Talk Summaries From the April 2023 Saturday Afternoon Session

 
Individual Talk Summaries

• Elder Dale G. Renlund: ‘Accessing God’s Power Through Covenants’
• Elder Peter F. Meurs: ‘He Could Heal Me!’
• Elder Randall K. Bennett: ‘Your Patriarchal Blessing — Inspired Direction From Heavenly Father’
• Elder Craig C. Christensen: ‘There Can Be Nothing So Exquisite and Sweet As Was My Joy’
• Elder Evan A. Schmutz: ‘Trusting the Doctrine of Christ’
• Elder Benjamin De Hoyos: ‘The Work of the Temple and Family History, One and the Same Work’
• Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: ‘Jesus Christ Is the Strength of Parents’
   

Watch the full Saturday afternoon session now.

 
The Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference began with several leadership changes. President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency announced:

• Five new General Authority Seventies
• A new Young Women General Presidency (effective August 1, 2023)
• A new counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

Elder Benjamin De Hoyos, Elder Juan A. Uceda and Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, all General Authority Seventies, will be released and receive emeritus status on August 1, 2023, he said.

Newsroom Meet the New Leaders Called at the April 2023 Conference

Two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the session.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught about the sacred duty of parents to nurture their children.

“My message to all parents is this: The Lord loves you. He is with you. He stands beside you. He is your strength in guiding your children to make righteous choices,” he said.

With the Savior’s assistance, parents must help their children build faith in Jesus Christ, love His gospel and His Church, and prepare for a lifetime of righteous choices.

Elder Dale G. Renlund spoke about the power that comes from walking the covenant path.

“Going against the flow may be difficult. But when we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the selfish tendencies of the natural man or woman, we can receive the Savior’s transforming power in our lives, the power to do difficult things,” he said.

Five other speakers, each General Authority Seventies, also spoke during the session: Elder Peter F. Meurs, Elder Randall K. Bennett, Elder Craig C. Christensen, Elder Evan A. Schmutz and Elder Benjamín De Hoyos.

Elder Muers shared how he found peace from the Savior after causing a car accident that injured his family members. “As I turned to Him, my feelings of guilt and remorse were gradually replaced with peace and rest,” he said.

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Elder Bennett shared the blessings of receiving and studying a patriarchal blessing. “My patriarchal blessing helped increase my faith and trust in my Heavenly Father and my Savior,” he said.

Elder Christensen spoke about the joy of repentance. “Repentance brings joy because it prepares our hearts to receive the influence of the Holy Ghost,” he said.

Elder Schmutz taught that building “on the foundation of a covenantal relationship with Christ, we are trusting the doctrine of Christ, and, as we come unto Him, we have His promise of eternal life.”

Uniting families for eternity is a central focus of Heavenly Father’s plan, taught Elder De Hoyos. “The work of the temple and family history are one and the same work in the Church,” he said.

A combined choir from Brigham Young University, directed by Brent Wells, Sonja Poulter and Andrew Crane, with Joseph Peeples and Linda Margetts at the organ, provided music for the session.

Prayers were offered by Elder Alan R. Walker, General Authority Seventy, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency.

Jared B. Larson of the Church Auditing Department gave a statistical report for the previous year.

Newsroom April 2023 General Conference Talk Summaries, News and Announcements