Prophetic Counsel and Warnings

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday morning session of the April 2006 conference.

Some real jewels shone in the talks of this session. I'll share what I think are the highlights.

President James E. Faust: "We believe that the fulness of the gospel of Christ has been restored, but this is no reason for anyone to feel superior in any way toward others of God's children. Rather, it requires a greater obligation to invoke the essence of the gospel of Christ in our lives--to love, serve, and bless others."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: "Are you confused with gender identity or searching for self-esteem? . . . I testify that the Savior's Atonement lifts from us not only the burden of sins but also the burden of our disappointments. . . . Considering the incomprehensible cost of the Crucifixion and Atonement, I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now. . . . He knows the way because He is the way."

Elder Earl C. Tingey: "Christ's suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane epitomizes the most magnificent of all the attributes of Christ, His perfect love. Here we see that He truly loved all of us. . . . The word atonement, or 'at-one-ment', means to restore or to come back. In terms of family, it means to be reunited with one another and with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It means sadness through separation will become happiness through reuniting."

Sister Anne C. Pingree: Speaking of a pair of senior sister missionaries, "They demonstrated true spiritual maturity. . . . Daily prayer and scripture study, adherence to commandments and to covenants made at baptism and in the temple are at the core of growing up unto the Lord. . . . determined service to others, even in difficult circumstances, is required of those who truly desire 'to grow up unto the Lord.'"

Elder Dallin H. Oaks: "But what about 'bond and free?' Bond--the opposite of free--means more than slavery. It means being bound (in bondage) to anything from which it is difficult to escape. Bond includes those whose freedom is restricted by physical or emotional afflictions. Bond includes those who are addicted to some substance or practice. Bond surely refers to those who are imprisoned by sin--'encircled about' by what another teaching of the Book of Mormon calls 'the chains of hell' (Alma 5:7). Bond includes those who are held down by traditions or customs contrary to the commandments of God (see Matthew 15:3-6; Mark 7:7-9; D&C 74:4-7; 93:39). Finally, bond also includes those who are confined within the boundaries of other erroneous ideas. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that we preach to 'liberate the captives.' Our Savior 'inviteth . . . all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; . . . he denieth none that come unto him . . . ; and all are alike unto God.'"

And this little gem of humor from President Gordon B. Hinckley: "I trust that you will not regard what I have said as an obituary. I look forward to the opportunity of speaking to you again in October."

I so love that the messages of General Conference are both timely and timeless. The messengers are not called prophets for no reason. They truly are God's spokesmen on earth. We would be wise to heed their counsel and warnings.