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President Nelson at 101:
A Ministry Focused on Jesus Christ
A Beloved Prophet and Teacher—President Nelson at 101: A Ministry Focused on Jesus ChristFollow along over the next eight days as we focus on Russell M. Nelson at 101—a series of important lessons from a beloved teacher. Each message offers insights into following the Savior with greater faith, love, and devotion. Join in the conversation and share these inspired teachings.
Prophetic Message
Prophetic Message
Jesus Christ: The Hope and Promise of Easter
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Please create a quiet moment and place of spiritual sanctuary as you read this message.
Too often, our world is noisy, cluttered with pretense and pride. But when we are open, honest, and vulnerable with ourselves and God, Easter’s hope and promise in Jesus Christ become real. In such moments, we plead:
“How can I see my family member, my friend, my loved one again?”
“In a world of often-fleeting ‘I choose me’ relationships, where do I find and feel peace, hope, and communion with God (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:19), those around me, and myself?”
“Is there someone I can love—and who will really love me? Can covenant relationships grow and last, not as a fairy tale but with bonds stronger than the cords of death, truly happy and forever?”
“Where there is much pain, suffering, and unfairness, how can I contribute to peace, harmony, and understanding in Jesus Christ and in His restored gospel and Church?”
At this Easter season, I share my testimony of Jesus Christ and of His promise and hope.
The Promise of Covenant Belonging and Purpose
The Promise of Covenant Belonging and Purpose
God, our Eternal Father in Heaven; Jesus Christ, His Beloved Son; and the Holy Ghost are personally close to us. Their infinite and eternal light, compassion, and redeeming love are interwoven in the purpose of creation and the fabric of our existence (see Alma 30:44; Moses 6:62–63).
In the premortal Council in Heaven, “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons [and daughters] of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). We chose choice. Now we walk by faith. Through our own experience, we discover God’s promised beauty, clarity, joy, and purpose amidst mortality’s uncertainties, discouragements, and challenges.
We are not meant to wander alone in existential uncertainty. We can commune with heaven, build faith and belonging in family and in the household and community of the Saints, and become our truest, freest, most authentic, joyful selves through willing and joyful obedience to God’s commandments. Atonement—at-one-ment—in and through Jesus Christ brings this covenant belonging.
Heavenly Father Wants to Speak to You
March 2025
Heavenly Father Wants to Speak to You
Heavenly Father Wants to Speak to You
By Elder Neil L. Andersen
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Let your faith in Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son help you part the veil and receive the Father’s voice.
We are sons and daughters of God, sharing the earth together far from our heavenly home. This is our mortality, a time to receive our body, choose good over evil, “taste the bitter, that [we] may know to prize the good” (Moses 6:55), grow our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ and His sacred Atonement, and embrace our Father’s plan of happiness. We are here to become more like our Heavenly Father.
Without a memory of our premortal life, we, at times, feel lonely for the world we left behind. Our Father has given us a spiritual gift to remain connected to Him and to receive guidance, direction, and comfort from Him. We know this gift very well; it is called prayer.
Pray to Your Heavenly Father
Pray to Your Heavenly Father
To Adam and Eve and all who would follow them, an angel instructed, “Thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore” (Moses 5:8).
Jesus taught: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). “When thou prayest, … pray to thy Father … in secret” (Matthew 6:6). “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).
Jesus prayed continually to His Father. “He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). “And … he departed into a mountain to pray” (Mark 6:46). “And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray” (Mark 14:32). While on the cross, Jesus prayed for the soldiers who crucified Him: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
The scriptures counsel us to “pray always” (Luke 21:36; 2 Nephi 32:9; 3 Nephi 18:15; Doctrine and Covenants 10:5; 19:38; 20:33; 31:12). “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good” (Alma 37:37). In addition, we “render all the thanks and praise which [our] whole soul has power to possess” (Mosiah 2:20), recognizing all that our Father does for us.
President Russell M. Nelson explained: “Spiritual self-esteem begins with the realization that each new morning is a gift from God. … He preserves us from day to day and supports us from one moment to another (see Mosiah 2:21).”
Nephi said, “If ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray” (2 Nephi 32:8).
Detail from Christ Raising the Daughter of Jairus, by Greg K. Olsen
With the example of our Savior and the counsel of angels and prophets through the centuries, we clearly know to pray daily to express gratitude for our blessings, and to keep a prayer in our heart constantly. We have the responsibility to communicate with our Father.
But even more glorious, our Father in Heaven responds to our prayers. A thoughtful question in this mortal world is, how do we better receive and understand the answers, direction, and comfort coming from our Father?
Through my more than seven decades of life, I know that our Father speaks to us. We are not alone. Heavenly beings watch over us and help us as we seek to follow the Savior.
Receiving answers to our prayers begins with our faith in our Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mark 5:36). We trust in Him, do our very best to keep the commandments, and look for His hand in all things. “In nothing doth man offend God … save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:21).
God’s hand in our lives does not mean that He causes the evil or terrible tragedies that are in our world. However, it does mean that in your times of difficulty and unfairness, He will stand by you, strengthen your abilities, comfort you, and “consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:2).
more
I heard a quote the other day that I think sums up a lot of where we are right now in society. The quote is “we are drowning in information and starving for wisdom and truth” I think that is one of Satan’s tools he is using now… to give us all this information and confuse us to the point that we start questioning everything that is true for things that are not or with something the world say is true like truth is up for a vote. I also heard another statement a few weeks ago I thought was funny but sad, but also puts this in perspective. that was “if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of Google” As I thought about this, this would be akin to walking into the great and spacious building in Lehi’s dream and taking a poll of all the people on what truth is and how to make big life choices. I don't think this would serve you well. I think google works well for instructions on how to fix a washing machine, but not so much for the mysteries of the universe. We are trading things that have worked over the past many millennia for things that sound good in the moment or might be exciting now but will be short lived.
God trusts us to make many important decisions, and in all matters, He asks us to trust Him. This is especially difficult when our judgment or public opinion differs from His will for His children. As we seek to understand and accept God’s will, it is helpful to remember that the boundaries between right and wrong are not for us to define. God has established these boundaries Himself, based on eternal truths for our benefit and blessing.
Sincerely, Adam Silver
Prophetic message
January 2025
Grateful to Gather
By President Russell M. Nelson
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
May we be ever grateful for the privilege and trust the Lord has bestowed upon us as we gather to the Savior, gather with the Saints, and gather in His service.
Jesus Christ, by Heinrich Hofmann
For many years, I owned a handsome pocket watch that once belonged to my grandfather Andrew C. Nelson, whom I never met. He died when my father was only 16 years old.
My father inherited Grandfather Nelson’s watch. When I got older, he gave the watch to me. I treasured that watch as a tangible link to one of my faithful ancestors.
Grandfather Nelson’s parents, like all of my great-grandparents, joined the Church in their native Europe. I will be forever grateful for these pioneer predecessors. Because of their faith and sacrifice to gather with the Saints, my posterity and I have enjoyed the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Grandfather Nelson’s watch reminded me of our solemn obligation as Latter-day Saints to gather our Father’s children on both sides of the veil. His watch also reminded me that our ancestors watch and wait for us to identify them and see that their temple ordinances are performed so that they have the opportunity to be gathered eternally into the Father’s fold.
Gather to the Savior
Gather to the Savior
With my Brethren in the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we declare: “This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. … He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.”
Because the Restoration is moving forward through continuing revelation, “the earth will never again be the same, as God will ‘gather together in one all things in Christ’ (Ephesians 1:10).”
“All things” includes His sheep. The Savior is calling us to leave behind the wickedness of the world and gather to Him. He wants His sheep to be a light that shines brightly, setting a standard for the rest of the world by reflecting how true disciples live, including how they experience true joy as they focus their lives on the Savior.
The Savior is calling us to leave behind the wickedness of the world and gather to Him.
We gather to the Savior as we come unto Him (see Matthew 11:28) by exercising faith unto repentance, accepting baptism into His Church, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We gather to the Savior as we experience the spiritual healing that comes from partaking of the sacrament, witnessing that we are willing to take upon us His name, always remember Him, and keep His commandments (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79).
We gather to the Savior as we daily fill our lives with His words and truth, including the teachings of His prophets, seers, and revelators.
We gather to the Savior as we refine our ability to hear Him, living worthy of the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.
We gather to the Savior as we strengthen our conversion, increase our faith, deepen our discipleship, emulate His example, and strive to become a little better each day.
We gather to the Savior as we make sacred covenants and receive holy ordinances in the temple.
We gather to the Savior as we submit ourselves with patience and courage “to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us]” (Mosiah 3:19).
Finally, we gather to the Savior as we teach and testify of Him, inviting our families, friends, and neighbors to gather with us to “the light, the life, and the hope of the world.”
Gather with the Saints
Gather with the Saints
When we come together and unite as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we enter into fellowship and companionship with one another. We sustain, teach, and edify each other. We strive, in the Savior’s words, to “be one” (John 17:21; see also Doctrine and Covenants 38:27) and to “love one another” (John 13:34).
President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, has taught, “Church attendance gives us the strength and enhancement of faith that come from associating with other believers and worshipping together with those who are also striving to stay on the covenant path and be better disciples of Christ.”
At Church we find spiritual rest and renewal. We find ordinances and the priesthood authority to administer them. We find restored truth, pure doctrine, and personal revelation. We find welcoming arms, consoling hearts, and encouraging voices. We find opportunities to live the two great commandments (see Mark 12:30–31).
The Lord has warned us that “the enemy is combined” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:12). To protect our families and thwart Satan’s growing influence, our worshipping together as Saints becomes even more essential.
“Unity,” the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “is strength.”
Gather in His Service
Gather in His Service
The Prophet Joseph also said, “The day is fast hastening on when the restoration of all things shall be fulfilled, which all the holy prophets have prophesied of, even unto the gathering in of the house of Israel.” One of those who so prophesied was Jeremiah in the Old Testament:
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
“But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them” (Jeremiah 16:14–15).
The Prophet Joseph further declared, “We are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory … when the Saints of God will be gathered in one from every nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue.”
To accomplish that work, “I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks” (Jeremiah 16:16).
Brothers and sisters, as latter-day covenant Israel—members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ—we are the Lord’s fishers and hunters. We are called to gather the Lord’s elect from every mountain, hill, and hamlet. We are called to give God’s children the opportunity to become full heirs to all He has promised His faithful children. That is the greatest service we could ever render.
We are called to give God’s children the opportunity to become full heirs to all He has promised His faithful children. That is the greatest service we could ever render.
We fulfill that divine directive by gathering Israel on both sides of the veil—sharing the good news of the Restoration with others, searching for our deceased ancestors, and performing vicarious ordinances for them in the temple. We also fulfill that directive as we share the Savior’s love through our service, example, testimony, and invitation to others to join with us.
“The Lord is leading the Restoration of His gospel and His Church,” said President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. “He goes before us. He knows the future perfectly. He invites you to the work. He joins you in it.”
A Privilege and Trust
A Privilege and Trust
What happened to Grandfather Nelson’s pocket watch? A few years ago, I passed it on to my son. As it did for me, that watch now links him to his progenitors and reminds him of his duty to his posterity.
And so it goes. Each covenant generation carries on the work of the Lord, doing its part in preparing the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
May we be ever grateful for the privilege and trust the Lord has bestowed upon us as we gather to the Savior, gather with the Saints, and gather in His service.
Prophetic Message
Prophetic Message
Jesus Christ Is the Source of “Lively,” “Good,” and “More Excellent Hope”
The Apostle Peter and the Book of Mormon prophets Jacob and Moroni emphasize the spiritual gift of hope in Christ in instructively similar ways.
For example, Peter declared, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3; emphasis added). Please notice the use of the word “lively” to describe “hope.”
Jacob proclaimed, “Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh” (Jacob 4:11; emphasis added). Please notice the use of the word “good” to describe “hope.”
And Moroni stated, “And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared” (Ether 12:32; emphasis added). Please notice the use of the word “excellent” to describe “hope.”
What Is Hope in Christ?
What Is Hope in Christ?
The spiritual gift of hope in Christ is the joyful anticipation of eternal life through the “merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah” (2 Nephi 2:8) and a strong desire for the promised blessings of righteousness. The adjectives “lively,” “good,” and “more excellent” in these verses suggest an ever-expanding and vibrant assurance of the Resurrection and of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
The prophet Mormon explained:
“And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?
“And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope” (Moroni 7:40–42).
“And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.”
Moroni 7:41–42
The Father’s Plan of Happiness
The Father’s Plan of Happiness
Hope in Christ that is lively, good, and more excellent begins with the knowledge that God the Eternal Father lives. He is our Father, and we are His spirit children. We literally are spirit sons and daughters of God and have inherited divine qualities from Him.
The Father is the author of the plan of happiness (see Abraham 3:22–28). As spirit sons and daughters of God, we “accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.” In the scriptures, we learn: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Thus, obtaining physical bodies is essential in the process of progressing toward our divine destiny.
We are dual beings. Our spirits, the eternal part of us, are clothed in physical bodies that are subject to the desires and appetites of mortality. The Father’s plan of happiness is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them return safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies, and to receive the blessings of eternal joy and happiness.
The Christ Child, by Sharlotte Andrus
The Redemptive Role of Jesus Christ in the Father’s Plan
The Redemptive Role of Jesus Christ in the Father’s Plan
Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of the Eternal Father. He came into the world to do the will of His Father (see 3 Nephi 27:13). Jesus Christ is the one anointed of the Father to be His personal representative in all things pertaining to the salvation of mankind. He is our Savior and Redeemer because He overcame both death and sin.
Alma prophesied to the people of Gideon concerning the saving work of the Messiah:
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
“Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance” (Alma 7:11–13).
The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. True faith focuses in and on the Savior and enables us to trust in Him and have complete confidence in His power to save us from death, cleanse us from sin, and bless us with strength beyond our own.
Moroni testified, “And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death” (Mormon 9:13).
I testify that the Savior broke the bands of death. He was resurrected, He lives, and He is the only source of lively, good, and more excellent hope.
An Anchor to the Soul
An Anchor to the Soul
The prophet Ether testified, “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God” (Ether 12:4; emphasis added).
In this special season of celebrating the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, may we always remember that Jesus Christ came into the world to be our Savior and Redeemer. He offers to us the priceless spiritual gifts of life, light, renewal, love, peace, perspective, joy, and hope.
I invite you to seek appropriately for the spiritual gift of hope in the Savior by studying the teachings and testimonies of ancient and modern prophets concerning His atoning sacrifice and literal Resurrection. As you do so, I promise that your testimony of the Redeemer’s divinity will be strengthened, your conversion to Him will be deepened, your desire and determination to stand as a valiant witness of Him will be increased, and you will be blessed with an anchor to your soul—even lively, good, and more excellent hope.
With the Apostles who have borne testimony of Him throughout the ages, I joyfully declare my witness that Jesus Christ is the living Son of the living God. He is our resurrected Redeemer with a glorified, tangible body of flesh and bones. And because of the redemption and reconciliation with God that the Lord makes possible for all humankind, we can receive the spiritual assurance and a lively, good, and more excellent hope that “in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
A Child’s Love Matured
A Child’s Love Matured
By Elder Albert Choules, Jr.
Of the Seventy
The thoughts I would leave with you today center around three statements of the Savior when He was upon the earth. When asked to define “the first commandment of all,” He answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mark 12:28, 30). Therefore, obedience to this commandment should become our highest priority. All of our efforts should evidence love for our Father in Heaven.
Jesus indicated several ways to demonstrate the love we should have for Him and for our Heavenly Father but phrased it concisely in the simple statement, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
Then our Savior added another short and easily understood statement: “Love one another” (John 13:34). Our love of God and Jesus Christ and for each other should undergird all that we do and feel. Love sincerely given brings love in return. Love so shared brings trust, support, and a level of security that is unsurpassed. A child naturally nestles in the arms of his or her mother, seeking love and protection from her who gave life. That kind of innate love seems to exemplify the commandment to love one another. Love of others seems to come so naturally to children. Their expectation of love in return seems also to be inborn.
These typical tendencies for children to love became especially apparent to me on my first visit to Romania. I remember it vividly. Sister Choules and I went to various institutions with our humanitarian missionaries who were serving there. At an orphanage we saw a rather long, narrow, glass-enclosed room where twenty or so children were playing. They were about three years of age. Most of their daytime hours were spent entertaining themselves and each other, apparently with very little adult care. I asked the supervisor if I could open the door and take some pictures. She agreed. Upon opening the door, many of the children rushed out. I was reminded of days in my youth, when in like manner I saw cattle and horses rush to freedom when a corral gate was opened. These children, however, were not rushing to be free. They hungered for love. Soon we had one or more grasping at each of our legs, reaching up for the love for which they were so starved. I’ll forever have in my mind the picture I took of Sister Choules holding one of these children with their arms tightly wrapped around each other. These children just wanted to be loved and to give love in return. These little ones and other children seem to be born with that unrestrained desire and capacity.
But as we get older, something seems to get in the way. It seems more difficult to give and receive sincere love as children do so naturally. The Lord not only said “love one another,” but He prefaced those words with, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another.” Then He taught the kind of love that we should cultivate when He added, “As I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).
Often I have wondered: Why do we as adults have to be commanded to do that which comes so naturally to children? Perhaps that is why Christ said that each of us should strive to become as a little child, “for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14).
The kingdom of heaven for which we strive can begin with a heavenly life here and now. We can develop a child’s love matured. President David O. McKay said:
“I know of no other place than home where more happiness can be found in this life. It is possible to make home a bit of heaven; indeed, I picture heaven to be a continuation of the ideal home. Some man has said: ‘Home filled with contentment is one of the highest hopes of this life’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1964, p. 5; or Improvement Era, June 1964, p. 520).
How do we make our home the ideal home and the proper prelude to heaven? I believe we start with the Savior’s admonition to keep His commandments and to do so specifically within the walls of our own home. Husband and wife—father and mother—set the example and tone for all that happens within the home. Hopefully, the relationship starts at a sacred altar in a holy temple. There they kneel, knowing that they are both worthy of that sacred privilege. They are prepared and desirous of entering into sacred covenants—to put each other and the goal of being together in heaven first in their lives. Selfishness is to be put aside. They begin a partnership—a full partnership—that is to be eternal.
In recent years I have become aware of too many instances in which a man particularly has tried to dominate and exercise unrighteous dominion simply because he has convinced himself that it is his male role. Some mistakenly declare that it is right because they hold the priesthood. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sacred declaration in section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants belies that erroneous concept. The scripture states clearly that:
“No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
“By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—
“Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
“That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death” (D&C 121:41–44).
In contrast, a thoughtless and domineering man may mock the phrase “reproving betimes with sharpness.” Indeed he may reprove sharply, ofttimes with raised voice, mouthing vulgar words and phrases, even punctuated with vile physical acts or other kinds of abuse. Forgotten is the qualifier: “when moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” No abusive act would have the sanction of heaven, much less take origin from there. Such a man also seems to have forgotten that not long ago he knelt at a sacred altar and covenanted with his sweet companion and with God to keep all of the Lord’s commandments. No man—particularly one who bears the priesthood—has the right to treat any woman unkindly, especially his wife, with whom he would hope to share eternal joy. Certainly unrighteous dominion cannot be excused upon the mistaken notion that permission comes by being the husband, head of the family, and particularly under the umbrella or authority of the priesthood. The scripture is clear that when sacred authority is abused, the authority of the priesthood is withdrawn (see D&C 121:34–37).
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve emphasized this at last October conference. He said:
“Any man who claims the special powers of heaven for his own selfish purposes and seeks to use the priesthood in any degree of unrighteousness in the Church or in the home simply does not understand the nature of his authority. Priesthood is for service, not servitude; compassion, not compulsion; caring, not control. Those who think otherwise are operating outside the parameters of priesthood authority.
“Thankfully, most of our fathers and priesthood officers lead with love, just as most of our mothers and auxiliary leaders do. Leadership based on love brings incredible power. It is real, and it generates lasting results in the lives of our Father’s children” (Ensign, Nov. 1993, p. 78).
Paul taught succinctly, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). When true love prevails between husband and wife, they want to give themselves to and for each other, as Christ gave of Himself. We give for each other on a daily basis when we endeavor always to make each other happy. Then we give up thinking selfishly of ourselves and our personal needs. Then we really think not only of the here and now but of the hereafter.
The Savior has told us that if we marry “by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, … and if ye abide in my covenant, … it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever” (D&C 132:19). These are the great and marvelous blessings of exaltation, glory, and eternal life. They are only sealed upon us in the holy temples. They can indeed be ours. With that eternal perspective, only loving thoughts and actions should prevail in our homes, where we help each other along the road to exaltation. That perspective not only prepares us for eternity, but it makes the here and now much happier and more fulfilling.
I have watched the Brethren, those who understand the rights of the priesthood and the needs of eternity perhaps more clearly than anyone. I have watched how they speak of and treat their sweethearts. They give us an example of love, respect, and kindness that we would do well to emulate.
Children learn to copy the patterns of their parents. If parents honor the Sabbath day, if they go to church, if they serve faithfully in their callings with no criticism of leaders, if they heed the Word of Wisdom, if they cheerfully pay their tithes and offerings, if they honor covenants made in the temple, and other commandments are lived and taught, children will receive a priceless foundation. Sons and daughters will treat their wives and husbands in the future as they see their parents treat each other. We can indeed make our home a bit of heaven here, as President McKay stated. We also set the groundwork for our children’s homes to be so too.
I love my wife, Marilyn, so very much and am so grateful for her, for the years we have had together, and for her love given to me in so many ways. She is a marvelous wife and mother and grandmother and faithful servant of the Lord in her own right. My daily prayer includes feelings of gratitude for her and a plea that I might be the kind of husband that I should be and want to be. I’m grateful for our children and our grandchildren and the love that we share together.
I bear my witness that God and Jesus Christ live, that if we will love them and keep their commandments and love each other—particularly our companions and our children—we will be happier here and more secure eternally. I’m grateful for these great Brethren who lead us, and I testify of their sacred callings. I’m grateful for and humbled by the opportunity and blessing of serving with them. I pray for them and for each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Omni 1:26--
And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.
The Garment of the Holy Priesthood
The Garment of the Holy Priesthood
By President Jeffrey R. Holland,
Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
As part of the temple endowment, we have been given a sacred physical reminder of our covenants —a symbol of the Savior Himself.
Regardless of the preparation they were undoubtedly given and the reassurances they tried to remember, it must have been a stunning shock to Adam and Eve to leave their paradisiacal Garden of Eden and step into a fallen world.
With solemn awareness, they realized what it meant to trade their tranquil, carefree life for a world of opposition and sweat, thorns and sorrow—followed eventually by something called death. They could not have known at the beginning what all of this meant, but they soon learned that each day could bring new pain. Indeed, the most painful of all was the realization that they would face all this separated from their Father in Heaven—“shut out from his presence,” Moses would later record.
Given this separation and loneliness in a cold, dreary world, how comforting it must have been for Adam and Eve to remember one thing: that promises had been made—something sacred and eternal called covenants. They had promised they would obey Father all the days of their life, and He had promised to provide a Savior, who would relieve their pain and sorrow, atone for their mistakes, and bring them safely back into His presence.
But how would these mortals remember what they had promised? How would they remain aware of their perilous situation—aware all the time, day and night?!
A Reminder of Their Covenants
For such a reminder He gave them “coats of skins.” What a gift this was and how timely. After partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were almost instantly aware that they were naked. First, they tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. Then, fearing that to be inadequate, they tried to hide from the Lord. (Such a foolish endeavor was evidence mortality was settling in!) From that moment to the present, a loving Father has invited His children to come, out of hiding, unto Him. And as with the coats of skins then and various items of clothing since, He in His mercy has not left us naked but has clothed the obedient in a “robe of righteousness,” a reminder of our promises and covenants. These “garments of salvation” symbolize the greatest gift of all, the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
The Garment Is a Symbol of the Savior
Well, all this thinking about Adam and Eve and covenants and clothing is, of course, more than just a mental exercise. It’s not hard to imagine how Adam and Eve felt, because we too face troubles in this fallen world. We too have been separated from the presence of God, and we further distance ourselves every time we transgress. Like Adam and Eve, we have been given that same Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Alpha and Omega, the Son of the living God. Like Adam and Eve, we have made covenants with God. And, as part of the temple endowment, we have been given a sacred physical reminder of those covenants—a symbol of the Savior Himself. In our dispensation it is called the garment of the holy priesthood.
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Obedience, Consecration, and Sacrifice
Obedience, Consecration, and Sacrifice
By Elder Bruce R. McConkie Of the Council of the Twelve
I have sought and do now seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that I may speak plainly and persuasively about two of the crowning doctrines of the gospel.
We are the Lord’s people, his saints, those to whom he has given much and from whom he expects much in return. We know the terms and conditions of the plan of salvation—how Christ died for our sins and what we must do to reap the full blessings of his atoning sacrifice. more
“Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong unto Them”
As Moroni continued abridging the book of Ether, he feared the Gentiles would mock his work because of his weakness in writing. The Lord responded that as we come unto Him in humility and faith, He can turn our weak things into strengths (see Ether 12:27). This lesson is intended to help you come unto Jesus Christ to overcome weaknesses through His grace.
Weakness and strength
What is something that is beyond your physical strength to do right now? What would you need to do in order to be strong enough to accomplish the task?
In mortality, we all face weaknesses. Sometimes this can be discouraging. In this lesson you will learn about a pattern the Lord taught Moroni that can turn weaknesses into strengths.
Moroni’s concerns
Moroni was given the task of abridging the account of the Jaredites, and he knew this account would be read by many people in the future. As he finished his abridgment, he recorded some of his final thoughts and included his personal concerns and worries about what he was asked to do.
Read Ether 12:23–25, looking for what concerns Moroni had.
What was Moroni specifically worried about? read more
August 2024
Prophetic Message
Trust God and Let Him Prevail
By Elder Dale G. Renlund,
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
The ultimate lesson of the book of Job is that each of us can choose to live our lives trusting God and His plan, no matter what.
Any suffering “can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
Christ in Gethsemane, by Heinrich Hofmann
Why do bad things happen to good people? I suspect that even Adam and Eve asked themselves this question. Job certainly did. Many scholars, philosophers, and theologians have attempted to provide answers.
The book of Job addresses the question but never answers the why. Job learns that trusting God and not relying on his own understanding is the way to approach difficulties in life. These teachings encourage us to let God prevail so that we remain optimistic and hopeful despite challenges.
Sin and Suffering
Understanding the book of Job is facilitated when we consider this couplet: “All sin causes suffering, but not all suffering is caused by sin.” Because all sinful actions do not have immediate negative consequences for the wrongdoer (see Malachi 3:13–18), we may be fooled and mistakenly believe that we can willfully sin and that the consequences can be avoided. They cannot.
While repentance is joyful for us and it brings joy to the Savior and our Heavenly Father, our sins did cause the Savior to innocently suffer. He paid the price so that we do not have to endure the requisite suffering as punishment if we repent. But make no mistake: all sin causes suffering.
Job and his friends thought that all suffering was caused by sin. That, too, is fundamentally false. Job was a good man who lost everything and suffered horribly. When his friends “consoled” him, they presumed that Job must have grievously sinned to warrant such suffering.
Job also believed that only sin caused suffering and wanted to prove to his friends and to God that his “punishment” was out of proportion to sins he had committed. Such proof, he reasoned, would result in the cessation of his sufferings.
Eventually, God spoke to Job from a whirlwind. God did not defend Himself, explain Job’s suffering, or respond to Job’s claims of innocence. Rather, God criticized the lengthy discussions of Job and his friends, saying, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2). To highlight their ignorance, God posed at least 66 questions, demanding that Job answer them. Job could not. (See Job 38–42.)
It was as if God had patiently and kindly said to Job, “If you cannot answer even one of my questions about the earth that I have created, is it possible that eternal laws exist that you do not understand? Are there assumptions you have made that are invalid? Do you understand my motives and how my plan of salvation and exaltation works? And can you foresee your future destiny?”
God in His wisdom knows that a vital part of our mortal experience is to not know everything. There is something about trusting Him that allows us to progress to become like Him.
Job initially did not understand these things. But he is not alone. God reminds us:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9).
Job grasped God’s message. He humbly acknowledged that he had not understood, and he repented of attributing his suffering to sin (see Job 42:3, 6). Job recognized that all suffering is not divine punishment. Because his suffering was not caused by sin, Job’s job was to trust God. No matter what, Job needed to remember that God “loveth his children” even though Job did “not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:17).
Remain Faithful
Like Job, we need to trust in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and remain faithful in all circumstances. The more real They are in our lives, the more we trust Them. The more we do so, the more we focus on Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation and exaltation. The more that eternal perspective remains in focus, the easier it is to let God prevail and the less the circumstances in our lives matter.1 As stated by President Russell M. Nelson, “With celestial sight, trials impossible to change become possible to endure.”2
With these insights in mind, King Benjamin encouraged us to “believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend” (Mosiah 4:9).
President Brigham Young (1801–77) beautifully taught that the circumstances in our lives do not determine our outlook. He said: “Thrust a man into prison and bind him with chains and then let him be filled with the comfort and with the glory of eternity, and that prison is a palace to him. Again, let a man be seated upon a throne with power and dominion in this world, ruling his millions and millions, and without that peace which flows from the Lord of Hosts, without that contentment and joy that comes from heaven, his palace is a prison, his life is a burden to him; he lives in fear, in dread, and in sorrow. But when a person is filled with the peace and power of God, all is right with him.”3
Because of his trust in God, Job learned that “when [God] hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). Job would be refined by the experiences he had. Knowing that not all suffering is caused by sin and that God could be trusted, Lehi said:
“And now, Jacob, … in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow. …
“Nevertheless, … thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:1–2).
“When [God] hath tried me,” Job learned, “I shall come forth as gold.”
Fear Not
Even while we suffer, God can help us in our difficulties. He has said to us: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). He will not desert us even in the face of overwhelming challenges. He said:
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
“For I am the Lord thy God” (Isaiah 43:2–3).
As we recognize these blessings, our trust in God increases. We will realize that any suffering “can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”4 On the other hand, the more we “dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom [we] should trust” (Mormon 9:20), the more the circumstances in our lives loom large. When we stop trusting God, we become anxious and yield to frustration and despair.
Jesus Christ overcame the world. Because of Him, we can have peace in this world and “be of good cheer” (John 16:33). Job’s testimony of the Savior is inspiring thousands of years after he uttered it. He exclaimed:
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
“And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25–26).
Jesus Christ loves to restore what we cannot restore, heal wounds we cannot heal, fix what is irreparably broken,5 and compensate for any unfairness we have endured. In fact, if we let Him, He will consecrate our suffering for our gain and sanctify to us our deepest distress.6 He will not just console us and restore what was lost (see Job 42:10, 12–13), but He will use our trials for our benefit.
The Savior has the power to make everything right and yearns to do so. He loves to permanently mend even shattered hearts (see Psalm 147:3). The ultimate lesson of the book of Job is that each of us can choose to live our lives trusting God and His plan, no matter what.
God's Priesthood Power
Priesthood Power
By President Thomas S. Monson
President of the Church
May we be worthy recipients of the divine power of the priesthood we bear. May it bless our lives and may we use it to bless the lives of others.
I prayed and studied long about what I might say tonight. I wish not to offend anyone. I thought, “What are the challenges we have? What do I deal with every day that causes me to weep sometimes late into the night?” I thought that I would try to address a few of those challenges tonight. Some will apply to the young men. Some will apply to those who are middle aged. Some will apply to those who are a little bit above middle age. We don’t talk about old age.
And so I simply want to begin by declaring, it has been good for us to be together this evening. We’ve heard wonderful and timely messages concerning the priesthood of God. I, with you, have been uplifted and inspired.
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Friend to Friend
Courage to Live the Gospel
From an interview with Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the Seventy, serving as First Counselor in the Europe Area Presidency; by Hilary M.Hendricks
Courage to Live the Gospel
From an interview with Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the Seventy, serving as First Counselor in the Europe Area Presidency; by Hilary M.Hendricks
My father, Kurt, was a young boy in Poland during World War II. Often he felt hungry, cold, and frightened. Then something wonderful happened. His 10-year-old friend Otto Dreger invited him to go to Sunday School with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Sunday School, Kurt and Otto learned they were children of God. They sang songs. They learned to pray. Kurt loved the way he felt when he went to church: peaceful and happy. He asked his parents and his sister to go with him. Before long my father and his family were baptized. The gospel of Jesus Christ helped them feel brave through difficult times.
My father was very bright, and he wanted to study at a university. At that time the government where he lived chose who could attend universities and who could not. The government did not want people to believe in God. Dad was told that he could attend the university only if he would stop belonging to the Church and talking about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
My father knew he could not give up his faith. Instead, he and my mother, Helga, decided to leave their home. They boarded a train for West Germany, praying that they would be allowed to enter that country. At the border the police officers checking the trains did not check the compartment where my parents were riding. So they were able to begin a new life in a country where they could worship God. Two months later I was born.
Like my parents, I needed courage to live the gospel. I spent one year as a soldier in the German army. Most of the soldiers used bad language, smoked, and did other things I knew I should not do. Sometimes I felt alone, but I always tried to keep Heavenly Father’s standards. My officers respected my commitment and allowed me time off to participate in Church activities.
On the last night of a soldier’s service, the soldier and his friends would drink a lot of alcohol and have a rowdy party. I thought and prayed about what I should do when my last night came. When it did, I told the group of soldiers serving with me, “Let’s do something that has never been done before.” We dressed in our best suits and went to say a quiet good-bye to our army leaders. Our major couldn’t believe it. I felt that Heavenly Father had guided me to find an answer to my problem. Looking back, I can see that the greatest blessings in my life have come by following the counsel of prophets and keeping God’s commandments.
Sometimes your friends may want you to do things you know are not right. Never forget your promise to live Heavenly Father’s standards. As you try to follow His commandments, He will bless you to know what to say and do. He will help you not to feel afraid. Like my father’s friend Otto, you can share with your friends what you know about Heavenly Father and the ways you feel His love. Your courage to do what is right will make a difference!
(at age 10)
“I promise you that if you will read the words of that writing which we call scripture, there will come into your heart an understanding and a warmth that will be pleasing to experience. ‘Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.’ (John 5:39.) Read … the Gospel of John. … Let the Lord speak for himself to you, and his words will come with a quiet conviction that will make the words of his critics meaningless. Read also the testament of the New World, the Book of Mormon, brought forth as a witness ‘that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.’ (Book of Mormon title page.)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1966, 87).
“I promise you that if you will read the words of that writing which we call scripture, there will come into your heart an understanding and a warmth that will be pleasing to experience. ‘Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.’ (John 5:39.) Read … the Gospel of John. … Let the Lord speak for himself to you, and his words will come with a quiet conviction that will make the words of his critics meaningless. Read also the testament of the New World, the Book of Mormon, brought forth as a witness ‘that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.’ (Book of Mormon title page.)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1966, 87).
Overview
Faith in Jesus Christ
Relying Upon the Lord
Faith in Jesus Christ
Relying Upon the Lord
The Apostle Paul taught that “faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”1 Alma made a similar statement: “If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”2 Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see.
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
In order for faith to lead to salvation, it must be centered in the Lord Jesus Christ.3 We can exercise faith in Christ when we have an assurance that He exists, a correct idea of His character, and a knowledge that we are striving to live according to His will.
Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. It includes believing His teachings. It means believing that even though we do not understand all things, He does. Because He has experienced all our pains, afflictions, and infirmities, He knows how to help us rise above our daily difficulties.4 He has “overcome the world”5 and prepared the way for us to receive eternal life. He is always ready to help us as we remember His plea: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”6
Living by Faith
Faith is much more than passive belief. We express our faith through action—by the way we live.
The Savior promised, “If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.”7 Faith in Jesus Christ can motivate us to follow His perfect example.8 Our faith can lead us to do good works, obey the commandments, and repent of our sins.9 Our faith can help us overcome temptation. Alma counseled his son Helaman, “Teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.”10
The Lord will work mighty miracles in our lives according to our faith.11 Faith in Jesus Christ helps us receive spiritual and physical healing through His Atonement.12 When times of trial come, faith can give us strength to press forward and face our hardships with courage. Even when the future seems uncertain, our faith in the Savior can give us peace.13
Increasing Our Faith
Faith is a gift from God, but we must nurture our faith to keep it strong. Faith is like a muscle. If exercised, it grows strong. If left immobile, it becomes weak.
We can nurture the gift of faith by praying to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. As we express our gratitude to our Father and as we plead with Him for blessings that we and others need, we will draw near to Him. We will draw near to the Savior, whose Atonement makes it possible for us to plead for mercy.14 We will also be receptive to the quiet guidance of the Holy Ghost.
We can strengthen our faith by keeping the commandments. Like all blessings from God, faith is obtained and increased through individual obedience and righteous action. If we desire to enrich our faith to the highest possible degree, we must keep the covenants we have made.
We can also develop faith by studying the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets. The prophet Alma taught that the word of God helps strengthen faith. Comparing the word to a seed, he said that the “desire to believe” can lead us to “give place” for the word to be “planted in [our] heart[s].” Then we will feel that the word is good, for it will begin to enlarge our souls and enlighten our understanding. This will strengthen our faith. As we continually nurture the word in our hearts, “with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.”15
Doctrinal Study
Atonement of Jesus Christ
What is the Atonement?
Doctrinal Study
Atonement of Jesus Christ
What is the Atonement?
As used in the scriptures, to atone is to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. Because of His Atonement, all people will be resurrected, and those who obey His gospel will receive the gift of eternal life with God.
As descendants of Adam and Eve, all people inherit the effects of the Fall. In our fallen state, we are subject to opposition and temptation. When we give in to temptation, we are alienated from God, and if we continue in sin, we experience spiritual death, being separated from His presence. We are all subject to temporal death, which is the death of the physical body (see Alma 42:6–9; Doctrine and Covenants 29:41–42).
The only way for us to be saved is for someone else to rescue us. We need someone who can satisfy the demands of justice—standing in our place to assume the burden of the Fall and to pay the price for our sins. Jesus Christ has always been the only one capable of making such a sacrifice.
From before the Creation of the earth, the Savior has been our only hope for “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23).
Only He had the power to lay down His life and take it up again. From His mortal mother, Mary, He inherited the ability to die. From His immortal Father, He inherited the power to overcome death. He declared, “As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (John 5:26).
Only He could redeem us from our sins. God the Father gave Him this power (see Helaman 5:11). The Savior was able to receive this power and carry out the Atonement because He kept Himself free from sin: “He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:22). Having lived a perfect, sinless life, He was free from the demands of justice. Because He had the power of redemption and because He had no debt to justice, he could pay the debt for those who repent.
Jesus’s atoning sacrifice took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. In Gethsemane He submitted to the will of the Father and began to take upon Himself the sins of all people. He has revealed some of what He experienced as He paid the price for our sins:
“I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
“Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19; see also Luke 22:44; Mosiah 3:7).
The Savior continued to suffer for our sins when He allowed Himself to be crucified—“lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world” (1 Nephi 11:33).
On the cross, He allowed Himself to die. His body was then laid in a tomb until He was resurrected and became “the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Through His death and Resurrection, He overcame physical death for us all.
Jesus Christ redeems all people from the effects of the Fall. All people who have ever lived on the earth and who ever will live on the earth will be resurrected and brought back into the presence of God to be judged (see 2 Nephi 2:5–10; Helaman 14:15–17). Through the Savior’s gift of mercy and redeeming grace, we will all receive the gift of immortality and live forever in glorified, resurrected bodies.
Although we are redeemed unconditionally from the universal effects of the Fall, we are accountable for our own sins. But we can be forgiven and cleansed from the stain of sin if we “apply the atoning blood of Christ” (Mosiah 4:2). We must exercise faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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