Speakers in the Saturday evening session of the 195th Annual General Conference focused strongly on incorporating Jesus Christ in individuals' lives, worship and celebrations.
The speakers during the session included: Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Sister Amy A. Wright, Elder James R. Rasband, Elder Sergio R. Vargas and Elder D. Todd Christofferson. Elder Neil L. Andersen conducted the meeting.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve, the first speaker of the Saturday evening session, talked about focusing on Jesus Christ as members of the Church and as Easter approaches.
Elder Stevenson described how to create a “higher and holier” Easter celebration and worship.
“I love continuing revelation concerning Easter and am gratified for your many efforts to make Easter a sacred and holy occasion,” he said.
Elder Stevenson also talked about how his Easter decorations have changed recently to be more Christ-centered.
“What was once almost exclusively bunnies and Easter eggs is now balanced with the Christus and images of the empty tomb, the resurrected Savior appearing in the Garden outside the tomb and the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites,” Stevenson said.
He also emphasized the recent church-wide efforts taken to make Christ our focus. These efforts included the retiring of the name “Mormon,” and replacing the angel Moroni symbol with Bertel Thorvaldensen’s Christus statue as the new visual identifier for the Church of Jesus Christ.
Sister Amy A. Wright was the second speaker of the evening session. She emphasized the importance of faith in Jesus Christ and helping children to develop their own faith.
“When extending invitations to the Lord’s youngest disciples, please take every opportunity to lead them, guide them, walk beside them and help them find (the way),” Wright said. “Counsel with these precious little ones as they prepare to teach, testify, pray or serve so they are confident, and experience joy in fulfilling their responsibilities.”
Sister Wright invited the congregation to ponder how to help children develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. She said that this can help them understand that this is “their church” and develop more confidence.
“As Jesus Christ becomes the focus of our lives, what we desire and how we desire it, is forever altered. Conversion changes everything,” Wright said.
Sister Wright emphasized being intentional rather than casual in our discipleship in every Church meeting. She believes this will have a positive impact on our children.
Mary Ford, visiting from Tulsa, Oklahoma, enjoyed the similar themes from Elder Stevenson and Sister Wright.
“I liked how Elder Stevenson and Sister Wright talk about focusing on Christ,” Ford said. “She said that every talk and lesson needed to focus on Christ and His resurrection and what he did for us.”
Elder Sergio R. Vargas of the Seventy used a metaphor in his talk to drive home the idea that Jesus Christ is “our heavenly guidance system.”
Elder Vargas talked about how in a similar way that fish must avoid the shiny and alluring hooks of fisherman, we must also avoid the “hooks and snares” of the adversary. They are meant to draw us away from Jesus Christ, the living water.
“As we focus our lives on Jesus Christ, we will find our way home, enduring to the end and rejoicing to the end,” Vargus said.
He concluded with an invitation to center our lives on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Elder Vargus emphasized how this will help us to “weather the storms” and avoid the “hooks of temptation.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve focused on making our worship meaningful.
“To worship is to intentionally praise and adore our God in a way that transforms us,” Elder Christofferson said.
He emphasized the importance of following the example of the Savior in our worship. A broken heart and a contrite spirit help us to get more out of sabbath experience and our daily worship/study experience.
Many who attended the conference said they felt uplifted and a strong sense of the spirit.
Fernando Schneider, who came from Brazil to see the conference, enjoyed the experience.
“It’s a different experience watching it live, watching the leaders interacting with each other during the breaks and so on, because we don’t see that through the TV, just to experience it firsthand was amazing,” Schneider said.
