Elder Russell M. Nelson

Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke on Christ as the master healer. Elder Nelson said that church members can access Christ’s healing power through prayer and revelation and that healing is available to all those who have faith in Him.

“Thanks to Him no condition is hopeless,” he said. “Real joy awaits each of us on the other side of sorrow… Heavenly healing can come in His way and time.”

Elder Nelson also said that healing can come through a true testimony, which fosters faith and engenders people to serve God and their fellow man.

Elder Robert D. Hale

Elder Robert D. Hales spoke on the restoration of the gospel as brought forth by the Prophet Joseph Smith and many others — since before the earth was created.

Elder Hales named numerous individuals in history, including Columbus, John Calvin, Martin Luther and Johannes Guttenberg who played key roles in the bringing forth of the gospel in the latter days. Each had a role that contributed to the restoration of the gospel, he said.

“The Lord expects us to be as faithful, devoted and courageous as those who went before us,” Hales said.

Elder Won Yong Ko

Elder Won Yong Ko of the Quorum of the Seventy spoke on sacrifice, both as seen in the scriptures and as it applies in our time.

Elder Ko said it may be more difficult for church members in our day to make small sacrifices, but he expressed his belief that the sacrifices are of great worth.

“Don’t be afraid of sacrifice,” he said.

The Lord will always bless those who sacrifice and He will compensate them for it in the end, he said.

Elder Paul E. Koelliker

Elder Koelliker spoke of the blessings of covenants and families in keeping us safe from the world.

“Giving careful attention to covenant making is essential for our eternal salvation,” he said.

Covenants help us in the same way that Noah was able to save himself and his family from the flood through covenants he made with the Lord, he said.

“We too have entered into holy covenants with the Lord that we may be protected from the world,” he said.

Elder Lowell M. Snow

Elder Snow talked about the many voices seeking for attention in our lives, saying that Christ’s teachings set the path for us to follow.

“The Lord provides guidance and directions for families today in the same way he did to Lehi,” he said. “This very general conference is a Liahona to us. The teachings of this conference are the compass of the Lord.”

He said the Lord is not likely to reveal new paths to us unless we have already gone down the ones He has shown us. His path is easy, but we should not underestimate it.

Elder Ulisses Soares

Elder Soares taught that we needed to learn to serve others according to their needs.

We need to be like the Savior in seeking after sheep that are in need of help, he said. We need to look around and see who is in need and serve them in the way they need to be served.

“It does not matter whether it is a child a youth or an adult, everyone needs to feel love,” he said.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Elder Uchtdorf said that we needed to get to the basics of our faith to reach our destination, and that we shouldn’t focus on the organization itself. He said the basics included faith and moral agency.

“Living according to these principles will bring power and strength into our lives,” he said.

He said the programs of the church give us varied options and flexibility, but underneath is all, there are key points that are fundamental to what we do. He also said that though the church organization differs slightly from area to area, the spirit is the same.

“We have to be careful that the center of our testimony is not centered on the social activity of our church community or the wonderful activities,” he said.

President Gordon B. Hinckley

President Hinckley closed the final session of the conference by talking of the growth of the church and looking forward to the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith on Dec. 23.

He thanked everyone involved and bore his testimony.

“We leave with you our testimony of the divinity of this work,” he said. “How wonderful it is. How empty our lives would be without it.”



Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Oct 2005