What They Said Wednesday: Elder Russell M. Nelson

 

Talk: Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

• Thank you for sustaining influence, not just by hand but by action. We sustain you, we love you.
  • Everyone has a position to be sustained within from the oldest prophet to the youngest child.
• Death is a part of life.
  • We live to die, and we die to live again.  The only death that is premature is the death of one who is not ready to meet God.
• Our faith now becomes a part of our posterity’s faith later. (Main theme of talk?)
• We have great cause for concern → Do not let our fear displace our faith. Let our faith that must displace our fears.
  • It’s strange to think that there are so many things we need to look out for above and beyond Satan.
• To prepare to meet God, one keeps ALL of God’s commandments – it takes faith to obey them, and keeping His commandments will strengthen that faith
  • Cafeteria approach towards obedience will not work!
  • Doing so provides physical and spiritual protection
  • God’s holy angels are ever on call to help us
  • When we are faithful, He and His angels will help us
• Unfailing faith is fortified through prayer.
  • D&C 98:2:  The Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted
  • “All things with which you have been afflicted shall work together for your good”
• D&C 84:88 - I will go before your face
• Parents bear the responsibility to teach children and strengthen faith
  • Teach that faith with deep conviction
  • Teach that they are children of God
  • Teach is born with trials to overcome
  • Teach to keep all commandments of God
  • Warn them that they will encounter                                                                                     people that choose which commandments to keep – cafeteria plan of obedience.
  • Keeping commandments will strengthen faith
  • Obedience will provide physical and spiritual protection
• Priesthood blessing can CHANGE the circumstances of your life.
  • The Lord will sustain those blessings
    • Something that so many don’t understand.  It’s very hard to teach in a society where if everyone does not have access to everything then it isn’t “equal”.  The concept of any job being specific to people is slowly dying.
• D&C 105:14 - I the Lord will fight their battles
• Thomas S. Monson – fear not – the future is as bright as your faith (April 2009 Conference, “Be Of Good Cheer”)
• “His truth, covenants, and ordinances enable us to overcome fear”