Thou Art the Christ
By Sister Amy A. Wright
- First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
Peter's declaration of belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is highlighted as an example of true belief.
After the bread of life sermon, "many of [the Lord"™s] disciples" found it hard to accept His teachings and doctrine, and they "went back, andwalked no more with him."4[John 6:66emphasis added.]Jesus then turned to the Twelve and asked a heart-wrenching question: "Will ye also go away?"5[John 6:67] Peter responded: "Lord,to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. ""¦ We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."6[John 6:68"“69emphasis ... (continued)
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True to the Faith That Our Parents Have Cherished
By Elder Hans T. Boom
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The story of Mary Wanlass, a 14-year-old girl who promised her dying stepmother to lead her disabled father and younger siblings to the Salt Lake Valley, driving the oxen and foraging for food along the way.
"In Missouri in 1862, the 14-year-old Mary Wanlass promised her dying stepmother that she would see to it that her disabled father [and her four much younger siblings would all make] it to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. "¦ Mary drove the oxen and milk cows that pulled the wagon, in which her father [was bedridden, and] she cared for her "¦ siblings. After each day"™s journey, she fed the family by foraging edible plants, flowers, and berries. Her only compass was the instruction she had ... (continued)
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True to the Faith That Our Parents Have Cherished
By Elder Hans T. Boom
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker's parents and in-laws were pioneers in their family, converting to the Church in their young adult years despite difficult childhoods and hardships during World War II, including internment and hunger.
My parents and in-laws are the pioneers in our family. They have crossed their own "plains," just like all those who are coming into the Church, the Lord"™s fold, every day. Their stories have little to do with oxen and wagons but have the same effect on future generations. They embraced the gospel and were baptized in their young adult years. Both my parents had a difficult childhood. My father grew up on the island of Java in Indonesia. During World War II, he was forcefully separated from ... (continued)
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True to the Faith That Our Parents Have Cherished
By Elder Hans T. Boom
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker's parents met at a Church activity and got married and sealed in the Bern Switzerland Temple, trusting in the Lord despite financial uncertainty, and later sacrificed their savings for a washing machine to contribute to building a meetinghouse.
My parents met at a Church activity and shortly after decided to get married and sealed in the Bern Switzerland Temple. Waiting at the railway station, having spent the last of their little savings for the trip to the temple, they wondered how they would make ends meet but were confident that it would all work out. And it did! They started to raise their family from a very humble single attic-room apartment in the heart of Amsterdam. After several years of washing their clothes by hand, they had ... (continued)
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True to the Faith That Our Parents Have Cherished
By Elder Hans T. Boom
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker's father cared for his wife, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, reflecting on how his internment during World War II prepared him for the patience required in her care and the eventual need to entrust her care to others.
After more than 65 years of marriage, my mother, who suffered from Alzheimer"™s disease, passed away in February. My father, at the age of 92 and still living at home, visited her as often as he could until she passed away. Some time ago he mentioned to my younger siblings that the dreadful experiences in the camp in Indonesia during World War II had prepared him to patiently care for his wife for so many years as she fell ill and deteriorated from this horrible disease and also for the fatefu ... (continued)
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True to the Faith That Our Parents Have Cherished
By Elder Hans T. Boom
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker's wife's parents converted to the Church when she was two years old, facing shunning from their village and family, but eventually gained acceptance through persistent love and service.
In the village where my wife grew up, her parents, who were good churchgoing people, embraced the gospel as a young married couple with my wife as their two-year-old daughter and only child at that time. Their decision to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had a great impact on their lives as they were shunned by the villagers and by their family. It took many years, loving notes to family members, and service to the community before they were finally accepted.
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True to the Faith That Our Parents Have Cherished
By Elder Hans T. Boom
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker's father-in-law, while serving as a bishop, was falsely accused and released from his position, but he and his wife remained faithful, reinforcing their strength and conviction.
On one occasion when my wife"™s father was serving as a bishop, he was falsely accused of something and was immediately released. My mother-in-law was so hurt that she asked her husband if they should continue to go to church. He answered that they of course would continue to go to church since this is not the church of men, but this is the Church of Jesus Christ. It took some time before the truth came to light and apologies were made. What could have been their breaking point just added to t ... (continued)
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a missed opportunity to affirm a woman's question about the possibility of reaching heaven despite imperfections, reflecting on how they would now respond affirmatively.
Several years ago on a trip to Florida, I sat outside reading a book. Its title suggested that we can still make it to heaven, even though we"™re not perfect now. A woman walking by asked, "Do you think it"™s possible?"
I looked up, confused, and then realized she was talking about the book I was reading. I said something ridiculous like, "Well, I"™m not that far into it, but I"™ll let you know how it ends."
Oh, how I wish I could travel back in time! I"™d tell her, "Yes, it"™s p ... (continued)
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
Elder QaQa, a missionary from Fiji, expressed his concern in his departing testimony about whether God knows of his love, given his imperfections and mistakes.
A wonderful missionary in Australia, Elder QaQa1[Pronounced "Gahngah."]from Fiji, shared a similar feeling in his departing testimony: "I know that God loves me, but sometimes I wonder, "˜Does God know that I love Him?"™ Because I"™m not perfect, and I still make mistakes."
In that one tender, haunting question, Elder QaQa summed up exactly what I"™ve often worried about. Maybe you"™re wondering too, thinking, "I"™m trying so hard, but does God know I"™m really trying? When I ke ... (continued)
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a personal realization that they used to incorrectly measure their relationship with the Savior by how perfectly they were living, distancing themselves from God when they made mistakes.
It saddens me to admit this, but I used to measure my relationship with the Savior by how perfectly I was living. I thought an obedient life meant I would never need to repent. And when I made mistakes, which was every single day, I distanced myself from God, thinking, "He must be so disappointed in me."
That"™s just not true.
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker's daughter, Carly, experienced a poignant moment when a new priest blessing the sacrament inadvertently spoke of doing it in remembrance of the love of Christ's Son, emphasizing the Savior's love.
In my daughter Carly"™s ward, a new priest knelt to bless the sacrament, and instead of saying, "That they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son,"10[Doctrine and Covenants 20:79]he inadvertently said, "That they may do it in remembrance of theloveof thy Son." Tears filled Carly"™s eyes as the truth of those words sank in.
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker compares their experience of growing up taking diving lessons, where judges score based on execution and degree of difficulty, to how Christ understands our individual challenges and efforts.
While I make mistakes, I want tostayin covenant relationship with Christ, and I"™ll tell you why.
I grew up taking diving lessons and learned that when judges score a dive, they watch the execution. Was the entry perfectly vertical, with toes pointed and a small splash? Then they do something extraordinary. They factor in the degree of difficulty.
Everyoneis diving with their own degree of difficulty. And your Savior is the only one who truly knows the difficulty you are diving with.22[See Ste ... (continued)
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker describes a visual lesson about worth and obedience, using their hands to show that worth remains constant despite the fluctuations in obedience.
Imagine that this hand represents worth.
This hand represents obedience. Maybe you woke up this morning, said a meaningful prayer, and searched the scriptures to hear God"™s voice. You"™ve made good decisions and are treating the people around you with Christlikeness. You"™re listening to general conference! Your obedience is here!
Or maybe things haven"™t gone so well. You"™ve struggled lately to do those small, simple things to connect to heaven. You"™ve made some decisions you are ... (continued)
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Your Repentance Doesn"™t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy
By Sister Tamara W. Runia
- First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency
📅 April 2025
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a practice they had with missionaries in Australia, asking them to imagine what the Savior would pray for them, leading to emotional and affirming responses.
As mission leaders in Australia, during our last visit with each missionary, we talked about3 Nephi 17where the people were close to the Savior and could hear Him praying for them. We asked, "If you could hear the Savior praying foryou, what do you think He would say?"26[See Tom Christofferson, "What Would It Be Like to Hear the Savior Pray for You?,"LDS Living, Jan. 19, 2021, ldsliving.com.]
To hear their answers was one of the most Spirit-filled experiences of my life. Every one of tho ... (continued)
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"Be Still, and Know That I Am God"
By Elder David A. Bednar
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker led journalists through a temple, and in the celestial room, one journalist expressed profound feelings of peace and stillness.
During a recent open house and media day for a new house of the Lord, I led a group of journalists on a tour through the sacred structure. I described the purposes of temples in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and responded to their many excellent questions.
Before entering the celestial room, I explained that this particular room in the house of the Lord symbolically represents the peace and beauty of the heavenly home to which we can return after this life. I indicated to our g ... (continued)
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"Be Still, and Know That I Am God"
By Elder David A. Bednar
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
In 1833, the Saints in Missouri faced persecution and were comforted by the Lord's revelation to be still and know He is God.
In 1833, the Saints in Missouri were the targets of intense persecution. Mobs had driven them from their homes in Jackson County, and some Church members had tried to establish themselves in other nearby counties. But the persecution continued, and the threats of death were many. In these challenging circumstances, the Lord revealed the following instruction to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio:
"Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands;be ... (continued)
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"Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up"
By Elder Ronald A. Rasband
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker describes the experience of standing with President Nelson during the celebration of the rededication of the Manti Utah Temple, which he will never forget.
As we stood with President Nelson, we had the opportunity tohold upand support the prophet of God in celebration of the rededication of the Lord"™s holy house. It was a day I will never forget.
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"Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up"
By Elder Ronald A. Rasband
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the words of President Nelson regarding the significance of temples, the covenants made within, and the gathering of Israel.
"We build temples to honor the Lord," President Nelson said that sacred day. "They are built for worship and not for show. We make sacred covenants of eternal significance inside these sacred walls."
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"Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up"
By Elder Ronald A. Rasband
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the scriptural story of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, where an angel appeared to strengthen Him during His Atonement.
Angels reaching out tohold us upis described in the scriptures when Jesus Christ knelt humbly in the Garden of Gethsemane. By His suffering He provided an infinite Atonement. "Remove this cup from me," Jesus Christ asked, "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."
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"Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up"
By Elder Ronald A. Rasband
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the surprise presence of President Nelson at the rededication of the Manti Utah Temple and the joy it brought to those present.
Last April, Sister Rasband and I had the honor of joining our beloved prophet and Sister Nelson for the rededication of the Manti Utah Temple. President Nelson surprised everyone when he entered the room. Only a very few of us knew he was coming. In his presence, I immediately felt the light and prophetic mantle he carries. The look of joy on the faces of the people personally seeing the prophet will stay with me forever.
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