Bishop L. Todd Budge, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2021 general conference. He spoke about the tremendous outpouring of time, energy and generosity that Latter-day Saints have given over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how service makes one holy. The following is a summary of what he said.
Notable quotes from Bishop Budge:
“Ultimately, the Lord wants our hearts; He wants us to become new creatures in Christ.”
When “viewed from the perspective of ‘giving to’ the Lord, our sacrifices on behalf of others become gifts, and the joy of generously giving becomes its own reward.”
“Yes, each of us is small, but together as we hasten to give to God and our fellowmen, wherever we go, lives are enriched and blessed.”
Summary of Bishop Budge’s talk
Sacrifice means to make something or someone holy, and “is a process of becoming holy and coming to know God, not an event or ritualistic ‘giving up’ of things for the Lord.”
The Lord wants each person to become holy, be possessed of charity and come to know Him. “Ultimately, the Lord wants our hearts; He wants us to become new creatures in Christ.”
“Holiness to the Lord” is engraved on each temple. “As we observe our covenants by sacrifice, we are made holy through the grace of Jesus Christ, and at the altars of the holy temple, with broken hearts and contrite spirits, we give our holiness to the Lord.”
Viewing sacrifices on behalf of others as giving up things can cause discouragement. “However, when viewed from the perspective of ‘giving to’ the Lord, our sacrifices on behalf of others become gifts, and the joy of generously giving becomes its own reward.”
Lives, possessions, time and talents are made holy by consecrating them to the Lord. “The humanitarian work of the Church is such a gift.”
Each person’s contribution is small, “but together as we hasten to give to God and our fellowmen, wherever we go, lives are enriched and blessed.”
About Bishop Budge
- Bishop L. Todd Budge was born on Dec. 29, 1959, in Pittsburgh, California. He married Lori Capener on Aug. 18, 1981, in the Logan Utah Temple. They are the parents of six children.
- In his career in banking, Bishop Budge became the first foreigner to become president of a Japanese bank.
- Bishop Budge was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in April 2019, then as second counselor of the Presiding Bishopric a year-and-a-half later in October 2020.
