Ken Live-Blogs Conference ... Again! 195th Annual General Conference

[Kenngo1969]

195th Annual General Conference

Saturday Morning Session, April 5, 2025

President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Twelve

• "Verily I say unto you, except ye become converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.  Whosoever shall humble himself as a little child shall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven"

• "Behold your little ones" [Fire from Heaven encircled them]  What prompted it?  Purity, innocence, humility

• "Vain imaginations" and "pride of the children of men" characterize the great and spacious building of Lehi's dream

• Zoramites: "They pray unto thee with their mouths, but their hearts are lifted up"

• Richard L. Evans: "We claim to be Christians, but we don't follow Him ... We admire Him, but we don't worship Him"

• Do we think of God, other than using His name in profanity

• Purity, trust, character

• Easton had longed to pass the Sacrament for as long as he could remember, but he has Ulrich Progressive Muscular Dystrophy; He wanted to "present the sacred emblems" to his father, the Bishop, but he didn't want assistance

• He pulled his legs up each step of the stand: Easton's smile may have said, "I have glorified my father, and I have finished the work he gave me to do"

• In his youth, Joseph saw what he said he saw, and communed with the individuals with whom he said he communed

 

[Kenngo1969]

President Camille N. Johnson, General Relief Society President

• Jesus healed ten lepers, but the one who returned and gave thanks was made whole spiritually

• Is it possible to be made whole spiritually, yet not yet healed physically or emotionally

• I can be made whole spiritually while I wait to be healed physically, if I have wholehearted faith in Him

• Enos's faith made him whole

• Through our faith in Christ, we can be made whole spiritually while we wait to be made whole spiritually

• We can be whole in Christ as we fill our lamps with the oil of preparartion

• The five unprepared virgins were not described as wicked, but as foolish: The wise virgins did know Him; they were whole in Him

• "Let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify Your Father is in Heaven

• We can be whole as we are converted to Jesus Christ and draw strength from Him, even as we wait for physical healing

• Paul: Paul was not healed, but, "Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities ... for when I am weak, then am I strong"

• "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, Rejoice!

• Many are called, but few choose to be chosen

• We can choose to be Whole in Him

• "Woman, why weepest thou?  Whom seekest thou?"  Christ's resurrection allowed Mary's tears to be wiped away; His resurrection will allow ours to be wiped away, too

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Twelve

• We are His people, and He is our Savior

• Let us not miss the majesty of this moment

  • Jesus Christ is the answer

• We must stand tall as disciples who herald the fulfillment of prophecy, both ancient and modern

• "No unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing"

• Temples are being built at an unprecedented pace

  • "Holiness to the Lord" is the purpose

  • We are hastening our worthiness as we remain temple worthy, attend the temple, and perform ordinances on behalf of others on the other side of the veil

  • Melvin J. Ballard prophesied that the work would grow slowly for a time in South America, but gradually increase

• Missionary work is rolling forth

  • 2024 -- 80,000 missionaries in 434 missions; 308,000 new members

  • "Hurrah for Israel!"

  • There are 7 missions in Lima Peru: Lima missionaries rose up for Elder Rasband and cheered, "Hurrah for Israel!"

• Church education is progressing

  • "Seek learning, even by study and also by faith"

  • 800,000 students worldwide are enrolled in Seminaries and Institutes

    • 75,000 are enrolled in BYU Pathway Worldwide: Completion of courses means access to better employment, and better employment leads to a better life

      • Give the Lord equal time: Balance spiritual and secular study

        • "Learn of Me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls"

        • "Let God prevail in your life" --Russell M. Nelson

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Twelve

• He was assigned to dedicate a Temple in Casper WY

• Most handcart companies traversed the trail without incident

• Martin and Willey Handcart Companies were the exception

• There is a painting in the Temple of Handcart Saints called "Between Storms"

• Sometimes, we, too, are between storms, between clouds and sunshine

• Another painting depicts the beauty of life

• Another painting depicts the Savior

• Poor Saints in England rejoiced when they heard the Handcart Plan

• "Many of our brothers and sisters are on the plains with handcarts ... Go, and bring in those people now on the Plains"

• "Tears streamed down the cheeks of the men, and the children danced for joy ... They knelt in the snow and gave thanks"

• Young men spent hours in frigid water helping Handcart Saints cross the Sweetwater River

• "I shall not live to reach Salt Lake, but you and the boys will ... I do not regret everything we have been through"

• Heartbreak is part of the purging necessary to draw closer to God, and to become like Him

• "All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Preach My Gospel

• 3 Recommendations

  • Do not underestimate the importance

  • Gratefully accept the Savior's Atonement

  • Set aside consistent time to faithfully contemplate the Savior's atonement, including regularly partaking of the Sacrament and attending the Temple

    • "Temple blessings help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ"

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Ricardo Gimenez of the Seventy

• "I hope you will repeatedly study the messages of this Conference" (Russell M. Nelson)

• I do the things which are essential to me because I love my Savior, and because I love my brothers and sisters

• We should do everything we do because we love the Savior

• "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoso believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life"

• How often do we connect what we do with our covenantal connection to the Savior?

• Even though doing righteous things is a good thing, when we understand the why, we will not only do things right, we will get it right

• Do we do what we do out of habit (activities and traditions) or do we do what we do to draw closer to the Savior

• "Let us prepare for an Easter Celebration of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ" (President Oaks): Traditions are a means to learn more about the Savior and to remember His resurrection

• "Whatever questions you have can be answered by learning more about the life of the Savior" (Russell M. Nelson)

• Do we simply read the messages from General Conference, or do we try to internalize them so that they can help us become "new creatures in Christ"? (my phrase)

• “I love the Savior, and my love for Him is my ‘Why’”

 

[Kenngo1969]

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency

• We take Christ’s name upon us when we enter His Kingdom through covenant

• In His love for each of us, the Savior invites us to come closer unto Him

• “Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you. Seek me diligently, and ye shall find me. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you”

• Draw near by always remembering him; seek him diligently in scripture study

• What would you do if you were separated for a time from dear friends? Treat your relationship with the Savior the same way

• Christ loves each of us; he offers us the opportunity to draw closer unto him through prayer, then listening for guidance from the Holy Spirit

• He recalled a sacrament meeting from 75 years ago; Abide With Me, Tis Eventide: “O Savior! Stay this night with me”

• “What manner of communications are these, that thou hast with one another as ye walk and our sad?”; “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent”; “Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened unto us the Scriptures?”

• “Peace be unto you”; “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise on the third day … Ye are witnesses of these things”

• Every child of God who has entered through the gate is bound by covenant to serve each other and to bear witness of Him

• “Bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God at all times”: As we keep these promises, we will become one with Christ and be perfected in Him

• The Lord will draw closer to your wayward loved ones as you serve Him in faith

• “Your families are well, and they are in My Hands”

[Okrahomer]

22 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Many are called, but few choose to be chosen

This talk resonated with me.  I think she also said:  We can be Whole even as we are healing.  

Edited April 5 by Okrahomer

[Kenngo1969]

Saturday Afternoon Session

Elder Neil L. Anderson of the Twelve

• Young woman of a family returning to the Church of Jesus Christ found out she was pregnant

• Her father, and other members of the ward, showed love

• “A ward like mine is the ward every young woman who is facing a situation like mine needs”

• To anyone who has experienced pain and regret of an abortion, the Savior’s Atonement can heal those wounds

• We treasure the gifts of life and of choice [agency]

• The atonement “brings a clarifying spiritual adjustment to our eyes”

• All spirit children of God must come to this earth for a glorious purpose. Individual identity began long before we came to this earth

• The Church of Jesus Christ believes in the sanctity of human life; therefore, also, it opposes abortion that is a matter of simple reproductive choice

• The Family: A Proclamation to the World – “The sacred powers of procreation are to be exercised only within the bonds of marriage”

• “The youth of the Church are hungry for the things of the Spirit.” –President J. Reuben Clark Jr.

• Let us speak more often about chastity, the sanctity of life, and care for those who find themselves in unfortunate situations

• Young single mother prayed and received a prompting that she should put her daughter up for adoption

• Young couple whose child was diagnosed in utero with Trisomy-21 resisted pressure to abort their child, notwithstanding heart defects: “The Savior healed my heart and gave me a sense of peace and excitement about our baby daughter … I trust Him.”

• “Undaunted faith and remarkable courage are hallmarks of disciples of Jesus Christ”

• Woman whose husband cheated on her and impregnated his mistress pleaded with the mistress to not abort the child and agreed to rear the child as her own

[Kenngo1969]

Steven L. Lund, Young Men General President

• “Ours is not a very demonstrative Church. We do understatement.”

• Nevertheless, perhaps the ordination of thousands of young men is cause to shout from the rooftops

• John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the Priesthood of Aaron (Doctrine and Covenant 13)

• Anciently, holders of this Priesthood was to focus on the forthcoming Messiah; they were responsible for caring for emblems in the Ark of the Covenant

• Today’s Aaronic Priesthood holders, too, perform ordinances that point their recipients to the Savior, such as baptism and the sacrament

• Serious expectations require serious preparation

• “Preach, teach, expound, exhort, and invite all to come unto Christ”

• Aaronic Priesthood Quorum decided to assist the elderly in the ward: Allen was a profane, nonmember of the Church in the ward of the ward, but the Quorum served him anyway

• Bishop who lost his daughter the Saturday before went to Church the next morning anyway and blessed the Sacrament with his Priests (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79)

  • “They do, in fact, to their everlasting comfort, ‘always have His Spirit to be with them’”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy

• His neighbor urged him to not give up on mostly-uprooted, fallen willow tree

• Twelve years later, the willow tree again has taken root and is growing

• Are we like the willow tree, mostly uprooted? Is anyone ready to give up on us?

• As returning members, many have accepted the invitation to come back and to become rooted, again, in Gospel soil

• “The fact that I took offense 15 years ago has caused me to pay a heavy price … But above all else, I am pleased that I have found my way back”

• “I could list a myriad of reasons why I walked away from the Gospel … I didn’t make just one choice, I made a thousand of them … My parents made one choice: To love me”

• “They didn’t call me out for my sinfulness, they called me from my sinfulness”

• Is there a way back? Yes!

• The sincere call is not a condemnation; “Will ye not now return … that I may heal you?”

• Contrary to what is portrayed as the dominant narrative, no, our youth are not leaving

• “Will ye also go away? Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of Eternal Life”

• Lessons of the Willow Tree

• 1. Journey back is not easy or comfortable, but it is worth it

• 2. It took many years for the willow tree to regain its former strength and beauty

• 3. The willow never would have survived without constant care and nourishment

• 4. Just as the willow needed sunshine and nourishment, so, too, do returning members need to be “nourished in the good word of God”

• 5. “Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all that is broken may be healed … You are needed, and you are loved”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Sandino Roman of the Seventy – Faith in Jesus Christ

• Tried to save his friend from drowning; his friend was dragging him down, but he felt another hand propelling him to the shallow end of the pool

• Believing in Christ, and knowing that He is real, is a start, but it is only par

• Meditate on Christ; the happiness Christ has brought into your lifeMake a record of your spiritually-defining momentst of faith

• When we have faith in Christ, we trust in him

  Ask Christ how He feels about you and about the direction your life is taking; in so doing, you will develop a relationship with Him

• If you want a relationship with Christ … make covenants with Him and honor them

• As a nine-year-old, he promised his mother that he would be the best son he could be, and would consider whether everything he did would please her

• Faith is a principle of action, and without faith, it is impossible to please God

• “How, then, can I do this great wickedness and sin against God”

• “I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, neither dared I do it … by doing so, I would offend God and come under condemnation”

• “He that hath my commandment and keepeth them shall be loved of my Father”

• “Look to me in every thought, doubt not, fear not”

• “A lamp filled with the oil of faith will shed glimmers of hope on the uncertain path”“Our faith must be centered in Christ … expect miracles, but let God prevail in our lives”

• “I testify to you of the joy that comes from singing the song of redeeming love, and of being encircled about eternally in the arms of His love”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Twelve

• “Now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ”

• “I’m scared, because bad things are going to happen before Jesus Comes again”

• When we follow Christ, we don’t need to fear His Coming

  • Parables of Preparation: Matthew 25 – Personal preparation to meet Him is central to life’s purpose

    • Parable of the Ten Virgins – “[T]hey that are wise have received the truth, have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived”

• • • • Receive ordinances and covenants, strive always to have the Holy Spirit to be with us

• • • • “Take heed that no man deceive you … for many shall come in My Name, and shall deceive many”

      • We should believe neither those who claim divine sanction nor those who posit that the truth is to be found in spiritual deserts

      • We can also avoid deception by worshiping regularly in the Temple

• • • Parable of the Talents – He who received five and he who received two both doubled their talents, but he who received only one buried it; his talent was taken away, but if he had doubled his talent, he would have received the same reward

      • If we receive fewer talents, it is the fact that we don’t magnify what we have been given that is the problem

• • • Parable of the Sheep & the Goats

      • Sheep on the right became heirs to the kingdom; goats on the left received no reward

        • What is the difference? “Verily, verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me”; Did we serve others, or did we not? We are to use time, talents, and blessings to serve Heavenly Father’s children

• • • “God is testing us, but He will provide” – After years of hardship, farmer finally harvested a bountiful crop; He shared with his neighbor

    • “No one knows the day nor the hour, but it will be a joyful day when our Savior comes again”

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Hans T. Boom of the Seventy

• Mary Wanlass Painting – “Carry On”

• Fourteen-year-old girl helped her family to the Salt Lake Valley after her father passed away

• Elder Boom’s father was in a concentration camp during WWII

• His parents gave up money they had saved for several years to buy a washing machine to the building fund for the local chapel

• “I know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, in their troubles …”

• His father’s dreadful experiences in a concentration camp prepared him to care for his mother when she had Alzheimer’s

• Why is it that some of us take for granted the faith and testimony of our parents who have remained faithful in spite of all of their hardships?

• “We have been born as Nephi of old through goodly parents who love the Lord. We have been taught and we understand that we must do as the Lord commands”

• “How knoweth a man the master whom he hath not served, and who is a stranger to him, and who is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart”

• Christ is the rock upon which we must build, so that when the storms come, we will be able to stand faithfully

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

• He and Harriet invited a dear friend who was not a member to come to the Church’s Easter service

  • All morning, he worried about what his friend would think of unpolished speakers, unskilled singers

    • “That was beautiful! I am so impressed with how people treat each other in your Church … It is clear that they love one another … This is how Christ wanted His church to be”

• When people experience the Church for the first time, what they are likely to notice is how they feel, and how we treat one another

• Christ restored the Church so that “faith might increase in the earth”

• The Love our friends feel among us will lift them closer to Christ

• This is the ideal: Rarely do we experience the ideal, so what should we do?

  • Don’t give up on the ideal – “If there are faults, they are the mistakes of men. Condemn not the things of God for the mistakes of men”

  • We must be patient with one another: Each of us is a work in progress. That is true of us as it is of the kingdom as a whole

  • We must be of one heart, of one mind; but I don’t change my heart to align with yours, nor do you change your heart to align with mine, but rather, that both of us change our hearts to align with Christ!

• People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart: Whatever our differences, all of us are children of God

• What unites us is our love for God, our love for our neighbor, and our commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; all of us must face in the same direction—toward Jesus Christ

• If you are different from those around you, it doesn’t make you a misfit; it makes you a needed part of the Body of Christ; you have something important to contribute—and something important to learn

• Some members of a choir sing one part, some another; some melody, some harmony; all are needed “to sing the song of redeeming love”

[Chum]

The inside of our stake center popped up, during the World Report segment on Helene cleanup. 

Since hurricane devastation is regular event now, having those cleanup opportunities right next to home is just super convenient. 

[Chum]

Can folks re-apply to MTC after their term expires?  I saw Mustachio again this morning. I first saw him around 2010 after the eye guy aged out.   Some years later, Mustachio popped up again. And then again this morning.  

[Chum]

If I had stupid money, I'd commission a series of reworked Church artwork.  I'd preserve all the major figures but everyone else would be period & location accurate.  

There would be crowds of 5 foot tall Middle Eastern/N.Africans showing rapt attention for the 6 foot Nordics from the bible. 

[Chum]

Lawgiver feels like a modern slur.  I like Jesus; I feel wrong calling him that.

[Okrahomer]

Just a quick observation:  “Were You There?”…..so beautiful.

[Chum]

That African meeting house had zero suit jackets in the congregation.  I think they're onto something. 

[Kenngo1969]

Saturday Evening Session

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

• Small picture of Christ had accidentally slipped into Sis. Stevenson’s passport; otherwise mechanical passport official’s perfunctory, laconic demeanor softened when she saw the picture

• “Through ancient and living prophets, Heavenly Father has commanded us to ‘Hear Him’ and to come unto Him”

• We can be forgiven of our sins as we repent, which brings us peace and hope; death is not the end but an important step forward

• Living Prophets increasingly are inviting us to “Come Unto Christ”

  • Replacing “Mormon”

  • Availability of Christ-themed art in meetinghouses

  • Young Men and Young Women Themes

  • Greater emphasis on the Atonement and on the Living, Resurrected Christ

  • Easter

    • We have been encouraged to move to a higher, holier celebration of Easter

    • Sacrament Meeting, Palm Sunday and Holy Week Devotionals, Living Christ Open Houses, Multidenominational Easter events

    • Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts, and Easter meals are nice, but we should focus, too, on the spiritual aspects of Easter

    • “Hosanna, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord”

    • Do we use the Christus, images of the empty tomb, and other representations of Easter?

    • Easter honors both Christ’s sacrifice and His resurrected

      • “Greater love hath no man than this, that He lay down His life for His friends”

      • “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen as He said”

      • “The grave hath no victory; the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ”

      • Four-year-old: Why do we have Easter? “Because him’s alive”

  • New Visual Identifier

    • Christ is at the center of His Church, and should be at the center of our lives

    • Christ’s name is on a cornerstone, a reminder that Christ is the cornerstone

    • A visual representation of the Savior’s love

    • Christ standing under the arch represents His Resurrection

     

[Kenngo1969]

Sister Amy A. Wright, Primary General Presidency

• “Where do you derive your moral compass?” “The archetype after whom I strive to pattern my life is Jesus Christ”

• Visiting law school law library, they saw passages from the Sermon on the Mount inscribed in various places

• We want our children to believe in Christ, belong to His Church through covenant, strive to become like him

  • Believe in Christ

    • “Will ye also go away?” “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life”

    • Our faith must be centered in Jesus Christ

      • Have an understanding of His character and nature

      • Be striving to follow His example in the way we live

• • • Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ

      • We have a covenant responsibility to prepare the world for His Coming

• • • Become like Jesus Christ

      • “What manner of man ought ye to be? Verily, I say unto thee, Even as I Am”

      • Help them find the way (Christ is “The Way, The Truth, and the Life: No one cometh unto the Father but by [Him]”)

        • Conversion changes everything

        • We must take the light of Christ into every corner of our lives

• • • • Our efforts to emulate Christ must be more than “a jaunty pep talk”!

      • Christ’s love can sanctify, exalt, and heal

      • Glorified, omnipotent, resurrected, worshipful, powerful Being who is Mighty to Save

 

Edited April 6 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

Elder James R. Rasband of the Seventy

• Kirtland Temple dedicatory prayer is a tutorial about how the Temple blesses our lives

• Newly called missionaries are encouraged to attend the Temple as often as possible once endowed

• In the Temple, God empowers new missionaries—and all of us—in an especially significant way

  • That the prejudices of people may give way before the Truth, that their hearts may be softened

  • Again and again, Joseph Smith pleaded for mercy

• “I will manifest myself in mercy to my people in this House”

  • In the Temple, we find mercy in the covenants we make

  • Covenants give us access to hesed

  • Every part of the Plan of Salvation—emphasized in the Temple—is a manifestation of God’s mercy

  • God will manifest Himself to us in mercy when we plead for mercy

• • Revelation often comes in response to a plea for mercy (for example, Joseph Smith, Enos)

  • We should emphasize the Lord’s mercy in inviting others to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon

    • “Ponder in your hearts how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men”

    • Does God’s plan of mercy really ensure that all people on the Earth will be resurrected?

    • Can mercy really encircle us about in the arms of safety?

    • Did Christ really suffer so that He could know how to succor His people in their infirmities?

    • Did Adam really fall that Adam fell that men might be, and that men are that they might have joy?

    • Is the plan really a merciful plan? Yes!

[Kenngo1969]

Elder Sergio Vargas of the Seventy

• After his baptism, he recognized the truth of the Book of Mormon teaching that “all things denote that there is a God”

• Salmon have an incredible GPS-like ability to return to their spawning grounds

• “I Am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father but by me”

• “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives, and everything to do with the focus of our lives” –Russell M. Nelson

• We have a Divine Destiny as Heirs of Eternal Life

• Moses to Satan: “Who art thou, for behold, I am a Son of God”

• “Go after him. He is important to me.”

• Our Divine Nature and Covenant with God entitles us to Divine Help

• “I am a happy man. Tell everyone in Chile that the Gospel is Happiness”

• “A man filled with the love of God is not content to bless his family alone.” –Joseph Smith

• Covenant Saints may need to swim against the current, but Christ understands, and is eager to share our burdens

• “In the world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”

• The Sabbath was made for man to give us rest from the world and renew our body and spirit

• Attending the Temple has given him great comfort and hope regarding our eternal destiny

• Thanks to Jesus Christ, our “afflictions shall be but a small moment”

• Thanks to Christ, there is Hope

• Christ lives, He knows us, He loves us; He is “the way, the truth, and the life”

 

[Kenngo1969]

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Twelve

• “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the East and are come to worship Him”

• Worship

  • Actions

    • Gathering in consecrated space to perform acts of devotion: “That thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world”

    • How do we dress? How do we conduct ourselves? Singing, praying, instructing and learning; “On this day, thou shalt offer thine oblations”; We come together to remember Him

      • Elder Kearon: We don’t simply attend; we worship—we adore our God in a way that transforms us

      • Elder-cum-President Nelson: “What sign do I want to give to God?”

      • For the penitent, partaking of the sacrament is a highlight of sabbath worship

      • Those who say their devotional life is entirely private are less likely to engage in formal worship

      • We worship not just once a week, and not just in church, but always, and everywhere

      • Do we live in thanksgiving daily

  • Attitudes and Feelings

    • Our feelings are what infuses worship with a sense of joyful renewal

    • To love God is the first and great commandment

    • Jesus set the standard

      • “O, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt”

  • Exclusivity

    • • “They have strayed from mine ordinances and broken mine everlasting covenant”

      • Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego: “Our God whom we worship is able to deliver us” … “Blessed be the name of the God of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego.”

      • Do we have any idols that have supplanted God as the central—the only—object of our worship? “They draw near unto me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”

  • Need to Emulate Those Whom We Worship

    • How we live may be the best, most genuine form of worship

    • True worship is transformative

    • Is repentance a form of worship?

    • Covenants made in the Temple further sanctify us—an elevated form of worship: The divine power of Godliness is manifest in us, and sanctifies us