Summary
Highlights
The 191st Semiannual General Conference Saturday morning session begins with music from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. President Henry B. Eyring introduces the session, acknowledging global participation and noting the limited in-person attendance due to COVID-19. He shares condolences for the passing of Elder Dean M. Davies and explains the choir's vaccinated and tested status for safety. The choir performs 'From All That Dwell Below the Skies' and 'Come Ye Children of the Lord' followed by an invocation from Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi and the hymn 'Jesus the Very Thought of Thee.'
President Russell M. Nelson welcomes attendees, emphasizing prayer for revelation and reflection. He expresses gratitude for adherence to COVID-19 guidelines and encourages listeners to seek pure truth, the pure doctrine of Christ, and pure revelation during the conference. He highlights the vital importance of knowledge of the Savior in resolving conflicts and guiding lives, reiterating that absolute, eternal truth exists and can be found through following Christ's teachings. He invites everyone to make the conference a time of feasting on messages from the Lord and becoming His covenant people.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland speaks on wholehearted devotion, referencing the rich young ruler who, despite keeping commandments, hesitated to give up his possessions and follow Jesus. He quotes C.S. Lewis to illustrate God's desire for our 'whole natural self,' not just parts. Holland stresses that loyalty to Christ must be supreme, requiring 'not less than everything.' He acknowledges human flaws but emphasizes God's forgiveness and the possibility of change. He refers to the Book of Mormon's example of a happy, unified people due to 'the love of God,' urging for such unity and love in present times. He explains that loving God wholeheartedly (the first great commandment) enables sincere love for others (the second), inviting all to take up Christ's cross regardless of cost, testifying of the path to eternal life through the Savior.
Sister Bonnie H. Corden shares an anecdote about a young woman's struggle with identity and purpose. She recounts a conversation with President Nelson, who emphasized that youth need to know who they are and their purpose. Corden testifies that everyone is a cherished child of Heavenly Father, loved perfectly by Him, as evidenced by Jesus Christ's Atonement. She encourages studying patriarchal blessings to understand divine identity and purpose. She illustrates how distractions can lead us away from our purpose, like her son Tanner entangled in a soccer net. She urges listeners to come to Christ and participate in His work of gathering Israel, inviting them to bring others, especially family, to Christ, as He healed all who came to Him.
Elder Ulisses Soares speaks on treating others with compassion, using the example of Jesus's visit to Simon the Pharisee's home. He highlights the woman, a sinner, who humbly showed devotion to Jesus, contrasting her actions with Simon's arrogant judgment. Soares emphasizes that Jesus's compassion extends to all, especially those in need, and that His acts were motivated by pure love. He gives the example of Jesus raising the widow of Nain's son, illustrating His sensitivity to suffering. He shares a personal story of a girl with a cleft lip helping others with the same challenge, demonstrating how empathy eases pain. Soares warns against harsh judgments, reminding that only Christ sees all facets of a situation and that we should strive to be like Him, focusing on our own imperfections rather than others'. He testifies that compassion leads to spiritual growth, peace, and increased capacity to love.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson discusses God's profound and perfect love, manifested in His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that while God's love is unconditional, His blessings and salvation are not, requiring repentance. He clarifies that Jesus loves us 'just as we are' but cannot take us into His kingdom 'just as we are' because 'no unclean thing can dwell there.' He cites Professor Hugh Nibley on the impossibility of the Kingdom of God enduring even the smallest sin. Christofferson highlights the critical difference between forgiving sin and condoning it, noting that Christ does not excuse sin but offers forgiveness through repentance and divine grace. He contrasts the world's 'anti-Christ' philosophies with the path of redemption through Jesus Christ, emphasizing that true prophets, motivated by God's love, warn against sin for our salvation. He concludes that God's laws are an expression of His love, guiding us to happiness, and urges love for God and obedience to His commandments.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert shares his personal story of early academic struggles and how involving the Lord in his development during his mission made a significant difference. He introduces a 'math formula' (intercept and slope) to illustrate life's journey: our starting point (intercept) varies, but our progress (slope) is what truly matters. He emphasizes that Jesus Christ sees divine potential in everyone, regardless of their starting circumstances. For those with difficult beginnings, he advises focusing on future potential rather than past limitations, and actively involving the Lord for grace to achieve divine potential. For those with elevated starting points, he counsels humility and avoiding complacency, urging them to seek correction and opportunities for improvement. Gilbert asserts that making God a partner is key to realizing ultimate potential and testifies that the Church helps individuals become 'something more in Christ' through service, repentance, and gospel living, lifting them heavenward.
Elder Patricio M. Giuffra shares his personal journey of discovering faith, starting as a 14-year-old questioning religion. He recounts meeting missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through his neighbor, Leonor Lopez. He describes how the missionaries taught him about Jesus Christ, the Apostasy, and the Restoration through Joseph Smith's First Vision, emphasizing the core truths revealed: God hears prayers, the Godhead consists of separate beings united in purpose, we are created in God's image, and the gospel and true Church were restored. He highlights the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ and shares how he and his mother applied the invitation to pray about its truthfulness. Giuffra testifies that their faith in Christ has brought joy and eternal blessings, and encourages others to increase their faith in Christ, proclaiming Joseph Smith as a prophet, President Nelson as the current prophet, and Jesus as the living Redeemer.
President Dallin H. Oaks addresses good and religious-minded people who have stopped attending or participating in churches. He highlights the decline in church attendance nationwide and warns that neglecting churches threatens personal spiritual life and societal blessings. He emphasizes that church attendance helps individuals become better and influences others positively, fostering learning, association, and love. Oaks asserts that Christ established the Church to continue His work, with apostles given authority. He counters common reasons for not attending, such as feeling unhelped or offended, by stating that the purpose of church is to worship and serve others, not to be entertained. He shares a member's perspective of attending with the intent to be active and make a difference. Oaks explains that the Church provides structure for unselfish service, spiritual growth through repentance, and essential ordinances. He extols the benefits of Christ’s restored Church, including the fulness of doctrine, priesthood authority, and opportunities for eternal family relationships, concluding that worshiping in church each Sabbath day is a law upon which blessings are predicated, drawing us closer to God.
The session concludes with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square performing 'My Redeemer Lives.' Sister Amy A. Wright, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, offers the benediction, expressing gratitude for Heavenly Father and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She prays that as speakers teach the pure doctrine of Christ, all within their influence will think less of the speakers and more of Jesus Christ.