General Conference Addresses
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THE ENSIGN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • MAY 2020 General Conference Addresses President Nelson Encourages Saints to Hear the Lord President Nelson Delivers Bicentennial Proclamation on the Restoration Church Adopts Symbol Emphasizing the Savior’s Central Place in His Church New General Authority Seventies and Young Men General Presidency Sustained 8 New Temples Announced THE RESTORATION OF THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST A BICENTENNIAL PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints e solemnly proclaim that God loves His chil- the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. Wdren in every nation of the world. God the It teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a compan- life, and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved ion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies Son, Jesus Christ. By the power of the Father, Jesus that all human beings are sons and daughters of a lov- rose again and gained the victory over death. He is our ing Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer. lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning well as in days of old. in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- church to join, went into the woods to pray near his day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New home in upstate New York, USA. He had questions re- Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored garding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, would direct him. and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrec- In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, tion. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain learned that following the death of the original Apostles, enduring joy. Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth. Two hundred years have now elapsed since this Resto- Joseph would be instrumental in its return. ration was initiated by God the Father and His Beloved We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. Millions throughout the world have Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and embraced a knowledge of these prophesied events. re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ. The resurrected We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by forward through continuing revelation. The earth will immersion for the remission of sins. Three of the orig- never again be the same, as God will “gather together in inal twelve Apostles—Peter, James, and John—restored one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10). the apostleship and keys of priesthood authority. Oth- With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles in- ers came as well, including Elijah, who restored the vite all to know—as we do—that the heavens are open. authority to join families together forever in eternal We affirm that God is making known His will for His relationships that transcend death. beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for Christ. Pages of this sacred text include an account of the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in Jesus Christ. This proclamation was read by President Russell M. Nelson as part of his message at the 190th Annual General Conference, April 5, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Contents May 2020 Volume 50 • Number 5 Saturday Morning Session 56 How the Priesthood Sunday Afternoon Session 6 Opening Message Blesses Youth 93 The Great Plan President Russell M. Nelson Laudy Ruth Kaouk President Dallin H. Oaks 8 Shall We Not Go On in So Great 58 How the Priesthood 96 The Blessing of Continuing a Cause? Blesses Youth Revelation to Prophets and President M. Russell Ballard Enzo Serge Petelo Personal Revelation to Guide 12 Ensuring a Righteous 60 United in Accomplishing Our Lives Judgment God’s Work Elder Quentin L. Cook Elder James R. Rasband Jean B. Bingham 101 Finding Refuge from the Storms 15 An Especially Noble Calling 66 He Goes before Us of Life Joy D. Jones President Henry B. Eyring Elder Ricardo P. Giménez 18 Spiritually Defining Memories 69 The Melchizedek Priesthood and 104 Come and Belong Elder Neil L. Andersen the Keys Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf 23 Deep in Our Heart President Dallin H. Oaks 107 The Finest Homes Douglas D. Holmes 72 Opening the Heavens for Help Elder L. Whitney Clayton 27 Prayers of Faith President Russell M. Nelson 110 Sharing the Message of President Henry B. Eyring the Restoration and the Sunday Morning Session Resurrection Saturday Afternoon Session 75 Fulfillment of Prophecy Elder D. Todd Christofferson 30 Sustaining of General Authorities, Elder Ronald A. Rasband 114 Go Forward in Faith Area Seventies, and General 78 That They May See President Russell M. Nelson Officers Bonnie H. Cordon President Dallin H. Oaks 64 81 A Perfect Brightness of Hope General Authorities and General 31 Church Auditing Department Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Officers of The Church of Jesus Report, 2019 Christ of Latter-day Saints Kevin R. Jergensen 84 “Let This House Be Built unto 116 Statistical Report, 2019 My Name” 32 The Coming Forth of the Elder David A. Bednar 117 News of the Church Book of Mormon 127 Come, Follow Me—Learning from 88 Hear Him Elder Ulisses Soares General Conference Messages President Russell M. Nelson 36 Come unto Christ—Living as Latter-day Saints 92 Hosanna Shout Elder John A. McCune President Russell M. Nelson 38 A Living Witness of the Living Christ Bishop Gérald Caussé 41 Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God Elder Dale G. Renlund 45 The Power of the Book of Mormon in Conversion Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai 48 A Good Foundation against the Time to Come Elder Gary E. Stevenson Saturday Evening Session 52 Hosanna and Hallelujah—The Living Jesus Christ: The Heart of Restoration and Easter Elder Gerrit W. Gong São Paulo, Brazil MAY 2020 1 The 190th Annual General Conference Saturday Morning Session, April 4, 2020 Benediction: Elder Lynn G. Robbins are available at distribution centers. Information Conducting: President Dallin H. Oaks Music by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square: on general conference in accessible formats Invocation: Elder Richard J. Maynes “Praise to the Man,” Hymns, no. 27, arr. Wilberg; for members with disabilities is available at Benediction: Michelle Craig “The Day Dawn Is Breaking,” Hymns, no. 52, disability.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Music by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple arr. Murphy; “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” Square*: “Awake and Arise,” Hymns, no. 8; “The Hymns, no. 136; “We Thank Thee, O God, for a On the Cover Morning Breaks,” Hymns, no. 1, arr. Wilberg; Prophet,” Hymns, no. 19, arr. Wilberg. Front: Painting of the First Vision by Dan Burr “It Is Well with My Soul,” Spafford and Bliss, Back: Photograph by Mason Coberly arr. Wilberg; “Come, Ye Children of the Lord,” * Music for each session, under the direction Hymns, no. 58; “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer,” of different conductors and featuring different Conference Photography Hymns, no. 26; “Come, Thou Fount of Every organists, was recorded previously; the conclud- Photographs in Salt Lake City were taken by Blessing,” Robinson/American folk melody, ing hymn was recorded by the Tabernacle Choir Cody Bell, Janae Bingham, Mason Coberly, arr. Wilberg. and six other choirs from Accra, Ghana; Mexico Weston Colton, Brian Nicholson, and Leslie City, Mexico; Seoul, South Korea; São Paulo, Nilsson. Additional photography by Alexandre Saturday Afternoon Session, April 4, 2020 Brazil; Frankfurt, Germany; and Auckland, Borges, Mark Brunson, Nicolas Serey Bustamante, Conducting: President Henry B. Eyring New Zealand. Annette Campbell, Karisa Creer, Cathie Frost, Invocation: Milton Camargo Alejandro Gutierrez, Natalia Hepworth, Korene Benediction: Elder Rubén V. Alliaud Conference Talks Available Knight, Ashlee Larsen, Bruno Lima, Ashley Music by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square: To access general conference talks online in Malili, Melanie Miza, Kendrick Navarro, Arteh “High on the Mountain Top,” Hymns, no. 5, many languages, visit conference.Church Odjidja, Veronica Olson, Alaine Palmer, Melanie arr. Wilberg; “As I Search the Holy Scriptures,” ofJesusChrist.org and select a language. Talks are Porter, Jonas Rebicki, Mark Romesser, Elizabeth Hymns, no. 277, arr. Murphy; “Rejoice, the Lord also available on the Gospel Library mobile app. Thompson, Chung Ho Tsai, Emily Utykanski, Is King!” Hymns, no. 66; “Redeemer of Israel,” Generally within six weeks following general Marco Vargas, Christopher Walker, Dave Ward, Hymns, no. 6, arr. Wilberg. conference, English video and audio recordings Jonathan Wing, and Justin Wright. Saturday Evening Session, April 4, 2020 Conducting: President Dallin H.