When life seems darkest, continue walking toward the light. The empty tomb reminds us that because Jesus Christ lives, darkness does not have the final word. Image created by ChatGPT.

Encounter at the Empty Tomb: Finding Jesus Christ in Times of Faith, Uncertainty, and Discipleship

Introduction

In his April 2026 general conference address, “Encounter at the Empty Tomb,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf reflects on the women who approached the tomb of Jesus Christ early on the morning of the Resurrection. They came carrying grief, uncertainty, and unanswered questions. They were not expecting a miracle. They simply continued forward because of their love for the Savior.

What they discovered changed not only their lives but the course of human history: the tomb was empty. Jesus Christ had risen.

President Uchtdorf uses their experience to invite each of us to have our own encounter with the meaning of the empty tomb. We were not there on that Easter morning, but we can come to know through faith and personal spiritual experience that Jesus Christ lives. That knowledge should then influence how we live, serve, make choices, and treat others.  

Summary

President Uchtdorf begins with Mary and the other women making their way to Christ’s tomb while it was still dark. They were grieving and undoubtedly had questions about how the Savior, who had healed the sick, raised the dead, and performed miracles, could Himself have died. Yet they continued toward Him. They did not have complete understanding; they simply acted because they loved Him.  

At the tomb, they discovered that the stone had been rolled away and heard the extraordinary declaration that Jesus Christ had risen. President Uchtdorf emphasizes that this means Christ should not be viewed merely as a historical figure. Jesus Christ lives now. He continues to guide, comfort, strengthen, and bless those who follow Him.  

The women at the tomb were given two responsibilities: first, to see and understand what had happened, and second, to go and tell others. President Uchtdorf applies these same responsibilities to modern disciples. We should seek our own testimony of the Savior and then become witnesses of Him through both our words and our actions.  

One of the most meaningful parts of the message concerns unanswered questions. President Uchtdorf acknowledges that people may struggle with questions about life circumstances, the gospel, or the Church. He does not suggest that faith requires having every answer. Instead, he points to Mary and the other women: when everything seemed dark, they continued walking toward Christ. Understanding often comes after we begin moving forward in faith.  

Ultimately, the empty tomb becomes a symbol of hope. Because Christ overcame death, no darkness, sorrow, uncertainty, or difficulty needs to have the final word. The invitation is to become joyful and consistent disciples who allow belief in the risen Christ to change how we live each day.  

Five Memorable Quotes

1. “When the world is dark, the best place to go is toward ‘the light [that] shines in … darkness.’”  
2. “Even when things seem dark, we step forward in faith, with courage and humility, and walk toward the Savior’s light.”  
3. “Like the warmth and light of the morning sun, we will feel the love and healing of the Son of God.”  
4. “Darkness will give way to eternal light.”  
5. “Jesus Christ is the light that leads us through this life, through any valley of sorrow, over beautiful mountains of joy, and across any ocean of uncertainty or temptation.”  

How This Applies to Me

The part of this message that speaks most strongly to me is the example of the women walking toward the tomb before they knew what they would find. They did not understand everything. Their questions had not been answered. They were grieving and uncertain, yet they continued moving toward Christ.

That is an important reminder for me. I sometimes want understanding before action: I want to know how something will work out, why something happened, or what the eventual answer will be. This message reminds me that faith often reverses that order. Sometimes I must move forward first and allow understanding to come later.

It also makes me think about the experiences I have already had. President Uchtdorf asks, in essence, what have I personally seen, felt, or experienced? My testimony does not have to depend entirely on someone else’s experiences. I can look back on moments when I have felt peace, received guidance, experienced unexpected strength, or recognized God’s influence in my life. Those experiences become my own witnesses.

Another lesson concerns how I share what I believe. President Uchtdorf emphasizes that discipleship is not demonstrated only through words. Consistent acts of kindness, service, courage, patience, and love may communicate faith more powerfully than anything I say.  

Finally, the empty tomb reminds me to approach difficulties with hope. Problems can be real without being permanent. Questions can remain unanswered without destroying faith. Darkness can surround me without becoming my destination. The women went to the tomb while it was still dark—but morning was already coming.

Perhaps that is the message I most want to remember:

Keep walking toward the light, even when I cannot yet see the sunrise.

Reference: Uchtdorf, D. F. (2026, April). Encounter at the empty tomb. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04/41uchtdorf?lang=eng

Labels: discipleship, faith, hope, Jesus Christ, Resurrection

// posted by John Fisher @ September 13, 2026 0 Comments

 

King Solomon, painting by ChatGPT

Introduction

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are books of wisdom in the Old Testament, but they approach wisdom from different directions.

Proverbs teaches practical principles for living faithfully and wisely. Most of the book is associated with Solomon, although some sections were written or collected by others. Its short sayings compare wisdom with foolishness, righteousness with wickedness, diligence with laziness, and humility with pride. Proverbs teaches that true wisdom begins with reverence for God and is demonstrated through everyday choices.

Ecclesiastes is traditionally associated with Solomon and is narrated by “the Preacher.” It examines life through the eyes of someone who has pursued knowledge, pleasure, wealth, work, and achievement but discovered that none provides lasting meaning by itself. Its repeated word “vanity” means something fleeting, temporary, or difficult to grasp. Ecclesiastes ultimately teaches that life becomes meaningful when we receive it as a gift from God, live responsibly, and remember our Creator.

Memorable Verses from Proverbs

Proverbs 1

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
—Proverbs 1:7

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
—Proverbs 1:10

Wisdom begins with humility before God. We must also learn to resist people who invite us to compromise our values.

Proverbs 2

“For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
—Proverbs 2:6

“Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.”
—Proverbs 2:9

Wisdom is something we seek diligently, but it is ultimately given by God. It helps us recognize both good paths and dangerous ones.

Proverbs 3

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
—Proverbs 3:5

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
—Proverbs 3:6

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”
—Proverbs 3:13

“Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
—Proverbs 3:12

Trusting God does not mean that we stop thinking. It means recognizing the limits of our understanding and allowing Him to guide and correct us.

Proverbs 4

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
—Proverbs 4:7

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
—Proverbs 4:23

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
—Proverbs 4:18

Our direction in life is shaped by what we allow into our hearts and minds. Spiritual growth often comes gradually, like increasing morning light.

Proverbs 15

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
—Proverbs 15:1

“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
—Proverbs 15:13

“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”
—Proverbs 15:22

Words can either calm conflict or intensify it. Wise people control their responses and welcome trustworthy counsel.

Proverbs 16

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”
—Proverbs 16:3

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
—Proverbs 16:18

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
—Proverbs 16:24

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.”
—Proverbs 16:32

Real strength includes humility, self-control, and the ability to use words that heal rather than harm.

Proverbs 22

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.”
—Proverbs 22:1

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
—Proverbs 22:6

“He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”
—Proverbs 22:9

Character is more valuable than wealth. Parents influence children through consistent teaching and example, while generosity demonstrates genuine discipleship.

Proverbs 31

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”
—Proverbs 31:10

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
—Proverbs 31:26

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
—Proverbs 31:30

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is capable, industrious, generous, spiritually grounded, and trusted by her family. Her example applies broadly: lasting worth comes from character and devotion to God rather than appearance or public attention.

Memorable Verses from Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 1

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
—Ecclesiastes 1:2

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be.”
—Ecclesiastes 1:9

Earthly accomplishments are temporary. Human beings often repeat the same ambitions, mistakes, and struggles from one generation to another.

Ecclesiastes 2

“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought…and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit.”
—Ecclesiastes 2:11

“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour.”
—Ecclesiastes 2:24

Pleasure, possessions, and achievement cannot provide permanent fulfillment. Nevertheless, everyday work and simple blessings can be gratefully received as gifts from God.

Ecclesiastes 3

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
—Ecclesiastes 3:1

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
—Ecclesiastes 3:4

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.”
—Ecclesiastes 3:11

Life contains contrasting seasons. Faith helps us accept that sorrow and joy, beginnings and endings, all have a place in God’s larger plan.

Ecclesiastes 11

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”
—Ecclesiastes 11:1

“He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.”
—Ecclesiastes 11:4

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand.”
—Ecclesiastes 11:6

Waiting for perfect conditions can prevent us from accomplishing anything. We should act faithfully, work diligently, and accept that we cannot control every outcome.

Ecclesiastes 12

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.”
—Ecclesiastes 12:1

“Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”
—Ecclesiastes 12:12

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
—Ecclesiastes 12:13

The final chapter brings the book’s message into focus: remember God before age and declining strength arrive. Knowledge and achievement have limits, but reverence for God and obedience to His commandments give life lasting direction.

What We Can Learn from These Readings

1. Wisdom begins with God. Intelligence and experience are valuable, but spiritual wisdom begins when we humbly acknowledge the Lord.
2. Trust God when we cannot see the whole path. We can make thoughtful plans while recognizing that God understands circumstances and consequences that we cannot see.
3. Our words have power. A soft answer, pleasant words, and “the law of kindness” can calm anger, strengthen relationships, and encourage others.
4. Character matters more than status or wealth. A good name, integrity, generosity, humility, and self-control have more lasting value than possessions or recognition.
5. Life contains different seasons. There are appropriate times for grief, celebration, work, rest, holding on, and letting go. A difficult season is not necessarily permanent.
6. Earthly success cannot satisfy every spiritual need. Pleasure, wealth, education, and accomplishment are temporary when separated from God and a larger purpose.
7. Enjoy ordinary blessings. Food, family, meaningful work, laughter, and companionship are not insignificant; they are gifts from God.
8. Do not wait for perfect conditions. Faith requires action even when the future remains uncertain.
9. Remember the Creator throughout life. Ecclesiastes does not end in despair. It concludes that reverence for God and obedience to His commandments provide the stable foundation that worldly success cannot supply.

Together, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes teach a balanced message: seek wisdom, make righteous choices, work diligently, speak kindly, accept life’s changing seasons, enjoy God’s gifts, and keep an eternal perspective.

Labels: diligence, eternal perspective, humility, kindness, life’s seasons, meaningful work, righteous living, self-control, trust in God, Wisdom

// posted by John Fisher @ September 12, 2026 0 Comments

Image created by Gemini

“He Knows You by Name”

Elder Clement M. Matswagothata, April 2026 General Conference

Summary

Elder Matswagothata teaches that Jesus Christ knows each person individually. He knows our names, joys, sorrows, burdens, and unspoken prayers. The Savior’s Atonement enables Him not only to understand our suffering but also to strengthen and help us through it.

Elder Matswagothata explains that his surname means “getting out of a difficult situation” or “someone who can do hard things.” For him, this meaning symbolizes the Savior’s power to guide us through difficult seasons.

He recounts a time when grief, work pressures, family responsibilities, and Church service left him feeling overwhelmed. His reassurance came unexpectedly through a young boy who told him that his family prayed for him every morning and evening. Through this experience, Elder Matswagothata felt seen, loved, and remembered by the Savior.

The talk concludes by emphasizing that Christ will walk with us. The important question is whether we will deliberately walk with Him. Through faith, repentance, scripture study, covenants, and discipleship, we can receive His enabling power and find a way forward.

Central teaching

The Savior does not see us as anonymous members of a crowd. He knows and loves us individually. As we take His name upon ourselves through sacred covenants, His name becomes the most important part of our eternal identity.

Teaching points

1. Jesus Christ knows us personally.
   The Lord called Adam, Mary, Saul, Joseph Smith, and Moses by name. These examples show that God’s relationship with His children is personal.
2. The Savior understands every kind of suffering.
   Because of His Atonement, Christ understands grief, illness, loneliness, anxiety, temptation, and silent pain. He knows how to succor—or personally assist—us.
3. Pain does not mean God has abandoned us.
   Difficult circumstances are not evidence that God has stopped loving us. Trials may continue, but the Savior remains present.
4. God often answers prayers through other people.
   The Primary child and his family became instruments through whom Elder Matswagothata felt the Savior’s love.
5. We should notice and lift those around us.
   Just as God places people in our path to help us, He may place us in someone else’s path as an answer to prayer.
6. Covenants connect us with Christ’s power.
   Through baptism, the sacrament, and temple covenants, we take Christ’s name upon ourselves and gain access to His enabling power.
7. Following Christ must be intentional.
   Discipleship is more than occasional belief. It includes remembering Him, studying His words, repenting daily, and following Him consistently.
8. There is always a way forward through Christ.
   The Savior not only shows us the way through hardship; He is the way.

Key quotations

• “He hears, sees, and knows you.”
• “To the Savior, we are never lost in the crowd.”
• “Your pain is not a sign that God does not love you.”
• “The real question is ‘Will I walk with Him?’”
• “May we become the kind of disciples who notice, reach out, and lift as the Savior did.”
• “In His time and in His way, there is always a way forward.”
• “He not only knows the way; He is the way.”
• “He desires to lead us home—one by one, by name.”

Lessons learned

• I can trust that Christ knows what I am experiencing, even when other people do not.
• I should not interpret unanswered prayers or continuing trials as evidence that God has forgotten me.
• An encouraging word, prayer, smile, hymn, or simple act of kindness may become God’s answer to another person.
• I should pay closer attention to people who may be carrying quiet burdens.
• Remembering Christ during the sacrament can strengthen my covenant identity and help me face difficult circumstances.
• Peace does not always come because a problem immediately disappears. It can come from knowing that the Savior walks beside me.
• Following Christ requires deliberate daily choices.
• My deepest identity comes from taking upon myself the name of Jesus Christ.

Discussion questions

• When have you felt that the Savior knew you personally?
• Who has God placed in your path during a difficult time?
• How can we become better at noticing people who carry quiet burdens?
• What does it mean in daily life to take the name of Jesus Christ upon ourselves?
• What could you do this week to walk with Christ more deliberately?

Read “He Knows You by Name” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Labels: covenant identity, discipleship, divine love, Jesus Christ, known by name

// posted by John Fisher @ August 24, 2026 0 Comments

Job suffered but didn't lose faith in his Redeemer. Image created by ChatGPT.

Job, Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants

When Job 1–2, Job 19, Job 38–42, John 9, Mosiah 24, and Doctrine and Covenants 121–122 are read together, a remarkably consistent picture emerges. The scriptures do not give one simple explanation for all suffering. Instead, they challenge the assumption that suffering proves wickedness and teach that adversity can become a setting for faith, revelation, spiritual growth, and ultimately redemption through Jesus Christ.

1. Good people sometimes suffer precisely when they have done nothing to deserve it

This is perhaps the clearest lesson obtained by reading these passages together.

Job 1:1 deliberately establishes Job’s character before describing his catastrophes. He is “perfect and upright,” fears God, and avoids evil.

Yet almost everything is taken from him.

That fact is essential to the book’s theology. Job’s friends continually try to make suffering fit a simple formula:

Righteousness → blessings
Sin → suffering

Job’s experience demonstrates that mortal life is more complicated.

Jesus makes essentially the same correction in John 9. Seeing a man blind from birth, the disciples ask:

“Who did sin, this man, or his parents?”

Jesus answers:

“Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents.”

Christ therefore explicitly rejects the disciples’ attempt to identify someone’s moral guilt from his physical suffering.

Collective lesson: We should be extremely cautious about interpreting another person’s tragedy as evidence of God’s displeasure.

2. Sometimes God does not tell us why

This may be one of the most profound aspects of Job.

Job repeatedly wants an explanation. When God finally speaks in Job 38–41, He gives Job something different.

Rather than explaining the chain of events in chapters 1–2, God reveals something about Himself.

He asks Job questions about creation, nature, life, and the universe—matters vastly beyond Job’s control or comprehension.

The message is not simply, “You aren’t intelligent enough to understand.”

It is closer to:

You cannot see everything I see.

That changes Job’s perspective. In Job 42:3, Job acknowledges that he had spoken about things “too wonderful” for him to understand.

This is important because scripture does not promise that faithful people will receive a satisfactory explanation for every tragedy during mortality.

Sometimes the answer to “Why?” becomes “Do you trust Me even when you cannot see what I see?”

3. Faith does not require pretending that suffering doesn’t hurt

Job cries out. He mourns. He questions. He wishes he had never been born.

Joseph Smith does something remarkably similar from Liberty Jail:

“O God, where art thou?”
— D&C 121:1

That is significant.

The Lord does not condemn Joseph for asking the question.

Instead He answers:

“My son, peace be unto thy soul…”

The scriptures therefore distinguish questioning God in anguish from abandoning God.

A faithful person can simultaneously say:

“I believe in God”

and

“I don’t understand why God is allowing this.”

Job and Joseph Smith both demonstrate that those statements can coexist.

4. God may strengthen us before He removes the burden

Mosiah 24 adds an especially important Restoration perspective.

Alma’s people pray for deliverance from oppression. God hears them—but He doesn’t immediately eliminate the problem.

Instead:

“I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders…”

Then comes the remarkable description:

“The Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease.”

Only afterward does God deliver them.

There is a progression:

Burden → Prayer → Strength → Endurance → Deliverance

We often pray for God to change the circumstance.

Mosiah 24 teaches that sometimes His first miracle is to change our capacity to endure the circumstance.

5. Suffering can become experience rather than merely loss

The Doctrine and Covenants takes the principle another step.

The Lord tells Joseph:

“Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.”
— D&C 122:7

Notice that the Lord does not call terrible things good.

Rather, He says they can be for thy good.

That distinction matters.

The scriptures do not require us to call disease, death, persecution, betrayal, or tragedy good. They teach that God can take experiences that are genuinely painful and bring something redemptive from them.

This is very different from saying, “Everything happens because God wanted it to happen.”

These passages do not support such a simple conclusion.

They support the stronger and more nuanced proposition:

Whatever happens, God can work through it.

6. Job’s great answer ultimately points toward a Redeemer

In the middle of Job’s misery comes one of the Old Testament’s great declarations of hope:

“For I know that my redeemer liveth…”
— Job 19:25

Job’s circumstances have not yet changed.

His health isn’t restored. His losses haven’t been reversed. His questions haven’t been answered.

Yet he places his ultimate hope in a living Redeemer.

That becomes especially meaningful when read alongside the New Testament and Restoration scripture.

7. Jesus Christ changes the question

Doctrine and Covenants 122 reaches its theological climax with Christ:

“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?”
— D&C 122:8

This may be the most important answer of all.

Christianity does not present a God who merely watches human beings suffer from a distance.

God entered mortality and suffered Himself.

Jesus experienced rejection, betrayal, loneliness, injustice, physical agony, grief, temptation, and death.

Thus the Christian response to Job is ultimately not merely a philosophical explanation of suffering.

It is Jesus Christ.

Job says:

“I know that my redeemer liveth.”

The Doctrine and Covenants declares that this Redeemer has “descended below them all.”

So why do good people suffer?

Taken together, these scriptures suggest several answers:

1. Not all suffering is punishment for sin. Job and John 9 make this particularly clear.
2. Mortality includes genuine adversity, even for the righteous. Covenant faithfulness does not guarantee an adversity-free life.
3. We do not always know God’s purposes. Job never receives the kind of detailed causal explanation he initially seeks.
4. God can manifest His works through suffering. Jesus teaches this in John 9.
5. God sometimes strengthens us rather than immediately removing our burdens. Mosiah 24 illustrates this beautifully.
6. Adversity can produce experience and spiritual growth. D&C 122:7 explicitly teaches this.
7. It is permissible to grieve and ask God difficult questions. Both Job and Joseph Smith do so.
8. Deliverance may not come immediately. Job, Alma’s people, and Joseph all endure before circumstances change.
9. Our perspective is incomplete. Job 38–42 emphasizes the enormous difference between God’s knowledge and ours.
10. The ultimate Christian answer to suffering is Christ. He does not merely explain suffering; He enters it, descends beneath it, and ultimately overcomes it.

A particularly powerful progression

Read sequentially, I think these passages form an unusually meaningful Restoration scripture study:

Job 1–2:
Why is this happening to a good person?

↓

Job 19:
Even though I don’t understand, “I know that my redeemer liveth.”

↓

Job 38–42:
God sees realities that I cannot see.

↓

John 9:
Do not assume suffering means someone has sinned.

↓

Mosiah 24:
Sometimes God strengthens us before He delivers us.

↓

D&C 121:
“O God, where art thou?” — It is permissible to ask.

↓

D&C 122:
“All these things shall give thee experience.”

↓

Jesus Christ:
“The Son of Man hath descended below them all.”

The central message

Taken together, I would summarize their teaching this way:

Good people do not suffer simply because they are good or bad. Mortality includes suffering whose purposes we may not presently understand. God does not promise that the faithful will avoid adversity, but He promises His presence, strength, perspective, and eventual redemption. We may not receive an answer to every “Why?” in this life, but Christianity gives an answer to “Who is with me in it?”—Jesus Christ, who descended below all things and lives as our Redeemer.

That, in many ways, is the Restoration’s answer to the question Job began asking thousands of years ago.

Labels: Adversity, endurance, faith, redemption, Suffering

// posted by John Fisher @ August 16, 2026 0 Comments

I Glory in My Jesus

In his April 2026 general conference message, “I Glory in My Jesus,” Elder Aaron T. Hall teaches that discipleship is not only about knowing who Jesus Christ is, but about coming to know Him personally.

Elder Hall draws on Nephi’s declaration:

“I glory in my Jesus.” —2 Nephi 33:6

The word “my” is significant. Nephi had experienced the Lord’s help, mercy, protection, and sustaining power. Because of those experiences, Jesus Christ was not distant or abstract to him. Nephi knew the Savior personally.

Elder Hall encourages us to develop that same relationship with Christ. One way to do this is to study the many names and titles of Jesus Christ and consider what each reveals about His mission and His role in our lives.

Key Teachings

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer.
Through His Atonement, we can repent, receive forgiveness, and change. Repentance is not simply about correcting mistakes; it is an invitation to return to Christ and become more like Him.

Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd.
He guides, gathers, protects, and seeks after us. When we feel lost or uncertain, He continues to invite us to follow Him.

Jesus Christ is our Healer.
The Savior understands our physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. His healing may come immediately, gradually, or ultimately through the Resurrection, but His power to heal is certain.

Jesus Christ is our Advocate.
Because of His Atonement, Christ pleads our cause before the Father. We depend upon His grace and mercy rather than relying solely upon our own efforts.

Jesus Christ is our Lawgiver.
His commandments are not merely restrictions. They provide direction, protection, and a path that leads us back to God.

Jesus Christ is our Deliverer.
He can deliver us from sin, fear, temptation, sorrow, and ultimately from death. Sometimes He removes our trials; at other times, He gives us strength to endure them.

Names of Jesus Christ Highlighted in the Message

Jesus, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Messiah, Redeemer, Savior, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Good Shepherd, Healer, Advocate, Lawgiver, Deliverer, Master, Counselor, Friend, the Living Christ, and the Resurrected Christ.

Each name teaches us something about who Christ is and how He ministers to us.

A Question for Personal Study

Elder Hall’s message invites us to move from saying:

“Jesus Christ is the Savior”

to being able to say:

“Jesus Christ is my Savior.”

As we recognize His influence in our lives, our testimony becomes increasingly personal.

Consider asking:

Which name of Jesus Christ describes how I most need Him in my life today?

When we experience His mercy, direction, healing, forgiveness, and sustaining power, we can come to understand Nephi’s simple but powerful declaration:

“I glory in my Jesus.”

Reference

Hall, A. T. (2026, April). I glory in my Jesus. General Conference, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04/53hall?lang=eng

I can also turn this into a clean one-page printable PDF handout if you want.

Labels: covenants, discipleship, faith, Jesus Christ, redemption

// posted by John Fisher @ August 09, 2026 0 Comments

Helping Others Discover the Path Home to Jesus Christ

To those who are struggling to come home, know that it is your Savior who's the one calling you back.

This powerful address given by Elder Clark G. Gilbert during the April 2026 General Conference serves as a beautiful, encouraging reminder of the Savior's infinite mercy and the reality of redemption.

By John Fisher (assisted by AI)

Why This Article Has Deep Meaning

This address resonates because it tackles the silent, heavy vulnerabilities so many of us carry. It speaks directly to the modern anxieties of feeling like an outsider, wrestling with private doubts, or feeling fundamentally "not good enough" for God.

By framing Jesus Christ not just as a distant judge, but as a tender Redeemer and Repairer, the message shifts our focus away from our own shortcomings and redirects it toward His grace. It reminds us that the Church isn't a showcase for the perfect, but a refuge for the weary.

What You Can Learn

Perfection is Not a Prerequisite: You do not need to have your entire life or testimony flawlessly sorted out to show up. Christ asks for your best and promises to bridge the gap.

Anchor in Your Known Truths: When hit with doubts or complex questions, you don't have to resolve every single issue instantly. Instead, anchor yourself securely in what you *do* know and feel, and allow the Holy Ghost to guide you through the rest.

How to Best Help Loved Ones: When trying to guide a friend or family member back to the faith, the answer isn't to compromise your standards or "chase" them into the dark. The most powerful thing you can do is joyfully live your own covenants and keep your light shining bright.

Key Points Summary

1. The Savior as the Ultimate Repairer: While choices have real consequences and missteps can bind our future, the gospel provides a way out. Christ specializes in repairing the broken areas of our lives.

2. Overcoming the Four Barriers to Coming Home: Elder Gilbert uses real-life ministering stories to address the four common hurdles that keep people from returning:

• Feeling you don't belong (the fear of walking back through the chapel doors).
• Feeling you don't measure up (the false belief that everyone else is perfect).
• Wrestling with doubts (getting stuck on triggering or secondary faith questions).
• Being trapped by traditions (cultural or familial expectations that conflict with truth).

3. The Illusion of Secular Happiness: Pulling away from faith does not silence life’s deepest questions. Seeking fulfillment outside of Christ’s gospel is ultimately more exhausting than the journey of discipleship.

4. The "Saved a Seat" Principle: True discipleship means actively creating an environment of belonging. Like the students who turned on their phone flashlights in a crowded arena to guide latecomers, we must signal to others that there is a place saved specifically for them.

5 Highlighted Quotes from the Talk 

1. On Grace and Imperfection:

 "Brother Vargas, you don’t have to be perfect to be in this Church. You just have to do your best, and Christ will make up the difference."

2. On the Futility of Searching Outside the Gospel:

"As President Nelson taught, 'The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it!'"

3. On Handling Doubts and Questions:

"We promised them that as they anchored in the things they did believe, the Lord would help with the things they didn’t.

4. On How to Help Those Who Have Strayed:

"To those who are trying to help those they love, hold on to the truth. Keep your covenants. Helping others requires you to stay in your covenants."

5. On Christ's Personal Invitation:

"To those who are struggling to come home, know that it is your Savior who's the one calling you back. In the end, everyone must make their own choices to come home."

Reference:

Gilbert, Clark G. "Come Home." General Conference, April 2026. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04/15gilbert?lang=eng.

Labels: belonging, covenants, Grace, redemption, Testimony

// posted by John Fisher @ June 14, 2026 0 Comments

“Holiness to the Lord”: Why It Matters Today

The scripture block for April 27–May 3 (Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1, 4, 16, 19) can feel, at first glance, highly procedural—filled with architectural details, ritual instructions, and laws that seem distant from modern life. But that reading would miss the central doctrinal thrust. These chapters are not primarily about ancient practices; they are about transformation. They answer a fundamental covenant question: How does God turn a people recently freed from bondage into a holy people prepared to live in His presence?

From Deliverance to Transformation

The Exodus from Egypt was only the beginning. Deliverance from physical captivity did not automatically produce spiritual holiness. The Lord’s stated objective was much higher: “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). That is not a symbolic expectation—it is a covenantal requirement tied directly to entering God’s presence.

To accomplish this, the Lord established three interlocking systems:

1. Sacred Space (the tabernacle)
2. Sacred Practice (ordinances and sacrifice)
3. Sacred Living (commandments and covenant behavior)

Each of these was designed to orient Israel toward Jesus Christ, the only source of true holiness.

The Tabernacle: A Pattern for Returning to God

The tabernacle was more than a place of worship—it was a theological map. Its structure (outer courtyard, holy place, and Holy of Holies) represented increasing proximity to God’s presence . Movement through that space symbolized the spiritual journey of every disciple.

Every object inside the tabernacle reinforced this pattern:

• The altar of sacrifice taught that forgiveness requires atonement.
• The laver taught that spiritual cleansing is required before entering holy space.
• The candlestick symbolized divine light—ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
• The altar of incense represented prayer ascending to God.
• The veil represented separation from God—and the means of return through Christ.
• The ark of the covenant symbolized God’s throne and covenant relationship.

These were not random ritual elements; they were a symbolic curriculum pointing Israel toward the Savior. As your source material notes, the entire system was designed to teach “their journey through life and back to the presence of God” .

For Latter-day Saints, the connection is direct. The tabernacle is an ancient prototype of the temple. The same doctrinal logic applies: we move from the world toward God through covenants, ordinances, and the enabling power of Jesus Christ. The symbolism is not outdated—it is continuous.

Sacrifice: From the Offering to the Offerer

Leviticus can be difficult because of its emphasis on sacrifice. Yet this is where the doctrine becomes most explicit. Ancient sacrifices were not ends in themselves; they were types and shadows of Christ’s Atonement.

The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) illustrates this clearly:

• Blood was taken through the veil into the presence of God.
• A scapegoat symbolically carried away the sins of the people.

Both acts pointed forward to Jesus Christ, who would actually bear sin and open the way back to the Father. The text is explicit: these rituals taught that sin must be removed for God’s presence to remain among His people.

Importantly, sacrifice did not disappear—it evolved. After Christ’s Atonement, the focus shifted “from the offering to the offerer” . Today, disciples are commanded to offer “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:20).

This is where the doctrine becomes personally relevant. Holiness is not achieved through external compliance alone. It requires internal surrender.

A Willing Heart: The Foundation of Covenant Living

Exodus 35–36 introduces a critical principle often overlooked: the Lord required offerings, but He emphasized willingness. The people gave “with a willing heart.”

This matters doctrinally. God is not building structures—He is shaping disciples. The tabernacle itself was constructed from consecrated offerings, symbolizing that holiness is built from voluntary devotion, not compulsion.

For a modern Latter-day Saint, this translates directly into:

• How we approach callings
• How we give time and resources
• How we engage in covenant responsibilities

The Lord is still asking for offerings—but they are expressed in agency-driven consecration.

Holiness in Daily Life: Leviticus 19

If Exodus teaches symbolic holiness, Leviticus 19 teaches applied holiness. The commandments in this chapter are strikingly practical:

• Care for the poor
• Honesty in dealings
• Respect for parents
• Moral discipline
• Love for neighbor

Holiness is not confined to sacred space. It is demonstrated in everyday behavior. This resolves a common misunderstanding: temple worship does not replace daily discipleship—it intensifies accountability for it.

Why This Matters Today

For an LDS audience, the relevance is immediate and doctrinally central.

1. It clarifies the purpose of the temple.
The temple is not just a place for ordinances; it is part of the same divine pattern established in Exodus. It teaches how to return to God through Christ.

2. It reframes repentance.
Leviticus shows that atonement has always required intentional participation. Today, repentance is the lived expression of offering a broken heart.

3. It defines holiness as a process, not a status.
Israel was not instantly holy after leaving Egypt. Likewise, modern disciples are in a process of refinement. Holiness is developed through covenant fidelity over time.

4. It emphasizes Christ as the center.
Every symbol in the tabernacle and every act of sacrifice points to Jesus Christ. Without Him, the system collapses. With Him, it becomes transformative.

5. It reinforces covenant identity.
“Holiness to the Lord” was engraved on the high priest’s crown. Today, it is effectively engraved on the lives of covenant members. It defines who we are and how we live.

Conclusion

These chapters are not relics of an obsolete religious system. They are foundational texts that explain how God prepares His people to live in His presence. The tabernacle teaches the path. Sacrifice teaches the cost. The commandments teach the lifestyle.

For Latter-day Saints, the message is direct: leaving “Egypt” (sin, distraction, worldliness) is not enough. The objective is to become holy through Jesus Christ.

That doctrine is not ancient—it is urgent.

Labels: atonement, covenant, holiness, LDS temple, sacrifice, tabernacle

// posted by John Fisher @ May 03, 2026 0 Comments

 Here is a clear visual representation of the ancient tabernacle from the time of Moses, showing its layout and key elements:

The Ancient Tabernacle (Wilderness Layout)

6

How to Read This Image

The structure is organized in increasing levels of holiness as one moves inward:

1. Outer Courtyard

• Altar of Sacrifice: Where offerings were made (symbol of Christ’s sacrifice)
• Laver (Basin): Used for washing (symbol of spiritual cleansing)

2. Holy Place (Tent Interior – First Room)

• Candlestick (Menorah): Represents divine light
• Table of Shewbread: Represents God’s provision and covenant
• Altar of Incense: Represents prayers ascending to God

3. Holy of Holies (Innermost Room)

• Ark of the Covenant: Symbol of God’s presence
• Separated by the veil, representing the boundary between God and man

Doctrinal Insight

This layout is not just architectural—it is theological. It visually teaches the progression:

• Sacrifice → Cleansing → Light → Prayer → Presence of God

For Latter-day Saints, this pattern directly parallels temple worship and the covenant path: moving from the world toward the presence of God through Jesus Christ.

Labels: atonement, covenant, holiness, sacrifice, tabernacle

// posted by John Fisher @ May 03, 2026 0 Comments