Conducting: President Oaks

President Henry B Eyring

This conference has been uplifting and edifying for me.

Our mortal life is designed by our loving God to be a test and a source of growth.

Since the beginning the tests have not been easy.

The world, and your life, can seem to you to be in increasing commotion.

‘You may be momentarily disheartened. Remember life was not meant to be easy….You may take upon you the holy name of the Lord. You can qualify to speak in the sacred name of God’ (President Nelson)

[Quoted the sacrament prayers]

Each time we say the word Amen…we pledge that by partaking of the bread we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Christ.

2 crucial questions:

1. What must I do to take his name upon me?
2. How will I know when I am making progress?

It takes more than speaking for Him to take his name upon us.

The prophet Mormon described the feelings that qualify us and enable us to take his name upon us.

Moroni 7: 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

At the first report of disasters across the world…members make plans to go to the rescue…

He answers the prayers of meek volunteers like you.

As you help children of God in troubles, your own troubles will seem lighter.

[Talked about his wife]

He is carrying her through her troubles now as He will carry you through yours.

Elder Brian K Ashton

A correct understanding of Heavenly Father’s characyter can affect how we see ourselves and others.

In the premortal world we were born as spirits to heavenly parents.

We were so grateful for this Plan that when it was explained to us we shouted for joy.

Heavenly Father will help each of us if we strive to keep His commandments.

It is Heavenly Father who gives us our daily bread.

Ultimately all of our blessings come from the Father.

Heavenly Father is always there for us.

The Father is endless and eternal…Heavenly Father is love, he keeps his covenants, he does not lie…

We can trust in and rely on the Father.

He wants our eternal happiness even more than we do…He focuses on helping is to progress not on judging and condemning us.

Striving to become like the Father is worth every sacrifice.

Elder Robert C Gay

Taking upon us the name of Christ.

‘Can’t you see that every one around you is a sacred being?’

In the eyes of Christ each soul is of infinite worth.

To take upon us the name of Christ we must not only see as he sees but do his work…

Do I know anyone who does not need the powers of heaven in their lives?

[Experience in life of James E Talmage. Diptheria epidemic.]

I believe that to take upon ourselves His name we must trust Him.

John 4:4

Jesus chose to go to Samaria to declare that he was the chosen Messiah.

His love is greater than our fears, our wounds, our addictions…There is nothing and no-one he is unable to heal..

Whatever the price you must pay to trust Him, it is worth it.

Elder Matthew L Carpenter

[Story of his son suffering a stroke while serving a mission]

During mortality we are tested to see if we will choose good over evil.

‘Wilt thou be made whole?’

[Healing miracles by Jesus]

We cannot control the timing of when the healing of our physical ailments will come.

Ultimately we know that every physical ailment…..will be healed in the resurrection.

Jesus Christ can heal our hearts.

Christ can also heal us when we sin.

We choose the good when we choose to repent after we have sinned.

It is never a good idea to procrastinate your repentance.

The faster we repent and bring the atonement of Jesus Christ into our lives, the faster we can be healed.

We must not delay, we must act now.

Elder Dale G Renlund

[Mary Poppins]

We are good kids, we are worth bothering about..We too need to do the next bit on our own. That’s why we came to earth.

God is not interested in his children just becoming trained and obedient pets.

Personal choice was and is vital to the Plan.

2 Nephi 2:16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

Christ’s advocacy is not adversarial.

He is our helper, consoler and intercessor.

Lucifer is an accuser or prosecutor.

Lucifer spoke against us in the premortal existence and he continues to denounce us in this life.

Lucifer’s ways bring discouragement and despair.

Christ is the helper and consoler.

Though God wants us to be on the covenant path He gives us the dignity of choosing.

Just as we cannot be forced to obey, we cannot be forced to disobey.

Punishment is a consequence of our own choices, not His.

Failure to repent means that we choose to disqualify ourselves from the blessings that God desires to give.

We need to choose whom we will serve.

God wants us to become mature adults and govern ourselves.

We need to be willing to be tutored in the Lord’s way.

2 Nephi 10:23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.

Elder Jack N Gerard

[Story of having a pulmonary embolism]

If there is anything in your life you need to consider, now is the time.

Modern revelation reminds us that many are called but few are chosen.

Assessing our lives gives us an opportunity to step back from the world.

{Social media fast]

How do we rise above the distractions of this world?

The best things in this life are centred on Jesus Christ.

This life is the time to prepare to meet God.

Understanding our divine origins is essential to our eternal progress.

We must learn to rely on the spirit of truth.

Elder Gary E Stevenson

Ministering.

Heavenly Father can take our simple daily efforts and turn them into something miraculous.

We have received great reports of implementing these changes.

How do we know we are ministering in the Lord’s way?

Ministering is more than just being nice.

Ministering can have a far-reaching influence for good.

I find abiding peace in knowing that the Lord is my shepherd.

We have a responsibility to provide ministering assistance to others around us.

Every man, woman and child in the kingdom of God is a shepherd.

Our greatest challenges and our greatest rewards may come as we minister to lost sheep.

Ministering is to be led by the Spirit.

Every soul is precious to our Heavenly Father.

The Lord will stay on the mountain to protect you.

President Nelson

I urge you to study these messages, commencing this week.

Over time your sabbath days will truly be a delight.

Our time in the temple is crucial to our salvation and exaltation.

Our ancestors need us to serve as proxy for them.

[Need for regular temple attendance]

159 dedicated temples.

Plans are now being made to renovate and update the Salt Lake Temple and other pioneer temples

12 new temples announced – Argentina, Brazil, California, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Guam, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Phillipines, Puerto Rico, Utah.

I invite you to worship in the temple.

This is His church, we are His people.