Notable quotes:
“In a paradoxical period when violating the sanctity of human life is heralded as a right and chaos is described as liberty, how blessed we are to live in this latter-day dispensation when restored gospel light can shine brightly in our lives and help us to discern the adversary’s dark deceptions and distractions.” “Focusing our lives in and on the Savior and His gospel enables us to overcome the tendency of the natural man to be spiritually snoozy and lazy. As we are blessed with eyes to see and ears to hear, the Holy Ghost can increase our capacity to look and listen when we may not typically think we need to look or listen or when we may not think anything can be seen or heard.” “One of the ultimate ironies of eternity is that the adversary, who is miserable precisely because he has no physical body, invites and entices us to share in his misery through the improper use of our bodies.” Summary points:
- Beware of evil’s beguiling disguises: Spiritually dangerous ideas and actions frequently can appear to be attractive, desirable or pleasurable. In our contemporary world, each needs to beware of beguiling bad that pretends to be good.
- Stay awake and be alert: Spiritually speaking, we need to stay awake and be alert to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and to the signals that come from the Lord’s watchmen on the towers.
- Understand the intent of the enemy: The very tool Satan does not have and cannot use — a physical body — is thus the primary target of his attempts to lure us to physical and spiritual destruction.
Talk summary:
Watching for hours how a pair of cheetahs stalked a large group of topis on African grasslands led to discussing what was observed and identifying valuable lessons.
Three such lessons are to beware of evil’s beguiling disguises, to stay awake and be alert, and to understand the intent of the enemy.
Spiritually dangerous ideas and actions frequently can appear to be attractive, desirable or pleasurable. In our contemporary world, each needs to beware of beguiling bad that pretends to be good.
Spiritually speaking, we need to stay awake and be alert to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and to the signals that come from the Lord’s watchmen on the towers.
And the very tool Satan does not have and cannot use — a physical body — is thus the primary target of his attempts to lure us to physical and spiritual destruction.
“I invite and encourage you to reflect on this episode with the cheetahs and the topis and identify additional lessons for you and your family. Please remember always that your home is the true center of gospel learning and living.
“As you respond in faith to this invitation, inspired thoughts will come to your mind, spiritual feelings will swell in your heart, and you will recognize actions that should be undertaken or continued …
“I promise that the blessings of effective preparation and spiritual protection will flow into your life as you are watchful unto prayer vigilantly and continually.
“I testify that pressing forward on the covenant path provides spiritual safety and invites enduring joy in our lives. And I witness that the risen and living Savior will sustain and strengthen us in times both good and bad.”
In the news:
- Elder Bednar addressed BYU-Idaho students in a devotional in September 2019 where he emphasized receiving answers by listening to the Holy Ghost.
- Elder Bednar dedicated the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, on Sept. 1, 2019. This is the first temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Haiti.
- In July 2019, Elder Bednar spoke on “the character of Christ” at the 2019 Mission Leadership Seminar.
- In Houston, Texas, Elder Bednar threw the first pitch at Minute Maid Park in July. The catcher was former MLB pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and current Texas Houston South mission president. While in Houston, Elder Bednar spoke to youth in a devotional.
- In June 2019, Elder Bednar and his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, attended the Oakland California Temple rededication alongside President Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen Oaks. Elder and Sister Bednar also attended a devotional that addressed 3,000 youth prior to the rededication.
About the speaker:
- Elder David A. Bednar has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for 14 years. He was set apart on Oct. 7, 2004.
- He served as a full-time missionary in Germany.
- He and his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, were married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1975. They are the parents of three sons.
Recently on Social:
- Elder Bednar spoke on how members can deepen their conversion to the Savior in a devotional address in Lima, Peru. He shared his thoughts from that meeting on Instagram:
- 150 missionaries sang the National Anthem at Minute Maid Park where Elder Bednar threw the first pitch:
- Elder Bednar shared his testimony and advice on successful and happiness in marriages on Facebook:
