Following steps that President Nelson has provided for us and filled with counsel from Latter-day leaders, this guided study book will help you increase your own spiritual capacity to receive revelation. Earthquakes, fires, floods, plagues, and their aftermaths have disrupted routines and caused shortages of food, staples, and savings. Second, in a pattern that this prophet regularly deploys . He lays out a pattern that Joseph Smith demonstrated to us by example. Seek revelation from the Lord. He was willing to suffer for the sins and weaknesses of each of us, which suffering caused Him to bleed at every pore.1 He was crucified on Calvarys cross2 and rose the third day as the first resurrected being of our Heavenly Fathers children. Difficult trials often provide opportunities to grow that would not have come in any other way. It is no different in our day. That is why He sends us to earth in families and organizes us into wards and stakes. I stepped out onto the cobblestone street in Charleston, South Carolina with my hearing device snuggled in my ears. What does it mean for you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth? In the past several weeks, most of us have experienced disruptions in our personal lives. Emphasizing that "absolute truth eternal truth" exists, President Nelson, who is revered by members of the faith as a prophet, assured listeners during the opening session of conference that "what you will hear today and tomorrow constitutes pure truth." With deep and tender emotion President Nelson invited members and the world to use the proper name of Jesus Christs Church. He is our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer. Joseph would be instrumental in its return. My brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood and elders quorums, expand your vision of why we have quorums. He wants us to grow and to learn, even throughperhaps especially throughadversity. "I assure you that revelatory guidance can be received by each of us as we humbly labor in the Lord's vineyard. We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and reestablish the Church of Jesus Christ. All rights reserved. Every blessing the Lord has for youeven miracleswill follow. Doctrine and Covenants 87:8; see also Matthew 24:15; Doctrine and Covenants 45:3133; 101:2122. The very first word in the Doctrine and Covenants is hearken.12 It means to listen with the intent to obey.13 To hearken means to hear Himto hear what the Savior says and then to heed His counsel. The house of the Lord is a house of learning. We experience what the Prophet Joseph Smith knew when he taught, By union of feeling we obtain power with God.7 No member of the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve would ever leave decisions for the Lords Church to his own best judgment! President Russell M. Nelson promises "that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him ."1 This promise is the focus of the 2021 theme for Family History in the Church, " Hear Him Through Temple and Family History Work ". A few particularly powerful invitations flashed to my mind. President Nelson, in his first words to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after being ordained as prophet, invited members to stay on, or return to, the covenant path. What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? God wants us to work together and help each other. For all whose health may permit, let us fast, pray, and unite our faith once again,said President Russell M. Nelson in his Saturday evening general conference address. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yet, repeatedly, He has personally introduced His Son, Jesus Christ, with a charge to Hear Him, President Russell M. Nelson said. We discussed a number of these invitations including: President Nelson began Jan. 1, 2020, with a Facebook post which reminded members of the Church of his invitation from the previous October general conference. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.. Ask! I and we welcome them to this unique brotherhood of service. Heavenly Father knows you. Within the space of these invitations is the opportunity for us to receive the ultimate blessings from the ultimate invitation to, come unto Christ. Boyd Matheson is the opinion editor of the Deseret News. In a powerful and instructive general conference address, President Nelson invited us to Let God Prevail in our lives. The illustration of the First Vision accompanying President Russell M. Nelsons Feb. 26, 2020, invitation to Church members to Hear Him!. Moving forward, embracing the future with faith, seeing turbulent times as opportunities to thrive spiritually and choosing to let God prevail in our lives. Some of you have lost loved ones. He communicates simply, quietly, and with such stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand Him.8, For example, whenever He has introduced His Only Begotten Son to mortals upon the earth, He has done so with remarkably few words. Sustaining of General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers, BishopsShepherds over the Lords Flock, What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget, Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains, Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While traveling around the world, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said he has felt the Holy Ghost testify to him that God is mindful of all of His children. In each location, I have felt that I was in the presence of the Lords elect and that I was seeing the gathering of Israel occur before my eyes. All eight of my great-grandparents were converts to the Church in Europe. He speaks to us regularly at our biannual conferences, writes letters about official matters, and has communicated with us in video messages and emails during this pandemic. Through him the Lords Church was restored to the earth. You are His children. He will bring thoughts to your mind which the Father and Son want you to receive. Third: Help gather Israel." What I know now is that the Prophet wants each of us, and all of Heavenly Fathers children, to experience for ourselves what happens when we respond to invitations large and small. Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. I plead with you to promote respect for all of Gods children.. Listen! Those were some of the key messages shared by President Russell M. Nelson during the 190 th semiannual conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some have found deeper faith in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Yes! The more I can hear Him, the more of an effective instrument I will be to bring others to that same love that I feel, she wrote in a blog post on May 14. In contrast, the voice of the Lord is not a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but it [is] a still voice of perfect mildness, [like] a whisper, and it [pierces] even to the very soul.14 In order to hear this still voice, you too must be still!15. And, finally, we hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators. The increasing darkness that accompanies tribulation makes the light of Jesus Christ shine ever brighter. Of the time prior to His Second Coming, the Savior predicted days of great tribulationCompounding such tribulation is the increasing darkness and deception that surround us. Each of these stalwart souls sacrificed everything to come to Zion. Heavenly Father personally introduced His Beloved Son Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith, with a specific charge to "hear Him." President Russell M. Nelson extends an invitation on February 26, 2020, to "hear Him." Early in Elder Dale G. Renlunds marriage, his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, became ill with cancer. Latter-day Saint artist Minerva Teicherts The First Vision (1934) depicts a key moment of the Restoration. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. The topic has also been a focus of devotionals and events for youth and young adults. President Nelson reminds us that we are particularly in need of this divine, personal guidance in the times we live in: Physical and spiritual tempests are a part of life on the earth, as the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us. In those two wordsHear HimGod gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. Are youwillingto let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Let us prayerfully plead for relief from this global pandemic.". My dear brethren, there are many things the Lord wants us to learn from our experiences during this pandemic. One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. He invited the youth to enlist in the youth battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel. The most important truth the Holy Ghost will ever witness to you is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Because when we seek to heartruly hearHis Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance. What have you learned? Yahosh Bonner, left, and his brother, Oba Bonner, right, perform Peace in Christ during the virtual Youth Music Festival broadcast on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Elder Soares and his wife, Sister Rosana Soares, introduced a video of youth around the world sharing experiences of hearing the Lords voice. President Nelson invited us to receive personal revelation in our lives. I cannot fully express the joy that I felt that day,3 and each day I feel that joy of their sealing and my being sealed to them. In each chapter, the Hear Himstudy guide also focuses on five principles that are illustrated in the following ways: Preorder the Hear Himstudy guide today. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. After issuing the invitation, President Nelson asked, Areyouwilling to let God prevail in your life? But as we considered the unique historic and international impact of that First Vision, we felt impressed to create a monument not of granite or stone but of wordswords of solemn and sacred proclamationwritten, not to be carved in tables of stone but rather to be etched in the fleshy tables of our hearts.14. President Nelson then humbly invited all to flood the world with gratitude for seven days through social media posts and actions of all kinds. 3.3K views, 148 likes, 103 loves, 5 comments, 109 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from ToGather Saints: It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now. Invitations create space for revelation, transformation and miracles. During the pandemic, Sunday quorum meetings were canceled for a time. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. President Russell M. Nelson seemed to forecast that even greater things are in store for us when, at the Sunday morning session of conference, he declared: Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. Doctrine and Covenants 87:8; emphasis added. We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April6, 1830, is Christs New Testament Church restored. "President Nelson: Hear Him - Personal Revelation," Hear Him! During his April 2020 general conference address " Hear Him ," President Nelson spoke of how it has "never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you," and to do " whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation." But if you look at your life prayerfully, I believe you will see many ways in which the Lord has been guiding you through this time of hardship, helping you to become a more devoted, more converted mana true man of God. How I hear Him is reading the Book of Mormon every day and praying with my family before going to bed at night, said 12-year-old Koim Theanuth from Cambodia. My dear brethren, I have looked forward to this virtual meeting with you. Their history demonstrates how easy it is for a majority of the people to forget God, reject warnings of the Lords prophets, and seek power, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh.4 Repeatedly, past prophets have declared great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe.5. There the Lord teaches in His own way. I hope you have found an increased ability to hear Him and receive personal revelation. I love Him and testify that He lives! But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lords timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. All rights reserved. President Russell M. Nelson The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints In his Sunday morning address during the 188th Annual General Conference, on April 1, President Russell M. Nelson told Church members "the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits." He centered his address on the topic of revelation. By President Russell M. Nelson President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints If you look at your life prayerfully, I believe you will see many ways in which the Lord has been guiding you through this time of hardship. As part of the Churchs #HearHim initiative, Elder Gerrit W. Gong posted a video on his social media channels and wrote a blog post on staying close to the Savior Jesus Christ during times of loneliness. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow (2012), 76. Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval. As Jesus told His disciples, Iniquity shall abound before His return (Joseph SmithMatthew 1:30). He was even breathing on his own, which was a good sign. April 15, 2021 Cover image via Church Newsroom. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That experience, and many others, taught me about the importance of feeding myself spiritually., Though many are staying physically distant from others during the COVID-19 pandemic, we do not have to be spiritually distant from Jesus Christ, wrote Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a June 26 blog post. We can go to the scriptures. As an example, in 2020, the Church made donations to support more than 1,000 COVID-19 relief efforts around the globe. Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son. Are youwillingto have your will swallowed up in His?, President Nelson linked arms with civil rights, business and government leaders in addressing social unrest, racism, prejudice and bigotry. Through the years, great and marvelous things have been heard from dedicated pulpits across the earth. President Dallin H. Oaks, selected to be the First Counselor in the First Presidency that includes Nelson, Oaks and Second Counselor President Henry B. Eyring, has spoken succinctly about. As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face. Without our Redeemers infinite Atonement, not one of us would have hope of ever returning to our Heavenly Father. Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and womenthe Christlike servantsthe Lord needs us to be? You and I can use this unique time as an opportunity to hear Him. , When you truly know that He sees you, He knows you, and He loves you, you can understand that you are not isolated. How do you think it affected your family members to see youtheir father, grandfather, husband, son, or brotheradminister this holy ordinance? Write the thoughts that come to your mind. That's what happened on Sunday, Feb. 26, in Maputo, Mozambique, when Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke at a combined stake conference. With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to knowas we dothat the heavens are open. During his April 2020 general conference address Hear Him, President Nelson spoke of how it has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you, and to do whateverit takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation. He also entreated Latter-day Saints to become more intentional disciples of Jesus Christ and to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths., Taking President Nelsons invitation to heart, Deseret Book will be releasing a new resource, Hear Him: A Study Guide on Personal Revelation, to help Latter-day Saints seek personal revelation in their own lives. Second: Make covenants with God and keep them. Throughout the year the Prophet, the Apostles and general Church leaders shared how they hear Him through videos, social media posts and formal addresses. Subscribe for free and get daily or weekly updates straight to your inbox, The three things you need to know everyday, Highlights from the last week to keep you informed. A spiritual giant, he left an indelible imprint upon all who knew him and upon the Church that he loved. The Spirit is palpably present. President Nelson invited us to receive personal revelation in our lives. Elder Ulisses Soares and his wife, Sister Rosana Soares, speak to youth worldwide during the Youth Music Festival on July 29, 2020. Credit: Screenshot ChurchofJesusChrist.org. . I invite you to make your own list, consider it carefully, and share it with those you love. So, I ask, has this shared trial drawn you closer to your neighborsto your brothers and sisters across the street and around the world? Though we may differ in our initial perspectives, the love we feel for each other is constant. Missionaries and members of the Church invited friends to learn from a current Apostle, and they came. To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. There is, however, a remedy one that may seem surprising because it flies in the face of our natural intuitions. Just 185 years ago, this very day, April3, 1836, Elijah restored the keys of the priesthood that allow our families to be sealed together forever. NealA. Maxwell, Meek and Lowly (Brigham Young University devotional, Oct.21, 1986), 9, speeches.byu.edu. Click Here To 'Like' Meridian Magazine on Facebook, The Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement of Christ: The Basic Teaching Outline of Ancient and Modern Temples, The Insidious Ways Our Children Are Being Targeted, See the works of the 6 Visitors Choice Award winners from the 12th International Art Competition, Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families: Rejoice with Me; for I have Found My Sheep Which Was Lost, Inviting the Baby Jesus into Our Home at Christmas, President Nelsons January Liahona message, Grit and circumstance: Bestselling author Angela Duckworth brings her wisdom to BYU, Latter-day Saints and missionaries joined by hundreds of friends in Mozambique to hear an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Singing Master in the Tempest is Raging in a New Light, First Presidency announces site location for Vitria Brazil Temple. Credit: Provided by Brigham Young University Museum of Art. I know the Lord has great and marvelous plans for usindividually and collectively. It was a time for Elder Renlund when it seemed as though the heavens were closed. I remember in an operating room, I have stood over a patientunsure how to perform an unprecedented procedureand experienced the Holy Ghost diagramming the technique in my mind.5. Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? My dear brothers, I testify that He has been, and is, indeed leading us along, as we seek to hear Him. Sustaining of General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers, Come unto ChristLiving as Latter-day Saints, Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God, The Power of the Book of Mormon in Conversion, A Good Foundation against the Time to Come, Hosanna and HallelujahThe Living Jesus Christ: The Heart of Restoration and Easter, Let This House Be Built unto My Name, The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives, Sharing the Message of the Restoration and the Resurrection, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We need to carve out time good time, high priority time when we can kneel, if possible, and be vocal. At the close of the October 2021 general conference, President Nelson a world-renowned heart surgeon and medical researcher before entering full-time Church service in 1984 pleaded with listeners worldwide to counter the lure of the world by making time for the Lord every day. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 39394. We should be quick to observe and quick to act upon such prophetic and inspired invitations. Twice in the early days of the pandemic, President Nelson invited all the world to join in a fast. Some have asked me, Does the Lord speak to you all the time? I answer that He speaks to me in the same way Hes spoken to me all my life by the gift of the Holy Ghost.. The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christs New Testament Church was lost from the earth. In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that among all the blessings and gifts we can receive, "the privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children." 3 After baptism, we are confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. And it is the next crucial step that many of us fail to follow through on. Now, my dear brothers and sisters, consider the fact that in these three instances just mentioned, just before the Father introduced the Son, the people involved were in a state of fear and, to some degree, desperation.
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