Standing at the Conference Center pulpit for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Russell M. Nelson told worldwide participants that he prayed intently that the October 2021 general conference “would be a time of revelation and reflection for all who seek those blessings.”
President Nelson invited listeners to “make this conference a time of feasting on messages from the Lord through His servants” and look for three things during each talk — pure truth, the pure doctrine of Christ and pure revelation — as messages focused on the Savior, His mercy and His redeeming power.
“Learn how to apply them in your life,” he said of the general conference messages.
This general conference marked a return to the Conference Center after three consecutive conferences in smaller venues. Most seats remained empty, but a reduced Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square performed live and some general authorities and their families were present.
Below are 15 invitations extended by members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during October 2021 general conference.
1. Make time for the Lord
“My brothers and sisters, I plead with you to make time for the Lord! Make your own spiritual foundation firm and able to stand the test of time by doing those things that allow the Holy Ghost to be with you always. … Nothing will strengthen your spiritual foundation like temple service and temple worship.”
— President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church, “Make Time for the Lord”
2. Be steadfast in Church experiences
“Church attendance gives us the strength and enhancement of faith that comes from associating with other believers and worshipping together with those who are also striving to stay on the covenant path and be better disciples of Christ. I pray that we will all be steadfast in these Church experiences as we seek eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God.”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, “The Need for a Church”
3. Ask God for faith
“Revelation comes to us in proportion to the degree to which we have sought to take the doctrine of Christ into our hearts and implement it in our lives. … I pray that you will ask Heavenly Father for the faith in Jesus Christ you need to make and keep the covenants that will allow the Holy Ghost to be your constant companion.”
— President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, “The Faith To Ask and Then To Act”
4. Love and serve God and others
“How would you respond to the Savior’s question ‘Lovest thou me more than these?’ As you consider this question, as I have done, I pray that you may answer as Peter did so long ago, ‘Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee,’ and then show it by loving and serving God and all those around you.”
— President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Lovest Thou Me More Than These?”
5. Take up the cross of Christ
“Brothers and sisters, I pray we will succeed where that rich young man failed (Mark 10: 17-22), that we will take up the cross of Christ, however demanding it may be, regardless of the issue and regardless of the cost. I bear witness that when we pledge to follow Him, the path will, one way or another, pass by way of a crown of thorns and a stark Roman cross.”
— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Greatest Possession”
6. Strive for daily restoration
“We can navigate our way through the darkness and trials of this life and find our way back to our loving Heavenly Father if we seek and accept the spiritual landmarks He has provided, embrace personal revelation, and strive for daily restoration. This is how we become true disciples of our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ. As we do so, God will smile upon us.”
— Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Daily Restoration”
7. Consider promised blessings to covenant-keepers
“I invite you to consider the blessings promised to covenant-keeping disciples of Jesus Christ. … I testify that the covenant people of the Lord today indeed are armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. I have witnessed faith, courage, perspective, persistence and joy that extend far beyond mortal capacity — and that only God could provide.”
— Elder David A. Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “With the Power of God in Great Glory”
8. Seek personal peace
“Universal peace was not part of the Savior’s initial mortal ministry. Universal peace does not exist today. However, personal peace can be achieved despite the anger, contention and division that blight and corrupt our world today. It has never been more important to seek personal peace.”
— Elder Quentin L. Cook, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Personal Peace in Challenging Times”
9. Live so that God can rely on your love
“In acknowledging that God loves us perfectly, we each might ask: ‘How well do I love God? Can He rely on my love as I rely on His?’ Would it not be a worthy aspiration to live so that God can love us not just in spite of our failings but also because of what we are becoming?”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Love of God”
10. Willingly follow the Lord’s counsel
“‘The name of the Church is not negotiable,’ [President Nelson says]. Let us go forward in faith. When we willingly follow the counsel of the Lord as revealed through His living prophet, especially if it runs counter to our initial thinking, requiring humility and sacrifice, the Lord blesses us with additional spiritual power and sends His angels to support us and stand by us.”
— Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Name of the Church Is Not Negotiable”
11. Identify things of your soul
“I close with an invitation for each of you to consider the seven ‘things of my soul’ I have shared today: Love God the Father and Jesus Christ, our Savior; love your neighbor; love yourself; keep the commandments; always be worthy of a temple recommend; be joyful and cheerful; and follow God’s living prophet. I invite you to identify your own eight, nine and ten.”
— Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Things of My Soul”
12. Keep the gospel simple
“May we keep the gospel simple as we take upon us our divinely appointed responsibilities: To live the gospel of Jesus Christ … to care for those in need … to invite all to receive the gospel … [and] to unite families for eternity … . Doing so will surely bring joy and peace.”
— Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Simply Beautiful — Beautifully Simple”
13. Put discipleship above all else
“My invitation is to be valiant in putting our love of God and discipleship of the Savior above all other considerations. Let us uphold the covenant inherent in our discipleship — the covenant to be one. … I testify that as we ‘shun contention’ and become ‘like-minded with the Lord in love and united with Him in faith,’ His peace will be ours.”
— Elder Dale G. Renlund, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Peace of Christ Abolishes Enmity”
14. Look again for faith and trust
“Our life journeys are individual, but we can come again to God our Father and His Beloved Son through trust in God, each other and ourselves. … Dear brother, dear sister, dear friend, please look again for faith and trust — a miracle He promises you today.”
— Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Trust Again”
15. Be more understanding of others
“I pray that we will become more long-suffering and understanding of others and that the Lord’s mercy will, in perfect meekness, soothe our impatience with their imperfections. This is the Savior’s invitation to us. I testify that He lives. He is the perfect model of merciful and patient discipleship.”
— Elder Ulisses Soares, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Savior’s Abiding Compassion”
