I Love You

By President Russell M. Nelson

Adapted from “Restoration Conversations with President Russell M. Nelson,” video collection, Gospel Media library.

President Nelson met with some Primary children in a log house in Palmyra, New York, USA. It looks like the house where Joseph Smith lived when he had the First Vision. Here are some of the things President Nelson shared with the children.

All Children of God

It doesn’t matter where you were born or what flag you wave or what language you speak. We are all Heavenly Father’s children, and we’ll grow up to be like Him.

Effort and Rewards

Being a prophet takes a lot of work and a lot of study. Everything to do with becoming more like the Savior takes effort. When God wanted to give the Ten Commandments to Moses, where did He tell Moses to go? Up on top of Mount Sinai. So Moses had to walk all the way to the top of that mountain to get the Ten Commandments. The Lord loves effort because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.

The Prophet’s Family

We are parents of ten children, nine beautiful daughters and one son. Two of them live in heaven now. They had a short time on earth, and they cheer for us in heaven. We’re united in temple marriage, which means that we’ll be together forever after we’ve all had our little turn on earth.

A Recipe for Happiness

The scriptures are like a cookbook. If you don’t have a cookbook, and you just start mixing flour and milk and eggs, you may not have a good cake. God has given us a recipe for happiness, and it’s called the commandments.

The word commandment sounds like it’s an order, like we’re being told what to do. But it’s really a shortcut to learning. For example, He’s commanded us not to drink alcohol or to smoke tobacco and other harmful substances. Why? So that you’ll live longer and be happier. Do you think I’d live to be 95 years old if I’d been smoking and drinking? No. And I’m happy. And I can ski with my grandchildren.

Something Wonderful

Repentance means that every day, we try a little harder and do a little more to become like the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m still repenting. Every day I’m trying to learn more and be more like the Lord would have me be. And that’s not a punishment. That’s a joyous opportunity. Every day, I bounce out of the bed in the morning and say, “Oh, something wonderful is going to happen today! I’m going to be more like Jesus.”