Image of Jesus surrounded by the hosts of Heaven.

Preparing to Meet the Savior: 

A Joyful Journey of Faith and Service

Based on Elder Dale G. Renlund’s April 2025 General Conference Address

---

Introduction

In a world filled with uncertainty, talk of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ can often lead to feelings of fear or anxiety—especially among the young. In his April 2025 General Conference talk, Personal Preparation to Meet the Savior, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed these concerns with clarity, hope, and actionable guidance. Drawing from three parables taught by the Savior, Elder Renlund helps us understand what personal preparation truly means and how we can embrace the Second Coming with joyful optimism.

---

Summary of the Talk

Elder Renlund began with a story of a young girl in Primary who admitted being afraid of the Second Coming. This honest concern set the stage for a powerful message: we do not need to fear the future if we follow the Savior’s teachings, which are simple and direct.

He focused on three parables from Matthew 25:

1. The Ten Virgins – A lesson about spiritual preparedness, receiving truth, and avoiding deception through the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

2. The Talents – A reminder that God expects us to magnify our individual abilities, not to compare ourselves to others.

3. The Sheep and the Goats – A call to serve others, especially the vulnerable, for in doing so, we serve Christ Himself.

These stories reinforce three key actions: accept the gospel and follow Jesus Christ, develop and use your unique gifts, and actively serve others. With these principles, we can face the future with confidence and peace.

---

Five Notable Quotes

1. “His instructions are neither mysterious nor complex. When we follow them, we do not need to fear or be anxious.”

2. “We are wise when we accept the gospel, seek to have the Holy Ghost with us, and avoid deception.”

3. “God expects us to magnify the abilities we have been given, but He does not want us to compare our abilities to those of others.”

4. “When we serve others, we serve God; when we don’t, we disappoint.”

5. “Rely on those who love you and who love the Savior. Seek God’s guidance to develop your unique abilities, and help others, even when it isn’t easy.”

---

Conclusion and Suggestions for Follow-Up

Elder Renlund’s message is both a comfort and a call to action. Instead of focusing on fear about the future, we can find strength in following Christ, listening to the Spirit, and helping others.

Here are some ways to apply this message in your life:

• Study Matthew 25 and reflect on how each parable applies to your spiritual journey.

• Set a goal to regularly invite the Holy Ghost through personal prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance.

• Evaluate your talents and ask how you can better magnify them in service to others.

• Look for opportunities to serve those who are struggling—especially the “least of these.”

• Teach your children or youth in simple, joyful terms what it means to prepare to meet the Savior.

As Elder Renlund emphasized, preparation is not about panic—it is about purpose. When we prepare in faith, we are promised peace and joy, both now and in the life to come.

---

Reference (APA Style)

Renlund, D. G. (2025, April). Personal preparation to meet the Savior. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/04/25renlund?lang=eng

---

Keywords:

Second Coming, preparation, service, parables, Holy Ghost

Hashtags:

#SecondComing #FaithOverFear #ServeOthers #GospelLiving #LDSConference

Labels: Holy Ghost, parables, preparation, Second Coming, service

Aaronic Priesthood and the Power of Young Men

Image created by chatGPT

By John Fisher (assisted by AI)

Introduction

In the April 2025 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President, offered a powerful testimony of the sacred authority and eternal significance of the Aaronic Priesthood. In his address, “Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men,” President Lund emphasized the spiritual strength, global impact, and sacred duties of young men who hold the Aaronic Priesthood. His message was rich in doctrine and deeply human in tone, grounded in stories that reveal the priesthood’s quiet but transformative power.

---

Summary of the Talk

President Lund’s talk centered on the sacred calling and spiritual authority bestowed upon young men through the Aaronic Priesthood. He described how this divine conferral is not merely a rite of passage but a worldwide, time-spanning chain reaction that connects each young priesthood holder to Christ through John the Baptist, Joseph Smith, and Oliver Cowdery.

The Aaronic Priesthood is a preparatory priesthood, empowering young men to teach, administer ordinances, and act in God’s name in ways that bless others and prepare themselves for lifelong service. President Lund bore testimony that these roles—administering the sacrament, warning and inviting others to Christ, and serving their communities—are acts of spiritual power and love. Through two deeply moving stories, he illustrated how priesthood duties—performed with compassion, consistency, and conviction—can soften hearts, forge eternal bonds, and fulfill the Lord’s purposes.

---

Illustrated Stories from the Talk

1. The Conversion of Alan
In one story, a group of young deacons began visiting elderly members of their ward, including Alan—a gruff, profane man who had resisted the gospel for years. Through acts of service, patience, and genuine friendship, the boys softened his heart. They invited him to quorum meetings, practiced missionary lessons with him, and prayed for him. When he became seriously ill, Alan asked for their help to stop smoking. Eventually, he desired baptism, but passed away before it could happen. One of "his boys" later baptized a proxy for him in the temple. The boys fulfilled every duty of their priesthood, from service to teaching to sacred ordinance.

2. The Grieving Bishop and the Sacrament
Another powerful account involved a bishop whose two-year-old daughter died the day before his son’s baptism. Despite his grief, he felt inspired to join his priests at the sacrament table the next morning and pronounce the sacrament prayers himself. The congregation, stunned by his strength, heard the sacramental covenant with new reverence and power. This act of priesthood in the face of sorrow became a spiritual anchor for both the bishop’s family and the ward.

---

Quotes from the Talk

1. “There should be trumpets and crashing cymbals and blazing Roman candles. There should be parades!”

2. “This controlled chain reaction began with a ministering angel sent of God.”

3. “Deacons can be hard to hate, and Alan eventually began to love them.”

4. “Such serious expectations require serious preparation.”

5. “Words of eternal consequence. Words of ordinance. Words of covenant.”

---

Open-Ended Questions for Discussion

1. How have you seen young men influence others through quiet acts of service in your community?

2. What does it mean to you that the Aaronic Priesthood connects holders directly to Jesus Christ through divine authority?

3. In what ways can we better support and prepare young priesthood holders for lifelong ministry?

4. How does the story of the bishop and the sacrament prayers deepen your understanding of the power of ordinances during times of grief?

5. How can priesthood holders be examples of “love unfeigned” in today’s world?

---

Conclusion

President Lund’s talk is a stirring call to recognize and honor the divine authority held by young men around the world. Through their service, priesthood duties, and spiritual maturity, these young men prepare themselves to bless others and advance the gathering of Israel. Their roles are not symbolic—they are transformative. From snow-shoveling deacons to grief-stricken bishops, President Lund bore witness that priesthood power, when exercised with faith and compassion, brings the Spirit, changes lives, and fulfills eternal purposes.

---

Keywords: Aaronic Priesthood, service, covenant, youth ministry, priesthood authority
#AaronicPriesthood #PriesthoodPower #YoungMenLeadership #LDSConference #GatheringIsrael

---

Reference (APA style):
Lund, S. J. (2025, April). Divine authority, sublime young men. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/04/22lund

Labels: Aaronic Priesthood, covenant, priesthood authority, service, youth ministry

Our Savior asked:

“For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. …

“… I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” 1 Nephi 21:15-16

“I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world.” 3 Nephi 18:25

That is our charge. We must feel and see for ourselves and then help all of Heavenly Father’s children to feel and see and know that our Savior has taken upon Himself not only all our sins but also our pains and our suffering and afflictions so that He can know what we feel and how to comfort us.

--Linda S. Reeves, Sept. 2012, Relief Society Conference

Labels: Compassion, Jesus Christ, service