Sunday, July 06, 2025
Confidence Before God
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| President Nelson and his great-granddaughter - LDS Photo |
President Nelson’s Invitation to Charity and Virtue to Prepare for the Second Coming
By John Fisher (assisted by AI)
In his April 2025 General Conference address, President Russell M. Nelson delivered a powerful and personal message titled “Confidence in the Presence of God.” With clarity and love, he reminded members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that true confidence—especially in approaching our Heavenly Father—comes not from worldly accomplishments, but through charity, virtue, temple worship, and covenant keeping. In a world shaken by hostility, fear, and confusion, President Nelson offered a Christ-centered path to spiritual confidence and peace.
Summary:
President Nelson acknowledged the ongoing progress and strength of today’s rising generation, sharing a tender experience with his great-granddaughter that prompted deep reflection on faith in Jesus Christ. He emphasized that confidence before God is available to all who earnestly live the gospel and seek the Savior. Drawing upon the Lord’s counsel in Doctrine and Covenants 121, President Nelson taught that charity and virtue are the spiritual keys to confidence before God.
He reiterated his previous call to be peacemakers, denouncing contention in public and private dialogue. Charity, he declared, is the “foundation of a godly character.” Virtue, likewise, transforms our thoughts and uplifts our minds. Time spent in the temple increases our spiritual strength, enhances both charity and virtue, and prepares us for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Five Powerful Quotes:
1. “When we make and keep covenants with God, we can have confidence that is born of the Spirit.”
2. “Charity and virtue open the way to having confidence before God.”
3. “Contention prevents the Holy Ghost from being our constant companion.”
4. “Virtue will drive away those thoughts. Virtue will free you from anxious, troublesome thoughts.”
5. “As we diligently seek to have charity and virtue fill our lives, our confidence in approaching God will increase.”
Conclusion:
President Nelson’s message is a clarion call to discipleship rooted in the Savior’s love and purity. In a time when moral clarity and spiritual peace are under siege, we are invited to intentionally cultivate charity and virtue. By doing so, we increase our confidence before God, prepare for the Savior’s return, and serve as instruments of peace in a turbulent world. His promise is both personal and universal: with spiritual preparation, our joy, faith, and divine power will grow beyond our greatest hopes.
Suggestions for Follow-Up:
1. Reflect on your personal level of confidence in approaching God. What might be hindering it?
2. Study Doctrine and Covenants 121:45–46 and journal ways to apply it in daily life.
3. Choose one way each week to demonstrate charity in your home, church, or online interactions.
4. Commit to weekly temple attendance or temple preparation efforts.
5. Pray specifically for the gift of charity and increased virtue in your thoughts and actions.
Reference:
Nelson, R. M. (2025, April). Confidence in the presence of God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/04/57nelson?lang=eng
Keywords:
charity, virtue, confidence, temple worship, Second Coming
Hashtags:
#PresidentNelson #ConfidenceInGod #CharityAndVirtue #GeneralConference2025 #FollowTheProphet
Labels: charity, confidence, Second Coming, temple worship, virtue
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Think Celestial
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| Accra Ghana temple - lds.org |
Think Celestial: Embracing Eternal Perspectives
By John Fisher
Summary
In his address, President Nelson urged listeners to adopt an eternal perspective by “thinking celestial.” He taught that our choices in mortality determine our eternal destiny, including where we will live, the type of body we will be resurrected with, and with whom we will spend eternity. Drawing on personal experiences, including recent physical challenges, he testified of the Savior’s Atonement as the key to God’s “fabulous plan” for His children. By prioritizing faith, obedience, and moral purity, and through temple worship, individuals can align their lives with eternal principles and receive divine blessings.
- “Your choices will determine where you will live throughout eternity, the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and those with whom you will live forever.”
- “Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded. To be spiritually minded is life eternal.”
- “Because of Jesus Christ’s infinite Atonement, our Heavenly Father’s plan is a perfect plan!”
- “Put Jesus Christ first because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement.”
- “When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial!”
- “The very things that will make your mortal life the best it can be are exactly the same things that will make your life throughout all eternity the best it can be!”
- “Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest eternal import.”
- “The ordinances and covenants of the temple are of eternal significance.”
- “The power to create life is the one privilege of godhood that Heavenly Father allows His mortal children to exercise.”
- “The temple is a place of revelation. There you are shown how to progress toward a celestial life.”
Conclusion
President Nelson’s call to “think celestial” serves as a reminder to prioritize eternal truths in a temporal world. Through faith in Jesus Christ, adherence to divine laws, and engagement in sacred temple covenants, individuals can find peace, guidance, and eternal joy. This mindset not only prepares us for challenges but transforms trials into opportunities for spiritual growth. President Nelson’s words inspire us to see beyond today and focus on our ultimate celestial goals.
Reference
Nelson, R. M. (2023, October). Think Celestial. General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/51nelson?lang=eng
Hashtags: #ThinkCelestial #FaithInChrist #EternalPerspective #TempleBlessings #MoralCourage
Labels: celestial kingdom, eternal perspective, faith, obedience, temple worship
Monday, December 09, 2024
Kirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple and the Restoration of Priesthood Keys
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| Kirtland Ohio Temple |
By John Fisher
The Kirtland Temple holds profound significance in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Russell M. Nelson eloquently emphasized the essential role of this sacred edifice in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through remarkable heavenly visitations and the conferral of priesthood keys, the Kirtland Temple became a pivotal location in fulfilling the latter-day mission of the Lord’s Church. This article explores the events of April 3, 1836, the doctrinal implications of priesthood keys, and the temple’s eternal significance for individuals and families.
Summary of Key Events
On Easter Sunday, April 3, 1836, the Kirtland Temple became the site of an extraordinary series of heavenly visitations experienced by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. The first visitation was from the Lord Jesus Christ, who appeared in resplendent glory. Describing the event, Joseph recorded that the Savior’s “eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun.” During this sacred encounter, Jesus Christ reaffirmed His divine identity, accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house, and made the stunning promise: “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.”
Following this visitation, three ancient prophets appeared. Moses conferred the keys for the gathering of Israel, Elias committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, and Elijah restored the keys of sealing power. These priesthood keys are essential for temple ordinances and covenants that bind families eternally. Their restoration was crucial for the fulfillment of the Lord’s purposes in the latter days.
Quotes and Teachings
President Nelson underscored the eternal significance of priesthood keys:
“Priesthood keys distinguish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other organization on earth. Without priesthood keys, we would lack access to the essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us to live with God.”
He also invited individuals to consider their personal connection to temple worship:
“Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever.”
On the blessings of temple worship, President Nelson promised:
“Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit.”
Conclusion
The events at the Kirtland Temple stand as a testament to the divine mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the restoration of priesthood keys. These keys enable covenant-keeping individuals to receive sacred blessings that extend beyond mortality. As President Nelson highlighted, the temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has prepared for His children. Through temple worship, individuals can find strength, revelation, and eternal connections with their loved ones.
President Nelson’s counsel encourages each of us to reflect on the profound spiritual privileges available through temple ordinances. The Kirtland Temple serves as a sacred symbol of God’s love for His children and His eternal plan for their happiness. Let us rejoice in the Restoration and seek the blessings of the temple with faith and devotion.
Reference:
President Russell M. Nelson. "Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys." April 2024 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/57nelson?lang=eng
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (December 2024 version). Retrieved from https://chat.openai.com.
Keywords:
Kirtland Temple, priesthood keys, temple worship, Restoration, eternal blessings
Hashtags:
#PriesthoodKeys #KirtlandTemple #TempleBlessings #RestorationOfTheGospel #LatterDaySaints
Labels: eternal blessings, Kirtland Temple, priesthood keys, Restoration, temple worship
Saturday, December 07, 2024
Second Coming
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| The Second Coming by Harry Anderson |
Preparing the World for the Savior's Return
by John Fisher
In his October 2024 General Conference address, "The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again," President Russell M. Nelson emphasizes the urgency of preparing for the Savior's Second Coming. He highlights the accelerated construction of temples worldwide as a divine directive to gather Israel on both sides of the veil and to ready the world for the Lord's return. President Nelson calls upon individuals to prioritize their discipleship, engage in regular temple worship, and deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ's Atonement. He assures that sincere seekers will find the Savior in the temple, receive answers to their deepest questions, and experience profound joy through His gospel.
Summary
President Nelson described the majesty and urgency of the Lord's work in our time, highlighting the unprecedented pace of temple construction. He explained that temples are being built at the Lord's instruction because their blessings are essential for gathering Israel on both sides of the veil. Furthermore, temples prepare a covenant people to help ready the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. President Nelson urged saints to recognize the sacred significance of this moment in hastening the Lord's work.
Quotes
Concluding his message, President Nelson testifies of the Savior's imminent return and the joy that awaits the righteous. He invites all to rededicate their lives to Jesus Christ, actively participate in gathering Israel, and prepare the world for the Second Coming. He affirms that as individuals fully turn their hearts to the Savior, they will witness the Lord hastening His work and experience the best that is yet to come.
Promises for Temple Attendance
President Russell M. Nelson has extended several promises to those who engage in temple worship and uphold their covenants:
Miracles in Your Life: "I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples."
Safety Amid Upheaval: "Whenever any kind of upheaval occurs in your life, the safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!"
Personal Revelation and Protection: "Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing!"
Spiritual Strength and Guidance: "As you marry in the temple and return repeatedly, you will be strengthened and guided in your decisions."
Increased Access to Divine Power: "Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ."
These promises underscore the profound spiritual benefits of regular temple attendance and faithful covenant keeping.
Reference:
Nelson, R. M. (2024, October). The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again. General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/57nelson?lang=eng
Hashtags: #SecondComing #TempleWorship #FollowChrist #Atonement #GatherIsrael
Labels: atonement, discipleship, gathering Israel, Russell M. Nelson, Second Coming, temple worship
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