[MUSIC PLAYING]
From the Conference Center
at Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, this is the 184th
Annual 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,
and music for this session 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]
Our dear brothers and sisters,
we welcome you this afternoon
to the fifth and concluding
session of the 184th Annual
General Conference of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
President Thomas S. Monson, who
presides at this conference,
has asked that I
conduct this session.
We extend our
greetings to members
of the Church and
friends everywhere
who are participating
in these proceedings
by radio, television, the
Internet, or satellite
transmissions.
The music for this session will
be by the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir under the direction of
Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy,
with Linda Margetts and
Bonnie Goodliffe at the organ.
The choir will
open these services
by singing "Sweet Is the Work."
The invocation will then be
offered by Bishop Dean M.
Davies, Second Counselor
in the Presiding Bishopric.
 
[MUSIC - "SWEET IS THE WORK"]
(Singing) Sweet is the
work, my God, my King,
to praise thy name,
give thanks and sing,
to show thy love
by morning light,
and talk of all thy
truths at night.
 
Sweet is the day of sacred rest.
No mortal care shall
seize my breast.
Oh, may my heart
in tune be found,
like David's harp
of solemn sound!
 
My heart shall triumph in
my Lord and bless his works
and bless his word.
Thy works of grace,
how bright they shine!
How deep thy
counsels, how divine!
 
But, oh, what
triumph shall I raise
to thy dear name through endless
days, when in the realms of joy
I see thy face in full felicity!
 
When in the realms of joy I
see thy face in full felicity!
 
Amen.
 
Our beloved Father in
Heaven, our hearts and souls
have been stirred
by the proceedings
of this general conference, and
we express our deep gratitude
and thanks for the feelings
and testimony and faith.
We invite Thy Spirit
here this afternoon
in this final session, that
both the speakers and audience
around the world will
be united in our faith.
That we might more
perfectly love and serve
Thee is our prayer in the
name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
The choir will now favor us
with "I Stand All Amazed."
After the singing, we
will be pleased to hear
from President Boyd
K. Packer, President
of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles.
He will be followed
by Elder William R.
Walker of the Seventy.
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Twelve
Apostles will then address us.
 
[MUSIC - "I STAND ALL AMAZED]
(Singing) I stand all amazed
at the love Jesus offers me,
confused at the grace that
so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that
for me he was crucified,
that for me, a sinner, he
suffered, he bled and died.
 
Oh, it is wonderful
that he should
care for me enough
to die for me!
 
Oh, it is wonderful,
wonderful to 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
that he should
care for me enough
to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful,
wonderful to me!
 
I think of his hands pierced
and bleeding to pay the debt!
Such mercy, such love and
devotion can I forget?
 
No, no, I will praise and
adore at the mercy seat,
until at the glorified
throne I kneel at his feet.
 
Oh, it is wonderful
that he should
care for me enough
to die for me!
 
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful,
wonderful, wonderful to me!
 
Times of war or
uncertainty have a way
of sharpening our focus on
things that really matter.
World War II was a time of
great spiritual turmoil for me.
I left my home in Brigham
City with only embers
of a testimony, and I felt
the need for something more.
Virtually our whole senior
class, in a matter of weeks,
were on their way
to the war zone.
While stationed on the
island of Ie Shima,
just north of Okinawa,
Japan, I struggled
with doubt and uncertainty.
I wanted a personal
testimony of the gospel.
I wanted to know!
 
During one sleepless
night, I left my tent
and entered a bunker which
had been formed by lining up
50-gallon fuel drums
filled with sand
and placed one on
top of the other
to form an enclosure
with no roof.
So I crawled in, looked up
at the stars in the sky,
and knelt to pray.
Almost mid-sentence it happened.
I could not describe
to you what happened
if I were determined to do so.
It is beyond my
power of expression.
But it is as clear today
as it was that night
more than 65 years ago.
I knew it to be very private
and a very individual
manifestation.
 
At last I knew for myself.
I knew for a certainty,
for it had been given me.
After some time, I
crawled from that bunker
and walked, or floated,
back to the bed.
I spent the rest of the night
in a feeling of joy and awe.
Far from thinking I
was someone special,
I thought if such
a thing came to me,
that it could come to anyone.
I still believe that.
In the years that
have followed, I
have come to understand
that such experiences are
at once a light to follow
and a burden to carry.
I wish to share with
you those truths which
are most worth knowing,
the things that I
have learned and experienced.
In nearly 90 years of life
and over 50 years as a General
Authority, much of what
I have come to know falls
in the category of things which
cannot be taught but which can
be learned.
Like most things of
great worth, knowledge
which is of eternal
value comes only
through personal
prayer and pondering.
These, joined with fasting
and scripture study,
invite the impressions
and revelations
and the whisperings
of the Holy Spirit.
 
This provides us with
instruction from on high
as we learn concept
upon precept.
The revelations promise
that ""[whatsoever] principle
of intelligence we
attain unto in this life,
it will rise with us
in the resurrection"
and that "knowledge and
intelligence [are gained]
through ... diligence
and obedience."
One eternal truth that I have
come to know is that God lives.
He is our Father.
We are His children.
"We believe in God,
the Eternal Father,
and in His Son, Jesus Christ,
and in the Holy Ghost."
Of all other titles
He could have used,
He chose to be called "Father."
The Savior commanded,
"After this manner therefore
pray ye: Our Father
who art in heaven."
We use the name "Father"
as a lesson for all of us
to come to understand what
most matters in this life.
Parenthood is a
sacred privilege,
and depending upon faithfulness,
it can be an eternal blessing.
The ultimate end of all
activity in the Church
is that a man and his
wife and their children
can be happy at home.
Those who do not marry or those
who cannot have children are
not excluded from eternal
blessings they seek but which
for now remain
beyond their reach.
We do not always know how or
when blessings will present
themselves, but the promise
is eternal increase,
and it will not be denied
any faithful individual who
makes and keeps
sacred covenants.
Your secret yearnings
and tearful pleadings
will touch the heart of
both the Father and the Son.
You will be given a
personal assurance from Them
that your life will be full
and that no blessing that
is essential will
be lost to you.
As a servant of the Lord,
acting in the office to which I
have been ordained, I give
those in such circumstances
a promise that there
will be nothing essential
to your salvation and exaltation
that shall not in due time
rest upon you.
Arms now empty will be
filled, and hearts now hurting
from broken dreams and
yearnings will be healed.
Another truth I
have come to know
is that the Holy Ghost is real.
He is the third
member of the Godhead.
His mission is to testify
of truth and righteousness.
He manifests Himself
in many ways, including
feelings of peace
and reassurance.
He can also bring comfort
and guidance and correction
when needed.
The companionship
of the Holy Ghost
is maintained throughout our
lives by righteous living.
The gift of the Holy
Ghost is conferred
through an ordinance
of the gospel.
One with authority
lays his hands
on the head of a new
member of the Church
and says words such as these:
"Receive the Holy Ghost."
This ordinance alone does not
change us in a noticeable way,
but if we listen and
follow the promptings,
we will receive the
blessings of the Holy Ghost.
Each son or daughter
of our Heavenly Father
can come to know the
reality of Moroni's promise:
"By the power of
the Holy Ghost ye
may know the truth
of all things."
A supernal truth that I
have gained in my life
is my witness of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Foremost and underpinning
all that we do,
anchored throughout
the revelations,
is the Lord's name, which
is the authority by which we
act in the Church.
Every prayer offered,
even by little children,
ends in the name
of Jesus Christ.
Every blessing, every
ordinance, every ordination,
every official act is done
in the name of Jesus Christ.
It is His Church,
and it is named
for him: The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
There's that great incident
in the Book of Mormon
where the Nephites "were praying
to the Father in [the Lord's]
name."
The Lord appeared
and asked: "What
will ye that I
shall give unto you?
And they said unto him: Lord,
we will that thou wouldst
tell us the name whereby
we shall call this church;
for there are disputations
among the people concerning
this matter.
And the Lord said unto
them: Verily, verily, I
say unto you, why is it that
the people should murmur
and dispute because
of this thing?
Have they not read
the scriptures,
which say ye must take upon
you the name of Christ,
which is my name?
For by this name shall ye
be called at the last day;
and whoso taketh upon him my
name, and endureth to the end,
the same shall be saved. ...
Therefore, whatsoever ye shall
do, ye shall do it in my name;
therefore ye shall call
the church in my name; ...
ye shall call upon
the Father in my name
that he will bless the
church for my sake."
It is His name, Jesus
Christ, "for there
is none other name
under heaven given
among men, whereby
we must be saved."
In the Church we know who He is:
Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
He is the Only
Begotten of the Father.
He is He who was slain
and who liveth again.
He is our Advocate
with the Father.
"Remember that it is upon
the rock of our Redeemer, who
is Christ, the Son
of God, that [we]
must build [our] foundation."
He is the anchor that
holds us and protects
us and our families
through storms of life.
Each Sunday across the
world, where congregations
gather of any
nationality or tongue,
the sacrament is blessed
with the same words.
We take upon ourselves
the name of Christ
and always remember Him.
That is imprinted upon us.
The prophet Nephi declared,
"We talk of Christ,
we rejoice in Christ,
we preach of Christ,
we prophesy of Christ,
and we write according
to our prophecies,
that our children may
know to what source
they may look
for a remission of their sins."
Each of us must come to our own
personal testimony of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
We then share that testimony
with our family and others.
In all of this, let us
remember that there's
an adversary who
personally seeks
to disrupt the work of the Lord.
We must choose who to follow.
Our protection is as simple
as deciding individually
to follow the Savior, making
certain that we faithfully
will remain on His side.
In the New Testament,
John records
that there were some who
were unable to commit
to the Savior and His
teachings, and "from that time
many of his disciples went back,
and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the
twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered,
Lord, to whom shall we go?
thou hast the words
of eternal life. ...
We believe ... that
thou art [the] Christ,
the Son of the living God."
Peter had gained
that which should
be learned by each
follower of the Savior.
To be faithfully
devoted to Jesus Christ,
we accept Him as our
Redeemer and do all
within our power to
live His teachings.
After all the years that I have
lived and taught and served,
and the millions of
miles I have traveled
around the world, with all
that I have experienced,
there is one great truth
that I would share.
That is my witness of
the Savior Jesus Christ.
Joseph Smith and Sidney
Rigdon recorded the following
after a sacred experience: "And
now, after the many testimonies
which have been
given of him, this
is the testimony, last of
all, which we give of him:
That He lives!
For we saw him."
Their words are my words.
I believe and I am sure
that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God--that He lives.
He is the Only
Begotten of the Father.
"By him, and through him, and
of him, the worlds are and were
created, and the
inhabitants thereof
are begotten sons and
daughters [of] God."
I bear my testimony
that the Savior lives.
I know the Lord.
I am His witness.
I know of His great
sacrifice and eternal love
for all of Heavenly
Father's children.
I bear my special
witness in all humility
but with absolute certainty, in
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
I love Church history.
Perhaps like many
of you, my own faith
is fortified when I learn
of the remarkable dedication
of our forefathers who
accepted the gospel
and lived true to the faith.
One month ago, 12,000 wonderful
youth from the Gilbert Arizona
Temple district celebrated the
completion of their new temple
with an inspiring performance,
demonstrating their commitment
to live righteously.
The theme of their celebration
was "Live True to the Faith."
Just as those faithful
Arizona youth have done,
each Latter-day
Saint should commit
to live true to the faith.
The words of the hymn
say, "True to the faith
that our parents
have cherished."
We could add, "True to the
faith that our grandparents have
cherished."
I wondered if each of those
enthusiastic Arizona youth knew
their own Church history--if
they knew the history of how
their family came to be
members of the Church.
It would be a wonderful thing
if every Latter-day Saint knew
the conversion stories
of their forefathers.
Whether or not you are a
descendant of pioneers,
the Mormon pioneer heritage
of faith and sacrifice
is your heritage.
It is the noble
heritage of The Church
of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
One of the most
wonderful chapters
in the history of
the Church occurred
when Wilford Woodruff,
an Apostle of the Lord,
was teaching the
restored gospel of Jesus
Christ throughout
Great Britain in 1840,
just 10 years after the
establishment of the Church.
Wilford Woodruff
and other Apostles
had focused their work in
the Liverpool and Preston
areas of England, with
considerable success.
Elder Woodruff, who later
became President of the Church,
was constantly praying
to God to guide him
in this very important work.
His prayers led
to the inspiration
to go to a different
place to teach the gospel.
President Monson has
taught us that when we get
the inspiration from
heaven to do something,
we do it now--we
don't procrastinate.
That is exactly what
Wilford Woodruff did.
With clear direction from
the Spirit to go south,
Elder Woodruff left almost
immediately and traveled
to a part of England called
Herefordshire--farming country
in the southwest of England.
Here he met a prosperous
farmer named John Benbow, where
he was welcomed "with glad
hearts and thanksgiving."
A group of over 600 people, who
called themselves the United
Brethren, had been "praying
for light and truth."
The Lord sent Wilford Woodruff
as an answer to their prayers.
Elder Woodruff's teaching
bore fruit immediately,
and many were baptized.
Brigham Young and
Willard Richards
joined him in Herefordshire,
and the three Apostles
had remarkable success.
In only a few months,
they organized 33 branches
for the 541 members who
had joined the Church.
Their remarkable work
continued, and ultimately,
almost every one of the
members of the United Brethren
were baptized into The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
My great-great-grandmother
Hannah
Mariah Harris was
one of the first
to listen to Wilford Woodruff.
She informed her husband,
Robert Harris Jr.,
that she had heard
the word of God
and that she intended
to be baptized.
Robert was not pleased to
hear his wife's report.
He told her he would accompany
her to the next sermon
given by the Mormon
missionary, and he
would straighten him out.
Sitting near the
front of the assembly,
with a firm resolve to not be
swayed--and perhaps to heckle
the visiting preacher--Robert
was immediately touched
by the Spirit, just
as his wife had been.
He knew the message of
the Restoration was true,
and he and his
wife were baptized.
Their story of
faith and devotion
is similar to
thousands of others:
when they heard the gospel
message, they knew it was true!
As the scripture says, "My sheep
hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me."
Having heard the
voice of the Shepherd,
they fully committed their
lives to living the gospel
and following the direction
of the Lord's prophet.
Responding to the call
to gather to Zion,
they left behind their home in
England, crossed the Atlantic,
and gathered with the
Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois.
They embraced the gospel
with all their hearts.
While trying to get
established in their new land,
they assisted in building
the Nauvoo Temple
by tithing their labor,
spending every 10th day working
on the construction
of the temple.
They were brokenhearted
at the news
of the death of their
beloved prophet, Joseph
Smith, and his brother Hyrum.
But they carried on!
They stayed true to the faith.
 
When the Saints were persecuted
and driven from Navoo,
Robert and Mariah
felt greatly blessed
to receive their
endowments in the temple
shortly before they crossed
the Mississippi River
and headed west.
Although they were uncertain
of what their future held,
they were certain of their
faith and their testimonies.
With six children, they
slogged through mud
as they crossed Iowa
on their way west.
They built for
themselves a lean-to
on the side of
the Missouri River
at what came to be known
as Winter Quarters.
This band of intrepid
pioneers were
waiting for apostolic
direction on how and when they
would be heading further west.
Everyone's plans
were altered when
Brigham Young, the President
of the Quorum of the Twelve,
issued a call for
men to volunteer
to serve in the
United States Army
in what came to be known
as the Mormon Battalion.
Robert Harris Jr. was one
of over 500 Mormon pioneer
men who responded to that
call from Brigham Young.
He enlisted, even though it
meant he would leave behind his
wife--his pregnant wife--and
six little children.
Why would he do--why would
he and the other men do such
a thing?
The answer can be given in
my great-great-grandfather's
own words.
In a letter he wrote to his
wife when the battalion was
on its way to Santa
Fe, he wrote (quote),
"My faith is so strong as ever
[and when I think of the things
that Brigham Young told us],
I believe it about the same
as if the Great God had
told me" (end of quote).
In short, he knew he was
listening to a prophet of God,
as did the other men.
That is why they did it.
They knew they were led
by a prophet of God.
In that same letter, he
expressed his tender feelings
for his wife and children and
told of his constant prayers
that she and the children
would be blessed.
Later in the letter, he
made this powerful statement
(quote): "We must not forget
the things which you and I heard
and [experienced] in the Temple
of the Lord" (end of quote).
Combined with his
earlier testimony
that "we are led by
a Prophet of God,"
these two sacred admonitions
have become like scripture
to me.
Eighteen months after
departing with the battalion,
Robert Harris was
safely reunited
with his beloved Mariah.
They stayed true and faithful
to the restored gospel
throughout their lives.
They had 15 children, 13
of whom lived to maturity.
My grandmother Fannye Walker,
of Raymond, Alberta, Canada,
was one of their
136 grandchildren.
Grandma Walker was
proud of the fact
that her grandfather had
served in the Mormon Battalion,
and she wanted all of her
grandchildren to know it.
Now that I am a
grandfather, I understand
why it was so important to her.
She wanted to turn the hearts
of the children to the fathers.
She wanted her
grandchildren to know
of their righteous
heritage because she
knew it would bless their lives.
The more connected we feel
to our righteous forefathers,
the more likely we are to make
wise and righteous choices.
And so it is.
Each of us will
be greatly blessed
if we know the stories
of faith and sacrifice
that led our forefathers
to join the Lord's Church.
From the first time
Robert and Mariah
heard Wilford Woodruff
teach and testify
of the Restoration
of the gospel,
they knew the gospel was true.
They also knew that no matter
what trials or hardships would
come to them, they
would be blessed
for staying true to the faith.
It almost seems that they had
heard the words of our prophet
today, who has said, "No
sacrifice is too great ...
in order to receive [the]
blessings [of the temple]."
The two-pound coin
of the United Kingdom
has inscribed on its side
"Standing on the Shoulders
of Giants."
When I think of our great
pioneer forefathers,
I feel that we are all standing
on the shoulders of giants.
Although the admonition
came from a letter
from Robert Harris, I believe
that countless forefathers
would send the same
message to their children
and grandchildren:
First, we must not
forget the experiences
we have had in the
temple, and we must not
forget the promises
and blessings that
come to each of us
because of the temple.
Secondly, we must
not forget that we
are led by a prophet of God.
I testify that we are
led by a prophet of God.
The Lord restored His
Church in the latter days
through the Prophet
Joseph Smith,
and we must not
forget that we have
been led by an unbroken
chain of prophets of God,
from Joseph to Brigham and
through each succeeding
President of the Church to
our prophet today, Thomas S.
Monson.
I know him, I honor
him, and I love him.
I testify that he is the Lord's
prophet on the earth today.
It is the desire
of my heart that,
along with my children
and grandchildren,
we will honor the legacy of our
righteous forefathers--those
faithful Mormon pioneers who
were willing to put everything
on the altar to sacrifice
for and defend their God
and their faith.
I pray that each of us
will live true to the faith
that our parents have cherished.
In the holy and sacred
name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
The family home
evenings Sister Perry
and I have been holding each
Monday night have suddenly
increased in size.
My brother, his daughter,
Barbara's brother,
and a niece and her
husband have moved
into our condominium complex.
It is the only time
I have been blessed
having a family live near
by me since I was a boy.
Then my family all
lived on the same block
with several members of my
mother's extended family.
Grandfather Sonne's home was
next door to ours on the north,
Aunt Emma's home was next
door to ours on the south,
and our home was in the middle.
On the south side of this
block lived Aunt Josephine.
On the east side of the block
was where Uncle Alma lived.
During my boyhood, we
interacted with members
of our extended family, daily
sharing moments of working,
playing, and visiting together.
We could not get in a
great deal of mischief
without a report reaching
our mothers very rapidly.
Our home is different now.
Our world is different now.
Members of families
are spread out.
Even if they live relatively
close to each other,
they do not often
live next door.
Still, I have to
believe that my boyhood
and my current situation
are a little like heaven,
with beloved family members
living close to each other.
It serves as a
constant reminder to me
of the eternal nature
of the family unit.
When I was growing up, I
had a special relationship
with my grandfather.
I was the oldest
son in the family.
I removed the snow from
the walks in the winter
and cared for the
lawns in the summer
for our home,
Grandfather's home,
and the homes of my two aunts.
Grandfather usually
sat on the front porch
as I mowed his lawn.
When I had finished, I
would sit on the front steps
and visit with him.
These are moments that are
treasured to me in my memory.
One day I asked
my grandfather how
I would know if I was always
doing the right thing,
given life presents
so many choices.
As my grandfather
usually did, he
answered me with an
experience from farm life.
He taught me about breaking
in a team of horses
so that they would
work together.
He explained that
a team of horses
must always know
who is in charge.
One of the keys to assert
control and direct the horses
is a harness and bit.
If a member of the team ever
believes that it does not
need to obey the
will of the driver,
the team will never
pull and work together
to maximize their ability.
Now let's examine the
lesson my grandfather taught
me using this example.
Who is the driver of
the team of horses?
My grandfather believed
it is the Lord.
He is the one who has
a purpose and a plan.
He is also the trainer and
builder of the team of horses
and, in turn, each
individual horse.
The driver knows
best, and the only way
for a horse to know he's
always doing the right thing
is to be obedient and
follow the driver's lead.
What my grandfather likened to
the harness and bit--I believed
then, as I believe now, that
my grandfather was teaching me
to follow the promptings
of the Holy Ghost.
In his mind's eye, the harness
and bit were spiritual.
An obedient horse, as part of
a well-trained team of horses,
needs little more
than a gentle tug
from the driver to do exactly
what he wants it to do.
This gentle tug is equivalent
to the still, small voice
with which the
Lord speaks to us.
Out of respect
for our agency, it
is never a strong, forceful tug.
Men and women who ignore the
gentle promptings of the Spirit
will often learn, as the
prodigal son learned,
through natural consequences
of disobedience and riotous
living.
It was only after the
natural consequences
humbled the prodigal son
that "he came to himself"
and heard the whisperings
of the Spirit telling
him to return to
his father's house.
So the lesson my grandfather
taught to me was,
always be ready to receive
that gentle tug of the Spirit.
He taught me that I would
always receive such a
prompting if I ever
veered off course.
And I would never be guilty
of more serious wrongdoings
if I allowed the Spirit to
guide me in my decisions.
As James 3:3 states, "Behold, we
put bits in ... horses' mouths,
that they may obey us; and
we turn about their whole
[bodies]."
We must be sensitive
to our spiritual bits.
Even with the slightest
tug from the Master,
we must be willing to
completely alter our course.
To succeed in life, we must
teach our spirit and body
to work together in obedience
to God's commandments.
If we hear the gentle
promptings of the Holy Ghost,
it can unite our
spirits and bodies
in a purpose that will guide
us back to our eternal home
to live with our eternal
Father in Heaven.
Our third article
of faith teaches us
about the importance
of obedience:
"We believe that through
the Atonement of Christ,
all mankind may be
saved, by obedience
to the laws and
ordinances of the Gospel."
The kind of obedience my
grandfather described in his
example of the team of horses
also requires a special
trust--that is, an absolute
faith in the driver
of the team.
The lesson my grandfather taught
me, therefore, also alluded
to the first principle of the
gospel: faith in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul
taught, "Now faith
is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things
not seen."
Then Paul used the
example of Abel,
Noah, Enoch, and Abraham
to teach about faith.
He dwelt on the
story of Abraham,
for Abraham is the
father of the faithful.
Paul wrote: "By faith Abraham,
when he was called to go ...
into a place which he
should after receive
for an inheritance,
obeyed; and he went out,
not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned
in the land of promise,
as in a strange country. ...
Through faith also Sara herself
received strength to conceive
seed, and was delivered ... a
child when she was past age,
because she judged him
faithful who had promised."
We know that Abraham--through
Abraham and Sarah's son, Isaac,
a promise was given to
Abraham: a promise of posterity
"so many as the stars
of the sky in multitude,
and the sand which is by
the sea shore innumerable."
And then Abraham's faith was
tested in a way many of us
would consider unimaginable.
I have contemplated
on many occasions
the story of Abraham and
Isaac, and I still do not fully
believe I comprehend Abraham's
faithfulness and obedience.
Perhaps I can imagine
him faithfully packing up
to leave early one
morning, but how did he
take those steps
alongside his son
Isaac over the three-day journey
to the base of Mount Moriah?
How did he carry the wood
for the fire up the mountain?
How did he build the altar?
How did he bind Isaac
and lay him on the altar?
How did he explained to him
that he would be the sacrifice?
And how did he have the
strength to lift the knife
to slay his son?
Abraham's faith
empowered him to follow
God's lead with exactness up
until the miraculous moment
when an angel called out
from heaven, announcing
to Abraham that he had
passed his agonizing test.
And then the angel of the
Lord repeated the promise
of the Abrahamic covenant.
I recognize the challenge
associated with having faith
in Jesus Christ
and obedience will
be more difficult
for some than others.
I have had enough
years' experience
to know the personalities of
horses can be very different
and therefore can be easier
or more difficult to train,
and that the variety of
people is far greater.
Each of us is a son
or daughter of God,
and we have a unique
premortal and mortal story.
Accordingly, there are very few
one-size-fits-all solutions.
And so I fully recognize the
trial-and-error nature of life
and, most importantly,
the constant need
for the second principle of
the gospel, even repentance.
It is also true that the time
during which my grandfather
lived was a simpler
time, especially
regarding the choices
between right and wrong.
While some very intelligent,
insightful people
might believe our
more complex time
demands even more
complex solutions,
I am far from being convinced
that they are right.
Rather, I am of
the frame of mind
that today's complexity
demands greater simplicity,
like the answer my grandfather
gave to my sincere question
about how to know the difference
between wrong and right.
I know what I have to offer
today is a simple formula.
It might not work
for everyone, but I
can testify of how
well it works for me.
And I recommend
it to you and even
challenge you to
experiment upon my words.
And if you do, I promise
they will lead you
to a clarity of choice when
you're bombarded with choices,
and simple answers
to questions that
confuse the learned and those
who think they are wise.
Too often we think of obedience
as passive and thoughtless,
following the orders or
dictates of a higher authority.
Actually, at its best, obedience
is an emblem of our faith
and the wisdom and power of the
highest authority, even God.
When Abraham demonstrated
his unwavering faithfulness
and obedience to God--and even
when commanded to sacrifice his
son--God rescued him.
Similarly, our faithfulness
through obedience
will ultimately rescue us.
Those who rely
solely on themselves
and follow their own desires
and self-inclinations
are so limited when compared
to those who follow God and tap
into His insight,
power, and gifts.
it's been said that someone
who's all wrapped up in himself
or herself makes a
very small package.
Strong, proactive obedience is
anything but weak or passive.
It is the means by which
we declare our faith in God
and qualify ourselves to
receive the powers of heaven.
Obedience is a choice.
It is a choice between our own
limited knowledge and power
and God's unlimited
wisdom and omnipotence.
According to the lesson
my grandfather gave to me,
it is the choice to sense the
spiritual bit in our mouths
and follow the driver's lead.
May we become heirs
to the covenant
and the seed of Abraham
through our faithfulness
and by receiving the ordinances
of the restored gospel.
I promise you that the
blessings of eternal life
are available to everyone
who is faithful and obedient.
In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
Thank you, brethren.
The choir and
congregation will now
stand and join in singing
"Hark, All Ye Nations!"
We will then be pleased to
hear from Elders Lawrence E.
Corbridge, Michael John
U. Teh, and Marcos A.
Aidukaitis of the Seventy.
They will be followed by
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles.
 
[MUSIC - "HARK, ALL YE
 NATIONS!"]
 
This is the 184th Annual
General Conference
of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
 
(Singing) Hark, all ye nations!
Hear heaven's voice thru ev'ry
land that all may rejoice!
Angels of glory
shout the refrain:
Truth is restored again!
 
Oh, how glorious from
the throne above shines
the gospel light
of truth and love!
Bright as the sun, this heavenly
ray lights ev'ry land today.
 
Searching in darkness,
nations have wept;
watching for dawn, their
vigil they've kept.
All now rejoice; the
long night is o'er.
Truth is on earth once more!
 
Oh, how glorious from
the throne above shines
the gospel light
of truth and love!
Bright as the sun, this heavenly
ray lights ev'ry land today.
 
Chosen by God to serve him
below, to ev'ry land and people
we'll go, standing for
truth with fervent accord,
teaching his holy word.
Oh, how glorious from
the throne above shines
the gospel light
of truth and love!
Bright as the sun, this heavenly
ray lights ev'ry land today.
 
A young boy reads the
Bible, and his eyes
pause on a singular
passage of scripture.
This is a moment that
will change the world.
He is anxious to know
which church can lead him
to truth and salvation.
He's tried almost
everything else,
and now he turns to the Bible.
And he reads these words:
"If any of you lack wisdom,
let him ask of God, that
giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and
it shall be given him."
He reflects on them
over and over again.
The first glimmer of light
penetrates the darkness.
Is this the answer, the way
out of confusion and darkness?
Can it be this simple?
Ask God and He will answer?
At length he decides he
must either ask God or ever
remain in darkness
and confusion.
And yet as anxious as he is, he
doesn't run to a quiet corner
and rattle off a hurried prayer.
He's only 14, but in his haste
to know, he is not hasty.
This is not to be
just any prayer.
He decides where to go and
when to make the attempt.
He prepares to talk to God.
And then the day comes.
It is the morning of
a beautiful, clear day
in the spring of 1820.
He walks alone into the
stillness of the nearby woods,
beneath the trees
that tower above him.
He reaches the place where
he previously designed to go.
He kneels and offers up
the desires of his heart.
Describing what
happens next, he says:
"I saw a pillar of light
exactly over my head,
above the brightness of the sun,
which descended gradually until
it fell upon me. ...
When the light rested upon
me I saw two Personages,
whose brightness and glory
defy all description,
standing above me in the air.
One of them spake unto me,
calling me by name and said,
pointing to the other--other--[Joseph,]
This is My Beloved Son.
Hear Him!"
Only 24 years later, Joseph
Smith and his brother Hyrum
will die because
of what began here.
Joseph said that when he was
17, an angel told him that his
"name [would] be had for good
and evil among all nations, ...
among all people."
This remarkable
prophecy is continuing
to be fulfilled today
as The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints has
spread throughout the world.
Opposition, criticism,
and antagonism
are companions to the truth.
Whenever the truth is
revealed with regard
to the purpose and
destiny of man,
there will always be
a force to oppose it.
Beginning with Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden,
down to the ministry of
Christ, and on down to our day,
there will always be an effort
to deceive, derail, oppose,
and frustrate the plan of life.
Look for the biggest dust
cloud billowing above the most
dirt that is kicked at
One who was most opposed,
challenged, rejected, beaten,
abandoned, and crucified, One
who descended below all
things, and there you
will find the truth, the Son of
God, the Savior of all mankind.
Why did they not
leave Him alone?
Why?
Because He is the truth, and the
truth will always be opposed.
And then look for
one who brought forth
another testament of Jesus
Christ and other scripture.
Look for one who was the
instrument by which the fulness
of the gospel and the
Church of Jesus Christ
were restored to the earth.
Look for him and expect
to find the dirt flying.
Why not leave him alone?
Why?
Because he taught the
truth, and the truth
will always be opposed.
The revelations poured
out upon Joseph Smith
affirmed that he was
a prophet of God.
Let's just look at some
of them--just look at some
of the light and truth revealed
through him that shines
in stark contrast to the common
beliefs of his day and ours:
God is a personal, exalted
being, an Eternal Father.
He is our Father.
God the Father, Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Ghost
are separate beings.
You are more than human.
You are a child of God,
the Eternal Father,
and may become like Him if you
will have faith in His Son,
repent, receive ordinances,
receive the Holy Ghost,
and endure to the end.
The Church of Jesus Christ
today is fundamentally
the same Church He organized
during His mortal ministry,
with prophets and apostles,
Melchizedek and Levitical
Priesthoods, elders, high
priests, deacons, teachers,
bishops, and the Seventy, all
as described in the Bible.
After the deaths of the
Savior and His Apostles,
priesthood authority was
withheld from the earth
and has been restored
again in our day.
Revelation has not ceased.
The heavens are not closed.
God speaks to prophets
today, and He speaks to you
and me as well.
There is more after this life
than only a heaven and hell.
There are degrees of glory,
and it matters a great deal
what we do in this life.
More than a mere passive
belief in Christ,
we should "look unto
[Him] in every thought,"
"do all that [we do] in
the name of the Son,"
"always remember him and
keep his commandments ...
that [we] may always have
his Spirit to be with [us]."
The billions who live and
die without the gospel
and the ordinances necessary
for salvation are not lost.
"Through the
Atonement of Christ,
all mankind may be
saved, by obedience
to the laws and
ordinances of the Gospel,"
administered for both
the living and the dead.
Everything did not
begin at birth.
You lived before in the presence
of God as His son and daughter
and prepared for
this mortal life.
Marriage and family are
not conventions of men
only until death do us part.
They are intended to be eternal
by covenants we make with God.
The family is the
pattern of heaven.
And this is only a small part
of the flood of revelation
poured out upon Joseph Smith.
Where did it all come
from, these revelations
which give light to
darkness, clarity to doubt,
and which have inspired,
blessed, and improved
the lives of millions of people?
Which is more likely, that he
dreamed it all up on his own
or that he had the
help of heaven?
Do the scriptures he produced
sound like the words of man
or the words of God?
There is no dispute about what
Joseph Smith accomplished,
only how he did
what he did and why.
And there are not many options.
He was either
pretender or prophet.
Either he did what he did alone,
or he had the help of heaven.
Look at all of the evidence--not
just any single piece,
but the entire
mosaic of his life.
And most importantly, do as
young Joseph "and ask ...
God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given you."
This is not only how
you may learn the truth
about the Book of
Mormon and Joseph Smith;
it is the pattern to know
the truth of all things.
I testify that Joseph
Smith was a prophet of God,
as is Thomas S. Monson today.
Through Joseph Smith, "the
keys of the kingdom of God are
[again] committed
unto man on the earth,
and the gospel
[will] roll forth ...
as the stone which is cut out of
the mountain without hands ...,
until it has filled
the whole earth."
God is our Eternal Father,
and Jesus is the Christ.
We worship Them.
Nothing compares
with Their creations,
the plan of salvation, and the
atoning sacrifice of the Lamb
of God.
In this dispensation,
we fulfill the plan
of the Father and partake of
the fruits of the Atonement
only by obedience to the laws
and ordinances of the gospel,
restored through the
Prophet Joseph Smith.
I bear testimony of them--God
the Eternal Father and Jesus
Christ, the Savior of the world.
And I do so in the name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
Shortly following after general
conference in October 2007,
one of my brethren told me that
it would be about seven years
before I got this
harrowing experience again.
I was relieved and told him
that I would consider it
my "seven years of plenty."
Well, here I am; my seven years
of plenty have come to an end.
[LAUGHTER]
Last January my
sweetheart, Grace, and I
received an assignment to visit
the members in the Philippines
who were devastated by a major
earthquake and a super typhoon.
We rejoiced because
the assignment
was an answer to our prayers
and a testament to the mercy
and goodness of a
loving Father in Heaven.
It provided some
closure to our longing
to personally express to
them our love and concern.
Most of the members
we met were still
living in temporary shelters
like tents, community centers,
and Church meetinghouses.
The homes we visited had either
partial roofing or no roofing
at all.
The people did not have
much to begin with, and what
little they had was swept away.
There was mud and
debris everywhere.
However, they were
full of gratitude
for the little help
they received and were
in good spirits despite their
very difficult circumstances.
When we asked them
how they were coping,
everyone responded with
a resounding "We're OK."
Obviously, their
faith in Jesus Christ
gave them hope that everything
would work out eventually.
Home after home, tent after
tent, Sister Teh and I
were being taught by
these faithful Saints.
In times of calamity
or tragedy, the Lord
has a way of refocusing
us and our priorities.
All of a sudden,
all the material
things we worked so hard
to acquire do not matter.
All that matters is our family
and our other relationships.
One good sister put
it this way (quote):
"After the water receded and it
was time to begin cleaning up,
I looked around my
home and thought,
'Wow, I have accumulated a lot
of garbage these many years.'"
[LAUGHTER]
(Close quote.)
I suspect that this sister has
gained a better perspective
and henceforth will be
very cautious in deciding
which things are
necessary and which
ones she really
can live without.
In working with many
members over the years,
we have been pleased
to observe an abundance
of spiritual strength.
We have also seen both
abundance and a lack of material
processions among
these faithful members.
Out of necessity, most
of us are involved
in earning money and acquiring
some of the world's goods
to be able to
sustain our families.
It requires a good part
of our time and attention.
There is no end to what
the world has to offer,
so it is critical that
we learn to recognize
when we have enough.
If we are not
careful, we will begin
to chase after the temporal
more than the spiritual.
Our pursuit for the
spiritual and eternal
will then take a backseat
instead of the other way
around.
Sadly, there appears to
be a strong inclination
to acquire more
and more and to own
the latest and the
most sophisticated.
How do we make sure that we
are not drawn down this path?
Jacob gives this
counsel: "Wherefore,
do not spend money for
that which is of no worth,
nor your labor for that
which cannot satisfy.
Hearken diligently unto me,
and remember the words which
I have spoken; and come
unto the Holy One of Israel,
and feast upon that which
perisheth not, neither can
be corrupted, and let your
soul delight in fatness."
I hope none of us spend money
for that which is of no worth,
nor labor for that
which does not satisfy.
The Savior taught the
following to both the Jews
and then the Nephites:
"Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves break
through and steal:
but lay up for
yourselves treasures
in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not
break through nor steal:
for where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also."
In another setting, the
Savior gave this parable:
"The ground of a certain rich
man brought forth plentifully:
and he thought within himself,
saying, What shall I do,
because I have no room
where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do:
I will pull down my barns, and
build greater; and there will
I bestow all my
fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul,
thou hast much goods laid up
for many years; take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou
fool, this night thy soul
shall be required of
thee: then whose shall
those things be, which
thou hast provided?
So is he who layeth up
treasures for himself,
and is not rich toward God."
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
gave the following counsel
not too long ago (quote):
"Our Heavenly Father
sees our real potential.
He knows things about us that
we do not know ourselves.
He prompts us
during our lifetime
to fulfill the measure of our
creation, to live a good life,
and to return to His presence.
Why, then, do we devote so
much of our time and energy
to things that are so fleeting,
so inconsequential, and so
superficial?
Do we refuse to see the
folly in the pursuit
of the trivial and the
transient?" (End of quote.)
We all know that our
list of earthly treasures
consists of pride, wealth,
material things, power,
and the honors of men.
They do not merit any
more time and attention,
so I will focus
instead on things
that will constitute
our treasures in heaven.
What are some
treasures in heaven
that we can lay
up for ourselves?
For starters, it
will be well for us
to acquire the Christlike
attributes of faith,
hope, humility, and charity.
We have been counseled
repeatedly to ""[put] off
the natural man and ...
[become] as a child."
The Savior's
admonition is for us
to strive to be perfect like
Him and our Heavenly Father.
Second, we need to put more
quality time and effort
in strengthening
family relationships.
After all, "the family
is ordained of God.
It is the most important unit
in time and ... eternity."
Third, serving
others is a hallmark
of a true follower of Christ.
He said, "Inasmuch
as ye have done
it unto one of the least
of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me."
Fourth, understanding
the doctrine of Christ
and strengthening our
testimony is a labor
that will bring real
joy and satisfaction.
We need to consistently
study the words of Christ
as found in the scriptures and
the words of living prophets.
"For behold, the words
of Christ will tell you
all things what ye should do."
May I conclude with the story
of a 73-year-old widow whom
we met during our trip
to the Philippines.
When the earthquake struck
the island of Bohol,
the home that she
and her late husband
had worked so hard to build
crumbled to the ground,
killing her daughter
and grandson.
Now alone, she needed to
work to support herself.
She started taking in laundry
(which she does by hand)
and has to go up and down a
good-sized hill several times
a day to fetch water.
When we visited her, she
was living in a tent.
These are her words (quote):
"Elder, I accept everything
that the Lord has asked
me to pass through.
I have no hard feelings.
I treasure my temple recommend
and keep it under my pillow.
Please know that I pay a full
tithing on my meager income
from doing laundry.
No matter what
happens, I will always
pay tithing" (end of quote).
I bear testimony that our
priorities, tendencies,
inclinations, desires,
appetites, and passions
will have a direct bearing
on our next estate.
Let us always remember
the words of the Savior:
"For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also."
May our hearts be found
in the right place
is my prayer, in the name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
The other day my
10-year-old son was
studying about the human
brain on the Internet.
He wants to be a
surgeon one day.
It's not difficult to note that
he is a lot smarter than I am.
We like the Internet.
At home we communicate
with family and friends
through social media,
email, and other ways.
My children do much
of their school work
through the Internet.
Whatever the question is,
if we need more information,
we search it online.
In seconds we have
a lot of material.
This is marvelous.
The Internet provides many
opportunities for learning.
However, Satan wants
us to be miserable,
and he distorts the
real purpose of things.
He uses this great tool
to promote doubt and fear
and destroy faith and hope.
With so much available
on the Internet,
one must carefully consider
where to apply his efforts.
Satan can keep us
busy, distracted,
and infected by sifting through
information, much of which
can be pure garbage.
[LAUGHTER]
One should not roam
through garbage.
[LAUGHTER]
Listen to this guidance
provided by the scriptures:
"The Spirit of Christ
is given to every man,
that he may know good
from evil; wherefore,
I show unto you
the way to judge;
for every thing which
inviteth to do good,
and to persuade to
believe in Christ,
is sent forth by the
power and gift of Christ;
wherefore ye may know ...
it is of God."
In a real sense, we
face the same dilemma
that Joseph Smith
faced in his youth.
We too often find
ourselves lacking wisdom.
In the kingdom of God,
the search for truth
is appreciated, encouraged, and
in no way repressed or feared.
Church members are strongly
counseled by the Lord Himself
to seek for knowledge.
He said, "Seek ye
diligently ...; yea,
seek ye out of the best books
words of wisdom; seek learning,
even by study and
also by faith."
However, how can
we recognize truth
in a world that is increasingly
more blunt in its attacks
on the things pertaining to God?
The scriptures teach us how.
First, we can know the truth
by observing its fruits.
During His great Sermon on
the Mount, the Lord said:
"Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth [corrupt] fruit. ...
Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them."
The prophet Mormon
taught the same principle
when he said, "By their
works ye shall know them;
for if their works be good,
then they are good also."
We invite all to
study the fruits
and the works of this Church.
Those who are
interested in the truth
will be able to
recognize the difference
that the Church and its
members make in the communities
where they are established.
They will also note
the improvement
in the lives of those
who follow its teachings.
Those who examine
these fruits will
discover that the fruits
of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints
are delicious and desirable.
Second, we can find
truth by experimenting
on the word ourselves.
The prophet Alma taught: "We
will compare the word unto
a seed. ...
If ye give place, that a seed
may be planted in your heart,
behold, if it be a
true seed, [and] ...
if ye do not cast it out
by your unbelief, ...
it will begin to swell
within your breasts; and ...
ye will begin to say within
yourselves--It must ...
be that this is a good seed,
... for it beginneth to enlarge
my soul; ...
it beginneth to enlighten
my understanding, yea,
it beginneth to be
delicious to me. ...
And now, ...
will not this
strengthen your faith?
Yea, it will strengthen
your faith. ...
For every seed bringeth
forth unto its own likeness."
What a superb invitation
by a prophet of the Lord!
This could be compared to
a scientific experiment.
We are invited to test the
word, we are given parameters,
and we are told the
outcome of the test
if we follow the instructions.
Thus the scriptures
teach us that we
can know the truth by
observing its fruits
or by experimenting with
it personally, giving place
for the word in our
hearts and cultivating it
like unto a seed.
However, there is yet a
third way to know the truth,
and that is by
personal revelation.
Doctrine and Covenants section
8 teaches that revelation is
knowledge--"knowledge of
whatsoever things [we] ask
in faith, with an honest heart,
[and] believing that [we] shall
receive."
And the Lord tells us how we
will receive this revelation.
He says, "I will tell [it] in
your mind and in your heart,
by the Holy Ghost, which
shall come upon you
and which shall
dwell in your heart."
Thus we are taught
that revelation
can be obtained by asking in
faith, with an honest heart,
and believing we will receive.
But notice that the Lord made
it very clear when He warned,
"Remember that without
faith you can do nothing;
therefore ask in faith."
Faith requires work, such as
studying it out in your mind,
then asking in prayer
if it is right.
The Lord said, "If it is right
I will cause that your bosom
shall burn within you;
therefore, you shall feel ...
it is right.
But if it be not right you
shall have no such feelings,
but you shall have
a stupor of thought
that shall cause you to forget
the thing which is wrong."
Faith without works is dead.
Thus, "ask in faith,
nothing wavering."
I have a friend,
not of our faith,
who indicated to me that he
is not a spiritual person.
He will not study the scriptures
or pray because he says he
cannot understand
the words of God,
nor he is sure that God exists.
This attitude explains
his lack of spirituality
and will lead to the
opposite of revelation,
as explained by Alma.
He said, "And therefore, he
that will harden his heart,
the same receiveth the
lesser portion of the word."
But, Alma added, "he that will
not harden his heart, to him
is given the greater
portion of the word,
until it is given unto him
to know the mysteries of God
until he know them in full."
Alma and the sons of
Mosiah are examples
of the principle that
faith requires work.
In the Book of Mormon
we read that "they
had searched the
scriptures diligently,
that they might know
the word of God.
But this is not all;
they had given themselves
to much prayer, and
fasting; therefore they
had the spirit of prophecy,
and the spirit of revelation."
Asking with an honest heart
is an equally important thing
in this process.
If we are sincerely
seeking the truth,
we will do all in
our power to find it,
which can include reading the
scriptures, going to church,
and doing our best to keep
the commandments of God.
It also means that we are
willing to do God's will when
we find it.
Joseph Smith's actions when
he was seeking for wisdom
are a perfect example of what it
means to have an honest heart.
He said he wanted to
know which of the sects
was true so "that [he]
might know which to join."
Even before he prayed,
he was ready to act
upon the answer
he would receive.
We must ask in faith
with an honest heart,
but that is not all.
We must also believe that
we will receive revelation.
We must trust the Lord and
have hope in His promises.
Remember what is written:
"If any of you lack
wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and
it shall be given him."
What a wonderful promise!
I invite all to seek truth
from any of these methods
but especially from revelation
from God through the Spirit.
God will reveal
truth to those who
seek for it as prescribed
in the scriptures.
It requires more effort than
just searching the Internet,
but it is worth it.
I bear my testimony that
this is the true Church
of Jesus Christ.
I have seen its
fruits in communities
and in the lives
of many thousands,
including family members.
Thus I know it is true.
I have also tried the word
in my life for many years,
and I have felt its
effects on my soul.
Thus I know it is true.
But most importantly,
I have learned
of its truthfulness for
myself by revelation
through the power
of the Holy Ghost.
Thus I know it is true.
I invite all of
you to do the same.
In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
A crushing sense of
defeat and despair
enveloped His disciples as Jesus
suffered and died on the cross
and His body was placed
lifeless in the tomb.
Despite what the
Savior had repeatedly
said of His death and
subsequent rising again,
they had not understood.
The dark afternoon
of His Crucifixion,
however, was soon followed
by the joyous morning
of His Resurrection.
But that joy came only as the
disciples became eyewitnesses
of the Resurrection, for even
the declaration of angels
that he had risen was at
first incomprehensible.
It was something so
totally unprecedented.
Mary Magdalene and a
few other faithful women
came early to the Savior's
tomb that Sunday morning,
bringing spices and ointments
to complete the anointing begun
when the Lord's body was
hastily laid in the sepulchre
before the approaching Sabbath.
On this morning
of mornings, they
were greeted by an open
sepulchre, the covering
stone having been rolled away,
and two angels who
declared: "Why seek
ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, but
is risen: remember
how he spake unto you when he
was yet in Galilee, saying,
The Son of man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men,
and be crucified, and the
third day rise again."
"Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.
And go quickly, and
tell his disciples
that he is risen from the dead."
As bidden by the angels, Mary
Magdalene looked into the tomb,
but it seems that all that
registered in her mind
was that the body of
the Lord was gone.
She hurried to report
to the Apostles
and, finding Peter and
John, said to them,
"They have taken away the
Lord out of the sepulchre,
and we know not where
they have laid him."
Peter and John ran to the
place and verified that indeed
the tomb was empty, seeing
"the linen clothes lying ...
and the napkin, that was
[wrapped] about his head, ...
together in a place by itself."
John apparently was
the first to comprehend
the magnificent message
of resurrection.
He writes that "he
saw, and believed,"
whereas the others to that
point "knew not the scripture,
that [Jesus] must rise
again from the dead."
Peter and John left, but
Mary remained behind, still
in mourning.
In the meantime the angels
had returned and tenderly
asked her, "Woman,
why weepest thou?
She saith unto them, Because
they have taken away my Lord,
and I know not where
they have laid him."
At that moment the
resurrected Savior,
now standing behind her, spoke.
"Woman, why weepest
thou? whom seekest thou?
She, supposing him to be the
gardener, saith unto him, Sir,
if thou have borne
him hence, tell me
where thou hast laid him,
and I will take him away."
Elder James E.
Talmage wrote: "It
was Jesus to whom she spake,
her beloved Lord, though she
knew it not.
One word from His living lips
changed her agonized grief
into ecstatic joy.
'Jesus saith unto her,
Mary.' The voice, the tone,
the tender accent she had heard
and loved in the earlier days
lifted her from the despairing
depths into which she had sunk.
She turned, and saw the Lord.
In a transport of joy she
reached out her arms to embrace
Him, uttering only the
endearing and worshipful word,
'Rabboni,' meaning
My beloved Master."
And so this blessed woman
became the first mortal
to see and speak to
the resurrected Christ.
Later that same day He appeared
to Peter in or near Jerusalem,
to two disciples on
the road to Emmaus,
and in the evening to 10
of the Apostles and others,
appearing suddenly
in their midst,
saying, "Behold my hands
and my feet, that it is I
myself: handle me,
and see; for a spirit
hath not flesh and bones,
as ye see me have."
Then to further convince
them "while they yet believed
not for joy, and wondered," He
ate broiled fish and honeycomb
before them.
Later He instructed
them, "Ye shall
be witnesses unto me both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea,
and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth."
Beyond these confirmed
witnesses in Jerusalem,
we have the incomparable
ministry of the risen Lord
to ancient inhabitants of
the Western Hemisphere.
In the land Bountiful,
He descended from heaven
and invited the assembled
throng, some 2,500,
to come forward one by one
until they had all gone forth,
thrusting their
hands into His side
and feeling the prints
of the nails in His hands
and in His feet.
"And when they
had all gone forth
and had witnessed
for themselves,
they did cry out with one
accord, saying: Hosanna!
Blessed be the name
of the Most High God!
And they did fall down
at the feet of Jesus,
and did worship him."
Christ's Resurrection
shows that His existence
is independent and everlasting.
"For as the Father
hath life in himself;
so hath he given to the Son
to have life in himself."
Jesus said: "Therefore
doth my Father love me,
because I lay down my life,
that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me,
but I lay it down of myself.
I have power to lay it down, and
I have power to take it again."
The Savior is not dependent
on food or water or oxygen
or any other substance or
power or person for life.
Both as Jehovah and Messiah,
He is the great I Am,
the self-existing God.
He simply is and ever will be.
By His Atonement
and Resurrection,
Jesus Christ has overcome
all aspects of the Fall.
Physical death
will be temporary,
and even spiritual
death has an end,
in that all come back into
the presence of God, at least
temporarily, to be judged.
We can have ultimate
trust and confidence
in His power to
overcome all else
and grant us everlasting life.
"For since by man
came death, by man
came also the
resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive."
In the words of Elder
Neal A. Maxwell:
"Christ's victory over death
ended the human predicament.
Now there are only
personal predicaments,
and from these too
we may be rescued
by following the
teachings of him who
rescued us from general
extinction" (unquote).
Having satisfied the
demands of justice,
Christ now steps into
the place of justice;
or we might say He is
justice, just as He is love.
Likewise, besides being
a perfect and just God,
He is a perfect, merciful God.
Thus, the Savior makes
all things right.
No injustice in mortality
is permanent, even death,
for He restores life again.
No injury, disability,
betrayal, or abuse goes
uncompensated in the end
because of His ultimate justice
and mercy.
By the same token, we are
all accountable to Him
for our lives, our choices, and
our actions, even our thoughts.
Having redeemed
us from the Fall,
our lives are in reality His.
He declared: "Behold I have
given unto you my gospel,
and this is the gospel which
I have given unto you--that I
came into the world to
do the will of my Father,
because my Father sent me.
And my Father sent me
that I might be lifted up
upon the cross; and after
that I had been lifted up
upon the cross, that I
might draw all men unto me,
that as I have been lifted
up by men even so should men
be lifted up by the Father,
to stand before me, [and]
to be judged of their works."
Consider for a moment
the significance
of the Resurrection
in resolving once
and for all the true
identity of Jesus of Nazareth
and the great philosophical
contests and questions of life.
If Jesus was in fact
literally resurrected,
it necessarily follows
that He is a divine being.
No mere mortal has
the power in Himself
to come to life
again after dying.
Because He was resurrected,
Jesus cannot have been only
a carpenter, a teacher,
a rabbi, or a prophet.
Because He was
resurrected, Jesus
had to have been a God,
even the Only Begotten
Son of the Father.
Therefore, what He taught
is true; God cannot lie.
Therefore, He was the Creator
of the earth, as He said.
Therefore, heaven and hell
are real, as He taught.
Therefore, there is
a world of spirits,
which He visited
after His death.
Therefore, He will come
again and "reign personally
upon the earth."
Therefore, there
is a final judgment
and a resurrection for all.
Given the reality of the
Resurrection of Christ,
doubts about the
omnipotence, omniscience,
and benevolence of God the
Father--who gave His Only
Begotten Son for the redemption
of the world--are groundless.
Doubts about the meaning and
purpose of life are unfounded.
Jesus Christ is in fact
the only name or way
by which salvation
can come to mankind.
The grace of Christ is real,
affording both forgiveness
and cleansing to the
repentant sinner.
Faith truly is more
than imagination
or psychological invention.
There is ultimate
and universal truth,
and there are objective and
unchanging moral standards,
as taught by Him.
Given the Resurrection
of Christ,
repentance of any violation
of His law and commandments
is both possible and urgent.
The Savior's miracles were
real, as is His promise
to His disciples that they might
do the same and even greater
works.
His priesthood is
necessarily a real power
that "administereth
the gospel and holdeth
the key of the mysteries
of the kingdom,
even the key of the
knowledge of God.
Therefore, in the ordinances
thereof, the power of godliness
is manifest."
Given the reality of the
Resurrection of Christ,
death is not our end,
and though "skin worms
destroy [our bodies],
yet in [our] flesh
shall [we] see God."
President Thomas S. Monson tells
of a Robert Blatchford who,
100 years ago "in his book
God and My Neighbor, attacked
with vigor accepted
Christian beliefs,
such as God, Christ,
prayer, and immortality.
He boldly asserted, 'I claim
to have proved everything I set
out to prove so fully and
decisively that no Christian,
however great or able he may
be, can answer my arguments
or shake my case.' He
surrounded himself with a wall
of skepticism.
Then a surprising
thing happened.
His wall suddenly
crumbled to dust. ...
Slowly he began to
feel his way back
to the faith he had
scorned and ridiculed.
What had caused this profound
change in his outlook?
His wife [had] died.
With a broken heart,
he went into the room
where lay all that
was mortal of her.
He looked again at the
face he loved so well.
Coming out, he said to
a friend: 'It is she,
and yet it is not she.
Everything is changed.
Something that was there
before is taken away.
She is not the same.
What can be gone if
it be not the soul?'"
Did the Lord in reality
die and rise again?
Yes.
"The fundamental
principles of our religion
are the testimony of the
Apostles and Prophets,
concerning Jesus Christ, that
He died, was buried, and rose
again the third day, and
ascended into heaven;
and all other things which
pertain to our religion
are only appendages to it."
As the prophesied birth
of Jesus drew near,
there were those among the
ancient Nephite and Lamanite
peoples, those who believed,
though most doubted.
In due course, the sign of His
birth arrived--a day, a night,
and a day without
darkness--and all knew.
Even so today, some believe
in the literal Resurrection
of Christ, and many
doubt or disbelieve.
But some know.
In due course, all will
see and all will know;
indeed, "every knee shall
bow, and every tongue
confess before him."
Until then, I believe
the many witnesses
of the Savior's Resurrection
whose experiences
and testimonies are found in
the New Testament--Peter and his
companions of the Twelve and
dear, pure Mary of Magdala,
among others.
I believe the testimonies found
in the Book of Mormon--of Nephi
the Apostle with the unnamed
multitude in the land
Bountiful, among others.
And I believe the testimony of
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon,
who, after many
other testimonies,
proclaimed the great witness of
this last dispensation "that he
lives!
For we saw him."
Under the glance of
His all-seeing eye,
I stand myself as a witness
that Jesus of Nazareth
is the resurrected Redeemer,
and I testify of
all that follows
from the fact of
His Resurrection.
May you receive the
conviction and comfort
of that same witness, I pray in
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
Our dear brothers
and sisters, again we
are coming to the conclusion of
a wonderful general conference
of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We express sincere
appreciation to all
who have worked so diligently
to prepare for these services.
We thank those who
have spoken and those
who have provided
the uplifting music.
It will now be our
privilege to again hear
from our beloved prophet,
President Thomas S. Monson.
Following President
Monson's remarks,
the choir will close this
conference by singing "Come,
Let Us Anew."
The benediction will then be
offered be Elder Benjamin De
Hoyos of the Seventy, and the
conference will be adjourned.
 
My brothers and sisters,
what a wonderful conference
this has been.
We've been fed
spiritually as we've
listened to the inspired
words of the men and women who
have addressed us.
The music has been superb.
The messages have been
prepared and delivered
under the promptings
of the Holy Spirit.
And the prayers have
drawn us nearer to heaven.
We have been
uplifted in every way
as we participated together.
I hope that we will take the
time to read the conference
messages when they become
available on LDS.org
within the next
few days and when
they are printed in coming
issues of the Ensign
and Liahona magazines,
for they are deserving
of our careful review and study.
I know you join with
me in expressing
our sincere gratitude to
those brothers and sisters who
were released during
this conference.
They have served well and have
made significant contributions
to the work of the Lord.
Their dedication
has been complete.
We've also sustained, by
uplifted hands, brethren
who have been called to new
positions of responsibility.
We welcome them and want them
to know that we look forward
to serving with them in
the cause of the Master.
As we ponder the
messages we have heard,
may we resolve to do a
little better than we've
done in the past.
May we be kind and
loving to those
who do not share our
beliefs and our standards.
The Savior brought to this earth
a message of love and goodwill
to all men and women.
May we ever follow His example.
We face many serious
challenges in the world today,
but I assure you
that our Heavenly
Father is mindful of us.
He will guide and bless us as we
put our faith and trust in Him
and will see us through whatever
difficulties come our way.
May heaven's blessings
be with each of us.
May our homes be filled
with love and courtesy
and with the Spirit of the Lord.
May we constantly
nourish our testimonies
of the gospel, that they
will be a protection for us
against the buffetings
of the adversary.
May the Spirit we have felt
during these past two days
be and abide with us as
we go about those things
which could occupy us each day.
May we ever be found doing
the work of the Lord.
I bear testimony that this work
is true, that our Savior lives,
that He guides and directs His
Church here upon the earth.
I leave with you my
witness and my testimony
that God, our Eternal
Father, lives and loves us.
He is indeed our Father,
and He is personal and real.
May we realize how close to
us He is willing to come,
how far He is willing
to go to help us,
and how much He loves us.
My brothers and sisters,
may God bless you.
May His promised peace be
with you now and always.
I bid you farewell until we
meet again in six months' time,
and I do so in the name of Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior,
amen.
Amen.
 
[MUSIC - "COME, LET US ANEW"]
(Singing) Come, let us anew
our journey pursue, roll round
with the year, and never stand
still till the Master appear.
 
His adorable will let
us gladly fulfill,
and our talents improve
by the patience of hope
and the labor of love,
by the patience of hope
and the labor of love.
 
Our life as a dream, our time
as a stream glide swiftly away,
and the fugitive moment refuses
to stay; for the arrow is flown
and the moments are gone.
The millennial year presses
on to our view, and eternity's
here, presses on to our
view, and eternity's here.
 
Oh, that each in the
day of His coming
may say, "I have
fought my way thru;
I have finished the work
thou didst give me to do."
Oh, that each from his Lord
may receive the glad word:
"Well and faithfully
done; enter into my joy
and sit down on my
throne; enter into my joy
and sit down on my throne."
Oh, that each from his Lord--
--Oh, that each from his Lord--
--May receive the glad word:
--The glad word: "Well
and faithfully done"--
--"Well and faithfully done"--
 
"Enter into my joy and sit down
on my throne; enter into my joy
and sit down on my throne."
Amen.
 
Our dear Heavenly
Father, as we conclude
this general
conference, we express
to Thee our gratitude
for the sweet Spirit that
has touched our hearts.
We recognize Thy hand upon
this, the restored Church
of Thy Son, Jesus Christ,
in these latter days.
And we are grateful
for the atoning
sacrifice of Thy Son for us.
We thank Thee for
the inspired guidance
of our beloved prophet,
President Thomas S.
Monson, and his counselors.
And we know, Father,
that Thou art
hastening the work
in this our time.
Give us, please, Father, the
courage to share the gospel.
Help us to reach out to
those who have strayed,
that we may bring
them again unto Thee.
 
Please help us to
remember and apply
all the teachings
we have received
throughout this conference.
And now, Father, take us to our
homes in safety and in peace,
with a greater desire
to be faithful.
In the name of Thy Son, our
Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Amen.
 
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This has been a broadcast
of the 184th Annual 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.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
