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From the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, this is the Sunday morning session of the 185th Semiannual
General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, with speakers selected from the General
Authorities and general officers of the Church.
Music for this session is provided
by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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 Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency of the Church,
will conduct this session.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "ARISE, O GOD, AND SHINE"]
Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends,
we welcome you to the Sunday morning session
of the 185th Semiannual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Thomas S. Monson, who presides at the conference,
has asked that I conduct this session.
We extend our greetings and warm regards
to those of you who are participating
in these proceedings throughout the world
by radio, television, the Internet, or satellite
transmission.
We acknowledge the General Authorities
and the general officers who are in attendance this morning.
The music for this session will be provided by the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir under the direction of Mack Wilberg,
with Richard Elliott and Andrew Unsworth at the organ.
The choir opened this meeting with "Arise, O God, and Shine"
and will now favor us with "Redeemer of Israel."
The invocation will then be offered by Elder Chi Hong (Sam)
Wong of the Seventy, after which the choir will
sing "If the Savior Stood beside Me."
[MUSIC PLAYING - "REDEEMER OF ISRAEL"]
Our Heavenly Father, we are grateful to have
the opportunity to gather together this conference.
We pray in particular for the three new Apostles whom
Thou hast called and we sustained yesterday.
We also pray that Thou can bless us to soften our hearts,
to continue to be kind to one another,
to make progress and balance our life on this earth
according to Thy will, that we will
have eternal joy with Thee.
And we pray so, humbly, in the name of Thy Son,
our Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "IF THE SAVIOR STOOD BESIDE ME"]
It will now be our privilege to hear from our beloved prophet,
President Thomas S. Monson.
He will be followed by the three new members
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elders Ronald A.
Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, and Dale G. Renlund,
who were sustained yesterday afternoon
and have been invited to share their testimonies with us
today.
President Monson.
Brothers and sisters, how good it
is to be with you once again.
As you know, since we were together in April,
we have been saddened by the loss of three of our beloved
Apostles--President Boyd K. Packer, Elder L. Tom Perry,
and Elder Richard G. Scott.
They have returned to their heavenly home.
We miss them.
How grateful we are for their examples of Christlike love
and for the inspired teachings they have left to all of us.
We extend a heartfelt welcome to our new Apostles, Elder Ronald
A. Rasband, Elder Gary E. Stevenson, and Elder Dale G.
Renlund.
These are men dedicated to the work of the Lord.
They are well qualified to fill the important positions
to which they have been called.
Recently, as I have been reading and pondering the scriptures,
two passages in particular have stayed with me.
Both are familiar to us.
The first is from the Sermon on the Mount:
"Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
The second scripture is one which came to my mind
as I pondered the meaning of the first.
It is from the Apostle Paul's epistle to Timothy:
"Be thou an example of the believers,
in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith,
in purity."
I believe the second scripture explains, in great part,
how we can accomplish the first.
We become examples of the believers
by living the gospel of Jesus Christ
in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith,
and in purity.
As we do so, our lights will shine for others to see.
Each of us came to earth having been given the Light of Christ.
As we follow the example of the Savior and live as He lived
and as He taught, that light will burn within us
and will light the way of others.
The Apostle Paul lists six attributes that
will allow our lights to shine.
Let us look at each one.
I mention the first two attributes together--being
an example in word and in conversation.
The words we use can lift and inspire,
or they can harm and demean.
In the world today there is a profusion of profanity
with which we seem to be surrounded
at nearly every turn.
It is difficult to avoid hearing the names of Deity being used
casually and thoughtlessly.
Coarse comments seem to have become a staple of television,
movies, books, and music.
Bandied about are slanderous remarks and angry rhetoric.
Let us speak to others with love and respect,
ever keeping our language clean and avoiding words or comments
that would wound or offend.
May we follow the example of the Savior,
who spoke with tolerance and kindness
throughout His ministry.
The next attribute mentioned by Paul
is charity, which has been defined
as "the pure love of Christ."
I am confident there are within our sphere of influence
those who are lonely, those who are ill,
and those who feel discouraged.
Ours is the opportunity to help them and to lift their spirits.
The Savior brought hope to the hopeless and strength
to the weak.
He healed the sick; He caused the lame to walk,
the blind to see, the deaf to hear.
He even raised the dead to life.
Throughout His ministry He reached out in charity
to any in need.
As we emulate His example, we will
bless lives, including our own.
Next, we are to be an example in spirit.
To me that means we strive to have
in our lives kindness, gratitude, forgiveness,
and goodwill.
These qualities will provide for us
a spirit which will touch the lives of those around us.
It has been my opportunity through the years to associate
with countless individuals who possess such a spirit.
We experience a special feeling when
we are with them, a feeling that makes
us want to associate with them and to follow their example.
They radiate the Light of Christ and help
us feel His love for us.
To illustrate that the light which
comes from a pure and loving spirit is recognized by others,
I share with you an experience of many years ago.
At that time, leaders of the Church
met with officials in Jerusalem to work out
a lease agreement for land on which the Church's Jerusalem
Center would be built. In order to obtain
the permissions needed, the Church
had to agree that no proselyting would
be undertaken by our members who would occupy the Center.
After that agreement had been made,
one of the Israeli officials, who was well acquainted
with the Church and its members, remarked
that he knew the Church would honor
the no-proselyting agreement.
"But," he said, referring to the students who
would attend there, "what are we going to do
about the light in their eyes?"
May that special light ever shine within us,
that it might be recognized and appreciated by others.
To be an example of faith means that we trust in the Lord
and in His word.
It means that we possess and that we
nourish the beliefs that will guide
our thoughts and our actions.
Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
and in our Heavenly Father will influence all that we do.
Amidst the confusion of our age, the conflicts of conscience,
and the turmoil of daily living, an abiding faith
becomes an anchor to our lives.
Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind
at the same time, for one will dispel the other.
I reiterate what we have been told repeatedly--that in order
to gain and to keep the faith we need,
it is essential that we read and study and ponder
the scriptures.
Communication with our Heavenly Father through prayer is vital.
We cannot afford to neglect these things,
for the adversary and his hosts are relentlessly seeking
for a chink in our armor, a lapse in our faithfulness.
Said the Lord, "Search diligently,
pray always, and be believing, and all things shall
work together for your good."
Finally, we are to be pure, which
means that we are clean in body, mind, and spirit.
We know that our body is a temple,
to be treated with reverence and respect.
Our minds should be filled with uplifting and ennobling
thoughts and kept free from those things which
will pollute.
In order to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion,
we must be worthy.
Brothers and sisters, purity will bring us peace of mind
and will qualify us to receive the Savior's promises.
Said He, "Blessed are the pure in heart:
for they shall see God."
As we prove to be examples in word,
in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith,
and in purity, we will qualify to be lights to the world.
May I say to all of you, and particularly to you
young people, that the world moves further and further away
from the principles and guidelines given to us
by a loving Heavenly Father.
We will stand out from the crowd because we are different.
We will stand out because we dress modestly.
We will be different because we do not use profanity,
because we do not partake of substances which
are harmful to our bodies.
We will be different because we avoid off-color humor
and degrading remarks.
We will be different as we decide
not to fill our minds with media choices that
are base and demeaning and that will remove the Spirit
from our homes and our lives.
We will certainly stand out as we make choices regarding
morality--choices which adhere to gospel principles
and standards.
These things, which make us different from most
of the world, also provide us with that light
and that spirit which will shine in an increasingly dark world.
It is often difficult to be different
and to stand alone in a crowd.
It is natural to fear what others might think or say.
Comforting are the words of the Psalm:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?"
As we make Christ the center of our lives,
our fears will be replaced by the courage of our convictions.
Life is perfect for none of us, and at times the challenges
and difficulties we face may become overwhelming,
causing our light to dim.
However, with help from our Heavenly Father,
coupled with support from others,
we can regain that light which will
illuminate our own path once again
and provide the light others may need.
To illustrate, I share with you the touching words
of a favorite poem I first read many years ago:
"I met a stranger in the night
Whose lamp had ceased to shine.
I paused and let him light
His lamp from mine.
A tempest sprang up later on
And shook the world about.
And when the wind was gone
My lamp was out!
But back to me the stranger came--
His lamp was glowing fine!
He held the precious flame
And lighted mine!"
My brothers and sisters, our opportunities to shine
surround us each day, in whatever
circumstance we find ourselves.
As we follow the Savior, ours will be the opportunity
to be a light in the lives of others,
whether they be our own family members
and friends, our coworkers, mere acquaintances,
or total strangers.
To each of you I say that you are a son or daughter
of our Heavenly Father.
You have come from His presence to live
on this earth for a season, to reflect the Savior's love
and teachings, and to bravely let your light shine for all
to see.
When that season on earth has ended,
if you have done your part, yours
will be the glorious blessing of returning
to live with Him forever.
How reassuring are the Savior's words:
"I am the light of the world: he that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life."
Of Him I testify.
He is our Savior and Redeemer, our associate with the Father.
He is our Exemplar and our strength.
He is "the light which shineth in darkness."
That each of us within the sound of my voice
may pledge to follow Him, thus becoming a shining
light to the world, is my prayer in His holy name, even
Jesus Christ the Lord, amen.
President Monson, thank you.
We love you.
My dear brothers and sisters throughout the world,
I'm very grateful to the First Presidency
for inviting me to share my testimony this Sabbath day.
The words of a favorite Latter-day Saint hymn
describe my current feelings:
"I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. ...
I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
...
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me."
A few days ago I had the great privilege
to meet with the First Presidency
and receive this call from our dear prophet, President Thomas
S. Monson.
I want to witness to all of you of the strength and love
President Monson has as he said to me,
"This call comes from the Lord Jesus Christ."
I am overwhelmed and shaken to my very core
to consider the import and significance of those words
so tenderly spoken by our loving prophet.
President Monson, President Eyring, President Uchtdorf,
I love you and will serve the Lord and you
with all of my heart, might, mind, and strength.
Oh, how I have loved President Boyd K. Packer, Elders L. Tom
Perry, and Richard G. Scott.
I dearly miss them.
I am blessed to have been trained and taught
at the feet of these dear Brethren.
Not in the smallest part am I able to walk in their shoes,
yet I am honored to stand tall on their shoulders
and carry on in the Lord's ministry.
When I think of those who have helped make me who I am,
I think first of my sweet and selfless companion, Melanie.
Through the years, she has helped
mold me like potter's clay into a more polished disciple
of Jesus Christ.
Her love and support, and that of our 5
children, their spouses, and our 24 grandchildren, sustains me.
To my dear family, I love you.
Like Nephi of old, I was born of goodly parents in the gospel
and they of goodly parents back six generations.
My earliest ancestors who joined the Church
were from England and Denmark.
These early pioneers gave their all
to the gospel of Jesus Christ and leave a legacy
for their posterity to follow.
I am so grateful for a multigenerational family,
and I know this is a worthy goal for all of us to strive for.
Many others have contributed to preparing
my life for this new call.
They include my childhood friends and family,
early leaders, teachers, and lifelong mentors.
I must include those from my early mission
to the eastern States and our beloved missionaries
from the New York New York North mission.
For the many who have influenced and shaped my life,
I am most grateful.
I have cherished serving with my Brethren of the Seventy.
For 15 years I have been in one of the greatest quorums
and loving brotherhoods of the Church.
Thank you, my dear fellow servants.
Now I look forward to belonging to a new quorum.
President Russell M. Nelson, my love
is deep for you and each member of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
Sister Rasband and I have been blessed
to visit members on many assignments in congregations
and missions around the world.
We love the Latter-day Saints everywhere!
Your faith has increased our faith;
your testimonies have added to our testimony.
Now, if I could leave one small message with you today,
it would be this: the Lord has said,
"Love one another; as I have loved you."
I'm confident that there is no choice, sin, or mistake
that you or anyone else can make that will change
His love for you or for them.
That does not mean He excuses or condones sinful
conduct--I'm sure He does not--but it does mean we are
to reach out to our fellowman in love to invite, persuade,
serve, and to rescue.
Jesus Christ looked past people's ethnicity, rank,
and circumstances in order to teach them this profound truth.
I have been asked many times when
did I receive my testimony.
I can't remember not believing in Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ.
I have loved Them since I learned of Them
at the knees of my angel mother, reading scripture and gospel
stories.
That early belief has now grown into a knowledge and a witness
of a loving Heavenly Father, who hears and answers our prayers.
My testimony of Jesus Christ has been
built from many special experiences
where I have come to know His great love for each one of us.
I'm grateful for our Savior's Atonement
and wish like Alma to shout it with the trump of an angel.
I know that Joseph Smith is God's prophet
of the Restoration and that the Book of Mormon
is the word of God.
And I know that President Thomas S. Monson is God's true servant
and prophet on the earth today.
As we follow our prophet, I pray that we
may have charity in our hearts toward others
and that we will become a living witness
and indeed "stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers [us]."
Oh, may it be "wonderful, wonderful to [you and to] me."
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Dear brothers and sisters, it has been many decades
since a general conference has been convened
that either President Boyd K. Packer, Elders L. Tom
Perry, or Richard G. Scott were not seated immediately
behind the podium and speaking at one of these sessions.
Our memories of them are poignant,
and I add my tribute to honor them,
each so uniquely different yet so harmonized
in their witness of the testimony of Jesus
Christ and His Atonement.
Furthermore, I, like you, find strength in
and sustain President Thomas S. Monson as prophet, seer,
and revelator, and I marvel at his faithful and dutiful
apostolic service spanning over 50 remarkable years.
And so it was on Tuesday morning of this week,
just after 9:00 a.m., as the Bishopric
was beginning a meeting with the Asia Area Presidency, who
are here for conference, that I was
called to meet with President Monson
along with his counselors.
Moments later, as I walked into the boardroom
adjacent to his office, I must have looked nervous
sitting across the table, as he kindly spoke to calm my nerves.
He commented, noting my age, that I seemed quite young
and even looked younger than my age.
Then, within a few moments, President Monson
described that, acting on the will of the Lord,
a call to the Quorum of the Twelve
was being extended to me.
He asked me if I would accept this call, to which, following
what I'm sure was a very undignified, audible gasp,
in complete shock, I responded affirmatively.
And then, before I could even verbalize
a tsunami of indescribable emotion, most of which
were feelings of inadequacy, President Monson kindly
reached out to me, describing how
he was called many years ago as an Apostle
by President David O. McKay, at which time
he too felt inadequate.
He calmly instructed me, "Bishop Stevenson, the Lord will
qualify those whom He calls."
These soothing words of a prophet
have been a source of peace, a calm
in a storm of painful self-examination and tender
feelings in the ensuing agonizing hours
which have passed day and night since then.
I rehearsed what I have just described
to you to my sweet companion, Lesa, later that day,
seated in a quiet corner on Temple Square,
with a serene view of the temple and the historic Tabernacle
before us.
As we tried to comprehend and process the events of the day,
we found our anchor to be our faith in Jesus Christ
and our knowledge of the great plan of happiness.
This leads to an expression of my deepest love for Lesa.
She is the sunshine in and of my life
and a remarkable daughter of God.
Hers is a life punctuated by selfless service
and unconditional love of all.
I will strive to remain worthy of the blessing
of our eternal union.
I express my deepest love to our four sons
and their families, three of whom
are here with their beautiful wives,
the mothers of our six grandchildren;
the fourth, a missionary, has special permission
to stay up past missionary curfew
and is viewing these proceedings live with his mission president
and wife from their mission home in Taiwan.
I love each of them and love how they
love the Savior and the gospel.
I express my love to each member of my family,
to my dear mother and my father, who passed away last year, who
instilled in me a testimony which
seems to dwell in me from my earliest memories.
I further extend this gratitude to my brother, sisters,
and their faithful spouses, as well as
Lesa's family, many of whom are actually here today.
I cast this net of gratitude to numerous extended family,
friends, missionaries, leaders, and teachers along the way.
I have been blessed with a close association
with the members of the First Presidency, the Twelve,
the Seventy, and general auxiliary presidencies.
I express my love and esteem to each of you sisters
and brothers and will strive to be worthy of our continued
association.
The Presiding Bishopric enjoys an almost heavenly unity.
I will miss my association each day
with Bishop Causse, Bishop Davies, and the staff.
I stand before you as evidence of the words of the Lord
recorded in the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants:
"That the fulness of [the] gospel might be proclaimed
by the weak and ... simple unto the ends of the [earth],
and before kings and rulers."
These words are preceded by the Lord's declaration
which demonstrates the love of a Father for His children:
"Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which
should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called
upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun.,
and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments."
Our loving Heavenly Father and His Son,
Jehovah, with a knowledge of the end from the beginning,
opened the heavens and a new dispensation
to offset the calamities that They knew would come.
The Apostle Paul described the forthcoming calamities
as "perilous times."
For me, this suggests that Heavenly Father's
generous compensation for living in perilous times
is that we also live in the fulness of times.
As I agonized over my inadequacies this week,
I received a distinct impression which
both chastened and comforted me: to focus not on what I can't do
but rather what I can do.
I can testify of the plain and precious truths of the gospel.
These are the words which I have shared hundreds of times
with both those who belong to the Church
and many who are not members: "God is our [loving] Heavenly
Father.
We are His children.
...
He weeps with us when we suffer and rejoices
when we do what is right.
He wants to communicate with us, and we can communicate with Him
through sincere prayer.
...
Heavenly Father has provided us, His children, with a way to ...
return [and] live in His presence.
Central to ...
Heavenly Father's plan is Jesus Christ's Atonement."
Heavenly Father sent His Son to the earth
to atone for the sins of all mankind.
Of these plain and precious truths I bear my testimony,
and I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
My dear brothers and sisters, thank you
for sustaining me yesterday as a member of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles.
It is hard to express how much that means to me.
I was especially grateful for the sustaining vote
of the two extraordinary women in my life: my wife, Ruth,
and our dear, dear daughter, Ashley.
My call gives ample evidence of the truthfulness of the Lord's
statement early in this dispensation:
"That the fulness of my gospel might be
proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto
the ends of the world."
I am one of those weak and simple.
Decades ago, when I was called to be
the bishop of a ward in the eastern United States,
my brother, slightly older and much wiser than I,
called me on the phone.
He said, "You need to know that the Lord hasn't called you
because of anything you have done.
In your case, it is probably in spite of what you have done.
The Lord has called you for what He needs to do through you,
and that will only happen if you do it His way."
I recognize that this wisdom from an older brother
applies even more today.
Something wonderful happens in a missionary's service
when he or she realizes that the calling is not
about him or her; rather, it is about the Lord, His work,
and Heavenly Father's children.
I feel the same is true for an Apostle.
This calling it is not about me.
It's about the Lord, His work, and Heavenly Father's children.
No matter what the assignment or calling is in the Church,
to serve capably, one must serve knowing that everyone we serve
"is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents,
and, as such, ... has a divine nature and destiny."
In my past profession, I was a cardiologist
specializing in heart failure and transplantation,
with many patients who were critically ill.
My wife jokingly says that it was a bad prognostic sign
to become one of my patients.
All teasing aside, I saw many people die,
and I developed a kind of emotional distance
when things went poorly.
That way, feelings of sadness and disappointment
were tempered.
In 1986, a young man named Chad developed heart failure
and received a heart transplant.
He did very well for a decade and a half.
Chad did all he could to stay healthy and live
as normal a life as possible.
He served a mission, worked, and was a devoted son
to his parents.
The last few years of his life, though, were challenging,
and he was in and out of the hospital frequently.
One evening, he was brought to the hospital's emergency
department in full cardiac arrest.
My associates and I worked for a long time
to restore his circulation.
Finally, it became clear that Chad could not be revived.
We stopped our futile efforts, and I declared him dead.
Although sad and disappointed, I maintained
a professional attitude.
I thought to myself, "Chad has had good care.
He has had many more years of life
than he otherwise would have had."
That emotional distance soon shattered
as his parents came into the emergency room bay
and saw their deceased son lying on a stretcher.
In that moment, I saw Chad through his mother's
and father's eyes.
I saw the great hopes and expectations
they had had for him, the desire they
had that he would live just a little bit longer
and a little bit better.
With this realization, I began to weep.
In an ironic reversal of roles and in an act
of kindness I will never forget, Chad's parents comforted me.
I now realize that in the Church,
to effectively serve others, we must see them
through a parent's eyes, through Heavenly Father's eyes.
Only then can we comprehend the true worth of a soul.
Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father
has for all of His children.
Only then can we sense the Savior's caring concern
for them.
We cannot completely fulfill our covenant obligation to mourn
with those that mourn and comfort those who stand in need
of comfort unless we see them through God's eyes.
This expanded perspective will open our hearts
to the disappointments, fears, and heartaches of others.
But Heavenly Father will aid and comfort us, just
as Chad's parents comforted me years ago.
We need to have eyes that see, ears that hear,
and hearts that know and feel if we
are to accomplish the rescue so frequently encouraged
by President Thomas S. Monson.
Only when we see through Heavenly Father's eyes
can we be filled with "the pure love of Christ."
Every day we should plead with God for this love.
Mormon admonished: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart,
that ye may be filled with this love, which
he hath bestowed upon all who are
true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ."
With all my heart I want to be a true follower of Jesus Christ.
I love Him.
I adore Him.
I witness of His living reality.
I witness that He is the Anointed One, the Messiah.
I am a witness of His incomparable mercy, compassion,
and love.
I add my testimony to that of the Apostles who,
in the year 2000, stated "that Jesus is the Living Christ,
the immortal Son of God. ...
He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world."
I testify that on a day in 1820, in a grove in upstate New York,
the risen Lord appeared, along with God, Our Heavenly Father,
to the Prophet Joseph Smith just as Joseph Smith said They did.
Priesthood keys are on earth today
to enable saving and exalting ordinances.
I know it.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Thank you, President Monson, for your wonderful teachings today.
And thank you, President Monson, for being a prophet of God
and having been guided by the Lord
to call Elder Rasband, Elder Stevenson, and Elder Renlund
as Apostles of the Lord.
Dear Brethren, thank you for sharing your thoughts
and testimonies.
On a signal from the conductor, the congregation
will stand and join the choir in singing verses 1, 2, 3, and 7
of "How Firm a Foundation."
After the singing, we will be pleased to hear
from President Russell M. Nelson, President
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He will be followed by Elders Gregory A.
Schwitzer and Claudio R. M. Costa of the Seventy.
The choir will then sing "There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today."
This is the 185th Semiannual General Conference
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION"]
Dear Elders Rasband, Stevenson, and Renlund, we, your Brethren,
welcome you to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
and we thank God for the revelations
that He gives to His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.
Brothers and sisters, when we met in general conference
six months ago, none of us anticipated the coming changes
that would tug at the heartstrings
of the entire Church.
Elder L. Tom Perry delivered a powerful message
about the irreplaceable role that marriage and family
occupy in the Lord's plan.
We were stunned when just a few days later, we
learned of the cancer that would soon take him from us.
Though President Boyd K. Packer's health
had been declining, he continued to "soldier on"
in the work of the Lord.
He was frail last April, yet he was
determined to declare his witness
as long as he had breath.
Then, just 34 days after Elder Perry's passing,
President Packer also stepped across the veil.
We missed Elder Richard G. Scott at our last general conference,
but we reflected upon the powerful witness of the Savior
he had borne in many previous conferences.
And just 12 days ago, Elder Scott
was called home and reunited with his beloved Jeanene.
I had the privilege of being with all of these Brethren
during their final days, including
joining members of President Packer's and Elder Scott's
immediate families just before their passing.
It has been difficult for me to believe
that these three treasured friends,
these magnificent servants of the Lord, are gone.
I miss them more than I can say.
As I've reflected on this unexpected turn of events,
one of the impressions that has lingered with me
is that which I observed in these surviving wives.
Etched in my mind are the serene images of Sister Donna Smith
Packer and Sister Barbara Dayton Perry
at their husbands' bedsides, both women filled with love,
truth, and pure faith.
As Sister Packer sat next to her husband in his final hours,
she radiated that peace that passes all understanding.
Though she realized that her beloved companion of almost
70 years would soon depart, she showed the tranquility
of a faith-filled woman.
She seemed angelic, just as she was in this photo of them
at the dedication of the Brigham City temple.
I saw that same kind of love and faith
emanating from Sister Perry.
Her devotion to both her husband and the Lord was obvious,
and it moved me deeply.
Through their husbands' final hours and continuing
to the present day, these stalwart women
have shown the strength and courage
that covenant-keeping women always demonstrate.
It would be impossible to measure the influence
that such women have, not only on families but on the Lord's
Church, as wives, mothers, and grandmothers; as sisters
and aunts; as teachers and leaders;
and especially as exemplars and devout defenders of the faith.
This has been true in every gospel dispensation
since the days of Adam and Eve.
Yet the women of this dispensation
are distinct from the women of any other
because this dispensation is distinct from any other.
This distinction brings both privileges
and responsibilities.
Thirty-six years ago, in 1979, President Spencer W. Kimball
made a profound prophecy about the impact
that covenant-keeping women would
have on the future of the Lord's Church.
He prophesied: "Much of the major growth that is coming
to the Church in the last days will come because many
of the good women of the world ...
will be drawn to the Church in large numbers.
This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church
reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives
and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen
as distinct and different--in happy ways--from the women
of the world."
My dear sisters, you who are our vital associates
during this winding-up scene, the day that President
Kimball foresaw is today.
You are the women he foresaw!
Your virtue, light, love, knowledge, courage, character,
faith, and righteous lives will draw good women
of the world, along with their families,
to the Church in unprecedented numbers!
We, your brethren, need your strength, your conversion,
your conviction, your ability to lead,
your wisdom, and your voices.
The kingdom of God is not and cannot be complete without
women who make sacred covenants and then keep them,
women who can speak with the power and authority of God!
President Packer declared:
"We need women who are organized and women who can organize.
We need women with executive ability who
can plan and direct and administer;
women who can teach, women who can speak out.
...
"We need women with the gift of discernment
who can view the trends in the world
and detect those that, however popular,
are shallow or dangerous."
Today, let me add that we need women
who know how to make important things happen by their faith
and who are courageous defenders of morality and families
in a sin-sick world.
We need women who are devoted to shepherding God's children
along the covenant path toward exaltation;
women who know how to receive personal revelation, who
understand the power and peace of the temple endowment;
women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven
to protect and strengthen children
and families; women who teach fearlessly.
Throughout my life, I have been blessed by such women.
My departed wife, Dantzel, was such a woman.
I will always be grateful for the life-changing influence
she had on me in all aspects of my life,
including my pioneering efforts in open-heart surgery.
Fifty-eight years ago I was asked
to operate upon a little girl, gravely
ill from congenital heart disease.
Her older brother had previously died of a similar condition.
Her parents pleaded for help.
I was not optimistic about the outcome
but vowed to do all in my power to save her life.
Despite my best efforts, the child died.
Later, the same parents brought another daughter
to me, then just 16 months old, also born
with a malformed heart.
Again, at their request, I performed an operation.
This child also died.
This third heartbreaking loss in one family literally undid me.
I went home grief stricken.
I threw myself upon our living room floor
and cried all night long.
Dantzel stayed by my side, listening as I repeatedly
declared that I would never perform another heart
operation.
Then, around 5:00 in the morning, Dantzel looked at me
and lovingly asked, "Are you finished crying?"
[LAUGHTER]
"Then get dressed.
Go back to the lab.
Go to work!
You need to learn more.
If you quit now, others will have to painfully learn
what you already know."
Oh, how I needed my wife's vision, grit, and love!
I went back to work and learned more.
If it weren't for Dantzel's inspired prodding,
I would not have pursued open-heart surgery
and would not have been prepared to do
the operation in 1972 that saved the life of President Spencer
W. Kimball.
Sisters, do you realize the breadth and scope
of your influence when you speak those things that
come to your heart and mind as directed by the Spirit?
A superb stake president told me of a stake council
meeting in which they were wrestling
with a difficult challenge.
At one point, he realized that the stake Primary president
had not spoken, so he asked if she had any impressions.
"Well, actually I have," she said, and then proceeded
to share a thought that changed the entire direction
of the meeting.
The stake president continued, "As she spoke,
the Spirit testified to me that she had given voice
to the revelation we had been seeking as a council."
My dear sisters, whatever your calling,
whatever your circumstances, we need your impressions,
your insights, and your inspiration.
We need you to speak up and speak out
in ward and stake councils.
We need each married sister to speak
as a "contributing and full partner"
as you unite with your husband in governing your family.
Married or single, you sisters possess
distinctive capabilities and special intuition
you have received as gifts from God.
We brethren cannot duplicate your unique influence.
We know that the culminating act of all creation
was the creation of woman!
We need your strength!
Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life
are going to increase.
Because of this, we need women who
have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ
and who will use that understanding to teach and help
raise a sin-resistant generation.
We need women who can detect deception in all of its forms.
We need women who know how to access the power that God makes
available to covenant-keepers and who express their beliefs
with confidence and charity.
We need women who have the courage
and vision of our Mother Eve.
My dear sisters, nothing is more crucial to your eternal life
than your own conversion.
It is converted, covenant-keeping women--and I
include my dear wife Wendy--whose righteous lives
will increasingly stand out in a deteriorating world and who
will thus be seen as different and distinct in the happiest
of ways.
So today I plead with my sisters of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to step forward!
Take your rightful and needful place in your home,
in your community, and in the kingdom of God--more than you
ever have before.
I plead with you to fulfill President Kimball's prophecy.
And I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that as you do so,
the Holy Ghost will magnify your influence
in an unprecedented way!
I bear witness of the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ
and of His redeeming, atoning, and sanctifying power.
And as one of His Apostles, I thank you, my dear sisters,
and bless you to rise to your full stature,
to fulfill the measure of your creation,
as we walk arm in arm in this sacred work.
Together we will help prepare the world for the Second
Coming of the Lord.
Of this I testify, as your brother,
in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
This past summer my wife and I had two of our young grandsons
staying with us while their parents participated
in a pioneer trek activity with their stake.
Our daughter wanted to be sure the boys practiced the piano
while away from home.
She knew that a few days with the grandparents' makes it
a little easier to forget about practicing.
One afternoon I decided to sit with my 13-year-old grandson,
Andrew, and listen to him play.
This boy is full of energy and loves the outdoors.
He could easily spend all of his time hunting and fishing.
While practicing the piano, I could
tell he would rather be fishing on a nearby river.
I listened as he pounded out each chord of a familiar song.
Every note he played had the same emphasis and meter,
making it difficult to clearly identify the melody.
I sat beside him on the bench and explained the importance
of applying just a little more pressure
on the melody keys and a little less on those notes
that accompany the melody.
We talked about the piano being more
than just a mechanical miracle.
It can be an extension of his own voice and feelings
and become a wonderful instrument of communication.
Just as a person talks and moves smoothly
from one word to another, so should the melody flow as we
move from one note to another.
We laughed together as he tried again and again.
His dimpled-cheek smile increased
as the familiar melody began to emerge from what was previously
a wild set of sounds.
The message became clear: "I am a child of God,
and he has sent me here."
I asked Andrew if he could feel the difference in the message.
He responded, "Yes, Grandpa, I can feel it!"
The Apostle Paul teaches us about comparing communication
to musical instruments when he wrote to the Corinthians:
"And even things without life giving sound,
whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction [of]
the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
"For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,
who shall prepare himself to the battle?"
If ever there was a time when the world needs disciples
of Christ who can communicate the message of the gospel
with clarity and from the heart, it is now.
We need the clarion call of the trumpet.
Christ was certainly our best example.
He always demonstrated courage to stand up for what was right.
His words echo through the centuries
as he invites us to remember to love God and our fellowman,
to keep all of God's commandments
and live as lights to the world.
He was not afraid to speak against the earthly powers
or rulers of His day, even when such
were opposing His mission given to Him by His Heavenly Father.
His words were not designed to confuse
but to move the hearts of men.
He clearly knew His Father's will in all He said and did.
I also love the example of Peter,
who confronted the men of the world with courage and clarity
on the day of Pentecost.
On that day were assembled many from many countries criticizing
the early Saints because they heard them speak in tongues
and thought they were drunken.
Peter, having the Spirit rise in his soul,
stood up to defend the Church and the members.
He testified with these words: "Ye men of Judea,
and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto
you, and hearken to my words."
He then quoted from the scriptures
containing the prophecies of Christ
and bore this straightforward testimony:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God hath made
that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ."
Many heard his words, felt the Spirit,
and 3,000 souls joined the ranks of the early Church.
This is powerful evidence that one man or woman
who is willing to testify when the world seems
to be going in the opposite direction
can make a difference.
When we as members make the decision
to stand up and powerfully witness
for God's doctrine and His Church,
something changes within us.
We take His countenance upon us.
We become closer to His Spirit.
He in turn will go before us and be on ""[our] right hand
and on [our] left, and [His] Spirit shall be in [our]
hearts, and [His] angels round about [us], to bear [us] up."
True disciples of Christ are not looking
to make excuses for the doctrine when it doesn't fit the world's
current concepts.
Paul was another valiant disciple boldly proclaiming
that he was "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth."
True disciples represent the Lord when it may not
be convenient to do so.
True disciples desire to inspire the hearts of men,
not just impress them.
Often it is not convenient or comfortable to stand up
for Christ.
I am sure that was the case with Paul when
he was called before King Agrippa
and was asked to justify himself and tell his story.
Paul, without hesitating, proclaimed his belief
with such power that this intimidating king
admitted that he was "almost" persuaded to be a Christian.
Paul's response witnessed of his desire for the people
to understand absolutely what he had to say.
He told King Agrippa that it was his desire
that all who heard him would not "almost" be Christians, rather
would "altogether" become disciples of Christ.
Those who speak with clarity can bring this to pass.
Over the many years that I have studied
the story of Lehi's dream in the Book of Mormon,
I have always thought of the great and spacious building
as a place where only the most rebellious reside.
The building was filled with people mocking and pointing
at the faithful who were holding onto the iron rod,
representing the word of God, and were
making their way to the tree of life,
representing the love of God.
Some could not bear up under the pressure of the people
mocking them and wandered off.
Others decided to join them in the building.
Did they not have the courage to speak boldly
against the criticisms or messages of the world?
As I watch the current world moving away from God,
I think this building is growing in size.
Many find themselves today wondering
the halls of the great and spacious building,
not realizing they are actually becoming part of its culture.
They often succumb to the temptations and the messages.
We eventually find them mocking or chiming in with those
who criticize or mock.
For years I thought the mocking crowd
was making fun of the way the faithful live their lives,
but the voices from the building today
have changed in their tone and approach.
Those who mock often try to drown out
the simple message of the gospel by attacking
some aspect of the Church's history
or offering pointed criticism of a prophet or other leader.
They are also attacking the very heart of our doctrine
and the laws of God, given since the creation of the earth.
We, as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of His Church,
must never let go of that iron rod.
We must let the clarion trumpet sound from our own souls.
The simple message is that God is our loving Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ is His Son.
The gospel is restored in these latter days
through living prophets, and the evidence is the Book of Mormon.
The path of happiness is through the basic family unit
as originally organized and revealed
by our Heavenly Father.
This is the familiar melody of the message
that many can recognize because they have heard it
from their premortal life.
As Latter-day Saints, it is time for us to stand up and testify.
It is time for the notes of the melody of the gospel to arise
above the noise of the world.
I add my testimony to the message of the Savior
and Redeemer of this world.
He lives!
His gospel is restored, and the blessings
of happiness and peace can be secured in this life
by living His commandments and walking in His path.
This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I love the Primary song that says:
"Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,
Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me."
I believe that starting a tradition of telling
the stories of Jesus to our children and families
is a very special way to keep the Sabbath day
holy in our homes.
This will surely bring a special spirit to our home
and provide our family with examples from the Savior
Himself.
I love to study and ponder the life of Him who gave everything
for me and for all of us.
I love to read scriptural passages
about His sinless life, and after reading the scriptures
which tell about the events experienced by Him,
I close my eyes and try to visualize
these sacred moments that teach me
and strengthen me spiritually.
Moments such as:
When He spat on the ground and, having
made clay of the spittle, anointed
the eyes of the blind man and said unto him,
"Go, wash in the pool of Siloam."
And the man obeyed, "and washed, and came seeing."
When He healed the woman who had an issue of blood
and touched the border of His garment,
believing that just by touching Him she would be healed.
When He appeared to His disciples,
walking upon the sea.
When He went with the disciples on the road to Emmaus
and opened their understanding to the scriptures.
When He appeared to the people here in the Americas
and told them to come unto Him and thrust their hands
into His side and feel the prints of the nails
in His hands and His feet so they
could know that He was "the God of Israel,
and the God of the whole earth, and [had]
been slain for the sins of the world."
I rejoice in knowing there are parents who tell stories
of Christ to their children.
I notice this as I watch children
in the Church in Primary programs and other occasions.
I am grateful to my parents for having taught me about Christ.
I continue to see how the Savior's example helps
my dear wife and me as we teach our own children.
My heart is filled with joy when I see my children tell stories
of Christ to my grandchildren.
It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures,
found in 3 John 1:4, which reads,
"I have no greater joy than to hear
that my children walk in truth."
And why not our grandchildren as well?
I am grateful for our leaders who are constantly teaching us
about Christ, about keeping the Sabbath day holy,
and about partaking of the sacrament each Sunday
in honor of the Savior.
The Sabbath and the sacrament become much more enjoyable
as we study the stories of Christ.
In so doing, we create traditions
that build our faith and testimony
and also protect our family.
A few weeks ago, while studying again the message
President Russell M. Nelson delivered
in the last general conference, and while pondering
on the Sabbath day, I felt a deep gratitude
for the blessing and privilege of being able to partake
of the sacrament.
For me that is a very solemn, sacred, and spiritual moment.
I greatly enjoy sacrament meeting.
While pondering, I carefully studied the blessing
on the bread and the water.
I read and deeply meditated on the prayers and the ordinance
of the sacrament.
I began to go over in my mind and in my heart
the events that are connected to it.
In a spirit of meditation, I reflected
upon that day, the first day of the feast
of the unleavened bread, when He,
in response to His disciples' question
about where to prepare for the Passover,
answered unto them, saying, "Go into the city to such a man,
and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand;
I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples."
I tried to visualize in my mind the disciples buying food
and carefully preparing the table to eat with Him on that
special day: a table for 13 people--He and His twelve
disciples, whom He loved.
I cried as I visualized Christ eating with them, when
He declared, "Verily I say unto you, that one of you
shall betray me."
I thought about the saddened disciples asking Him, "Lord,
is it I?"
And when Judas asked Him the same question,
He replied calmly, "Thou hast said."
I could visualize hands that had healed, comforted, edified,
and blessed, breaking the bread as Jesus said, "Take, eat;
this is my body."
Then He took a cup filled with wine and gave thanks
and gave the cup to them, saying, "Drink ye all of it;
for this is my blood of the new testament, which
is shed for many for the remission of sins."
In my mind I looked at the disciples one by one
and saw in their eyes their concern
for the Master, whom they loved greatly.
It was as if I was sitting there with them, watching everything.
I felt an intense pain in my heart,
full of grief and sorrow for what He
was about to experience for me.
My soul was filled by an overwhelming desire
to be a better person.
In repentance and sorrow, I fervently
wished to be able to dry and avoid
the spilling of at least a few drops of His blood shed
in Gethsemane.
I then pondered about the sacrament
we partake every week in remembrance of Him.
While doing so, I meditated upon each word of the blessing
on the bread and the water.
I deeply reflected about the words "and always remember him"
in the blessing on the bread and "that they do always
remember him" in the blessing on the water.
I meditated on what it means to always remember Him.
To me, it means:
To remember His premortal life, when this beautiful planet was
made by Him.
To remember His humble birth in a manger in Bethlehem of Judea.
And when even as a 12-year-old boy,
He taught and preached to the doctors in the temple.
To remember when He went aside privately into a desert
place to prepare for His mortal ministry.
And when He was transfigured before His disciples.
To remember when He instituted the sacrament
at the Last Supper with them.
And went to the Garden of Gethsemane
and suffered so intensely for our sins, pains,
disappointments, illnesses, that He bled from every pore.
To remember when, after so much suffering and severe pain,
even yet in Gethsemane, He was betrayed with a kiss
by one of the disciples whom He called a friend.
And when He was taken to Pilate and to Herod for trial.
And when He was humiliated, buffeted, spat upon, smote,
and scourged with a whip that tore his flesh.
And when a crown of thorns was brutally put upon His head.
To remember that He had to carry his own cross to Golgotha
and that He was nailed to the cross
there, suffering every physical and spiritual pain.
And when at the cross, with His bowels full of charity,
He looked at those who crucified Him and raised
His eyes to heaven, pleading, "Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do."
To remember when He, knowing He had fulfilled
His mission of saving all mankind,
gave up His spirit into the hands of His Father,
our Father.
To remember His Resurrection, which
ensures our own resurrection and the possibility
to live beside Him for all eternity,
depending on our choices.
Furthermore, meditating on the sacrament prayer
and the very special and meaningful words of the prayer
reminds me how wonderful it is to receive the promise,
during the blessing of the sacrament,
that as we always remember Him, we will always
have His Spirit with us.
I believe the Lord has His own timing as to when
to give revelation unto us.
I understood this very clearly while
studying Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6, which reads:
"To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ...
"A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep,
and a time to cast away."
The sacrament is also a time for Heavenly Father to teach us
about the Atonement of His Beloved Son--our Savior,
Jesus Christ--and for us to receive revelation about it.
It is a time to "knock, and it shall be opened unto you,"
to request and to receive this knowledge.
It is a time for us to reverently ask
God for this knowledge.
And if we do, I have no doubt that we
will receive this knowledge, which will
bless our lives beyond measure.
I love the Sabbath, the sacrament, and what it means.
I love the Savior with all my soul.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL TODAY"]
We are grateful to the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir and their conductors and organists
for the beautiful music they have provided this morning
and always do.
Our concluding speaker for this session
will be President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor
in the First Presidency.
Following President Eyring's remarks,
the choir will close this meeting
by singing "The Spirit of God."
The benediction will then be offered by Sister Cheryl A.
Esplin, first counselor in the Primary general presidency.
My dear brothers and sisters, I am
grateful to have been with you on this Sabbath day
in the general conference of the Lord's Church.
I have felt, as you have, the Spirit of the Holy Ghost
testifying to the words of truth we have heard spoken and sung.
My purpose today is to increase your desire
and your determination to claim the gift promised to each of us
after we were baptized.
During our confirmation we heard these words:
"Receive the Holy Ghost."
From that moment, our lives changed forever.
We can, if we live worthy of it, have the blessing of the Spirit
to be with us, not only now and then--as in such remarkable
experiences as we've had today--but always.
You know from the words of the sacrament prayer
how that promise is fulfilled: "O God, the Eternal Father,
we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ,
to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those
who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance
of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God,
the Eternal Father, that they are
willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,
and always remember him and keep his commandments which
he has given them."
And then comes the glorious promise:
"That they may always have his Spirit to be with them."
To always have the Spirit with us
is to have the guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost
in our daily lives.
We can, for instance, be warned by the Spirit
to resist the temptation to do evil.
For that reason alone, it is easy to see
why the Lord's servants have tried
to increase our desire to worship
God in our sacrament meetings.
If we partake of the sacrament in faith,
the Holy Ghost will then be able to protect us
and those we love from the temptations
that come with increasing intensity and frequency.
The companionship of the Holy Ghost
makes what is good more attractive and temptation less
compelling.
That alone should be enough to make
us determined to qualify for the Spirit to be with us always.
Just as the Spirit strengthens us against evil,
it also gives us the power to discern truth from falsehood.
The truth that matters most is verified only by revelation
from God.
Our human reason and the use of our physical senses
will not be enough.
We live in a time when even the wisest
will be hard-pressed to distinguish truth
from clever deception.
The Lord taught His Apostle Thomas,
who wanted physical evidence of the Savior's Resurrection
by touching His wounds--He taught that revelation is
safer: "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
The truths that mark the way home to God
are verified by the Holy Ghost.
We cannot go to the grove and see the Father and the Son
speak to the young Joseph Smith.
No physical evidence nor any logical argument
can establish that Elijah came as promised
to confer the priesthood keys now held and exercised
by a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
Confirmation of truth comes to a son or daughter of God
who has claimed the right to receive the Holy Ghost.
Since falsehoods and lies may be presented to us at any time,
we need a constant influence of the Spirit of Truth
to spare us moments of doubt.
While a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
George Q. Cannon urged that we make a constant quest
for the Spirit to be with us.
He promised, and I promise it as well,
that if we pursue that course, we "will never lack
for knowledge" of the truth, "never be in doubt
or in darkness," and our "faith will be strong, [our] joy ...
full."
We need that constant help from the companionship
of the Holy Ghost for yet another reason.
The death of a loved one may come unexpectedly.
It is the witness from the Holy Ghost
of the reality of a loving Heavenly Father
and a resurrected Savior that gives us
hope and comfort at the loss of a loved one.
That testimony must be fresh when death occurs.
So for many reasons, we need the constant companionship
of the Holy Ghost.
We desire it, but yet we know from experience
that it is not easy to maintain.
We each think, say, and do things in our daily lives
that can offend the Spirit.
The Lord taught us that the Holy Ghost will
be our constant companion when our hearts are full of charity
and when virtue garnishes our thoughts unceasingly.
For those who are struggling with the high standard needed
to qualify for the gift of the Spirit's companionship,
I offer this encouragement.
You have had times when you have felt the influence
of the Holy Ghost.
It happened for you today.
You can treat these moments of inspiration
like the seed of faith that Alma described.
Plant each one.
You can do that by acting on the prompting you felt today.
The most valuable inspiration will be for you
to know what God would have you do.
If it is to pay tithing or to visit a grieving friend,
you should do it.
Whatever it is, do it.
When you demonstrate your willingness to obey,
the Spirit will send you more impressions of what
God would have you do for Him.
As you obey, the impressions from the Spirit
will come more frequently, closer and closer
to constant companionship.
Your power to choose the right will increase.
You can know when these impressions
to act for Him are from the Spirit
rather than from your own desires.
When the impressions square with what the Savior and His living
prophets and apostles have said, you
can choose to obey with confidence.
Then the Lord will send His Spirit to attend you.
For example, if you received a spiritual impression
to honor the Sabbath day, especially when
it seems difficult, God will send His Spirit to help.
That help came to my father years
ago when his work took him to Australia.
He was alone on a Sunday, and he wanted to take the sacrament.
He could find no information about Latter-day Saint
meetings.
So he started walking.
He prayed at each intersection to know which way to turn.
After walking and making turns for an hour,
he stopped to pray again.
He felt an impression to turn down a particular street.
Soon he began to hear singing coming
from the ground floor of an apartment building close by.
He looked in at the window and saw a few people
seated near a table covered with a white cloth
and sacrament trays.
Now that may not seem like much to you,
but it was something wonderful to him.
He knew the promise of the sacrament prayer
had been fulfilled: "Always remember him and keep
his commandments which he has given them;
that they may always have his Spirit to be with them."
That was only one example of a time when
he prayed and then did what the Spirit told him
God wanted him to do.
He kept at it over the years, as you and I will.
He never talked about his spirituality.
He just kept on doing little things for the Lord
that he was prompted to do.
Whenever some group of Latter-day Saints
asked him to speak to them, he did it.
It didn't matter if it was 10 people or 50
or how tired he was.
He bore his testimony of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost, and of the prophets whenever
the Spirit urged him to do it.
His highest callings in the Church
were to the Bonneville Stake high council, where
he weeded on the stake farm, and he taught a Sunday School
class.
Over the years, when he needed it,
the Holy Ghost was there as his companion.
I stood next to my father in a hospital room.
My mother, his wife of 41 years, lay on the bed.
We had watched her for hours.
We began to see the lines of pain disappear from her face.
The fingers of her hands, which had been clenched into fists,
relaxed.
Her arms came to rest at her sides.
The pains of decades of cancer were ending.
I saw on her face a look of peace.
She took a few short breaths, then a gasp,
and then lay still.
We stood there waiting to see if another breath would come.
Finally, Dad said quietly, "A little girl has gone home."
He shed no tears.
That was because the Holy Ghost had long before given him
a clear picture of who she was, where
she came from, what she had become,
and where she was going.
The Spirit had testified to him many times
of a loving Heavenly Father, of a Savior who
had broken the power of death, and of the reality
of the temple sealing he shared with his wife and family.
The Spirit had long before assured him
that her goodness and faith had qualified her
for the return to a heavenly home
where she would be remembered as a wonderful child of promise
and be welcomed home with honor.
For my dad, that was more than a hope.
The Holy Ghost had made it a reality for him.
Now, some might say that his words and the pictures
in his mind about a heavenly home
were just a sweet sentiment, the clouded judgment of a husband
at the moment of his loss.
But he knew eternal truth the only way you can know it.
Now, he was a scientist who searched
for truth about the physical world
throughout his entire adult life.
He used the tools of science well enough
to be honored by his peers across the world.
Much of what he did in chemistry came
from seeing, in his mind's eye, molecules moving about
and then confirming his vision by experiments in a laboratory.
But he had followed a different course
to discover the truths that mattered most
to him and to each of us.
Only through the Holy Ghost can we see people and events
as God sees them.
That gift continued in the hospital after his wife died.
We gathered up my mother's things to take home.
Dad stopped to thank every nurse and doctor we met on the way
out to the car.
I remember, with some irritation,
that I felt that we should leave to be alone with our grief.
I realize now that he saw things only the Holy Ghost could
have shown him.
He saw those people as angels sent by God
to watch over his sweetheart.
They may have seen themselves as health care professionals,
but Dad was thanking them for their service
on behalf of the Savior.
The influence of the Holy Ghost continued with him
as we arrived at the home of my parents.
We talked for a few minutes in the living room.
Dad excused himself to go into his nearby bedroom.
After a few minutes, he walked back into the living room.
He had a pleasant smile.
He walked up to us and said quietly,
"I was worried that Mildred would arrive in the spirit
world alone.
I thought she might feel lost in the crowd."
Then he said brightly, "I prayed just now.
I know Mildred is all right.
My mother was there to meet her."
I remember smiling as he said that,
imagining my grandmother, her short legs pumping,
rushing through a crowd to be sure she was there
to meet and embrace her daughter-in-law as she arrived.
Now, one of the reasons my father
asked for and received that comfort
was because he had always prayed in faith since his childhood.
He was used to getting answers that came to his heart
to give comfort and direction.
In addition to having a habit of prayer,
he knew the scriptures and the words of living prophets.
So he recognized the familiar whisperings
of the Spirit, which you have felt today.
The companionship of the Spirit had more than comforted
and guided him.
It changed him through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
When we accept that promise of having the Spirit with us
always, the Savior can grant us the purification
required for eternal life, the greatest
of all the gifts of God.
You remember the Savior's words: "Now this
is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth,
and come unto me and be baptized in my name,
that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost,
that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day."
Those commandments come with this promise from the Lord:
"And now, verily, verily, I say unto [you],
put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea,
to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously;
and this is my Spirit.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I
will impart unto you of my Spirit, which
shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy."
I bear you my testimony that God the Father
lives, that the resurrected Jesus Christ leads His Church,
that President Thomas S. Monson holds
all the keys of the priesthood, and that revelation
through the Holy Ghost guides and sustains
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and its humble members.
I further testify to you that these wonderful men who are
called and have today been speaking to us as witnesses
of the Lord Jesus Christ and as members of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles--I testify to you I know that
the Spirit led President Monson to call them and that they are
called of God.
I so testify.
And as you listened to them in their testimonies,
the Holy Spirit confirmed to you what I now say to you.
They are called of God.
I sustain them and love them and know
that the Lord will love them and sustain them in their service.
And I do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING - "THE SPIRIT OF GOD"]
Our Heavenly Father, this beautiful hymn
has reminded us how grateful we are for the Restoration
and for the knowledge and power of God that
is expanding across the earth.
We thank Thee for the inspired and heartfelt messages
we have heard from those who have so earnestly sought
to know Thy will.
We thank Thee for our beloved prophet, President Thomas S.
Monson, and for his loving counsel to us this morning.
We are blessed and grateful to live in a day
when prophets and apostles are upon this earth
and speak for Thee.
We pray for them and for their families.
Help us to contemplate the things
that we have heard and felt, and help
us to seek the strengthening, the sustaining,
and the sanctifying power of our Savior Jesus Christ,
to help us do the things that Thou would have us do
and be what Thou would have us be.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
This has been a broadcast of the 185th Semiannual General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Speakers were selected from the General Authorities
and general officers of the Church.
Music was provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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.