Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf on the path of discipleship

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.

"If you hesitate in this adventure because you doubt your ability, remember that discipleship is not about doing things perfectly; it’s about doing things intentionally. It is your choices that show what you truly are, far more than your abilities.

"Even when you fail, you can choose not to give up, but rather discover your courage, press forward, and rise up. That is the great test of the journey.

"God knows that you are not perfect, that you will fail at times. God loves you no less when you struggle than when you triumph.

"Like a loving parent, He merely wants you to keep intentionally trying. Discipleship is like learning to play the piano. Perhaps all you can do at first is play a barely recognizable rendition of 'Chopsticks.' But if you continue practicing, the simple tunes will one day give way to wondrous sonatas, rhapsodies, and concertos.

"Now, that day may not come during this life, but it will come. All God asks is that you consciously keep striving."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Your Great Adventure," General Conference October 2019, Sunday morning

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Elder Uchtdorf related highlights of the story of Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit in introducing the idea of a "great adventure." Our mortal journey is the adventure he speaks of, and the challenges and opportunities in this journey are regular and real. As we undertake this journey, Elder Uchtdorf reminded us that we must begin by inclining our heart to God, loving Him more deeply and fllowing His teachings and commandments. We don't have to be perfect in that endeavor; we just need to be determined and committed.

Discipleship, then, is that process of progressing gradually and steadily along our great adventure, learning to be more like the Master. Our emulation and adoration of Him naturally lead to lives devoted to serving as He did. A heart filled with the love of Christ naturally overflows in giving and blessing as it becomes more pure.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on having Christ at the center of our lives

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.

"We must point past the hustle and bustle and concentrate them on the meaning of it all, on the beating heart of the eternal gospel—the love of Heavenly Parents, the atoning gift of a divine Son, the comforting guidance of the Holy Ghost, the latter-day restoration of all these truths and so much more....

"If Jesus—His name, His doctrine, His example, His divinity—can be at the center of our worship, we will be reinforcing the great truth Alma once taught: 'There be many things to come; [but] behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all— … the Redeemer [who] liveth and cometh among his people.' (Alma 7:7.)

"I testify... that surely the most thrilling sight and sound in life is that of Jesus not only passing by (see Luke 18:37) but His coming to us, stopping beside us, and making His abode with us. (See John 14:23.)

"Sisters and brothers, through the incessant din and drumbeat of our day, may we strive to see Christ at the center of our lives, of our faith, and of our service. That is where true meaning lies. And if some days our vision is limited or our confidence has waned or our belief is being tested and refined—as surely it will be—may we then cry out the louder, 'Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me' (Mark 10:47). I promise with apostolic fervor and prophetic conviction that He will hear you and will say, soon or late, 'Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee' (Luke 18:42)."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Message, the Meaning, and the Multitude," General Conference October 2019, Saturday morning

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Elder Holland gave the introductory talk in the October 2019 conference, and spoke warmly on the role and place of the Savior as the focus of all we do, using as the prime example the healing of the blind man by the Savior as recorded in Luke 18. The faith of the man, according to the account, brought about the miracle.

In our modern world, with all its noise and confusion, we must get past the "hustle and bustle" to concentrate on "the meaning of it all." That is no small task. It requires prolonged and devoted focus on the things that truly matter. And certainly, the primary focus must be on the Savior, who is the ultimate source of healing and hope.

Like the blind man of the parable, we must continue to seek, to cry out, to plead for His help and involvement in our life. We must do whatever is needed to draw near to Him. Only then can He lay His hands on us to heal and bless.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

President Russell M. Nelson on giving and serving like the Savior

President Russell M. Nelson (born Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He became president of that quorum on July 15, 2015. Following the death of President Monson, he was set apart as president of the Church on January 14, 2018.

"Latter-day Saint Charities has provided more than two billion dollars in aid to assist those in need throughout the world. This assistance is offered to recipients regardless of their church affiliation, nationality, race, sexual orientation, gender, or political persuasion....

"Last year alone, the Church carried out more than 100 disaster-relief projects around the world, helping victims of hurricanes, fires, floods, earthquakes, and other calamities. Whenever possible, our Church members in yellow Helping Hands vests mobilize in great numbers to help those afflicted by the disaster. This kind of service, rendered by so many of you, is the very essence of ministering....

"Regardless of where we call home, members of the Church feel passionately about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Thus, our greatest joy comes as we help our brothers and sisters, no matter where we live in this wonderful world.

"Giving help to others—making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves—is our joy. Especially, I might add, when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone. Living that second great commandment is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ."

- Russell M. Nelson, "The Second Great Commandment," General Conference October 2019, Sunday afternoon

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My wife and I had been set apart as humanitarian service missionaries just two weeks before this conference talk was given. We had completed our training in the MTC and would leave for Argentina right after general conference. What a thrill it was to hear President Nelson address the very work we would be doing, in collaboration with Latter-day Saint Charities and the humanitarian services organization of the Church! And particularly to hear him mention Argentina as an example of the efforts being done in the wheelchair program. We would later meet the directors of CILSA (an NGO who partners with the Church in the wheelchair program in Argentina) shown in the background of the photograph below as we helped carry the program forward.

It is so very inspiring to see "the second great commandment" blessing thousands of lives through the Church's marvelous worldwide efforts. Members of the Church can continue to contribute to that program by donating to the "Humanitarian Fund" in the normal contrubution process. But equally important, we should each seek ways we can personally love our neighbors in greater measure, through acts of love and service, following the example of the Savior.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

President Henry B. Eyring on finding happiness through holiness

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"[Lasting happiness] is what Heavenly Father; His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost have offered every spirit child of Heavenly Father who now lives, will live, or ever has lived in this world. That offer is sometimes called the plan of happiness. It was so called by the prophet Alma as he taught his son, who was mired in the misery of sin. Alma knew that wickedness could never be happiness for his son—or for any child of Heavenly Father.

"He taught his son that increasing in holiness was the only path to happiness. He made it plain that greater holiness is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ cleansing and perfecting us. Only by faith in Jesus Christ, continuing repentance, and keeping covenants are we able to claim the lasting happiness we all yearn to experience and retain.

"My prayer for today is that I may help you understand that greater happiness comes from greater personal holiness so that you will act upon that belief. I will then share what I know for myself about what we can do to qualify for that gift of becoming ever more holy.

"The scriptures teach us that among other things, we can be sanctified or become more holy when we exercise faith in Christ, demonstrate our obedience, repent, sacrifice for Him, receive sacred ordinances, and keep our covenants with Him. Qualifying for the gift of holiness requires humility, meekness, and patience."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Holiness and the Plan of Happiness," General Conference October 2019, Sunday afternoon

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In this life, perhaps the greatest quest we have is the search for happiness. The thought of lasting happiness is a beautiful one, certainly a goal every thoughtful child of our Father in Heaven would aspire to. President Eyring teaches that the "plan of happiness" described in the Book of Mormon is the way to obtain that divine gift. Holiness and happiness are inextricably linked. The plan of happiness, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, is the way we individually and collectively can increase in holiness.

We must each commit to take the steps that bring more holiness to our personal life. The process of sanctification is how we draw on the grace of God to draw near to Him and become more holy. The promises are real, and lasting happiness truly is available to each one who follows the path that leads to it.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

President M. Russell Ballard on our eternal spiritual nature

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.

"It seems clear to me that one of the most important things we can learn in this life is how to emphasize our eternal spiritual nature and control our evil desires. This should not be that difficult. After all, our spirit, which has been around a lot longer than our physical body, has already been successful in choosing righteousness over evil in the premortal realm. Before this earth was formed, we lived in the spirit world as sons and daughters of Heavenly Parents, who loved us and continue to love us now.

"And yes, we did have to make life-changing decisions and choices in that premortal realm. Every person who has ever lived or ever will live on this planet made an essential decision to choose to accept Heavenly Father’s plan for our salvation. So we all came to earth with a proven track record of a successful spiritual nature and eternal destiny.

"Think about that for a moment. This is who you and I really are and who you have always been: a son or daughter of God, with spiritual roots in eternity and a future overflowing with infinite possibilities. You are—first, foremost, and always—a spiritual being. And so when we choose to put our carnal nature ahead of our spiritual nature, we are choosing something that is contrary to our real, true, authentic spiritual selves.

"Still, there’s no question that flesh and earthly impulses complicate the decision-making. With a veil of forgetfulness drawn between the premortal spirit world and this mortal world, we can lose sight of our relationship to God and our spiritual nature, and our carnal nature can give priority to what we want right now. Learning to choose the things of the Spirit over the things of the flesh is one of the primary reasons why this earthly experience is part of Heavenly Father’s plan. It’s also why the plan is built upon the solid, sure foundation of the Atonement of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that our sins, including the errors we make when we yield to the flesh, can be overcome through constant repentance and we can live spiritually focused. Now is the time to control our bodily appetites to comply with the spiritual doctrine of Christ."

- M. Russell Ballard, "Giving Our Spirits Control over Our Bodies," General Conference October 2019, Sunday afternoon

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President Ballard's wife Barbara passed away shortly before the October 2018 conference, a year before this talk was given. In that intervening time, as he learned to deal with grief and loneliness, he pondered the Lord's plan of salvation and happiness for man. President Ballard's main premise is that man is by eternal nature basically an eternal, spiritual being. We had experiences of growing and learning in our premortal existence, and proved that we were willing to choose the right. But with a veil of forgetfulness, we are left to learn many lessons again in this life, and to try to recall our eternal nature.

"Learning to choose the things of the Spirit over the things of the flesh" is something that becomes easier as we persist. We are blessed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the foundation of that eternal plan, and the means by which we are enabled to follow the plan and find ultimate peace and joy.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

Elder Ulisses Soares on taking up our cross

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) has served as a Seventy since April 2005, and as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy since January 2013. He was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles on April 1, 2018.

"We all face adverse circumstances in our lives that make us feel sad, helpless, hopeless, and sometimes even weakened. Some of these feelings may lead us to question the Lord: 'Why am I experiencing these situations?' or 'Why are my expectations not met? After all, I am doing everything in my power to carry my cross and follow the Savior!'

"My dear friends, we must remember that taking our cross upon ourselves includes being humble and trusting in God and in His infinite wisdom. We must acknowledge that He is aware of each of us and of our needs. It is also necessary to accept the fact that the Lord’s timing is different than ours. Sometimes we seek for a blessing and set a time limit for the Lord to fulfill it. We cannot condition our faithfulness to Him by imposing upon Him a deadline for the answers to our desires. When we do this, we resemble the skeptical Nephites from ancient times, who mocked their brothers and sisters by saying that the time was past for the fulfillment of the words spoken by Samuel the Lamanite, creating confusion among those who believed. (See 3 Ne 1:4-7) We need to trust the Lord enough to be still and know that He is God, that He knows all things, and that He is aware of each of us. (See D&C 101:16.) ...

"Brothers and sisters, I want to testify to you that taking upon us our cross and following the Savior requires us to follow His example and strive to become like Him, patiently facing the circumstances of life, denying and despising the appetites of the natural man, and waiting on the Lord. The Psalmist wrote:

"'Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord' (Psalm 27:14).

"'He is our help and our shield' (Psalm 33:20).

"I testify to you that following our Master's footsteps and waiting on Him who is the ultimate healer of our lives will provide rest to our souls and make our burdens easy and light."

- Ulisses Soares, "Take Up Our Cross," General Conference October 2019, Sunday afternoon

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To his ancient disciples, the Savior said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt 16:24). Learning to be obedient and submissive is, according to Elder Soares, "the price to be paid for the salvation of a soul." Many face great challenges in this life, and all of us will face some. But each of us must learn that critical lesson of taking up the cross that is given to us, and trusting in the wisdom of Him who knows intimately what cross we bear. Learning to fully trust in His wisdom and His timing is perhaps one of the most important things we must accomplish in our mortal experience.

Truly "He is aware of each of us and of our needs." But we can't set terms and conditions on God, whose knowledge and wisdom are far beyond ours. Our desire must always be to learn His will for us and follow it with obedience and submission.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

President Russell M. Nelson on living with faith in Jesus Christ

President Russell M. Nelson (born Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He became president of that quorum on July 15, 2015. Following the death of President Monson, he was set apart as president of the Church on January 14, 2018.

"When we remove the Lord’s name from the name of His Church, we inadvertently remove Him as the central focus of our worship and our lives. When we take the Savior’s name upon us at baptism, we commit to witness, by our words, thoughts, and actions, that Jesus is the Christ.

"Previously, I promised that if we would 'do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church,' He would 'pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen.' I renew that promise today....

"As followers of Jesus Christ, living in a day when the COVID-19 pandemic has put the whole world in commotion, let us not just talk of Christ or preach of Christ or employ a symbol representing Christ.

"Let us put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ into action!"

- Russell M. Nelson, "Opening the Heavens for Help," General Conference April 2020, Saturday evening

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In his talk during the Saturday evening "general session" of general conference, President Nelson reminded the members of the Church about the importance of respecting and using the name of the Savior, and trying to use the full name of the Church instead of nicknames and abbreviations. He promised blessings that would follow as we do so.

And he introduced the new "logo" that would be used to represent the Church in media and publications, again focusing on the Savior as portrayed in the familiar Christus statue.

Particularly in this time of commotion and comfusion due the COVID-19 pandemic and other problems in 2020, we must turn to the Savior. But talking of Him, preaching, employing proper symbols—those are only steps leading to the things that matter most, as we strive to put our faith into action. Our actions and deeds, the testimony of our lives—those are the things that will make the most difference.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)