Every morning, for the past several weeks, I have been reviewing a different talk from the most recent General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has been a wonderful addition to my study and a great way to start the day! This post is a compilation of quotes I selected from each address that particularly spoke to me. I believe these men and women to be called of God to lead His children throughout the world. I am thankful to live in a time when the heavens are open.
"All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord." Uchtdorf
"Thankfully, Christ is always near, waiting and willing to help us when we pray for help and are willing to repent and come unto Him." Ballard
"The joy we experience in this life will be in direct proportion to how well our lives are centered on the teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ." Maynes
"When we offer our broken heart to Jesus Christ, He accepts our offering. He takes us back. No matter what losses, wounds, and rejection we have suffered, His grace and healing are mightier than all." Marriott
“Most of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for saints—for good men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better.” Bednar via Lawrence
"Joy in this world is not full, but in Jesus Christ our joy is full." Vinas
"I recognize that, despite the overwhelming happiness embodied in God’s divine plan, sometimes it can feel far away and disconnected from our current circumstances... But a true understanding of the Father’s plan reveals that the rewards of righteousness are available right now." Cook
"The Lord will always keep His promise: 'I will lead you along.' The only question is, will we let ourselves be led? Will we hear His voice and the voice of His servants?" Hales
“...No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child... 'What mothers do is an essential element of Christ’s work'... Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are. In fact, you are saviors on Mount Zion, and like the Master you follow, your love ‘never faileth.'" Holland
"If we can help [our children] grow roots of deep conversion, then in the heat of the day, when this life gets tough—and it will—the gospel of Jesus Christ can give them something within that cannot be affected from without." Foster
"'The Lord knows me, and He has blessed me, and we are fine.'.. It does not matter what our personal struggles are...the Good Shepherd is there. He calls us by name and says, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'" Montoya
"We must remember how much our Heavenly Father and His Son love us. They will neither abandon us, nor will They allow us to be overcome if we seek Their help." Stanfill
"Be obedient, remember the times when you have felt the Spirit in the past, and ask in faith. Your answer will come, and you will feel the love and peace of the Savior." Martino
"Our Savior’s Atonement does more than assure us of immortality by a universal resurrection and give us the opportunity to be cleansed from sin by repentance and baptism. His Atonement also provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Like the good Samaritan, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He will bind up our wounds and care for us. The healing and strengthening power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is for all of us who will ask." Oaks
"I am confident there are within our sphere of influence those who are lonely, those who are ill, and those who feel discouraged. Ours is the opportunity to help them and to lift their spirits. The Savior brought hope to the hopeless and strength to the weak. He healed the sick; He caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the dead to life. Throughout His ministry He reached out in charity to any in need. As we emulate His example, we will bless lives, including our own." Monson
”...The Lord has said, “Love one another; as I have loved you.” I’m confident that there is no choice, sin, or mistake that you or anyone else can make that will change His love for you or for them. That does not mean He excuses or condones sinful conduct—I’m sure He does not—but it does mean we are to reach out to our fellowman in love to invite, persuade, serve, and rescue. Jesus Christ looked past people’s ethnicity, rank, and circumstances in order to teach them this profound truth.” Rasband
"As I agonized over my inadequacies this week, I received a distinct impression... to focus not on what I can’t do but rather on what I can do. I can testify of the plain and precious truths of the gospel." Stevenson
"...To effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Only then can we sense the Savior’s caring concern for them... This expanded perspective will open our hearts to the disappointments, fears, and heartaches of others. But Heavenly Father will aid and comfort us... We need to have eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that know and feel if we are to accomplish the rescue..." Renlund
"So today I plead with my sisters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to step forward! Take your rightful and needful place in your home, in your community, and in the kingdom of God—more than you ever have before. I plead with you to fulfill President Kimball’s prophecy. And I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that as you do so, the Holy Ghost will magnify your influence in an unprecedented way!" Nelson
"When we as members make the decision to stand up and powerfully witness for God’s doctrine and His Church, something changes within us. We take His countenance upon us. We become closer to His Spirit. He in turn will go before us and be on '[our] right hand and on [our] left, and [His] Spirit shall be in [our] hearts, and [His] angels round about [us], to bear [us] up.'" Schwitzer
"The sacrament is also a time for Heavenly Father to teach us about the Atonement of His Beloved Son—our Savior, Jesus Christ—and for us to receive revelation about it. It is a time to “knock, and it shall be opened unto you,” to request and to receive this knowledge. It is time for us to reverently ask God for this knowledge. And if we do, I have no doubt that we will receive this knowledge, which will bless our lives beyond measure." Costa
"The most valuable inspiration will be for you to know what God would have you do... Whatever it is, do it. When you demonstrate your willingness to obey, the Spirit will send you more impressions of what God would have you do for Him... As you obey, the impressions from the Spirit will come more frequently, becoming closer and closer to constant companionship." Eyring
"...God’s ultimate purpose is our progress. His desire is that we continue “from grace to grace, until [we receive] a fulness” of all He can give." Christofferson
"We are living in a time of ever-spreading evil. We cannot just accept the status quo and be fed ugly words and sinful visuals almost everywhere we turn and do nothing in response. We must fight back. When our minds are filled with uplifting thoughts and images, when we “always remember him,” there is no room left for filth and trash." Durrant
"True obedience... is giving ourselves entirely to Him and allowing Him to chart our course both in calm waters and in troubled ones, understanding that He can make more of us than we could ever make of ourselves." Keetch
"I testify that as we trust God, our Eternal Father; trust His Son, Jesus Christ, and exercise faith in His Atonement; trust the whisperings of the Spirit; and trust the counsel of living prophets, we will find our way off the edge of the road and continue safely—not just enduring but finding joy in our journey home." Stephens
"...If we make covenants, continually repent, and endure to the end, He will make us joint heirs with Him and, like Him, we will receive all that the Father hath. That is an earth-shattering doctrine, and yet it is true. The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes the Savior’s invitation to “be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” perfectly possible rather than frustratingly out of reach." Haynie
"We do not have to be perfect, but we need to be good and getting better. We need to strive to live the plain and simple truths of the gospel. If we take upon us the name of Christ, act with faith in Him to repent of our sins, keep His commandments, and always remember Him, we will receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ." Clark
"Put God first, regardless of the trials you face. Love God. Have faith in Christ, and entrust yourself to Him in all things." Aoyagi
"The Savior declared, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38). May we hear and heed the eternal truths taught by the Lord’s authorized representatives. As we do so, I promise our faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will be fortified, and we will receive spiritual guidance and protection for our specific circumstances and needs." Bednar
"Our divine nature has nothing to do with our personal accomplishments, the status we achieve, the number of marathons we run, or our popularity and self-esteem. Our divine nature comes from God. It was established in an existence that preceded our birth and will continue on into eternity." Wixom
"I know of nothing that will qualify us for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as much as virtue." Reeves
"We went into a partnership with the Lord. The working out of the plan became then not merely the Father’s work, and the Savior’s work, but also our work. The least of us, the humblest, is in partnership with the Almighty in achieving the purpose of the eternal plan of salvation.” Widtsoe via McConkie
"God didn’t design us to be sad. He created us to have joy! So if we trust Him, He will help us to notice the good, bright, hopeful things of life." Uchtdorf
