From the conference center in Salt Lake City, Utah,

this is the Sunday afternoon session of the 192nd 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 Bonneville Distribution.

Any reproduction, recording,

transcription or other use of this program without written consent is prohibited. President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, will conduct this session.

Brothers and sisters, we welcome you to the Sunday afternoon session of the 192nd annual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Russell M. Nelson, who presides at the conference,

has asked me to conduct this session.

We extend our greetings to members of the Church and friends everywhere who are participating in these proceedings by radio, television, the internet, or satellite transmission.

The music for this session will be provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square,

under the direction of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, with Andrew Unsworth and Richard Elliott at the organ.

The choir will open this meeting by singing “In Hymns of Praise.”

The invocation will then be offered by Elder Evan A. Schmutz of the Seventy,

after which the choir will sing “I Love to See the Temple.”

[MUSIC PLAYING] “In Hymns of Praise”

In hymns of praise your voices raise To him who reigns on high,

Whose counsels keep the mighty deep, Who ruleth earth and sky.

Exalt his name in loud acclaim; His mighty pow’r adore!

And humbly bow before him now, Our King forevermore.

The little flow’r that lasts an hour, The sparrow in its fall,

They, too, shall share his tender care; He made and loves them all.

Exalt his name in loud acclaim; His mighty pow’r adore!

And humbly bow before him now, Our King forevermore.

Then sing again in lofty strain To him who dwells on high

To prayers you raise, and songs of praise, He sweetly will reply.

Exalt his name in loud acclaim; His mighty pow’r adore!

And humbly bow before him now, Our King forevermore.

And humbly bow before him now,

Our King forevermore.

Evermore!

Our dear holy Father in Heaven.

As we begin the concluding session of this marvelous conference, we are grateful indeed. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for a living prophet, even President Russell M. Nelson, and for those whom we sustain as prophets, seers, and revelators. We are grateful for the words we have received from Thee through the mouths of those who have spoken at these sessions and who will yet speak today. And we pray Thy blessings

to be upon those who provide music that so inspires our souls

and upon those who will speak. We thank Thee, Father in Heaven, for thy wonderful Son, the Holy One of Israel. We are grateful for Thy gift.

We’re thankful, Father in Heaven, for the opportunity that we have as we hear the messages of this conference to reflect upon our individual lives that we might receive of Thy spirit,

gladly receive invitations, and make commitments.

We ask, Father in Heaven, that Thou will help us individually and collectively,

that we might fit the pattern shown to Nephi of those upon whom the power of God descends in these latter days,

the Saints of the Church of the lamb, the covenant people of the Lord,

that we may be armed with power in great glory as we seek to do

the work of thy Son throughout all the world, as we are scattered, listening to the voices of prophets.

And we offer this prayer humbly now and do so in the name of Jesus Christ,

amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “I Love to See the Temple”

I love to see the temple. I’m going there someday

To feel the Holy Spirit, To listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God,

A place of love and beauty.

I’ll prepare myself while I am young;

This is my sacred duty.

I love to see the temple. I’ll go inside someday.

I’ll cov’nant with my Father; I’ll promise to obey.

For the temple is a holy place Where we are sealed together.

As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:

A fam’ly is forever.

A fam’ly is forever.

Forever.

We will now be pleased to hear from President Dallin H.

Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency.

He will be followed by Elders Adeyinka A. Ojediran and Jörg Klebingat of the Seventy. Brother Mark L. Pace, Sunday School General President, will then address us.

The gospel plan shows our Heavenly Father’s love for all His children.

To understand this, we must seek to understand His plan and His commandments. He loves His children so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ,

to be our Savior and Redeemer,

to suffer and die for us. In the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

We have a unique understanding of our Heavenly Father's plan.

This gives us a different way of viewing the purpose of mortal life,

the divine judgment that follows it,

and the ultimate glorious destiny of all of God's children.

I love you, my brothers and sisters. I love all of God's children.

When Jesus was asked, “Which is the great commandment in the law?”

He taught that loving God and neighbors are the first of God's great commandments.

These commands are first because they invite us to grow spiritually by seeking to imitate God's love for us.

I wish we all had a better understanding of the loving doctrine and policies that our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ,

have established in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

What I say here seeks to clarify how God's love explains that doctrine and the Church’s inspired policies.

A common misunderstanding of the judgment that ultimately follows mortal life is that good people go to a place called heaven, and bad people go to an everlasting place called hell.

This erroneous assumption of only two ultimate destinations implies that those who cannot keep all the commandments required for heaven will necessarily be forever destined for hell.

A loving Heavenly Father has a better plan for His children.

The veiled doctrine of the restored Church of Jesus Christ teaches that all the children of God, with exceptions too limited to consider here,

will finally wind up in a kingdom of glory.

“In my father’s house are many mansions,” Jesus taught.

From modern revelation, we know that those mansions are in three different kingdoms of glory. In the final judgment, each of us will be judged according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts.

Before that, we will need to suffer for our unrepented sins.

The scriptures are clear on that.

Then our righteous judge will grant us residence in one of those kingdoms of glory. Thus, as we know from modern revelation, quote, “All shall be judged and every man shall receive according to his own works,

his own dominion in the mansions, which are prepared,” end of quote.

The Lord has chosen to reveal comparatively little about two of these kingdoms of glory. In contrast, the Lord has revealed much about the highest kingdom of glory,

which the Bible describes as the glory of the sun.

In the celestial glory there are three degrees or levels.

The highest of these is exaltation in the celestial kingdom,

wherein we may become like our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

To help us develop the godly attributes and the change in nature necessary to realize our divine potential,

the Lord has revealed doctrine and established commandments based on eternal law. This is what we teach in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

because the purpose of the doctrine and policies of this restored church is to prepare God's children for salvation in the celestial glory, and more particularly, for exaltation in its highest degree.

The covenants made and the blessings promised to the faithful in the temples of God are the key.

This explains our worldwide building of temples, about which the choir has sung so beautifully. Some are puzzled at this emphasis.

Not that understanding that the covenants and ordinances of the temple guide us toward achieving exaltation.

This can only be understood in the context of the revealed truth of three degrees of glory.

Because of our Heavenly Father’s great love for all His children, He has provided other kingdoms of glory.

As Elder Quentin L. Cook explained yesterday,

all of these are more wonderful than we can comprehend.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes all of this possible.

He has revealed that He, quote, “glorifies the Father and saves all the works of His hands,” end of quote.

That salvation is granted in different kingdoms of glory.

We know from modern revelation that all kingdoms have a law given. Significantly, quote, “he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.

And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory,” end of quote.

In other words, the kingdom of glory we receive in the final judgment is determined by the laws we chose to abide in our Heavenly Father’s loving plan.

Under that plan, there are multiple kingdoms, so that all of his children can be assigned to a kingdom where they can abide.

The teachings and policies of the Lord’s restored church apply these eternal truths in a way that can be fully understood only in the context of our Heavenly Father’s loving plan for all of His children.

Thus, we honor individual agency.

Most are aware of this church's great efforts to promote religious freedom.

These efforts are in furtherance of our Heavenly Father's plan.

We seek to help all of His children, not just our own members,

enjoy the precious freedom to choose.

Similarly, we are sometimes asked why we send missionaries to so many nations,

even among Christian populations.

We are also asked why we give enormous humanitarian aid to persons who are not members of our Church without linking this to our missionary efforts.

We do this because the Lord has taught us to esteem all of His children as our brothers and sisters,

and we want to share our spiritual and temporal abundance with everyone.

Eternal doctrine also provides a distinctive perspective on children.

Through this perspective, we see the bearing and nurturing of children as part of the divine plan.

It is a joyful and sacred duty of those given the power to participate in it.

Therefore, we are commanded to teach and contend for principles and practices that provide the best conditions for the development and happiness of children under God's plan.

Finally, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is properly known as a family-centered church.

But not well understood is the reality that our family-centeredness is not limited to mortal relationships. Eternal relationships are also fundamental to our theology.

The mission of the restored Church is to help all the children of God qualify

for what God desires as their ultimate destiny.

By the redemption provided through the Atonement of Christ,

all may attain eternal life (exaltation in the celestial kingdom),

which Mother Eve declared, “God giveth unto all the obedient.”

This is more than salvation.

President Russell M. Nelson has reminded us that, “In God’s eternal plan, salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter.”

Fundamental to us is God's revelation that exaltation can only be attained through faithfulness to the covenants of an eternal marriage between a man and a woman. That divine doctrine is why we teach that gender is an essential characteristic of individual, premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

That is also why the Lord has required His restored Church to oppose social and legal pressures to retreat from His doctrine of marriage between a man and a woman, to oppose changes that homogenize the differences between men and women, or to confuse or alter gender.

The restored Church’s positions on these fundamentals frequently provide—provoke opposition.

We understand that. Our Heavenly Father’s plan allows for opposition in all things,

and Satan's most strenuous opposition is directed at whatever is most important to that plan. Consequently, he seeks to oppose progress toward exaltation by distorting marriage,

discouraging childbearing, or confusing gender.

However, we know that in the long run,

the divine purpose and plan of our loving Heavenly Father will not be changed. Personal circumstances may change.

And God's plan assures that in the long run,

the faithful who keep their covenants will have the opportunity to qualify

for every promised blessing.

A uniquely valuable teaching to help us prepare for eternal life,

the greatest of all the gifts of God, is the 1995 Proclamation on the Family.

Its declarations are, of course, different from some current laws, practices, and advocacy, such as cohabitation and same-sex marriage.

Those who do not fully understand the Father’s loving plan for His children may consider this Family Proclamation no more than a changeable statement of policy.

In contrast, we affirm that The Family Proclamation, founded on unchangeable doctrine, defines the kind of family relationships where the most important part of our eternal development can occur.

That is the context for the unique doctrine and policies of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In many relationships and circumstances in mortal life,

each of us must live with differences.

As followers of Christ, who should love our fellow man,

we should live peacefully with those who do not believe as we do.

We are all children of a loving Heavenly Father.

For all of us, He has destined life after death and ultimately a kingdom of glory. God desires all of us to strive for His greatest possible blessings by keeping His highest commandments, covenants, and ordinances,

all of which culminate in His holy temples being built throughout the world. We must seek to share these truths of eternity with others.

But with the love we owe to all of our neighbors, we always accept their decisions.

As a Book of Mormon prophet taught,

we must press forward having “a love of God and of all men.”

As President Russell M. Nelson declared in our last conference, quote, “There has never been a time in the history of the world when knowledge of our Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul . . . The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it

and seeks to implement it in his or her life,” end of quote.

May we all implement that sacred doctrine in our own lives,

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

A powerful king desired for his son to rule over one of his kingdoms.

The prince had to learn and grow in wisdom to sit on the throne.

One day the king met with the prince and shared his plan.

They agreed the prince will go to a different town and gain experiences.

He would face challenges as well as enjoy many good things there.

The king then sent him to the town where the prince was expected to prove his faithfulness to the king and demonstrate that he was fit to receive the privileges and responsibilities the King had in store for him.

The prince was given liberty to choose to receive these privileges and responsibilities or not, depending on his desires and his faithfulness.

I am sure you want to know what happened to the prince.

Did he return to inherit the kingdom? Dear brothers and sisters, each of us is a prince and princess.

We have been sent to mortality by a loving Heavenly Father to enjoy the blessing of a body that would become immortal through the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We are expected to prepare to return to God's presence by proving that we will do all things whatsoever the Lord, our God, shall command us. To help us,

the Savior came to redeem us and show the path to return to God.

God's children are invited to come to the Savior and be perfected in Him.

In the scriptures, we find the invitation for us to come to the Lord, repeated over 90 times,

and more than half of these are personal invitations from the Lord Himself. Accepting the Savior’s invitation means partaking of His ordinances and keeping our covenants with Him.

Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life and invites us all to come unto Him and partake of His goodness. And he denieth none that come unto Him.

Gospel learning and teaching deepen our conversion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and help us become more like Them.

Even though not all things have been revealed concerning the precise time and manner in which the blessings of exaltation will be bestowed,

we are nonetheless assured of them.

Alma, the high priest teaching in the land of Zarahemla, recounted a profound invitation by Jesus Christ that “behold,

he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the hands of mercy

are extend towards them. And he saith, Repent, and I will receive you here. He saith, Come unto me and you shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life.” The Savior himself invites us to come unto Him and take His yoke upon us that we may have rest in this tumultuous world.

We’ve come unto Christ by exercising faith in him, repenting daily,

making covenants with God as we receive the ordinances of salvation and exaltation, and enduring to the end by keeping those covenants.

The path to perfection is the covenant path,

and Jesus Christ is the center of all ordinances and covenants.

King Benjamin thought that because of the covenant we make, we become sons and daughters of Christ who has spiritually begotten us, and under His head are we made free, for

“there is no other name given whereby salvation cometh.”

We are saved as we endure to the end by following the example of the Son of the living God. Nephi counseled that all is not done by merely getting into the “strait and narrow path.”

We “must press forward with the steadfastness in Christ,

having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.”

The doctrine of Christ helps us find and stay on the covenant path, and the gospel is so arranged that the Lord's promised blessings are received through sacred ordinances and covenants. God’s prophet, President Russell M. Nelson admonished us in his January 16, 2018, telecast to, quote, “Keep on the covenant path.

your commitments to follow the Savior by making covenant with him and then keeping [those] covenants with hope on the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women and children everywhere . . .

The end for which each of us strives is to be endowed with power in a house of the Lord. Sealed as families, faithful to covenants made in a temple that qualify us for the greatest gift of God,

that of eternal life.” Close quotes.

God will not abandon His relationship with or withhold His promised blessings of eternal life from every faithful

covenant keeper. And as we honor sacred covenants, we are drawn closer to the Savior.

Elder David A. Bednar taught us yesterday

the gospel covenants and ordinances operate in our lives like a compass, to give us cardinal direction, to come unto Christ and become more like Him.

The ordinances, covenants mark the path back to God,

the ordinances of baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, priesthood, ordination, and the sacrament lead us to the Lord’s temple to partake of His ordinances of exaltation.

I would like to mention two things our Savior emphasized to help us faithfully keep covenants. One, the Holy Ghost can teach us,

remind us of the Savior's teachings, and abide with us forever.

He can be our constant companion to guide us on the path,

on the covenant path, President Russell M. Herb Nelson taught, quote,

“In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost,” close quote. Two, the Savior instituted the ordinance of the sacrament that we may always remember Him and have His Spirit to be with us. Baptism opens the gate to eternal life,

and the sacrament helps us to steadfastly press forward along the covenant path. As we partake, as we take the sacrament.

it shall be a testimony to the Father that we do always remember his Son, and as we always remember Him and keep His commandments, we shall have His Spirit to be with us.

How did to this promise the Lord renews the promised remission of sin as we humbly repent of our sins. In staying faithful to our covenants,

we shall endeavor to always have the Spirit, to prepare us to worthily partake of the sacrament.

And likewise, we regularly partake of the sacrament to always have the Spirit with us. When our daughter was five years old,

she had a battery-powered motorcar and loved to drive it around the house.

One evening, she came to me and said, “Daddy, my car no longer drives.

Could we get some gas from your car to put in it so it can drive again?

Perhaps it needs gas like your car to drive.”

I later observed that the battery power was down.

So I said, “We will get it to drive in about an hour.”

With so much excitement, she said, “Yes, we will take it to the gas station.”

I simply connected the battery to an electric source to charge.

And after an hour, she was able to drive the car, powered by the charged battery. She thereafter learned that it is important to always recharge the battery by connecting it to an electric source.

As our daughter learned the relationship between the battery and power to drive our toy car, so we learn about Jesus Christ, the sacrament, and the Spirit.

We need the Spirit to help us navigate through mortality

as we faithfully keep covenants

and the sacrament to energize our spiritual being.

Renewing our baptismal covenant and partaking of the sacrament drives faithfulness to all other covenants.

A happy ending is assured as we prayerfully study and honor the Savior’s invitation and enjoy his promised blessings. He said,

“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world,

thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day.” I testify that covenant keepers are promised peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come.

I bear witness that as you regularly partake of the Savior's emblem through the sacrament, you will have the Spirit to guide you on the covenant path

and stay faithful to your covenant. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Moral agency is God’s precious gift to His children.

We're free to choose liberty and eternal life through the Great Mediator of all men,

or to choose captivity and death according to the captivity and power of the devil. God won't force us to do good,

and the devil can’t force us to do evil.

Though some may think that mortality is a contest between God and the adversary, a word from the Savior and Satan is silenced and banished.

It is our strength that is being tested, not God's.

In the end, we will therefore reap what our lifelong choices have sown.

So what does the sum total of our thoughts, desires, words, and works say about our love for the Savior, His chosen servants, and His restored church? Do our baptismal, priesthood, and temple covenants mean more to us than the praise of the world or the number of likes on social media?

Is our love for the Lord and His commandment stronger than our love for anything or anyone else in this life?

The adversary and his followers have always sought to destroy the works of Christ and His prophets.

The Savior’s commandments, if not ignored altogether, have been rationalized into meaninglessness by many in today's world. Messengers of God who teach “inconvenient” truths are often dismissed.

Even the Savior Himself was called “a man gluttonous, and a winebibber,”

accused of disturbing public sentiment and being divisive.

Weak and conniving souls “took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk,” and His “sect” of early Christians was “every where . . . spoken against.” The Savior and His early followers dealt with serious internal and external opposition, and we experience the same.

Today, it is almost impossible to courageously live our faith without occasionally attracting a few actual and virtual fingers of scorn from the worldly. Confidently following the Savior is rewarding.

But at times, we may get caught in the crosshairs of those advocating an “eat, drink, and be merry” philosophy, where faith in Christ, obedience, and repentance are substituted by the illusion that God will justify a little sin because He loves us so much. Speaking “by [His] own voice or by the voice of [His] servants,”

did the Savior not say about our day that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,” and that many “shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables”? Did He not lament that “In vain do they worship me,

teaching the doctrines—for doctrines, the commandments of men”?

Did he not warn that “of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them”? Did He not foresee that “evil [would be called] good, and good evil,” and that “a man’s foes shall be they of his own household”? So what about us?

Should we be intimidated or afraid?

Should we live our religion at periscope depth?

Surely not. With faith in Christ,

we need not fear the reproach of men or be afraid of their revilings? With

the Savior at the helm and living prophets to lead and guide us, “who can be against us”?

Let us be confident, not apologetic; valiant, not timid; faithful, not fearful as we hold up the Lord's light in these last days.

The Savior made clear that “whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father,

but whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father.”

Consequently, while some would prefer a God who comes without commandments,

let us boldly testify in the words of Elder D. Todd Christofferson that “a God who makes no demands is the functional equivalent of a God who does not exist.”

While some would prefer to be selective in the commandments they follow,

let us joyfully accept the Savior’s invitation to “live by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God.”

While many believe the Lord and His Church should condone doing “whatsoever [our] heart desireth,”

let us valiantly proclaim that it is wrong to “follow a multitude to do evil,” because “crowds cannot make right what God has declared to be wrong.” “O remember, remember, how strict [yet liberating] are the commandments of God.” Teaching them clearly may at times be seen as an act of intolerance. Let us therefore respectfully demonstrate that it is not only possible, but essential to love a child of God who embraces beliefs different from our own.

We can accept and respect others without endorsing their beliefs or actions that do not align with the Lord's will.

There is no need to sacrifice truth on the altar of agreeableness or social desirability. Zion and Babylon are incompatible.

“No man can serve two masters.”

Let’s all remember the Savior’s penetrating question, “Why call you me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Let us demonstrate our love for the Lord through wholehearted, voluntary obedience. If you feel caught between your discipleship and the world, please remember that your loving Savior “sendeth an invitation for the arms of mercy are extended to [you], and he saith, Repent and I will receive you.”

President Nelson taught that Jesus Christ “will perform some of his mightiest works between now and when He comes again.”

But he also taught that “those who choose the Lord’s sway will likely endure persecution.” Being “counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” may at times be our lot

as we allow His voice to take priority over any other.

“Blessed is he,” the Savior said, “whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

Elsewhere we learn that “great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” Nothing.

So let’s ask ourselves, Am I enduring for a while, but when tribulation or persecution arise because of the word, by and by

am I offended? Am I firmly built on the rock of Jesus Christ and His servants?

Moral relativists advocate that truth is merely a social construct, that there are no moral absolutes.

What they’re really saying is that there is no sin, that “whatsoever a man [does is] no crime,”

a philosophy for which the adversary is claiming proud authorship.

Let us therefore beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing, who are always recruiting and “often use their intellectual reservations to cover their [own] behavior lapses.”

If we really want to be valiant disciples of Christ, we will find a way. Otherwise, the adversary offers enticing alternatives.

But as faithful disciples, “we need not apologize for our beliefs

nor back down from that which we know to be true.”

In conclusion, a word about the 15 servants of God seated behind me.

While the worldly “say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not,” the faithful are “crowned with blessings from above, yea,

and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time.”

Not surprisingly, these men frequently become the lightning rods for those unhappy with the Word of God as the prophets proclaim it.

They don’t realize that “no prophecy of the scripture is [to be] of any private interpretation” or the result of the will of man “but [that] holy men of God [speak now] as they [are] moved by the Holy Ghost.” Like Paul, these men of God are “not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord”

and are His “prisoner[s],” in the sense that the doctrine they teach is not theirs, but His that called them.

Like Peter, they “cannot but speak to things which [they] have seen and heard.”

I testify that the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve are good and honest men who love God and His children and who are loved by Him.

Their words we should receive, as if from the Lord's own mouth, “in all patience and faith. For by doing these things, the gates of hell shall not prevail against [us], and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before [us].”

“No unhallowed hand, can stop the work from progressing”;

It will march on triumphantly, with or without you or me. So “choose you this day whom you will serve.”

Don't be fooled or intimidated by the loud adversarial noises emanating from the great and spacious building.

Their desperate decibels are no match for the serene influence of the still, small voice upon broken hearts and contrite spirits.

I testify that Christ lives, that He is our Savior and Redeemer, and that He leads His Church through the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, thus assuring that we are not “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”

“True disciples of Jesus Christ,” President Nelson taught,

“are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world.

They are undaunted, devoted, and courageous.” Brothers and sisters,

it’s a good day to be good. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

For just over three years now,

we have been on a journey together as members of the Lord's Church.

It was October 2018 when the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited us to learn of Jesus Christ by studying the scriptures in a new and inspiring fashion with the “Come, Follow Me” resource as our guide.

On any journey, it's good to pause occasionally to assess our progress and to make sure we're still moving toward our goal.

Consider this profound statement from the introduction to “Come, Follow Me”:

“The aim of all gospel learning and teaching is to deepen our conversion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ…The kind of gospel learning that strengthens our faith and leads to the miracle of conversion doesn't happen all at once. It extends beyond our classroom, into our hearts, and into our homes.

It requires consistent daily efforts to understand and live the gospel.

Gospel learning that leads to true conversion requires the influence of the Holy Ghost.” That is the miracle we seek when one person has an experience in the scriptures, and that experience is blessed by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Such experiences are precious foundation stones for our conversion to the Savior. And as President Russell M. Nelson recently reminded us, spiritual foundations must be constantly reinforced.

Long-lasting conversion is a lifelong process.

Conversion is our goal. To be most effective,

your experiences with the scriptures must be your own.

Reading or hearing about another person's experiences and insights can be helpful, but that won't bring the same converting power.

There is no substitute for the time you spend in the scriptures hearing the Holy Ghost speak directly to you.

Each week when I open my “Come, Follow Me” manual, I write this question at the top of the page.

“What is the Holy Ghost teaching me this week as I read these chapters?”

As I study the scriptures, I ponder that question over and over again, and without fail, spiritual impressions come and I make note of them in my manual.

Now, how do I know when the Holy Ghost is teaching me?

Well, it usually happens in small and simple ways.

Sometimes the passage of scripture will seem to jump off the page to my attention.

At other times, I feel like my mind is enlightened with a broader understanding of a gospel principle.

I also feel the influence of the Holy Ghost when my wife, Anne Marie, and I talk about what we’re reading.

Her perspectives always invite the Spirit.

This year we are studying the Old Testament, sacred scripture that fills our souls with light.

While reading the Old Testament,

it feels like I’m spending time with trusted guides: Adam, Eve, Enoch, Noah,

Abraham, and so many others.

This week, while studying Exodus chapters 7–13, we learn how the Lord freed the children of Israel from centuries of captivity in Egypt.

We read about nine plagues, nine impressive manifestations of God's power that Pharaoh witnessed without softening his heart. Then the Lord told his prophet Moses about a 10th plague and how each family in Israel could prepare for it. As part of a ritual they would call the Passover,

the Israelites were to sacrifice a male lamb, one without blemish.

Then they were to mark the door frames of their homes with the blood of the lamb. The Lord promised that all the homes that were marked with the blood would be protected from the terrible plague that was about to come.

The scriptures say, “And the children of Israel…did as the Lord…commanded Moses.”

There’s something very powerful in that simple statement of obedience.

Because the children of Israel followed the counsel of Moses and acted in faith, they were saved from the plague and, in time, freed from their captivity.

So what did the Holy Ghost teach me in these chapters this week?

Here are a few thoughts that have rested on my mind.

The Lord works through His Prophet to protect and save His people.

The faith and humility to follow the prophet preceded the miracle of protection and deliverance.

The blood on the doorframe was an outward sign of inward faith in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

I am impressed with the parallel between the way the Lord blessed His people in this Old Testament account and the way He’s also blessing His people today.

When the Lord’s living prophet President Nelson, introduced us to “Come, Follow Me” as a means of studying the scriptures, he invited us to transform our homes into sanctuaries of faith and centers of gospel learning. Then he promised four specific blessings.

One, your Sabbath days will be a delight. Two, your children will be excited to learn and live the Savior's teachings.

Three, the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease, and four, these changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.

Now, we don't have any journal entries from those who experience the Passover with Moses in Egypt.

However, we do have many testimonials from Saints who with equal faith, are following President Nelson's counsel today and receiving the promised blessings. Here are a few such testimonials.

A mother of a young family said,

“We talk of Christ and we rejoice in Christ in our home.

To me, that is the greatest blessing that my children can grow up with these gospel conversations in the home that bring them closer to the Savior.”

A senior brother called his study of the scriptures through “Come, Follow Me”

“a conduit filled with divine light that helps us see gospel doctrine that is necessary for our spiritual well-being.”

A young wife described the blessings in her marriage.

“I have been able to know my husband’s heart more deeply, and I have been able to open my heart more to him as we study together.”

A mother of a large family, noticed how her efforts to teach her family changed.

She mentioned, looking back, “it was like I was playing the piano with snow gloves on.

I was going through the motions, but the music wasn't quite right.

Now the gloves are off, and while my music still isn't perfect, I hear the difference. “Come, Follow Me” has given me vision, ability, focus, and purpose.”

A young husband said, “My most important priorities at home have become more clear since I’ve made “Come, Follow Me” a regular part of my mornings. Studying leads me to think more about the things that matter most to me, like the temple, my relationship with my wife, my calling.

And I’m grateful that my home is a sanctuary where God comes first.”

A sister shared, “My daily experiences with “Come, Follow Me” are rarely noteworthy, but over time I can see how I am being changed by such a constant, focused study of the Scriptures.

That kind of study humbles me, teaches me and changes me a little at a time.”

A returned missionary reported, “The “Come, Follow Me” program has gotten me closer to the level of scripture study that I did on my mission, and I have been able to move from a checklist mentality of scripture study to truly enriching sessions of getting to know God.” A brother said,

“I feel the Holy Ghost welcomed more into my life and feel God's revelatory guidance in making decisions.

I have more profound conversations regarding the beauty in the simple doctrine of Christ and His Atonement.”

A seven-year-old child shared, “I’m getting baptized soon, and “Come, Follow Me” is getting me ready.

My family and I talk about baptism and I don’t feel nervous about getting baptized. Now “Come, Follow Me” helps me and the Holy Ghost come into my heart. And I feel warm when I read the scriptures.”

And then finally, from a mother of several children,

“As we study the word of God, He has helped our family move from concern to power,

from trial and challenge to deliverance, and from contention and criticism to love and peace, and from the adversary’s influence to God’s influence.”

These and many other faithful followers of Christ have symbolically placed the blood of the Lamb of God on the entrance to their homes. They are demonstrating their inward commitment to follow the Savior.

Their faith precedes the miracle. It’s the miracle of one person having an experience in the scriptures and that experience being blessed by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

When we study the scriptures, there is no spiritual famine in the land.

As Nephi said, “Whoso would hearken to the word of God and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpowered them unto blindness to lead them away to destruction.” In ancient times, as the children of Israel followed the Lord's direction given through the prophet Moses, they were blessed with safety and freedom. Today, as we follow the Lord's direction given through our living prophet, President Nelson, we are equally blessed with conversion in our hearts and protection in our homes. I testified that Jesus Christ lives. This is His church, restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Russell M. Nelson is the Lord’s prophet today. I love and sustain him in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Amen.

On a signal from the conductor. We will stand and join the choir in singing

“We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet.”

After the singing, we will hear from Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He will be followed by Elder Randy D. Funk of the Seventy.

After his remarks, the choir will sing “The Iron Rod.”

We will then be pleased to hear from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet”

This is the Sunday afternoon session of the 192nd annual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We thank thee, O God, for a prophet To guide us in these latter days.

We thank thee for sending the gospel To lighten our minds with its rays. We thank thee for every blessing

Bestowed by thy bounteous hand.

We feel it a pleasure to serve thee

And love to obey thy command.

When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us

And threaten our peace to destroy, There is hope smiling brightly before us, And we know that deliv’rance is nigh. We doubt not the Lord nor his goodness.

We’ve proved him in days that are past. The wicked who fight against Zion Will surely be smitten at last.

We’ll sing of his goodness and mercy. We’ll praise him by day and by night,

Rejoice in his glorious gospel,

And bask in its life-giving light.

Thus on to eternal perfection The honest and faithful will go,

While they who reject this glad message

Shall never such happiness know.

I have a dear friend who is a brilliant, retired university professor, prolific author, and above all,

a committed disciple of Jesus Christ.

He has visited the Holy Land dozens of times to participate in conferences, conduct academic research, and lead tours.

According to him, every time he visits the land where Jesus walked,

he marvels because he undoubtedly learned something new, astonishing, and fascinating about the Savior, His mortal ministry, and His beloved homeland.

The awe my friend shows when he talks about all that he learns in the Holy Land is contagious.

And this amazement has been fundamental in his great achievements and academic pursuits in his life.

As I have listened to his experiences and felt of his enthusiasm,

I have reflected on how much more spiritual wonder, so to speak, that we can and should feel for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the difference it can make in our discipleship and in our journey toward eternal life.

The wonder I refer to is the sensation of emotion, awe,

or amazement common to all who wholeheartedly centered their lives on the Savior and His teachings, and humbly recognize His presence in their lives.

Such a feeling of wonder, inspired by the influence of the Holy Ghost,

stimulates the enthusiasm to joyfully live the doctrine of Christ.

The scriptures contain several examples of how this sensation is manifest.

The prophet Isaiah, for example,

expressed the depth of his gratitude for the Lord through his rejoicing in Him.

Those who heard Jesus preaching in the synagogue at Capernaum were astonished at His doctrine and the strength with which He taught. It was the same feeling that penetrated every fiber of young Joseph Smith's heart as he read from the Bible the first chapter of James, leading him to seek the wisdom of God. My brothers and sisters, when we truly are in awe of Jesus Christ and His gospel, we are happier. We have more enthusiasm for God’s work, and we recognize the Lord's hand in all things.

Additionally, our study of God's words is more meaningful,

our prayers more intentional, our worship more reverent,

our service in God's kingdom more diligent.

All of these actions contribute to the Holy Spirit's influence being more frequent in our lives.

Thus, our testimony of the Savior and His gospel will be strengthened. We will keep Christ alive in us, and we will leave our lives rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving. When we live in this way,

we become more spiritually resilient and protected against falling into the trap of spiritual apathy.

Such apathy is characterized by the gradual loss of our excitement to engage fully in the Lord’s gospel.

It generally begins when we are feeling that we have already attained all the necessary knowledge and blessings for our happiness in this life.

This complacency, so to speak,

causes us to take the gospel gifts for granted.

And from then on, we run the risk of neglect,

neglecting both our regular immersion in the essentials of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the covenants we have made.

Consequently, we gradually distance ourselves from the Lord, weakening our ability to hear Him, becoming indifferent and insensitive to the greatness of His work.

Doubt, regarding the truths we have already received, may enter our mind and heart, making us vulnerable to the enemy’s temptations.

Pastor Aiden Wilson Tozer, a renowned writer and valiant Christian, wrote.

“Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth.”

Wasn't this exactly what happened to the people of Nephi shortly after the birth of Christ? They “began to be less and less astonished at a sign or wonder from heaven,” “[disbelieving] all which they had heard and seen.”

Thus did Satan, “blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and vain thing.”

My beloved brothers and sisters, in His perfect and infinite love

and knowing our human nature, the Savior has established the way for us to avoid falling into the trap of spiritual apathy.

The Savior’s invitation gives us a broader perspective,

especially considering the complex world in which we live:

“Learn of me and listen to my words;

walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.”

As we accept the Savior’s invitation, we demonstrate our humility,

our desire to be teachable, and our hope to become more like Him.

This invitation also includes serving Him and ministering to God’s children with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.

At the core of our effort in this journey is, of course, the two great commandments: to love the Lord our God,

and love our neighbor as ourselves.

This type of behavior is part of Jesus’s divine character and was evident in everything He did during His earthly ministry.

Therefore, when we intentionally and truly dedicate ourselves to look unto Him and learn from His perfect example, we come to know Him better.

We grow in enthusiasm and desire to incorporate into our lives the ultimate standard of how we should leave, the example we should set, and the commandments we should follow. We also gain additional understanding, wisdom, divine character,

and grace toward God and our neighbors.

I can assure you that our ability to feel the Savior’s influence and love will be intensified in our lives, magnifying our faith, our desire to act righteously, and the motivation to serve him and others.

In addition, our gratitude for the blessings and challenges we experience

in mortality will solidify and become part of our true worship.

My dear friends, all these things strengthen our spiritual wonder of the gospel and move us to joyfully keep the covenants we make with the Lord,

even in the midst of the trials and challenges we experience.

Of course, for these outcomes to happen,

we need to immerse ourselves with faith and real intent in the Savior’s teachings, striving to incorporate His attributes into our way of being. In addition, we need to draw nearer to Him through our repentance, seeking His forgiveness and His redeeming power in our lives,

and keeping His commandments.

The Lord Himself promised that He would direct our paths if we would trust in Him with our hearts, acknowledging him in all our ways and not leaning on our own understanding.

A man I met recently whose name is Wes and who is attending the conference today, accepted Christ’s invitation to learn of Him and of His gospel and began to experience the awe of His love after 27 years of distancing himself from the covenant path. He told me that one day, he was contacted via Facebook by a missionary, Elder Jones,

who was temporarily assigned to Wes’s area before going to his originally assigned mission in Panama.

When Elder Jones came across Wes’s profile,

not even knowing beforehand that he was already a member of the Church,

he felt the guidance of the Holy Ghost and knew that he should immediately contact Wes. He quickly acted on this impression.

West was amazed by this unexpected contact and began to realize that the Lord was aware of him, despite the distance from the covenant path.

From them on Wes and the missionaries began to communicate frequently. Elder Jones and his companion provided weekly acts of service and a spiritual message that helped Wes to recover his awe of the Savior and His gospel.

It rekindled the flame of his testimony of the truth

and of the Savior's love for him.

Wes felt the peace that comes from the Comforter and gained the strength he needed to return to the fold.

He told me that this experience brought him spiritually and emotionally back to life and helped him to eliminate the feelings of bitterness accumulated over the years because of the difficult experiences he had been through.

As my aforementioned thoughtful professor friend has observed,

there is always something wonderful and fascinating to learn about Jesus Christ and His gospel.

The Lord has made wonderful promises that are extended to all those, including us, who seek to learn of Him and incorporate His words into their lives.

To Enoch, he said, “Behold my spirit [shall be] upon you,

wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you,

and the river shall turn from their course;

and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you.”

Through His servant, King Benjamin, He declared.

“Ye shall be called the children of Christ, His sons and His daughters; for behold, this day He hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on His name;

therefore ye are born of him and have become His sons and His daughters.”

Therefore, as we genuinely and continually strive to learn of the Savior and follow His example,

I promise you in His name that His Divine Attributes will be written in our minds and hearts, that we will become more like Him,

and that we will walk with Him.

My beloved brothers and sisters,

I pray that we will ever stand in awe of Jesus Christ and His complete, infinite, and perfect love.

May the remembrance of what our eyes have seen and our hearts have felt increase our amazement at the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, which can heal us of our spiritual and emotional wounds and helps us to draw closer to Him.

May we marvel at the great promises that the Father has in His hands and that He has prepared for those who are faithful:

“The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours,

and the reaches of eternity are yours.

And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious.”

Jesus is the Redeemer of the world, and this is His Church.

I bear witness of these truths in the awe-inspired, sacred, and sublime name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

As young parents, Brother and Sister Samad learned the gospel of Jesus Christ in their simple two-room home in Semarang, Indonesia. Seated around a small table, with a dim light that seemed to provide more mosquitos than illumination,

two young missionaries taught them eternal truths. Through sincere prayer and the guidance of the Holy Ghost, they came to believe what they were taught and chose to be baptized and become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

That decision and their pattern of living since has blessed Brother and Sister Samad and their family in every aspect of their lives.

They are among the early pioneer saints in Indonesia.

Later, they received the ordinances of the temple and Brother Samad served as the branch president and then district president,

driving throughout central Java to fulfill his responsibilities. For the past decade, he has served as the first patriarch of the Surakarta Indonesia Stake. As one of the missionaries

in that humble, faith-filled home 49 years ago,

I have witnessed in them what King Benjamin taught in the Book of Mormon:

“I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual.”

The blessings that flow into the lives of those who follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ,

who choose to be counted among His disciples, are numerous, joyful, and eternal. Alma’s baptismal covenant invitation to those gathered at the waters of Mormon begins with this phrase: “Now, as you are desirous to come into the fold of God.”

A fold or a sheepfold is a large enclosure,

often constructed with stone walls, where the sheep are protected at night.

It has only one opening. At the end of the day, the shepherd calls the sheep.

They know his voice, and through the gate, they enter the safety of the fold. The people of Alma would have known that shepherds stand at the narrow opening of the fold so that when the sheep enter,

they are numbered, and their wounds and ailments noted and cared for one by one. The safety and well-being of the sheep depend on their willingness to come into the fold and to stay in the fold. Among us, there may be some who feel they are at the edge of the flock, perhaps thinking they are less needed or valued, or that they don't belong in the fold.

And as in the sheepfold, in the fold of God, we sometimes step on one another's toes and need to repent or forgive.

But the Good Shepherd, our true shepherd, is always good.

Within the fold of God, we experience His watchful, nurturing care and are blessed to feel His redeeming love. He said, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.

Thy walls are continually before me.”

Our Savior has graven upon His palms, our sins, pains, afflictions, and all that is unfair in life.

All are welcome to receive these blessings, as they are desirous to come

and choose to be in the fold.

The gift of agency is not simply the right to choose.

It is the opportunity to choose the right.

And the walls of the fold are not a constraint,

but a source of spiritual safety.

Jesus taught that there is one fold and one shepherd.

He said: “He that interest in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep…

and the sheep hear his voice… and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” Jesus then stated, “I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved,”

teaching clearly that there is only one way into the fold of God, and only one way to be saved. It is by and through Jesus Christ.

We learn how to come into the fold from the word of God, which is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and His prophets.

When we follow the doctrine of Christ and come into the fold through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and confirmation and continuing faithfulness,

Alma promised four specific personal blessings.

You may (1) “be redeemed of God,” (2) “be numbered with those of the first resurrection,” (3) “have eternal life,” and (4) the Lord will “pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon you.”

After Alma taught about these blessings, the people clapped their hands for joy. Here's why.

First, to redeem means to pay off a debt or obligation,

or to free from what distresses or harms.

No amount of personal improvement on our part can make us clean from the sins we have committed or whole from the wounds we have suffered without the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He is our Redeemer.

Second, because of Christ’s Resurrection,

all will be resurrected. After our spirits depart our mortal bodies, we will undoubtedly look forward to when we can again with a resurrected body, embrace those we love.

We will eagerly look forward to being among those of the First Resurrection.

Third, eternal life means to live with God and as He lives. It is the greatest of all the gifts of God and will bring a fullness of joy. It is the ultimate purpose and objective of our lives.

Fourth, the companionship of a member of the Godhead. The Holy Ghost provides much needed guidance and comfort during this mortal life. Consider some causes of unhappiness.

Misery comes from sin, sadness and loneliness from the death of a loved one,

and fear from the uncertainty of what happens when we die.

But when we enter the fold of God and keep our covenants with Him,

we feel the peace of knowing and trusting that Christ will redeem us from our sins, that the separation of our body and spirit will end more quickly,

and that we will live eternally with God in a most glorious manner.

Brothers and sisters, the scriptures are filled with examples of the Savior’s majestic power and His compassionate mercy and grace. During His earthly ministry,

His blessings of healing came to those who trusted Him and acted in faith.

For example, the infirm man at the pool of Bethesda walked when, with faith, he followed the Savior’s command to “rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

Those who were sick or afflicted in any manner in the land of Bountiful were healed when with one accord they “did go forth.” Similarly to receive the marvelous blessings promised to those who come into the fold of God requires us to do just that.

We need to choose to come. Alma the younger taught, “And now I say into you that the good shepherd doth call after you;

and if you will hearken onto his voice, he will bring you into his fold.”

Several years ago, a dear friend passed away from cancer.

When his wife, Sharon, first wrote about his diagnosis, she said,

“We choose faith. Faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Faith in our Heavenly Father’s plan. And faith that He knows our needs and fulfills His promises.”

I have met many Latter-day Saints like Sharon,

who feel the inward peace of being securely within the fold of God,

especially when temptation, opposition, or adversity comes.

They have chosen to have faith in Jesus Christ and to follow His prophet.

Our dear prophet President Russell M Nelson has taught, “Everything good in life, every potential blessing of eternal significance begins with faith.”

My great-great-great grandfather, James Sawyer Holman, came to Utah in 1847.

But he wasn't among those to arrive in July with Brigham Young.

He came later that year and, according to Family Records,

was responsible to bring the sheep.

He didn't reach the Salt Lake Valley until October,

but he and the sheep made it. Figuratively speaking,

some of us are still on the plains. Not everyone arrives in the first group.

My dear friends, please continue the journey and help others to come fully into the fold of God.

The blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ are immeasurable,

because they are eternal.

I am profoundly grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I bear witness of the love of our Heavenly Father and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and of the peace that comes only from them,

the inner peace and the blessings found in the fold of God.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “The Iron Rod”

To Nephi, seer of olden time, A vision came from God,

Wherein the holy word sublime Was shown an iron rod.

Hold to the rod, the iron rod; ’Tis strong, and bright, and true.

The iron rod is the word of God; ’Twill safely guide us through.

While on our journey here below, Beneath temptation’s pow’r, Through mists of darkness we must go, In peril ev’ry hour. Hold to the rod, the iron rod;

’Tis strong, and bright, and true.

The iron rod is the word of God; ’Twill safely guide us through.

And when temptation’s pow’r is nigh, Our pathway clouded o’er, Upon the rod we can rely,

And heaven’s aid implore.

Hold to the rod, the iron rod; ’Tis strong, and bright, and true. The iron rod is the word of God; ’Twill safely guide us through.

’Twill safely guide us through,

Guide us though.

Thank you, choir. Thank you so much, choir, and thank you, President Nelson, for this wonderful and great conference. We look forward to hear more of you today. Just days before He gave His life for us, Jesus Christ was at the temple in Jerusalem,

watching people make donations to the temple treasury.

Many that were rich cast in much, but then, along came a poor widow, and she threw in two mites.

It was such a small amount it would hardly be worth recalling.

And yet, this seemingly inconsequential donation caught the Savior’s attention.

In fact, it impressed Him so deeply that He called unto His disciples

and said unto them, “Verily, I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the Treasury. For all they did cast in of their abundance;

but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. With this simple observation, the Savior taught us how offerings are measured in His kingdom.

And it's quite different from the way we usually measure things to the Lord.

The value of the donation was measured not by the effect it had on the treasury, but by the effect it had on the donor.

In praising this faithful widow,

the Savior gave us a standard to measure our discipleship in all of its many expressions. Jesus taught that our offering may be large or may be small,

but either way it must be our heartfelt all.

This principle is echoed in the plea of the Book of Mormon prophet Amaleki:

“Come unto Christ, who is the holy one of Israel,

and partake of his salvationa and the power of his redemption.

Yea, come onto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him.”

But how is this possible?

To many of us, such a standard of whole- souled commitment seems out of reach.

We are already stretched so thin.

How can we balance the many demands of life with our desires to offer our whole souls to the Lord? Perhaps our challenge is that we think balance means dividing our time evenly among competing interests.

Viewed in this way, our commitment to Jesus Christ would be one of many things we need to fit into our busy schedules. But perhaps there's another way to look at it. My wife, Harriet, and I love to go bicycle riding together.

It’s a wonderful way to get some exercise while also spending time together.

We wait—while we are riding, and I’m not huffing and puffing too much,

we enjoy the beautiful world around us and even engage in a pleasant conversation. Rarely do we have to pay much attention to keeping our balance on our bicycles.

We've been riding long enough that we don't even think about that.

It has become normal and natural for us. But whenever I watch someone learning to ride a bike for the first time,

I'm reminded that it's not easy balancing yourself on those two narrow wheels. It takes time. It takes practice.

It takes patience. It even takes falling down a time or two.

Most of all, those who succeed in balancing on a bicycle learned these important tips: Don’t look at your feet. Look ahead.

Keep your eyes on the road in front of you.

Focus on your destination, and get pedaling.

Staying balanced is all about moving forward.

Similar principles apply when it comes to finding balance in our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.

To distribute your time and energy among your many important tasks will vary from person to person and from one season of life to another.

But our common overall objective is to follow the way of our Master, Jesus Christ, and return to the presence of our beloved Father in Heaven.

This objective must remain constant and consistent,

whoever we are and whatever else is happening in our lives. Now, for those who are avid bicyclists comparing discipleship to riding a bike may be a helpful analogy. For those who are not,

don’t worry. I have another analogy. I’m sure every man, every woman, and every child will be able to relate to. Discipleship, like most things in life, can also be compared to flying an airplane.

Have you ever stopped to think how amazing it is that

a huge passenger jet can actually get off the ground and fly?

What is it that keeps these flying machines soaring elegantly through the sky, crossing oceans and continents?

Put simply, an aircraft flies only when air is moving over its wings.

That movement creates differences in air pressure that gives the plane lift.

And how to get—how do you get enough air moving over the wings to create lift? How is that done? The answer is forward thrust.

The airplane gains no altitude sitting on the runway. Even on a windy day, enough lift isn’t created unless the airplane is moving forward

with enough thrust to counteract the forces holding it back.

Just as forward momentum keeps a bicycle balanced upright,

moving forward helps an aircraft overcome the pull of gravity and drag.

What does this mean for us as disciples of Jesus Christ?

It means that if we want to find balance in life,

and if we want the Savior to lift us heavenward,

then our commitment to Him and His gospel can’t be casual or occasional.

Like the widow at Jerusalem, we must offer Him our whole souls.

Our offering may be small, but it must come from our heart and soul.

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not just one of many things we do.

The Savior is the motivating power behind all that we do.

He is not a rest stop in our journey.

He's not a scenic byway or even a major landmark.

He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by [Jesus Christ].” That is the way and our ultimate destination.

Balance and lift come as we “press forward with the steadfastness in Christ,

having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men.”

And what about the many tasks and the responsibilities that make our lives so busy?

Spending time with loved ones, going to school or preparing for an occupation,

earning a living, caring for family, serving in the community—

where does it all fit in? The Savior reassures us:

“Your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things,

but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

But that doesn't mean it's easy. It requires both sacrifice

and consecration. It requires letting some things go

and letting other things grow.

Sacrifice and consecration are two heavenly laws that we covenant to obey in the holy temple. These two laws are similar but not identical.

To sacrifice means to give something up in favor of something more valuable.

Anciently, God’s people sacrifice the firstlings of the flocks in honor of the coming Messiah.

Throughout history, faithful Saints have sacrificed personal desires, comforts, and even their lives for the Savior.

We all have things large and small we need to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus Christ more completely. Our sacrifices show what we truly value.

Sacrifices are sacred and honored by the Lord.

Consecration is different from sacrifice in at least one important way.

When we consecrate something, we don't leave it to be consumed upon the altar.

Rather, we put it to use in the Lord's service.

We dedicate it to Him and His holy purposes.

We receive the talents that the Lord has given us and strive to increase them manifold to become even more helpful in building the Lord’s kingdom. Very few of us will ever be asked to sacrifice our lives for the Savior, but we are all invited to consecrate our lives to Him

as we seek to purify our lives and look unto Christ in every thought.

Everything else begins to align.

Life no longer feels— no longer feels like a long list of separate efforts held in tenuous balance.

Over time, it all becomes one work, one joy, one holy purpose.

It is the work of loving and serving God. It is loving and serving God's children.

When we look at our lives and see a hundred things to do,

we feel overwhelmed. When we see one thing—

loving and serving God and His children in a hundred different ways—

then we can work on those things with joy.

This is how we offer our whole souls—by sacrificing anything that’s holding us back and consecrating the rest to the Lord and His purposes.

There will be times, my dear brothers and sisters and my dear friends,

when you wish you could do more.

Your loving Father in Heaven knows your heart.

He knows that you can’t do everything your heart wants you to do.

But you can love and serve God. You can do your best to keep His commandments. You can love and serve His children.

And your efforts are purifying your heart and preparing you for a glorious future. This is what the widow at the Temple Treasury seemed to understand.

She surely knew that her offering would not change the fortunes of Israel,

but it could change and bless her, because, though small, it was her all.

So my dear friends and beloved fellow disciples of Jesus Christ, let us not be “weary in well-doing,” for we are laying the foundation of a great work

and out of small things will proceed that which is great.

I testify that this is true, as I also testify that Jesus Christ is our Master,

our Redeemer, and He’s the only way and the one way back to our beloved Father in Heaven. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, aamen.

As we conclude the conference,

we express sincere appreciation to all who have worked so diligently to prepare for these services.

We thank those who have spoken and those who have provided an uplifting music. The concluding speaker

for this session will be our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.

Following his remarks, the choir will close this conference by singing

“Our Prayer to Thee.” The benediction will then be offered by Elder Vern P. Stanfill of the Seventy, and the conference will be adjourned.

My dear brothers and sisters, this conference has been historic in many ways.

We have been blessed by the prayers, messages, and music.

We have been inspired by servants of the Lord.

We've received important direction for the future.

My prayer is that the Spirit has spoken to you directly about things the Lord would have you do. The future is always uncertain. Weather changes.

Economic cycles are unpredictable. Disasters, wars, and accidents,

Illness can change life quickly. These actions are largely beyond our control, but there are some things we can control,

including how we spend our time each day.

I like this poem by Henry Van Dyke, posted on a sundial at Wells College in New York.

It reads: “The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past:

Before it, sleeps the unborn hour, In darkness, and beyond thy power.

Behind its unreturning line, The vanished hour,

no longer thine:

One hour alone is in thy hands. The NOW on which the shadow stands.”

Yes, we should learn from the past. Yes, we should prepare for the future.

But only now can we do. Now is the time we can learn.

Now is the time we can repent. Now is the time. We can bless others and “lift up the hands which hang down.”

As Mormon counseled his son Moroni,

“Let us labor diligently, for we have a labor to perform [while] in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the Kingdom of God.”

The adversary never sleeps. There will always be opposition to the truth.

I repeat my urging from this morning to do those things that will increase your positive spiritual momentum, that lift that President

Uchtdorf was talking about. That’ll keep you moving forward through whatever challenges and opportunities come.

Positive spiritual momentum increases as we worship in the temple

and grow in our understanding of the magnificent breadth and depth of the blessings we receive there.

I plead with you to counter worldly ways by focusing on the eternal blessings of the temple.

Your time there brings blessings for eternity.

As the Church grows, we strive to keep pace by building more temples.

44 new temples are presently under construction. More are being renewed.

I pray for the skilled people who work on those projects across the world.

In the spirit of prayerful gratitude,

I am pleased to announce our plans to build a new temple in each of the following locations: Wellington, New Zealand.

Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. Barcelona, Spain.

Birmingham, United Kingdom. Cusco, Perú. Maceió, Brazil. Santos, Brazil.

San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Mexico City Benemérito, Mexico. Tampa, Florida.

Knoxville, Tennessee. Cleveland, Ohio. Wichita, Kansas. Austin, Texas.

Missoula, Montana. Montpelier, Idaho. Modesto, California.

These 17 temples will bless countless lives on both sides of the veil.

I love you, my dear brothers and sisters.

And more importantly, the Lord loves you. He’s your Savior and your Redeemer.

He leads and guides His Church.

May we be a people worthy of the Lord who said,

“Ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” For this. I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING} “Our Prayer to Thee”

We pray to thee, our Heav’nly Father. With grateful hearts and fond emotion. We thank Thee for our great Exemplar – Thy beloved and atoning Son – Who gave Himself as sacred ransom, That we could live again with Thee!

Our joy is full, our song so gladsome; Renew our faith and hope in Thee

We pray to Thee, our Heav’nly Father,

With thankful Hearts and adoration.

We thank Thee for our loving Savior, Who redeemed us from death and sin;

who gave to us His truth to brighten our

path, to help us walk His way.

To love and serve, to lift and lighten the lives of all who will obey.

We pray to Thee, our Heav’nly Father

with gratitude and deep devotion

For loving faith and endless splendor – Eternal glory – bound as one!

We pray for mercy and forgiveness and hope to know Thy holy will.

We yearn for Thee, we plead in meekness,

Thy trust in us may we fulfill.

We yearn for Thee, we plead in meekness,

Thy trust in us may we fulfill.

We fulfill.

Our Heavenly Father, we are grateful this day,

grateful for prophets, seers, and revelators and inspired leaders,

for the messages that they have given us. We pray, Father, that Thou might bless us with the wisdom and courage to heed their counsel.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for temples throughout the earth.

Help us, Father, to fill these sacred places with those who are prepared to bind themselves unto Thee through sacred ordinances and covenants.

Heavenly Father, we pray

that we might be forgiven of our trespasses and that that might help us to repent.

We pray that we will accept the invitation of our dear prophet

to cast out all feelings of ill will,

divisiveness, or contention from our hearts,

that the mercy and grace of Thy beautiful Son might fill our souls.

Heavenly Father, we know that many suffer throughout the world.

We pray that that might help us to rush to their aid, to feed them, to clothe them, to teach them and to comfort them, and to provide them hope

through the sacrifice of Thy Son.

Heavenly Father, we love Thee and we love Thy Son and are grateful for His sacrifice for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This has been a broadcast of the Sunday afternoon session of the 192nd 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.

This broadcast has been furnished as a public service by Bonneville Distribution.

Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this program without written consent

is prohibited.