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" They told him of their sadness that Jesus had died when they had trusted he would be the redeemer of Israel there must have been affection in the risen Lord's voice as he spoke to those two sorrowful and mourning disciples as I continued to read there came these words that warmed my heart just as I had felt when I was a little boy and they drew nigh unto the village whether they went and he made as though he would have gone further but they constrained him saying "Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." And he went in to tarry with them the Savior accepted that night the invitation to enter the house of his disciples he sat at meat with them he took bread blessed it broke it and gave it to them their eyes were opened and they knew him then he vanished out of their sight luke recorded for us the feelings of those blessed disciples and they said one to another "Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures the two disciples then rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the 11 apostles what had happened as they were sharing their experience the Savior appeared again he stood in the midst of them and saith unto them "Peace be unto you." He then reviewed the prophecies of his mission to atone for the sins of all his father's children and to break the bands of death and he said unto them "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem." and ye are witnesses of these things just as his beloved disciples every child of heavenly father who has chosen to enter through the gate of baptism is under covenant to be a witness of the Savior and to care for those in need throughout our mortal lives this commitment was made plain for us by the great Book of Mormon prophet Alma centuries ago at the waters of Mormon as you're desirous to come into the fold of God and to be called his people and are willing to bear one another's burdens that they may be light yay and are willing to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places even until death you may be redeemed of God that you may have eternal life as you are faithful to those promises you will find that the Lord keeps his promise to be one with you in your service making your burdens light you will come to know the savior and in time you will come to be like him and be perfected in him by helping others for the savior you will find that you are drawing nearer to him many of you have loved ones who are wandering off the path to eternal life you wonder what more you can do to bring them back well one thing you can depend on the Lord to draw closer to them as you serve him in faith you may remember the Lord's promise to Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon when they are away from their families on his errands my friends my friends Sydney and Joseph your families are well they are in mine hands and I will do them as seemth me good for in me there is all power as you bind up the wounds of those in need the Lord's power will sustain you his arms will be outstretched with yours to success the children of our heavenly father every covenant servant of Jesus Christ will receive his direction from the spirit as they bless and serve others for him then they will feel the Savior's love and find joy in being drawn closer to him i am a witness of the resurrection of the Lord as surely as have I been there with the two disciples in the house on Emmas road I know that he lives this is his true church the church of Jesus Christ we will on the day of judgment stand before the Savior face to face it will be a time of great joy for those in this life who have drawn close to him in his service and can eagerly anticipate to hear his words well done thou good and faithful servant i testify as a witness of the risen savior and our redeemer in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen no tor no heart to you may shall be for us to strive our useless care to do this and your hearts will All is well all is well why should we think our is right why should we think toward a great reward if we shish our God will never us for and soon we'll have is tale to tell all is well all is well we'll find a place which God for us prepared far away in the west when none shall come to hurt or make a saint will be blessed we make the with music shout praises to our God and King above the rest these words will tell all is well all is well and should we die before our jour is well we then are free from toil and sorrow too with the we are spared again to see the rest of day oh all is well all is well every day is Heat heat our dear heavenly father at the conclusion of this wonderful session of general conference we express our love for thee for thy wonderful plan of happiness we thank thee father for the gift of thy son Jesus Christ we also express our gratitude for the messages that have been shared this morning for the preparation and inspiration of those who have spoken to us we thank the father for the magnificent music for this wonderful tabernacle choir we are thankful for each one of its members and for their devoted devoted service now dear father we ask thee to continue blessing our beloved prophet president Russell M nelson his two wonderful and capable counselors and is one of the members of the quorum the 12 we love them father we also pray and ask for the leaders of the nations of the world so that the gospel of thy son Jesus Christ can be preached to every being on earth every child of thee dear father we ask that each one of thy children can have the opportunity to be invited to come unto Christ we love thee father and we love thy wonderful son Jesus Christ and we pray in his name in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen this has been a broadcast of the Saturday morning session of the 195th annual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speakers were selected from leaders of the church music was provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square all are welcome to view and share the messages of this and other conferences found at church ofjesus.org this broadcast is furnished as a public service by Bonavville distribution it may be used for personal and non-commercial home family or church uses copyright 2025 by Intellectual Reserve Incorporated all rights reserved