General Conference: Saturday morning

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf conducting

Choir: Glory to God on High

[ prayer ]

President Henry B. Eyring
Our Heavenly Father wishes to bless His children, spiritually and temporally
He understands each of our needs, pains, hopes
When we offer succor to anyone, the Savior feels it as if we reached out to succor Him
“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
How can we deserve this warm welcome from the Savior?
There are more in need of help than we can possibly reach
Something we can each do: follow the law of the fast
“the Lord shall guide thee continuously and satisfy thy soul in drought”
Simple commandment with marvelous promise
We are offered opportunity to fast once and month and give a generous fast offering
Some of your offering will be used for those around you
Leaders pray and fast to know who to help and what to give
Pres. Kimball: “a sin of omission with a heavy cost” “Rich promises are made by the lord to those who fast to assist the needy. . . . To omit to do this righteous act of fasting would deprive us of these blessings.”
Civil war in Sierra Leon – chaos, killing, and sorrow; more than 2 million refugees
Even during this time, LDS Church grew, first branch opened
“This shirt is the first clothing I received. I used to wear it to go to work. . . . I didn’t have other clothes. During the war this blanket kept us warm. . . . When the rebels came to attack us, this was the only thing I could lay my hands on as we fled to the bush.”
Funds from fast offering donations – of someone like you – allowed members to buy food
“When I think of the people who did this, I think they were sent by God, because ordinary human beings made this kind of gesture for us.”
In a country where a dollar was worth its weight in gold, she paid her tithing as $1, $1 to missionary fund, and $1 fast offering to help “those who were truly poor.”
“Better to teach them the principle and let them observe it until they are old enough to choose intelligently.”
Spiritual blessing of power to receive inspiration, greater power to resist temptation
Christ went into wilderness to fast and pray – and resisted Satan’s temptations
“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thy health shall break forth speedily”
Claim those blessings for ourselves and our families
Help the Savior as He cares for the poor

Choir: Have I Done Any Good?

President Boyd K. Packer
The end of all activity in the church is to see that a man and a woman, with their children, are happy at home – sealed together for all time and eternity
“Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth”
Commandment to multiply and replenish the earth is central to the plan and is the source of human happiness
Righteous exercise of this power draws us closer to Heavenly Father
The power of procreation is not an incidental part of the plan; it IS the plan of happiness – it is the key to happiness
Very personal feelings occur in a natural way
[ am I the only one having a TON of trouble understanding him? ]
We can’t escape the consequence when we transgress
Our spiritual bodies cannot heal themselves when damaged – we must repent
When the repentance process is complete, no scars remain
God is our Father . . . His mercy is without limit
Sacred temple ordinance is much more than a wedding

Sister Linda K. Burton
Husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and uncles who know who they are and are doing their best to fulfill their obligations
A husband is never more attractive to his wife than when he is serving as a worthy priesthood holder, especially in the home
“You have the power of the priesthood directly from the Lord to protect your home.”
“Your most important calling in all eternity . . . you must help create a home where the Spirit of the Lord can reside.”
World sends false messages about what it means to be a real man
Don’t listen to Satan’s lies!
Satan has forfeited the sacred privilege of ever being a husband or a father
We need each other as covenant-keeping women and men
Work together to lift the rising generation and help them reach their divine potential
“It is not good that man should be alone.”
Male and female spirits complete each other, not compete with each other
“There’s so much more of happiness to be had when we can rejoice in another’s successes and not just our own.”
Stop more often to enjoy sacred family time
1. When was the last time I sincerely praised my companion, either alone or in front of children?
2. When was the last time I thanked, expressed love for, or earnestly pled in prayer for my companion?
3. When was the last time I stopped myself from saying something I knew could be hurtful?
4. When was the last time I apologized and humbly asked for forgiveness?
5. When was the last time I chose to be happy rather than demanding to be right?
Put our trust in the Lord to help each other live happily

Choir and congregation: High on the Mountaintop

Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Reform our personal lives to prepare us to return to our Heavenly home
Parable of the sower reported in all 3 synoptic gospels, also one Christ explained to disciples
Seed that was sown: word of the kingdom, teachings of the Master and his servants
Different soils: different ways mortals receive and interpret these teachings
Those of us who have committed to be followers of Christ – what do we do with the Savior’s teachings?
Parable warns of attitudes that can prevent the seed from a goodly harvest
Stony ground describes those who receive the word with gladness, but have no root in themselves
What causes hearers to have “no root in themselves”?
New members who are merely converted to missionaries or attractive characteristics of church
Even those raised in the church can slip into a condition where they have no root in themselves
Members without firm and lasting conversion to the gospel
If we are not rooted in the teachings of the gospel and regular in its practices, any one of us can develop a stony heart
We must increase our exposure to spiritual truth in order to strengthen our faith and stay rooted in the gospel
If the emblems of the sacrament are being passed and you are texting or whispering or doing anything else to deny yourself essential spiritual food, you are severing your spiritual roots and moving yourself to stony ground
Potential destroyer of spiritual roots: keyhole view of the gospel
Limited view focuses on a particular doctrine or practice or perceived deficiency in a leader and ignores the grand panorama of the gospel plan and the personal and communal fruits of its harvest
To be securely rooted in the gospel, we must seek for the broader view of the majestic work of God
Some grew among thorns – choked, yielded no fruit – cares of the world and deceitfulness of riches choked the word
1. Deceitfulness of riches
We are all tempted by this. When attitudes or priorities are fixed on the acquisition, use, or __ of property, that is materialism
Theology of prosperity
Possession of wealth or significant income is NOT a mark of heavenly favor; absence is not an indication of heavenly disfavor
An abundance of material things = danger of being spiritually sedated
2. Most subtle thorns to choke out effect of gospel word are worldly forces “Cares and riches and pleasures of this life”
When we are beguiled by trivial distractions, and when we have an entitlement mentality
We are all overcome by cares of this life when we’re paralyzed by fears of the future
Dangers of surrendering to cares of this world: “You have to be willing to offend here. . . . That’s exactly where the faith comes in.”
“importance of really living what we claim to believe. That needs to be a priority not just in our personal and family lives but in our church, our business dealings, our treatment of the poor – in other words, in everything we do.”
Don’t be digested by society
Parable of the soils – suitability of soil depends on the heart of each one of us who is exposed to the gospel seeds
seed “fell into good ground and brought forth good fruit” – how do we prepare ourselves to be this good soil?
“They which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth good fruit”
Seek to be firmly rooted and converted to the gospel
Prayer, scripture reading, serving, regularly partaking of the sacrament
Mighty change of heart will replace selfish desires and concerns with a desire to love Him and serve His children

Elder L. Whitney Clayton
All of us will have to traverse our own spiritual wilderness and undertake our own rugged rescue journeys
There will always be a spiritual light that beckons to it
Perceiving spiritual light begins with our willingness to believe
God requires that we at least initially desire to believe
“Let this desire work in you”
Give place in our hearts for the Savior’s words
Belief and faith require our personal choice and action
We seek before we find – promise is “Every one that asketh, receiveth”
“If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe my works”
Test of our lifetimes: will we choose to believe in Him and allow the light of the gospel to grow within us . . . or insist on traveling in the dark?
There may be times when we have been hurt, when we are tired, when our lives seem dark and cold . . . if we are willing to believe, if we desire to believe, if we choose to believe, then the Savior’s example will show us the way forward
We must choose to open our hearts to the divine reality of the Savior
God does not force us to believe. Instead, he invites us to believe
We are the ones who must choose to embrace those spiritual invitations
“The Father commandeth all men everywhere to repent and believe in me”
Belief, testimony, and faith are not passive principles. They do not just happen to us.
We will not accidentally come to believe in the Savior – we actively choose to believe
Give place for the hope that we will find spiritual light by choosing to believe rather than choosing to doubt
When we pray, read scriptures, fast, keep Sabbath day holy, worship in temple, get baptized, take sacrament, repent, we are choosing to belief
Spiritual progress may seem slow and intermittent. If you feel this way, please do not give up, ever. Go right on believing Him and in His gospel and church.
Decision to believe in Him will bless you immeasurably, and forever

Choir: Come Unto Jesus

Elder L. Tom Perry
“We now live in a culture of temporary. More and more people are simply giving up on marriage as a public commitment.”
Have courage to seek truth and lasting love, going against the common pattern
Sanctity of the institution of marriage, importance of families as basic unit of society
Various faiths are united on marriage, family, values, loyalty, commitment
Marriage- and family-centered priorities cut across political, economic, and religious boundaries
How do the LDS Church distinguish and differentiate itself from the rest of the world?
While it is wonderful to see and feel that we have so much in common with the rest of the world, only we have the eternal perspective of the restored gospel
We take the commitment and sanctity of families to a greater level because of our understanding that families go back before this world was, and will continue on through eternity
Entire theology of the restored gospel centers on families
In the LDS Church, we believe in pre-mortal life, where we all lived as spirits, children of God
Marriage ceremonies eliminate words “until death do us part,” instead “For time and all eternity”
Strong, traditional families are basis of strong society, stable economy, stable culture of families – also basic unit of eternity
Organization and government of heaven will be built around families and extended families
We as a church want to be leaders and participate in worldwide movements to strengthen families
Commitment to marriage and a family lifestyle is most sensible, economical, happiest way to live
Too much of tv, music, internet present classic case of minority masquerading as majority
It has never been harder to raise responsible children and keep marriage and families together
The solid majority of mankind still believes that marriage should be between one man and one woman
Fidelity within marriage, marriage vows “in sickness and in health, til death do us part”
Reassurance and comfort in knowing that marriage and family are still the aspiration and ideals of most people
As a church, we want to assist to create and support strong marriages and families
We want our voice to be heard sustaining the fulfillment that traditional families bring

Choir: I Believe in Christ

[ prayer ]