Far more members of the church need to "awake and arouse our faculties to an awareness of the great everlasting truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ," President Gordon B. Hinckley said Sunday at the close of the 165th Annual General Conference.
President Hinckley closed the two-day conference admonishing members to "be a little more kind. We can be a little more merciful. We can be a little more forgiving. We can put behind us our weaknesses of the past and go forth with new energy and increased resolution to improve the world about us, in our homes, in our places of employment, in our social activities."We have work to do, so very much of it. Let us roll up our sleeves and get at it, with a new commitment, putting our trust in the Lord," he said.
Such an accomplishment is possible, he said, if "we will be prayerful and faithful. We can do better than we have ever done before."
The Sunday afternoon session included addresses by five other general authorities and a counselor in the Young Women's general presidency. Music was provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
In his address, President Hinckley expressed appreciation for the Lord's blessings as those attending the conference have "listened to wise and inspired counsel." He said, "We have been taught, and we have been edified."
Noting the recent Young Women's conference and the Saturday evening general priesthood session, President Hinckley praised faithful young people in the church, indicating that a marvelous change has taken place among those who learn and follow the Lord's commandments.
"A new generation is arising who are familiar with the word of the Lord. Growing up in a worldly environment that is laden with immorality and filth of every kind, our youth, for the most part, are meeting the challenge of living in the world without partaking of the evils of the world," President Hinckley said.
It is wonderful, he said, to feel the pulse of the present generation of youth. But he said there are, of course, "some who do not measure up."
President Hinckley called attention to the continuing battle between the forces of good and evil and the right of people to choose.
"Some, unfortunately, choose the wrong. But many choose the right, including so very many of our choice young men and young women. They deserve and need our gratitude. They need our encouragement. They need the kind of examples that we can become before them . . ." he said.
The 84-year-old church leader urged Latter-day Saints everywhere to do better than they have been doing.
He said the church needs the strength of its members. "It needs your love and loyalty and devotion. It needs a little more of your time and energy." But he advised members that he was not asking them to give more at the expense of their employers or their families.
In their employment, President Hinckley said church members have an obligation to be "men and women of absolute honesty and integrity." Increased effort for the Lord must not be made at the expense of families because the "Lord will hold you responsible for your children."
He asked those listening to spend less idle time in such things as the "fruitless pursuit of watching inane and empty television programs. Time so utilized can be put to better advantage, and the consequences will be wonderful."
President Hinckley urged members to ponder the things they heard during the two-day gathering, and he left his blessing with them.
"May we go with determination to try a little harder to be a little better. Please know that we are not without understanding of some of your problems. We are aware that many of you carry very heavy burdens. We plead with the Lord in your behalf. We add our prayers to your prayers that you may find solutions to your problems. We leave a blessing upon you, even an apostolic blessing.
"We bless you that the Lord may smile with favor upon you, that there may be happiness and peace in your homes and in your lives, that an atmosphere of love and respect and appreciation be felt among husbands and wives, children and parents. May you `look to God and live' with happiness, with security, with peace, with faith . . . "
At the beginning of his talk, President Hinckley told the audience that "we have participated in a miracle . . . As I've listened to all who have spoken, I have noted that there has been no duplication of treatment. Every man and woman who has spoken has chosen his or her own theme to treat. There are no assignments made to any of the speakers concerning what they should say. Yet they all fit together in a pattern that is beautiful and wonderful."
He said he had a "profound feeling of gratitude to the Lord for his wonderful blessings upon us. We have listened to wise and inspired counsel. We have been taught and we have been edified."
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Afternoon speakers
Gordon B. Hinckley
president of the LDS Churchi
L. Tom Perry
of the Council of the Twelve
Dallin H. Oaks
of the Council of the Twelve
Richard G. Scott
of the Council of the Twelve
LeGrand R. Curtis
of the Seventy
Andrew W. Peterson
of the Seventy
Bonnie D. Parkin
of the Young Women's presidency
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Elder Perry:
- President and Sister Hinckley are wonderful role models for married couples to emulate.
Reiterating the topic of a colleague during the Sunday morning session, Elder L. Tom Perry stressed the importance of marriage as a "divine institution, ordained of God," and urged church members to look to President and Sister Hinckley for a role model in their marriages.
Elder Perry of the Council of the Twelve stressed the need for husbands and wives to work together as one.
"There are too many marriages that do not stay on course, ending prematurely, in divorce. There are too many children who are silently suffering from the lack of nurturing and care because their parents' union is unhappy or dissolved," Elder Perry said.
"No single issue causes more concern among leaders of churches and nations than the alarming rate of breakup of marriages today. Statistics show that strong marriages produce strong families. The breakup of the family is the cause of serious social problems that are destroying our communities - including increases in poverty, crime and delinquency."
Amidst all the confusion existing in modern society over the role of women, Marjorie Hinckley stands as a "worthy role model for those who are still struggling to find the right balance in life," he said. Focusing on Sister Hinckley, Elder Perry noted her heritage and her spiritual and other accomplishments as a wife and mother.
The "sweet relationship of President and Sister Hinckley offers both the men and women of the church a marvelous example to observe and emulate," he said.
Over the years, Elder Perry said he and his wife have had the privilege of traveling on many assignments with President and Sister Hinckley. In those travels, he said, "we have always found Sister Hinckley so positive and cheerful. Her enthusiastic and supportive attitude clearly lifts her husband."
Elder Perry said the prophet's wife is an example to the wives of priesthood leaders all over the world. He said she has "always maintained a balance between her two eternal callings - that of a wife and mother. Her success in the role as a mother is evidenced by the Hinckley children - Dick, Clark, Kathleen, Virginia and Jane. Each child is a credit to their parents."
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Elder Oaks:
- Knowledge of the Godhead is fundamental to understanding life and eternal destiny.
The purpose of the LDS Church is to help all of God's children understand their potential and achieve their highest destiny, said Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Council of the Twelve.
"The church exists to provide the sons and daughters of God with the means of entrance into and exaltation in the celestial kingdom. This is a family-centered church, in doctrine and practice. Our understanding of the nature and purpose of God the Eternal Father explains our destiny and our relationship in his eternal family. Our theology begins with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them.
"Under the merciful plan of the Father, all of this is possible through the atonement of the Only Begotten of the Father, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As earthly parents we participate in the gospel plan by providing mortal bodies for the spirit children of God. The fullness of eternal salvation is a family matter," Elder Oaks said.
He outlined the basic doctrines of the church, saying the organization has many beliefs in common with other Christian denominations. But he said the church has differences, which explain why it has a missionary system, why it builds temples in addition to chapels and why its beliefs "bring us happiness and strength to deal with the challenges of life and death."
A fundamental truth, he said, is the church's teaching about the Godhead, whose three members are separate and distinct beings. The church teaches that God the Father is not just a spirit but a glorified person with a tangible body, as is his resurrected Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost "has not a body of flesh and bones but is a personage of Spirit."
Elder Oaks said this belief does not mean that "we claim sufficient spiritual maturity to comprehend God. Nor do we equate our imperfect mortal bodies to his immortal, glorified being. But we can comprehend the fundamentals of what he has revealed about himself and other members of the Godhead. And that knowledge is fundamental to our understanding of the purpose of mortal life and of our eternal destiny as resurrected beings after mortal life."
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Elder Scott:
- Forgiveness can be achieved only by those who actively follow the principles of repentance.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Council of the Twelve outlined the steps for sincere and complete repentance, urging church members to understand that Christ's atonement can only be effective in their lives if they actively seek forgiveness for sin.
"Every incorrect choice we make, every sin we commit is a violation of eternal law. That violation generally brings negative results we soon recognize . . .. We can do nothing of ourselves to satisfy the demands of justice for a broken eternal law. Yet, unless the demands of justice are paid, each of us will suffer endless negative consequences. Only the life, teachings and particularly the Atonement of Jesus Christ can release us from this otherwise impossible predicament."
Church members who fully understand the Atonement "will see that God is not a jealous being who delights in persecuting those who misstep. He is an absolutely perfect, compassionate, understanding, patient and forgiving Father."
The principles of repentance are the same for both those "lightly blemished or heavily disfigured" by sin, he said. "The length and severity of the treatments are conditioned to fit the circumstances."
Elder Scott said President Spencer W. Kimball's book, "The Miracle of Forgiveness," identifies five essential elements of repentance:
- Sorrow for sin. "Study and ponder to determine how serious the Lord defines your transgression to be. That will bring healing sorrow and remorse."
- Abandonment of sin. "This is an unyielding, permanent resolve to not repeat the transgression. By keeping this commitment, the bitter aftertaste of that sin need not be experienced again."
- Confession of sin. "You always need to confess your sins to the Lord. If they are serious transgressions, such as immorality, they need to be confessed to a bishop or stake president . . .. Partial confession by mentioning lesser mistakes will not help you resolve a more serious, undisclosed transgression."
- Obedience to all the commandments brings "the complete power of the gospel into your life with strength to focus on the abandonment of specific sins."
- Recognition of the Savior is the most important step, he said. "It is essential to know that only on his terms can you be forgiven."
He counseled members not to "take comfort in the fact that your transgressions are not known by others. That is like an ostrich with his head buried in the sand. He sees only darkness and feels comfortably hidden. In reality he is ridiculously conspicuous" because God knows all.
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Elder Curtis:
- Parents should strive to make homes happy places that unify and strengthen family members.
Family prayer, scripture study, gospel discussion and enjoying good music together are vital ways in which Latter-day Saint families can find the peace and joy promised to those who live gospel principles.
Elder LeGrand R. Curtis, of the Quorums of the Seventy, said LDS parents "should endeavor to make our homes happy and pleasant places for us and our children. A happy home is one centered around the teachings of the gospel. And this takes constant, careful effort by all concerned."
He encouraged families of all kinds to gather around the kitchen table regularly to share their faith, encourage and edify each other. "What could be of more importance than the unity of the family, the spiritual growth of a family, the bridges built between members of a family as they talk, listen and respond, all surrounded by love. Your major success is simply trying - over and over."
Elder Curtis reiterated the message of President Howard W. Hunter - to "treat each other with more kindness, more courtesy, more humility and patience and forgiveness." Quoting Goethe, he said, "If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he could be and might be, he will become what he ought to be."
As President Hinckley has said, "Too many (children) walk with pain, with fear, in loneliness and despair. Children need sunlight. They need happiness. They need love and nurture. They need kindness and refreshment and affection. Every home, regardless of the cost of the house, can provide an environment of love which will be an environment of salvation."
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Elder Peterson:
- Easter season provides memorable opportunities to accept Christ's invitation.
Reflecting on missionary experiences and on other spiritual renewal, Elder Andrew W. Peterson said he hopes the coming Easter season is a time of "meditation, reflection and appreciation."
Called six months ago as a member of the Seventy, Elder Peterson also admonished church members to resolve to be obedient to prophetic invitations from those who hold the keys of the kingdom. He paid tribute to President Gordon B. Hinckley and to the late President Howard W. Hunter.
Elder Peterson reflected on his experiences in spending Easter Sunday 1968 in Quiriza, Bolivia, where preparations were made by the villagers for the occasion and where a baptismal service was held.
"The power of that Easter Sunday still moistens my eyes as I reflect on the universality of Christ's invitation to come unto him," Elder Peterson said.
He said the years since his mission have provided opportunities for the fulfillment of promises he made as a missionary. He told of the joy of marrying his high school sweetheart, Christine Swensen, and of the joy they have experienced in rearing their eight children.
"With special promises made to the Lord under the stars in Bolivia at Easter time 1968, there is not a day goes by but that Chris and I embrace our children and feel of God's love for all of his children. And now, as with Easter 1968, for me Easter season 1995 will be one never to be forgotten," Elder Peterson said.
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Sister Parkin:
- Covenants with the Lord are privileges that bring constant renewal if we uphold them.
"Hold on to your covenants and celebrate them," urged Bonnie D. Parkin, second counselor in the Young Women's general presidency.
Covenants, she said, are expressions of faith, further the work of the Lord, help one make a difference in the lives of others, are not negotiable and make the choice of righteousness easier.
In beginning her remarks, Sister Parkin told of the blessings she has experienced in being called last fall to work in an organization with a half-million young women around the world. And she expressed love and appreciation for the opportunity of being present for the recent blessing of her first granddaughter, Jordan Emily, in California.
In discussing covenants, she said Heavenly Father knows people as individuals and that covenants made with him are performed one on one.
Individual commitments made directly with Heavenly Father, she said, are "things to celebrate and to consecrate. I wonder why our covenants so often feel more like obligations than privileges."
Sister Parkin said the sacrament enables members to renew their covenants.
"Thus, if we keep those covenants with honor and exactness, we can feel as fresh and pure as we did when we were first baptized. We can feel as committed to a temple sealing as we did as a new bride and groom. We can feel as loved of God as our sweet little Jordan when she received her name and blessing. Covenants keep us new."