Doctrinal Highlight
Sacred Time and Space
Image
Elder David A. Bednar
“The Sabbath day and the temple, respectively, are a sacred time and a sacred space specifically set apart for worshipping God and for receiving and remembering His exceeding great and precious promises to His children. As instituted by God, the principle purposes of these two divine sources of help are exactly the same: to powerfully and repeatedly focus our attention upon our Heavenly Father, His Only Begotten Son, the Holy Ghost, and the promises associated with the ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel.
“Importantly, a home should be the ultimate combination of time and space wherein individuals and families remember most effectively God’s great and precious promises.”
“The Spirit will confirm to each of us individually our divine worth. …
“Let me point out the need to differentiate between two critical words: worth and worthiness . They are not the same. Spiritual worth means to value ourselves the way Heavenly Father values us, not as the world values us. Our worth was determined before we ever came to this earth. …
“On the other hand, worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. … No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. …
“… If the love we feel for the Savior and what He did for us is greater than the energy we give to weaknesses, self-doubts, or bad habits, then He will help us overcome the things which cause suffering in our lives. He saves us from ourselves.”
Prophetic Promise
Remember Who You Are
“Remember that you are of the royal house of the kingdom of God, [sons and] daughters of Heavenly Parents, who reign throughout the universe.
“You have the spiritual DNA of God. You have unique gifts that originated in your spiritual creation and that were developed during the vast span of your premortal life. You are the child of our merciful and everlasting Father in Heaven, the Lord of Hosts, the One who created the universe, spread the spinning stars across the vast expanse of space, and placed the planets in their appointed orbits.
“You are in His hands.
“Very good hands.
“Loving hands.
“Caring hands.
“And nothing anyone ever says about you can change that. Their words are meaningless compared to what God has said about you.
“You are His precious child.
“He loves you.
“Even when you stumble, even when you turn away from Him, God loves you. If you are feeling lost, abandoned, or forgotten—fear not. The Good Shepherd will find you. He will lift you upon His shoulders. And He will carry you home.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, “Three Sisters ,” Ensign, Nov. 2017, 17.
“When you keep [God’s] commandments, He can use you in His work. His work and glory is the exaltation and eternal life of women and men.
“The prophets are calling on us, my sisters. Will you be righteous? Will you articulate your faith? Can you bear being distinct and different? Will your happiness in spite of your trials draw others who are good and noble and who need your friendship? Will you turn on your light? I testify the Lord Jesus Christ will go before us and be in our midst.”
Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, “Turn On Your Light ,” Ensign, Nov. 2017, 9.
Use the November 2017 issue or visit conference.lds.org to read more of what these speakers said.
“Heavenly Father will help us love even those we may think are unlovable, if we ________ for His aid.” —Neill F. Marriott, “Abiding in God and Repairing the Breach .”
“Many of us are on amazing journeys of ________. … Please ask yourself: What is your final destination? … Is your journey leading you to that ‘multiplicity of blessings’ the Savior has promised?” —M. Russell Ballard, “The Trek Continues! ”
“The Book of Mormon is one of God’s priceless gifts to us. It is both sword and shield—it sends the word of God into battle to fight for the hearts of the just and serves as an arch ________ of the truth.” —Tad R. Callister, “God’s Compelling Witness: The Book of Mormon .”