They Spoke to Us

Report from the 167th Semiannual General Conference October 4–5, 1997

President Gordon B. Hinckley: Let us love the Lord, yes, with all our strength and power. And let us also love our neighbors. … Let us be friendly. Let us be helpful. Let us live the Golden Rule. Let us be neighbors of whom it might be said, “He or she was the best neighbor I ever had.”

President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency: As the Savior declared to us, “I will call you friends, for you are my friends.” … A friend is more concerned about helping people than getting credit. A friend cares. A friend loves. A friend listens. And a friend reaches out.

President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: We belong to the greatest cause on earth. We are the pioneers of the future. Let us go forth like the armies of Helaman and build the kingdom of God.

Elder Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Our baptism is a call to lifelong service to Christ. Like those at the waters of Mormon, we are “baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him … that [we] will serve him and keep his commandments.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Being valiant in our testimony of Jesus … includes being valiant in our efforts to live more as He lived.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: It may not always be easy … to stand for truth and right, but it is always the right thing to do. Always.

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: [Jesus] taught a law of love, a law of forgiveness of one another. He taught that we should do unto others as we would want others to do unto us. He taught that we should love the Lord with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Our fundamental requirement is to have faith in [Christ] and follow Him—always. When He bids us to walk in His way and by His light, it is because He has walked this way before us, and He has made it safe for our own travel here. He knows where the sharp stones and stumbling blocks lie hidden and where thorns and thistles are the most severe. He knows where the path is perilous, and He knows which way to go when the road forks and nightfall comes.

Elder Carl B. Pratt of the Seventy: In building the kingdom of God, every positive act, every friendly greeting, every warm smile, every thoughtful, kind note contributes to the strength of the whole.

Elder Richard B. Wirthlin of the Seventy: We can experience wisdom, peace of mind, self-worth, and joy not only in the life to follow but in the life each of us lives today by walking in the Savior’s footsteps.

Photos by Tamra Hamblin