PROVO, Utah — All truth — all pure knowledge — can be circumscribed by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, said Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf Aug. 22.
"Of all the treasures of knowledge, the most vital is the knowledge of God, of His existence, His powers, His love and His promises," he said. "This is why the restoration of the gospel is such a tremendous blessing and of such great importance for each and every one of us."
Addressing 22,000 Church members gathered in the BYU Marriott Center for the university's annual Campus Education Week devotional, Elder Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke on "Truth Restored."
Elder Uchtdorf's address followed the theme of Education Week, "Seek Learning" taken from the Lord's injunction to "seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118).
The restored Church of Jesus Christ has always encouraged its members to pursue knowledge and education, through study and also by faith, line upon line and precept by precept, he said.
"For us, knowledge is understood to be an active, motivating force rather than simply a passive awareness of facts," he said. "Indeed, certain truths must be understood and applied because they are essential for salvation and eternal life."
The scriptures, Elder Uchtdorf said, encourage Church members to seek deeply and broadly to gain knowledge of both heavenly and earthy things. The restoration of the gospel, he continued, opened doors to glorious sources of knowledge and wisdom.
"Secular knowledge alone can never save a soul nor open the celestial kingdom to anyone," he said. "Life itself, the gospel and God cannot be understood through research alone. For that understanding we must be taught from on high."
Elder Uchtdorf said the key to that understanding is faithful application of gospel principles .
"Applying knowledge of divine truth leads to wisdom," he explained. "Our learning, even by study and also by faith, when directed toward the Restoration will give us supernal knowledge and wisdom to cope with the challenges of daily life and prepare us to receive all the blessings of eternity."
Therefore, Elder Uchtdorf said, he focused his message on his testimony of the "restitution of all things" — meaning the restoration of all things.
"God lives and He speaks to us today as He did anciently. This is the message and the testimony we as Church members need to have in our hearts and in our minds and carry into all the world."
Elder Uchtdorf then shared the conversion story of his mother-in-law, Carmen Reich, who as a 36-year-old widowed mother joined the Church in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1954. She recognized several key points of the Restoration and left them in a hand-written testimony, including modern revelation, sacred priesthood authority, the Book of Mormon, faith in a personal God, belief in a pre-mortal life, the Word of Wisdom and temple work.
"How grateful I am for Sister Reich," Elder Uchtdorf said. "How grateful I am for the missionaries. How grateful I am for the families who have prepared these missionaries. How grateful I am for the Restoration."
The key messages of the Restoration have the power to bring divine feelings to the heart and mind of the earnest seeker of truth, irrespective of the person's cultural or religious background, said Elder Uchtdorf. "There are no geographic or cultural boundaries for the Holy Ghost."
Elder Uchtdorf told the congregation that their firm belief in and their willingness to testify of the Restoration today will prepare the grounds for the successful service of future generations of missionaries. "These future missionaries, prepared by you, will be a great blessing to individuals, to families and the peoples of the world. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to extend the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, as guided by the Spirit, to every corner of the world."
Church members, he said, are expected to invite their neighbors, friends and acquaintances to come, see and experience what the restored gospel is all about. "We can invite them to our homes and to our Church meetings."
Elder Uchtdorf said the Restoration in its fulness completes and enhances the truths found in the religions of the world. "Latter-day Saints are occasionally accused of being narrow-minded or unwilling to consider the beliefs of others. Such accusations may be true of Latter-day Saints who do not understand their own religion, but those who know the position of the Church regarding the beliefs of other people willingly allow all to 'worship how, where, or what they may"' (Articles of Faith 1:11).
To share the message and the redemptive power of Christ and His Atonement with friends and neighbors, Church members must declare the events of 1820 and thereafter, he said. "These events, and the revelation that attended them, are what distinguish Church members from all other religions and from any other people with good intent....
"Having the fulness of the gospel should not lead any of us to feel arrogant or harbor a holier-than-thou attitude. We should simply be grateful with all our heart for the truth restored and for the privilege of bringing this truth and these eternal blessings to our brothers and sisters.
"What a great time to live in. We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. Future generations will look upon you with gratitude and appreciation for how you used your opportunities.
"Do not fear. Trust the Lord. Be courageous. Seek learning. Have faith."
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