Church guide

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward. It goes to those who serve without fanfare; those who quietly go about seeking ways to help others; those who minister to others simply because they love God and God’s children. . . . To be effective Church leaders, we must learn this critical lesson: leadership in the Church is not so much about directing others as it is about our willingness to be directed by God. . . . My dear friends and brethren in the priesthood, lift where you stand! . . . Paul taught the Philippians, “Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself." https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/the-greatest-among-you?lang=eng

Bishop Gérald Caussé Presiding Bishop My dear brethren of the Melchizedek Priesthood, I invite you to strengthen the essential link that unites the two priesthoods of God. Empower your Aaronic Priesthood youth to prepare the way before you. Tell them with confidence, “I need you.” To you young holders of the Aaronic Priesthood, I pray that, as you serve with your older brethren, you will hear the voice of the Lord telling you: “Thou art blessed, for thou shalt do great things. Behold thou wast sent forth, even as John, to prepare the way before me.” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/prepare-the-way?lang=eng

Called to the Work David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles I witness that the Savior knows and is mindful of each of us one by one and name by name. Please learn to love being and remaining worthy. Be worthy. Stay worthy. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/called-to-the-work?lang=eng

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Among the realities we face as children of God living in a fallen world is that some days are difficult, days when our faith and our fortitude are tested. These challenges may come from a lack in us, a lack in others, or just a lack in life, but whatever the reasons, we find they can rob us of songs we so much want to sing and darken the promise of “springtime in [the] soul” that Eliza Hewitt celebrates in one of her verses. So what do we do in such times? . . . . https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/songs-sung-and-unsung?lang=eng

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Among the realities we face as children of God living in a fallen world is that some days are difficult, days when our faith and our fortitude are tested. These challenges may come from a lack in us, a lack in others, or just a lack in life, but whatever the reasons, we find they can rob us of songs we so much want to sing and darken the promise of “springtime in [the] soul” that Eliza Hewitt celebrates in one of her verses. So what do we do in such times? . . . . https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/songs-sung-and-unsung?lang=eng

Elder Ulisses Soares Of the Presidency of the Seventy Brothers and sisters, please consider the importance of the invitation King Limhi gave to his people and its relevance to us. He said, “Lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God.” With these words, Limhi invited his people to look to the future through the eyes of faith; to replace their fears with the optimism of hope born of faith; and to not waver in placing their trust in God regardless of circumstance. Mortal life is a period of testing where we will be proven to see if we will do all things that the Lord our God shall command us. This will require unwavering faith in Christ even in times of great difficulty. It will require that we press forward with steadfast faith in Christ, being led by the Spirit and trusting that God will provide for our needs. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/confide-in-god-unwaveringly?lang=eng

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles We get a glimpse into our Heavenly Father’s character as we recognize the immense compassion He has for sinners and appreciate the distinction He makes between sin and those who sin. This glimpse helps us have a more “correct [understanding of] his character, perfections, and attributes”1 and is foundational to exercising faith in Him and in His Son, Jesus Christ. The Savior’s compassion in the face of our imperfections draws us toward Him and motivates us in our repeated struggles to repent and emulate Him. As we become more like Him, we learn to treat others as He does, regardless of any outward characteristic or behavior. . . . [In “Les Miserables”] Hugo compares the man’s “wickedness” with skin disease in sheep and compares the bishop with a shepherd who does not withdraw when faced with a sheep that is sick. The bishop is sympathetic and later in the novel demonstrates a similar compassion for another man, the main protagonist in the novel, a degraded ex-convict, Jean Valjean. The bishop’s mercy and empathy motivate Jean Valjean to change the course of his life. . . . As the Good Shepherd,7 Jesus Christ views disease in His sheep as a condition that needs treatment, care, and compassion. This shepherd, our Good Shepherd, finds joy in seeing His diseased sheep progress toward healing. . . . [I]n our lifelong quest to follow Jesus Christ, His example of kindness to those who sin is particularly instructive. We, who are sinners, must, like the Savior, reach out to others with compassion and love. Our role is also to help and bless, lift and edify, and replace fear and despair with hope and joy. . . . The guiding principle for Latter-day Saints, . . . . We must not be guilty of persecuting anyone inside or outside the Church. Those who have been persecuted for any reason know what unfairness and bigotry feel like. As a teenager living in Europe in the 1960s, I felt that I was repeatedly picked on and bullied because I was an American and because I was a member of the Church. Some of my schoolmates treated me as though I were personally responsible for unpopular U.S. foreign policies. I was also treated as though my religion were an affront to the nations in which I lived because it differed from state-sponsored religion. Later, in various countries across the world, I have had small glimpses into the ugliness of prejudice and discrimination suffered by those who are targeted because of their race or ethnicity. Persecution comes in many forms: ridicule, harassment, bullying, exclusion and isolation, or hatred toward another. We must guard against bigotry that raises its ugly voice toward those who hold different opinions. Bigotry manifests itself, in part, in unwillingness to grant equal freedom of expression. Everyone, including people of religion, has the right to express his or her opinions in the public square. But no one has a license to be hateful toward others as those opinions are expressed. . . . As His disciples, let us fully mirror His love and love one another so openly and completely that no one feels abandoned, alone, or hopeless. . . . https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/our-good-shepherd?lang=eng

Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President Our sisters across the ages have demonstrated the faithful pattern of discipleship that we too strive for. “The New Testament includes accounts of [certain] women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ [and in His Atonement], learned and lived His teachings, and testified of His ministry, miracles, and majesty. These women became exemplary disciples and important witnesses in the work of salvation.” . . . . I have read and passed over the seemingly unremarkable expression “certain women” numerous times before, but recently as I pondered more carefully, those words seemed to jump off the page. . . . When life seems unfair, as it must have seemed to Martha at the death of her brother—when we experience the heartaches of loneliness, infertility, loss of loved ones, missing opportunities for marriage and family, broken homes, debilitating depression, physical or mental illness, stifling stress, anxiety, addiction, financial hardship, or a plethora of other possibilities—may we remember Martha and declare our similar certain witness: “But I know … [and] I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/certain-women?lang=eng

Elder Dallin H. Oaks All of us experience various kinds of opposition that test us. Some of these tests are temptations to sin. Some are mortal challenges apart from personal sin. Some are very great. Some are minor. Some are continuous, and some are mere episodes. None of us is exempt. Opposition permits us to grow toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/opposition-in-all-things?lang=eng

I have been thinking recently about choices. It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny. When we left our premortal existence and entered mortality, we brought with us the gift of agency. Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal. . . . May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals. Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek. President Thomas S. Monson https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/choices?lang=eng

"In these hours of uncertainty and despair, we ask members of the Church everywhere to join with us in our prayer that the peace of the Savior Jesus Christ will provide comfort, healing, understanding and hope.” http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/french-flags-temple-square-love-and-support

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/handbook-changes-same-sex-marriages-elder-christofferson

LDS members are encouraged to help migrants and refugees around the world. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-members-encouraged-assist-refugees

In this conversation on temples, Elder William R. Walker offers understanding of the importance and significance of temples in our lives. http://youtu.be/vGN9Mg-KnMY

Your voice, your life, . . . add a raindrop of goodness. Go post with #ShareGoodness https://www.lds.org/church/share/goodness?cid=c:rd:ocs:shareGoodnessBednar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMJ6ZDCAp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73jY8xH_vhc#t=102

Watch the 2013 Christmas Devotional. https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/christmas-devotional/2013/12?lang=eng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP8Yabq8mis