. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.. For a time, the pandemic has canceled activities that would normally fill our lives. In 1945, while I was in medical school, I married Dantzel White in the Salt Lake Temple. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that among all the blessings and gifts we can receive, "the privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children." 3 After baptism, we are confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths. It means that priesthood power can bless you as you receive essential ordinances and make covenants with God and keep them. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. He had been hospitalized since suffering a heart attack a few days earlier. I invite you to make your own list, consider it carefully, and share it with those you love. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I pray constantly that the Lord will comfort you. He is our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer. My dear brothers, I testify that He has been, and is, indeed leading us along, as we seek to hear Him. What have you learned in the past two years that you always want to remember? -President James E. Faust: " Our ___________ lies in paying heed to that which he says and following his counsel." (safety) Between now and the time the Lord comes again, we all need our homes to be places of serenity and security.6, Attitudes and actions that invite the Spirit will increase the holiness of your home. In the Old Testament, the word hearken is translated from the Hebrew shama, which is a strong verb that means to listen with the intent to obey. Hearken is a scriptural word that occurs in 40 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. If you look at your life prayerfully, I believe you will see many ways in which the Lord has been guiding you through this time of hardship. A few particularly powerful invitations flashed to my mind. How do you think it affected your family members to see youtheir father, grandfather, husband, son, or brotheradminister this holy ordinance? This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. My dear brothers and sisters, how thankful I am that through the use of technology we have been able to meet together and worship on this Sunday morning. [2] Marion G. Romney, "Prayer and Revelation," Ensign, May 1978. God the Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable life, and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Early in Elder Dale G. Renlunds marriage, his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, became ill with cancer. We can go to the scriptures. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort. We discussed a number of these invitations including: President Nelson began Jan. 1, 2020, with a Facebook post which reminded members of the Church of his invitation from the previous October general conference. Joseph would be instrumental in its return. You and I can use this unique time as an opportunity to hear Him. , When you truly know that He sees you, He knows you, and He loves you, you can understand that you are not isolated. In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the restitution of all things (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible. But there is no medication or operation that can fix the many spiritual woes and maladies that we face. That is what personal revelation will do for you. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lords timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. That experience, and many others, taught me about the importance of feeding myself spiritually., Though many are staying physically distant from others during the COVID-19 pandemic, we do not have to be spiritually distant from Jesus Christ, wrote Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a June 26 blog post. Their history demonstrates how easy it is for a majority of the people to forget God, reject warnings of the Lords prophets, and seek power, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh.4 Repeatedly, past prophets have declared great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe.5. It means you will never be left comfortless or without access to the power of God to help you. Sustaining of General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers, BishopsShepherds over the Lords Flock, What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget, Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains, Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What an anchor to our souls are these truths, especially during these times when the tempest is raging. For a season, my grief was almost immobilizing. In this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we worship Him who commenced His infinite Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane. I hear Him by putting down my phone and blocking distractions, one young adult posted. Of the time prior to His Second Coming, the Savior predicted days of great tribulationCompounding such tribulation is the increasing darkness and deception that surround us. Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? He pleads with us to listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, whom the Father anointed and appointed as our Mediator, Savior and Redeemer.". President Nelson as a young boy with family. The Spirit is palpably present. As faith and holiness decrease in this fallen world, your need for holy places will increase. He invited the youth to enlist in the youth battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel. You may have found stronger relationships with your loved ones and with the Lord. Reflect: A spiritual message and space to record what youve pondered over the week. Even in the midst of COVID, with so much shut down, we still seem to lead busy and hectic lives, where it feels like we need to rush forward to the next thing, but President Nelson reminds us that seeking revelation involves something else after we have prayed: If we will stay on our knees for a while after we finish our prayer, thoughts, feelings, and direction will come into our mind. President Russell M. Nelson In the past several weeks, most of us have experienced disruptions in our personal lives. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him. Whatever your priesthood office or calling, let God prevail in your commitment as a member of your quorum and in your service. . The adversary is clever. Ponder the truths and think of the impact those truths will have on your life if you will hear them, hearken to them, and heed the commandments and covenants that accompany them. I promise miracles in your marriage, family relationships, and daily work. President Nelsons emphatic invitation to Hear Him first issued on social media in February and repeated in subsequent general conference addresses is an echoed plea of his counsel to Latter-day Saints to do whatever it takes to increase spiritual capacity to receive revelation. President Nelsons inspired invitation, which he extended to the women of the Church, to study how they access, apply and are blessed by priesthood power. If Joseph Smiths transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children. Now, my dear brothers and sisters, consider the fact that in these three instances just mentioned, just before the Father introduced the Son, the people involved were in a state of fear and, to some degree, desperation. Emphasizing that "absolute truth eternal truth" exists, President Nelson, who is revered by members of the faith as a prophet, assured listeners during the opening session of conference that "what you will hear today and tomorrow constitutes pure truth." Many arent sure what that should look like or feel like. In a Nov. 8blog post,Elder Jeffrey R. Hollandof the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how vocalizing prayers can foster greater communication with God. As we approached the end of the interview, what has become the signature closing question of the podcast, was asked. President Russell M. Nelson seemed to forecast that even greater things are in store for us when, at the Sunday morning session of conference, he declared: Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. Our current prophet is President Russell M. Nelson. During subsequent generations, however, not all my ancestors remained so committed. I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable thingsthat which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.12, Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know. Let this Easter Sunday be a defining moment in your life. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation. President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, experienced a defining spiritual moment as a 20-year-old missionary in England. Humble yourself before God. President Russell M. Nelson speaks at the conclusion of the Sunday morning session of general conference on April 5, 2020. We had a wonderful visit, and he seemed to be improving. He was even breathing on his own, which was a good sign. He testifies of truth and will confirm what is true as you hear and read the word of the Lord. As you continue to let God prevail in your life, I know that He is just as optimistic about your future as He has ever been. The last time we held a priesthood session of general conference was in April 2019. It has been my privilege to serve in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for 34 years and to know personally 10 of the 16 previous Presidents of the Church. During his April 2020 general conference address Hear Him, President Nelson spoke of how it has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you, and to do whateverit takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation. He also entreated Latter-day Saints to become more intentional disciples of Jesus Christ and to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths., Taking President Nelsons invitation to heart, Deseret Book will be releasing a new resource, Hear Him: A Study Guide on Personal Revelation, to help Latter-day Saints seek personal revelation in their own lives. Whatever our Church calling, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. On the Mount of Transfiguration to Peter, James, and John, God said, This is my beloved Son: hear him.9 His words to the Nephites in ancient Bountiful were Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my namehear ye him.10 And to Joseph Smith, in that profound declaration that opened this dispensation, God simply said, This is My Beloved Son. Those were some of the key messages shared by President Russell M. Nelson during the 190 th semiannual conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation." 1 April 15, 2021 Cover image via Church Newsroom. Tags As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.10. Pandemic or not, each precious child of God needs to know that he or she is not alone! Say the words. Personal revelation, President Nelson said, as members look to the future to . After issuing the invitation, President Nelson asked, Areyouwilling to let God prevail in your life? How blessed we are to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth! Then, in a moment of clarity, it came. During the Sunday morning session of general conference, that strong impression returned. Russell M. Nelson, "Hear Him," Ensign, May 2020. I also owe much to my forebears. Doing so opens our minds and hearts to the Saviors teachings and truths. As this prophet has reiterated again and again, the heavens are open to us and we should be earnestly seeking the messages that are waiting for us. Because of the increasing dangers we face, our need for divine guidance has never been greater, and our efforts to hear the voice of Jesus Christour Mediator, Savior, and Redeemerhave never been more urgent. In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost, President Nelson said during his first general conference as President of the Church. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. Some have asked me, Does the Lord speak to you all the time? I answer that He speaks to me in the same way Hes spoken to me all my life by the gift of the Holy Ghost.. However, messages from our Heavenly Father are strikingly different. What have you learned? Listen! President Nelson invited us to receive personal revelation in our lives. Elder Ronald A. Rasband and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, answer questions from young adults during a Face to Face event in Goshen, Utah, on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face. On this Easter Sunday, we commemorate His atoning sacrifice, His literal Resurrection, and His divinity. As Jesus told His disciples, Iniquity shall abound before His return (Joseph SmithMatthew 1:30). Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.. There we learn how to part the veil and communicate more clearly with heaven. And, finally, we hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators. Elder Rasband invited young adults to reflect on what they have learned by following President Nelsons invitation to hear the voice of the Lord and share a brief thought on social media using #HearHim. President Nelson then humbly invited all to flood the world with gratitude for seven days through social media posts and actions of all kinds. In those two wordsHear HimGod gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We live in the day that our forefathers have awaited with anxious expectation.1 We have front-row seats to witness live what the prophet Nephi saw only in vision, that the power of the Lamb of God would descend upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.2. Think of that! But if you look at your life prayerfully, I believe you will see many ways in which the Lord has been guiding you through this time of hardship, helping you to become a more devoted, more converted mana true man of God. I testify that the Lord instructed me to select President DallinH. Oaks and President HenryB. 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