Conducting: President Eyring

Mormon Tabernacle Choir – We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

Invocation – Mervin B Arnold

Solemn Assembly conducted by President Eyring

Gerritt Walter Gong and Ulisses Soares called as apostles

Elder Gong has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in Taiwan, high councilor, high priests group leader, stake Sunday School president, seminary teacher, bishop, stake mission president, stake president, and Area Seventy.

Gerrit Walter Gong was born in Redwood City, California in December 1953. He married Susan Lindsay in January 1980.  They are the parents of four children.

Elder Soares has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission, elders quorum president, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor, stake executive secretary, regional welfare agent, stake president, and president of the Portugal Porto Mission (2000–2003).

Ulisses Soares was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on October 2, 1958. He married Rosana Fernandes in October 1982. They are the parents of three children.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir – We Listened to a Prophet’s Voice

M Russell Ballard 

The Solemn Assembly can be traced back to Old Testament times.

Deeply grateful the Lord has called a new Prophet.

As we each sustained President Nelson…we stood as witnesses before God and acknowledged that he is President Monson’s rightful successor.

We warmly welcome Elder Gong and Elder Soares to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

We should not be surprised to know that those who are called to the work are not humanly perfect.

How do we move forward with supporting and sustaining each other?

It begins with faith.

Story of seeing mustard seeds in Israel

George A. Smith received the following counsel from the Prophet Joseph Smith at a time of great difficulty: “He told me I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround me. If I was sunk in the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I ought not to be discouraged but hang on, exercise faith, and keep up good courage and I should come out on the top of the heap at last.

[Need to take time to unplug from electronic devices]

Remember the gift of the Sabbath day.

[Serving others]

Church members both men and women …should not hesitate to run for public office.

Many opportunities to serve are informal without an assignment.

Service opens a window by which we understand the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

‘He went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38)

We must keep Christ as the centre of our lives at all times and in all places.

As we prepare for Easter Sunday tomorrow let us remember that Christ is supreme.

[Treasure our membership in the Church]

I testify that Jesus Christ is our Saviour, that what we will be taught at this conference comes by inspiration.

Brian K Taylor

I am a Child of God

We are the children of God.

Boyd K Packer: Spiritually you are of noble birth, the offspring of the King of Heaven. Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it. However many generations in your mortal ancestry, no matter what race or people you represent, the pedigree of your spirit can be written on a single line. You are a child of God!

[Story of friend who caused a serious car accident]

[Our divine identity]

[The First Vision]

Our Father knows us by name.

God sanctifies your most difficult days.

[Read the Book of Mormon]

God will never desert us, he cannot do it..

Larry Echo Hawk

 

[The Easter story]

Today I want to focus on forgiveness, a sacred and essential gift…

[Story of death of Tommy and Joan, killed by a drunk driver]

We had lost them to a senseless criminal act.

That outreach of forgiveness..caused my heart to soften.

I am not suggesting that we condone unlawful conduct…….we are to be forgiving even when it seems others may not warrant our forgiveness.

We can all receive unspeakable peace and partnering with our Saviour as we learn to forgive.

Are there people in our lives who have hurt us?

Are we letting pride keep us from forgiving and letting go?

An essential element of forgiveness includes forgiving ourselves.

Remember and follow the example of Jesus Christ ….Father, forgive them for they know not what to do.

As we forgive, I promise the Saviour will strengthen us and his power and joy will flow into our lives.

Congregation: Press Forward Saints

Gary E Stevenson

[The sacredness of the Solemn Assembly]

[A clear and interesting account of the prophetic and apostolic succession]

[Acquaintanceship with President Nelson]

[President Nelson’s background in medicine]

President Russell M Nelson is the Lord’s living mouthpiece for all mankind.

Lynn G Robbins

Mistakes are a fact of life

Why does the Lord allow us to flounder and fail?

We all are grateful for second chances.

No-one is more on our side than the Saviour.

How many failures will it take us until our nature is no longer human but divine?

The opposition…can almost seem insurmountable..

His grace and his loving eye are upon us throughout our entire journey.

Repentance.. allows us to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm.

Bow many times will he forgive us? How long is his long suffering?

The Lord used the math of 70 x 7 as a metaphor of his boundless love…and his infinite grace.

Things that don’t change remain the same. And when we are through changing we are through (Boyd K Packer)

Our spiritual growth is often imperceptible.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir – Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

Neil L  Andersen

The Spirit of the Lord in this building…was exactly as you would have anticipated it.

This Assembly is in whatever part of the world you may be.

Our raised hands were not counted by our Bishops but were surely noted in heaven.

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

We worship only God the Father and his divine Son.

The most important role of the Lord’s Prophet is to teach us of the Saviour and lead us to him.

Why do we follow President Nelson?..Because the Lord Jesus Christ has called him.

[Carcassonne – walled city]

[The Prophet is a watchman on the tower]

We listen to the Lord’s prophet with the faith that his words are from the Lord’s mouth.

We live on a planet clamouring with a million voices……Anchoring our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ requires listening to those whom he has sent.

The Lord’s voice often comes without explanation.

When correction is needed, let’s not delay.

As you are humble in following the counsel of the Prophet I promise you an additional blessing of safety and peace.

The surrender of our will to God’s will is in fact not a surrender at all but the beginning of a glorious victory.

A prophet does not stand between you and the Saviour. Rather he stands beside you and points you towards the Saviour.