Courtesy intellectual reserve

The Conference Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City was packed Sunday with young adults ages 18 to 30, single and married, who came to hear President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Wendy W. Nelson, speak in special devotion.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles led the meeting and was visibly surprised, having to pause before speaking as he looked from the pulpit toward the room filled with more than 20,000 people. It would be the first time the center has been at full capacity since late 2019.

The Nelsons talked about the nature of all men, women and children and how they find joy in a world of chaos, war and pain.

Speaking of the eternity timeline, Nelson indicated that this lifetime is “barely a nanosecond”, but added, “What a crucial nanosecond it is.” He noted that it is because our earthly choices determine the kind of life we ​​will live forever.

Speaking of who they are, Nelson told those listening at the Conference Center and around the world that there are three absolute truths: 1. Every person will die; 2. Through Jesus Christ, all will be resurrected and become immortal; and 3. We will be judged for the choices we make now.

Courtesy intellectual reserve

“Make no mistake: your potential is divine. With your diligent search, God will give you insight into who you can become. said Nelson.

To help them live their best life, the Prophet encouraged those listening to follow three additional fundamental truths:

know who you are

Nelson noted that of all the labels a person has, the most important is that of “child of God”.

“For Latter-day Saints, the following are ‘covenant child’ and ‘follower of Jesus Christ,'” Nelson added.

“Tonight, I beg you not to replace these three primordial and immutable identifiers with others, as this may hinder your progress or lock you into a stereotype that could potentially thwart your eternal progress,” Nelson said.

The Prophet noted that people mark themselves or others with a variety of labels. Nelson said all of these labels or descriptors are minor and can become divisive.

“The adversary relishes labels because they divide us and restrict how we think about ourselves and each other,” Nelson said. “How sad it is when we honor labels more than we honor each other. …Any abuse or prejudice against others because of nationality, race, sexual orientation, gender, educational qualifications , culture, or other significant identifiers is offensive to our creator, and such mistreatment causes us to live below our stature as sons and daughters of his covenant.

Among the labels he included were being American – as he spoke to a global audience – and pointing out a difference between sexual orientation and gender.

However, these lesser labels used almost constantly should never replace or take precedence over his true identity as a child of God, a covenant child and a disciple of Christ, Nelson told listeners.

“Make no mistake: your potential is divine,” he said. “With your diligent search, God will give you insight into who you can become. … If you embrace these truths, our Heavenly Father will help you achieve your ultimate goal of living forever in His holy presence.

Know What Heavenly Father and His Son Have Offered You

“In short, they gave you everything,” Nelson said. “Our Heavenly Father’s plan for His children allows us to live where and as He lives and ultimately to become more and more like Him. His plan literally makes available to us the richest blessings of all eternity, including the ability for us to become ‘joint heirs with Christ.’

God will do “everything He can, short of violating your agency, to help you not miss out on the greatest blessings of all eternity,” Nelson said.

Know the truth related to your conversion

Nelson said he wanted everyone, especially young adults, to take ownership of his spirituality and have steady religious growth.

“If you have questions — and I hope you do — seek answers with a fervent desire to believe,” he said. “Learn all you can about the gospel and be sure to turn to truthful sources for guidance. We live in the dispensation where ‘nothing will be held back.’ Thus, in time, the Lord will answer all our questions.

If young adults do these things, the Prophet promised them “spiritual growth, freedom from fear, and a confidence you can hardly imagine now. You will have the strength to have a positive influence far beyond your natural abilities. And I promise you that your future will be more exciting than anything you can currently believe.

Before President Nelson’s speech, his wife spoke about an issue that can change your life.

Sister Nelson invited the audience to ask this question: “What would a holy young adult do?

Answering this question can change lives, she said. In preparing for the devotional, she challenged 30 young adults from various places around the world to take three days and take action on this issue and report their findings to her.

She said the response was amazing and noted some of the examples where just one thing a day was done as if they were a “holy young adult” that changed perspectives and lives.

“(It) can increase your confidence, decrease your anxiety, motivate you, improve your mood and outlook, increase your productivity, increase your concentration and clarity of thought, help you resist temptation, help you detect deception , increase your gratitude, decrease the stress in your life, increase your ability to love, and help you make better decisions,” she said.

Sister Nelson encouraged young adults to, as the Doctrine and Covenants teaches, “practice … holiness before (God) continually.”

“As you live your crescendo life, trying to be a little holier day by day – and quickly repenting when you’re wrong – you will find joy in this life and eternal life in the world to come. And you will begin to experience, in the most profound and unforgettable way, exactly what our Savior Jesus Christ promised when he said, ‘I am able to sanctify you.’

Newsletter