Brothers and sisters, we welcome you to this special broadcast for young adults.

We are so pleased to have you participate from the Europe, Europe East, Africa,

and Middle East Areas of the world.

Today we are blessed to have with us Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Mary Cook.

Elder Cook is a member of the Twelve.

One of his specific responsibilities is to oversee the Europe East Area.

We also have in attendance Elder Marcus B. Nash, Executive Director of the Missionary Department, who formerly served as the President of the Africa West Area, and Elder Gary B. Sabin, Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department, who formerly served as the President of the Europe Area.

My name is Elder Carl Cook, and I have been asked to conduct this meeting.

I am blessed to work with both the Europe and Europe East Areas in my

current assignment in the Presidency of the Seventy and have formerly served in the Africa Southeast Area.

As you can see, we all have ties to your Areas.

We love you and are so pleased to be with you.

The music and prayers today were provided to us from your Areas.

We will begin with the musical number

“Now Let Us Rejoice,”

performed by a group from the Nuneaton England Ward. After the musical number,

Patricia Saint-Martin from Fonder Belle Park, South Africa, will offer the invocation.

Our dear Heavenly Father, we are grateful to be gathered here today as an international body of young adults and for the opportunity that we have to

be able to hear from Thy servants.

We are so grateful for the messages that we are going to hear tonight, for

the Spirit that we’re going to feel.

And we pray that we will be able to be receptive and that our hearts and our minds will be opened to the messages that they have come to share.

We pray that Thou will please help us to feel of the Spirit,

that we will be able to

receive personal revelation, and we will be able to go to act on it and

that we will be able to

identify where we need to make changes and to continue on the covenant path.

We pray that Thou wilt bless all the speakers this evening that they will be able to

share their message with the Spirit, that they will be able to

share the messages that Thou hast placed in their hearts.

Father, we leave all of this to Thy will, and we say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you for that beautiful music and the heartfelt prayer.

Elder Quentin L. Cook was sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 6th of October, 2007. Called as a General Authority

in 1996, he served in the Second Quorum, the First Quorum, and the Presidency of the Seventy.

He previously served in the Area Presidency in the Philippines,

as President of the Pacific Islands and the North America Northwest Areas,

and as Executive Director of the Missionary Department.

Prior to his call as a General Authority, he served the Church as a full-time missionary in the British Mission and as a bishop, stake president

in the San Francisco California Stake.

He also served as a regional representative and an Area Authority in the North America West Area.

Sister Mary Gaddie Cook was born in Garland, Utah, to Malcolm Severe

and Verna Kirkham Gaddie.

She was raised in Logan, Utah.

She married Quentin L. Cook November 30, 1962, in the Logan temple.

They are the parents of three children, with 11 grandchildren.

Sister Cook has served as stake Young Women president, Relief Society counselor, seminary teacher, Primary music director,

and teacher in all in all the auxiliaries.

She has also served with her husband as he served in the Area Presidency in the Philippines and the Pacific Islands.

We will first be pleased to hear from Sister Mary Cook.

She will be followed by a musical number,

“How Great Thou Art,” performed by Boheme Topolli from Tirana, Albania.

After the musical number, we will be honored to hear from Elder Quentin L. Cook.

Following Elder Cook and Sister Cook’s remarks, we will hear from Elder Marcus B. Nash, who will then be followed by Elder Gary B. Sabin.

At the conclusion of Elder Sabin’s remarks, we will hear concluding remarks from Elder Quentin L. Cook.

At the conclusion of Elder Cook’s remarks, we will have a closing musical number,

“We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” by the Nuneaton England Ward Single Adult Ward. And Michael Hopkins from Redding,

England, will then offer our closing prayer.

Sister Cook.

My dear young friends, we are so blessed to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives with living prophets to guide us.

The home-centered Church-supported curriculum has been a Godsend to us during this pandemic.

No matter our circumstances as beloved sons and daughters of our Heavenly

Father: We each work out our own salvation.

We each belong to a family, and we are all disciples of Jesus Christ.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all are welcome, all are needed, and all belong.

And we each have a “great work” to do.

In the Doctrine and Covenants 64:33–34 we read: “Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.”

President Russell M. Nelson has defined this great work for us: “Any time we do anything that

helps anyone—on either side of the veil —to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.” (End quote) We certainly

live in a difficult time.

We have been dealing with a global pandemic, social and political

unrest, secularism which is crowding in, and some people losing their faith in God.

We can stand firm and steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ as the world whirls around us.

President Russell M. Nelson guides and encourages us for such a time as this.

He has taught our purpose this way: “We extend an invitation to come unto Christ and to participate in the eternal plan of God.

It is an invitation to participate in the ordinances, covenants, and blessings of the holy temple with our families —past, present, and future.

That’s our objective; that’s why we have missionary work.”

(End quote) Each one of us can achieve this regardless of our status.

We teach the ideal eternal family, and we all strive for this ideal.

The reality falls far short sometimes, but we cleave to the blessings and promises of the ideal eternal family.

When you keep the commandments of God as we read in the Book of

Mormon, King Benjamin promises that you are “… blessed in all things both temporal

and spiritual; and if [you] hold out faithful to the end [you] are received into heaven…and dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness.”

Moroni tells us that the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.

I cling to these promises.

When I was growing up, my reality didn’t look like this ultimate purpose at all.

My parents had a stormy marriage; they separated for two years when I was 8 years old, then they reunited. It wasn’t until several year after Quentin and I were married, that my father had resolved his issues and became an active member of

the Church.

I was invited to join with my younger sister when our parents were sealed together as an eternal family in the Logan Temple.

I learned a lot through this experience.

I learned to be patient and trust in the Lord. I have always believed and have a strong testimony.

I knew I wanted a home where there was active priesthood, and I knew I wanted a temple marriage and did what I could to make sure I was worthy of the temple.

I realize that we make our own happiness, and we can find joy if we live

the gospel of Jesus Christ, cleave to our covenants, and focus on others instead of ourselves.

As we live righteously in our families, minister to others, fulfill and magnify our callings, love – share – and invite, and take part in temple work and family history, we are engaged in the work of salvation and exaltation.

We can overcome all of our trials as we focus on His work and keep His commandments.

My dear young friends, let us “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.

He has restored His Church with priesthood ordinances and covenants to

lead us back into the presence of Heavenly Father.

He has generously invited us to help Him in this great work of salvation as it

rolls on!

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you for that beautiful rendition.

Mary and I are happy to be here, and also optimistic about your future.

Nevertheless, in these trying times it is important for you to “Strengthen Your

Faith as You Face Life’s Challenges.” That is the title of my message.

In the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we encourage the rising generation and young adults to strengthen their faith and their spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual growth.

When I speak of faith, I am speaking of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The challenge for young adults is to find the time for spiritual growth while acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to provide for yourselves and your families.

Faith and acquiring skills and knowledge require equal effort and commitment.

We cannot expect to have faith at the center of our lives if all of our efforts are expended on skills, knowledge, making money,

sports, hobbies, or other pursuits.

Elder LeGrand Richards, then of the Quorum of the Twelve, used to tell the story of a man living in the southern part of the United States

who sold rabbit pies.

He had a significant business and produced a large number of pies.

At some point people became suspicious that the pies included horse meat.

A charge was made that he was engaged in false advertising.

He initially denied that the pies contained horse meat, but upon questioning admitted that yes there was a little horse meat.

Upon further interrogation he finally acknowledged that the pies were half horse and half rabbit.

When asked what he meant by half horse and half rabbit, he said one horse

and one rabbit.

Some of us want faith to be at the center of our lives, but it does not get our attention, it is the rabbit portion of the pie.

Let me share with you five principles that I believe are essential as you place

faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at the center of your lives as you seek diligently to acquire the skills and knowledge required to fulfill your responsibilities as a young adult.

First, understand that there is truly opposition in all things.

The choices you make are critical.

Choice is a very loaded word.

Most of you are at the stage of life where you have numerous options for some of the most important choices you will ever make: How will you live your life?

For those not married, “Who will you marry?” Will you be married in the temple?

Will you get additional education or

training? Where?

What kind of employment will you seek?

Will you have children?

Many of these decisions or choices will need to be made soon—most over the next few years.

The choices you will make are the key to your future and your happiness.

We live at a time when almost every choice is debated and dissected.

Any righteous proposal or principle is almost immediately opposed by many.

The Prophet Lehi near the end of his life taught, “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.” Given the war in heaven over the Plan of Salvation, it is not surprising that the religious principles that have been taught in this, the last dispensation are attacked with malignant ferocity.

But lest we be discouraged, let us remember the outcome of the war in heaven

and the outcome that we know will come to fruition with the second coming of Christ.

The tough decisions you face today involve individual choices and behavior, and these choices can be made and followed.

But do not be distracted by rationalization or diversions.

Many years ago, Robert K. Thomas, who for several years was Academic Vice President at Brigham Young University, told of a moving poem by John Holmes.

The poem describes an old, deaf New England shipbuilder teaching Holmes in his youth about building a ship.

Holmes comes to an understanding with the force of a voice shouting in his ear

that, no matter how you build it, “your ship has to float: you can’t explain to the ocean.” Because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we know that we are accountable for our choices, and we also know we will account to the Savior.

We need to make good choices each day and not rationalize or be diverted.

My mission president taught me when I was your age that it is the small decisions or choices day by day that are important.

He introduced me to some wonderful advice by a prominent protestant minister in New York.

He taught: (Quote) “Ah, my soul, look to the road you are walking on!

He who picks up one end of a stick picks up the other.

He who chooses the beginning of a road chooses the place it leads to.

It is the means that determines the end.” (End quote) I have found this counsel to be true, and it has been most helpful to me throughout my life.

At your age there are many choices and decisions about which to worry.

Some of you are married; some are not.

So, you are looking at the choices that are important to you from different perspectives.

I want you to know, and I testify to you, that you will receive guidance from the Lord if you walk in His paths and live His commandments.

The great prophet Lehi issued this cry about choice to his family: “… I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit…” I challenge you to understand that there is opposition in all things and that the choices you make are critical.

The second principle is strengthening your own testimony as a foundation

for all of the choices you make.

The foundation for every important decision and choice you will make is your

testimony of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The Book of Mormon is an essential element of that testimony.

My wife, Mary, and I had the great privilege of accompanying President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Wendy, to South America in August of 2019.

I loved the way President Nelson introduced the Book of Mormon to the president of one country we visited.

President Nelson gifted him a leather-bound copy of the Book of Mormon with the country’s president’s name embossed on the cover.

When President Nelson handed the book to him, he explained that the Book of Mormon

is a thousand-year history of some of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas.

President Nelson noted that because it was a history, it was not like a book

where there was a beginning and an end that would be read from cover to cover.

President Nelson informed this leader that the Savior, Jesus Christ, had

visited the Americas and it might be preferable to start reading at that point

in the Book of Mormon.

President Nelson requested that this respected leader read the heading to Chapter 11 of 3rd Nephi.

This reads: The Father testifies of His Beloved Son—Christ appears and proclaims His Atonement—The people feel the wound marks in His hands and feet and side—They cry Hosanna—He sets forth the mode and manner of baptism

—The spirit of contention is of the devil—Christ’s doctrine is that men should believe and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost.

That was about A.D. 34.

The leader of this country was obviously touched when he read the heading out loud.

The Book of Mormon is a powerful witness of Jesus Christ and contains His commandments and teachings.

Reading this sublime book will strengthen your desire to live His commandments

and provide you with a strong testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.

Many of you, if not most, have a testimony.

We each need a personal testimony.

President Joseph F. Smith said, “One fault to be avoided by the Saints, young and old, is the tendency to live on borrowed light, ... [and] to permit ... the light within them to be reflected, rather than original.”

Heber C. Kimball, who was a counselor to Brigham Young, said it this way: “The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light.

Each will have to be guided by the light within himself.

If you do not have it, how can you stand? If you don’t have it, you will not stand; therefore seek for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying time comes you may not stumble and fall.” It is interesting to me that Heber C. Kimball, of the First Presidency, gave this message in 1867—23

years after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

An entire generation had grown up after the death of Joseph.

They had not heard Joseph’s personal testimony of the First Vision.

Through all of the trials of Kirtland, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Heber had remained faithful to Joseph and to his own testimony of the Savior which had sustained him.

The 76th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants refers to the three degrees of glory and compares the celestial glory to the sun.

It then compares the terrestrial glory to the moon.

It is interesting that the sun has its own light,

but the moon is reflected light or “borrowed light.”

Speaking of the terrestrial kingdom, verse 79 reads, “These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; ... ”

We cannot obtain celestial glory and live with God the Father on borrowed light; we need our own testimony of Jesus.

You need your own testimony.

Religious observance, gospel study, and sincere prayer will assist you

in your efforts to strengthen your testimony.

A spiritual confirmation from the Holy Ghost is a cherished experience.

Paul, Nephi, Alma, Joseph Smith, and others have seen angels—such

manifestations are rare.

The kind of spiritual impressions I am describing are more typical.

The impressions made by the Holy Ghost are equally as important as “angelic manifestations.” President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “... the impressions on

the soul that come from the Holy Ghost are far more significant than a vision.

It is where Spirit speaks to spirit, and the imprint upon the soul is far more difficult to erase.” I counsel you to strengthen your own testimony

as a foundation for all the choices you make.

The third principle is to seek knowledge diligently, wisely, and with humility.

The Lord’s doctrine is unique and unequivocal about the role of intelligence and the importance of education and knowledge.

In section 93 of our Doctrine and Covenants we are taught that: 1. Truth is independent—

it “... is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come…”

2. “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.”

3. Exercising our agency to find light and truth is essential.

In the quest for both faith and knowledge, we also need to maintain humility.

Those who have attained significant amounts of specialized knowledge

sometimes lose perspective about what they do not know.

As “experts,” they elevate knowledge, particularly the knowledge in the area of their expertise to an importance that is not warranted.

They become prideful and lose their humility.

In 2 Nephi 9:28 it reads: “O that cunning plan of the evil one!

O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men!

When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God ...”

Paul described it this way to Timothy: “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

One reason to be humble about knowledge is that much of it is subject to change.

My friends in certain areas of engineering have said that the information one learns today will be obsolete within a few years.

Maintaining a certain amount of humility about one’s field of expertise is important.

The scriptures encourage knowledge.

“Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—” Knowledge in all areas is important.

Do not underestimate the importance of knowledge and skills which will primarily allow you to raise, teach, and bless your family.

We are particularly fortunate to live in an age when so much knowledge has been revealed.

The Church and the Lord’s work are major beneficiaries of much that is happening.

We need to be a part of that, as well as all knowledge.

Remember, the Glory of God is intelligence.

President Russell M. Nelson was a pioneer in the development of open-heart surgery which has significantly blessed those who live at this time.

We were together in the Pacific Islands for an area training meeting.

Elder Nelson was then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, I asked him about that incredible history and his role in it.

We discussed it for some time and then Elder Nelson humbly stated,

“... how wonderful it is that the Lord who knows all allows us the great joy of discovering certain pieces of knowledge.” 2 Nephi 9:29 reads, “But to be learned is

good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.” Knowledge has always been important

and today we are blessed with an exciting technology.

Certainly, this technology revolution is providing enormous benefits for the Church and for our fellow human beings.

Knowledge, whether old or new, is important.

I challenge you to seek knowledge and important skills diligently, wisely, and with humility.

The fourth principle is to follow the prophet’s counsel as you make your choices.

A few years ago, Sister Cook and I were in Vava’u in the Tongan Islands.

I had just spoken about following the prophet in the general session of stake conference.

At the luncheon following the conference, I sat next to a distinguished elderly patriarch.

He indicated how grateful he was to hear what the prophet was teaching.

He gave me the following account.

Vava’u, which is a relatively small island, usually has sufficient rain, but periodically there are severe droughts.

The island has long inlets or bays, almost like sounds, which curl into the island below steep hills.

When drought conditions left the village without water, there was only one way

they could obtain fresh water and stay alive.

Over the centuries, they had found that fresh water traveled down through rock formations inside the mountains and came up in a few spots in the sea.

The Tongan men would set off in their small boats with a wise elder standing at one end of the boat looking for just the right spot.

The strong young men in the boat stood ready with containers to dive deep into the sea water.

When they reached the appropriate spot, the wise man would raise both arms to heaven.

That was the signal.

The strong young men would dive off the boat as deep as they could and fill the containers with fresh spring water.

This old patriarch likened this life saving tradition to the living waters of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the wise man to God’s prophet here on earth.

He noted that the water was pure, fresh, and in their drought condition—lifesaving.

But it was not easy to find.

It was not visible to the untrained eye.

This patriarch wanted to know everything the prophet was teaching.

We live in a precarious time.

The world is in desperate need of the fresh spring water, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The spiritual war for the souls of men is raging and there are diminishing numbers of people who support our position.

Prophets are not speaking just to our own day; they give us counsel that will bless

us and our children in the future and through the eternities.

If we follow the prophet, we can look to the future with great optimism.

As I look at President Nelson’s ministry, I think there is good reason for us to be optimistic.

When President Nelson was a new General Authority in 1984, there were approximately 5.6 million members; today there are almost 17 million members.

We can accomplish even more.

President Nelson is the great leader for our generation.

He is our prophet.

We need to understand how difficult the war for the souls of men has become

and recommit ourselves to follow his counsel.

President Nelson’s most urgent appeal has been for us to gather Israel on both sides of the veil.

I have asked Elder Marcus B. Nash, former president of the Africa West Area and currently Executive Director of the Missionary Department, to share a couple of thoughts about how we can effectively love, share, and invite.

I have also asked Elder Gary B. Sabin, former President of the Europe Area and a current member of the Temple and Family History Department Executive Committee to share some thoughts on the work for those on the other side of the veil.

Brothers and sisters, we have been so well taught by Elder and Sister Cook.

I hope we have taken note. I certainly have, and I send my love and affection to all of you in West Africa, where Sister Nash and I lived and served with you for almost four years. My, how we love you and miss you.

Sister Nash and I recently fulfilled assignments in the Europe Area.

We met with saints and missionaries in Wales, London, and Copenhagen as well in Czechia and Slovakia, where we were blessed to meet and come to love so many of you.

When I was 19 years old, I had an experience that caused me to ask in prayer why,

among other things, I was blessed to know the gospel when so many do not.

It just seemed unfair to me.

In response to my persistent prayer and pondering, I heard the following words spoken to my mind.

They were as follows: “Well, Marc,

where much is given ...”

He did not finish the sentence, and He did not need to, because I knew the rest of it: “For unto him unto whom much is given, much is required.”

My heart in that moment filled with a gratitude and a sense of great responsibility. I realized that I owed the Lord my life, my loyalty, my heart, my mind,

and my strength.

You and I have been similarly blessed.

So what does the Lord require of us, who’ve been given so much?

I personally believe this is not a qualitative—

This is a qualitative, not a quantitative requirement, for what He requires is our heart and a willing mind.

He, who perfectly loves all of his children, expects each of us who is blessed to know the gospel, to first love God

and then our neighbor and commands us to,

And now I quote Him:

“Hold up your light that it may shine into the world. Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up, that what you have seen me do.

Do you see that I commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have

commanded that you should come into me that ye might feel and see;

And even so shall ye do unto the world;

and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.”

The gospel light protects the one who holds up the light, protects them from temptation.

And of course, blesses eternally those who come to the light.

So how do we hold up the gospel light?

It is simple.

We love God and our neighbor.

We share what we know, what we do and what we experience in living the gospel with others.

And we invite them to come and see to come and help and to come and belong.

My son-in-law was a 24-year-old medical student and felt that he should do more to hold up the light of the gospel. He prayed about it. As he rode the bus to school one morning,

he sat by a person from Taiwan, who also happened to be a student at the same university. Matthew, who is my son-in-law, asked him how he was doing that morning.

The man from Taiwan, his name was Robert, replied that he was feeling alone

and down that morning.

Matthew’s reply was, “you should come to church with me.”

Robert asked when and where the church had its meeting,

Matthew told them when and where the meeting would be and arranged to meet him there the next Sunday.

Robert came to church and that Sunday two sister missionaries who spoke Mandarin

just happened to be visiting their ward, and Matthew introduced them to Robert. To make a long story short,

Robert was taught by the missionaries.

He was baptized and became a dear friend to Matthew, our daughter Rebecca, and their family.

Robert graduated from the university and then returned to his wife in Taiwan.

He talked with her, he shared with her about what he’d learned about the Savior and His gospel while away at school.

And she also joined the Church and they continue to be active members of the Church to this very day.

This experience brought friendship, joy and heaven's power to Matthew and his family and to Robert and his family. Brothers and sisters,

I will repeat three verbs.

These are action words:

Love.

Share.

Invite.

Live your life as a faithful disciple of Christ and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then share it and invite one other person to join with you. Those you see will see the light.

They will feel its warmth, and many will embrace it, to their eternal joy

and blessing,

and to your great joy.

I bear you my witness.

This is the Church of Jesus Christ.

He is the light and life of the world, and we draw closer that light

and that life as we invite others to join us.

And I bear that witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

My dear brothers and sisters, it is an honor to speak with you today.

What are some of the great experiences of my ministry have been with Elder Nash and Elder and Sister Cook, and I’ve enjoyed their messages immensely.

Sister Sabin and I recently returned from serving for five years in the Europe Area

and have very fond memories of our time

together with many of you. There are members in 39 countries in the Europe area with diverse cultures and languages.

Today, we’re also joined with many other countries from Europe East, Africa, and the Middle East.

Each country and culture is a beautiful thread in the tapestry of the Church of Jesus Christ, where our hearts are knit together in love.

While in Europe, we witness the the rededication of the Freiburg and Frankfurt temples, the dedication of the Paris, Rome, and Lisbon temples, the groundbreaking of the Praia, Cape Verde Temple and the announcement of the Budapest, Vienna, Brussels, and Oslo temples.

During the same time the Kinshasa...

During the same time, the Kinshasa and Durban temples were dedicated

and nine other temples were announced for Africa, as well as temples in Dubai, Russia, and many other parts of the world.

This is a time when the prophecy of temples dotting the earth is beginning to be fulfilled, with 265 temples in operation under construction or announced and many more coming.

One of my assignments in Salt Lake City is working in the Temple Department, which is a very exciting to place to be these days.

My brothers and sisters, we are all eternal beings having a mortal experience.

The only reason we build temples, meeting houses, send missionaries into the world, or have meetings like this, is because the soul is eternal.

During one of the dedicated sessions for the Rome temple, I observed President Oaks looking intently at the choir as they sing.

When they finished, he stood and said he was going to depart from his prepared remarks.

He wanted to share that, although he had counted 16 members in the choir,

he said there were more than 16 voices participating. At that time, several of the choir members started to cry.

Unbeknownst to President Oaks, the husband of one of the sisters singing in the choir, had lost his life in a tragic event just prior to the dedication.

He had been practicing with the choir, and had quite possibly returned with others to make it truly a heavenly choir.

Temples are evidence of the love of our Heavenly Father for His children.

He wants all of His children to return home and will provide everyone with an opportunity on either side of the veil to make and keep necessary covenants to do so.

The underlying love and fairness of vicarious work resonates with every just heart.

An example of this affirming feeling came from the president of Portugal,

who, upon hearing the doctrine of proxy baptism during the Lisbon temple open house, turned to me and exclaimed: “That’s good. I believe that.”

President Nelson shared an experience that confirms how very interested our deceased family members are in receiving their saving ordinances in the temple.

President and Sister Nelson submitted the family name of Annie McIntyre to the temple for her work to be done.

When Annie's name came up on the screen in the baptismal font, the young woman being baptized on her behalf exclaimed: “I know that woman.

She came to me last night in a dream and told me I would be baptized for her today.”

My dear friends, a temple connects heaven and earth.

It is like a stairway where those who have preceded us in the spirit world

descend to us while we ascend to them.

In addition to offering covenant blessings to those who have gone before us a temple is a spiritual beacon of light to us here in mortality.

It is inside temples that we learn more fully about our identity, purpose

and the covenant path that will lead us back to our heavenly home.

The crowning blessing of a temple is to bind couples and families together for eternity.

The common marriage phrase “until death do us part” is not part of a temple sealing.

While in Europe, we observed that the bridges in many countries are blanketed with hundreds of little locks. Each have been signed by a couple

who then threw their key into the river as if to give their relationship

a binding sense of security.

In reality, we know the only true bond that will last long after locks

and bridges have rusted away is found through being faithful to the covenants

made in the temple.

Years ago, I interviewed our future son-in-law as he became engaged to our daughter, Jennifer.

She had she had undergone a double lung transplant a few years earlier and her future was very uncertain and tenuous.

When I asked her fiancé, Patrick, if he understood the situation and was prepared for it, he replied, “If I have her for a week here, it does not matter, as long as I have her forever.”

What a comfort to know that relationships can be eternal and that everyone can enjoy this blessing, whether in this life or the next,

because of the sealing power found in holy temples. I’m grateful for the wonderful blessings and assurances the temple provides. Because of our beloved Heavenly Father and the Savior,

we need not fear, but can be filled with great hope, even amidst the trials of mortality.

I leave you, my witness, that God is our Father,

Jesus is the Christ, and we are led by living prophets today.

If we follow their counsel, we can enjoy peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you, Elders Nash and Sabin, for those wonder remarks. Very truly inspiring. I appreciate it so much.

The final principle is to live so that the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ can be fully efficacious in your life.

Rationalization for bad choices will not be effective, but repentance will.

Those who repent will be particularly blessed by Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

Without the Savior’s Atonement the eternal principle of Justice would require punishment.

Because of the Savior’s Atonement, mercy can prevail for those who have repented

and allow them to return to the presence of God.

I first understood the full significance of Christ’s atoning sacrifice when my grandfather was dying.

I was 26 years old and studying for the California bar exam to practice law, when my mother called and said if I wanted to see my grandfather before he died, I better come to Utah.

My grandfather, who was 86 years old, was very ill.

He was so pleased to see me and share his testimony.

There were three concerns that he had:

1. He loved his ten children very much.

They were all good people.

He wanted them all to be temple worthy.

2. His father was one of the young men who had carried members of the Martin Handcart Company across the icy Sweetwater.

His father had died when my grandfather was three years old and he looked forward to seeing him and hoped his father and other family members would approve of his life.

3.

Finally, and most importantly, he told me how he looked forward to meeting the Savior.

He referred to the Savior as the “Keeper of the Gate,” a reference to 2 Nephi 9:41.

He told me that he hoped he had been sufficiently repentant to qualify

for the Savior’s mercy.

All of us have sinned and it is only through the Savior’s Atonement that we can obtain mercy and live with God.

I can remember to this day the great love that grandfather had for the Savior

and the appreciation he had for the Savior’s Atonement.

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, “When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, there is nothing so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous

as this act of grace ...”

I have reviewed with you five significant principles to follow as you strengthen your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As you face life’s challenges,

First: Understand that there is truly opposition in all things.

The choices you make are critical.

Second: Strengthen your own testimony as a foundation for all of the choices you make.

Third: Seek knowledge diligently, wisely, and with humility.

Fourth: Follow the Prophet’s counsel as you make your choices; and, Fifth: Live so the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ can be efficacious in your life.

I personally testify of the divinity of the Savior and the reality of His

Atonement, and I hope that you will prayerfully consider the significant choices that are before you.

In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the opportunity that we’ve had to listen

today to speakers that have been

called to give us messages that that we need to hear at this time.

Please, Heavenly Father, allow us to take these instructions and apply them into our daily lives. And please bless all of those who were not here and could not hear these messages, that we’ll be able to reach them and share the message of the gospel with them.

Please bless of those who are sick and afflicted at this time. And please bless all those who are lonely and need the Savior's love brought into their lives.

Please help us as a church to be able to reach them, and that we'll be able to serve and love and bless those in our communities.

And we leave these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.