‘Bold initiatives and new announcements’ have one purpose, church leaders say

SALT LAKE CITY — In an age of conflict bombarded by unflagging distractions, the key to finding peace and happiness is to deliberately put Jesus Christ in the center of it all, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Saturday morning at the start of the faith’s 189th Semiannual General Conference.

Even the remarkable pace of changes and adjustments in the church’s programs and procedures should not divert Latter-day Saints from the reason for them, said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who spoke first.

“Consider the swirl of bold initiatives and new announcements in the church in just these recent months,” he said. “As we minister to one another, or refine our Sabbath experience, or embrace a new program for children and youth we will miss the real reason for these revelatory adjustments if we see them as disparate, unrelated elements rather than as an interrelated effort to help us build firmly on the Rock of our Salvation.”

1 of 35

2 of 35

3 of 35

4 of 35

5 of 35

6 of 35

7 of 35

8 of 35

9 of 35

10 of 35

11 of 35

12 of 35

13 of 35

14 of 35

15 of 35

16 of 35

17 of 35

18 of 35

19 of 35

20 of 35

21 of 35

22 of 35

23 of 35

24 of 35

25 of 35

26 of 35

27 of 35

28 of 35

29 of 35

30 of 35

31 of 35

32 of 35

33 of 35

34 of 35

35 of 35

He said the purpose of the church’s two general conferences each year is the quest for faith and conviction. Outside of conference, it is too easy to become distracted.

“What we need here is less Wi-Fi and more Nephi!” said Elder Terence M. Vinson of the Presidency of the Seventy, quoting a father and referring to a Book of Mormon prophet.

He said enduring joy is felt when Christ and his gospel become the framework for life rather than an optional extra.

“There is no treasure, nor any hobby, nor any status, nor any social media, nor any video games, nor any sport, nor any association with a celebrity, nor anything on earth that is more precious than eternal life,” he said.

In fact, said Brother Stephen W. Owen, Young Men general president, “Many of the messages that bombard us in the information age are the spiritual equivalent of feeding hay to deer — we can eat it all day long, but it will not nourish us. Where do we find true spiritual nourishment? Most often, it is not trending on social media.”

Instead, he said, “We must deliberately take time each day to disconnect from the world and connect with heaven.”

He said young adults, teenagers and children should not be dismayed by the world. The way forward is for each person to take personal responsibility for his or her own conversion and spiritual growth. 

“Yes, you face challenges,” he said. “But so does every generation. These are our days, and we need to be faithful, not faithless. I testify that the Lord knows about our challenges, and through the leadership of President (Russell M.) Nelson he is preparing us to meet them. I believe that the prophet’s recent call for a home-centered church, supported by what we do in our buildings, is designed to help us survive — even thrive — in this day of spiritual malnutrition.”

He also encouraged church members that they should “Never underestimate the strength that comes from gathering with others who are also trying to be strong.”

Elder Holland said life today includes commotion, confusion, crowds and contention and that Christ, whom he called an omnipresent central figure in the world, should be played deliberately in the center of life.

“Sisters and brothers, through the incessant din and drumbeat of our day, may we strive to see Christ at the center of our lives, our faith and our service,” he said. “That is where true meaning lies. And if some days our vision is limited, or our confidence has waned, or our belief is being tested and refined — as surely it will be — may we cry out the louder, ‘Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.’ I promise with apostolic fervor and prophetic conviction that he will hear you and will say, soon or late, ‘Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.’”

He said that the joy of general conference should be centered the same way.

“In spite of everything else this conference tradition may offer, it will mean little or nothing unless we find Jesus at the center of it all,” he said. “To grasp the vision we are seeking, the healing that he promises, the significance we somehow know is here, we must cut through the commotion — as joyful as it is — and fix our attention on him. The prayer of every speaker, the hope of all who sing, the reverence of every guest — all are dedicated to inviting the spirit of him whose church this is — the living Christ, the Lamb of God, the Prince of Peace.”

The First Presidency entered the Conference Center before the session linked arm in arm. President Russell M. Nelson presided, and his second counselor in the First Presidency, President Henry B. Eyring, conducted the meeting.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles picked up the theme of finding joy in difficult times.

“We live in a hedonistic age when many question the importance of the Lord’s commandments or simply ignore them,” he said, adding that some youth, young adults, women and mothers suffer sometimes merciless social media attacks for upholding God’s standards.

Joy comes, he said, from keeping commandments, overcoming sorrow and weakness through Christ, and serving as he served.

“Even when we are found faithfully keeping the commandments, there are trials and tragedies that could interrupt our joy,” Elder Christofferson said. “But as we strive to overcome these challenges with the Savior’s help, it preserves both the joy we feel now and the joy we anticipate.”

“We find joy in overcoming misery in whatever form, whether it be sin, trial, weakness or any other obstacle to happiness,” he added. “This is the joy of sensing progress in the path of discipleship; the joy of ‘having received a remission of sins and having peace of conscience,’ the joy of feeling one’s soul expand and grow through the grace of Christ.”

Service provides joy as one brings “light, relief and happiness to his children, our brothers and sisters.”

“I believe that the ultimate “joy of the saints” comes in knowing that the Savior pleads their cause, “and no one can conceive of the joy which (will fill) our souls as we (hear Jesus) pray for us unto the Father,” he said.

Sister Michelle D. Craig, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, offered four ways people can increase their spiritual capacity to receive revelation — 1. Be intentional about creating time and space to hear God’s voice. 2. Act without delay. 3. Get your errand from the Lord. 4. Believe and trust.

She also said the world’s noise can disrupt quiet places.

“If God speaks in a still, small voice, you and I need to draw close to hear him,” she said. “Just imagine what would happen if we were as intent on staying connected with heaven as we are on staying connected to Wi-Fi. Pick a time and place to listen for God’s voice every day. And keep this sacred appointment with exactness, for so very much depends on it.”

Sister Craig said those who strive to seek, receive and act each day can have God’s love, light, peace and healing power.

Acting in faith is the only way a person can grow faith, said Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Conversion, he added, “is more than an intellectual acceptance of gospel teachings. It shapes our identity, transforms our understanding of life’s meaning, and leads to unchanging fidelity to God. Personal desires that are contrary to being anchored to the Savior and to following the covenant path fade away and are replaced by a determination to submit to the will of Heavenly Father.”

He asked members to etch their commitment to God on their hearts so it would become unwavering.

“We must choose faith-building actions, such as praying, scripture study, partaking of the sacrament and serving others,” he said.

President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, addressed a concern expressed by some women who are sealed to a man whose previously sealed wife has died. What will their situation be like in the spirit world after death?

While church scripture teaches clearly there is a spirit world after life, it provides less than what members sometimes think it does, he said, encouraging them to trust in the Lord.

“We can all wonder privately about circumstances in the spirit world, or even discuss these or other unanswered questions in family or other intimate settings,” President Oaks added. “But let us not teach or use as official doctrine what does not meet the standards of official doctrine. To do so does not further the work of the Lord and may even discourage individuals from seeking their own comfort or edification through the personal revelation the Lord’s plan provides for each of us. Excessive reliance on personal teachings or speculations may even draw us aside from concentrating on learning and efforts that will further our understanding and help us go forward on the covenant path.”

Joseph Smith taught the early church to trust in the Lord during severe persecutions.

“That is still the best principle we can use when our efforts to learn or our attempts to find comfort encounter obstacles in matters not yet revealed or not adopted as the official doctrine of the church,” he said. “That same principle applies to unanswered questions about sealings in the next life or desired readjustments because of events or transgressions in mortality. There is so much we do not know that our only sure reliance is to trust in the Lord and his love for his children.”

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square provided the music for the session, singing “The Morning Breaks,” “From All That Dwell Below the Skies,” “As I Search the Holy Scriptures,” “How Firm a Foundation,” Faith” and “Now, Let Us Rejoice.”

Elder Larry Y. Wilson and Elder Steven R. Bangerter provided the prayers.