Sunday afternoon 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 Sunday afternoon 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.

Sunday, 04:03 pm

President Russell M. Nelson: Make time for the Lord

President Russell M. Nelson, president of the church, closed this session of general conference by asking listeners how they will change based on what they have heard over the past two days.While the pandemic and other events can change people's lives, President Nelson said listeners can choose their own priorities, how they treat others and whom they listen to for guidance and truth.He pleaded with listeners to make time for the Lord every day amid the pressures of the world and deceptive voices. People can make time for the Lord by praying, studying the scriptures, partaking of the sacrament and attending the temple.

#PresidentNelson | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/rcMTdGEhBq

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021"Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ," President Nelson said, adding that the Spirit speaks of truths and things that are and will be. President Nelson warned that if people get most of their information from social media, their "ability to hear the whisperings of the Spirit will be diminished." "Even Saints who are otherwise faithful can be derailed by the steady beat of Babylon's band," he said. But as people listen to the Spirit and make time daily for the Lord, they can make their spiritual foundations strong and prepared.He closed by sharing his love and the Lord's love and said the Lord doesn't just lead the church, but can lead the lives of those who make time for him daily. — Lisi Merkley

Sunday, 03:55 pm

Church announces 13 new temples,1 to be reconstructed

President Russell M. Nelson announced the construction of the following new temples and the reconstruction of one temple:

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Tacloban, Philippines

Monrovia, Liberia

Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Antananarivo, Madagascar

Culiacán, Mexico

Vitória, Brazil

La Paz, Bolivia

Santiago West, Chile

Fort Worth, Texas

Cody, Wyoming

Rexburg North, Idaho

Heber Valley, Utah

Reconstruction of the Provo Utah Temple

Sunday, 03:50 pm

Elder Neil L. Andersen: The name of the church is not negotiable

The name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been given by a direct mandate from God, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in opening the penultimate remarks of October's conference.So why choose now to focus on the name, as President Russell M. Nelson has done for the past three years?"Now is our time to reestablish the revealed name of the church," he said. "The destiny of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints requires that we be called by his name."General conference was broadcast in 55 languages, will eventually be translated into 97 languages, and will be distributed in some form in 220 countries and territories. The words of the church's leaders will be sent to "all nations, all people, all races, and all cultures of the world," Elder Andersen said."We will not be moved out of our place," he added.Even Christians who embrace members of the church will view its members as friends by being "called by the name of Jesus Christ," Elder Andersen said.The reemphasis on the name of the church also spawned several technological and search engine optimization battles. Elder Andersen said the church hoped "for years" to purchase ChurchOfJesusChrist.org and ChurchOfJesusChrist.com, but neither was available — until "about the time of President Nelson's announcement.""It was a miracle," he said.

#ElderAndersen | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/BZMw2vGKZZ

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021That began a massive shift in branding, both online and in the real world, changing the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, LDS.org, LDS Business College and more."More than 1,000 products that had the name 'Mormon' or 'LDS' attached to them have been changed," Elder Andersen said. "Faithful Latter-day Saints have adjusted their websites, podcasts and Twitter accounts."He also thanked the "responsible media" who responded to the church's request and desire to be called "by our name of nearly 200 years.""The name of the church is not negotiable," he repeated. "Realizing that at times restoring our correct name from a nickname may be awkward, let us go forward in faith, remembering we are restoring the name of Jesus Christ. Let us be determined with ourselves and be patient with others."— Sean Walker

Sunday, 03:38 pm

Elder Alvin F. Meredith III: Look down the road

When Elder Alvin F. Meredith III of the Seventy was 15 years old, he was learning to drive and began swerving all over the road. His father told him that he was swerving because he was only looking at what was right in front of the car instead of looking down the road.Elder Meredith then referred to the story of Christ coming to his disciples by walking on water and Peter began walking to him, but he began to sink when he lost focus. He said there are three points to take from this story.First, focus on Jesus Christ and the purpose of life.

"Understanding our ultimate purpose helps us to determine what our focus should be. We cannot play a successful game without knowing the goal, nor can we live a meaningful life without knowing its purpose." #ElderMeredith #GeneralConference

— BYU Daily Universe (@UniverseBYU) October 3, 2021"Our focus on Christ becomes more clear when we look down the road at where we want to be and who we want to become and then make time every day to do those things that will help us get there," he said.Second, beware of distractions."The devil is the great distractor," Elder Meredith said, adding that the devil is also determined to make good people do nothing and waste time.Third, we can be rescued.When Peter began to sink, he cried out and Christ saved him. We, too, can be rescued, even if the help does not always come immediately, explained Elder Meredith.

"When we must wait, rest assured that the Savior is always watching, ensuring that we will not have to endure more than we can bear." #ElderMeredith | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/FdVUV1dbhO

— GeneralConference (@ldsconf) October 3, 2021"To those who are waiting in the fourth watch of the night, perhaps still in the midst of suffering, do not lose hope. Rescue always comes to the faithful, whether during mortality or in the eternities," he said.— Jenny Rollins

Sunday, 03:31 pm

Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr.: Miracles of the gospel of Jesus Christ

Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr., a General Authority Seventy, brought greetings from the Philippines as he spoke about the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.He said this year marks 60 years since missionaries came to the Philippines. Now, there are 23 missions and over 800,000 members in the country along with seven temples in operation, under construction or announced.Illustrating the first principle of the gospel — faith — he shared the story of a branch president from his youth. The Obedoza family wanted to travel the 1,000 miles from their home to the Manila temple to be sealed. In order to do so, the family of nine sold their home with faith that the Lord would provide for them when they returned from their journey. Eventually, the family was able to acquire a new home.

"Like soap, repentance is a cleaning agent. It allows us the opportunity to get rid of our impurities and our old debris, so we are worthy to be with God, as no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God." #ElderRevillo | #GeneralConference

— GeneralConference (@ldsconf) October 3, 2021Early in Elder Revillo's career, he worked in a soap factory, and he compared soap to the second principle of the gospel — repentance — which both allow people to get rid of impurities.He shared how his father had to go through a repentance process similar to the Anti-Nephi-Lehis when he joined the church. Before he converted, his father was a heavy smoker. To be baptized his father quit smoking.Repentance, Elder Revillo said, can lead members to covenants and ordinances like baptism and the sacrament, which he called miracles.

#ElderRevillo | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/WjGimOCg1I

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021He invited listeners to bring those miracles into their lives, have faith in Christ, repent and keep their covenants.— Lisi Merkley

Sunday, 03:15 pm

Elder Sean Douglas: Facing our spiritual hurricanes by believing in Christ

Natural laws govern hurricanes just as spiritual laws oversee the guidance of spiritual hurricanes in the lives of members of the church, said Elder Sean Douglas of the Seventy.Doubt is the enemy of faith and joy, which can be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, he added."If you want to be happy, keep the commandments," Elder Douglas said, quoting church President Russell M. Nelson.God does not require perfect faith to have access to his power, but he does ask for belief.

"Just as hurricanes weaken over land, doubt is replaced with faith as we build our foundation on Christ. We are then able to see spiritual hurricanes in their proper perspective, and our capacity to overcome them is enlarged." —Elder Sean Douglas #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/qtwnqYy7UQ

— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 3, 2021Children are happy because of their faith in Christ, he added, using his granddaughter Ruby as an example. When the child was set to undergo reconstructive surgery to repair an underdeveloped hand, he asked if she was nervous about the operation.Ruby replied no, to which Elder Douglas responded, "How is that so?""Because I know that Jesus will hold my hand," Ruby said.Ruby was happy during her emotional hurricane, and so can members of the church as they face their own.

#ElderDouglas | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/fRjkGJHsqn

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021— Sean Walker

Sunday, 03:10 pm

Elder Michael A. Dunn: 1 percent better

Elder Michael A. Dunn of the Seventy spoke about how the national bicycle racing teams of Great Britain went from being the "laughingstock of the cycling world" until they hired Sir Dave Brailsford as a coach, who focused on improving each aspect of the team's cycling by 1 percent.Instead of trying to drastically change ourselves all at once, Elder Dunn recommends that people narrow their focus to improve one thing at a time, and said an aggregation of small improvements would amount to a "mighty" change.

"Rather than being stymied by the churn and dramatic swings between sin and repentance, what if our approach was to narrow our focus—even as we broadened it? Instead of trying to perfect everything, what if we tackled just one thing?" #ElderDunn #GeneralConference

— BYU Daily Universe (@UniverseBYU) October 3, 2021"If you can get just 1 percent better at something each day, by the end of a year you will be 37 times better," he said.Brailsford's team slowly improved over time, and "over time, these myriads of micro betterments aggregated into stunning results, which came faster than anyone could have imagined," Elder Dunn continued.If someone is actively engaged in grievous sin, the Lord has told us to stop immediately, but Elder Dunn quoted Elder David A. Bednar, who said that small, steady improvements are better than "sporadic spurts of intense spiritual activity."

"But remember, just as we would not attempt to go from being Atilla the Hun to Mother Theresa overnight, so too should we reorient our patterns of improvement incrementally." #ElderDunn | #GeneralConference

— GeneralConference (@ldsconf) October 3, 2021The British cycling team has now won the Tour de France six times and Britain has become the most successful country in cycling over the past four Olympic Games.Elder Dunn invited listeners to examine their lives and see which areas need improvement and to seek achievable, modest fixes that "might result in the sweet joy of being a little better.""Because every effort to change we make—no matter how tiny it seems to us—just might make the biggest difference in your life," he said.— Jenny Rollins

Sunday, 02:56 pm

Elder Anthony D. Perkins: 'Remember thy suffering Saints, o our God'

Elder Anthony D. Perkins, a General Authority Seventy, shared his experience of battling cancer to illustrate how the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring hope amid physical or emotional suffering.He shared four principles of hope he learned from the scriptures, the teachings of church leaders and his own experiences.First, "suffering does not mean God is displeased with your life," Elder Perkins said. Hardships do not come from sin, but he said trials can refine souls to prepare them to live with God.

"Whatever the cause of your sufferings, your loving Heavenly Father can direct them to refine your soul. Refined souls can bear others' burdens with true empathy and compassion." #ElderPerkins #GeneralConference

— BYU Daily Universe (@UniverseBYU) October 3, 2021Second, God is aware of your suffering, he said. He shared the story of Joseph Smith's time in Liberty Jail, where God told him his suffering would "be but a small moment." He also told of a time where he prayed and told God of the pain from his cancer and felt God's love.Third, Jesus Christ offers his help and power amid trials, Elder Perkins taught. "Your temporary moment of strength can never compare to the Savior's infinite supply of power to fortify your soul," he said, adding that strength can come through temple covenants and ordinances and the Spirit.Fourth, Elder Perkins encouraged listeners to find joy every day. He shared examples of how many have found joy amid their trials, including one couple who served youth in the church even though they could not have children and a woman who smiled through her cancer treatments.

#ElderPerkins | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/YSHmdkBg9Q

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021— Lisi Merkley

Sunday, 02:41 pm

Bishop L. Todd Budge: Giving holiness to the Lord

Bishop L. Todd Budge, the second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gets the question often, and even had it himself when he was called to his current role: What does the Presiding Bishopric do?Among many other things, the Presiding Bishopric of the church maintains and oversees the humanitarian work of the church — one that spans the entire globe, but is driven by individual members.That includes humanitarian donations during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that "turned out to be the highest ever," Bishop Budge said, "and are trending even higher this year."It also includes the inception of the church's Humanitarian Fund, the donation of more than 1,500 COVID-19 relief projects in more than 150 countries, and regular donations of food, oxygen, medical supplies and vaccinations to "those who might otherwise have gone without."Bishop Budge extended his gratitude to members who have donated of their time, efforts and money to the church's humanitarian arm. He also spoke of sacrifice, delineating it from "giving up" to the original definition of the Latin roots: to make holy.

#BishopBudge | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/lin4RCvcid

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021"Sacrifice is less about 'giving up' and more about 'giving to' the Lord," he said. "Engraved upon the entrance to each of our temples are the words, 'Holiness to the Lord.' As we observe our covenants by sacrifice, we are made holy through the grace of Jesus Christ, and at the altars of the holy temple, with broken hearts and contrite spirits, we give our holiness to the Lord."Something is made holy not just by giving it up, but by giving it to God, Bishop Budge said.— Sean Walker

Sunday, 02:34 pm

Elder Gerrit W. Gong: Trust again

Elder Gerrit W. Gong, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, told a story about wanting to run away from home as a child.When people run from home, it's often because trust is broken, he said, and when that trust is broken, people wonder how they can trust again.

Elder Gong: "My message today is, whether we are coming home or going home, God is coming to meet us. In him we can find faith and courage, wisdom and discernment, to trust again. ... 1/2 #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/4OPg6wijcb

— Tad Walch (@Tad_Walch) October 3, 2021"Whether we are coming home or going home, God is coming to meet us. In him, we can find faith and courage, wisdom and discernment, to trust again," Elder Gong said.Many people feel disillusioned and are looking to restore trust both in relationships and modern society, because "broken covenants break hearts." But, he added, that is where trust comes in and can heal hearts."Trust becomes real when we do hard things with faith. Service and sacrifice increase capacity and refine hearts," he said.

#ElderGong | #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/3Na1tpBR4Y

— LDS Living (@LDSLivingMag) October 3, 2021He listed many individual circumstances where trust is broken, including infidelity, unexpected death or suffering and feeling excluded at church. But, Elder Gong said, when people are wondering if, how and when to trust again, the Spirit can help with discernment.Also, "we can always trust God, who has infinite love and perfect knowledge," he said.When it comes to the prodigal son, consider that Jesus is using the parable to ask us to see ourselves in both roles, Elder Gong continued. Change is possible through the Atonement, and God is ready to welcome us home and judge us with perfect justice and perfect mercy, he concluded.—Jenny Rollins

Sunday, 01:55 pm

Sunday afternoon 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.