The Word of God to His Children
Second
Counselor in the First Presidency
The
scriptures tell us that the first thing God did after creating man and woman
was speak to them.1 He had vital
information and precious instructions to give them. His purpose was not to
burden or worry them but to guide them to happiness and eternal glory.
And
that was just the beginning. From that day to this, God has continued to
communicate with His children. His words have been preserved, treasured, and
studied by disciples of every generation. They are revered by those who seek to
know the will of God, and they bear witness to the truth that “the Lord God
will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”2
This
has been the pattern since the beginning of time, and the pattern continues
today. It is not just a nice Biblestory;
it is God’s established way of communicating essential messages to His
children. He raises up individuals from our midst, calls them to be prophets,
and gives them words to say, which we are invited to “receive, as if from [His]
own mouth.”3 He has declared,
“Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”4
This is one of the most glorious, encouraging, and hopeful
messages of the Restoration—God is not silent! He loves His children. He has
not left us to wander in darkness.
Twice each year, in April and October, we have the opportunity
to hear the voice of the Lord through His servants in our wonderful general
conferences.
I give you my personal witness that long before a speaker in
general conference makes that long walk to the podium, he or she has invested immense
effort, prayer, and study in response to the assignment to speak. Every
conference message represents countless hours of preparation and heartfelt
pleading to understand what the Lord wishes His Saints to hear.
What might happen if we as listeners matched the speakers’
preparation with our own? How might our approach to general conference be
different if we saw conference as an opportunity to receive messages from the
Lord Himself? Through the words and music of general conference, we can expect
to receive personalized answers to whatever questions or problems we might be
facing.
If you ever wonder whether Heavenly Father will truly speak to
you, I would remind you of the simple yet profound words that our Primary
children sing: “[You are] a child of God, and he has sent [you] here.” His
purpose is to help you return “to live with him someday.”
If
you approach Heavenly Father as His child, you can ask Him with a sincere
heart, “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all
that I must do.” He will speak to you through His Holy Spirit, and it is then
up to you “to do his will.” I promise that if you do, “rich blessings are in
store.”5
The
Lord’s guidance is needed today as much as it ever has been in the world’s
history. As we prepare to hear the word of the Lord, may we diligently seek the
Spirit of truth so that when the Lord speaks through His servants, we can
understand, become edified, and rejoice together.6
I
testify that “by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against
[us]; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before
[us], and cause the heavens to shake for [our] good, and his name’s glory.”7
This message was prepared before the First Presidency was
reorganized.
Teaching
from This Message
During general conference we can receive personalized answers to
our questions and problems as we listen to God’s appointed servants. Consider
discussing the following with those you teach: How can you prepare to receive
such answers during general conference? President Uchtdorf encourages us to
“diligently seek the Spirit of truth.” What do you think that means, and how
can you incorporate this into your preparation? In addition to the blessings
mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 21:6, what other blessings come
as you prepare to hear the words of the Lord through His servants? You could
invite those you teach to write in a journal what the Spirit teaches them in
this general conference.
“We Are His Children”
cji
3/1/18
Many have sought not
to be
many adopting other
parents
refusing the word of
God today
retconning his word
to theirs
never the less of no
avail
we are his children –
fully
comes the day of
account
reporting on our
actions/word
understanding no
adoption
understanding no
divorce
understanding the
Word of God!
Copyright
© 2018 – cji
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