- Joy
- Recent Nelson Quotes
- Covenant Path
- Personal Revelation
- Second Coming
1. Joy
These quotes are in conference order. Each relevant speaker is divided by "----------"
Elder Terence M Vinson of the Presidency of the Seventy introduced to many of us the idea of "fair dinkum," - people who are what they say they are (who give their all):
Giving our all doesn't mean that we will be continually enveloped in blessings or always have success. But it does mean that we will have joy. Joy is not fleeting pleasure of even temporary happiness. Joy is enduring and is founded on our efforts being accepted by the Lord.Quoting King Lamoni's father from Alma
"Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy."Elder Vinson admonished us to "Get fair dinkum now and feel the joy!"
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President Stephen W. Owen, Young Men General President hit ALL FOUR of my categories in his talk. On joy, he speaks of the contrast the spiritually malnourished with the following:
You know that you are sons and daughters of God and that He has a work for you to do. You love God with all your “heart, might, mind and strength.”6 You keep your covenants and serve others, beginning at home. You exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, and this brings you enduring joy. You are preparing for temple blessings and other opportunities you will have as true followers of the Savior. And you are helping prepare the world for the Second Coming, inviting all to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His Atonement. You are connected with heaven.
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Elder Christofferson's talk was titled, "The Joy of the Saints," and it appears to be based on Russell M. Nelson's talk from October 2016 entitled "Joy and Spiritual Survival," so you can read both of those for more, but here are some specific quotes I pulled out on joy. If they were direct quotes from President Nelson, they are in the Nelson section also. First he introduces the topic from Enos, noting how thinking of the joy of the saints inspired Enos:
There is much to be learned from Enos’s experience, but today what stands out in my mind is Enos’s memory of his father speaking often of “the joy of the saints.”
He quotes a beautiful passage by President Russell M. Nelson which I love:
“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.He builds on this quote with the following, all still in his introduction:
“When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. … For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!”3
Saints are those who have entered into the gospel covenant through baptism and are striving to follow Christ as His disciples.4 Thus, “the joy of the saints” denotes the joy of becoming Christlike.Skipping forward some:
I would like to speak of the joy that comes from keeping His commandments, the joy that arises from overcoming sorrow and weakness through Him, and the joy inherent in serving as He served.
Even when we are found faithfully keeping the commandments, there are trials and tragedies that could interrupt our joy. But as we strive to overcome these challenges with the Savior’s help, it preserves both the joy we feel now and the joy we anticipate. Christ reassured His disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”13 It is in turning to Him, obeying Him, binding ourselves to Him that trial and sorrow are turned to joy.Quoting a man who was paralyzed during a family vacation, whose wife took care of him for the next 23 years, and who was a Patriarch once he was able to speak, his testimony is profound to me:
"… My faith never wavered, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t have depressions. I think for the first time in my life, I was pushed to the limit, and literally there was nowhere to turn, and so I turned to the Lord, and to this day, I feel a spontaneity of joy.”18Finishing out the section on joy of overcoming through Christ:
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were “in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery.”20 Now, as accountable beings, we find joy in overcoming misery in whatever form, whether it be sin, trial, weakness, or any other obstacle to happiness. This is the joy of sensing progress in the path of discipleship; the joy of “having received a remission of … sins, and having peace of conscience”;21 the joy of feeling one’s soul expand and grow through the grace of Christ.22Skipping forward again,
The fruits of our service to one another in the Church are part of the joy "set before us." Even in times of discouragement or stress, we can minister patiently if we are focused on the joy of pleasing God and bringing light, relief, and happiness to His children, our brothers and sisters.----------
Elder Dale G. Renlund mentioned in passing (not quoted here) of the joy of the Congolese in having a temple dedicated in their land, and a little of God's promise of joy:
The Savior invited His disciples to be this dependable and steadfast. He said, “Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you.” A “settled” determination to keep our covenants allows for the full realization of God’s promise of enduring joy.----------
2. Recent Nelson Quotes
I decided to organize these by quotes, because several speakers used the same quote or talk, which I felt was interesting and double-witnessing!
Mission Leadership Seminar in June 2019
Found in the footnotes (18) of Elder Renlund's talk:
Mission Leadership Seminar in June 2019
Found in the footnotes (18) of Elder Renlund's talk:
In the mission leadership seminar in June 2019, after partaking of the sacrament, before beginning his formal message, President Russell M. Nelson said: “A thought has occurred to me that my making a covenant today is a lot more important than the message that I have prepared. I made a covenant as I partook of the sacrament that I would be willing to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ and that I am willing to obey His commandments. Often, I hear the expression that we partake of the sacrament to renew covenants made at baptism. While that’s true, it’s much more than that. I’ve made a new covenant. You have made new covenants. … Now in return for which He makes the statement that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. What a blessing!”
"Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints," conference talk from October 2018
From (YM) President Stephen W. Owen:
Regardless of your circumstances, you can make your home the center of gospel learning and living. It simply means taking personal responsibility for your conversion and spiritual growth. It means following President Nelson’s counsel “to [remodel your] home into a sanctuary of faith.”
"The Correct Name of the Church," conference talk from October 2018
Starting right off the bat, in the first talk of the first session, Elder Holland brings in President Nelson's recent effort to have us use the revealed name of the Church of Jesus Christ. Elder Holland references the talk from October 2018, entitled, "The Correct Name of the Church." He almost mentioned it in passing, and yet, I can see how his entire talk may have been based on pondering WHY President Nelson emphasized using the correct name of the church - to shift our focus to Jesus Christ. Holland says He (Jesus) is the "ominpresent central figure in this marvelous chronicle [The Book of Mormon], standing like a colossus over virtually every page of it and providing the link to all of the other faith-promoting figures in it." Jesus is the Focus we often forget to callibrate to - He is symbolized everywhere, and we too often overlook Him.
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"Opening Remarks," conference talk from October 2018
Again from President Stephen W. Owen:
I testify that the Lord knows about our challenges, and through the leadership of President Nelson, He is preparing us to meet them. I believe that the prophet’s recent call for a home-centered church, supported by what we do in our buildings,7 is designed to help us survive—even thrive—in this day of spiritual malnutrition.------------------------------
“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives," conference talk from April 2018
President Stephen W. Owen quotes:
We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.Sister Michelle Craig (1st counselor in YW) based her entire talk on the following quote, stating after this quote that she will speak about "four ways to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation:"
"My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. … Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly."She also inline-quoted an earlier phrase from this Nelson talk, saying: "You will increasingly recognize God's guidance and that He is 'willing ... to reveal His mind and will.'"
"Joy and Spiritual Survival," conference talk from October 2016
From Elder Christofferson quoting President Nelson,
“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.
“When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. … For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!”Also,
“As in all things, Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar, ‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross’ [Hebrews 12:2]. Think of that! In order for Him to endure the most excruciating experience ever endured on earth, our Savior focused on joy!
“And what was the joy that was set before Him? Surely it included the joy of cleansing, healing, and strengthening us; the joy of paying for the sins of all who would repent; the joy of making it possible for you and me to return home—clean and worthy—to live with our Heavenly Parents and families.”Also, in his tag, Elder Christofferson says:
With President Russell M. Nelson, I testify that joy is a gift for faithful Saints “who have endured the crosses of the world”30 and who are “intentionally trying to live a righteous life, as taught by Jesus Christ.”
3. Covenant Path
From (YM) President Stephen W. Owen:
Where do we find true spiritual nourishment? Most often, it is not trending on social media. We find it when we “press [our] way forward” on the covenant path, “continually holding fast to the rod of iron,” and partake of the fruit of the tree of life.3 This means that we must deliberately take time each day to disconnect from the world and connect with heaven.
From Elder Dale G. Renlund of the 12:
President Oaks said that while personal revelation is personally edifying, we shouldn't rely on others' personal revelation, nor preach from the pulpit things that aren't doctrine (yet). He also almost as an aside encourages us to seek our own revelation for our own comfort and edification.
Individuals who enter the Kinshasa Temple see an original painting entitled Congo Falls. It uniquely reminds temple-goers of the unwavering commitment required to anchor themselves to Jesus Christ and to follow the covenant path of our Heavenly Father’s plan.Also:
Personal desires that are contrary to being anchored to the Savior and to following the covenant path fade away and are replaced by a determination to submit to the will of Heavenly Father.Also:
They metaphorically threw their old ways into a churning waterfall with no intention of retrieving them. The covenant path was never easy.Lastly:
Conscientiously preparing for and worthily making these covenants each week anchors us to the Savior, helps us internalize our commitment, and powerfully propels us along the covenant path.President Oaks, in passing:
Excessive reliance on personal teachings or speculations may even draw us aside from concentrating on learning and efforts that will further our understanding and help us go forward on the covenant path.
4. Personal Revelation
Sister Michelle Craig's (YW 1st C) entire talk was on increasing our spiritual capacity to receive revelation.President Oaks said that while personal revelation is personally edifying, we shouldn't rely on others' personal revelation, nor preach from the pulpit things that aren't doctrine (yet). He also almost as an aside encourages us to seek our own revelation for our own comfort and edification.
We can all wonder privately about circumstances in the spirit world or even discuss these or other unanswered questions in family or other intimate settings. But let us not teach or use as official doctrine what does not meet the standards of official doctrine. To do so does not further the work of the Lord and may even discourage individuals from seeking their own comfort or edification through the personal revelation the Lord’s plan provides for each of us.
5. Second Coming
President Stephen W. Owen, Young Men General President hit ALL FOUR of my categories. You may recognize this quote from the JOY section; he speaks of the contrast the spiritually malnourished with the following:
You know that you are sons and daughters of God and that He has a work for you to do. You love God with all your “heart, might, mind and strength.”6 You keep your covenants and serve others, beginning at home. You exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, and this brings you enduring joy. You are preparing for temple blessings and other opportunities you will have as true followers of the Savior. And you are helping prepare the world for the Second Coming, inviting all to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His Atonement. You are connected with heaven.
