April-2023-General-Conference-Sunday-AM
President Russell M. Nelson of the First Presidency, encourages peacemaking during the Sunday morning session of general conference at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 2, 2023. 2023 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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By Mary Richards, Church News
In two social media posts this week, President Russell M. Nelson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, invited individuals to become peacemakers and then asked them to share with him examples of peacemakers in their lives.
The posts emphasized and expounded upon his remarks from his April 2023 general conference talk, “Peacemakers Needed.”
“True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers,” he said on Facebook and Instagram June 15 — and he asked for examples.
“Many of us have been the beneficiary of peacemakers in our own lives,” President Nelson wrote. “Who is someone in your life who has built peace? Please let me know. I look forward to reading your comments.”
On Sunday, President Nelson wrote that the world needs more peacemakers.
“As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be just that in a world filled with conflict and turmoil,” he said.
Drawing from his conference talk, President Nelson repeated, “Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to solutions. We need people willing to put aside their differences, listen with understanding, and love one another as brothers and sisters, as Jesus did.”
Jesus Christ — the Prince of Peace — is the example to follow. “Blessed are the peacemakers” the Savior taught in Matthew 5:9. And in Matthew 5:44, the Savior said to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
President Nelson ended his social media post with an invitation and a blessing.
“I invite you to become a peacemaker by examining how you treat others. I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful, and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ.”
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