Bonded to Jesus Christ: Becoming the Salt of the Earth
By Elder José A. Teixeira
- Of the Presidency of the Seventy
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker uses the story of the marnotos to draw a parallel to how members of the Church should strive to reflect the pure love and example of Jesus Christ in their service and dedication.
Just like the marnotos put forth great effort to ensure they harvest the highest quality of salt, so should we, as the Lord's covenant people, always do our very best so that our love and example are, as much as possible, a pure reflection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
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Bonded to Jesus Christ: Becoming the Salt of the Earth
By Elder José A. Teixeira
- Of the Presidency of the Seventy
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the ancient craft of salt harvesting in the Algarve, Portugal, where artisans called marnotos use traditional methods to harvest 'flower of salt' with great skill and precision.
The ancient craft of salt harvesting in the Algarve, the southern region of my home country of Portugal, dates back thousands of years to the era of the Roman Empire. Remarkably, the methods used by the salt workers, known as marnotos, have changed little since then. These dedicated artisans employ traditional techniques, performing their work entirely by hand, maintaining a legacy that has endured through the centuries.
This ancient method harvests what is called 'flower of salt.' To fully appr ... (continued)
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Bonded to Jesus Christ: Becoming the Salt of the Earth
By Elder José A. Teixeira
- Of the Presidency of the Seventy
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker emphasizes the importance of being bonded to the Lord and how it allows us to reflect His light and become the salt of the earth, enriching our lives and strengthening our families and communities.
As we remain bonded to the Lord, our lives will naturally reflect His light, and we will become the salt of the earth. In this effort, we not only enrich our lives but also strengthen our families and our communities. May we strive to maintain this bond with the Lord, never lose our savor, and be the small, little crystal of salt that the Lord wants us to be.
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Bridging the Two Great Commandments
By Elder Gary E. Stevenson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker expresses his fascination with bridges and recounts his experience crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, admiring its engineering and design.
Recently, a conference assignment took me to California, where I once again crossed the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, regarded as an engineering wonder of the world. This monumental structure intertwines beautiful form, functional purpose, and masterful engineering. It is a classic suspension bridge with bookend towers, supported by massive piers. The colossal, majestic weight-bearing twin towers soaring above the ocean were the first elements to be constructed. Together they shoulder the load of t ... (continued)
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Bridging the Two Great Commandments
By Elder Gary E. Stevenson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a personal story of visiting a legally blind widow, Sister Muellar, on fast Sunday as a youth to collect her fast offering, and how her faith and gratitude left a lasting impression.
Consider this tender example. It was fast Sunday as Vance and I knocked on the door of a small, humble home. We and other deacons in the quorum had come to expect the words “Please come in,†yelled warmly in a thick German accent loud enough to hear through the door. Sister Muellar was one of several immigrant widows in the ward. She couldn’t answer the door very easily, as she was legally blind. As we stepped inside the dimly lit home, she greeted us with kind questions: What ... (continued)
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Bridging the Two Great Commandments
By Elder Gary E. Stevenson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the story of Brother Evans, who followed a prompting to stop at a stranger's home, which led to years of ministering to a widowed mother and her family.
Consider this example: Brother Evans was surprised when he was prompted to stop his car and knock on an unknown door of an unknown family. When a widowed mother of over 10 answered the door, their difficult circumstances and great needs became readily apparent to him. The first was simple, paint for their home, which was followed by many years of temporal and spiritual ministering to this family. This thankful mother later wrote of her heaven-sent friend: “You have spent your life reaching ... (continued)
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Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion
By Elder D. Todd Christofferson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The sons of King Mosiah embarked on a 14-year mission to the Lamanites, leading to the conversion of thousands who became disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Book of Mormon records that approximately 90 years before the birth of Christ, the sons of King Mosiah began what would be a 14-year mission to the Lamanites. Unsuccessful efforts had been made over many generations to bring the Lamanite people to a belief in the doctrine of Christ.1[See, for example,Jacob 7:24Enos 1:14, 20]This time, however, through the miraculous interventions of the Holy Spirit, thousands of the Lamanites were converted and became disciples of Jesus Christ.
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Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion
By Elder D. Todd Christofferson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The converted Lamanites laid down their weapons of rebellion, both literal and figurative, as a sign of their complete conversion and repentance.
The key to the enduring conversion of this people is stated in the next verse: "For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren."3[Alma 23:7]
This reference to "weapons of rebellion" was both literal and figurative. It meant their swords and other weapons of war but also their disobedience to God and His commandments.
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Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion
By Elder D. Todd Christofferson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The king of the converted Lamanites acknowledged their deep repentance and God's forgiveness, which led them to bury their swords and their disposition to sin.
The king of these converted Lamanites expressed it this way: "And now behold, my brethren, "¦ it has been all that we could do "¦ to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get Godto take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he wouldtake away our stain."4[Alma 24:11emphasis added.]
Note the king"™s words"”not only had their sincere repentance led to forgiveness of their sins, but God also took awa ... (continued)
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Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion
By Elder D. Todd Christofferson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
William W. Phelps, once a Church leader who turned against Joseph Smith, later repented, sought forgiveness, and was received back into full fellowship.
A latter-day example of willful rebellion with a happier ending is the story of William W. Phelps. Phelps joined the Church in 1831 and was appointed Church printer. He edited several early Church publications, wrote numerous hymns, and served as a scribe to Joseph Smith. Unfortunately, he turned against the Church and the Prophet, even to the point of giving false testimony against Joseph Smith in a Missouri court, which contributed to the Prophet"™s imprisonment there.
Later, Phelps wro ... (continued)
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Call, Don"™t Fall
By Elder Taylor G. Godoy
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker recalls being hospitalized and seeing a sign that said 'Call, don’t fall,' which was meant to prevent patients from hurting themselves by trying to get up without assistance.
I remember an occasion when I was hospitalized for an illness, and it was difficult for me to sleep. When I turned off the lights and the room became dark, I saw a reflective sign on the ceiling in front of me that said, "Call, don"™t fall." To my surprise, the next day I observed the same message repeated in several parts of the room.
Why was that message so important? When I asked the nurse about it, she said, "It is to prevent a blow that might increase the pain you already have."
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Call, Don"™t Fall
By Elder Taylor G. Godoy
- Of the Seventy
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a personal story about how he and his fiancée faced a challenge when their civil marriage was canceled due to a strike, but through prayer and action, they were able to find a mayor in a small town to marry them.
Thirty years ago, while my wife and I were preparing for our civil marriage and our temple marriage, we received a call informing us that civil marriages were canceled due to a strike. We received the call three days before the scheduled ceremony. After several attempts at other offices and not finding available appointments, we began to feel distressed and doubtful that we really could get married as planned.
My fiancée and I "called," pouring out our souls to God in prayer. Finally, s ... (continued)
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Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ
By Elder Ulisses Soares
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the dedication of the Feather River California Temple and the importance of focusing on the sacred covenants made in temples rather than just the excitement of having new temples.
Reflecting on my awe-inspiring experience at the dedication of the Feather River California Temple last October, I wondered if sometimes we get lost in the excitement of having new temples in our cities and communities and neglect the holier purpose of the sacred covenants made in the temple.
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Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ
By Elder Ulisses Soares
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker's wife observed individuals with physical challenges making their way to the temple, demonstrating their confidence in the eternal promises of God through their actions.
I have seen firsthand the Lord"™s loving promises and power flowing into the lives of God"™s children, strengthening them to face life"™s circumstances. The other day my wife came home after her worship in the temple and told me how deeply touched she was by what she experienced there. As she entered the house of the Lord, she saw a man in a wheelchair moving very slowly and a woman walking with great difficulty using a cane, both courageously coming to worship the Lord in His house. As my ... (continued)
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Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ
By Elder Ulisses Soares
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
A bishop refers to the oldest Primary class as a 'temple preparation' class and goes through temple recommend interview questions with them, leading to a group of young girls being excited and prepared to receive their temple recommends.
A bishop I know refers to the oldest class in Primary not as a "Primary" class but as a "temple preparation" class. In January the bishop has the class members and their teachers come to his office, where they talk about how they will spend the entire year preparing to enter the temple. The bishop takes time to go through the applicable temple recommend interview questions, which are then included in their Primary lessons. He invites the children to be prepared so that when they come to the ... (continued)
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Covenants and Responsibilities
By President Dallin H. Oaks
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker discusses the importance of covenants in society, giving examples of judges, military personnel, medical personnel, and firefighters who make commitments to perform their duties.
Here are some examples of covenant responsibilities in our society: (1)Â judges, (2)Â military, (3)Â medical personnel, and (4)Â firefighters. All of those involved in these familiar occupations make a commitment"”often formalized by oath or covenant"”to perform their assigned duties.
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Covenants and Responsibilities
By President Dallin H. Oaks
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from his birth in 1932 with 700,000 members and 7 temples to over 17 million members and 189 temples worldwide.
"How does your Church differ from others?" My answer to this important question has varied as I have matured and as the Church has grown. When I was born in Utah in 1932, our Church membership was only about 700,000, clustered mostly in Utah and nearby states. At that time, we had only 7 temples. Today the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints numbers more than 17 million in about 170 nations. As of this April 1, we have 189 dedicated temples in many nations a ... (continued)
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Covenants and Responsibilities
By President Dallin H. Oaks
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts how the angel Moroni instructed the young prophet Joseph Smith about his role in bringing forth the 'fulness of the everlasting Gospel' and the importance of covenants.
When the time came for the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, God called a prophet, Joseph Smith. We do not know the full content of the angel Moroni"™s early instructions to this maturing young prophet. We do know he told Joseph that "God had a work for [him] to do" and that "the fulness of the everlasting Gospel" must be brought forth, including "the promises made to the fathers."6[Joseph Smith"”History 1:33"“34, 39]
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Covenants and Responsibilities
By President Dallin H. Oaks
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 April 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker tells of the pioneers who received strength from their temple endowments in the Nauvoo Temple, which helped them on their historic trek to the West.
The endowment ceremonies in the Nauvoo Temple were administered just before our early pioneers were expelled to begin their historic trek to the mountains in the West. We have the testimonies of many pioneers that the power they received from being bound to Christ in their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple gave them the strength to make their epic journey and establish themselves in the West.18[See Church History Topics, "Nauvoo Temple," Gospel Library.]
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Days Never to Be Forgotten
By Elder Gary E. Stevenson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 October 2024
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1820 to 1830, highlighting Joseph Smith's visions and the organization of the Church.
"‹My dear brothers and sisters, the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation is resplendent with divine experiences that demonstrate how the Lord has guided His Church. There is one decade in our history, however, that stands strikingly supreme above any other"”the decade from 1820 to 1830. Beginning with the Prophet Joseph Smith"™s experience in the Sacred Grove in the spring of 1820, when he saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and continui ... (continued)
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