Speakers in the Sunday afternoon session of the 195th Annual General Conference focused on the love of Jesus Christ, the power of discipleship and the importance of worshiping in the temple.
The speakers during the session included Elder Ulisses Soares, Elder Michael B. Strong, Elder Scott D. Whiting, Elder Christopher H. Kim, Elder Patrick Kearon, Elder Benjamin M.Z. Tai and President Russell M. Nelson.
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke about reverence for sacred things and how a connection to holiness reflects love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
“Reverence for the sacred fosters genuine gratitude, expands true happiness, leads our minds to revelation and brings greater joy to our lives,” Elder Soares said.
Elder Michael B. Strong emphasized discipleship, focusing on emulating Christ’s pure love for others. He called upon three patterns of charity that His disciples should follow: showing compassion, ministering to unspoken needs and helping others along the covenant path.
“Discipleship of Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain enduring happiness,” Elder Strong said. “It is a path filled with deliberate and purposeful acts of love toward others.”
Building on that theme, Elder Scott D. Whiting drew parallels between a personal story and the spiritual danger of hiding oneself from the Church. He began with a story about sitting on a prickly pear cactus after a prank gone wrong.
Whiting used the story to illustrate the harm of withdrawing when vulnerable to temptation.
“To those who may be in hiding, we implore you to come back. You need what the gospel and Atonement of Jesus Christ offer, and we need what you offer,” he said.
Elder Christopher H. Kim warned against hardening one’s heart to Christ’s words, saying this can prevent the light and goodness of God from entering.
“We can choose to harden our hearts, or we can choose to soften our hearts,” Elder Kim said. “I know that in these choices, there is peace and joy.”
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve focused on receiving the gift of light and truth in our lives. The epitome of this truth, he said, is understanding that we really are God’s children.
“Re-receive this gift, or perhaps truly receive it for the very first time, and let it transform every aspect of your life,” Elder Kearon said.
That message resonated deeply with four college students from Southern Utah University.
“I love how he focused on being a child of God as a gift,” Kendra Hancock, a student attending the conference, said.
Elder Benjamin M.Z. Tai reminded listeners that God’s love is accessible to all, even during difficult emotional or spiritual seasons.
“While the love of God is accessible to all, many search earnestly for it, while others desire to feel God’s love but do not believe that they deserve it,” Elder Tai said.
To conclude the session and the general conference weekend, President Russell M. Nelson taught about confidence in Christ through charity and virtue. He stressed the importance of temple worship in developing these Christlike traits.
“Regular worship in the house of the Lord increases our capacity for both charity and virtue,” he said.
He also announced 15 new temples. This brings the total number of temples announced under President Nelson’s leadership to 200 in just seven years.
One attendee, Joaquin Santos, was especially moved by the announcement of the temple in Peru. He and his family traveled 16 hours from their home country to attend the conference in person.
Many attendees said that the messages, rooted in divine, Christlike attributes, left them with a feeling of renewed faith and a strengthened commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.