Saturday night session: Summaries from Latter-day Saint general conference

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is holding its 191st Semiannual General Conference Saturday, Oct. 2 and Sunday, Oct. 3. This blog summarizes the key points from the Saturday night session.

Follow along with our blog updates or watch each session live below.

For a glossary of the Latter-day Saint terminology used in this blog, click here.

Saturday, 07:58 pm

President Henry B. Eyring: The faith to ask and then to act

The process of receiving revelation has been the same since the time of Adam and Eve and requires faith and obedience, said President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.President Eyring said in his experience the clearest answers to his prayers come when he is humble and willing to follow God's will and not his own."Revelation comes to us in proportion to the degree to which we have sought to take the doctrine of Christ into our hearts and implement it in our lives," President Eyring said.

#PresEyring | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/R7zYDhMO8w

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021He emphasized that God will share messages through those who speak during general conference, and those who listen with faith can receive answers.While listeners cannot ask questions directly to speakers, President Eyring said they can ask Heavenly Father in prayer.

He warned that "it is crucial that any personal revelation we feel we receive be consonant with the teachings of the Lord and his prophets."Faith can bring answers to prayers, but President Eyring said faith can also soften us to obey God's directions.Not only does faith help answer prayers, it allows the gospel to spread throughout the world assisted by church members' tithing, donations and missionary efforts.Quoting President George Q. Cannon, he said obedience and the gospel can bring confidence in God during times of trial."Oppositions and trials have long been a seedbed for the growth of faith," he said.

"The more we have the doctrine of Christ in our lives and hearts, the more we feel greater love and sympathy for those who have never had the blessings of faith in Jesus Christ or are struggling to maintain it." #PresEyring #GeneralConference

— BYU Daily Universe (@UniverseBYU) October 3, 2021— Lisi Merkley

Saturday, 07:41 pm

Elder Marcus B. Nash: Hold up your light

Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy shared an experience he had while traveling to Peru, when he met an atheist who asked him, "Why do you believe in God?" He shared his testimony of the church, and sent him with a copy of the Book of Mormon.Elder Nash never found out if the atheist read the book, or joined the church.A similar event transpired with Elder Nash when he met "a new friend" in Lagos, Nigeria. The latter was baptized into the church.But the end result didn't matter, he said, because he felt blessed for sharing a an important part of himself with both individuals.

"Joy. Hope. Sustaining power from God. Protection from temptation. Healing. All of these—and more (including forgiveness of sins)—distill upon us from heaven as we share the gospel." —Elder Marcus B. Nash, Oct. 2021 #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/hQ6TcEXCCI

— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 3, 2021"Sharing the gospel brings joy and hope," Elder Nash said.It also "brings God's power into our lives," "protects us from temptation," and "brings healing," he added."Choosing to not hold up the gospel light moves us to the shadows where we are susceptible to temptation," Elder Nash said. "Importantly, the converse is true: Choosing to hold up the gospel light brings us more fully into the light and the protection it provides against temptation."He left church members with an invitation: "Share the gospel. Be you and hold up the light."

"My invitation today is simple. Share the gospel. Be you and hold up the light." #ElderNash | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/iuDRHgJDpP

— GeneralConference (@ldsconf) October 3, 2021— Sean Walker

Saturday, 07:36 pm

Elder Alfred Kyungu: To be a follower of Christ

Elder Alfred Kyungu of the Seventy urged all people to become "a follower of Christ."He said he reflected on what this admonition from the biblical apostle Paul means.

#ElderKyungu | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/9fpAIc07JH

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021To be a follower of Christ, Elder Kyungu said, is to take on the qualities of Christ. The qualities of the Savior are humility, courage, forgiveness and sacrifice.On humility, Elder Kyungu quoted the biblical apostle Peter who wrote, "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."Elder Kyungu called for courageous action in the face of opposition."Let us have the courage to do what is right, even when it is unpopular; the courage to defend our faith and to act by faith.

"Let us sincerely forgive each other to obtain the forgiveness of the Father. Forgiveness sets us free and makes us worthy to partake of the sacrament every Sunday. Forgiveness is required of us to be truly disciples of Jesus Christ." #ElderKyungu #GeneralConference

— BYU Daily Universe (@UniverseBYU) October 3, 2021"We can sacrifice our time to perform ministering, to serve others, to do good, to do family history work and to magnify our church calling," Elder Kyungu declared in his call to seek the qualities of Jesus Christ.— Matt Brooks

Saturday, 07:30 pm

Brother Bradley R. Wilcox: Worthiness is not flawlessness

Change and repentance are an important and continual process, taught Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, second counselor in the Young Men general presidency. He said God and Christ are there to assist everyone as they strive to become more like God."Remember change is possible, repentance is a process, and worthiness is not flawlessness," Brother Wilcox said, adding that divine help is available not after we repent but "as we repent."

#BrotherWilcox | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/WFdrtUQIzy

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021Brother Wilcox testified that Christ's Atonement is available to all as they work to repent and improve throughout life.He compared life to a long road trip, saying it's impossible to reach the destination without repeatedly refilling the gas tank. He said taking the sacrament is like refilling the tank each week."In short, we promise to press forward on our journey and God and Christ promise to refill the tank."Brother Wilcox shared the story of a young man who struggled with pornography. His slip-ups and trials made him feel like he was unworthy of God's assistance or forgiveness.A leader helped this young man realize God was proud of the progress he had made and not angry about his mistakes. He was able to make changes by setting attainable goals with parents and leaders."We are not just walking toward God and Christ. We are walking with them," Brother Wilcox said.He promised blessings and joy to people who keep, and seek to keep, the commandments.

"Some mistakenly receive the message that God is waiting to help until after we repent. God's message is that He will help us as we repent. His grace is available to us 'no matter where we are in the path of obedience.'" #BrotherWilcox #GeneralConference

— BYU Daily Universe (@UniverseBYU) October 3, 2021— Lisi Merkley

Saturday, 07:03 pm

Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela: Deepening our conversion to Jesus Christ

Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela of the Seventy implored church members to "feast upon the words of Christ" through regular reading and studying of the scriptures.Doing so is "delighting in the things of the Lord" and doing more than reading, he added.

#ElderValenzuela | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/i2Zx43gyjL

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021"The scriptures and our knowledge of God are gifts. Gifts that we too often take for granted," he said. "Let us cherish those blessings."Studying the scriptures and other topics of the gospel is not just seeking new information, but to "become a new creature," Elder Arnulfo added.That is why study should include "seeking the companionship of the Holy Ghost," and rejecting anything that might deviate from that influence.— Sean Walker

"We must seek everything that invites the influence of the Spirit and reject anything that deviates from this influence." —Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela Oct. 2021 #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/7pftt9IcnO

— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 3, 2021

Saturday, 06:55 pm

Elder Brent H. Nielson: Is there no balm in Gilead?

Elder Brent H. Nielson of the presidency of the Seventy shared a difficult experience from earlier in his life. He spoke of losing his father to cancer shortly after Elder Nielson returned from serving a full-time mission. He said he and his family prayed for his father to be healed. but his father died a short time later. Elder Nielson said at that time he wondered if his faith was not strong enough to preserve his father's life.Elder Nielson said that through this trial he came to realize that "the Savior's healing power was not just his ability to heal our bodies but perhaps even more important, his ability to heal our hearts and the broken hearts of my family."He saw that the Lord did bless his family through much love and care from ward members and family friends.

#ElderNielson | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/7UQyaYqbPJ

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021Elder Nielson explained that the object of our faith must be Jesus Christ and that we need to accept what was expedient to the Lord as we exercise faith in him.When we do this, Elder Nielson taught, added strength will come from heaven."As we cheerfully submit our will to the Father, even in the most difficult of circumstances, the Savior will lift our burdens and make them light."— Matt Brooks

Saturday, 06:53 pm

Sister Sharon Eubank: I pray he'll use us

Sister Sharon Eubank, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, emphasized the importance of caring for the poor as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The church and its members provided assistance and service throughout the world with more than 1,500 COVID-19 projects and responded to 933 refugee crises and natural disasters in 108 countries, according to Sister Eubank."Brothers and sisters, through your ministry, donations, time and love, you have been the answer to so many prayers," Sister Eubank said. "And yet there's so much more to do."

"Jesus Christ is come to heal the broken-hearted. His gospel is to recover sight to the blind. His Church is to preach deliverance to the captive, and His disciples across the world are striving to set at liberty them that are bruised." —Sister Sharon Eubank #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/fL2hh5abDQ

— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 3, 2021She said service doesn't require money or the ability to travel far from home, but it does require the guidance of the Holy Ghost and a willing heart to serve as God asks.She highlighted four stories of Latter-day Saints serving throughout the world. First, 16-year-old Dieke Mphuti was left to care for her three younger siblings after her parents died years before. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, they often didn't have enough food, but one day church officials surprised her with food to sustain her family for several weeks.Second, in addition to other physical donations, Relief Society sisters in Germany served Afghan refugees by sewing traditional Muslim head coverings after noticing some women lost theirs in their journey out of Afghanistan.Third, after an earthquake in Haiti, 18-year-old Marie "Djadjou" Jaques turned outward after her house collapsed in the quake. She cared for an elderly neighbor, helped clear debris and distributed food and hygiene kits.Fourth, missionaries in the Germany Frankfurt Mission helped clean one Catholic shopkeeper's store after devastating floods in the region. They cleared mud and removed carpet and drywall alongside the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper said the missionaries were an answer to prayers.— Lisi Merkley

Saturday, 06:34 pm

President M. Russell Ballard: 'Lovest thou me more than these?'

President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, related the above-mentioned biblical question of Jesus Christ to his apostle Peter in ancient times to modern members of the church and followers of Christ."Relating this question to ourselves in our day," he said, "the Lord may be asking us about how busy we are and about the many positive and negative influences competing for our attention and our time."As to how it relates to modern-day followers of Christ, President Ballard said luxuries of the world such as nice cars, large homes or a large social-media following "matter very little" to God. It's not that those things aren't nice, or that having such things is automatically bad, he added, but they "matter very little compared to loving the Savior."

"Do the things of this world bring us the joy, happiness, and peace that the Savior offered to His disciples and that He offers to us? Only He can bring us true joy, happiness, and peace through our loving Him and following His teachings." —President @BallardMRussell pic.twitter.com/ounTIcR4fC

— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 3, 2021"When we discover a fuller meaning of this question, we can become better family members, neighbors, citizens, members of the church, and sons and daughters of God," President Ballard said.He also reminded church members of President Russell M. Nelson's call to "let God prevail" in their lives in October 2020. True happiness, President Ballard added, is dependent on one's relationship with God, with Jesus Christ and with others, including serving family, friends and neighbors.— Sean Walker

Saturday, 06:00 pm

Saturday night general conference session begins

Join us as the KSL.com team keeps you up to date with the latest talk summaries, announcements and events during the October general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.