“The Lord Is My Shepherd”

By Elder Gérald Caussé

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Some time ago, a journalist asked me this simple yet profound question: “What do you know now, after being ordained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles?” My response came instantly: “I have learned that I can love even more.”

Over the past few months, my wife, Valérie, and I have been deeply moved by the outpouring of love and prayers from Saints around the world. Through you, my dear brothers and sisters, we have felt the love of God more intensely than ever before in our lives. And in response, our own ability to love has grown in ways we never expected.

Christlike love grows and multiplies as it is shared. When we show others the pure love of Christ, they come to recognize more fully how deeply the Lord cares for them—and, in turn, their own capacity to love is enlarged and strengthened.

Years ago, while spending peaceful time in the beautiful countryside, I stepped outside after sunset to rest on a lounge chair. The night was so dark that I could hardly see anything. Instinctively, I looked up and noticed a tiny flickering point of light, then another. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, the sky filled with stars.

I thought, “This is like our relationship with God.” Some think He is distant, and life feels heavy as a result. But if they pause to reflect on His presence in their lives, they will find that He is near—quietly present, far closer than they imagine.

As I pondered this idea, a question from one of David’s psalms came to mind:

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars … ;

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”

The answer that follows is deeply comforting: “Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”

This is the miracle of God’s relationship with us: The universe is vast beyond comprehension, yet every soul carries infinite worth in the eyes of our Creator. Though we may seem small in a physical sense, each of us is personally known, remembered, and loved by our Eternal Father and by His Son, Jesus Christ.

In 1905, after a conversation with a friend who had long endured serious health challenges, Civilla D. Martin found inspiration for the beloved hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” When Civilla asked her friend how she avoided discouragement, she replied, “How can I be discouraged when my Father watches the sparrows, and I know He loves and cares for me?”

Her words echoed the Savior’s teaching that no sparrow falls without the Father’s notice—and that even “the very hairs of [our] head are all numbered.” Elder Neal A. Maxwell added that the God who governs galaxies also guides our personal lives. “God is in the details!” he said. “… He knows and loves each and all of mankind!”

I bear witness of this truth: God and His Son, Jesus Christ, love all—and They love each.

While studying scriptures in English, I noticed dozens of verses in which the words all and each (or every) appear together. For example, we learn in Mosiah: “He [speaking of the Lord] remembereth every creature of [His] creating, [and He] will make [Himself] manifest unto all.”

The word all speaks to the universal reach of God’s love. The word each (or every) testifies of His power to care for each individual soul.

This dual reality is most clearly manifested in Jesus Christ’s Atonement. All sons and daughters of God, without exception, will receive a full opportunity to access its supernal blessings. Yet it is a remarkably intimate gift, tailored to each individual’s needs and applied to one person at a time.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we bear witness of Him whenever we share His love with all around us—and help it take root in each person we meet.

To love all and to love each are not two different kinds of love but the same divine love expressed on two scales—one expansive enough to embrace the whole world and the other personal enough to notice a single individual with unique needs, circumstances, and life story.

First, loving all.

Are we selective, or exclusive, in determining who deserves our love, or do we extend Christlike love to all with whom we associate?

The Lord asked, “If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?” To Him, all people upon this earth are our neighbors—there are no strangers or outcasts, only brothers and sisters.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “a man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

Discipleship was never meant to be a comfortable circle of familiar friends focused on their own interests. Rather, our congregations are a beautiful mosaic—enriched by diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—yet united in devotion to Christ.

Service in the Church expands our circle of love and widens our associations. We meet people from all walks of life—new friends, brothers and sisters in need, recent converts, and missionary or ministering companions. We don’t serve only those we already love; rather, we come to love people as we serve them.

Second, loving each.

Do we interact superficially with others, or do we genuinely seek to know and care for each person we meet?

Though He was often surrounded by multitudes, the Savior always gave His full attention to the one—one sheep, one leper, one Samaritan woman, one little child, one soul at a time. In His love, no one was ever lost in the crowd.

Likewise, in the Church of Jesus Christ, there should be no anonymity. As we enter the fold of Christ through sacred covenants, we are known, accounted for, and cared for—one person at a time.

Through my service, both in and out of the Church, I have learned that even those people who at first seemed insignificant have become some of the most remarkable and uplifting individuals I know. There is wonderful depth—so much to love—in every soul.

I have always enjoyed the tale of Beauty and the Beast—not only because it is set in France or because I can easily relate to Lumière’s lovely accent but because of the beautiful truth it illustrates.

Belle is taken prisoner in a haunted castle by a fearsome and repulsive beast—who is, in fact, a young prince trapped by a spell in the body of a terrifying monster. Rather than judging him by his appearance, Belle learns to see beyond it. She comes to understand that the Beast’s bitterness, rude manners, and sudden anger are only a facade, hiding a wounded soul yearning to love and be loved.

Through Belle’s patience, personal kindness, and loving care, an astonishing transformation begins—one that starts deep within the Beast’s soul and ultimately changes even his outward appearance. The spell is broken, and the young prince is restored, bringing great joy to all who gather to celebrate their new king and queen.

In a similar way, as we extend Christlike love to each person we serve, our eyes are opened to their divine potential. We begin to see them as the Lord sees them—mortal souls with the capacity to become exalted beings through the Savior’s restoring power and grace.

As we care for each soul, we help connect them to the Savior, inviting them to be healed and transformed through His atoning blood. In return, our own lives are blessed—we become more like the Savior and are filled with great joy.

My dear brothers and sisters, as one of His special witnesses, I testify that our Savior, Jesus Christ, loves us more than we can ever imagine. In the words of the hymn, “For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

May we follow the Lord’s perfect example and learn to love all and to love each, just as He does. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

See Sara Jane Weaver, host, Church News podcast, episode 269, “Elder Gérald Caussé on Serving as a Lifelong Witness of the Name of Jesus Christ,” Church News, Dec. 2, 2025, thechurchnews.com.

Psalm 8:3–4.

Psalm 8:5; see also 1 Nephi 11:17; Moses 1:24–39.

See Gérald Caussé, “We Are the Architects of Our Own Happiness” (Church Educational System devotional for young adults, Nov. 4, 2012), Gospel Library.

“His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” Hymns for Home and Church, Gospel Library.

See Hymn Helps, “About the Hymns: His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” Gospel Library.

See Matthew 10:29–31.

See Neal A. Maxwell, “Encircled in the Arms of His Love,” Liahona, Nov. 2002, 18; emphasis added.

Mosiah 27:30, emphasis added; see also Deuteronomy 33:3; Mark 16:15; Luke 4:40; John 6:45; Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ephesians 4:6–7; 1 Nephi 19:17; 2 Nephi 9:21; Mosiah 16:1; 27:31; Alma 26:37; Mormon 3:20; 9:22; Doctrine and Covenants 18:28; 58:64.

See Gérald Caussé, “Compensating Blessings,” Liahona, May 2025, 95.

See Gérald Caussé, “A Living Witness of the Living Christ,” Liahona, May 2020, 40.

See Matthew 5:46–47.

See Gérald Caussé, “Ye Are No More Strangers,” Liahona, Nov. 2013, 49–51.

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 426.

See Russell M. Nelson, “Blessed Are the Peacemakers,” Liahona, Nov. 2002, 41.

Opportunities also abound to extend the Savior’s love beyond our Church congregations and to care for those in need, whoever and wherever they may be—within our communities or in faraway countries.

See Luke 15:4–7.

See Matthew 8:2–3; Mark 1:40–42; Luke 17:12–19.

See John 4:5–29.

See Matthew 18:1–5; Mark 9:36–37; Luke 9:47–48; 3 Nephi 17:21–24.

See Neal A. Maxwell, “Encircled in the Arms of His Love,” 18.

See Moroni 6:4.

“His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” Hymns for Home and Church, Gospel Library.

By Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

President Hunter, we have been thrilled by your inspired message. We express our love to you. We also congratulate the newly called and sustained General Authorities and general officers of the Church.

Our hearts have united with the Mormon Youth Chorus’s spirited singing of Charles Wesley’s inspired words, “Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore!” (Hymns, 1985, no. 66). With the events of this solemn assembly, we have also felt the overwhelming gratitude expressed in our beloved hymn “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (Hymns, 1985, no. 19). We have rejoiced in the privilege of sustaining President Howard W. Hunter as President of the Church and Presidents Hinckley and Monson as his Counselors. In this worldwide assembly, we have pledged our prayers and best efforts to support the men whom the Lord has called to lead his church. I testify that what we have done has been recorded in the heavens and that each of us will be accountable to God for the way we respond to the leadership we have sustained in this solemn and sacred way.

Last spring I made my first visit to Brasília, Brazil. Over three thousand Saints gathered for a regional conference. The printed program listed the musical numbers, but the Portuguese words meant nothing to me. But when their beautiful choir began to sing, the music crossed all barriers of language and spoke to my soul:

The morning breaks, the shadows flee;

Lo, Zion’s standard is unfurled! …

The dawning of a brighter day

Majestic rises on the world.

[“The Morning Breaks,” Hymns, 1985, no. 1]

Through the miracle of sacred music, the Spirit of the Lord descended upon us, and we were made ready for gospel instruction and worship.

The First Presidency has said:

“Inspirational music is an essential part of our church meetings. The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord.

“Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns. Hymns move us to repentance and good works, build testimony and faith, comfort the weary, console the mourning, and inspire us to endure to the end” (Hymns, 1985, p. ix).

The singing of hymns is one of the best ways to put ourselves in tune with the Spirit of the Lord. I wonder if we are making enough use of this heaven-sent resource in our meetings, in our classes, and in our homes.

Last July I visited the Church’s Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. Before the evening show of dancing and music from various island cultures, I went backstage to thank the performers. I arrived during those frantic moments before the show began. Scores of performers were hurrying through the last-minute tasks required to coordinate their efforts in a fast-moving performance. I wondered how the director would bring this turmoil to order in preparation for my brief remarks.

It happened as if by miracle. On signal, one strong voice began, and the strains of “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” quickly swelled into a beautiful chorus as the uniquely talented young people brought their thoughts into harmony with the Lord.

We had a similar experience in our family. Last spring some of our children and fourteen of our grandchildren had a family outing in the mountains. One of our activities was a meeting to share experiences and testimonies. We gathered at the appointed time, but the little people were only gathered in body. The large spirits in those little bodies were clamoring for more of the exciting outdoor activities they had been enjoying. The cabin where we met was too small to contain them, and it seemed as if a dozen restless children and their outcries were ricocheting off the walls in every direction. Grandparents will appreciate the apprehension I felt at trying to sponsor something serious in that setting.

Suddenly the instinctive wisdom of young mothers rescued our efforts. Two mothers began to sing a song familiar to the children. Others joined in, and within a few minutes the mood had changed and all spirits were subdued and receptive to spiritual things. I offered a silent prayer of thanks for hymns and for mothers who know how to use them!

The singing of hymns is one of the best ways to learn the doctrine of the restored gospel. Elder Stephen D. Nadauld captured this unique strength in some lines he wrote and shared in a General Authority meeting:

If I would teach with power

The doctrine and the plan,

I’d wish for gentle music

To prepare the soul of man.

And then to press forever

These truths upon his mind,

We’d sing the hymns of Zion

With their messages sublime.

The scriptures contain many affirmations that hymn singing is a glorious way to worship. Before the Savior and his Apostles left the upper room where they had the sublime experience of the Last Supper, they sang a hymn. After their hymn, the Savior led them to the Mount of Olives (see Matt. 26:30).

The Apostle Paul advised the Colossians that they should be “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16; see also Alma 26:8).

Modern revelation reaffirms the importance of sacred music. In one of the earliest revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord appointed Emma Smith “to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church.

“For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads” (D&C 25:11–12).

In a revelation given through another prophet a generation later, the Lord commanded his people to “praise the Lord with singing, [and] with music” (D&C 136:28).

This direction to praise the Lord with singing is not limited to large meetings. When the Lord’s Apostles meet in modern times, the singing of hymns is still part of their meetings. The weekly meetings of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Salt Lake Temple always begin with a hymn. Elder Russell M. Nelson plays the organ accompaniment. Members of the First Presidency, who conduct these meetings, rotate the privilege of selecting the opening song. Most of us record the date each hymn is sung. According to my records, the opening song most frequently sung during the decade of my participation has been “I Need Thee Every Hour” (Hymns, 1985, no. 98). Picture the spiritual impact of a handful of the Lord’s servants singing that song before praying for his guidance in fulfilling their mighty responsibilities.

The veil is very thin in the temples, especially when we join in worshipping through music. At temple dedications I have seen more tears of joy elicited by music than by the spoken word. I have read accounts of angelic choirs joining in these hymns of praise, and I think I have experienced this on several occasions. In dedicatory sessions featuring beautiful and well-trained choirs of about thirty voices, there are times when I have heard what seemed to be ten times thirty voices praising God with a quality and intensity of feeling that can be experienced but not explained. Some who are listening today will know what I mean.

Sacred music has a unique capacity to communicate our feelings of love for the Lord. This kind of communication is a wonderful aid to our worship. Many have difficulty expressing worshipful feelings in words, but all can join in communicating such feelings through the inspired words of our hymns.

When a congregation worships through singing, all present should participate. Here I share another experience. I had finished a special assignment on a Sunday morning in Salt Lake City and desired to attend a sacrament meeting. I stopped at a convenient ward meetinghouse and slipped unnoticed into the overflow area just as the congregation was beginning to sing these sacred words of the sacrament song:

’Tis sweet to sing the matchless love

Of Him who left his home above

And came to earth—oh, wondrous plan—

To suffer, bleed, and die for man!

[“’Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love,” Hymns, 1985, no. 177]

My heart swelled as we sang this worshipful hymn and contemplated renewing our covenants by partaking of the sacrament. Our voices raised the concluding strains:

For Jesus died on Calvary,

That all thru him might ransomed be.

Then sing hosannas to his name;

Let heav’n and earth his love proclaim.

As we sang these words, I glanced around at members of the congregation and was stunned to observe that about a third of them were not singing. How could this be? Were those who did not even mouth the words suggesting that for them it was not “sweet to sing the matchless love” or to “sing hosannas to his name”? What are we saying, what are we thinking, when we fail to join in singing in our worship services?

I believe some of us in North America are getting neglectful in our worship, including the singing of hymns. I have observed that the Saints elsewhere are more diligent in doing this. We in the center stakes of Zion should renew our fervent participation in the singing of our hymns.

There are a few conventions all of us should observe as we worship through music. As we sing we should think about the messages of the words. Our hymns contain matchless doctrinal sermons, surpassed only by the scriptures in their truth and poetic impact.

We depend on our choristers and organists to lead us at the prescribed pace. Too slow or too fast can detract from a worshipful mood.

We should be careful what music we use in settings where we desire to contribute to worship. Many musical numbers good for other wholesome settings are not appropriate for Church meetings.

Our hymns have been chosen because they have been proven effective to invite the Spirit of the Lord. A daughter who plays the violin described that reality. “I love to play classical music,” she said, “but when I play our hymns, I can just feel the Spirit of the Lord in my practice room.”

Soloists should remember that music in our worship services is not for demonstration but for worship. Vocal or instrumental numbers should be chosen to facilitate worship, not to provide performance opportunity for artists, no matter how accomplished.

Our sacred music prepares us to be taught the truths of the gospel. This is why we are selective in the kinds of music and the kinds of instruments we use in our worship services. This is why we encourage our choirs to use the hymnbook as their basic resource. We can make selective use of other music that is in harmony with the spirit of our hymns, such as Charles Gounod’s marvelous “O Divine Redeemer,” sung at the funeral of President Ezra Taft Benson. But a hymnbook’s hymn is often the most inspiring and appropriate musical selection for a choir, a vocalist, or an instrumentalist (see Michael F. Moody, “Conversation: Learning and Singing Hymns,” Ensign, Aug. 1994, p. 79).

Sacred music can help us even where there is no formal performance. For example, when temptation comes, we can neutralize its effect by humming or repeating the words of a favorite hymn (see Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, pp. 21–26; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, pp. 25–28).

Our hymns can work their miraculous effect even when the chorus of voices is few and even when hardly a sound can be heard. I felt this a few months ago as I participated in a musical performance that was unique in my church experience. I had been invited to speak at the Great Basin LDS Deaf Conference, hosted by the Salt Lake Valley (Deaf) Ward of the Salt Lake Park Stake. Over three hundred deaf brothers and sisters were in attendance. The members of the stake presidency and I were almost the only adults in the congregation who could hear and who attempted to sing audibly. The rest of that large assembly sang with their hands. Hardly a lip moved, and hardly a sound was heard except the organ and four faint voices from the stand. In the audience, all hands moved in unison with the leader as the audience signed, “The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!” (Hymns, 1985, no. 2). As we sang together, the Spirit of the Lord descended upon us, and we were made ready for prayer. Our sacred music is a powerful preparation for prayer and gospel teaching.

We need to make more use of our hymns to put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord, to unify us, and to help us teach and learn our doctrine. We need to make better use of our hymns in missionary teaching, in gospel classes, in quorum meetings, in home evenings, and in home teaching visits. Music is an effective way to worship our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. We should use hymns when we need spiritual strength and inspiration.

We who have “felt to sing the song of redeeming love” (Alma 5:26) need to keep singing that we may draw ever closer to him who has inspired sacred music and commanded that it be used to worship him. May we be diligent in doing so is my humble prayer, which I offer with a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of the divine calling of those we have sustained today. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

By Sister Tracy Y. Browning

Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

One of the blessings of my service in Primary is that my heart has learned to love in languages that my tongue does not speak. I have found joy in connecting with fellow Saints through the shared language of sacred music. And especially through the simple songs of Primary, the Holy Spirit has transcended language barriers and filled my heart with His whispering. In children’s voices, the love of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, has been proclaimed in clear, piercing truth.

Although I did not grow up in Primary, the Spirit has quickly taught me the sacredness of its songs, and they have become part of my personal worship. Primary songs have carried a holy influence in my life and have lifted my soul, taught me eternal truths, and drawn me nearer to the Savior and to His gospel.

President Dallin H. Oaks once taught that “the singing of hymns is one of the best ways to learn the doctrine of the restored gospel.” Those words are true for all of us but are especially so for children. Primary music is one of God’s most tender tools for planting the seeds of testimony in the hearts of the Savior’s youngest disciples. Parents, leaders, and teachers give nourishment to that seed as they testify to and invite the testimonies of children of all they are coming to know of Heavenly Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost.

In these last several years of my service, I have spent time singing and learning from Primary music while contemplating a few questions:

How can Primary songs learned in childhood become the spiritual language children use to testify for the rest of their lives?

How does singing gospel truths help children remember the Lord as part of their covenant and prepare them for His ordinances?

And how can Primary songs help write God’s law upon the hearts of these youngest disciples?

When Primary began in 1878, its first president, Aurelia Spencer Rogers, observed that “singing was necessary.” Music has always been at the heart of teaching children the gospel. Primary songs can become a child’s first spiritual language because their simple, memorable melodies give voice to gospel truths. These songs hold the power to stay with children for a lifetime, becoming part of their discipleship and a natural and normal way for them to testify of the Savior.

Primary songs can also be powerful doctrinal teaching tools. Some songs tell the stories of the Savior’s life and ministry. Others teach of His attributes, such as His faith, His hope, and His charity. And the most sacred songs testify of His infinite Atonement and the love that flows from that act of salvation.

A prophet of the Lord, President Russell M. Nelson, taught: “[Music] can exert a continuing influence for good well beyond times when children are small. … [It] has [the] power to provide spiritual nourishment. It has healing power. It has [the] power to facilitate worship; it allows us to contemplate the [Savior’s] Atonement and the Restoration of the gospel with its saving principles and exalting ordinances. Music provides power for us to express prayerful thoughts and bear testimony of sacred truths.”

As parents, leaders, and teachers, our effort includes helping children access these promised blessings by teaching with intention the gospel truths found in the music. President Nelson also taught that “children can learn the doctrine when they’re learning to sing just as much as they can learn the doctrine in a class.” These songs can provide a reservoir of faith-filled sermons that point children to the Savior and help them develop devotion to His gospel.

The scriptures teach that the songs of the righteous that come from the heart are a delight to the Savior. I can only wonder at the delight that the voices of the Savior’s youngest disciples bring. I know their prayerful songs reach heaven as expressions of faith that invite the Holy Spirit to confirm eternal truths and softly and tenderly invite others to accept the call of our Savior to follow Him and come home. As Elder Henry B. Eyring has reminded us, it is in those moments of feeling the Spirit that we have evidence of the Savior’s Atonement working in our lives.

Primary music can be a miracle carried along the lifelong arc of discipleship that our children will travel. A song learned at age six has the power to stay with us—and can return decades later in moments of decision, temptation, grief, or joy. Perhaps in our later years, the lyrics of “I Will Follow God’s Plan” may serve as a spiritual anchor that echoes the witness of the Apostle Paul of the surety of God’s promises to us. Or they may remind us that because God keeps His promises, His covenants offer strong consolation and a place of refuge and invite us to put our hope and assurance steadfastly on Jesus Christ and in His atoning power.

Adult members across the globe, in times of difficulty, often remember and turn to the Primary songs they learned as children. For many, these songs supported the early architecture of their faith in Jesus Christ and were often the first place where conversion to His gospel began. Parents, leaders, and teachers nurtured that faith through the years by teaching, singing, and testifying to children with care.

One sister shared with me that she cherished Primary music, and after 20 years she credits it with accelerating her continued conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Another member testified that Primary planted a mustard seed of faith when he was young and was the reason he was able to come back to the Lord’s Church in his 30s. The Savior promised, “The Comforter … shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance.” Primary music can be one way that promise is fulfilled.

Another beloved Primary song captures the power of simple faith and enduring testimony:

As I walk with Jesus to my home above,

He will bless me with His Spirit and fill me with His love,

Change my heart forever and help me clearly see.

I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me.

As children sing, they are expressing the desire of a disciple and learning the pattern of covenant living. The Spirit can use music to engrave eternal truths on their tender hearts. And in time, children can choose to tune and turn their hearts and their lives toward Jesus Christ by making and keeping sacred covenants with Him.

Sacred music can help write the doctrine of Christ into the soul and prepare us to receive His ordinances. It links the Savior’s doctrine to our memory and that memory to our discipleship in Him.

As Primary leaders, we have the opportunity and the sacred responsibility to ensure that music in Primary is taught with joy, with doctrinal understanding, and with the Spirit. This includes inviting children to notice what they feel as they sing and helping them recognize that those feelings come from the Holy Ghost. These efforts help prepare our children for sacred ordinances, such as baptism and confirmation, as well as inspiring their covenant memory as they regularly renew their promises to God.

At the Last Supper, after the Savior instituted the sacrament, Matthew records that “when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” Each week, baptized and confirmed members of the Lord’s restored Church, including baptized children as young as eight years old, prepare to take the Lord’s sacrament. Through singing sacred music, congregations of God’s children are given an opportunity to prepare their hearts for that sacred ordinance to take upon themselves His name, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments.

Dear friends, I testify that Primary songs teach eternal truths and doctrine that lead us to Jesus Christ and His gospel. I invite you to consider what foundational truths have been written into your hearts through the simple teachings of these songs and to testify of those truths to the Savior’s youngest disciples as you teach them the good news of the gospel through song.

I know that God our Father, in His infinite love, sent His Beloved Son to earth to teach us, to show us the way, and to redeem us through His Atonement.

I know that the Savior’s life and ministry are real and personal. The scriptures are full of stories of His healing, His kindness, and His miracles.

I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers the sincere prayers of His children, no matter their age, circumstance, or language. He listens to the quiet pleadings of our hearts.

I testify that in Gethsemane, Jesus Christ bore the weight of our sins, sorrows, and pains. He suffered willingly because of His love for us and made it possible for us to be forgiven and to return home.

I know that we are literal children of God, created in His image, endowed with divine potential, and invited to return to live with Him if we choose to follow Jesus Christ.

I know that Jesus Christ is our perfect example, and as we follow Him by serving, forgiving, and loving others, we become more like Him day by day.

And I know that the Lord’s holy temples are His house here on earth. In them, we make sacred covenants, receive eternal blessings, and learn more of Him and feel more of His presence. The temple is a place of learning, peace, and preparation for our lives.

I testify that the efforts we make to teach and sing these Primary songs to our children are not simply a nice part of our religious tradition. They are sermons for disciples of Jesus Christ, testimonies to the truthfulness of the restored gospel, and prayers set to music. Sacred music can shine the Light of Christ on the hearer and can pour it into the heart of the singer. Dear friends, Jesus still wants us for a sunbeam. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Dallin H. Oaks, “Worship Through Music,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 10.

“The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:12).

“Sacred music is a vital part of sacrament meeting and other Church meetings. … Members gather in sacrament meeting to remember Jesus Christ by partaking of the sacrament. They gather to build faith and testimony and to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Music should be selected to help achieve these purposes. … The sacrament hymn should refer to the sacrament itself or to the sacrifice of the Savior” (General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 19.3, 19.3.2, Gospel Library).

“I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33).

Aurelia Spencer Rogers, in “A History of the Primary Organization,” history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Russell M. Nelson, “Power and Protection Provided by Worthy Music” (Brigham Young University devotional, May 4, 2008), 4, 5, speeches.byu.edu.

Russell M. Nelson, in “Keep Singing Songs That Teach Doctrine, Says President Nelson” (video), ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

“We hope leaders, teachers, and members who are called on to speak will turn often to the hymnbook to find sermons presented powerfully and beautifully in verse. …

“Music has boundless powers for moving families toward greater spirituality and devotion to the gospel. Latter-day Saints should fill their homes with the sound of worthy music. …

“Teach your children to love the hymns. Sing them on the Sabbath, in home evening, during scripture study, at prayer time. Sing as you work, as you play, and as you travel together. Sing hymns as lullabies to build faith and testimony in your young ones” (“First Presidency Preface,” Hymns, ix, x).

See Doctrine and Covenants 25:12.

“If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost … , you may take it as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life” (Henry B. Eyring, “Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 10, 2006], 5, speeches.byu.edu).

See Hebrews 6:17–19.

See Moroni 7:41.

John 14:26.

“I Will Walk with Jesus,” Hymns—For Home and Church, Gospel Library.

Matthew 26:30.

“Although the ordinance of the sacrament is for members of the Church, nothing should be done to prevent others from partaking of it” (General Handbook, 18.9.3). In particular, it is appropriate for little children to partake of the sacrament before they reach the age of accountability so they can develop greater appreciation for Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and prepare to enter into sacred covenants with God in the future.

See “He Sent His Son,” Children’s Songbook, 34–35.

See “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,” Children’s Songbook, 57.

See “A Child’s Prayer,” Children’s Songbook, 12–13.

See “Gethsemane,” Hymns—For Home and Church.

See “I Am a Child of God,” Children’s Songbook, 2–3.

See “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus,” Children’s Songbook, 78–79.

See “I Love to See the Temple,” Children’s Songbook, 95.

See “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam,” Children’s Songbook, 60.

By Elder David A. Bednar

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I have fond childhood memories of my mother reading Book of Mormon stories to me. She had a way of making the scriptural episodes come alive in my youthful imagination, and I did not doubt that my mother had a witness of the truthfulness of that sacred record. I especially remember her description of the Savior’s visit to the American continent following His Resurrection and of His teachings to the people in the land of Bountiful. Through the simple consistency of her example and testimony, my mother kindled in me the first flames of faith in the Savior and in His latter-day Church. I came to know for myself that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and contains the fulness of His everlasting gospel (see D&C 27:5).

Today I want to review with you one of my favorite Book of Mormon events, the Savior’s appearance in the New World, and discuss His instruction to the multitude about the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost. I pray for the guidance of the Spirit for me and for you.

During the Lord’s three-day ministry in the New World, He taught His doctrine, authorized His disciples to perform priesthood ordinances, healed the sick, prayed for the people, and lovingly blessed the children. As the Savior’s time with the people was drawing to a close, He succinctly summarized the fundamental principles of His gospel.

Said He, “Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:20).

The basic principles outlined by the Master in this scripture are essential for us to understand and apply in our lives. First was repentance, “a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin” (Bible Dictionary, “Repentance,” 760). As we appropriately seek for and receive the spiritual gift of faith in the Redeemer, we then turn to and rely upon the merits, the mercy, and the grace of the Holy Messiah (see 2 Nephi 2:8). Repentance is the sweet fruit that comes from faith in the Savior and involves turning toward God and away from sin.

The risen Lord next explained the importance of coming unto Him. The multitude gathered together at the temple was invited literally to come forth unto the Savior “one by one” to feel the prints of the nails in the Master’s hands and feet and to thrust their hands into His side (3 Nephi 11:15). Each individual who had this experience “did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he” (v. 15), even Jesus Christ, who had come.

The Savior also taught the people to come unto Him through sacred covenants, and He reminded them that they were “the children of the covenant” (3 Nephi 20:26). He emphasized the eternal importance of the ordinances of baptism (see 3 Nephi 11:19–39) and of receiving the Holy Ghost (see 3 Nephi 11:35–36; 12:6; 18:36–38). In a similar manner, you and I are admonished to turn toward and learn from Christ and to come unto Him through the covenants and ordinances of His restored gospel. As we do so, we will eventually and ultimately come to know Him (see John 17:3), “in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will” (D&C 88:68), as did the people in the land of Bountiful.

Repenting and coming unto Christ through the covenants and ordinances of salvation are prerequisite to and a preparation for being sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost and standing spotless before God at the last day. I now want to focus our attention upon the sanctifying influence the Holy Ghost can be in our lives.

The gate of baptism leads to the strait and narrow path and to the destination of putting off the natural man and becoming a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord (see Mosiah 3:19). The purpose of our mortal journey is not merely to see the sights on earth or to expend our allotment of time on self-centered pursuits; rather, we are to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), to become sanctified by yielding our hearts unto God (see Helaman 3:35), and to obtain “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

We are commanded and instructed to so live that our fallen nature is changed through the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost. President Marion G. Romney taught that the baptism of fire by the Holy Ghost “converts [us] from carnality to spirituality. It cleanses, heals, and purifies the soul. … Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and water baptism are all preliminary and prerequisite to it, but [the baptism of fire] is the consummation. To receive [this baptism of fire] is to have one’s garments washed in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ” (Learning for the Eternities, comp. George J. Romney [1977], 133; see also 3 Nephi 27:19–20).

Hence, as we are born again and strive to always have His Spirit to be with us, the Holy Ghost sanctifies and refines our souls as if by fire (see 2 Nephi 31:13–14, 17). Ultimately, we are to stand spotless before God.

The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also essentially entails doing good, being good, and becoming better. Repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness are spiritually necessary, and we must always do so. But remission of sin is not the only or even the ultimate purpose of the gospel. To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that “we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin’s people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin.

Prophets throughout the ages have emphasized the dual requirements of (1) avoiding and overcoming bad and (2) doing good and becoming better. Consider the penetrating questions posed by the Psalmist:

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3–4).

Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place.

Let me suggest that hands are made clean through the process of putting off the natural man and by overcoming sin and the evil influences in our lives through the Savior’s Atonement. Hearts are purified as we receive His strengthening power to do good and become better. All of our worthy desires and good works, as necessary as they are, can never produce clean hands and a pure heart. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could by relying only upon our own strength. The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us.

In the Book of Mormon, we find the masterful teachings of King Benjamin concerning the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ. The simple doctrine he taught caused the congregation to fall to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them. “And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men” (Mosiah 4:2; emphasis added).

Again in this verse we find the twofold blessing of both forgiveness of sin, suggesting clean hands, and the transformation of our nature, signifying pure hearts.

As King Benjamin concluded his instruction, he reiterated the importance of these two basic aspects of spiritual development.

“And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor” (Mosiah 4:26; emphasis added).

Our sincere desire should be to have both clean hands and a pure heart—both a remission of sins from day to day and to walk guiltless before God. Clean hands alone will not be enough when we stand before Him who is pure and who, as “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19), freely spilled His precious blood for us.

Some who hear or read this message may think the spiritual progress I am describing is not attainable in their lives. We may believe these truths apply to others but not to us.

We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and should press forward with faith in Christ along the strait and narrow path and make steady progress toward our eternal destiny. The Lord’s pattern for spiritual development is “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). Small, steady, incremental spiritual improvements are the steps the Lord would have us take. Preparing to walk guiltless before God is one of the primary purposes of mortality and the pursuit of a lifetime; it does not result from sporadic spurts of intense spiritual activity.

I witness that the Savior will strengthen and assist us to make sustained, paced progress. The example in the Book of Mormon of “many, exceedingly great many” (Alma 13:12) in the ancient Church who were pure and spotless before God is a source of encouragement and comfort to me. I suspect those members of the ancient Church were ordinary men and women just like you and me. These individuals could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence, and they “were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God” (v. 12). And these principles and this process of spiritual progress apply to each of us equally and always.

The requirement to put off the natural man and become a saint, to avoid and overcome bad and to do and become good, to have clean hands and a pure heart, is a recurring theme throughout the Book of Mormon. In fact, Moroni’s concluding invitation at the end of the book is a summary of this theme.

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ. …

“And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:32–33; emphasis added).

May you and I repent with sincerity of heart and truly come unto Christ. I pray that we will seek through the Savior’s Atonement to have both clean hands and a pure heart, that we may become holy, without spot. I witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Eternal Father and our Savior. He who is without spot redeems us from sin and strengthens us to do good and to become better. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

By Bradley R. Wilcox

Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

I once sent a message to my daughter and son-in-law using the voice-to-text feature on my phone. I said, “Hey, you two. Sure love you.” They received, “Hate you two. Should love you.” Isn’t it amazing how easily a positive and well-intentioned message can be misunderstood? This is what sometimes happens with God’s messages of repentance and worthiness.

Some mistakenly receive the message that repentance and change are unnecessary. God’s message is that they are essential. But doesn’t God love us despite our shortcomings? Of course! He loves us perfectly. I love my grandchildren, imperfections and all, but that does not mean I don’t want them to improve and become all they can become. God loves us as we are, but He also loves us too much to leave us this way. Growing up unto the Lord is what mortality is all about. Change is what Christ’s Atonement is all about. Not only can Christ resurrect, cleanse, console, and heal us, but through it all, He can transform us to become more like Him.

Some mistakenly receive the message that repentance is a onetime event. God’s message is that, as President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “Repentance … is a process.” Repentance may take time and repeated effort, so forsaking sin and having “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” are lifetime pursuits.

Life is like a cross-country road trip. We can’t reach our destination on one tank of gas. We must refill the tank over and over. Taking the sacrament is like pulling into the gas station. As we repent and renew our covenants, we pledge our willingness to keep the commandments, and God and Christ bless us with the Holy Spirit. In short, we promise to press forward on our journey, and God and Christ promise to refill the tank.

Some mistakenly receive the message that they are not worthy to participate fully in the gospel because they are not completely free of bad habits. God’s message is that worthiness is not flawlessness. Worthiness is being honest and trying. We must be honest with God, priesthood leaders, and others who love us, and we must strive to keep God’s commandments and never give up just because we slip up. Elder Bruce C. Hafen said that developing a Christlike character “requires patience and persistence more than it requires flawlessness.” The Lord has said the gifts of the Spirit are “given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do.”

One young man I’ll call Damon wrote: “Growing up, I struggled with pornography. I always felt so ashamed that I could not get things right.” Each time Damon slipped, the pain of regret became so intense, he harshly judged himself to be unworthy of any kind of grace, forgiveness, or additional chances from God. He said: “I decided I just deserved to feel terrible all the time. I figured God probably hated me because I wasn’t willing to work harder and get on top of this once and for all. I would go a week and sometimes even a month, but then I would relapse and think, ‘I’ll never be good enough, so what’s the use of even trying?’”

At one such low moment, Damon said to his priesthood leader: “Maybe I should just stop coming to church. I’m sick of being a hypocrite.”

His leader responded: “You’re not a hypocrite because you have a bad habit you are trying to break. You are a hypocrite if you hide it, lie about it, or try to convince yourself the Church has the problem for maintaining such high standards. Being honest about your actions and taking steps to move forward is not being a hypocrite. It is being a disciple.” This leader quoted Elder Richard G. Scott, who taught: “The Lord sees weaknesses differently than He does rebellion. … When the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy.”

That perspective gave Damon hope. He realized God was not up there saying, “Damon blew it again.” Instead, He was probably saying, “Look how far Damon has come.” This young man finally stopped looking down in shame or looking sideways for excuses and rationalizations. He looked up for divine help, and he found it.

Damon said: “The only time I had turned to God in the past was to ask for forgiveness, but now I also asked for grace—His ‘enabling power’ [Bible Dictionary, “Grace”]. I had never done that before. These days I spend a lot less time hating myself for what I have done and a lot more time loving Jesus for what He has done.”

Considering how long Damon had struggled, it was unhelpful and unrealistic for parents and leaders assisting him to say “never again” too quickly or to arbitrarily set some standard of abstinence to be considered “worthy.” Instead, they started with small, reachable goals. They got rid of the all-or-nothing expectations and focused on incremental growth, which allowed Damon to build on a series of successes instead of failures. He, like the enslaved people of Limhi, learned he could “prosper by degrees.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson has counseled: “To deal with something [very] big, we may need to work at it in small, daily bites. … Incorporating new and wholesome habits into our character or overcoming bad habits or addictions [most] often means an effort today followed by another tomorrow and then another, perhaps for many days, even months and years. … But we can do it because we can appeal to God … for the help we need each day.”

Now, brothers and sisters, the COVID-19 pandemic has not been easy for anyone, but the isolation associated with quarantine restrictions has made life especially difficult for those struggling with bad habits. Remember change is possible, repentance is a process, and worthiness is not flawlessness. Most important, remember that God and Christ are willing to help us right here and now.

Some mistakenly receive the message that God is waiting to help until after we repent. God’s message is that He will help us as we repent. His grace is available to us “no matter where we are in the path of obedience.” Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said: “God does not need people who are flawless. He seeks those who will offer their ‘heart and a willing mind’ [Doctrine and Covenants 64:34], and He will make them ‘perfect in Christ’ [Moroni 10:32–33].”

So many have been hurt by broken and strained relationships that it is difficult for them to believe in God’s compassion and long-suffering. They struggle to see God as He is—a loving Father who meets us in our need and knows how to “give good things to them that ask him.” His grace is not just a prize for the worthy. It is the “divine assistance” He gives that helps us become worthy. It is not just a reward for the righteous. It is the “endowment of strength” He gives that helps us become righteous. We are not just walking toward God and Christ. We are walking with Them.

Across the Church, young people recite the Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Themes. From New Zealand to Spain to Ethiopia to Japan, young women say, “I cherish the gift of repentance.” From Chile to Guatemala to Moroni, Utah, young men say, “As I strive to serve, exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, I will qualify to receive temple blessings and the enduring joy of the gospel.”

I promise those blessings and that joy are real and within reach for those who keep all the commandments and “him that seeketh so to do.” When you feel like you have failed too many times to keep trying, remember Christ’s Atonement and the grace it makes possible are real. “[His] arm of mercy is extended towards you.” You are loved—today, in 20 years, and forever. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

See John 3:3–6; Mosiah 27:25.

See Neal A. Maxwell, “I Will Arise and Go to My Father,” Ensign, Sept. 1993, 65–68.

See Helaman 3:21.

See 2 Corinthians 5:17; Mosiah 3:19.

Russell M. Nelson, “We Can Do Better and Be Better,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 67.

See Mosiah 26:30; Moroni 6:8; Doctrine and Covenants 1:31–32.

See Doctrine and Covenants 58:43.

Mosiah 5:2.

See Jacob 6:11; Alma 15:17.

See 2 Nephi 31:20; Mosiah 18:10; Doctrine and Covenants 20:77.

See Luke 15:11–32; Romans 3:23–25. Elder Gerrit W. Gong said, “To be worthy does not mean to be perfect” (“Always Remember Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 109). Addressing the students at Brigham Young University, President Cecil O. Samuelson explained: “One can be fully worthy in [the] gospel sense and yet still be growing while dealing with personal imperfections. … Worthiness is vital, but it is not the same as perfection” (“Be Ye Therefore Perfect” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 6, 2011], 1, 5, speeches.byu.edu). Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Worthiness is a process, and perfection is an eternal trek. We can be worthy to enjoy certain privileges without being perfect” (“On Being Worthy,” Ensign, May 1989, 20).

Elder Neil L. Andersen has called for “uncompromising honesty” and taught, “Honesty is the heart of spirituality and must be at the center of true and lasting repentance” (The Divine Gift of Forgiveness [2019], 193, 48).

Elder Neil L. Andersen wrote, “We may slip back at times, but let us quickly and humbly return to our knees and move again in the right direction” (The Divine Gift of Forgiveness, 208).

Bruce C. Hafen, The Broken Heart (1989), 186.

Doctrine and Covenants 46:9; emphasis added.

See Doctrine and Covenants 10:67.

Richard G. Scott, “Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 83.

See Doctrine and Covenants 6:35–37.

President Russell M. Nelson said: “The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure” (“We Can Do Better and Be Better,” 68; emphasis added).

Mosiah 21:16.

D. Todd Christofferson, “Recognizing God’s Hand in Our Daily Blessings,” Ensign, Jan. 2012, 20–21; Liahona, Jan. 2012, 28–29; see also D. Todd Christofferson, “The Divine Gift of Repentance,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 38–41.

See Joshua 1:5, 9; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 11:28–30; 2 Nephi 28:32; Doctrine and Covenants 24:8.

D. Todd Christofferson, “Free Forever, to Act for Themselves,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 19.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Five Messages That All of God’s Children Need to Hear” (Brigham Young University devotional, Aug. 17, 2021), 3, speeches.byu.edu.

See Ether 1:42–43.

3 Nephi 14:11.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Gift of Grace,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 107; see also 2 Nephi 2:3; Jacob 4:7. President Russell M. Nelson has said, “The Lord does not require perfect faith for us to have access to His perfect power” (“Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 102).

See Deuteronomy 2:7; Matthew 1:23; Doctrine and Covenants 100:12. Elder Robert E. Wells wrote: “Our Heavenly Father is not an absentee God, nor is Jesus dead. They are relevant today as never before” (The Mount and the Master [1991], 26).

Doctrine and Covenants 46:9.

See Sheri Dew, Amazed by Grace (2015), 4.

3 Nephi 9:14.

By Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

This Easter Sunday, all Christians, brothers and sisters in the Lord, honor and celebrate the Resurrection of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. His Resurrection and His Atonement are the most powerful, far-reaching, and sacred events in all human history.

Jesus Christ and His Resurrection are at the very core of the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Prophet Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Restoration, who saw and spoke with God the Father and His Beloved Son, taught, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven.” As an Apostle called of Jesus Christ, I bear my testimony to all the world of that truth.

Jesus Christ is “the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob,” “the Almighty God” of the Old Testament, “the light of the world” of the New Testament, “the Messiah” and “Savior of the world” of the Book of Mormon and other latter-day revelation. He came, was crucified, and rose again.

After three days in a borrowed tomb, Jesus Christ broke the bands of death imposed by the Fall. With His Resurrection, He secured salvation from physical death for us, all of God’s children throughout the ages. That includes the just, who herald Him as the Son of God, and the unjust, who will someday recognize Him as “the King of kings,” for it is prophesied, “Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess” that Jesus is the Christ.

When Mary and other faithful women approached the Garden Tomb to care for the body of their Lord, they found two angels, who announced, “He is not here, but is risen.”

Those glorious words, “He is risen,” have sparked religious ceremony, gratitude, faith in Jesus Christ and His promises for centuries. President Dallin H. Oaks has testified: “The resurrection is a pillar of our faith. It adds meaning to our doctrine, motivation to our behavior, and hope for our future.”

Jesus Christ is more than a mortal first laid in a manger, more than a friend, teacher, rabbi, minister, or prophet. He is the Only Begotten Son of the Father. And by divine design, His Resurrection by His own godly power reunited His body and His spirit. What a majestic and monumental event in Father in Heaven’s eternal plan.

The resurrected Jesus Christ first appeared to Mary and with tenderness spoke her name. He appeared to His Apostles, saying, “Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” He walked with two of His disciples, on the road to Emmaus, who pleaded, “Abide with us.” The risen Lord, “Endless and Eternal,” appeared to hundreds in the Holy Land.

Accounts in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ also bear witness of Him resurrected. A gathering at a temple in the New World, in the land Bountiful, heard a voice from the heavens saying, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.”

Then they beheld “a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them.” And “he stretched forth his hand.” I love the image of Him stretching forth His hand. He said, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.”

That outstretched hand was well known in His earthly ministry. His hand rescued Peter as he began to sink in the choppy waves of the Sea of Galilee. His hand motioned for the crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda to “rise … and walk.” His hands washed the feet of His disciples, and His hands “took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it,” initiating the sacrament “in remembrance of” Him. He promised the prophet Isaiah, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: … for I am thy God: … I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” That promise is for all of us.

He stood before them resurrected and said, “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”

The multitude of 2,500 souls “went forth, … and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he.”

He invited “their little children” to be brought to Him and took them “one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.”

This scene of Him resurrected, reaching out with hands once nailed to a cross, touches me deeply.

Some years ago at a general conference, I spoke of our grandson Paxton, who was born with a very rare chromosomal deletion. His parents would have carried him to the Savior when He called for all “afflicted in any manner” to come that He might heal them.

Paxton lived three treasured years. He could not speak, crawl, walk, or run after his brothers. But little Paxton’s hands reached out to ours and to our Savior with love and affection.

I remember the first time Paxton’s father and I gave him a priesthood blessing that, as it says in the scriptures, “the works of God should be made manifest in him.” They were. He brought immense joy to our family. Families with such a precious member know what a privilege it is to be blessed with one with special needs. Associating with Paxton, our whole family gained an increased, deep, and abiding trust in the Lord. Then God reached out and took him home.

The words of the psalmist say it all: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

That joy is, as the Savior said, “Because I live, ye shall live also.”

I know Paxton’s tender “spirit and [his] body shall be reunited again in … perfect form.” By the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, his joy will be in not only a resurrected body but one that is resurrected whole and perfect. All who live or ever have lived who come unto Christ and live His gospel will feel joy beyond any earthly expression as we reunite, resurrected, with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ and with our parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and ancestors.

May we be at peace, brothers and sisters, for the Lord has promised, “Where I am, there ye may be also.” May we believe the Lord’s words in Isaiah: “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” May we testify of Him by the way we live and what we love. May we feel to our very souls these stirring words: “He is risen! He is risen! Tell it out with joyful voice” and “let the whole wide earth rejoice.”

As a special witness of the name of Jesus Christ—the King of glory, the Messiah triumphant, the Bright and Morning Star, and on this Easter morn, the Resurrection and the Life—I bear my witness of Him in reverence and in gratitude in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 49.

Exodus 3:16.

Genesis 17:1.

John 8:12.

2 Nephi 25:19.

Doctrine and Covenants 42:1.

See Alma 22:14.

See Doctrine and Covenants 76:17.

1 Timothy 6:15.

Mosiah 27:31; see also Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:10–11; Doctrine and Covenants 76:110; 88:104.

All four Gospels in the New Testament refer to women coming to the tomb on that Sunday morning. Those mentioned are Mary, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and others (see Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10). They brought spices with them (see Mark 16:1). By tradition, the women did not attend to the body immediately, but in honor of the Sabbath they waited (see Luke 23:56).

See Luke 24:5–6.

Dallin H. Oaks, “Resurrection,” Ensign, May 2000, 14; Liahona, July 2000, 16.

See John 3:16.

Only Jesus Christ had the power to lay down His life and lift it up again. From His mortal mother He inherited the capacity to die. His immortal Father in Heaven gave Him the capacity and the power to overcome death. In these words He explained: “As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (John 5:26).

See John 20:16.

Luke 24:39.

See Luke 24:13–32.

Moses 7:35.

See 1 Corinthians 15:6. The Holy Land is very much a backdrop to the narratives of both the New and Old Testaments, though it is not mentioned explicitly in the Bible. It has been called the “Promised Land” and at the time of Christ’s ministry would have included the areas of Galilee, Judea, and Samaria.

In the land called Bountiful, a great multitude of the people of Nephi gathered around the temple and marveled at the changes that had taken place in the land (see 3 Nephi 11:1).

3 Nephi 11:7.

3 Nephi 11:8.

3 Nephi 11:9.

3 Nephi 11:10.

See Matthew 14:31.

John 5:8.

See John 13:5.

Luke 22:19. At the Last Supper, Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament, explaining the ordinance to His Twelve Apostles (see also the sacrament prayers used in today’s worship services in Moroni 4:3; 5:2; Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79).

Isaiah 41:10.

3 Nephi 11:14.

3 Nephi 11:15. The number of those gathered at the temple is mentioned in 3 Nephi 17:25.

3 Nephi 17:11.

3 Nephi 17:21.

See Ronald A. Rasband, “Special Lessons,” Liahona, May 2012, 80–82.

3 Nephi 17:7.

John 9:3.

Psalm 30:5.

John 14:19.

Alma 11:43.

Jesus Christ, by the power of His Atonement, provided the gift of immortality to all God’s children. Only He had the power to redeem all from the effects of the Fall of Adam and Eve. Only He had the power to lay down His life on the cross, be laid in a borrowed tomb, and then take His life up again, the first of them that slept, a resurrected and perfect being. Because of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we will all be resurrected, and then we will stand before Him and account for our lives.

John 14:3.

Isaiah 49:16.

“He Is Risen!,” Hymns, no. 199.

See Doctrine and Covenants 107:23.