"What Went Ye Out "¦ to See?"
Elder Gerald E. Melchin
- Of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a personal experience of having President Benson in his home, feeling his divine call, and witnessing him lead the church through revelation.
As I have read the scriptures, I have watched all of the prophets who have affected my life, and I have seen that they have fulfilled the role that the Master described. I have been privileged to have President Benson in my home as one of us. I have knelt with him as we have called, by prophecy, a stake president. I have felt his divine call as he leads and directs this church through the spirit of revelation. And I bear that testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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"What Will a Man Give?"
Elder Mark E. Petersen
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The Savior taught the value of salvation through the parable of the merchant seeking goodly pearls and the parable of the treasure hidden in a field, emphasizing that salvation is worth giving everything for.
The Savior illustrated this great fact with some of his best-known parables. For example, he said:
""¦ The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls; Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."Matt. 13:45"“46
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he "¦ goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."Matt. 13:44
In other words, he is tell ... (continued)
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"What Will a Man Give?"
Elder Mark E. Petersen
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker questions what people are willing to exchange for their souls, such as worldly pleasures or advantages, and emphasizes that the only way to save one's soul is to put God first.
Then should we not make every effort to achieve it? But on the other hand, if we do not, what are we exchanging for our souls?
...Who would exchange the privilege of becoming like God for the very questionable and temporary advantages of this world?
...Which of us would sell his birthright for a mess of pottage?
Isn"™t it advisable that we direct to our own selves the question raised by the Savior: ""¦ what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"Matt. 16:26
Whether we realize it or not, ... (continued)
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"What Will a Man Give?"
Elder Mark E. Petersen
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the value of a child's soul and the responsibility of parents to not trade their children's future for selfish desires, emphasizing the importance of teaching children the principles of righteousness.
What will parents barter for the souls of their little children, these tiny ones, who are given into their care by the Almighty himself, to whom they should teach the principles of righteousness, and whom these parents should lead into the proper pathways of life?
Are there any parents who are willing to trade their children"™s future for a mess of pottage to be consumed greedily by themselves? Dare they sacrifice the welfare of their little ones to gratify their own self-centered interests?
C ... (continued)
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"When Thou Art Converted"
President S. Dilworth Young
- Of the First Council of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
Peter is warned by Jesus that he will deny knowing Him three times before the cock crows, which Peter vehemently denies, claiming he is ready to follow Jesus to prison or death.
Certainly it pricked him, for he said, 'Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.' Then the Lord told Peter that 'the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.'
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"When Thou Art Converted"
President S. Dilworth Young
- Of the First Council of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
Despite their strong declarations of loyalty, when Jesus is arrested, Peter denies Him, and the other apostles also fail to stand by Him as they had promised.
Yet when the moment came and a maid accused Peter of being a disciple, he denied the acquaintance. The remaining ten, likewise, despite their own declarations, did not do as they had declared they would do.
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"When Thou Art Converted"
President S. Dilworth Young
- Of the First Council of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
After Jesus' resurrection and the coming of the Holy Ghost, Peter and Paul undergo profound conversions, changing from fearful denial and persecution to bold proclamation of their faith.
We see what it means to be converted in the inspired acts of Peter on the day of Pentecost, as compared to his wavering denials on the night of the arrest of the Lord. The Paul who after his baptism and reception of the Holy Ghost boldly declared the truth to Agrippa was a completely changed man from the man who was going toward Damascus, seeking out Christians to destroy them.
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"When Thou Art Converted"
President S. Dilworth Young
- Of the First Council of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The early apostles, despite their limited knowledge of the world, bravely set forth to spread the gospel, guided by the Spirit to places like Athens, Ephesus, and Rome.
Yet bravely they set forth. The Spirit whispered, and each one, newly attuned, felt to go to a place, be it Athens, Ephesus, or Rome. From there the whispering directed each one to still another place. And to another—until they must have encompassed most of the known world of their day.
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"When Thou Art Converted"
President S. Dilworth Young
- Of the First Council of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
In the early days of the Church from 1830 to 1846, entire families were involved in missionary work, with fathers often leaving home to teach and preach while the children worked hard in their absence.
From 1830 to 1846 whole families were involved in the work. They warned their neighbors; they were all involved. A father left home every spare minute and went out teaching and preaching. The children at home were a part of it, for they had to work hard to make up for their father’s absence.
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Early Church members made significant sacrifices, leaving behind families, friends, and their ways of life to travel to Zion and fellowship with the Saints.
I think of what the first members of the Church left behind. Many had to leave their families and friends, their nation of birth, and many of their ways of life. They traveled across an ocean and walked across a great nation to come to Zion so that they might have the fellowshipping of the Saints.
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
New Church members today also leave much behind, including friends, family, and lifestyles, to join the kingdom of God and learn to live according to its standards.
It is no different today. When new members come out of the world into the kingdom of God, they leave much behind them. Oftentimes they too must leave behind friends and even family as well as social contacts and a way of life that is not compatible with the standards of the Church.
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder L. Tom Perry
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the technological advancements he witnessed at a data processing school, comparing them to the simple office machine his father used as a bishop when the speaker was a child.
I have recently had the opportunity of returning to school, at least for a five-day period. I was invited to attend a data processing school. After the usual adjustments of trying to condition myself again to a classroom situation, I was captivated by the latest marvels that mankind has developed. I was intrigued by an instructor who would key into a keyboard a few symbols and access a file 3,000 miles away. In only five seconds, there on a visual display was the answer. We were introduced to a ... (continued)
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder L. Tom Perry
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
Alma the Younger, who had strayed from his father's teachings, experiences a miraculous event where an angel appears to him and calls him to repentance, leading to his conversion.
The first can be illustrated by an experience which occurred between a father and his son as recorded in the Book of Mormon. Alma was a high priest of the people and lived on this continent less than 150 years before the time of the Savior. He must have been a father who had great love for his son because he called him by his own name. But as Alma the Younger grew into manhood, he departed from the teachings of his father. The scriptures record: "He became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. An ... (continued)
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder L. Tom Perry
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
John Taylor, after being introduced to the gospel by Parley P. Pratt, remains steadfast in his faith even when Pratt himself begins to doubt, leading to Pratt's reaffirmation of his faith.
In the lives of many of our great Church leaders of this dispensation we"™ve seen this process of conversion interpreted into a powerful desire to strengthen the lives of the brethren. One example that has always impressed me is the story of John Taylor. The gospel was first introduced to Brother Taylor and his family in Toronto, Canada, by Elder Parley P. Pratt in April of 1836. At that time John Taylor was engaged as a minister and investigated very carefully the teachings of Elder Pratt. He ... (continued)
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder L. Tom Perry
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
Simon Peter is asked by Jesus to leave his fishing nets and follow Him, symbolizing the choice between worldly things and the commitment to God.
Now conversion is not an end, but a beginning of a new way of life. Let me again use the example of another strong character from the scriptures to illustrate the second great commandment of what must follow conversion. The New Testament tells us of one who was among the first to follow the Savior in his earthly ministry. The scriptures record: "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fisher ... (continued)
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Saul's miraculous conversion is highlighted through his questions to the Lord, illustrating that while some conversions can be sudden, most occur gradually through study, prayer, and faith.
There have been some miraculous conversions recorded in the scriptures. The miraculous conversion of Saul is one such example illustrated when he asked two vital questions: 'Who art thou, Lord? … [and] What wilt thou have me to do?' Acts 9:5–6 On occasion individuals can have such experiences, but for the most part, conversion happens over a period of time as study, prayer, experience, and faith will help us to grow in our testimony and conversion.
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Alma's conversion began when he recognized the truth in Abinadi's teachings, leading to a mighty change of heart and a desire to forsake his sins.
When Abinadi fearlessly taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to the wicked King Noah and his priests, only Alma recognized the truth. Alma then had to demonstrate great faith in the words of Abinadi as he sought to bring about a mighty change of heart. This change of heart strengthened his conversion with a desire to forsake his sins. The conversion of each member of the Church is not unlike that of Alma (see Mosiah 17).
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A shepherd, absorbed in personal prayer, loses track of his sheep, which wander away or are attacked, prompting him to awake to the reality and go forth to find and bring them back.
Visualize for a moment a shepherd tending his sheep. The shepherd is studying and praying diligently to get close to God. As the shepherd concentrates on his personal relationship with God, he loses track of time and circumstance. He is not aware of his sheep wandering away or being ravaged by evil marauders. The shepherd awakes from his personal pondering to the reality that some of his sheep are missing, and he must go forth and find them, bringing them back.
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Ammon, a Nephite missionary, inspires his fellow servants to gather scattered sheep and drives away the attackers, leading by example and ultimately persuading the king to follow him and the Savior.
Ammon, the Nephite missionary, provided an example for us. He had chosen to serve the Lamanite king and was sent to watch the flocks of Lamoni. When a band of renegades attacked and scattered the sheep, Ammon"™s fellow servants had fear and began to weep. What did Ammon say? 'Be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water' Alma 17:31 Now, we may read this as a story about some shepherds trying to round up som ... (continued)
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"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
Elder Robert D. Hales
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
After the Crucifixion, Peter, the senior Apostle, goes fishing and is reminded by the resurrected Lord of his duty to be a fisher of men, as Jesus asks him three times if he loves Him and instructs him to feed His lambs and sheep.
After the Crucifixion, Peter went fishing with the disciples. He was now the senior Apostle, but he did not realize what was expected of him. He had forgotten that he was to be a fisher of men. From the boat one of the fishermen recognized the resurrected Lord on the shore. Peter bounded ashore to greet the Savior and was met with a direct question that plumbed the depths of his conversion. Peter was still learning, as we must continue to learn. 'Lovest thou me?' asked the Savior three times Joh ... (continued)
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