Some important thoughts from the prophets during October 2021 General Conference, in order. You can read these thoughts like a long, united discourse with some key messages:
President Nelson, Saturday morning introduction:
I invite you to listen for three things during this conference: pure truth, the pure doctrine of Christ, and pure revelation. Contrary to the doubts of some, there really is such a thing as right and wrong. There really is absolute truth—eternal truth. One of the plagues of our day is that too few people know where to turn for truth.2 I can assure you that what you will hear today and tomorrow constitutes pure truth.
Elder Christofferson, Saturday morning session:
The way of the world, as you know, is anti-Christ, or “anything but Christ.” Our day is a replay of Book of Mormon history in which charismatic figures pursue unrighteous dominion over others, celebrate sexual license, and promote accumulating wealth as the object of our existence. Their philosophies “justify in committing a little sin”17 or even a lot of sin, but none can offer redemption. That comes only through the blood of the Lamb. The best the “anything but Christ” or “anything but repentance” crowd can offer is the unfounded claim that sin does not exist or that if it exists, it ultimately has no consequences. I can’t see that argument getting much traction at the Final Judgment…
…Here is the solution for our incessantly quarrelsome times—the love of God. In the golden age of Book of Mormon history following the Savior’s ministry, it is reported that “there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.”31 As we strive toward Zion, remember the promise in Revelation: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the [holy] city.”32
Elder Soares, Saturday morning:
The Lord fixes judgment upon those who take it upon themselves to judge the supposed shortcomings of others unrighteously. In order to qualify ourselves to make righteous judgments, we must strive to become like the Savior and look at the imperfections of individuals compassionately, even through His eyes. Considering we still have a long way to go to reach perfection, perhaps it would be better if we sit at Jesus’s feet and plead for mercy for our own imperfections, as did the repentant woman in the Pharisee’s house, and not spend so much time and energy fixating on the perceived imperfections of others.
Elder Rasband, Saturday evening session:
The most important words we can hear, ponder, and follow are those revealed through our living prophet. I bear witness that I have sat in counsel with President Nelson to discuss weighty matters of the Church and of the world, and I have seen revelation flow through him. He knows the Lord, he knows His ways, and he desires that all of God’s children will hear Him, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Elder Cook, Sunday morning session:
One of the great lessons in the Old Testament period relates to Father Abraham. Abraham and Lot, his nephew, were wealthy but found they could not dwell together. To eliminate strife, Abraham allowed Lot to choose the land he wanted. Lot chose the plain of Jordan, which was both well watered and beautiful. Abraham took the less fertile plain of Mamre. The scriptures read that Abraham then pitched his tent and built “an altar unto the Lord.”20 Lot, on the other hand, “pitched his tent toward Sodom.”21 To have peaceful relationships, the lesson is clear: we should be willing to compromise and eliminate strife with respect to matters that do not involve righteousness. As King Benjamin taught, “Ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably.”22 But on conduct relating to righteousness and doctrinal imperatives, we need to remain firm and steadfast.
If we want to have the peace which is the reward of the works of righteousness, we will not pitch our tents toward the world. We will pitch our tents toward the temple.
Elder Andersen, Sunday afternoon session:
The Lord always keeps His promises. He opens the way for us as we do His work.
For years we had hoped to purchase the internet domain sites ChurchofJesusChrist.org and ChurchofJesusChrist.com. Neither was for sale. About the time of President Nelson’s announcement, both were suddenly available. It was a miracle.15
President Nelson, Sunday afternoon session:
The pandemic has demonstrated how quickly life can change, at times from circumstances beyond our control. However, there are many things we can control. We set our own priorities and determine how we use our energy, time, and means. We decide how we will treat each other. We choose those to whom we will turn for truth and guidance.
The voices and pressures of the world are engaging and numerous. But too many voices are deceptive, seductive, and can pull us off the covenant path. To avoid the inevitable heartbreak that follows, I plead with you today to counter the lure of the world by making time for the Lord in your life—each and every day.
If most of the information you get comes from social or other media, your ability to hear the whisperings of the Spirit will be diminished. If you are not also seeking the Lord through daily prayer and gospel study, you leave yourself vulnerable to philosophies that may be intriguing but are not true. Even Saints who are otherwise faithful can be derailed by the steady beat of Babylon’s band.
My brothers and sisters, I plead with you to make time for the Lord! Make your own spiritual foundation firm and able to stand the test of time by doing those things that allow the Holy Ghost to be with you always.
Never underestimate the profound truth that “the Spirit speaketh … of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be.”1 “It will show unto you all things what ye should do.”2
I really loved Conference. Thanks for highlighting these quotes.
I found Elder Uchtdorf’s talk about people going in circles a very deep analogy. As a pilot, he knows better than anyone that lines on a globe, the shortest distance from one place to another without going through the Earth, are curved. Mathematically these lines lie on “great circles”. The equator is a “great circle”. With this information, Elder Uchtdorf was saying that people are choosing a too small circle! He knew from experience the need for constant recalibration. Superficially his analogy could have seemed to mean something like “don’t trust yourself” but actually the analogy points to something more like “get your bearings right, choose the greatest circle”
Maybe that’s too math-geeky. But it was fun to talk to my kids about spherical geometry, how being on a circular path doesn’t make it the wrong one. There’s all kinds of flat maps of the earth, and straight lines on them are misleading.
I also found Elder Renlund’s talk quite inspiring. He and I disagree about many things, and yet I really appreciated the thrust of his talk, if not every particular detail.
Many lower quality versions of his talk would definitely come across as hypocritical, judging the judgers, contending about contention, that kind of thing. But Elder Renlund comes down firmly on the side of real tolerance, rather that the virtue-signalling, cry-bullying kind. And it’s quite refreshing since most liberal, compassionate types have fallen into a laziness that only affirms fake one-sided compassion and liberality.