♪ ♪ From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah,

this is the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

with speakers selected from leaders of the Church.

Music for this session is provided by a multicultural choir comprised of members residing in northern Utah.

This broadcast is furnished as a public service by Bonneville Distribution.

Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this program without written consent is prohibited.

President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, will conduct this session.

Brothers and sisters, we welcome you to the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We extend our greetings to all who are in attendance

or who are participating by satellite, television, radio, or the Internet.

The music for this session will be provided by a multicultural choir comprised of members residing in northern Utah under the direction of Alyssa Jenks and Kasey Bradbury, with Linda Margetts and Joseph Peeples at the organ.

The choir will open this meeting by singing “O Thou Rock of Our Salvation.”

The invocation will then be offered by Elder Moises Villanueva of the Seventy.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “O Thou Rock of Our Salvation”

♪ O thou Rock of our salvation, Jesus, Savior of the world, ♪

♪ in our poor and lowly station We thy banner have unfurled. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ We a war ’gainst sin are waging; We’re contending for the right. ♪

♪ Ev’ry day the battle’s raging; ♪ ♪ Help us, Lord, to win the fight. ♪

♪ Gather round the standard bearer; Gather round in strength of youth. ♪

♪ Ev’ry day the prospect’s fairer ♪ ♪ while we’re battling for the truth. ♪

♪ Onward, onward we’ll be singing As we’re marching firm and true, ♪

♪ Each succeeding battle ringing, Earnest of what we can do. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Gather round the standard bearer; Gather round in strength of youth. ♪

♪ Ev’ry day the prospect’s fairer ♪

♪ while we’re battle for the truth. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ When for all that we’ve contended, When the fight of faith we’ve won, ♪

♪ When the strife and battle’s ended, ♪ ♪ And our labor here is done. ♪

♪ Then, O Rock of our salvation, Jesus, Savior of the world, ♪

♪ Take us from our lowly station; ♪

♪ Let our flag with thee be furled. ♪

♪ Then, O Rock of our salvation, Jesus, Savior of the world, ♪

♪ Take us from our lowly station ♪ ♪ Let our flag with thee be furled. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Then O Rock of our salvation, ♪ ♪ Jesus, savior of the world, ♪

♪ Take us from our lowly station; ♪

♪ Let our flag with thee be furled, ♪

♪ flag be ♪ ♪ furled. ♪

Our loving, Heavenly Father,

we feel very grateful for one more opportunity to meet in this general conference, to hear Thy will through the voice of Thy Prophet and Apostles.

We are thankful for Thy Son, Jesus Christ, for His infinite Atonement,

for the opportunity that we have to repent of our sins. Father,

we ask Thee to bless us during this session with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Help us to open our ears, our minds, and our hearts that we may have the determination to be more clean and pure, to become more effective tools in Thy hands,

that we understand more clearly the role we play in the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil.

We pray for our dear Prophet, President Nelson, and Elder Holland’s health. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency,

will now present the General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers of the Church for sustaining vote.

Brothers and sisters, it is my privilege to present the General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers of the Church for your sustaining vote.

Please express your support in the usual way, wherever you may be.

If there are those who oppose, we ask that you contact your stake president.

It is proposed that we sustain Russell Marion Nelson as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

Dallin Harris Oaks as First Counselor in the First Presidency,

and Henry Bennion Eyring as Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Those in favor may manifest it; those opposed, if any, may manifest it.

It is proposed that we sustain Dallin H. Oaks

as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

and M. Russell Ballard as acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Those in favor, please signify.

Any opposed may manifest it.

It is proposed that we sustain the following as the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: M. Russell Ballard, Jeffrey R. Holland,

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook,

D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband,

Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G. Renlund,

Gerrit W. Gong, and Ulisses Soares.

Those in favor, please manifest it. Any opposed may so indicate.

It is proposed that we sustain the Counselors in the First Presidency

and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as Prophets, Seers, and Revelators.

All in favor, please manifest it;

contrary, if there be any, by the same sign. As announced previously,

we have extended a call to Alexander Dushku to serve as a General Authority Seventy. Those in favor, please manifest it; those opposed by the same

sign. We also note with appreciation

the releases of two Area Seventies whose names can be found on the Church’s website. Those who wish to join in expressing gratitude to these brethren for their excellent service may manifest it.

It is proposed that we sustain the other General Authorities and Area Seventies, including two new Area Seventies, announced earlier this week whose names are listed on the Church’s website, and the General Officers as presently constituted. All in favor may do so by the uplifted hand;

those opposed, if any. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your continued faith and prayers on behalf of the leadership of the Church.

Thank you, President Eyring.

The choir will now favor us with “Jesus Once of Humble Birth.”

After the singing, we will hear from Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He will be followed by Brother Jan E. Newman, who serves as Second Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency.

Elder Joaquin E. Costa of the Seventy will then address us.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Jesus, Once of Humble Birth”

♪ ♪

♪ Jesus, once of humble birth, ♪

♪ Now in glory comes to earth.♪

♪ Once He suffered grief and pain; ♪

♪ Now He comes on earth to reign. ♪

♪ Now He comes on earth to reign. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Once a meek and lowly lamb, ♪

♪ Now the Lord, the great I Am. ♪

♪ Once upon the cross He bowed. ♪

♪ Now His chariot is the cloud. ♪

♪ Now His chariot is ♪ ♪ the cloud. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Once forsaken, left alone, ♪

♪ Now exalted to a throne. ♪

♪ Once all things He meekly bore, ♪

♪ But He now will bear no more. ♪

♪ But he now will bear ♪

♪ no more. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Jesus, once of ♪ ♪ humble birth. ♪

♪ Now in glory comes ♪ ♪ to earth. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Members of the choir, thank you so very much for that beautiful witness of our Lord and Savior.

While in South America recently, Brother Roger Parra from Venezuela shared the following experience with me:

“In 2019, Venezuela was shaken by problems that caused a power blackout for five days. Chaos and anarchy reigned in the streets and many desperate people did not have sufficient food.

Some began looting food businesses, destroying everything in their path.

As the owner of a small bakery, I was very worried about our business.

As a family, we decided to give away all the food in our bakery to people in need. Through one very dark night, riots were everywhere. My only concern was for the safety of my beloved wife and children. At dawn, I went to our bakery.

Sadly, every nearby food business had been destroyed by looters.

But to my great astonishment, our bakery was intact. Nothing had been destroyed. I humbly thanked my Heavenly Father.

Arriving home, I told my family of God's blessing and protection.

They were all so grateful.

My oldest son, Rogelio, only 12 years old, said, ’Papa! I know why our store was protected. You and Mama always pay your tithes.’”

Brother Parra concluded: “The words of Malachi came into my mind.

’I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground.′

We knelt down and gratefully thanked our Heavenly Father for His miracle.”

All that we have and all that we are comes from God.

As disciples of Christ, we willingly share with those around us. With all the Lord gives to us, He has asked us to return to Him and His kingdom on Earth ten percent of our increase.

He has promised us that as we are honest in our tithes,

He will “open ... the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

He has promised us that He will protect us from evil.

These promises are so certain the Lord declares,

“Prove me now herewith,” a phrase found nowhere else in the scriptures.

The windows of heaven open in many ways.

Some are temporal, but many are spiritual.

Some are subtle and easy to overlook. Trust in the Lord's timing.

The blessings always come.

We sorrow with those who struggle to have the necessities of life.

The Church recently donated 54 million US dollars to provide relief to vulnerable children and mothers across the world.

And with the offerings from your monthly fast,

our good bishops help thousands each week who temporarily need food on their tables, clothes on their backs, and shelter over their heads.

The only permanent solution to the poverty of this world is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul warned that the wisdom of men understands the things of men, but has difficulty understanding the things of God.

The world speaks of tithing in terms of our money,

but the sacred law of tithing is principally a matter of our faith.

Being honest in our tithes

is one way we show our willingness to put the Lord first in our lives above our own cares and interest.

I promise you that as you trust in the Lord,

the blessings of heaven will follow.

Jesus said to give “unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God, the things that are God’s.”

The resurrected Savior asked the Nephites to write into their record His promises found in Malachi.

In our day, the Lord reconfirmed the divine law of tithing, declaring,

“This shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.

And ... [they] shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually;

and this shall be a standing law unto them forever.”

The Lord clearly directed how tithing should be dispersed, saying, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,” meaning bring the tithes into His restored kingdom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He directed that the use of these sacred tithes would be prayerfully considered by a council of the First Presidency,

the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric, “and by mine own voice unto them, saith the Lord.”

These sacred funds do not belong to the leaders of the Church.

They belong to the Lord. His servants are painstakingly aware of the sacred nature of their stewardship.

President Gordon B. Hinckley recounted this childhood experience:

“When I was a boy, I raised a question with my father ... concerning the expenditure of Church funds.

He reminded me that mine is the God- given obligation to pay my tithes and offerings. When I do so, [my father said,] that which I give is no longer mine.

It belongs to the Lord to whom I consecrate it.” His father added,

“What the authorities of the Church do with it need not concern you, [Gordon.]

They are answerable to the Lord, who will require an accounting at their hands.” Close quote.

We deeply feel the weight of being “answerable to the Lord.”

From the generous tithes and offerings you have consecrated to the Lord,

last year more than 1 billion US dollars were used to bless those in need.

In our momentous responsibility to take the restored gospel across the world,

we have more than 71,000 missionaries serving in 414 missions.

Because of your tithes and offerings,

missionaries, regardless of their family financial situation,

are able to serve. Temples are being built across the world in unprecedented numbers. Currently, 177 temples are in operation,

59 are currently under construction or renovation, and 79 more are in planning and design.

Your tithes are allowing the blessings of the temple to be in places only the Lord could foresee. There are more than 30,000 congregations housed in thousands of chapels and other facilities in 195 countries and territories.

Because of your faithful tithes,

the Church is being established in faraway places you may never visit

among righteous Saints you may never know.

The Church currently sponsors five institutions of higher learning.

These serve more than 145,000 students. One hundred and ten thousand classes are being taught each week in our seminaries and institutes.

These blessings and so many more come in large measure from the young and old of every economic circumstance who pay an honest tithe.

The spiritual power of the divine law of tithing is not measured by the amount of money contributed, for both the prosperous and the poor are commanded by the Lord to contribute ten percent of their income.

The power comes from placing our trust in the Lord.

The added abundance of the Lord conveyed through your generous tithes

has strengthened the reserves of the Church, providing opportunities to advance the Lord's work beyond anything we have yet experienced. All is known by the Lord,

and in time we will see all His sacred purposes fulfilled.

The blessings of tithing come in many ways.

In 1998, I accompanied then- Elder Henry B. Eyring to a large church meeting in the Utah area now known as Silicon Slopes,

a community of great innovation in technology.

It was a time of growing prosperity,

and Elder Eyring cautioned

the Saints about comparing what they had with others and wanting more.

I will always remember his promise that as they paid an honest tithe,

their desire for more material possessions would diminish.

Within two years, the technology bubble burst.

Many lost their jobs and companies struggled during this time of financial adjustment. Those who followed the counsel of President Eyring were blessed.

His promise reminded me of another experience.

I met 12-year-old Charlotte Hlimi near Carcassonne, France, in 1990, while serving as a mission president.

The Hlimis were a faithful family living in an apartment with eight children.

They had a picture of the Savior and of the prophet on the wall.

In the interview for her patriarchal blessing,

I asked Charlotte if she paid an honest tithe.

She responded, “Yes, President Andersen.

My mother has taught me that there are temporal blessings and spiritual blessings that come from paying our tithing.

My mother taught me that if we always pay our tithing,

we will want for nothing. And President Anderson, we want for nothing.”

In giving me permission to share her story, Charlotte, now 45 and sealed in the temple, commented, “My testimony of tithing was very real at the time,

and it's even stronger now. I am deeply grateful for this commandment.

As I live it, I continue to be abundantly blessed.”

One day each of us will finish our earthly journey.

Twenty-five years ago, just days before my mother-in-law, Martha Williams, died of cancer, she received a small check in the mail.

She immediately asked my wife, Kathy, for her checkbook to pay her tithing.

As her mother was so weakened that she could scarcely write,

Kathy asked if she could write the check for her.

Her mother responded, “No, Kathy, I want to do it myself.”

And then she quietly added, “I want to be right before the Lord.”

One of the final things Kathy did for her mother was to hand her tithing envelope to her bishop.

My brothers and sisters, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is out of obscurity, bringing remarkable blessings across the Earth.

There will be those who cheer us forward and those who do not.

I have thought of the words of the wise Gamaliel, who, upon hearing of the miracles of the apostles Peter and John,

warned the council in Jerusalem, “Let [these men] alone:

for if ... this work be of men, it will come to nought; But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it;

lest ... ye be found even to fight against God.”

You and I are part of God's important work upon the earth.

It will not come to nought, but will continue to move across the world, preparing the way for the Savior's return.

I testify to the words of President Russell M. Nelson:

“In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between

now and the time He returns ..., He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.” This is my witness.

Jesus is the Christ. This is His holy work.

He will come again. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

One of the most touching moments in the Book of Mormon is the resurrected Savior's visit to the people at the temple in the land Bountiful. After a day of teaching, healing, and building faith, Jesus directed the people’s attention to the rising generation:

“He commanded that their little children should be brought.”

He prayed for them and blessed them one by one.

The experience was so moving that the Savior Himself wept multiple times.

Then, speaking to the multitude, Jesus said, “Behold your little ones.

And as they looked ... they saw the heavens open,

and they saw angels descending out of heaven,” ministering to their children.

I have often thought about this experience. It must have melted every person’s heart! They saw the Savior.

They felt Him. They knew Him. He taught them.

He blessed them, and He loved them.

It's no wonder that after this sacred event, these children grew up to help establish a society of peace, prosperity, and Christlike love that lasted for generations.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if our children could have experiences like that with Jesus Christ—something that would bind their hearts to Him?

He invites us as He invited those parents in the Book of Mormon to bring our little ones to Him.

We can help them know their Savior and Redeemer the way these children did.

We can show them how to find the Savior in the scriptures and build their foundations on Him.

Recently, a good friend taught me something I hadn't noticed before about the parable of the wise man who built his house upon a rock.

According to the account in Luke, as the wise men laid the foundation for his house, “he digged deep.”

It wasn’t a casual or simple endeavor—

it took effort! To build our lives on the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, we need to dig deep.

We remove anything that is sandy or superfluous in our lives.

We keep digging until we find Him.

And we teach our children to bind themselves to Him through sacred ordinances and covenants, so that when the oppositional storms and floods come,

as they surely will, they will have little effect upon them “because of the rock upon which [they] are built.”

This kind of strength doesn't just happen.

It's not passed on to the next generation like a spiritual inheritance.

Each person must dig deep to find the Rock.

We learn this lesson from another account in the Book of Mormon. When King Benjamin gave his final address to his people, they gathered as families to hear his words.

King Benjamin bore powerful witness of Jesus Christ, and the people were deeply moved by his testimony. They

declared “The Spirit ... has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts. ... And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will ... all the remainder of our days.”

One might expect that little children with such deeply converted parents would eventually become converted and make covenants themselves.

And yet, for some reason not mentioned in the record, the covenant made by the parents did not get traction with some of their children. Several years later,

“there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of King Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.

They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ. ... And they would not be baptized;

neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people

as to their faith.” What a sobering thought! For the rising generation,

it is not enough for faith in Jesus Christ to be “the tradition of their fathers.”

They need to own faith in Christ for themselves. As the covenant people of God,

how can we instill within the hearts of our children a desire to make and keep covenants with Him? We can start by following the example of Nephi:

“We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for remission of their sins.”

Nephi’s words imply a constant, ongoing effort to teach our children about Christ. We can ensure that the voice of the covenant people is not silent in the ears of the rising generation, and that Jesus is not a Sunday-only topic.

The voice of the covenant people is found in our own words of testimony.

It is found in the words of living prophets, and it is preserved powerfully in the scriptures.

It is there that our children will come to know Jesus and find answers to their questions. It is there they will learn for themselves the doctrine of Christ. It is there

they will find hope. This will prepare them for a lifetime of seeking truth and living on the covenant path.

I love this counsel from President Russell M. Nelson:

“Where can we go to hear Him? We can go to the scriptures.

They teach us about Jesus Christ and His gospel, the magnitude of His Atonement, and our father’s great plan of happiness and redemption. Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval.

As we feast on the words of Christ daily,

the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face.” So what does it look like to feast on the words of Christ and hear Him?

Well, it looks like whatever works best for you.

It might be gathering with your family to talk about the things the Holy Ghost taught you in your scripture study using “Come, Follow Me.”

It might be gathering each day with your children to read a few verses from the scriptures, and then looking for opportunities to discuss what you learned as you spend time together.

Just find what works for you and your family.

Then try to do a little better each day.

Consider this insight from “Teaching in the Savior’s Way”:

“Taken individually, a single home evening, scripture study session, or gospel conversation may not seem like it’s accomplishing much,

but the accumulation of small, simple efforts, repeated consistently over time, can be more powerful and strengthening than an occasional monumental moment or landmark lesson.

... So don’t give up and don’t worry about accomplishing something grand every time. Just be consistent in your efforts.”

One of our most sacred responsibilities is to help our children come to know deeply and specifically that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, their personal Savior and Redeemer, who stands at the head of His Church.

We cannot allow our covenant voice to become muted or silent when it comes to Him.

You may feel a bit inadequate in this role, but you should never feel alone.

For example, ward councils are authorized to organize teacher council meetings for parents. In these quarterly meetings,

parents can gather to learn from each other’s experiences, discuss how they are strengthening their families, and learn key principles of Christlike teaching.

This meeting should be held in the second hour of church.

It is led by a ward member selected by the bishop and follows the format of regular teacher council meetings using “Teaching in the Savior’s Way” as the primary resource. Bishops, if your ward is not currently holding teacher council meetings for parents, work with your Sunday School president and ward council to organize yourselves.

My dear friends in Christ, you are doing much better than you think.

Just keep working at it. Your children are watching, listening, and learning.

As you teach them, you will come to know their true nature as beloved sons and daughters of God. They may forget the Savior for a season, but I promise you, He will never forget them.

Those moments when the Holy Ghost speaks to them will persist in their hearts and minds. And one day your children will echo the testimony of Enos: “I know my parents are just—’for [they] taught me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it.’” Let us accept the Savior’s invitation and bring our children to Him. As we do so, they will see Him.

They will feel Him. They will know Him. He will teach them.

He will bless them. And oh, how He will love them. And oh, how I love Him.

In His holy name, Jesus Christ, amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

What a joy it is to be gathered as His Church!

I am thankful that President Russell M. Nelson has reminded us to use the correct name of the Lord's Church often

so that we remember whose Church this is and whose teachings we follow.

President Nelson has stated, “In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. ... He will bestow countless blessings, privileges, and miracles upon the faithful.”

One of the greatest privileges for me and my wife, Renee,

is to meet with the Saints where we serve. We hear their stories,

we witness their losses, we share their grief,

and we rejoice with their success.

We have witnessed many of the blessings and miracles that the Savior has bestowed upon the faithful.

We have met people who have gone through the impossible, who have suffered the unthinkable.

We have seen the manifestation of the Savior's power in a widow who lost her husband while they were on the Lord's errand in Bolivia.

We have seen it in a young woman in Argentina who was pushed under a train and lost her leg just because someone wanted to steal her cell phone.

And in her single father, who now must pick up the pieces and strengthen his daughter after such an unexplainable act of cruelty.

We have seen it in the families that lost their homes and every possession during fires in Chile just two days before Christmas in 2022. We have seen it in those who suffer after a traumatic divorce and in those who are innocent victims of abuse.

What gives them the power to go through hard things? What gives an extra layer of strength to go on when everything seems lost?

I have found that the source of that strength is faith in Jesus Christ

as we intentionally seek to come unto Him each and every day.

The Prophet Jacob taught: “And

he cometh unto the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.”

At times, having faith in Jesus Christ may seem like something impossible,

almost unattainable. We may think that coming unto Christ requires a strength,

power, and perfection we don’t have, and we just can’t find the energy to do it all. But what I have learned from all these people is that faith in Jesus Christ is what gives us the energy to begin the journey.

Sometimes we may think, “I need to fix my life before I come to Jesus,” but the truth is that we come to Jesus to fix our life through Him.

We don't come to Jesus because we are perfect.

We come to Him because we are flawed, and in Him we can be perfected.

How do we begin exercising a little bit of faith every day?

For me, it begins in the morning. When I wake up, instead of looking at my phone,

I say a prayer—even a simple prayer. Then I read a scripture.

This helps me with my weekly covenant that I make as I partake of the sacrament “to always remember him.”

When I begin my day with a prayer and a scripture,

I can “remember Him” when I do look at my phone.

I can “remember Him” when I face problems and conflicts, and I try to face them like Jesus would.

When I “remember Him,” I feel a desire to change, to repent.

I find the source of energy to keep my covenants, and I feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life “and keep His commandments, which he has given [me], that [I] may have His

Spirit.” It helps me to endure to the end, or at least to the end of the day!

And in those days that I fail to remember Him all day,

He is still there, loving me and telling me, “It is okay. You can try again tomorrow.”

Although we are imperfect at remembering Him, our loving Heavenly Father never fails to remember us.

One of the mistake we often make is to think that keeping covenants or the promises we make to God is somehow a transaction we make with Him:

I obey and He protects me from anything bad ever happening to me. I

pay my tithing and I will never lose my job or the fire will not burn my house.

But then when things don’t go as we expected, we cry unto the Lord,

“Carest thou not that I perish?” Our covenants are not merely transactional;

they are transformational.

Through my covenants, I receive the sanctifying, strengthening power of Jesus Christ, which allows me to become a new person, to forgive what seems unforgivable,

to overcome the impossible.

Intentionally remembering Jesus Christ always is powerful.

It gives me added strength to “keep His commandments, which He has given [me].”

It helps me to be nicer, to smile for no reason, to be a peacemaker, to avoid conflict, to let God prevail in my life.

When our pain or the pain of someone we love is so much that we can’t bear it,

remembering Jesus Christ and coming unto Him can lighten the burden, soften the heart, and ease the pain.

This is the power that enables a father beyond his natural capacity to sustain his daughter through the physical and emotional pain of losing her leg.

When Elder Soares visited Argentina last June and asked Flavia about her tragic accident, she faithfully replied,

“I experienced turmoil, bitterness, anger, and hate when [this happened].

Something that helped me was not to ask ‘why me?’ but ‘what for?’

This was something that brought me closer to others and to the Lord. ...

Instead of distancing myself from Him, I had to cling to Him.”

President Nelson taught: “The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—

power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. ...

Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest.”

This is the kind of rest and peace I saw in the eyes of the widow, despite the heartache of missing her husband every day.

The New Testament tells of a time when Jesus and His disciples were on a ship:

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship. ...

And he was ... asleep on a pillow:

and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still. ...

And he said unto them, why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

I have always been intrigued by this story.

Did the Lord expect them to use their faith to calm the storm, to rebuke the winds? Faith in Jesus Christ is the feeling of peace to withstand the storm,

knowing that we will not perish because He is in the ship with us.

This is the kind of faith we saw when we visit the families after the fires in Chile. Their houses had been burned to the ground.

They had lost everything.

Yet as we were working in what used to be their homes,

and they were telling us about their experiences,

we felt that we were standing on holy ground.

One sister said to my wife, “When I saw that nearby houses were burning, I had the impression that our house was going to be burned,

that we were going to lose everything.

Instead of desperation, I experienced a sense of indescribable peace.

Somehow I felt everything was going to be okay.”

Trusting God and keeping our covenants with Him brings power to our weakness and comfort to our grief.

I am grateful for the opportunity that Renee and I had to meet some of these extraordinary Saints;

for their many examples of faith, strength, and perseverance; for stories of heartbreak

and disappointment that will never make the front page of a newspaper or never go viral; for the pictures that are not taken

of tears shed and prayers offered after a loss or a traumatic divorce; for the posts that are never made of the fear, the sorrow, and pain that becomes bearable thanks to their faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

These people strengthened my own faith, and for that I'm deeply grateful.

I know this is the Church of Jesus Christ.

I know He stands ready to endow us with His power if we come to Him each and every day. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

When directed to do so, the congregation will join the choir in singing “There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today.”

After the singing, we will hear from Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

He will be followed by Elders Yoon Hwan Choi and Alan T. Phillips of the Seventy.

[MUSIC PLAYING] ”There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today”

This is the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ There is sunshine in my soul today, More glorious and bright ♪

♪ Than glows in any earthly sky, For Jesus is my light. ♪

♪ Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine. ♪ ♪ When the peaceful happy moments roll. ♪

♪ When Jesus shows his smiling face, ♪ ♪ There is sunshine in the soul. ♪

♪ There is music in my soul today, A carol to my King, ♪

♪ And Jesus listening can hear The songs I cannot sing. ♪

♪ Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine When the peaceful happy moments roll. ♪

♪ When Jesus shows his smiling face, ♪

♪ There is sunshine in the soul. ♪

♪ There is springtime in my soul today, For when the Lord is near, ♪

♪ The dove of peace sings in my heart, The flow’rs of grace appear. ♪

♪ Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine When the peaceful happy moments roll. ♪

♪ When Jesus shows his smiling face, ♪ ♪ There is sunshine in the soul. ♪

♪ There is gladness in my soul today, And hope and praise and love, ♪

♪ For blessings which he gives me now For joys “laid up” above. ♪

♪ Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine When the peaceful happy moments roll. ♪

♪ When Jesus shows his smiling face, ♪ ♪ There is sunshine in the soul. ♪

Recently, the eyes of the sporting world focused on the Women's World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

World-class athletes narrowed from more than 200 national teams from around the globe demonstrated their grit, dedication, talent, and athleticism as they competed for the soccer world’s highest honor.

We marvel at performers in various sports and other disciplines who achieve their highest level of their art.

We speak of their God-given talents or gifts.

This includes those gifted in dance, gymnastics, music, art, drama, mathematics, science, and more.

Each demonstrates God-given gifts that are then refined and honed by a lifetime of hard work, study, and practice.

God-given gifts make gifted people.

Looking through a gospel lens, God endows His children with many spiritual gifts, making them spiritually gifted people.

Covenant-keeping members of the Church are bestowed with gifts of the Spirit, which include the gift of a testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior,

the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift of faith to heal and be healed,

of receiving miracles, and the gifts of wisdom and knowledge.

The Lord invites us to earnestly seek the best gifts, even spiritual gifts.

He gives spiritual gifts to bless us and to use in blessing others.

Returning to our analogy of gifted performers, it is important to remember that a gift alone does not a master make. Extraordinary natural talent notwithstanding, it is through painstaking and laborious practice and effort that performers refine and hone their craft to reach their highest levels of artistry.

Even gifts received and unwrapped are often accompanied by the dreaded language “some assembly required.”

Likewise, I have observed a learning curve associated with spiritual gifts.

Exercising spiritual gifts requires spiritual exercise. “Having the guidance of the Holy Ghost in your life requires spiritual work.

This work includes fervent prayer and scripture study. It includes keeping your covenants and God’s commandments. ...

It includes worthily partaking of the sacrament each week.”

What is the fruit of exercising spiritual gifts?

They include promptings from the Spirit that help us face our daily needs and show us what to do and say. Blessings of peace and comfort. As we listen and act on spiritual promptings, the Holy Ghost magnifies our abilities and capacities to far exceed what we can do on our own.

These precious spiritual gifts will help us in every aspect of our lives.

The constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest spiritual gifts Latter-day Saints enjoy.

How important is this gift?

President Russell M. Nelson answered this question categorically when he stated that “in coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” Over the course of my ministry, I've found a universal longing by everyone to know how to invite and recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Such promptings are very personal and come in different ways.

We are, however, blessed to have words of prophets, both ancient and modern, give us valuable insights about how to receive direction from the Spirit.

Let me offer four guiding principles that may be of assistance to you in recognizing the promptings of the Spirit.

The first is to stand in holy places.

I recently participated in the Tokyo Japan Temple open house.

The response to formal invitations sent to both media and VIP guests far exceeded expectations.

Hundreds joined in these guided temple tours.

Guests were deeply touched by the beauty of the temple, including patterns and motifs with deep traditional Japanese connections.

More poignant yet was the reverent and respectful reaction elicited from guests as ancestral ordinances were described in rooms where they would occur.

But most heartwarming were the stirrings of the Spirit.

One such moment with a prominent government official remains etched in my mind. Following a moment of meditative silence in the celestial room, emotional and deeply touched,

he whispered in my ear, “Even the air in the room—that I breathe in this room feels different.”

I recognized he was trying to describe the presence of the Holy Spirit,

which indeed dwells in sacred spaces.

If you hope to feel the Spirit,

be in a place where the Spirit can easily dwell,

Our temples and homes are the most sacred of these dedicated spaces. In them we more easily invite and recognize the Spirit.

Other holy places include meetinghouses, seminary buildings and institutes, and Church history sites and visitor centers. Stand in holy places.

Secondly, stand with holy people.

I’ll describe the second guiding principle with another memory. I’ll never forget participating in a devotional held in a popular sports arena. Usually this arena was filled with raucous fans cheering their home team and perhaps even jeering their opponent.

But on this night, the atmosphere was quite different.

The arena was filled with thousands of young people assembled to honor and commemorate the life of the prophet Joseph Smith.

Their reverent, quiet tone; gratitude; and prayerful hearts filled the arena with the presence of the Holy Spirit. I could literally see it in their faces.

It was the gift of the Holy Ghost in action,

affirming the testimonies being born of Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the gospel. The Spirit cannot be restrained from attending a gathering of holy people.

If you hope to feel the Spirit,

be with people where the Spirit can easily dwell.

The Savior said it in this way, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” For young people, consider your gatherings of holy people: quorums and classes,

FSY and seminary, ward and stake activities, and even ward choirs.

Choose to be with people and go to places where righteousness is found.

Find your strength in numbers. Find good friends. Be good friends. Support one another wherever you are. Stand with holy people.

Third, testify of the holy truths as often as you can.

The Comforter always shares His voice, when we testify with our voice. The Spirit bears witness to the speaker and listener alike.

I remember once taking a 45-minute taxi ride in New York City.

Having had a warm gospel conversation with the driver for the duration of my ride to the airport, I paid her and prepared to exit the taxi

when I realized I had not offered a testimony.

Pausing, I shared a simple short testimony, inviting the Spirit, bringing tears to both our eyes. As you seek and take opportunities to share your testimony with others, you will create moments to recognize the Spirit for yourself.

The final principle is to listen to the Holy Spirit.

He can be our constant companion, but speaks in subtle, quiet tones.

The prophet Elijah found that the voice of the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but “was a still small voice.” It is not “a voice of thunder,” but rather “a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,”

and yet it can “pierce even to the very soul.”

President Boyd K. Packer stated, “The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied, we may not feel it at all.”

I have observed that sometimes His voice is so subtle or I am so preoccupied that a loved one captures it for me.

Many have been the times that promptings of the Holy Ghost have come to me through my wife, Lesa.

Righteous parents or leaders may also receive inspired guidance for you.

The noise, clamor, and contention prevalent in the world may overpower still, quiet impressions of the Holy Spirit.

Find a quiet place, a holy space, where you can seek to receive direction from the Spirit. As you consider these principles to invite and recognize the Spirit, consider the following words of cautionary guidance. For example, impressions from the Spirit will align with the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets.

Be certain that the feelings you receive are consistent with your assignment. Unless you’re called by proper authority, impressions from the Spirit are not given for you to counsel or correct others. Spiritual matters cannot be forced.

You can cultivate an attitude and an environment that invite the Spirit and you can prepare yourself, but you cannot dictate how or when inspiration comes.

Be patient and trust that you will receive what you need when the time is right. Use your own best judgment.

Sometimes we want to be led by the Spirit in all things. However, often the Lord wants us to use our God-given intelligence and act in ways that are consistent with our best understanding.

President Dallin H. Oaks taught, quote, “A desire to be led by the Spirit is a strength, but it needs to be accompanied by an understanding that our Heavenly Father leaves many decisions for our personal choices. ...

Persons who try to shift all decision making to the Lord and plead for a revelation in every choice will soon find circumstances in which they pray for guidance and don’t receive it. ...

We should study things out in our minds. ... Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it. ... If we do not receive guidance, we should use our best judgment,” close quote.

In conclusion, Latter-day Saints should be gifted, covenant-keeping people.

Nonetheless, it remains for each of us to seek to exercise our spiritual gifts and then invite and learn to recognize the promptings of the Spirit.

Four guiding principles to assist us in this crucial spiritual endeavor

are: Stand in holy places. Stand with holy people. Testify of holy truths. Listen to the Spirit. Your ability to invite and recognize the promptings of the Spirit will develop a step at a time.

Becoming more attuned to the language of the Spirit is like learning another language. It is a gradual process that requires diligent, patient effort.

Returning to where we began, please remember that as Latter-day Saints, you are gifted. Picture this familiar fast Sunday scene recently described to me. A young child standing on a stool, barely visible over the pulpit. Her father stood next to her, offering encouragement and assisting with soft whispers to her ear

as she proudly shared, “I am a child of God.”

The testimony that followed came from a young adult who began with a nervous quip: “I wish I had someone whispering in my ear like that.”

Then she had a flash of inspiration and testified,

“I do have someone whispering in my ear like that: the Holy Ghost!”

I close with an invitation especially for all youth.

Many of you start your day by standing in front of a mirror. Tomorrow, this

week, this year, always, pause as you look at yourself in the mirror.

Think to yourself or say aloud if you like, “Wow, look at me! I am amazing!

I’m a child of God! He knows me! He loves me! I’m gifted—

gifted with the Holy Ghost as my constant companion!”

I add my testimony to you,

gifted Latter-day Saints, of God the Father,

Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, who bears testimony of them. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Do you want to be happy? What makes you unhappy?

President Nelson said, “If you want to be miserable,

break the commandments—and never repent. If you want joy, stay

on the covenant path.” End of quote. Isn’t it simple to be happy?

Just make covenants and keep them in your lives.

Let us review some things that can help us to stay on the covenant path and make us happy. One. What is the covenant path?

According to Elder Dale G. Renlund,

“The term covenant path refers to a series of covenants whereby we come to Christ and connect to Him.

Through this covenant bond, we have access to His eternal power. The path begins with faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, followed by baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.” End of quote. We renew these covenants every time we partake of the sacrament.

Beginning with the baptismal covenant,

we make more covenants throughout our lives. Again,

Elder Renlund said, “The covenant path leads to the ordinances of the temple, such as the temple endowment.

The endowment is God's gift of sacred covenants that connect us more fully to Him.” Two. Are you on the covenant path?

Sometimes when we make covenants, we fail to keep them.

When this happens, how can you return to the covenant path?

Let me share some examples of returning to the covenant path.

A little over a month ago, I received a message from a return missionary who served with us. He said, “The last while has been tough. Battling anxiety and depression every day has been weighing me down, and it is very difficult.

I feel alone and just miserable.

I have been praying for the guidance of our Heavenly Father for peace and comfort in what I can do to battle the hardship. ...

While I was praying, I felt the prompting of the Spirit telling me that I needed to be paying my tithing in full. ...

I felt the Spirit so strongly and I immediately felt the urge to do so.

With the desire to do so, I felt a prompting that ‘If you pay your tithing, everything will be okay.’

I'm still struggling to find peace, but I do have a testimony in our Savior and that through my obedience I can feel and find the peace I am looking for in my heart and mind.

I have recently decided to come back to the Church and to seek the Spirit in all that I do.” End of quote. Now he is doing very well.

You also may ask Heavenly Father for peace, but the answer may be different than what you anticipate it will be.

As long as you seek to know of the Savior and pray to Heavenly Father,

He will give you a customized answer for you.

President Monson taught, “The greatest lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and we obey, we will always be right.”

“When we keep the commandments,

our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated.

Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear, and

we will receive God’s promised blessings.”

When I was called to be a bishop, it was during the most difficult time of my life. I was a young father in my early 30s, but I was in trouble financially because of family challenges.

I couldn't find any solution and I thought the challenges would never end. I was exhausted financially and emotionally.

I started doubting my spiritual strength as well.

It was at that difficult time that my stake president extended the calling to me.

I accepted the call anyway, although it was hard. My wife also had an interview with the stake president, but she could not say yes and she did not say no either,

but kept shedding tears. She cried for the whole week asking Heavenly Father, “Why now?” and “Do you really know each individual?”

She didn't get an answer,

but I was sustained as a bishop on the following Sunday.

She did not ask Heavenly Father those questions anymore, but supported me in my calling for six years.

On the Sunday when I was released, my wife heard a voice while she was receiving the sacrament. The voice whispered to her, “Because it was too hard for you to walk,

I called him as a bishop in order to hold you and walk for you.”

Looking back at the past six years, she realized that all the many challenges that seem to be endless had now been resolved along the way.

We learned that when we think it is not a good time for us to receive a calling, it may be the time we need that calling the most.

Whenever the Lord asks us to serve in any calling, whether it is a light or a heavy calling, He sees our needs. He provides the strength we need and has blessings ready to be poured out upon us as we faithfully serve.

There are many other things that distract us from the staying on the covenant path. No matter what it is,

it is never too late to turn our heart to Heavenly Father for help.

Elder Paul V. Johnson taught us, “When we follow Satan, we give him power.

When we follow God, He gives us power.”

King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon testifies,

“I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.

For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual;

and if they hold out faithful to the end, they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.” Three. How can keeping covenants with God make you happy?

My wife says that our marriage yokes us together and because of that she can do things she couldn't do before.

For example, ever since she was young, she had a hard time going out in the dark.

But it is not hard anymore because I go with her.

She is short and cannot reach to the high shelves unless she uses a chair or ladder. But I can reach the things from high shelves for her

because I am taller than her.

Taking our Savior’s yoke upon us is like that. As we yoke ourselves to Him, we can do things we couldn’t do on our own because He can do the things we cannot do for ourselves.

Elder David A. Bednar, said, “Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ.

In essence, the Savior is beckoning us to rely upon and pull together with Him, even though our best efforts are not equal to and cannot be compared with His. As we trust in and pull our load with Him during the journey of mortality, truly His yoke is easy and His burden is

light.” President Nelson also taught, “Yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power. ...

The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power— power that strengthen us to withstand our trials,

temptations, and heartaches better.

This power eases our way.

Those who live the higher laws of the Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. ...

Keeping covenants actually makes life easier!

Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples— and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ.” End of quote. My dear brothers and sisters, do you want to be happy?

Stay on the covenant path. Your life will be easier, happier, and filled with joy.

Our Savior is inviting us, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He is the living Christ. He carries our burdens and makes our life easier.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Six years ago, our family was traveling at night just outside the city of Oxford. As is often the case with young children, we needed to stop, so we found a service station with an array of shops and restaurants.

With precision, we filed out of the car, visited the services, and filed back in, resuming our journey.

Fifteen minutes later, our eldest son asked a significant question: “Where is

Jasper?” Jasper sits on his own at the back of the car.

We assumed he had fallen asleep or was hiding or playing a trick on us. As his brother inspected the back of the car more closely, we discovered our five-year-old son was not there.

Our hearts filled with dread.

As we made our way back to the service station, we pleaded with Heavenly Father that Jasper would be kept safe.

We called the police and informed them of the situation.

When we anxiously arrived, more than 40 minutes later, we found two police vehicles in the car park, lights flashing. Inside one of them was Jasper, playing with the buttons.

I will never forget the joy we felt in being reunited with him.

Many of the Savior's parabolic teachings focus on gathering, restoring, or striving to find that which has been scattered or lost.

Among these are the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.

As this incident with Jasper has played in my mind over the years, I have reflected on the divine identity and importance of God's children,

the redemptive power of Jesus Christ, and the perfect love of a Father in Heaven who knows you and me.

I hope to bear witness of these truths today. Firstly, Children of God.

Life is challenging. Many people feel overwhelmed, alone, isolated, or exhausted. When things are difficult, we may feel that we have wandered or fallen behind.

Knowing that we are all children of God and members of His eternal family will restore a sense of belonging and purpose. President Ballard shared:

“There is one important identity we all share now and forever. ...

That is that you are and have always been a son or daughter of God. ...

Understanding this truth— really understanding it and embracing it—is life-changing.”

Do not misunderstand or devalue how important you are to your Father in Heaven. You are not an accidental byproduct of nature, a cosmic orphan,

or the result of matter plus time plus chance.

Where there is design, there is a designer.

Your life has meaning and purpose.

The ongoing Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ brings light and understanding regarding your divine identity.

You are a beloved child of Heavenly Father.

You are the subject matter of all these parables and teachings.

God loves you so much that He sent His Son to heal, rescue, and redeem you.

Jesus Christ recognized the divine nature and eternal worth of each person.

He explained how the two great commandments to love God and love our neighbor are the foundation of all of God's commandments.

One of our divine responsibilities is to care for those in need.

This is why, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we “bear one another’s burdens,

... mourn with those that mourn, ... and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”

Religion is not only about our relationship with God;

it is also about our relationship with each other.

Elder Holland explained that the English word “religion” comes from the Latin “religare” meaning “to tie” or more literally, “to retie.”

Thus, “true religion is the tie that binds us to God and to each other.”

How we treat one another truly matters.

President Nelson teaches, “The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire.”

This is even more important when our fellow travelers feel lost, alone, forgotten, or removed. We do not have to look far to find people who are struggling. We can start by helping someone in our own family, congregation, or local community.

We can also seek to relieve the suffering of the 700 million people living in extreme poverty,

or the 100 million people who are forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, and identity-based violence.

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of caring for those in need—

the hungry, the stranger, the sick, the poor, the imprisoned.

His work is our work. Elder Gong teaches that “our journey to God is often found together.” As such,

our ward should be a refuge for all of God's children.

Are we passively attending church or actively creating communities whose purpose is to worship, remember Christ, and minister to one another?

We can heed President Nelson's counsel to judge less, love more,

and extend the pure love of Jesus Christ through our words and actions. Two. The redemptive power of Jesus Christ.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the supreme expression of our Heavenly Father's love for His children.

The word “atonement” describes the setting “at one” of those who have been estranged or separated.

Our Savior's mission was to provide both a way to return to Heavenly Father and relief in the journey.

The Savior knows through His experience how to support us through life's challenges.

Make no mistake, Christ is our Rescuer and the Healer of our souls.

As we exercise faith, He helps us press forward through hardships.

He continues to extend His loving and merciful invitation:

“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; ... and ye shall find rest unto your

souls.” The metaphor of the yoke is powerful. As President Howard W. Hunter explained, “The yoke was a device that allowed the ‘strength’ of a second animal to be linked and coupled with the effort of a single animal, sharing and reducing the heavy labor of the task in hand.

A burden that was overwhelming or perhaps impossible for one to bear could be equitably and comfortably borne by two

bound together with a common yoke.”

Present Nelson taught: “You come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that you’re not pulling life’s load alone. You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world.”

How do we yoke or bind ourselves to the Savior?

Elder Bednar explains: “Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ.

In essence, the Savior is beckoning us to rely upon and pull together with Him. ... We are not and never need be alone.”

To any one burdened, lost, confused, you do not have to do this alone.

Through the Atonement of Christ and His ordinances, you can be yoked or bound to Him.

He will lovingly provide the strength and healing you need to face the journey ahead. He is the refuge from our storms still.

Third. Heavenly Father’s love.

For the record, Jasper is witty, affectionate, intelligent, and rambunctious. But the key to the story is

he is mine.

He is my son. And I love him more than he will ever know.

If an imperfect, earthly father feels this way about his child,

can you imagine how a perfect, glorified, loving Heavenly Father feels about you?

To my dear friends of the rising generation, Gen Z and Gen Alpha:

please know faith requires work.

We live in a time when, for many, only seeing is believing.

Faith can be challenging and requires choices.

But prayers are answered and answers can be felt.

Some of the most real things in life are not seen.

They are felt, known, and experienced. They, too, are real.

Jesus Christ wants you to know and have a relationship with your Father in Heaven.

He taught: “What man among you, having a son, and he shall be standing out, and shall say, Father,

open thy house that I may come in and sup with thee, will not say,

Come in, my son; for mine is thine, and thine is mine.”

Can you think of a more personal, loving image of God, the Eternal Father?

You are His child. If you are feeling lost, if you have questions or lack wisdom, if you are struggling with your circumstances, or wrestling with spiritual dissonance, turn to Him.

Pray to Him for comfort, love, answers, and direction. Whatever the need and wherever you are, pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father.

For some, you may want to follow President Nelson's invitation and “ask if He is really there—

If He knows you. Ask Him how He feels about you and then listen.”

Dear brothers and sisters: Know your Father in Heaven. He is perfect and loving. Know who Jesus Christ is.

He is our Savior and Redeemer.

Bind yourself and those you love to Him and know who you are.

Know your true divine identity. God's plan of happiness is all about you.

You are His precious child and of great worth.

He knows and loves you. Of these simple but foundational truths I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We are grateful for all who have spoken to us this afternoon and for the beautiful music that has been provided.

We remind you of the Saturday evening general session,

which will be broadcast from the Conference Center this evening at 6 p.m. mountain daylight time.

The nationwide broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word will air tomorrow morning from 9:30 to 10 a.m. mountain daylight time. The Sunday morning session of conference will immediately follow. Our concluding speaker for this session will be Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Following his remarks, the choir will sing “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.”

The benediction will then be offered by Sister Andrea M. Spannaus,

who serves as Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency.

My dear brothers and sisters,

my thoughts today are on the gathering of Israel,

what President Russell M. Nelson calls “the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude,

nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.”

The gathering is the ultimate recognition that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”

It is as simple as that. We are gathering God's children in these last days that they might have “blessings poured out upon their heads” and the promises of “the riches of eternity.”

It follows that to gather Israel,

we need missionaries—many more than are serving.

Today I am speaking to the many seasoned seniors in the Church who could serve as missionaries. The Lord needs you.

We need you in New York and Chicago, Australia and Africa, Thailand and Mexico, and everywhere in between.

Let me take you back to the year 2015.

I was a newly called member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

One of the wonderful responsibilities we carry as apostles is to assign missionaries to their fields of labor.

I had participated as a Seventy in the process, but now as an Apostle, I felt the full weight of the assignment.

I began with prayerfully placing a great number of young elders and sisters, one by one, in missions around the world.

Then I turned to the senior couples. There were ten on the list.

Not very many. Surprised, I asked my associate from the missionary department, “How many do we need this week to fill the requests?” He responded, “300.”

That sobering moment has stayed with me. Ten couples to fill 300 requests.

President Nelson has encouraged couples to “get on their knees and ask Heavenly Father if the time is right for them to serve a mission.”

Of all the qualifications, he said,

“a desire to serve may be the most important.”

As the scripture says, “If ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work.” That work is all about the law of the harvest. We

read in John, “both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”

I have seen the law of the harvest fulfilled in my own family.

Some years ago I was visiting family when the bishop asked me to conclude the sacrament service. As I was coming down from the stand, a woman approached me with her seven children and introduced herself as Sister Rebecca Guzman. She asked “Elder Rasband, Do you know Rulon and Verda Rasband?” I beamed and replied, “They are my parents.”

You can see where this is going.

With Rebecca’s permission, who is here with family in the Conference Center,

I share her family's story.

My parents, Elder Rulon and Sister Verda Rasband were serving as a senior couple in the Fort Lauderdale Florida Mission.

They were proselyting and by divine guidance, knocked on the door of Rebecca's home.

She was just a teenager, and she loved listening to the music of the Osmonds, in particular,

our friend Donny, who is here with us today.

She had listened to their media interviews and learned they were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She felt there was something different about them and thinking it might be their religion,

Rebecca spent two years researching the Church’s beliefs in the school library. So when a kindly looking couple knocked on her family's door and introduced themselves as Latter-day Saint missionaries, she was taken aback.

“My mother told me to get rid of them,” Rebecca later wrote.

“But my heart said no. I looked into their faces and I felt so much warmth

and love. The memory still brings tears to my eyes and deep emotion to my heart.”

Rebecca invited them in and my missionary parents shared a message with her, her two younger sisters, and, despite her objections, her mother. Rebecca described to me: “Both your parents were wonderful in explaining any questions we had.

I can still see their faces, as if there was light surrounding them.

We always hugged your mother when she left,

and she always made a point of helping my mother feel comfortable and respected. Your father always had a sparkle in his eyes as he was teaching us about Jesus Christ.

He tried to include my father in discussions and eventually won him over.

My father was a chef at a local country club and started cooking dinners for your parents, including making your father’s favorite—Key Lime Pie.”

When Elder and Sister Rasband asked Rebecca and her family to read the Book of Mormon, Rebecca did so in five days.

She wanted to be baptized immediately,

but the other members of her family were not ready.

After four months, Rebecca insisted she be baptized and join the true Church.

She recalled, “Every fiber of my soul knew it was true.

On April 5, 1979, missionaries baptized 19-year-old Rebecca,

her mother, and two sisters. My father was a witness at the baptism.

When I met Rebecca and her family at church, we took a photograph of her family with me.

I took it home to my elderly mother, and she held it close to her heart.

Then she said to me. “Ronnie,

this is one of the happiest days of my life.”

My mother’s response begs the question for our seniors:

What are you doing at this stage of your life?

There are so many ways senior missionaries can do what no one else can. You are a remarkable force for good, seasoned in the Church and poised to encourage and rescue God’s children.

Some of you might be thinking,

“But what about leaving the grandchildren?

We would miss family milestones, birthdays, friends, and even our pets.”

If I had asked my mother why she and dad went on a mission,

I know she would have said this: “I have grandchildren.

I want them to know that your father and I served in the mission field.

We wanted to set an example for our posterity, and we were blessed, so blessed.” As I have visited missions around the world, I have seen the remarkable service of our legion of senior missionaries.

It is clear they are happy doing the will of the Lord and being about the Lord’s business. For some— and we hope thousands of you—full-time missionary service in another corner of the world will be just the right place. For others, serving a Church service mission at home might be preferable.

Because of health issues or other circumstances,

there are those who are unable to serve.

We understand those situations, and it would be my hope you might find ways to support those who are serving.

Follow the Prophet's counsel and pray to know what the Lord would have you do.

Mission fields around the world are pleading for your help.

President Nelson has said of our senior missionaries, “They are young in spirit, wise and willing to work.”

Out in the field, you have a smorgasbord of opportunities:

you may serve in mission offices or temples, strengthen young missionaries, bolster small branches, work in family history centers or at historic sites, teach institute, provide humanitarian service, work with young adults, help in employment centers, or on Church farms.

The particulars of ways to serve, what best suits you, where you are needed, and how you can get ready to go are addressed on the website “Senior Missionary.”

You can also talk with your bishop or branch president.

I have called many couples to serve and watched as the light of Christ has filled their countenances.

At their return, they have described growing closer to the Lord and closer to one another,

feeling the Spirit of the Lord pour down upon them and knowing they are making a difference. Who would not want that?

A mission might be the greatest chapter in a couple's life.

A good title might be “My Lord Will Have Need of Me.”

You may be on unfamiliar ground. However, the power of the Spirit will make you feel right at home.

My parents and tens of thousands of returned missionary couples have borne testimony of the joy they found in missionary work.

The Lord has said in latter-day scripture: “And if it so be that ye labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”

Isaiah gave us a poetic description of what it means to serve in the mission “field.” Scripture tells us, “the field is the world.”

The great ancient prophet wrote: “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

The mountains, hills, fields, and trees can be likened to mission presidents, bishops, district leaders, members, and those who seek the truth but they “know not where to find it” will testify that the senior missionaries change the very landscape with their testimony of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you to serve as a missionary in the gathering of Israel and perhaps even serve again. We need you—we need you.

We are grateful to you seniors, for the lives you have led and the examples you have been in your homes, wards, and stakes.

I now invite you to take your know-how coupled with your time-honored testimonies and go on a mission.

I pray that the next time I sit down to assign senior couples, there will be hundreds of you waiting anxiously for your call.

I also promise that as you serve, you will feel the love of the Lord in your life. You will know Him,

He will know you, and “how great shall be your joy.”

Your dedicated service to Jesus Christ will inspire and bless your family, your grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Peace and love will be multiplied in their lives for years to come.

I promise. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”

♪ ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! ♪

♪ O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation! ♪

♪ Join the great throng, psaltery, organ, and song, ♪

♪ Sounding in glad adoration! ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord! Over all things He gloriously reigneth, ♪

♪ Borne as on eagle wings, safely His saints He. ♪

♪ Hast thou not seen how all thou needest hath been ♪

♪ granted in what He ordaineth? ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord! Who doth prosper thy way and defend thee. ♪

♪ Surely His goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee. ♪

♪ Ponder a new what the Almighty can do, ♪

♪ Who with His love doth befriend thee. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all ♪ ♪ that is in me adore Him! ♪

♪ All that hath breath, join with Abraham’s ♪ ♪ seed to adore Him! ♪

♪ Let the “amen” ♪ ♪ sum all our praises again, ♪

♪ Now as we worship before Him. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Now as we worship before ♪ ♪ Him! ♪

Dear Heavenly Father. We are so grateful for the opportunity to gather together

in love and in unity with our friends throughout the world,

to listen and be guided by thy prophets and thy servants.

We thank Thee, Father, for Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Redeemer,

who makes everything possible in our lives.

Please, Father, bless us now with eyes to see what we need to do to transform our hearts and to serve Thee better.

We love Thee, dear Father, and we look forward to being with Thee one day.

We ask Thee for the health and strength of our dear prophet

and Elder Holland. And this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This has been a broadcast of the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Speakers were selected from leaders of the Church.

Music for this session was provided by a multicultural choir comprised of members residing in northern Utah.

This broadcast has been furnished as a public service by Bonneville Distribution.

Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this program without written consent

is prohibited.