My dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful to greet you on this glorious Saturday morning. You are always on my mind. I marvel at how you take action when you see others in need. I marvel at the faith and testimonies you keep showing. I weep for your pain, disappointments and sorrows. I love you. I assure you that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, love you. You are very aware of your circumstances, your kindness, your needs and your prayers for help. I keep praying that you feel His love for you.
Experiencing their love is crucial as it seems a deluge of serious news hits us every day. Maybe you've had days when you wish you could put on your pajamas, curl up in a ball, and have someone wake you when the riot is over.
But, my dear brothers and sisters, many wonderful things are yet to come. We will see that in the next few daysThe bestManifestations of the Savior's power in the worldforeverVisas. Between now and the time when he returns "with power and great glory,"1He will bestow innumerable privileges, blessings and miracles upon the believers.
However, we are living through what is undoubtedly one of the most difficult moments in world history. The complexity and challenges leave many people overwhelmed and exhausted. However, consider a recent experience that might shed some light on how you and I can rest.
During the recent Washington D.C. Temple open house, a member of the open house committee witnessed an insightful conversation while accompanying several prominent temple journalists. Somehow a young family snagged this media tour. A reporter kept asking about a temple patron's "journey" while moving around the temple. I wanted to know if the journey to the temple symbolized the challenges of one's life's journey.
A boy from the family began to speak. As the tour group entered a foundation room, the boy pointed to the altar where people kneel to make covenants with God and said, “Oh, that's great. Here is a place for the people.reston your journey to the temple.”
I doubt the boy knew how profound his comment was. They probably had no idea about the direct connection between making a covenant with God in the temple and the Savior's amazing promise:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are laden, and I will give yourest.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; ... and you will findrestfor your souls
"It is easy for my yoke and light for my burden".2
My dear brothers and sisters, I feel sorry for those who are leaving the Church because they feel that membership is asking too much of them. They haven't discovered that making and keeping covenants makes life easier! Everyone who makes and keeps covenants in baptisteries and temples has greater access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder this amazing truth!
The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power, power that strengthens us to better endure our trials, temptations, and sufferings. This power makes our way easier. Those who live by the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Therefore, those who keep the covenant are entitled to a special kind ofrestthat comes to them through their covenant relationship with God.
Before submitting to the torments of Gethsemane and Calvary, the Savior declared to His Apostles: “You will have misery in the world, but take heart; I havehit the world.“3Jesus later pleaded with each of us to do the same, saying, “IÖit isshehe mustovercomethe world."4
My dear brothers and sisters, my message to you today is that because Jesus Christ overcame this fallen world and made atonement for each of us, you too can overcome this sin-filled, self-centered, and often wearisome world.
Because the Savior redeemed each of us from weakness, error, and sin through His infinite Atonement, and experienced every pain, worry, and burden you've ever had,5then, by truly repenting and seeking His help, you will be able to rise above this present precarious world.
You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally draining plagues of the world, including arrogance, pride, anger, immorality, hatred, greed, jealousy, and fear. Despite the distractions and distortions that surround us, you can find the realrest– which means relief and peace – even in the midst of your most vexing problems.
This important truth raises three fundamental questions:
First, what does it mean to overcome the world?
Second, how do we do it?
And third, how does overcoming the world bless our lives?
What does it mean to conquer the world? It means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than about the things of God. It means trusting the teachings of Christ more than the philosophies of men. It means enjoying the truth, denouncing deceit, and becoming "humble followers of Christ."6It means abstaining from anything that alienates the mind. It means being willing to "give up" even our favorite sins.7
Well, conquering the world certainly doesn't mean becoming perfect in this life, nor does it mean that your problems will magically disappear because they won't. and it doesnoit means you won't make any mistakes yet. But overcoming the world means your resistance to sin will increase. Your heart will soften as your faith in Jesus Christ grows.8Overcoming the world means loving God and His Beloved Son more than anyone or anything else.
So how do we overcome the world? King Benjamin taught us. He said that "the natural man is the enemy of God" and always will be.unlessyielding to the influence of the Holy Spirit, putting off the natural man, and becoming holy through the atonement of Christ the Lord.9Every time you seek and obey the promptings of the Spirit, every time you do good things that "the natural man" would not do, you overcome the world.
Winning the world is not an event that happens in a day or two. This happens throughout life as we repeatedly accept the teaching of Christ. We nurture faith in Jesus Christ by repenting daily and keeping our empowering covenants. We remain on the covenant path and are blessed with spiritual strength, personal revelation, growing faith, and the ministering of angels. Living the doctrine of Christ can create the most powerful virtuous cycle and bring spiritual momentum into our lives.10
As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very nature begin to change. The saviourelevatorsabove the influence of this fallen world, bless us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace andrest.
Now you might think that sounds more like hard spiritual workrest🇧🇷 But here's the great truth: while the world insists that power, possessions, popularity and the pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they don't! You can not! What they produce is but a hollow substitute for "the blessed and happy condition of those [who] keep the commandments of God."11
the truth is that it is a lotmore exhaustingFind your happiness where you canNeverFind! However, when you unite with Jesus Christ and do the spiritual work necessary to overcome the world, He, and He alone, has the power to lift you above the gravity of this world.
Now how does conquering the world bless our lives? The answer is clear: entering into a covenant relationship with God connects us to him in a way that makes usatabout life easier. Please don't get me wrong: I did it.noThey say covenants make lifeeasy🇧🇷 Actually expect resistance, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But coming under the Savior's yoke means having access to itExtinguishpower and redeeming power.
Bild
Benson, Ezra Taft
I affirm a profound teaching of President Ezra Taft Benson: “Men and women who give their lives to God will discover that He can do much more with their lives than they can. He will deepen your joys, expand your vision, enliven your spirit... lift your spirits, multiply your blessings, expand your possibilities, comfort your soul, find friends, and pour out peace.”12
These unprecedented privileges follow those who seek Heaven's assistance to help them prosper in this world. To that end, I entrust to members throughout the Church the same commission I gave to our young adults last May. I insisted at the time - and I didComplaintwith you now - to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. do it for that Feed it to grow. Feed him the truth. Don't contaminate it with the wrong philosophies of unbelievers men and women. See miracles happen in your life as you make continually strengthening your testimony of Jesus Christ a top priority.13
My request to you this morning is that you find itrestthe intensity, uncertainty and fear of this world forresiliencethe world through their covenants with God. Let Him know through your prayers and actions that you are serious about winning the world. Ask him to enlighten your mind and send you the help you need. Each day write down the thoughts that come to your mind as you pray; so be diligent. Spend more time in the temple and try to understand how the temple teaches you to rise above this fallen world.14
As I said before, the gathering of Israel is thethe majorityimportant work going on on earth today. A critical element of this gathering is the preparation of a people who are able, willing, and worthy to receive the Lord when He returns, a people who have already preferred Jesus Christ to this fallen world, a people who rejoice in their agency to live the higher laws. and saint of Jesus Christ.
I am calling you, my dear brothers and sisters, to become that righteous people. Value and honor your covenants above all other commitments. As you allow God to rule in your life I promise you more peace, confidence, joy and yes,rest.
With the power of holy apostleship bestowed upon me, I bless you in your quest to overcome this world. I bless you to increase your faith in Jesus Christ and better learn to use His power. I bless you that you can discern truth from error. I bless you to care more about the things of God than about the things of this world. I bless you to see the needs of those around you and to strengthen those you love. Because Jesus Christ overcame this world, so can you. I testify of this in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Amen.