It is with wonder and awe for us and the wisdom of Heavenly Father that He has created this most magnificent world for us to come to and live upon. We are surrounded and marvel at our Lord’s great and glorious world with the beauties of blue skies, the sun, the moon, the stars, the grandeur of the mountains, rushing rivers, oceans, all kinds of awe-inspiring vegetation, bustling cities, towns, farms, and the beauty of Canada with its four seasons. We have every imaginable amenity available to us if we so choose, including food, clothing, and our homes. Most importantly, God has promised us that we can experience true joy and eternal life as we live faithfully according to the great commandments given to us by our Redeemer—even Jesus Christ (see 2 Nephi 2:25-28).
Guided to Christ by General Conference Talks
Should anyone or anything try to upset this tranquil scene from our lives, we are immovable because we listened to the teachings of the April 2021 general conference. That changed everything. To repeat: we had the privilege of hearing the voice of the Lord.
Virtually every message from each leader moved my being and resonated to my very core. I read different talks to my husband, Earl, and his eyes brim with tears and his total countenance changes as the Spirit witnesses the truths being taught. Our hearts are literally melded together as one with these shared sacred experiences.
We will continue to hear the voice of the Lord for the next six months as we study these sacred talks that serve as important guides until the next general conference. We also watch and listen for ongoing messages posted on www.ChurchofJesusChrist.org from our Prophet—President Russell M. Nelson—and the Quorum of the Twelve to keep us up-to-date with ongoing news and events.
Our Prophet’s Welcoming Message
What an encouraging invitation we had from President Nelson’s opening address wherein he affirmed that all of the conference talks were “carefully prepared by our leaders under the direction of the Holy Ghost” (“Welcome Message,” Liahona, May 2021, 7). By listening to and studying these talks, we have the privilege of hearing the voice of the Lord that will help and guide us to become more worthy.
President Nelson concluded his conference introduction with this comforting promise: “Heavenly Father and his Beloved Son know and love you individually. They stand ready to assist you in every step forward you take” (“Welcome Message,” 7).
What more could we ever ask for? We either have or are striving to have our own personal revelation. As followers of Jesus Christ, the most important truth the Holy Ghost will ever witness to us is that Jesus truly is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He lives! He is our Advocate with the Father, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer. When we build upon such personal revelation, our faith is built upon a rock that will be immovable and unwavering no matter what tempests we may face in this life (see Matthew 7:24-27).
Homes—Eternal Sanctuaries of Faith
As we witness the turmoil of world events that surround us, we need to make our homes an immovable refuge from all storms and challenges. At the April 2021 general conference priesthood session, President Nelson taught this eternal truth: “Have you ever wondered why the Lord wants us to make our homes the center of gospel learning and gospel living? It is not just to prepare us for, and help us through, a pandemic. Present restrictions on gathering will eventually end. However, your commitment to make your home your primary sanctuary of faith should never end. As faith and holiness decrease in this fallen world, your need for holy places will increase. I urge you to continue to make your home a truly holy place ‘and be not moved’ (Doctrine and Covenants 87:8) from that essential goal” (“What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget,” Liahona, May 2021, 79).
During his Sunday morning address, President Nelson taught that in order to build our faith on an eternal rock we need to “study, …believe in Jesus Christ, …act in faith, …partake of sacred ordinances, …and ask [our] Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ for help.” If we will follow these prescribed steps, he promises: “Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life … Your growing faith in Him will move mountains—not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth but the mountains of misery in your lives. Your flourishing faith will help you turn challenges into unparalleled growth and opportunity” (“Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 103-104).
Growing through Temple Blessings and Adversity
During President Nelson’s closing remarks, he gave the following counsel: “Do all you can to bring COVID numbers down in your area so that your temple opportunities can increase. Meanwhile, keep your temple covenants and blessings foremost in your minds and hearts. Stay true to the covenants you have made … Ordinances of the temple fill our lives with power and strength available in no other way. We thank God for those blessings” (“COVID-19 and Temples,” Liahona, May 2021, 127).
Earl and I close with these heart-warming words of comfort from President Nelson: “I know the Lord has great and marvelous plans for us—individually and collectively. With compassion and patience, He says: ‘Ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath … prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along’ (Doctrine and Covenants 78:17-18) … I testify that He has been, and is, indeed leading us along, as we seek to hear Him. He wants us to grow and to learn, even through—perhaps especially through—adversity” (“What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget,” 78).