A Latter-day Samaritan
Elder Merlin R. Lybbert
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a parable told by a Sunday School president in Hong Kong about turkeys learning to fly but then walking home, illustrating that understanding principles is not enough without living them.
I recount a simple parable, as told through an interpreter by a Sunday School president in Hong Kong:
"An enterprising turkey gathered the flock together and, following instructions and demonstrations, taught them how to fly. All afternoon they enjoyed soaring and flying and the thrill of seeing new vistas. After the meeting, all of the turkeys walked home."
It is not our understanding of the principles of the gospel that brings the blessings of heaven, but the living of them.
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A Legacy of Testimony
Elder Henry B. Eyring
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the story of his great-grandfather John Bennion, a Welsh convert to the Church who kept a journal of his life from 1855 to 1877, which was later published by his descendants to transmit a legacy of testimony.
That is how a legacy of testimony is created, preserved, and transmitted in a family. It isn"™t easy, but ordinary people have done it. Like many of you, I had such ancestors. One was my great-grandfather John Bennion. We cannot duplicate what he did because the world has changed, but we can learn from it.
He was a convert to the Church from Wales. He, his wife, and his children came into the Salt Lake Valley in one of the early companies of pioneers. We know something of his life because afte ... (continued)
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A Legacy of Testimony
Elder Henry B. Eyring
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
President Marion G. Romney recounted an experience of reading the Book of Mormon aloud with his young son, which led to his son feeling a testimony that the book was true.
From this pulpit years ago, President Marion G. Romney recounted reading the Book of Mormon aloud, alternating paragraphs with his young son, he on the bottom level of a double-decker bed and his son on the upper. He thought his son was catching a cold but then learned that the tears came from his son feeling testimony that the book was true. And because they read together, both were blessed. (See Conference Report, Apr. 1949, 41.)
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A Legacy of Testimony
Elder Henry B. Eyring
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares the story of his grandmother Eyring, who upon learning she would die of stomach cancer, chose to be cheerful and sing hymns with her son, demonstrating her faith and courage.
I have one such story in my legacy. Grandmother Eyring learned from a doctor in his office that she would die of stomach cancer. My father, her oldest son, had driven her there and was waiting for her. He told me that on the way home she said, "Now, Henry, let"™s be cheerful. Let"™s sing hymns." They sang "O My Father" (Hymns,no. 292) and "Come, Come, Ye Saints," where the last verse begins, "And should we die before our journey"™s through" (Hymns,no. 30).
I wasn"™t there, but I ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Book of Mormon
Vicki F. Matsumori
- Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker discusses the story of the people of Ammon, who were converted to the gospel by missionaries like Ammon and Aaron, and how their children became the army of Helaman.
It may be helpful to review the story about the people of Ammon. They were Lamanites who had been taught the gospel by Ammon, Aaron, and others (see Alma 23:1–4). When they accepted the gospel, these Lamanites were called the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and later called the people of Ammon (see Alma 23:16–17, 27:23–26). The sons of these people of Ammon were the army of Helaman, who helped fight the nonconverted Lamanites (see Alma 56:3–6).
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A Lesson from the Book of Mormon
Vicki F. Matsumori
- Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
President Boyd K. Packer shares his experience with reading the Book of Mormon as a teenager and his struggle with the Isaiah chapters, which he eventually overcame through persistence.
However, reading scriptures can present a challenge for everyone. President Boyd K. Packer shares his first attempts as a teenager at reading the Book of Mormon. He says: 'I opened it and read, ‘I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents’ 1 Nephi 1:1… It was interesting, and I could follow it until I got over to the Isaiah chapters. … So a few months later I decided to try again to read the Book of Mormon. I read, ‘I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents,â� ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Book of Mormon
Vicki F. Matsumori
- Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Stanley, a 19-year-old investigator in Hong Kong, was encouraged by missionaries to pray and ask if the teachings were true, leading to his desire to be baptized after feeling the truth of the gospel.
Stanley was a 19-year-old investigator in Hong Kong. He was excited about the gospel and wanted to be baptized until his friends criticized the Church. He met with the missionaries. They testified that God cared enough about him to answer his prayer. They invited him to kneel and ask Heavenly Father if the teachings were true. First one companion and then the other offered a short prayer. Then Stanley prayed. When he finished his humble prayer, they asked him, ‘Stanley, how do you feel?â� ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Book of Mormon
Vicki F. Matsumori
- Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
A 16-year-old girl in Mexico City felt the Spirit clear her understanding as she learned from the missionaries, and despite rejection from her family due to her baptism, she was comforted and strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord.
A sister in Mexico City was 16 years old when the missionaries came to her door. She says that as they taught with the Spirit, 'it seemed like they had taken the bandages off my eyes and that the Lord was clearing my understanding. … The word of God and my prayers strengthened [me] to overcome my next trial, to face my father. When I met rejection from my family because of my baptism, the Spirit of the Lord strengthened me by whispering: ‘Keep on. Go on. Some of your relatives will b ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Book of Mormon
Vicki F. Matsumori
- Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recalls how, despite not being taught the gospel at home, she learned moral values from her parents and received gospel instruction from Primary teachers and church leaders, leading to her baptism and later her family's conversion.
The scriptures, prayer, and making and keeping covenants have not only helped the people of Ammon but also first-generation members everywhere—including me. You see, while I was born of goodly parents, I was not taught the gospel at home. However, my parents did teach me moral values and ethical conduct. I remember my nonmember father helping me write the first talk I gave at church. The assigned topic was honesty, and instead of quoting the 13th article of faith, we used an example of a ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Missionaries
Elder Clifford E. Young
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker expresses deep appreciation and love for Marion G. Romney, recalling their ten-year association since being called as Assistants and attesting to Romney's preparedness and worthiness for his selection to the Quorum of the Twelve.
I was very grateful in the selection of Brother Marion G. Romney to the Quorum of the Twelve. I have been intimately associated with him for the past ten years"”I had not known him prior to our being called to be Assistants"”but I have learned to love him and to appreciate him for his sterling worth, for his integrity: and I say to you, my brethren and sisters, without any fear of contradiction, that I know of no man who has ever been chosen to fill this high and sacred trust who is better p ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Missionaries
Elder Clifford E. Young
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the lessons learned from visiting two missions, where he observed the dedication of missionaries in teaching the gospel and the positive response of people to their message.
I have recently had the experience of visiting two of our missions. Two very striking lessons were brought home to me as we labored with these missionaries, as we heard their testimonies, listened to their reports, and felt of their spirits. They told how they were proselyting, how they would go into the homes where they were invited in"”many times they were turned down"”and how they would teach the people. ... Should we do less than teach in our homes family prayers, kneeling down and suppl ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Missionaries
Elder Clifford E. Young
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares stories of missionaries who come from humble backgrounds, including a young man from Idaho with a widowed mother struggling to support his mission, and a young woman whose mother took day work to fund her mission service.
Another lesson that impressed me was this: We listened to some of the missionaries tell of their backgrounds. One young boy told of coming from a home in Idaho, of his widowed mother, with five children, the mother being left with a mortgaged farm, and the bishop came and asked if one of her boys could go on a mission. ... Another one was by a young girl, and I never heard a stronger testimony"”it was of another widowed mother. She comes from a stake in the east. The mother, going out and taki ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Missionaries
Elder Clifford E. Young
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the faith and sacrifices of the current generation, comparing them to the faith of the early pioneers, and emphasizes that the same level of faith exists today among the missionaries and members.
We are inclined to tell about our forebears, of the heritage they have left for us. ... but I say to you, my brethren and sisters, that we have today just as much faith in Israel as we ever had, and if we could hear all of these experiences that are a part of the lives of these missionaries, we would hear of the struggles, and many times the heartaches, that make possible these young men and women going into the mission field and giving of their time for two years or two and a half years to prea ... (continued)
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A Lesson from the Missionaries
Elder Clifford E. Young
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts an anecdote involving President Grant, a banker from the East, and the impact of the hymn 'Come, Come, Ye Saints' and the story of Joseph Smith on the banker, illustrating how testimonies begin and grow.
I remember on one occasion of President Grant being in our home and having with him a good friend, a banker, from the East as his guest. President Grant had given him the story of Joseph Smith to read, and during our visit Brother Grant had had Sister Young sing, 'Come, Come, Ye Saints.' ... 'President Grant, I have read 'Joseph Smith Tells His Own Story,' and I say to you that no imposter ever wrote it. It was written by one who believed in his own destiny.' ... Now, brethren and sisters, that ... (continued)
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A Lifetime of Learning
Elder Victor L. Brown
- Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
A fifteen-year-old Korean boy sold newspapers to help a classmate stay in school, embodying the lesson of the Good Samaritan.
A fifteen-year-old Korean boy, a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood, used his allowance each week to buy newspapers. Then he and his friends sold them on street corners in Seoul, giving the money to a classmate who couldn"™t remain in school without this financial help. He wanted to know how it felt to be a Good Samaritan rather than just having an intellectual understanding of the lesson he had studied in the scriptures.
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A Lifetime of Learning
Elder Victor L. Brown
- Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
A deacons quorum president taught a boy how to pray and then asked him to offer a prayer in quorum meeting.
A deacons quorum president startled his adult leaders by asking a boy who hadn"™t been coming to church to offer the prayer in quorum meeting. When asked afterward if it really was wise to ask a boy to pray who had only been in church the second time, he responded, "But I just spent three days this week teaching him how to pray."
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A Lifetime of Learning
Elder Victor L. Brown
- Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young woman desired only to be baptized for the dead on her twelfth birthday, showing her understanding of eternal life.
A young woman whose understanding of eternal life was far beyond her years said that the only gift she wanted for her twelfth birthday was to be able to go to the temple and be baptized for the dead.
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A Lifetime of Learning
Elder Victor L. Brown
- Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the unexpected change in his professional life when he was called to serve as a Counselor to the Presiding Bishop after a career in commercial aviation.
Twenty-eight years ago today, to my total surprise, my professional life took a completely different direction. I had spent twenty-one years in the commercial aviation industry, and I enjoyed it. We had just moved into a new home in Chicago when a call came from Church headquarters inviting me to come to Salt Lake City for an interview with President David O. McKay. All my prior plans were discarded as I was called to be a Counselor to the new Presiding Bishop, John H. Vandenberg. I had never th ... (continued)
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A Lifetime of Learning
Elder Victor L. Brown
- Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker overheard a conversation between two friends who were comparing their love for their wives, highlighting the depth of their relationships.
I once overheard a conversation between two friends of mine who are somewhat older than I and very successful in their professional pursuits. One said to the other, quietly, not realizing I could hear his comment, "You may think you love your wife, but I love Elizabeth twice as much as you do Rachel." Each had been married over fifty years. Their greatest success, in my opinion, is the love and respect they have for their companions.
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A Lifetime of Learning
Elder Victor L. Brown
- Emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
A fourteen-year-old Tongan boy prayed for an education to help his people and received a full scholarship to the Church College of Hawaii without applying for it.
Another teacher, a fourteen-year-old Tongan boy, had the same faith the Prophet Joseph Smith did at fourteen. He thought, "If, at my age, Joseph Smith could pray to God and get an answer to his prayers, why can"™t I?" He prayed that he might somehow obtain an education to prepare him to help his people. The answer came when he received a full scholarship to the Church College of Hawaii without having applied for it. Since then he has used his education to bless his people.
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