The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again!

 My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ!

Come unto Christ and “offer your whole [soul]” to Him. This is the secret to a life of joy!

The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again! The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening His work. The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again

October 2024

General Conference

Russell M. Nelson

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/57nelson?lang=eng&verse=#p

A Bishop's Plea to His Ward Family

 My heart aches for those who are mired in sin and don’t know how to get out. I weep for those who struggle spiritually or who carry heavy burdens alone because they do not understand what Jesus Christ did for them.

Jesus Christ took upon Himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches, and your infirmities. You do not have to bear them alone! He will forgive you as you repent. He will bless you with what you need. He will heal your wounded soul. As you yoke yourself to Him, your burdens will feel lighter. If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary. Your afflictions will be “swallowed up in the joy of Christ.”

It is neither too early nor too late for you to become a devout disciple of Jesus Christ. Then you will experience fully the blessings of His Atonement. You will also be more effective in helping to gather Israel.

The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again

October 2024

General Conference

Russell M. Nelson

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/57nelson?lang=eng&verse=#p

I urge you to devote time each week—for the rest of your life—to increase your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

 I urge you to devote time each week—for the rest of your life—to increase your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. My heart aches for those who are mired in sin and don’t know how to get out. I weep for those who struggle spiritually or who carry heavy burdens alone because they do not understand what Jesus Christ did for them.

The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again

October 2024

General Conference

Russell M. Nelson

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/57nelson?lang=eng&verse=#p

Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow the ones whom the Lord has placed to preside over his church. He knows whom he wants to preside over this church, and he will make no mistake

To hold up the prophet is a sacred work. We do not sit quietly by but actively defend him, follow his counsel, teach his words, and pray for him.

King Benjamin, in the Book of Mormon, said to the people, “I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen … and was suffered by the hand of the Lord … and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.”

Likewise, at age 100, President Nelson has been kept and preserved by the Lord. President Harold B. Lee, at the time a member of the First Presidency, cited the example of Moses standing atop the hill at Rephidim. “The hands of [the President of the Church] may grow weary,” he said. “They may tend to droop at times because of his heavy responsibilities; but as we uphold his hands, and as we lead under his direction, by his side, the gates of hell will not prevail against you and against Israel. Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow the ones whom the Lord has placed to preside over his church. He knows whom he wants to preside over this church, and he will make no mistake.”

“Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up”

October 2024

General Conference

Ronald A. Rasband

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/53rasband?lang=eng&verse=#p

It’s just as important for families to clearly understand the why behind those traditions

 Doesn’t it seem reasonable to hope that if we keep the commandments and are sealed in the temple, we will be blessed with a large, happy family with bright, obedient children, all of whom stay active in the Church, serve missions, sing in the ward choir, and volunteer to help clean the meetinghouse every Saturday morning?

I certainly hope that all of us will see this in our lives. But what if it doesn’t happen? Will we stay bound to the Savior regardless of circumstances—trusting Him and His timing?

We must ask ourselves: Is my testimony based on what I hope to happen in my life? Is it dependent on the actions or attitudes of others? Or is it firmly founded on Jesus Christ, “rooted and built up in him,” regardless of life’s changing circumstances?

The Book of Mormon tells of a people who “were strict in observing the ordinances of God.” But then a skeptic named Korihor came along, mocking the Savior’s gospel, calling it the “foolish” and “silly traditions of their fathers.” Korihor led “away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness.” But others he could not deceive, because to them, the gospel of Jesus Christ was much more than a tradition....Interestingly, Korihor’s arguments were entirely unpersuasive among the recently converted Lamanites, the people of Ammon (see Alma 30:19–20), who were following Christ not because of the tradition of their fathers. By contrast, the Book of Mormon also tells of a generation of young people who separated themselves from the Lord’s Church because “they did not believe the tradition of their fathers” (see Mosiah 26:1–4). It’s good for families to establish righteous traditions. But it’s just as important for families to clearly understand the why behind those traditions. Why do we pray every morning and night? Why do we have family scripture study? Why do we hold weekly home evening, family activities and service projects, and so on? If our children understand how these traditions draw us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, they’ll be more likely to continue them—and improve on them—in their own families.

Nourish the Roots, and the Branches Will Grow

October 2024

General Conference

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/51uchtdorf?lang=eng&verse=#p

For every hour spent instilling doctrine into a child’s life, there are countless hours of opposition filled with messages and images that challenge or ignore those saving truths.

Teaching simply allows us to share the saving doctrine early on, while children remain untouched by the deceiver’s temptations that will later confront them, long before the truths they need to learn are drowned out by the noise of social media, peers, and their own personal struggles. We should seize every opportunity to share the teachings of Jesus Christ with children. These teaching moments are precious and far fewer compared to the relentless efforts of opposing forces. For every hour spent instilling doctrine into a child’s life, there are countless hours of opposition filled with messages and images that challenge or ignore those saving truths.

Simple Is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ

October 2024

General Conference

Henry B. Eyring

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/47eyring?lang=eng&verse=#p

One of the surest ways to avoid even getting near false doctrine is to choose to be simple in our teaching.

 It is tempting to try something new or sensational. But the Holy Ghost will reveal the spirit of truth only as we are cautious and careful not to go beyond teaching true doctrine. One of the surest ways to avoid even getting near false doctrine is to choose to be simple in our teaching. Safety is gained by that simplicity, and little is lost.

Simple Is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ

October 2024

General Conference

Henry B. Eyring

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/47eyring?lang=eng&verse=#p

Those who have the name of the Savior upon their lips and the Holy Spirit in their souls,

 My beloved brothers and sisters, my dear young friends, there will likely be difficulties for each of us in the days ahead. However, as we enter this coming decade of unprecedented moments, may we share glad tidings through the simple activities of living, caring, inviting, and uniting. As we do so, the Lord will bless us with experiences never to be forgotten.

I testify that those who approach the Lord with a sincere heart and real intent, those who have the name of the Savior upon their lips and the Holy Spirit in their souls, those who embark upon this grand and glorious pilgrimage will discover and experience bounteous celestial blessings and receive a witness that God hears you, knows you, and loves you. You will experience days never to be forgotten. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Days Never to Be Forgotten

October 2024

General Conference

Gary E. Stevenson

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/44stevenson?lang=eng&verse=#p

Develop a pattern in your life now to make the temple a regular part of your lives.

 I urge you to become engaged in family history, spend time in the temple, and carefully prepare yourself to be the kind of man or woman ready to marry an equally worthy companion in the temple. Develop a pattern in your life now to make the temple a regular part of your lives.

Days Never to Be Forgotten

October 2024

General Conference

Gary E. Stevenson

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/44stevenson?lang=eng&verse=#p

I would ask if they were too busy to eat lunch that day and then teach them that they have both a body and a spirit, and just as their body will die if not nourished, so will their spirit if not nourished by the good word of God.

 Several years ago, my wife and I served as mission leaders in Tokyo, Japan. During a visit to our mission by then-Elder Russell M. Nelson, one of the missionaries asked him how best to respond when a person tells them that they are too busy to listen to them. With little hesitation, Elder Nelson said, “I would ask if they were too busy to eat lunch that day and then teach them that they have both a body and a spirit, and just as their body will die if not nourished, so will their spirit if not nourished by the good word of God.”

Seek Him with All Your Heart

October 2024

General Conference

L. Todd Budge

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/45budge?lang=eng&verse=#p

Answers to Prayer for Guidance Shouldn't Always Be Comfortable

 Naaman’s response to the prophet Elisha’s instructions to wash in the river Jordan was at first skeptical and indignant. But an invitation for him to be obedient to the prophet’s counsel made way for his healing and his dramatic understanding that God was real.

We may find that some of our spiritual petitions have reasonably discernible answers and may not create significant discomfort for us. Or, like Naaman, we may find that other needs are more challenging and may create difficult and complex feelings within us.

Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions, Tracy Y. Browning, October 2024 General Conference

God knows that the higher you are, the farther you can see. Our Savior invites you to make that climb.

Placing your trust in Heavenly Father and in His prophets, whom He has sent, will help you to spiritually elevate and push you forward toward God’s expanded horizon. Your vantage will change because you will change. God knows that the higher you are, the farther you can see. Our Savior invites you to make that climb.

Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions, Tracy Y. Browning, October 2024 General Conference

None of this Works If We Keep Cutting Class

Through abundance as well as poverty, through private acclaim as well as public criticism, through the divine elements of the Restoration as well as the human foibles that will inevitably be part of it, we stay the course with the true Church of Christ. Why? Because as with our Redeemer, we signed on for the whole term—not ending with the first short introductory quiz but through to the final exam. The joy in this is that the Headmaster gave us all open-book answers before the course began. Furthermore, we have a host of tutors who remind us of these answers at regular stops along the way. But of course, none of this works if we keep cutting class.

 I Am He, Jeffrey R. Holland,  October 2024 General Conference

Always Aligning His Will AND Behavior

Yet down through history many have simplified, even trivialized our image of Him and His witness of who He was. They have reduced His righteousness to mere prudishness, His justice to mere anger, His mercy to mere permissiveness. We must not be guilty of such simplistic versions of Him that conveniently ignore teachings we find uncomfortable. This “dumbing down” has been true even regarding His ultimate defining virtue, His love....The second characteristic of Jesus’s divine charity was His obedience to every word that proceeded from God’s mouth, always aligning His will and behavior with that of His Heavenly Father.

I Am He, Jeffrey R. Holland,  October 2024 General Conference

One day that prophetic guidance will lead a generation to see our Messenger of Salvation descend

I testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the vehicle God has provided for our exaltation. The gospel it teaches is true, and the priesthood legitimizing it is not derivative. I testify that Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of our God, as His predecessors were and as His successors will be. And one day that prophetic guidance will lead a generation to see our Messenger of Salvation descend like “lightning … out of the east,” and we will exclaim, “Jesus of Nazareth.” With arms forever outstretched and love unfeigned, He will reply, “I am he.” 

I Am He, Jeffrey R. Holland,  October 2024 General Conference

If you or I believe we could be afflicted with and by pride, then we consistently will do the small and simple things that will protect and help us become as a child

At the individual level, each of us must “beware of pride, lest [we] become as the Nephites of old.”

May I suggest that if you or I believe we are sufficiently strong and stalwart to avoid the arrogance of pride, then perhaps we already are suffering from this deadly spiritual disease. Simply stated, if you or I do not believe we could be afflicted with and by pride, then we are vulnerable and in spiritual danger. In the space of not many days, weeks, months, or years, we might forfeit our spiritual birthright for far less than a mess of pottage.

If, however, you or I believe we could be afflicted with and by pride, then we consistently will do the small and simple things that will protect and help us become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us].” “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.”

In the Space of Not Many Years

October 2024

David A. Bednar

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/35bednar?lang=eng&verse=#p

the Book of Mormon is a book about our future and the times in which we do now and will yet live.

the Book of Mormon is not primarily a historical record that looks to the past. Rather, this volume of scripture looks to the future and contains important principles, warnings, and lessons intended for the circumstances and challenges of our day. Hence, the Book of Mormon is a book about our future and the times in which we do now and will yet live.

 In the Space of Not Many Years

October 2024

David A. Bednar

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/35bednar?lang=eng

We cannot look to and focus upon Jesus Christ as the “mark” if we only see ourselves.

As we pridefully focus upon ourselves, we also are afflicted with spiritual blindness and miss much, most, or perhaps all that is occurring within and around us. We cannot look to and focus upon Jesus Christ as the “mark” if we only see ourselves.

 In the Space of Not Many Years

October 2024

General Conference

David A. Bednar

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/35bednar?lang=eng&verse=#p

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not be.... lost through apostasy or taken from the earth. The Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed: “The Standard of Truth has been erected;

 Apostasy can occur at two basic levels—institutional and individual. At the institutional level, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not be lost through apostasy or taken from the earth.

The Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed: “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing … ; the truth of God 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.”

In the Space of Not Many Years

October 2024

General Conference

David A. Bednar

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/35bednar?lang=eng&verse=#p

May We Stop for One Second and Think About Our Posterity

 May we stop for one second and think about our posterity? Because of our myopic view, we cannot see it now, but our willingness to turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart—to change, repent, and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ—can influence generations! Imagine the additional blessings that may blossom from one soul’s humility, meekness, and faith in Jesus Christ under even the most inconvenient of circumstances!

Jorge M. Alvarado, Embrace the Lord's Gift of Repentance, October 2024

Reminds me of this:  

Take the long view. What is the effect on our future of the decisions we make in the present?