Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered online globally to join the live proceedings of the historic 190th Annual General Conference on April 4-5.
During the Conference, 35 messages were shared with Latter-day Saints and others around the world. The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other Church leaders shared messages during five sessions. Key messages focused on the 200th anniversary of the restoration of the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ, the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, blessings of the Priesthood, the power of faith and the Book of Mormon. A prophetic declaration called Bicentennial Proclamation to the World was presented to testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “Christ’s New Testament Church restored.”
Please find a summary of direct quotations from selected talks below. For more talks or the entire talk please visit churchofjesuschrist.org/general-conference. Click on the title to read or download the text or watch the video.
1. President Russell M. Nelson
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The increasing darkness that accompanies tribulation makes the light of Jesus Christ shine ever brighter. Just think of the good each of us can do during this time of global upheaval. Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son. Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance. Regardless of where you live or what your circumstances are, the Lord Jesus Christ is your Savior, and God’s prophet Joseph Smith is your prophet. Revelation continues to flow from the Lord during this ongoing process of restoration. As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths. Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval. I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation. Doing so will help you know how to move ahead with your life, what to do during times of crisis, and how to discern and avoid the temptations and the deceptions of the adversary.
2. Sister Bonnie H. Cordon
Young Women General President
Jesus Christ has called upon us to “let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (3 Nephi 12:16) The Lord’s invitation to let our light so shine is not just about randomly waving a beam of light and making the world generally brighter. It is about focusing our light so others may see the way to Christ. You and I have enough light to share right now. We can light the next step to help someone draw nearer to Jesus Christ, and then the next step, and the next. Ask yourself, “Who needs the light you have to find the path they need but cannot see?” We can intentionally shine our light so others may see. We can extend an invitation.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2019) Look and pray for opportunities to let your light shine that others may see the way to Jesus Christ. His promise is great: “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
3. Elder Gary E. Stevenson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
A Good Foundation against the Time to Come
“In the design and construction of the Salt Lake Temple, the best engineering, skilled labor, construction materials, furnishings, and other period-available resources were used. Since its dedication in 1893, the temple has stood firm and served as a beacon of faith [and] hope and as a light unto the people.” (Presiding Bishopric, October 2015) Through the years, the First Presidency has, from time to time, counseled the Presiding Bishopric to ensure that the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple is solid. Recent studies confirm that the location chosen by Brigham Young for the temple has very good soils and excellent compaction qualities. As I contemplate the next four years of the life of this beautiful, noble, exalted, and awe-inspiring Salt Lake Temple, I envision it more as a time of renewal rather than a time of closure! In a similar way, we might ask ourselves, “How could this extensive renewal of the Salt Lake Temple inspire us to undergo our own spiritual renewal, reconstruction, rebirth, revitalization, or restoration?” It is the sincere hope of Church leaders that the significant renovations to the Salt Lake Temple will contribute to the fulfillment of Brigham Young’s desire to see “the temple built in a manner that it will endure through the millennium.” During the coming years, may we allow these improvements made to the Salt Lake Temple to move and inspire us, as individuals and families, so that we too—metaphorically—will “be built in a manner that will endure through the millennium.”
4. Sister Jean B. Bingham
Relief Society General President
United in Accomplishing God’s Work
During the time between that marvelous beginning in the Garden of Eden and now, the adversary has been quite successful in his goal to divide men and women in his attempts to conquer our souls. Satan incites comparison as a tool to create feelings of being superior or inferior, hiding the eternal truth that men’s and women’s innate differences are God given and equally valued. His goal has been to foster a power struggle rather than a celebration of the unique contributions of men and women that complement one another and contribute to unity. From the Prophet Joseph Smith’s day to ours, the ongoing restoration of all things has brought enlightenment on the necessity of the authority and power of the priesthood in helping both men and women accomplish their divinely appointed responsibilities. How does understanding priesthood authority and power change our lives? One of the keys is to understand that when women and men work together, we accomplish a great deal more than we do working separately. Our roles are complementary rather than competitive. Becoming more in tune with the divine pattern of working together in unity is critical in this day of “me first” messages that surround us. All are designed and needed to bring about Heavenly Father’s divine plan to give each of His children the best opportunity to fulfill his or her divine potential.
5. Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Let This House Be Built unto My Name” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:40)
The most sacred covenants and priesthood ordinances are received only in a temple—the house of the Lord. We do not build or enter holy temples solely to have a memorable individual or family experience. Rather, the covenants received and the ordinances performed in temples are essential to the sanctifying of our hearts and for the ultimate exaltation of God’s sons and daughters. President Ezra Taft Benson described an important pattern the Redeemer employs in bringing “to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” He said: “The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” (Ensign, November 1985) Covenants and priesthood ordinances are central in the ongoing process of spiritual rebirth and transformation; they are the means whereby the Lord works with each of us from the inside out. We do not come to the temple to hide from or escape the evils of the world. Rather, we come to the temple to conquer the world of evil. The fundamental obligations that rest upon us as members of the Lord’s restored Church are (1) to “Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:17) and have our own hearts changed through covenants and ordinances and (2) to fulfill joyfully the divinely appointed responsibility to offer temple blessings to the entire human family on both sides of the veil.