Elder Neil L. Andersen on showing kindness and love to all men

Elder Neil L. Andersen (born August 9, 1951) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"Everyone, independent of his or her decisions and beliefs, deserves our kindness and consideration.

"The Savior taught us to love not only our friends but also those who disagree with us—and even those who repudiate us. He said: 'For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? … And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?' (Matthew 5:46–47.)

"The Prophet Joseph Smith warned us to 'beware of self-righteousness' and to enlarge our hearts toward all men and women until we feel 'to take them upon our shoulders.' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 427, 429.) In the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no place for ridicule, bullying, or bigotry."

- Neil L. Andersen, "Spiritual Whirlwinds," General Conference April 2014
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

How do we treat those around us who have different beliefs, different backgrounds, different cultures, different lifestyles? Even those in our midst, or fellow Church-members or family members who may have other understandings or life choices than those we find preferable or acceptable—do we continue to treat them with "kindness and consideration"? Elder Andersen counsels us on this aspect of true Christianity:

It is often easy to love or to accept those who believe, practice, and behave in ways we find most appropriate or most similar to ourselves. But that does not ever excuse treating others with differing beliefs in ways that are less than kind. A true Christian would never fall into any aspect of "ridicule, bullying, or bigotry." In fact, perhaps one of the greatest marks of true Christian discipleship is how we treat those we disagree with!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on the sacred power of the temple

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (born January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"The temple and the ordinances of the temple are the ultimate application of the gospel of Christ. I say to people that one of the blessings of the temple and its ordinances is the perspective that it provides. When we go to the temple, we leave all of our cares and problems and issues and concerns at the door. And when we come back out, they’re still there. We have to pick them all up and they haven’t changed, but what has changed is ourselves. And we’ve added spiritual strength, I think, and capacity and a truer perspective on life and what it all means, and maybe the big problems don’t seem so big anymore and the little ones that we thought didn’t matter, we better deal with it before it does become something too big.

"The other thing, though, I think, is there is a divine power associated with those covenants. The Doctrine and Covenants says that in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and I would think particularly those of the temple, the power of godliness is manifest. And among other things, I believe that means there’s a godly influence, a divine power that flows into us when we make those covenants and keep them.

"So it’s a place of renewal. It’s a place of revelation. Temples can only fulfill their purpose really if we are prepared. People are sometimes critical about our temple worship, claiming it’s unduly secret. But the access is limited not for secrecy, but just to assure preparation. We really need to be prepared and mature spiritually to make those covenants and then to keep them. They’re very sacred."

- D. Todd Christofferson in "The Gospel Answers Life’s Problems and Challenges," in Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting Broadcast, February 11, 2012
Click here to read or listen to the full discussion

Elder Christofferson's insights on the blessings of the temple ring true to me. I've never found that attending the temple just makes problems go away; but as he vividly describes, we can leave our worries and concerns at the door, go inside to be taught and inspired, then come back out to pick our challenges back up with renewed strength and perspective:

In addition to the perspective on life the temple helps provide, we also find a very real endowment of "divine power" that comes to us as we humbly participate in sacred ordinances and focus on our covenants. And we can truly receive revelation to help answer our questions and concerns. As we prepare ourselves for God's most sacred blessings, we find find fountains of wisdom and strength that come to us through our temple worship.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Quentin L. Cook on living by faith instead of fear

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"It is our faith in Jesus Christ that sustains us at the crossroads of life’s journey. It is the first principle of the gospel. Without it we will spin our wheels at the intersection, spending our precious time but getting nowhere. It is Christ who offers the invitation to follow Him, to give Him our burden, and to carry His yoke, 'for [His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light' (Matthew 11:30).

"There is no other name under heaven whereby man can be saved (see Acts 4:12). We must take upon us His name and receive His image in our countenance so that when He comes we will be more like Him (see 1 John 3:2; Alma 5:14). When we choose to follow Christ in faith rather than choosing another path out of fear, we are blessed with a consequence that is consistent with our choice (see D&C 6:34–36).

"May we all recognize and give thanks for the incomparable gift of life we each enjoy and for the breath that He lends us daily. May we choose to have conviction at the crossroads of life and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. My prayer is that we will live by faith and not by fear."

- Quentin L. Cook, "Live by Faith and Not by Fear," General Conference October 2007
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Do we occasionally "spin our wheels" at the crucial "intersections of life," not making the progress that we could if we had faith that helped us focus on the Savior as our guide and strength? Elder Cook encourages us to look to Him in order to achieve the mist important results in our lives:

We should be truly grateful for "the incomparable gift of life" that we are given, and remember to look to Him in order to "live by faith and not by fear."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder David A. Bednar on the burdens we bear that can bless our lives

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"Each of us also carries a load. Our individual load is comprised of demands and opportunities, obligations and privileges, afflictions and blessings, and options and constraints. Two guiding questions can be helpful as we periodically and prayerfully assess our load: 'Is the load I am carrying producing the spiritual traction that will enable me to press forward with faith in Christ on the strait and narrow path and avoid getting stuck? Is the load I am carrying creating sufficient spiritual traction so I ultimately can return home to Heavenly Father?'

"Sometimes we mistakenly may believe that happiness is the absence of a load. But bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of happiness. Because our individual load needs to generate spiritual traction, we should be careful to not haul around in our lives so many nice but unnecessary things that we are distracted and diverted from the things that truly matter most."

- David A. Bednar, "Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease," General Conference April 2014
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Bednar began this talk with a story of a friend who got his pickup stuck in the snow, and was able to free it once he had filled the back with firewood—giving the truck a heavy load that provided traction to help it get free from its position. He then discussed the loads that we bear in life. Sometimes loads are imposed on us as we assume the roles and responsibilities of our lives, and they can include both positive and negative things; at times we choose consciously to add to the load.

Elder Bednar discusses "spiritual traction" that comes as we bear loads appropriately in our lives. Some loads add to the spiritual traction and some do not. It's important for us to assess and evaluate our loads to make sure that we are able to move forward appropriately on the path that will take us home to our Father.

I think it's pretty common to make this mistake: happiness comes when we have no load to bear. Elder Bednar corrects that thought; we must bear a load in life in order to find true happiness. But understanding our load is so very critical! We must not be "distracted and diverted" by things that matter less, those "nice but unnecessary" aspects of our lives.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf on loving and caring for each other

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (born November 6, 1940) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He served as second counselor in the First Presidency from 2008 to 2018.

"It has been my experience that some of the most powerful promptings we receive are not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of others. If we are thinking only of ourselves, we may miss some of the most powerful spiritual experiences and profound revelations of our lives.

"President Spencer W. Kimball taught this concept when he said: 'God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006), 82.) Brothers and sisters, we each have a covenant responsibility to be sensitive to the needs of others and serve as the Savior did—to reach out, bless, and uplift those around us.

"Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us. Selfless acts of service and consecration refine our spirits, remove the scales from our spiritual eyes, and open the windows of heaven. By becoming the answer to someone’s prayer, we often find the answer to our own."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Waiting on the Road to Damascus," General Conference April 2011
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

In a gospel that focuses on doing good to others and loving our fellowmen, we would expect that "some of the most powerful promptings we receive" will be to direct and instruct us on how to serve and bless those we have contact with. President Uchtdorf urged us to be seeking those promptings actively as we are involved in the Lord's work of discipleship.

Truly, one of the most fundamental aspects of our belief system is this: "we each have a covenant responsibility to be sensitive to the needs of others and serve as the Savior did—to reach out, bless, and uplift those around us." As we minister in callings and assignments, and as we simply show love and care for others, inspiration and revelation will increase and so will our ability to bless and serve. And in the process, our own needs and questions will be answered and responded to.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the infinite reach of Christ's Atonement

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

"Whether you are not yet of our faith or were with us once and have not remained, there is nothing in either case that you have done that cannot be undone. There is no problem which you cannot overcome. There is no dream that in the unfolding of time and eternity cannot yet be realized. Even if you feel you are the lost and last laborer of the eleventh hour, the Lord of the vineyard still stands beckoning. 'Come boldly [to] the throne of grace,' (Hebrews 4:16) and fall at the feet of the Holy One of Israel. Come and feast 'without money and without price' (Isaiah 55:1) at the table of the Lord."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Laborers in the Vineyard," General Conference April 2012
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

There likely  comes a time in each of our lives when we feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the challenges we face. Sometimes through our own negligence, laziness, or deliberate sinfulness, we postpone change or choice. Elder Holland speaks of past mistakes and missed opportunities that we might regret. And at times we feel that God and even loved ones are far distant. But the apostolic witness is that we can never sink to a spot where the Savior's Atonement can't reach:

I love Elder Holland's testimony and invitation to all, no matter where we stand, to come and allow the blessings of the Savior in our lives as we "feast... at the table of the Lord." Truly there is so much available to us if we only choose to accept, regardless of who we are and where we are in our eternal progress!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President M. Russell Ballard on the power and blessing of unified service

President M. Russell Ballard (born October 8, 1928) was called as a Seventy in 1976, and has served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1985. He became acting president of the Twelve in January 2018.

"The beehive symbol is found in both the interiors and exteriors of many of our temples. This podium where I stand is made from the wood of a walnut tree grown in President Gordon B. Hinckley’s backyard and is adorned with carved beehive images.

"All of this symbolism attests to one fact: great things are brought about and burdens are lightened through the efforts of many hands 'anxiously engaged in a good cause' (D&C 58:27). Imagine what the millions of Latter-day Saints could accomplish in the world if we functioned like a beehive in our focused, concentrated commitment to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"The Savior taught that the first and great commandment is:

"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. …

"'And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

"'On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.' (Matthew 22:37, 39–40).

"The Savior’s words are simple, yet their meaning is profound and deeply significant. We are to love God and to love and care for our neighbors as ourselves. Imagine what good we can do in the world if we all join together, united as followers of Christ, anxiously and busily responding to the needs of others and serving those around us—our families, our friends, our neighbors, our fellow citizens."

- M. Russell Ballard, "Be Anxiously Engaged," General Conference October 2012
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

The Savior's teachings invite us to love God and our fellowman. His example showed that we demonstrate love for one another through unselfish service. President Ballard built upon that thought to encourage greater efforts to serve those around us. Indeed, as our efforts to serve build upon one another, the combined blessing to humanity can become a marvelous thing:

The work of a single bee may seem relatively insignificant; but combined with hundreds and thousands of others who share a beehive, that work becomes profound and meaningful. If we maintain that vision, great things will come to pass through our efforts to serve and bless!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)