Some of my thoughts upon hearing what the Prophet teaches

Sunday, September 11, 2022

98 statements for his 98th birthday

The Church News published 98 gems of President Nelson's council to commemorate his 98th birthday.

https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/9/9/23334785/president-russell-m-nelson-98-birthday-statements-of-counsel

They're all great.

_____

In honor of President Nelson’s 98th birthday, following are 98 pieces of counsel, listed in random order, that he has shared as the leader of the Church:

1. “The temple is central to your spiritual foundation.”

2. “I have complete faith in you.”

3. “The power of Jesus Christ will heal us, strengthen us, comfort us and renew us.”

4. “Seek truth.”

5. “Make covenants with God and keep them.”

6. “Whatever your concerns, whatever your challenges, there is a place for you in this, the Lord’s Church.”

7. “As you make your testimony your highest priority, watch for miracles to happen in your life.”

8. “Never forget that the Restoration of the gospel commenced so that all men and women might know that it is true!” 

9. “The name of the Church is not negotiable.” 

10. “Your potential is divine.”

11. “Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life?”

12. “Spend more time in the temple and in family history work.”

13. Remember “God loves all of His children and has a vision for each of us.”

14. “Resolve to strengthen your spiritual foundation.”

15. “Resolve to be kind to others.”

16. “Resolve to be resolute.”

17. “Take charge of your testimony of Jesus Christ.”

18. “The Lord does not require perfect faith for us to have access to His perfect power. But He does ask us to believe.” 

19. “We call upon people everywhere to pray for those in need, to do what they can to help the distressed, and to seek the Lord’s help in ending any major conflicts.”

20. “Know the truth about who you are.”

21. “Know the truth about what Heavenly Father and His Son have offered you.” 

22. “Know the truth related to your conversion.”

23. “You are literally spirit children of God.” 

24. “It is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures — perhaps measures we have never taken before — to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations.”

25. “We are witnesses to a process of restoration. If you think the Church has been fully restored, you are just seeing the beginning. 

26. “Give thanks.”

27. “Though our world is filled with serious challenges, I am optimistic about the future and confident about the fundamental goodness of humankind.”

28. “We live in the most vibrant era in the history of the world.”

29. “Look forward to the future with hope.” 

30. “No greater influence exists in the kingdom than the women of the Church.”

31. “Whenever I’m comfortably situated in my home, I’m in the wrong place. I need to be where the people are.

32. “Keep on the covenant path.”

33. “Eat your vitamin pills. Get some rest. It’s going to be exciting.”

34. “Bounce out of bed each morning and see what the day will bring.”

35. “You can get personal revelation for your own circumstances, just as naturally as I can for my circumstances.”

36. “Flood social media with a wave of gratitude.”

37. “Gratitude provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.”

38. “Faith in God is, and has always been, the preeminent force for good in this world.” 

39. “Let us unite in thanking God through daily prayer.”

40. “We believe in freedom, kindness and fairness for all of God’s children!”

41. “With all the pleadings of my heart, I urge you to get on the covenant path and stay there.”

42. “Experience the joy of repenting daily.”

43. “Learn about God and how He works.”

44. “Seek and expect miracles.”

45. “Strive to end conflict in your life.”

46. “The adversary never sleeps. There will always be opposition to the truth.”

47. Share “the message of the ongoing Restoration of the Savior’s gospel.”

48. “Having questions does not mean that you don’t have a testimony.”

49. Read “afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price.”

50. “Engage in daily, earnest, humble prayer.”

51. “Ask the Lord to teach you how to hear Him better.”

52. “We plead with leaders of nations to find peaceful resolutions to their differences.”

53. “The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been needed more than it is today.”

54. “Contention violates everything the Savior stood for and taught.”

55. “The Holy Ghost will testify to you — and to every sincere seeker of truth — that the gospel is true.”

56. “Every person who has made covenants with God has promised to care about others and serve those in need.”

57. “I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. … For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity.”

58. “The blessings of the gospel are for every race, language and people.”

59. “There is room for each person who will fully embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

60. “Regardless of relationship status, there is one source to whom we can all turn to either enhance the love we feel for others or mend our hearts when they feel broken — the Savior Jesus Christ.”

61. “If we have any hope of reclaiming the goodwill and sense of humanity for which we yearn, it must begin with each of us, one person at a time.”

62. “The Church of Jesus Christ is a global Church.”

63. “Whenever any kind of upheaval occurs in your life, the safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!”

64. “Things are going to move forward at an accelerated pace. The Church is going to have an unprecedented future, unparalleled.”

65. “Partake of sacred ordinances worthily.”

66. “I plead with you to counter worldly ways by focusing on the eternal blessings of the temple.”

67. “Faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of all belief and the conduit of divine power.”

68. “Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ.”

69. “It is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.”

70. “The Restoration is a process, not an event, and will continue until the Lord comes again.”

71. “The Lord, in His wisdom, has reserved each of you — regardless of age — to come to earth at this crucial time.”

72. “The ultimate objective of the gathering of Israel is to bring the blessings of the temple to God’s faithful children.”

73. “The ongoing Restoration needs ongoing revelation.”

74. “I plead with you to seek — prayerfully and consistently — to understand temple covenants and ordinances.”

75. “When you know for yourself that the gospel of Jesus Christ contains the most important truths available on earth — absolute truths — nothing in your social media feeds will confuse you.”

76. “We need to work tirelessly to build bridges of understanding rather than creating walls of segregation.”

77. “Arm in arm and shoulder to shoulder, may we strive to lift our brothers and sisters everywhere, in every way we can.” 

78. “Decide what kind of life you want to live forever.”

79. “Now is your time ‘to prepare to meet God.’”

80. “The first great commandment — to love our God — is inexorably yoked to the second great commandment, to love our neighbor.”

81. “To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan.”

82. “There has never been a time in the history of the world when knowledge of our Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul.”

83. “His love for you is unfailing. He and His Beloved Son ‘will not leave you comfortless’ (John 14:18).”

84. “God’s laws are gifts to His children.”

85. “With your diligent seeking, God will give you glimpses of who you may become.” 

86. “Nourish yourself in the words of ancient and modern prophets.”

87. “The pure doctrine of Christ changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it.”

88. “I assure you that your standing before God is not determined by the color of your skin.”

89. The Savior’s “gospel is the only answer when many in the world are stunned with fear.” 

90. “The Lord has never needed His faithful Saints more than right now.”

91. “The gospel net to gather scattered Israel is expansive.”

92. “Taking the Savior’s name upon us includes declaring and witnessing to others — through our actions and our words — that Jesus is the Christ.”

93. “Everything we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple.”

94. “I promise you that if we will do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church, He whose Church this is will pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen.”

95. “My prayer is that the Spirit has spoken to you directly about things the Lord would have you do.”

96. “Ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, for help.”

97. “Living in accord with the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to experience sustained joy — now and forever.”

98. “There’s much more to come.”

Friday, November 5, 2021

The Heartland of the United States

On October 17, 2021, President Nelson, his wife Wendy, and Elder and Sister Uchtdorf spoke to the Latter-day Saints in Kansas and Oklahoma. 

He said, "You live in the heartland, the very center of the continental USA. Your geography provides a powerful metaphor about where the Lord wants us to live. He wants us to keep in the center of the covenant path. He wants us to understand the core or center of His doctrine. He wants us to purify our hearts, our very centers so that we can withstand the attacks of the adversary. God pleads with us to live in the center of our temple covenants, where we find ultimate spiritual safety. ...

[The Book of Mormon] is a gift to us from God. It is the keystone of our religion because it contains the very heart, the center of his doctrine. That book was written for us. ...

Now I would like to mention some of the facts about the translation of the Book of Mormon from an unknown language into English. Joseph Smith translated nearly all the Book of Mormon in 65 to 75 working days from April 7 to the end of June 1829 with Oliver Cowdery as principal scribe. Joseph's average rate of translation was 7 to 8 pages per day. What the prophet Joseph accomplished is something translators cannot duplicate even today with modern technology. In language of an oath, the authenticity of the translation was certified by the Lord Himself. He declared, "[Joseph Smith] has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true." (Doctrine and Covenants 17:6)

You can see his talk here: 

https://youtu.be/9Ne1KsTocbc?t=226

The official news release omitted the term "heartland" from its report.

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-americans-museum-donation

Fortunately, on his Facebook page, President Nelson reiterated his point:

Today, I spoke from my heart to the Saints in what is often referred to as the heartland of the United States. I shared with my brothers and sisters in Oklahoma and Kansas that their geographic location is a metaphor for how, and where, the Lord wants us to live—in the center of His covenant path and in the center of our temple covenants. He also wants us to understand the central core of His doctrine and message, which is why He has given us the gift of the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon centers on Jesus Christ. It contains the very heart of His message. It was written for us, in our day, for our lives. As we study, ponder, and apply the principles taught within its pages, we will receive strength to center our lives in Jesus Christ and enjoy the joyful blessings that He promises us, now and forever.

President Nelson's description of the Heartland as a metaphor is what the term means to me. Staying in the center of the covenant path is ideal. It makes life easier and more productive, plus more fun. It's both enjoyable and joyful to serve others and help build Zion.

I write about this on the HowtoZion blog. here:

https://howtozion.blogspot.com/

Sunday, April 4, 2021

General Conference April 2021

 President Nelson offered five suggestions to help Latter-day Saints develop that faith and trust.

  • First, study. Become an engaged learner.
  • Second, choose to believe in Jesus Christ.
  • Third, act in faith.
  • Fourth, partake of sacred ordinances worthily.
  • And fifth, ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, for help.

President Nelson said faith takes work. “Truly, faith is the power that enables the unlikely to accomplish the impossible.

“Do not minimize the faith you already have. It takes faith to join the Church and remain faithful. It takes faith to follow prophets rather than pundits and popular opinion. It takes faith to serve a mission during a pandemic. It takes faith to live a chaste life when the world shouts that God’s law of chastity is now outmoded. It takes faith to teach the gospel to children in a secular world. It takes faith to plead for the life of a loved one, and even more faith to accept a disappointing answer.”

Mountains do not always move “how or when we would like. But faith will always propel us forward.”

Fatih always increases access to godly power, said President Nelson.

“Please know this: If everything and everyone else in the world whom you trust should fail, Jesus Christ and His Church will never fail you.”


https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-04-04/april-2021-general-conference-president-nelson-faith-209571

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Summary of three years

Wonderful article that summarizes the first three years of President Nelson's role as President of the Church.


https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-12-30/president-nelson-first-three-years-prophet-overview-200750


Under his leadership, Latter-day Saint leaders replaced home and visiting teaching with ministering, adjusted Sunday meetings schedule in order to accommodate home-centered, Church-supported gospel study and asked members to use the full and correct name of the Church. He changed a Church policy allowing the children of parents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to be blessed as infants and baptized; discontinued a policy requiring couples who marry civilly to wait one year before being married or sealed in the temple; and established a policy allowing women to serve as witnesses of temples sealing and women, youth and children to serve as witnesses for baptismal ordinances.

“One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will,” said President Nelson during the Church’s April 2018 general conference. “The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.”

Friday, April 10, 2020

Go Forward in Faith

 As the Restoration continues, I know that God will continue to reveal many great and important things pertaining to His kingdom here on earth.6 That kingdom is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dear brothers and sisters, I express my love for you. During this time of tension and uncertainty, and invoking the authority vested in me, I would like to confer upon you an apostolic blessing.

I bless you with peace and increasing faith in the Lord.7

I bless you with a desire to repent and become a little more like Him each day.8

I bless you to know that the Prophet Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness.

Should there be illness among you or your loved ones, I leave a blessing of healing, consistent with the will of the Lord.

I so bless you, adding once more my expression of love for each of you, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.


https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/57nelson?lang=eng

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Preparing for the Second Coming

President Nelson published this important statement in the April 2020 Liahona and Ensign.



The Future of the Church: Preparing the World for the Savior’s Second Coming

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is preparing the world for the day when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9).
painting of the Savior’s hand
Within Our Grasp, by Jay Bryant Ward, may not be copied
You and I get to participate in the ongoing Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is wondrous! It is not man-made! It comes from the Lord, who said, “I will hasten my work in its time” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73). This work is empowered by a divine announcement made 200 years ago. It consisted of only seven words: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (see Joseph Smith—History 1:17).
Uttered by Almighty God, that announcement brought a young Joseph Smith to the Lord Jesus Christ. Those seven words launched the Restoration of His gospel. Why? Because our living God is a loving God! He wants His children to gain immortality and eternal life! The great latter-day work of which we are a part was established, on schedule, to bless a waiting and weeping world.
I cannot speak of the Restoration in tempered tones. This fact of history is absolutely stunning! It is incredible! It is breathtaking! How amazing is it that messengers from heaven came to give authority and power to this work?
Today, the Lord’s work in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is moving forward at an accelerated pace. The Church will have an unprecedented, unparalleled future. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, … the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9; see also Doctrine and Covenants 76:10).
Remember that the fulness of Christ’s ministry lies in the future. The prophecies of His Second Coming have yet to be fulfilled. We are just building up to the climax of this last dispensation—when the Savior’s Second Coming becomes a reality.

Gathering Israel on Both Sides of the Veil

A necessary prelude to that Second Coming is the long-awaited gathering of scattered Israel (see 1 Nephi 15:18; see also the title page of the Book of Mormon). This doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lord has declared: “I give unto you a sign … that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion” (3 Nephi 21:1).
We not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it. We do so as we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil. As part of the planned destiny of the earth and its inhabitants, our kindred dead are to be redeemed (see Doctrine and Covenants 128:15). Mercifully, the invitation to “come unto Christ” (Jacob 1:7Moroni 10:32Doctrine and Covenants 20:59) can also be extended to those who died without a knowledge of the gospel (see Doctrine and Covenants 137:6–8). Part of their preparation, however, requires the earthly efforts of others. We gather pedigree charts, create family group sheets, and do temple work vicariously to gather individuals unto the Lord and into their families (see 1 Corinthians 15:291 Peter 4:6).
painting of Salt Lake Temple
Holiness to The Lord, by Jay Bryant Ward, may not be copied
Families are to be sealed together for all eternity (see Doctrine and Covenants 2:2–349:17138:48Joseph Smith—History 1:39). A welding link is to be forged between the fathers and the children. In our time, a whole, complete, and perfect union of all dispensations, keys, and powers are to be welded together (see Doctrine and Covenants 128:18). For these sacred purposes, holy temples now dot the earth. I emphasize again that construction of these temples may not change your life, but your service in the temple surely will.
The time is coming when those who do not obey the Lord will be separated from those who do (see Doctrine and Covenants 86:1–7). Our safest insurance is to continue to be worthy of admission to His holy house. The greatest gift you could give to the Lord is to keep yourself unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy house. His gift to you will be the peace and security of knowing that you are worthy to meet Him, whenever that time comes.
In addition to temple work, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign to the entire world that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill the covenants He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Genesis 12:2–33 Nephi 21; 29). The Book of Mormon declares the doctrine of the gathering (see, for example, 1 Nephi 10:14). It causes people to learn about Jesus Christ, to believe His gospel, and to join His Church. In fact, if there were no Book of Mormon, the promised gathering of Israel would not occur.
Missionary work is also crucial to that gathering. Servants of the Lord go forth proclaiming the Restoration. In many nations our members and missionaries have searched for those of scattered Israel; they have hunted for them “out of the holes of the rocks” (Jeremiah 16:16); and they have fished for them, as in ancient days.
Missionary work connects people to the covenant the Lord made with Abraham anciently:
“Thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;
“And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father” (Abraham 2:9–10).
Missionary work is only the beginning of the blessing. The fulfillment, the consummation, of those blessings comes as those who have entered the waters of baptism perfect their lives to the point that they may enter the holy temple. Receiving an endowment there seals members of the Church to the Abrahamic covenant.
The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. All members of the Church have access to the doctrine, ordinances, priesthood keys, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location. People can be “brought to the knowledge of the Lord” (3 Nephi 20:13) without leaving their homelands.
True, in the early days of the Church, conversion often meant emigration as well. But now the gathering takes place in each nation. The Lord has decreed the establishment of Zion (see Doctrine and Covenants 6:611:6) in each realm where He has given His Saints their birth and nationality. The place of gathering for Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; the place of gathering for Nigerian Saints is in Nigeria; the place of gathering for Korean Saints is in Korea. Zion is “the pure in heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:21). It is wherever righteous Saints are.
Spiritual security will always depend upon how one lives, not where one lives. I promise that if we will do our best to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and access the power of His Atonement through repentance, we will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.

The Second Coming

The Lord will return to the land that He made holy by His mission there in mortality. In triumph, He will come again to Jerusalem. In royal robes of red to symbolize His blood, which oozed from every pore, He shall return to the Holy City (see Doctrine and Covenants 133:46–48). There and elsewhere, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5; see also Doctrine and Covenants 101:23). His “name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
He will govern from two world capitals: one in old Jerusalem (see Zechariah 14) and the other in the New Jerusalem “built upon the American continent” (Articles of Faith 1:10). From these centers He will direct the affairs of His Church and kingdom. Another temple will yet be built in Jerusalem. From that temple He shall reign forever as Lord of Lords. Water will issue from under the temple. Waters of the Dead Sea will be healed. (See Ezekiel 47:1–8.)
In that day He will bear new titles and be surrounded by special Saints. He will be known as “Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that [will be] with him [will be those who] are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14) to their trust here in mortality. Then He “shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
The earth will be returned to its paradisiacal state and be made new. There will be a new heaven and a new earth (see Revelation 21:1Ether 13:9Doctrine and Covenants 29:23–24).
It is our charge—it is our privilege—to help prepare the world for that day.
Jesus with little boy
Feed My Sheep, by Jay Bryant Ward, may not be copied

Face the Future with Faith

Meanwhile, here and now, we live in a time of turmoil. Earthquakes and tsunamis wreak devastation, governments collapse, economic stresses are severe, the family is under attack, and divorce rates are rising. We have great cause for concern. But we do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith.
Why do we need such resilient faith? Because difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord “shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). That very persecution can either crush you into silent weakness or motivate you to be more exemplary and courageous in your daily lives.
How you deal with life’s trials is part of the development of your faith. Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth. The Lord has reminded you, your children, and your grandchildren that you are lawful heirs, that you have been reserved in heaven for your specific time and place to be born, to grow and become His standard bearers and covenant people. As you walk in the Lord’s path of righteousness, you will be blessed to continue in His goodness and be a light and a savior unto His people (see Doctrine and Covenants 86:8–11).
Do whatever it takes to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ by increasing your understanding of the doctrine taught in His restored Church and by relentlessly seeking truth. Anchored in pure doctrine, you will be able to step forward with faith and dogged persistence and cheerfully do all that lies in your power to fulfill the purposes of the Lord.
You will have days when you will be discouraged. So pray for courage not to give up! Sadly, some whom you thought were your friends will betray you. And some things will simply seem unfair.
However, I promise you that as you follow Jesus Christ, you will find sustained peace and true joy. As you keep your covenants with increasing precision, and as you defend the Church and kingdom of God on the earth today, the Lord will bless you with strength and wisdom to accomplish what only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can accomplish.
We are to be builders of an individual faith in God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and faith in His Church. We are to build families and be sealed in holy temples. We are to build the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth (see Matthew 6:33). We are to prepare for our own divine destiny: glory, immortality, and eternal lives (see Romans 2:7Doctrine and Covenants 75:5).
I humbly testify to you that—as the Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed—the restored gospel of Jesus Christ “will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).
We are engaged in the work of Almighty God. I pray for His blessings to be with each and every one of you.

Quotations from all of President Nelson's conference talks

The Church News extracted a quotation from each of President Nelson's talks since 1984 when he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve. _...