“My grandfather’s primary counsel to me was to avoid any sense of entitlement or privilege because of these faithful ancestors. He told me my focus should be on the Savior and the Savior’s Atonement. He said we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. Regardless of who our earthly ancestors are, each of us will report to the Savior on how well we kept His commandments. …Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion. Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior’s Atonement. The Lord’s saving mercy is not dependent on lineage, education, economic status, or race. It is based on being one with Christ and His commandments. …It is significant that all the qualifications for baptism are spiritual. No economic…
“Jesus then said, “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”This is the second tower of the bridge. Here Jesus bridges our heavenly upward gaze, to love the Lord, with our earthly outward gaze, to love our fellow men and women. One is interdependent on the other. Love of the Lord is not complete if we neglect our neighbors. This outward love includes all of God’s children without regard to gender, social class, race, sexuality, income, age, or ethnicity. We seek out those who are hurt and broken, the marginalized, for “all are alike unto God.” We “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” …The increasing contention in the world suggests, however, that we at times fail…
“Perhaps the most inspiring miracle of the Restoration that I have witnessed is you, the faithful members of the Church in every land. You, the Latter-day Saints, are described by Nephi in the Book of Mormon as he saw our day and testified, “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” I testify that I have seen with my own eyes what Nephi saw—you, the covenant Saints in every land, armed with righteousness and the power of…
“I think sometimes as we are seeking to find and understand better our eternal identity that we ought to continue to be asking ourselves, “What am I doing that I should stop doing that doesn’t help me understand my identity better and what am I not doing that I should start doing that will help me understand my identity in such a way that I can be of more service to our Savior, especially when it comes to connecting with His children?” I think introspection is a really big part of that answer to your question. Introspection is not an examination that happens quickly. It’s one that I think we ought to be pondering on and being really thoughtful on consistently and constantly. I want to share an experience that…
“One of the focuses of the Utah area plan, and indeed of our individual lives, is to become true disciples of Jesus Christ. “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if ye have love one to another.” We are grateful for the many who are deepening their discipleship, and whose efforts help those around us feel welcomed and loved. Unfortunately, love is not always spoken here. We remain deeply concerned about too many lingering instances of racist attitudes and behaviors taking place in our schools and communities and sometimes even in our own neighborhoods and places of worship, such as seminaries, churches and temples. In Christ-like communities of faith, love, unity and covenant belonging this cannot be. Racism is a violation of the first two great commandments…
“Do you recall the experience the prophet Samuel had when the Lord sent him to Jesse’s house to anoint the new king of Israel? Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s firstborn. Eliab, it seems, was tall and had the appearance of a leader. Samuel saw that and jumped to a conclusion. It turned out to be the wrong conclusion, and the Lord taught Samuel: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; … for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Do you recall the experience the disciple Ananias had when the Lord sent him to bless Saul? Saul’s reputation had preceded him, and Ananias had heard about Saul and his cruel, relentless persecution of the Saints. Ananias heard and jumped to…
“The words we use can draw us closer to or distance us from other Christians and friends. …One inspired ward activities chair and committee nurtures individuals and a community of Saints. Their well-planned activities help everybody feel valued, included, and invited to play a needed role. Such activities bridge ages and backgrounds, create lasting memories, and can be carried out with little or no cost. Enjoyable gospel activities also invite neighbors and friends. …Of course, no individual and no family is perfect. We all need help better to speak love here. “Perfect love casteth out fear.” Faith, service, and sacrifice draw us beyond ourselves closer to our Savior. The more compassionate, faithful, and selfless our service and sacrifice are in Him, the more we may begin to fathom Jesus Christ’s atoning…
“Jesus announced at the outset that He had come “to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.” (Luke 4:18) Open the Gospels at random; on almost every page we see Him caring for people who suffer—socially, spiritually, and physically. He touches people considered polluted and unclean (Matt. 8:3, 9:25) and feeds the hungry. (Matt 14:13-21) What is your favorite story of Jesus? I suspect it shows the Son of God reaching out to embrace or offer hope to someone on the margins—the leper (Matt.8:1-3), the hated Samaritan (John 4:7-10, the accused and scandalous sinner (Matt. 21:31, Luke 7:27-50, Luke 15:1-10, John 8:2-12), or the national enemy (Matt. 8:5-13). That kind of grace is amazing. Try writing down every time He praises or heals or eats with…
“I close with an invitation especially for all youth! Many of you start your day by standing in front of a mirror. Tomorrow, this week, this year, always, pause as you look at yourself in the mirror. Think to yourself, or say aloud if you like, “Wow, look at me! I am awesome! I am a child of God! He knows me! He loves me!”
Teaching Anti-Racism to Our Children: “Nephi’s words imply a constant, ongoing effort to teach our children about Christ. We can ensure that the voice of the covenant people is not silent in the ears of the rising generation and that Jesus is not a Sunday-only topic. …You may feel a bit inadequate in this role, but you should never feel alone. For example, ward councils are authorized to organize teacher council meetings for parents. In these quarterly meetings, parents can gather to learn from each other’s experiences, discuss how they are strengthening their families, and learn key principles of Christlike teaching. This meeting should be held in the second hour of church. …My dear friends in Christ, you are doing much better than you think. Just keep working at it.…
