BY ELDER DAVID A. BEDNAR Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Prepared to Obtain Every Needful Thing

Blessings will come as we strive to fulfill our individual responsibility to learn and love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

The programs and activities of The Home-Centered and Church-Supported Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Gospel Learning Saints are becoming ever more home Elder Craig C. Christensen and I centered and Church supported, as were companions recently in a priest- evidenced by the series of adjustments hood leadership conference, and he announced in recent general confer- used two simple questions to empha- ences. President Russell M. Nelson has size the principle of becoming home counseled us: “There is much more to centered and Church supported. He come. . . . Eat your vitamin pills. Get suggested that instead of returning to your rest. It’s going to be exciting.”1 our homes after Church meetings on I pray for and invite the help of the Sunday and asking, “What did you Holy Ghost as we consider together learn about the Savior and His gospel several basic implications of these today at church?” we should ask in our ongoing adjustments in the Lord’s Church meetings, “What did you learn restored Church. about the Savior and His gospel this

MAY 2019 101 week in your home?” Proper Sabbath- appearance of the Father and the Son, family efforts to grow spiritually. And day observance, the new curriculum, he spoke first with his mother. As he though we all need help pressing for- and the adjusted meeting schedule all “leaned up to the fireplace, [his] mother ward on the covenant path, the ultimate help us to learn the gospel both in our inquired what the matter was. [ Joseph] responsibility for developing spiritual homes and at church. replied, ‘Never mind, all is well—I am strength and stamina rests upon each Each member of The Church of well enough off.’ [He] then said to [his] one of us. Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an mother, ‘I have learned for myself.’”3 Recall how Nephi, son of the individual responsibility to learn and Joseph’s experience provides a power- prophet Lehi, desired to see, hear, and live the Lord’s teachings and to receive ful pattern of learning that each of us know for himself by the power of the by proper authority the ordinances of should emulate. We too need to learn Holy Ghost the things his father had salvation and exaltation. We should not for ourselves. learned in the vision of the tree of life. expect the Church as an organization The overarching purpose of Nephi clearly needed and was blessed to teach or tell us everything we need Heavenly Father’s plan is for His in his youth by the example and teach- to know and do to become devoted dis- children to become more like Him. ings of his “goodly parents.”7 Yet, just ciples and endure valiantly to the end.2 Accordingly, He provides us with like Joseph Smith, he yearned to learn Rather, our personal responsibility is essential opportunities to grow and and know for himself. to learn what we should learn, to live as progress. Our commitment to learn and If all you or I know about Jesus we know we should live, and to become live according to truth is increasingly Christ and His restored gospel is what who the Master would have us become. important in a world that is “in commo- other people teach or tell us, then the And our homes are the ultimate setting tion”4 and is ever more confused and foundation of our testimony of Him for learning, living, and becoming. wicked. We cannot expect simply to and His glorious latter-day work is As a child, Joseph Smith learned of attend Church meetings and participate built upon sand.8 We cannot rely exclu- God from his family. His efforts to dis- in programs and thereby receive all of sively upon or borrow gospel light and cover God’s will for him caused Joseph the spiritual edification and protection knowledge from other people—even to search for the truth among many that will enable us “to withstand in the those whom we love and trust. different Christian denominations, evil day.”5 Significantly, the Prophet Joseph ponder diligently the scriptures, and “Parents have a sacred duty to rear Smith taught that each Latter-day Saint pray sincerely to God. As young Joseph their children in love and righteous- needs to understand for himself or her- Smith returned to his home from the ness.”6 Inspired Church leaders, teach- self “the designs and purposes of God Sacred Grove immediately after the ers, and activities help individual and in our coming into the world.”9

102 SUNDAY AFTERNOON SESSION | APRIL 7, 2019 “Could we read and comprehend all Making our homes sanctuaries that has been written from the days of wherein we can “stand in holy places”11 Adam, on the relation of man to God is essential in these latter days. And and angels in a future state, we should as important as home-centered and know very little about it. Reading the Church-supported learning is for our experience of others, or the revelation spiritual strength and protection today, given to them, can never give us a com- it will be even more vital in the future. prehensive view of our condition and true relation to God. Knowledge of these Home-Centered and Church-Supported things can only be obtained by experience Learning and Temple Preparation through the ordinances of God set forth for Please consider how the principle that purpose.”10 of “home centered and Church sup- holy house with reverence. We should not Enabling the accomplishment of this ported” applies to our individual prepa- disclose or describe the special symbols grand spiritual objective for individuals ration and worthiness to receive sacred associated with the covenants we receive and families is one of the fundamental ordinances and covenants in the house in sacred temple ceremonies. Neither reasons the programs and activities of of the Lord. should we discuss the holy information The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Indeed, temple preparation is most that we specifically promise in the temple day Saints are becoming more home effective in our homes. But many not to reveal. centered and Church supported in this Church members are unsure about Guideline #2. The temple is the house of specific season of the dispensation of what appropriately can and cannot be the Lord. Everything in the temple points us the fulness of times. said regarding the temple experience to our Savior, Jesus Christ. We may discuss outside of the temple. the basic purposes of and the doctrine and Implications of Home-Centered and President Ezra Taft Benson principles associated with temple ordinances Church-Supported Learning described why this uncertainty exists: and covenants. Let me summarize a few basic impli- “The temple is a sacred place, and President Howard W. Hunter coun- cations of gospel learning becoming the ordinances in the temple are of a seled: “Let us share with our children increasingly home centered and Church sacred character. Because of its sacred- the spiritual feelings we have in the supported. ness we are sometimes reluctant to temple. And let us teach them more ear- The ultimate missionary training say anything about the temple to our nestly and more comfortably the things center is in our homes; secondary children and grandchildren. we can appropriately say about the missionary training centers are located “As a consequence, many do not purposes of the house of the Lord.”13 in Provo, Manila, Mexico City, and in develop a real desire to go to the Across the generations, from the other locations. Our most instructive temple, or when they go there, they Prophet Joseph Smith to President Sunday School classes should be our do so without much background to Russell M. Nelson, the doctrinal individual and family study in our prepare them for the obligations and purposes of temple ordinances and places of residence; helpful but second- covenants they enter into. covenants have been taught extensively ary Sunday School classes are held in “I believe a proper understanding by Church leaders.14 A rich reservoir of our meetinghouses. or background will immeasurably help resources exists in print, audio, video, Family history centers now are in prepare our youth for the temple . . . and other formats to help us learn about our homes. Supplemental support for [and] will foster within them a desire to initiatory ordinances, endowments, mar- our family history research work also is seek their priesthood blessings just as riages, and other sealing ordinances.15 available in our meetinghouses. Abraham sought his.”12 Information also is available about Vital temple preparation classes Two basic guidelines can help us following the Savior by receiving and occur in our homes; important but achieve the proper understanding honoring covenants to keep the law of secondary temple preparation classes emphasized by President Benson. obedience, the law of sacrifice, the law also may be conducted periodically in Guideline #1. Because we love the of the gospel, the law of chastity, and our meetinghouses. Lord, we always should speak about His the law of consecration.16 All Church

MAY 2019 103 be increased to persevere diligently and patiently. I joyfully witness that compensat- ing blessings will come as we strive to fulfill our individual responsibility to learn and love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We truly can “be prepared to obtain every needful thing.”20 I so promise and testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. ◼

NOTES 1. Russell M. Nelson, in “Latter-day Saint Prophet, Wife and Apostle Share Insights of Global Ministry,” Newsroom, Oct. 30, 2018, newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. members should become familiar with of devotion to God. Thus, the Church 2. See Doctrine and Covenants 121:29. the excellent materials available at supports home-centered preparation 3. Joseph Smith—History 1:20. temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. for the glorious blessings of the temple 4. Doctrine and Covenants 45:26. 5. Ephesians 6:13. President Russell M. Nelson through basic instruction and remarkable 6. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” emphasized the vital balance between resources such as this video. Much useful Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 145. the sacred nature of temple ceremonies information is available to you.18 7. 1 Nephi 1:1. 8. See Matthew 7:24–27; 3 Nephi 14:24–27; and the valuable information about As we strive to walk in the meekness 18:13. 19 temples published by the Church that of the Lord’s Spirit, we will be blessed 9. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph is accurate, appropriate, and available to understand and achieve in our Smith (2007), 211. publicly. He explained: “I recommend homes the necessary balance between 10. Teachings: Joseph Smith, 419; emphasis added. 11. Doctrine and Covenants 101:22. that members . . . read entries in the what is and what is not appropriate to 12. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Bible Dictionary that are related to the discuss about sacred temple ordinances Benson (2014), 174; emphasis added; see also temple, such as ‘Anoint,’ ‘Covenant,’ and covenants. Ezra Taft Benson, “What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple,” ‘Sacrifices,’ and ‘Temple.’ One may Ensign, Aug. 1985, 8. also wish to read Exodus, chapters Promise and Testimony 13. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W. 26–29, and Leviticus, chapter 8. The I suspect that some of you may be Hunter (2015), 184. Old Testament, as well as the books wondering if your gospel learning actu- 14. See, for example, James E. Talmage, The House of the Lord (1912), 99–101. of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl ally can become home centered and 15. See James E. Talmage, The House of the of Great Price, underscores the antiq- Church supported. Perhaps you are Lord, 89–109; Russell M. Nelson, “Personal uity of temple work and the enduring the only member of the Church in your Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Ensign, 17 May 2001, 32–34; Liahona, July 2001, 37–39; nature of its ordinances.” home, or have an unsupportive spouse, Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple (1980), So, imagine that your son or daughter or are a single parent, or live alone as 153–55. asks, “Someone at school told me that a single or divorced Latter-day Saint, 16. See The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson (1988), 121; James E. Talmage, The House of the strange clothing is worn in the temple. Is and you may have questions about how Lord, 100; Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple that right?” A short video is available on these principles apply to you. You may (pamphlet, 2002). temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org entitled be a husband and a wife looking at 17. Russell M. Nelson, “Prepare for the Blessings “Sacred Temple Clothing.” This excel- each other and questioning, “Can we of the Temple,” Ensign or Liahona, Oct. 2010, 47. lent resource explains how from ancient do this?” 18. For example, watch a video tour of the times men and women have embraced Yes, you can do this! I promise that Rome Italy Temple, or study prophetic sacred music, different forms of prayer, enabling blessings will flow into and be teachings on temples (see temples.Church ofJesusChrist.org). symbolic religious clothing, gestures, and evident in your life. Doors will open. 19. See Doctrine and Covenants 19:23. rituals to express their innermost feelings The light will shine. Your capacity will 20. Doctrine and Covenants 109:15.

104 SUNDAY AFTERNOON SESSION | APRIL 7, 2019