Compensating Blessings
By Bishop Gérald Caussé
- Presiding Bishop
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts rushing to a conference to receive an apostolic blessing from Elder Neal A. Maxwell after dropping off a senior officer at the airport, experiencing a profound spiritual moment despite arriving just before the meeting ended.
I have learned this truth through a personal experience that, though seemingly insignificant, left a lasting impression on me. At the age of 22, while serving in the French Air Force in Paris, I was thrilled to learn that Elder Neal A. Maxwell, an Apostle of the Lord, would be speaking at a conference on the Champs-Élysées. However, just before the event, I received orders to drive a senior officer to the airport at the exact time the conference was set to take place.
I was d ... (continued)
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Compensating Blessings
By Bishop Gérald Caussé
- Presiding Bishop
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
A friend reassures a young missionary who had to return home early due to health reasons that the Lord accepted his efforts and that he would receive the blessings promised to all faithful missionaries.
A friend once comforted a young missionary grieving over his early release due to health reasons, despite his sincere prayers and earnest desire to serve. This friend shared a scripture in which the Lord declared that when His children "go with all their might" and "cease not their diligence" to fulfill His commandments, "and their enemies [which may include adverse circumstances in our lives] hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the ... (continued)
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Compensating Blessings
By Bishop Gérald Caussé
- Presiding Bishop
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker shares how his wife, Valérie, helped a new mother in their Utah ward with a meal, and in turn, their daughter in France received similar support from her ward after a difficult delivery, showing how God answers prayers through the service of others.
The Lord"™s compensating blessings often come through the kindness and service of others who help us accomplish what we cannot do on our own. I remember a time when, living far from one of our daughters in France, we felt helpless to assist her after a difficult delivery. That same week our ward in Utah sought help for a mother who had just given birth to twins. My wife, Valérie, volunteered to bring a meal for her, with a prayer in her heart for both this new mother and our daughter in ... (continued)
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Confidence in the Presence of God
By President Russell M. Nelson
- President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the challenges his new great-granddaughter will face and expresses his desire to help her build faith in Jesus Christ for her future happiness.
Recently I met a new great-granddaughter. When I contemplate the challenges she will experience in her life, I feel a great desire to help her build faith in Jesus Christ. Living His gospel is essential for her future happiness.
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Confidence in the Presence of God
By President Russell M. Nelson
- President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker encourages seeking greater charity, especially for those who are difficult to love, as charity is a gift from Heavenly Father for true followers of Jesus Christ.
Let us plead with our Heavenly Father to fill our hearts with greater charity—especially for those who are difficult to love—for charity is a gift from our Heavenly Father for true followers of Jesus Christ. The Savior is the Prince of Peace. We are to be His instruments for peace.
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Confidence in the Presence of God
By President Russell M. Nelson
- President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker urges the audience to grow increasingly pure as the world becomes more wicked, emphasizing the need for virtuous thoughts, words, and actions.
Brothers and sisters, as the world grows more wicked, we need to grow increasingly pure. Our thoughts, words, and actions need to be unfailingly virtuous and filled with the pure love of Jesus Christ towards all men. The great opportunity before us is to become the people God needs us to be.
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Confidence in the Presence of God
By President Russell M. Nelson
- President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker testifies that Jesus Christ leads the Church and is preparing to come again, and he announces plans to construct new temples in various locations.
We are grateful to the Lord for the acceleration of temple-building in recent years. Under His direction, today we announce plans to construct a temple in each of these 15 locations: [list of locations]... I testify that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of Israel, leads this, His Church. He is preparing to come again. May we likewise prepare to receive Him.
Forgiveness
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Confidence in the Presence of God
By President Russell M. Nelson
- President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker emphasizes the importance of charity in discourse, recalling his previous counsel to be peacemakers and avoid anger, hostility, and contention.
Two years ago, I called upon us, as covenant followers of Jesus Christ, to be peacemakers. I repeat what I said then: 'Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions.' True charity towards all men is the hallmark of peacemakers! It is imperative that we have charity in our discourse, both public and private. I thank those of you who took my previous counsel to heart. But we can still do better.
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Confidence in the Presence of God
By President Russell M. Nelson
- President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker discusses the negative impact of hostility on social media and public dialogue, and the importance of charity to maintain the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
The present hostility in public dialogue and on social media is alarming. Hateful words are deadly weapons. Contention prevents the Holy Ghost from being our constant companion. As followers of Jesus Christ, we should lead the way as peacemakers. As charity becomes part of our nature, we will lose the impulse to demean others. We will stop judging others. We will have charity for those from all walks of life.
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Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men
By President Steven J. Lund
- Young Men General President
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on witnessing the ordination of young men in the Aaronic Priesthood during a sacrament meeting, feeling the significance of this global event.
One Sunday morning this January, as I sat in sacrament meeting, over a dozen young men were sustained to be advanced in the Aaronic Priesthood. I felt the world changing beneath our feet.
It struck me that all around the world, time zone by time zone, in sacrament meetings just like that one, tens of thousands of deacons, teachers, and priests"”like President Holland"™s friend this morning, Easton"”were being sustained to be ordained into lifelong priesthood ministries that would span the ... (continued)
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Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men
By President Steven J. Lund
- Young Men General President
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
A new deacons quorum presidency decides to visit and serve elderly ward members, including a rough neighbor named Alan, who eventually softens, attends church, and is served by the boys until his passing.
One bishop taught his new deacons quorum presidency these duties. So the young presidency began to talk about what that might look like in their quorum and in their ward. They decided they should start visiting elderly ward members to see what they needed and then do that.
Among those they served was Alan, a rough, often profane, and sometimes hostile neighbor. Alan"™s wife, Wanda, became a member of the Church, but Alan was, as we say, something of a piece of work.
Still, the deacons went to ... (continued)
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Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men
By President Steven J. Lund
- Young Men General President
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
A bishop, grieving the loss of his daughter, joins his priests at the sacrament table to pronounce the sacramental covenant, providing comfort to his family and ward.
Last year I met an inspired bishop and his wonderful wife. On a recent Saturday morning, they were driving to their son"™s baptism and suffered the tragic and sudden loss of their darling two-year-old daughter, Tess.
The next morning their ward members gathered for sacrament meeting filled with compassion, also suffering over the loss of this perfect little girl. No one expected the bishop"™s family to be at church that morning, but a couple of minutes before the meeting started, they quietl ... (continued)
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker recalls memorizing short Bible verses in an early-morning gospel class, including the shortest verse, 'Jesus wept.'
Years ago, our early-morning gospel class memorized Bible verses. Naturally I was drawn to short passages. This included John 11:35 the shortest verse in scripture, only two words—'Jesus wept.'
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a story of reconciliation in a village affected by civil war, where a woman offers to reveal the location of missing family members to her neighbor.
In cruel civil war, families and neighbors did unspeakable things to each other. Bitter tears are slowly giving way to hope. Her voice trembling, a woman in a small village says, 'Neighbor, before I go to my grave, I want you to know where to find your missing family members.'
Forgiveness
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker describes the wedding of a 70-year-old couple in the house of the Lord, noting the joy and fulfillment of God's promises.
A radiant bride and handsome groom are being sealed in the house of the Lord. She is 70 years old, as is he. A beautiful bride, she has worthily waited for this day. She shyly swishes her bridal dress this way, then that way. We shed joyful tears. God's promises are fulfilled. His covenants bring blessings.
Forgiveness
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker tells of Boyd K. Packer's experience with a widow who regretted her last words to her husband before his unexpected death.
While home teaching a widowed sister, a young Boyd K. Packer learned a tender lesson. Following a disagreement with her husband, the sister had called out a final hurtful remark. An unexpected accident took her husband's life that day. 'For fifty years,' the widow sobbed, 'I've lived in hell knowing that the last words he heard from my lips were that biting, spiteful remark.'
Forgiveness
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the story of Joseph in Egypt, who wept upon realizing God's larger plan, and how Joseph's actions saved his family and preserved their lineage.
Father Abraham came to Egypt and was blessed. Joseph, sold into servitude in Egypt, knew Pharaoh's dream meant seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph saved his family and his people. Joseph wept when he saw God's larger plan, where all things work together for good for those who keep their covenants.
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on instances of Jesus weeping, such as when Mary and Martha mourned Lazarus, when Jesus beheld Jerusalem, and when the Lord of the vineyard questioned what more could have been done.
Mary and Martha weep for their brother Lazarus, who has died. Moved with compassion, Jesus weeps. He raises Lazarus to life. Jesus beholds Jerusalem on the eve of the Passover. He weeps, unable to gather His people as a hen would her chicks. The Lord of the vineyard weeps as He asks His servants, which could include us as ministering brothers and sisters, 'What could I have done more for my vineyard?' Mary stands bereft at the sepulchre. Jesus gently asks, 'Why weepest thou?' He knows 'weeping m ... (continued)
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a personal story of a father in South America grieving the loss of his daughter and a story of a woman at the Puebla Mexico Temple dedication rejoicing over her children's presence.
In South America, a father sobs. A sparkle in his life, his young daughter, has died. 'I would give anything to see her again,' he cries in my arms. I cry too. At the Puebla Mexico Temple dedication, tears of happiness wet the face of a dear sister. Her features radiate faith and sacrifice. She says, 'Todos mis hijos están aquà en el templo hoy'—'All my children are here in the temple today.' Generations gathered in the house of the Lord bring tears of joy and gratitude.
Forgiveness
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Eternity"™s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ"™s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker relates the story of a devout Muslim in Cairo who speaks of the infant Jesus finding sanctuary in Egypt, and how this blessed the people and land.
Fulfilling prophecy, Joseph, Mary, and the infant Christ child sought refuge in Egypt. In Cairo, a devout Muslim believer reverently says: 'The Quran teaches that Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus found safety and sanctuary in my country. In my country, Jesus as a toddler ate our food, took His first steps, said His first words. Here in my country, we believe trees bent low to give Him and His family fruit. His being in my country blessed our people and land.'
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