General Church leaders addressed members in Utah, Canada, and Papua New Guinea this week and shared inspiring messages on social media. Here are some highlights from the pulpit from the last few days.
“Let the holy temple be your guide and goal”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and others addressed youth in the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple district in a broadcast on Sunday. Church News reports that the broadcast also included a youth panel discussion with six men and six women? Or six total? and women from the area.
In his remarks, Elder Gong issued three invitations to the young people listening:
- Attend the Winnipeg Temple dedication
- Commit to be worthy to hold a temple recommend and use it to do proxy ordinances for ancestors
- Allow the temple to “draw you close to God our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.”
Read more remarks from Elder Gong and others who spoke during the broadcast from Church News.
“I knew the Lord would have me say His name”
Elder Ronald A. Rasband delivered a devotional address at Ensign College on Tuesday. He related that a few weeks ago, as he delivered a speech at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Bologna, Italy, he realized that none of the religious leaders at the summit had closed their remarks in the name of God or other Deity.
He wondered whether he should follow others’ lead or if he should close in the name of Jesus Christ. “As a special witness of Jesus Christ, called to bear witness of Him to all the world, I knew the Lord would have me say His name to conclude my message,” Elder Rasband said. “And so I did.”
Elder Rasband went on to say that all members of the Church are called upon to stand as witnesses of God and to be disciples in everything they say and do.
Read more about Elder Rasband’s address at Church News.
“We don't have to be perfect, but we can be worthy.”
Sister Becky Craven, Second Counslor in the Young Women General Presidency; Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency; and Elder K. Brett Nattress, First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, addressed Latter-day Saint women and girls in Papua New Guinea in a broadcast Monday.
During her address, Sister Craven wore a bilum bag—a woven string bag traditionally worn by women in Papua New Guinea—around her neck. She drew spiritual comparisons to the bag, saying, “My prayer is that as you prepare for the temple you will continue to collect things in your spiritual bilum that will qualify you for [temple] blessings. We don't have to be perfect, but we can be worthy.”
You can read more or watch the entire broadcast on Newsroom.