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| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
President Russell M. Nelson called upon Latter-day Saints on Sunday, October 6, to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
“The best is yet to come … because the Savior is coming again,” he said in a recorded message. “The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening his work. The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.”
Speaking at the close of the Sunday afternoon session of general conference, the 100-year-old President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said, “I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ and rejoice in Christ!”
Regular temple worship and increased discipleship will provide strength and peace in a ‘turbulent’ world, he taught.
Building and Worshiping in Temples
Before announcing 17 new temples, President Nelson spoke of the ongoing five-year effort to preserve and renovate the historic Salt Lake Temple and other areas of Temple Square, which will be completed by the end of 2026.
The Church has dedicated or rededicated nine temples in five countries during the past six months, with five more scheduled for dedication before the close of 2024.
“My dear brothers and sisters, do we see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work,” he said.
The Church is building temples “at such an unprecedented pace” because “the Lord has instructed us to do so,” he explained. “The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”
President Nelson promised help for those who regularly worship in the temple. “In the house of the Lord, we focus on Jesus Christ. We learn of Him. We make covenants to follow Him. We come to know Him,” he said.
Keeping temple covenants provides greater access to the Lord’s strengthening power, he taught. “In the temple, we receive protection from the buffetings of the world. We experience the pure love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father in great abundance! We feel peace and spiritual reassurance, in contrast to the turbulence of the world.”
President Nelson then promised that “every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple. You will feel His mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of His gospel.”
Download PhotoIncreasing Discipleship
President Nelson said all must answer the “crucial” question: “To whom or to what will I give my life?”
His decision to follow Jesus Christ “is the most important decision I have ever made,” he said, explaining that he gained a testimony of the divinity of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, during medical school.
“Since then, our Savior has been the rock upon which I have built my life. That choice has made all the difference! That decision has made so many other decisions easier. That decision has given me purpose and direction. It has also helped me weather the storms of life.”
Those storms included the sudden death of his wife Dantzel and an experience during an assignment in a distant land when “armed robbers put a gun to my head and pulled the trigger. But the gun didn’t fire.”
During both experiences, he felt comfort and peace from the Lord. “Brothers and sisters, the Lord will comfort you, too! He will strengthen you. He will bless you with peace, even amidst chaos,” he testified.
President Nelson urged listeners to “devote time each week — for the rest of your life — to increase your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
“It is neither too early nor too late for you to become a devout disciple of Jesus Christ,” he said, which will allow individuals to fully experience the blessings of His Atonement and become more effective in helping to gather Israel.
“Come unto Christ and ‘offer your whole soul’ to Him,” he invited. “This is the secret to a life of joy!”
Watch President Nelson’s full address.