Answers to My Questions

Can I be worthy of the priesthood if I have sinned?

“And because of the eternal and unfathomable Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the priesthood of God can be available even if you have stumbled or have been unworthy in the past. Through the spiritually refining and cleansing process of repentance, you can ‘arise and shine forth’ (D&C 115:5)! Because of the boundless, forgiving love of our Savior and Redeemer, you can lift up your eyes, become clean and worthy, and develop into righteous and noble sons of God—worthy bearers of the most sacred priesthood of Almighty God.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency

How does the Church feel about abortion?

“From the perspective of the plan of salvation, one of the most serious abuses of children is to deny them birth. This is a worldwide trend. The national birthrate in the United States is the lowest in 25 years,¹ and the birthrates in most European and Asian countries have been below replacement levels for many years. This is not just a religious issue. As rising generations diminish in numbers, cultures and even nations are hollowed out and eventually disappear.

“One cause of the diminishing birthrate is the practice of abortion. Worldwide, there are estimated to be more than 40 million abortions per year.² Many laws permit or even promote abortion, but to us this is a great evil.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Notes

1. See Haya El Nasser, “National Birthrate Lowest in 25 Years,” USA Today, July 26, 2012, A1.

2. See Gilda Sedgh and others, “Induced Abortion: Incidence and Trends Worldwide from 1995 to 2008,” The Lancet, vol. 379, no. 9816 (Feb. 18, 2012), 625–32.

What does it mean to follow Christ every day?

“This is the call of Christ to every Christian today: ‘Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep’ [see John 21:15–17]—share my gospel with young and old, lifting, blessing, comforting, encouraging, and building them, especially those who think and believe differently than we do. We feed His lambs in our homes by how we live the gospel: keeping the commandments, praying, studying the scriptures, and emulating His love. We feed His sheep in the Church as we serve in priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations. And we feed His sheep throughout the world by being good Christian neighbors, practicing the pure religion of visiting and serving the widows, the fatherless, the poor, and all who are in need.”

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

What do I do if my testimony is fading?

“Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment. When our commitment is diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment and repentance are closely intertwined.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“At different times in our lives, whether we are new converts to the Church or lifelong members, we may find that this vibrant enthusiasm has faded. Sometimes this happens when times are challenging and we must practice patience. Sometimes it happens at the peak of our prosperity and abundance. Whenever I have this feeling, I know I need to refocus my efforts on increasing my gospel knowledge and living gospel principles more fully in my life.

“One of the most effective but sometimes difficult gospel principles to apply is humility and submission to the will of God. In Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, He expressed to the Father, ‘Not my will, but thine, be done’ (Luke 22:42). This should be our prayer as well. Oftentimes, it is in these quiet, prayerful moments that we feel encircled in Heavenly Father’s love and those joyful, loving feelings are restored.”

Sister Ann M. Dibb, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency

Why should I stay active in the Church if I’m not sure it’s true?

“How do you remain ‘steadfast and immovable’ (Alma 1:25) during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.

“When faced with a trial of faith—whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church! Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Why is life so hard?

“Becoming as the Savior is not an easy task, especially in the world in which we live. We face obstacles and adversity virtually every day of our lives. There is a reason for this, and it is one of the primary purposes of mortality. As we read in Abraham 3:25, ‘And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.’ ”

Elder Daniel L. Johnson of the Seventy

What’s so bad about sinning if we can repent?

“Sin diminishes the presence of the Spirit in our lives, and without the Holy Ghost, we will lack the spiritual stamina to hold onto and exercise faith. It is best to exercise our faith to ‘touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing’ (Moroni 10:30) and to ‘be diligent in keeping all [the] commandments, lest … your faith fail you, and your enemies triumph over you’ (D&C 136:42).”

Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy

How does the Holy Ghost help us learn?

“The Holy Ghost is a teacher and a revelator (see Luke 12:12). As we study, ponder, and pray about gospel truths, the Holy Ghost enlightens our minds and quickens our understanding (see D&C 11:13). He causes the truth to be indelibly written in our souls and can cause a mighty change to occur in our hearts. As we share these truths with our families, with fellow members of the Church, and with friends and neighbors in our community, the Holy Ghost becomes their teacher as well, for He carries the message of the gospel ‘unto the hearts of the children of men’ (2 Nephi 33:1).”

Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy

Why does the Church spend so much money to make each temple so exquisite?

“These sacred buildings are built for our use, and within their walls sacred and saving ordinances are performed. But there should be no doubt as to whose house it really is. By requiring exacting standards of construction down to the smallest of details, we not only show our love and respect for the Lord Jesus Christ, but we also hold out to all observers that we honor and worship Him whose house it is.”

Elder Scott D. Whiting of the Seventy

“It was a wonderful general conference. Answers were given even to the hardest questions I had in my heart. It’s always good to know that we are not alone in the world, that we can feel hope in our moments of pain, especially considering that I’m the only member of the Church in my family. This has been a hard year, but with our leaders’ advice, we can find the right path easier.”

Javiera M., 17, Chile

“Each of the speakers is so different in the way that they speak. But I know that each message shared was from Heavenly Father.”

Madison N., 15, Washington, USA