You can find President Nelson’s full talk here.

In this talk President Nelson raised our sights from ‘higher and holier’ to ‘think Celestial’!

President Nelson was not at the Conference in person: his talk was broadcast. He looked tired and drawn but his message was inspiring and powerful.

I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is fabulous, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible.

As I have wrestled with the intense pain caused by my recent injury, I have felt even deeper appreciation for Jesus Christ and the incomprehensible gift of His Atonement. Think of it! The Savior suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” so that He can comfort us, heal us, rescue us in times of need. Jesus Christ described His experience in Gethsemane and on Calvary: “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore.” My injury has caused me to reflect again and again on “the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.” During my healing, the Lord has manifested His divine power in peaceful and unmistakable ways.

How has the Lord manifested His divine power to you in peaceful and unmistakeable ways?

Because of Jesus Christ’s infinite Atonement, our Heavenly Father’s plan is a perfect plan! An understanding of God’s fabulous plan takes the mystery out of life and the uncertainty out of our future. It allows each of us to choose how we will live here on earth and where we will live forever. The baseless notion that we should “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us” is one of the most absurd lies in the universe.

We are all cherished children of a caring Heavenly Father. We lived with Him as his spirit children before we were born on this earth. Because He loves us, God wants to give each of us His greatest blessings, namely immortality and eternal life. Because He loves us, He created a plan for us that would make it possible to receive these blessings.  In this plan, each of us is on an eternal journey that takes us from our pre-mortal life through birth, mortal life, death and life after death. God has provided for our needs on this journey so that when we pass away, we can eventually come back to Him and know the fulness of joy.

Have you ever wondered how your life would be without a knowledge of God’s plan for us?

Here is the great news of God’s plan: the very things that will make your mortal life the best it can be are exactly the same things that will make your life throughout all eternity the best it can be! Today, to assist you to qualify for the rich blessings Heavenly Father has for you, I invite you to adopt the practice of “thinking celestial”! Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded. We learn from the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob that “to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.”

Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest eternal import. Far too many people live as though this life is all there is. However, your choices today will determine three things: where you will live throughout all eternity, the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and those with whom you will live forever. So think celestial.

President Nelson invites us to contemplate the celestial kingdom and its glory. He encourages us to think beyond our temporal concerns and instead focus on the eternal perspective. By doing so, we align our thoughts, actions, and desires with Heavenly Father’s plan for us.

What do you think it means to think celestial? How might you need to change your perspective?

In my first message as President of the Church, I encouraged you to begin with the end in mind. This means making the celestial kingdom your eternal goal and then carefully considering where each of your decisions while here on earth will place you in the next world.

The Lord has clearly taught that only men and women who are sealed as husband and wife in the temple, and who keep their covenants, will be together throughout the eternities. He said, “All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise … have an end when men are dead.”

When Queen Elizabeth II died, commentators and members the public remarked that now she would be with her husband again. How? Her marriage to Prince Philip was performed by the Church of England and had a built in till death do us part clause. There is only one church that teaches about eternal marriage and eternal families yet people have an innate belief that we will be together after life with the people we love. Only one church teaches that families can be eternal, only one church has the authority and the ordinances to make that a reality.

Thus, if we unwisely choose to live telestial laws now, we are choosing to be resurrected with a telestial body. We are choosing not to live with our families forever.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, how and where and with whom do you want to live forever? You get to choose.

On earth we are no longer in the presence of God and have to learn to walk by faith. Whether through joy or sorrow, success or failure, every experience contributes to our spiritual growth. Our experiences can help us develop virtues such as faith, humility, compassion, and patience. Through our choices and actions, we can edge closer to our divine potential.

When you make choices, I invite you to take the long view—an eternal view. Put Jesus Christ first, because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement. It is also dependent upon your obedience to His laws. Obedience paves the way for a joyful life for you today and a grand, eternal reward tomorrow.

To achieve a celestial mindset, President Nelson emphasizes the importance of obedience. We are reminded that celestial laws govern blessings, and as we align our lives with these laws, we invite heavenly power and guidance into our daily experiences. 

How does taking an eternal view help with choices about obedience?

When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial! When life or loved ones let you down, think celestial! When someone dies prematurely, think celestial. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, think celestial. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial! As you recover from an accident or injury, as I am doing now, think celestial!

Do you have any examples of how thinking celestial has helped you resolve dilemmas in your life?

As you focus on thinking celestial, expect to encounter opposition. Decades ago, a professional colleague criticized me for having “too much temple” in me, and more than one supervisor penalized me because of my faith. I am convinced, however, that thinking celestial enhanced my career.

Have you ever had similar experiences to President Nelson?

As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change. You will want to pray more often and more sincerely. Please don’t let your prayers sound like a shopping list. The Lord’s perspective transcends your mortal wisdom. His response to your prayers may surprise you and will help you to think celestial.

Consider the Lord’s response to Joseph Smith when he pleaded for relief in Liberty Jail. The Lord taught the Prophet that his inhumane treatment would give him experience and be for his good. “If thou endure it well,” the Lord promised, “God shall exalt thee on high.” The Lord was teaching Joseph to think celestial and to envision an eternal reward rather than focus on the excruciating difficulties of the day. Our prayers can be—and should be—living discussions with our Heavenly Father.

What does President Nelson mean by a prayer that sounds like a shopping list? How do we overcome that tendency?

As you think celestial, you will find yourself avoiding anything that robs you of your agency. Any addiction—be it gaming, gambling, debt, drugs, alcohol, anger, pornography, sex, or even food—offends God. Why? Because your obsession becomes your god. You look to it rather than to Him for solace. If you struggle with an addiction, seek the spiritual and professional help you need. Please do not let an obsession rob you of your freedom to follow God’s fabulous plan.

Thinking celestial will also help you obey the law of chastity. Few things will complicate your life more quickly than violating this divine law. For those who have made covenants with God, immorality is one of the quickest ways to lose your testimony.

Many of the adversary’s most relentless temptations involve violations of moral purity. The power to create life is the one privilege of godhood that Heavenly Father allows His mortal children to exercise. Thus, God set clear guidelines for the use of this living, divine power. Physical intimacy is only for a man and a woman who are married to each other.

Much of the world does not believe this, but public opinion is not the arbiter of truth. The Lord has declared that no unchaste person will attain the celestial kingdom. So when you make decisions regarding morality, please think celestial. And if you have been unchaste, I plead with you to repent. Come unto Christ and receive His promise of complete forgiveness as you fully repent of your sins.

How can we think celestial when surrounded by so much that is unclean, addictive or evil? What strategies do you employ?

As you think celestial, you will view trials and opposition in a new light. When someone you love attacks truth, think celestial, and don’t question your testimony. The Apostle Paul prophesied that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

There is no end to the adversary’s deceptions. Please be prepared. Never take counsel from those who do not believe. Seek guidance from voices you can trust—from prophets, seers, and revelators and from the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, who “will show unto you all things what ye should do.” Please do the spiritual work to increase your capacity to receive personal revelation.

President Nelson’s first General Conference talk as the President of the Church invited us to increase our capacity to receive personal revelation. Here, he invites us again. Why do you think this is so important?

As you think celestial, your faith will increase. When I was a young intern, my income was $15 a month. One night, my wife Dantzel asked if I was paying tithing on that meager stipend. I was not. I quickly repented and began paying the additional $1.50 in monthly tithing.

Was the Church any different because we increased our tithing? Of course not. However, becoming a full-tithe payer changed me. That is when I learned that paying tithing is all about faith, not money. As I became a full-tithe payer, the windows of heaven began to open for me. I attribute several subsequent professional opportunities to our faithful payment of tithes.

Paying tithing requires faith, and it also builds faith in God and His Beloved Son.

Choosing to live a virtuous life in a sexualized, politicized world builds faith.

I love President Nelson’s comment that the Church was not any different because of the additional $1.50 tithing. But how was he different?

Spending more time in the temple builds faith. And your service and worship in the temple will help you to think celestial. The temple is a place of revelation. There you are shown how to progress toward a celestial life. There you are drawn closer to the Savior and given greater access to His power. There you are guided in solving the problems in your life, even your most perplexing problems.

The ordinances and covenants of the temple are of eternal significance. We continue to build more temples to make these sacred possibilities become a reality in each of your lives. 

We are grateful to announce our plans to build a temple in each of the following 20 locations:

    Savai’i, Samoa

     Cancún, Mexico

     Piura, Peru

     Huancayo, Peru

     Viña del Mar, Chile

     Goiânia, Brazil

     João Pessoa, Brazil

     Calabar, Nigeria

     Cape Coast, Ghana

     Luanda, Angola

     Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

     Laoag, Philippines

     Osaka, Japan

     Kahului, Maui, Hawaii

     Fairbanks, Alaska

     Vancouver, Washington

     Colorado Springs, Colorado

     Tulsa, Oklahoma

     Roanoke, Virginia

     Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

  The Lord is directing us to build these temples to help us think celestial. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored to bless all of God’s children. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The temple is central to our progression towards the celestial kingdom. President Nelson invites us to increase our temple worship and find solace within its sacred walls. As we participate in ordinances and make covenants, we draw closer to our Heavenly Father and receive divine direction for our lives.

How excited are you to hear so many new temple announcements? How excited are you for your next temple experience?

Conclusion:

President Russell M. Nelson’s powerful General Conference address, “Think Celestial,” teaches us to shift our focus from the temporary distractions of this world to the eternal blessings and promises of the celestial kingdom. May we all embrace the teachings shared by President Nelson and strive to think celestial in everything we do.

NB: Passages in italics are direct quotes from President Nelson’s address.