Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means “to cover” or “to forgive.” Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning “a close embrace”... References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. One states that “the Lord hath redeemed my soul ... ; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” Another proffers the glorious hope of our being “clasped in the arms of Jesus.”
Scriptures teach us more about the word atonement. The Old Testament has many references to atonement, which called for animal sacrifice. Not any animal would do. Special considerations included:
The Atonement of Christ fulfilled these prototypes of the Old Testament. He was the firstborn Lamb of God, without blemish. His sacrifice occurred by the shedding of blood. No bones of His body were broken—noteworthy in that both malefactors crucified with the Lord had their legs broken. And His was a vicarious sacrifice for others.
In preparatory times of the Old Testament, the practice of atonement was finite — meaning it had an end. It was a symbolic forecast of the definitive Atonement of Jesus the Christ. His Atonement is infinite — without an end. It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from never-ending death. It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope — it was to be done once for all. And the mercy of the Atonement extends not only to an infinite number of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds created by Him. It was infinite beyond any human scale of measurement or mortal comprehension.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, "The Atonement", GC Oct 1996
Elder Patrick Kearon, "God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home" GC Apr 2024
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
But what of the many mature members of the Church who are not married? Through no failing of their own, they deal with the trials of life alone. Be we all reminded that, in the Lord’s own way and time, no blessings will be withheld from His faithful Saints. The Lord will judge and reward each individual according to heartfelt desire as well as deed. ...
Celestial marriage is a pivotal part of preparation for eternal life. It requires one to be married to the right person, in the right place, by the right authority, and to obey that sacred covenant faithfully. Then one may be assured of exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Celestial Marriage" GC Oct 2008
Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, "Fruit that Remains" GC Apr 2024
One of the most important concepts of revealed religion is that of a sacred covenant. In legal language, a covenant generally denotes an agreement between two or more parties. But in a religious context, a covenant is much more significant. It is a sacred promise with God. He fixes the terms. Each person may choose to accept those terms. If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obeys God’s law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant. We know that “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”
President Russell M. Nelson, "Covenants" GC Oct 2011
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time. You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this precise time, to be a leader in His great work on earth. You were chosen not for your bodily characteristics but for your spiritual attributes, such as bravery, courage, integrity of heart, a thirst for truth, a hunger for wisdom, and a desire to serve others.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Decisions for Eternity,” GC Oct 2013
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, "Foreordained to Serve" GC Apr 2024
My dear brothers and sisters, if the Restoration did anything, it shattered the age-old myth that God had stopped talking to His children. Nothing could be further from the truth. A prophet has stood at the head of God’s Church in all dispensations, from Adam to the present day. Prophets testify of Jesus Christ — of His divinity and of His earthly mission and ministry. We honor the Prophet Joseph Smith as the prophet of this last dispensation. And we honor each man who has succeeded him as President of the Church.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Sustaining the Prophets" GC Oct 2014
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, "The Sabbath Is a Delight" GC Apr 2015
Elder David A. Bednar, "Be Still, and Know That I Am God" GC Apr 2024
When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”9 And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!
“Just as the Savior offers peace that ‘passeth all understanding’ [Philip 4:7], He also offers an intensity, depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension. For example, it doesn’t seem possible to feel joy when your child suffers with an incurable illness or when you lose your job or when your spouse betrays you. Yet that is precisely the joy the Savior offers. His joy is constant, assuring us that our ‘afflictions shall be but a small moment’ [D&C 121:7] and be consecrated to our gain”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Joy and Spiritual Survival" GC Oct 2016
Elder Brian K. Taylor, "Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ" CG Apr 2024
Elder Jose L. Alonso, "Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives" GC Apr 2024
“Choose to be one of His true disciples now. Be one who truly loves Him, who truly wants to serve and lead as He did. I promise you that if you will study His words, your ability to be more like Him will increase. I know this is true.”
President Russell M. Nelson, “I Studied More Than 2,200 Scriptures about the Savior in Six Weeks: Here Is a Little of What I Learned,” Inspiration (blog), Feb. 28, 2017 (last paragraph)
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions — every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.
President Russell M. Nelson, "The Book of Mormon What Would Your Life Be Like Without It?" GC Oct. 2017
Benjamin M. Z. Tai, "The Power of the Book of Mormon in Conversion", GC Apr 2020
Mark D. Eddy, "The Virtue of the Word", GC Oct 2022
Mark L. Pace, " It Is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon", GC Apr 2024
Now, to each member of the Church I say, keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere.
President Russell M. Nelson, "As We Go Forward Together" Liahona Apr 2018
Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, "Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light" GC Apr 2018
President Dallin H. Oaks, "Truth and the Plan" GC Oct 2018
Elder Paul B. Pieper, "All Must Take upon Them the Name Given of the Father" GC Oct 2018
Elder D. Todd Christofferson "Why the Covenant Path" GC Apr 2021
Elder Jorge T. Becerra, "Poor Little Ones" GC Apr 2021
Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran, "The Covenant Path: The Way to Eternal Life" GC Apr 2022
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
President Dallin H. Oaks, Covenants and Responsibilities, GC Apr 2024
In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.” ...
Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. 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, "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives" GC Apr 2018
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Be Not Troubled" GC Oct 2018
Elder Mathias Held, "Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit" GC Apr 2019
Brother Milton Camargo, "Ask, Seek, Knock" GC Oct 2020
Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, "This Is Our Time!" GC Apr 2021
Sister Susan H. Porter, "Pray, He Is There" GC Apr 2024
Elder Neil L. Andersen, "Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth" GC Apr 2024
The choice is yours and mine. Will we choose to do whatever it takes to fulfill the wonderful missions for which we were sent to earth?
My dear young brothers and sisters, these surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!
Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits — perhaps, I might say, His finest team — for this final phase. Those noble spirits — those finest players, those heroes — are you!
President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy W. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, "Foreordained to Serve" GC Apr 2024
Brother Michael T. Nelson, "In Support of the Rising Generation" GC Apr 2024
My dear brothers and sisters, the assaults of the adversary are increasing exponentially, in intensity and in variety. Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family. If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord — to be in His holy house — then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints" GC Oct 2018
Elder Ulisses Soares, Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
On every continent and across the isles of the sea, faithful people are being gathered into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Differences in culture, language, gender, race, and nationality fade into insignificance as the faithful enter the covenant path and come unto our beloved Redeemer.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Building Bridges" Liahona Dec 2018
Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
President Russell M. Nelson, "We Can Do Better and Be Better" GC Apr 2019
Elder Paul B. Pieper, "Trust in the Lord" GC Apr 2024
A thought has occurred to me that my making a covenant today is a lot more important than the message that I have prepared. I made a covenant as I partook of the sacrament that I would be willing to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ and that I am willing to obey His commandments. Often, I hear the expression that we partake of the sacrament to renew covenants made at baptism. While that’s true, it’s much more than that. I’ve made a new covenant. You have made new covenants. ... Now in return for which He makes the statement that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. What a blessing!
President Russell M. Nelson, Mission Leadership Seminar June 2019 as quoted by Elder Dale G. Renlund, "Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ" GC 2019, footnote 18. The comment was made by President Russell M. Nelson after partaking of the sacrament, before beginning his formal message.
Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Spiritual Treasures" GC Oct 2019
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
Giving help to others — making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves — is our joy. Especially, I might add, when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone. Living that second great commandment is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
President Russell M. Nelson, "The Second Great Commandment" GC Oct 2019
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, "Bridging the Two Great Commandments" GC Apr 2024
All requirements to enter the temple relate to personal holiness. To assess that readiness, each person who wants to enjoy the blessings of the temple will have two interviews: first with a bishop, bishopric counselor, or branch president; second with a stake or mission president or one of his counselors. In those interviews, several questions will be asked.
Individual worthiness to enter the Lord’s house requires much individual spiritual preparation. But with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible. In some respects, it is easier to build a temple than it is to build a people prepared for a temple. Individual worthiness requires a total conversion of mind and heart to be more like the Lord, to be an honest citizen, to be a better example, and to be a holier person.
The year 2020 will be designated as a bicentennial year. General conference next April will be different from any previous conference. In the next six months, I hope that every member and every family will prepare for a unique conference that will commemorate the very foundations of the restored gospel.
You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. Our course of study for next year in Come, Follow Me is the Book of Mormon. You may wish to ponder important questions such as, “How would my life be different if my knowledge gained from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away?” or “How have the events that followed the First Vision made a difference for me and my loved ones?” Also, with the Book of Mormon videos now becoming available, you may wish to incorporate them in your individual and family study.
Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration. As you do, general conference next April will be not only memorable; it will be unforgettable.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Closing Remarks" GC Oct 2019
Elder Ulisses Soares, Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
Elder Alexander Dushku, "Pillars and Rays" GC Apr 2024
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
We need to work tirelessly to build bridges of understanding rather than creating walls of segregation.
President Russell M. Nelson, “President Nelson Shares Social Post about Racism and Calls for Respect for Human Dignity,” June 1, 2020, newsroom
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
The question for each of us, regardless of race, is the same. Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?
Consider how such willingness could bless you. If you are unmarried and seeking an eternal companion, your desire to be “of Israel” will help you decide whom to date and how.
If you are married to a companion who has broken his or her covenants, your willingness to let God prevail in your life will allow your covenants with God to remain intact. The Savior will heal your broken heart. The heavens will open as you seek to know how to move forward. You do not need to wander or wonder.
If you have sincere questions about the gospel or the Church, as you choose to let God prevail, you will be led to find and understand the absolute, eternal truths that will guide your life and help you stay firmly on the covenant path.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Let God Prevail" GC Oct 2020
Elder Edward Dube, "Pressing toward the Mark" GC Apr 2021
Elder David A. Bednar, "The Principles of My Gospel" GC Apr 2021
President M. Russell Ballard, "Lovest Thou Me More Than These?" GC Oct 2021
Elder Brian K. Taylor, "Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ" CG Apr 2024
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
The more you learn about the Savior, the easier it will be to trust in His mercy, His infinite love, and His strengthening, healing, and redeeming power. The Savior is never closer to you than when you are facing or climbing a mountain with faith.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains" GC Apr 2021
Elder Paul B. Pieper, "Trust in the Lord" GC Apr 2024
The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.
We have been promised that “if [we] are prepared [we] shall not fear.” This assurance has profound implications today. The Lord has declared that despite today’s unprecedented challenges, those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ, and have learned how to draw upon His power, need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era.
Temple ordinances and covenants are ancient. The Lord instructed Adam and Eve to pray, make covenants, and offer sacrifices. Indeed, “whenever the Lord has had a people on the earth who will obey His word, they have been commanded to build temples.” The standard works are replete with references to temple teachings, clothing, language, and more. Everything we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple. In every age, the temple has underscored the precious truth that those who make covenants with God and keep them are children of the covenant.
Likewise, whenever any kind of upheaval occurs in your life, the safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!
President Russell M. Nelson, "The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation" GC Oct 2021
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, "All Things for Our Good" GC Apr 2024
President Henry B. Eyring, "All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants" GC Apr 2024
Elder Ulisses Soares, Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
When you and I also enter that path, we have a new way of life. We thereby create a relationship with God that allows Him to bless and change us. The covenant path leads us back to Him. If we let God prevail in our lives, that covenant will lead us closer and closer to Him. All covenants are intended to be binding. They create a relationship with everlasting ties. ...
Hesed has no adequate English equivalent. Translators of the King James Version of the Bible must have struggled with how to render hesed in English. They often chose “lovingkindness.” This captures much but not all the meaning of hesed. Other translations were also rendered, such as “mercy” and “goodness.” Hesed is a unique term describing a covenant relationship in which both parties are bound to be loyal and faithful to each other. ...
Because God has hesed for those who have covenanted with Him, He will love them. He will continue to work with them and offer them opportunities to change. He will forgive them when they repent. And should they stray, He will help them find their way back to Him.
Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us. ...
The covenant path is all about our relationship with God — our hesed relationship with Him. When we enter a covenant with God, we have made a covenant with Him who will always keep His word. He will do everything He can, without infringing on our agency, to help us keep ours.
President Russell M. Nelson, "The Everlasting Covenant" Liahona Apr 2022
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
President Dallin H. Oaks, "Covenants and Responsibilities" GC Apr 2024
We have never needed positive spiritual momentum more than we do now, to counteract the speed with which evil and the darker signs of the times are intensifying. Positive spiritual momentum will keep us moving forward amid the fear and uncertainty created by pandemics, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and armed hostilities. Spiritual momentum can help us withstand the relentless, wicked attacks of the adversary and thwart his efforts to erode our personal spiritual foundation. ...
We enter the covenant path by being baptized and making our first covenant with God. Each time we partake of the sacrament, we promise again to take the name of the Savior upon us, to remember Him, and to keep His commandments. In return, God assures us that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us.
Later we make additional covenants in the temple, where we receive even greater promises. Ordinances and covenants give us access to godly power. The covenant path is the only path that leads to exaltation and eternal life. ...
With frightening speed, a testimony that is not nourished daily “by the good word of God” can crumble. Thus, the antidote to Satan’s scheme is clear: we need daily experiences worshipping the Lord and studying His gospel. I plead with you to let God prevail in your life. Give Him a fair share of your time. As you do, notice what happens to your positive spiritual momentum.
Suggestion number 4: Seek and expect miracles.
President Russell M. Nelson, "The Power of Spiritual Momentum" GC Apr 2022
Elder Dale G. Renlund, "The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ" GC Apr 2024
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Testimony of Jesus" GC Apr 2024
Elder Taylof G. Godoy, "Call Don't Fall" GC Apr 2024
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, "Faithful to the End" GC Apr 2024
Elder Shayne M. Bowen, "Miracles, Angels, and Priesthood Power" GC Apr 2024
Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place. As you serve missions, you play a pivotal role in this unprecedented event!
For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. We love sister missionaries and welcome them wholeheartedly. What you contribute to this work is magnificent! Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Preaching the Gospel of Peace" GC Apr 2022
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, "Foreordained to Serve" GC Apr 2024
My purpose tonight is to make sure that your eyes are wide open to the truth that this life really is the time when you get to decide what kind of life you want to live forever. Now is your time “to prepare to meet God.” ...
I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly tonight, the first thing He would make sure you understand is your true identity. My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God. You have sung this truth since you learned the words to “I Am a Child of God.” But is that eternal truth imprinted upon your heart? Has this truth rescued you when confronted with temptation? ...
Seeking to answer these questions will require effort — much effort. I plead with you to take charge of your testimony. Work for it. Own it. Care for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth. Don’t pollute it with the false philosophies of unbelieving men and women and then wonder why your testimony is waning.
President Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, "Faithful to the End" GC Apr 2024
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, "Foreordained to Serve" GC Apr 2024
I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly, the first thing He would make sure you understand is your true identity. My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God. ... Make no mistake about it: Your potential is divine. With your diligent seeking, God will give you glimpses of who you may become.”
President Russell M. Nelson, Instagram, July 20, 2022
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, "Foreordained to Serve" GC Apr 2024
Once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called hesed.
Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us.
The Savior’s atoning sacrifice enabled the Father to fulfill His promises made to His children. Because Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life,” it follows that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Him]” (John 14:6). The fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant becomes feasible because of the Atonement of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is at the center of the Abrahamic covenant.
Making a covenant with God changes our relationship with Him forever. It blesses us with an extra measure of love and mercy. It affects who we are and how God will help us become what we can become. We are promised that we, also, can be a “peculiar treasure” unto Him (Psalm 135:4).
The covenant path is all about our relationship with God — our hesed relationship with Him. When we enter a covenant with God, we have made a covenant with Him who will always keep His word. He will do everything He can, without infringing on our agency, to help us keep ours.
President Russell M. Nelson, "The Everlasting Covenant" Liahona, Oct. 2022, 5.
President Henry B. Eyring, "All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants" GC Apr 2024
Sister J. Anette Dennis, "Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" GC Apr 2024
Dear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples — and keeps them — has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth!
The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power — power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.
Before the Savior submitted Himself to the agony of Gethsemane and Calvary, He declared to His Apostles, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Subsequently, Jesus entreated each of us to do the same when He said, “I will that ye should overcome the world.”
Dear brothers and sisters, my message to you today is that because Jesus Christ overcame this fallen world, and because He atoned for each of us, you too can overcome this sin-saturated, self-centered, and often exhausting world.
What does it mean to overcome the world? It means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men. It means delighting in truth, denouncing deception, and becoming “humble followers of Christ.” It means choosing to refrain from anything that drives the Spirit away. It means being willing to “give away” even our favorite sins.
Overcoming the world is not an event that happens in a day or two. It happens over a lifetime as we repeatedly embrace the doctrine of Christ. We cultivate faith in Jesus Christ by repenting daily and keeping covenants that endow us with power. We stay on the covenant path and are blessed with spiritual strength, personal revelation, increasing faith, and the ministering of angels. Living the doctrine of Christ can produce the most powerful virtuous cycle, creating spiritual momentum in our lives. ...
These incomparable privileges follow those who seek the support of heaven to help them overcome this world. To this end, I extend to members of the entire Church the same charge I gave to our young adults last May. I urged them then—and I plead with you now—to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Work for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth. Don’t pollute it with false philosophies of unbelieving men and women. As you make the continual strengthening of your testimony of Jesus Christ your highest priority, watch for miracles to happen in your life. ...
With the power of the holy apostleship vested in me, I bless you in your quest to overcome this world. I bless you to increase your faith in Jesus Christ and learn better how to draw upon His power. I bless you to be able to discern truth from error. I bless you to care more about the things of God than the things of this world. I bless you to see the needs of those around you and strengthen those you love. Because Jesus Christ overcame this world, you can too. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Overcome the World and Find Rest" GC Oct 2022
Elder Dale G. Renlund, "The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ" GC Apr 2024
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, "Faithful to the End" GC Apr 2024
President Henry B. Eyring, "All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants" GC Apr 2024
Elder Jack N. Gerard, "Integrity: A Christlike Attribute" GC Apr 2024
Begin with the end in mind. ... Surely, for each of us, the ‘end’ we would most like to achieve is to live forever with our families in an exalted state where we will be in the presence of God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ. ...
Just as marriages and families share a unique lateral bond [which] creates a special love, so does the new relationship formed when we bind ourselves by covenant vertically to ... God
President Russell M. Nelson, Heart of the Matter: What 100 Years of Living Have Taught Me (2023), 15, 41–42
Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, "Fruit that Remains" GC Apr 2024
Today is Palm Sunday. We are preparing to commemorate the most important and transcendent event ever recorded on earth, which is the Atonement and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the best ways we can honor the Savior is to become a peacemaker.
If a couple in your ward gets divorced, or a young missionary returns home early, or a teenager doubts his testimony, they do not need your judgment. They need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in your words and actions.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Peacemakers Needed" GC Apr 2023
Elder Dale G. Renlund, "The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ" GC Apr 2024
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is fabulous, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible.
As I have wrestled with the intense pain caused by my recent injury, I have felt even deeper appreciation for Jesus Christ and the incomprehensible gift of His Atonement. Think of it! The Savior suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” (Alma 7:11) so that He can comfort us, heal us, rescue us in times of need. (Alma 7:12) Jesus Christ described His experience in Gethsemane and on Calvary: “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore.” (D&C 19:18) My injury has caused me to reflect again and again on “the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.” (2 Ne 9:40) During my healing, the Lord has manifested His divine power in peaceful and unmistakable ways. ...
When you make choices, I invite you to take the long view — an eternal view. Put Jesus Christ first because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement. It is also dependent upon your obedience to His laws. Obedience paves the way for a joyful life for you today and a grand, eternal reward tomorrow.
When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial! When life or loved ones let you down, think celestial! When someone dies prematurely, think celestial. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, think celestial. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial! As you recover from an accident or injury, as I am doing now, think celestial! ...
As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change. You will want to pray more often and more sincerely. Please don’t let your prayers sound like a shopping list. The Lord’s perspective transcends your mortal wisdom. His response to your prayers may surprise you and will help you to think celestial.
Consider the Lord’s response to Joseph Smith when he pleaded for relief in Liberty Jail. The Lord taught the Prophet that his inhumane treatment would give him experience and be for his good. (D&C 122:7) “If thou endure it well,” the Lord promised, “God shall exalt thee on high.” (D&C 121:8) The Lord was teaching Joseph to think celestial and to envision an eternal reward rather than focus on the excruciating difficulties of the day. Our prayers can be — and should be — living discussions with our Heavenly Father. ...
As you think celestial, you will view trials and opposition in a new light. When someone you love attacks truth, think celestial, and don’t question your testimony. The Apostle Paul prophesied that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” ...
As you think celestial, your faith will increase. When I was a young intern, my income was $15 a month. One night, my wife Dantzel asked if I was paying tithing on that meager stipend. I was not. I quickly repented and began paying the additional $1.50 in monthly tithing.
President Russell M. Nelson, "Think Celestial" GC Oct 2023
Elder Brian K. Taylor, "Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ" CG Apr 2024
Elder Patrick Kearon, "God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home" GC Apr 2024
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Words Matter", GC Apr 2024
President Russell M. Nelson, "" GC