Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of October 2024 general conference about the need to put away “weapons of rebellion” and “yield to the enticings of the Spirit.” The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Christofferson’s talk summary
After being taught by the sons of Mosiah, the converted Lamanites did lay down their weapons of rebellion (see Alma 23:7).
Individuals might ask themselves what they can do to follow this pattern — that they become so converted to Christ that the stain of sin and desire for sin are taken from their hearts.
While willful rebellion is possible, the more insidious form of rebellion against God is passive — ignoring His will.
“Many who would never consider active rebellion may still oppose the will and word of God by pursuing their own path without regard to divine direction.”
The weapons the Lamanite converts buried were wicked because of how they used them. “In this same way, there are things in our lives that may be neutral or even inherently good but that used in the wrong way become weapons of rebellion.”
Burying weapons of rebellion means yielding to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, putting the first commandment first and letting God prevail.
“If our love of God and our determination to serve Him with all our might, mind and strength become the touchstone by which we judge all things and make all our decisions, we will have buried our weapons of rebellion.”
See the full text of Elder Christofferson’s talk: ‘Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion’
Notable quotes
“When it comes to matters of salvation and eternal life, our theme song ought to be, ‘I Did it God’s Way,’ because truly there is no other way.”
“Burying our weapons of rebellion leads to a unique joy.”
“May we bury — very, very deep — any element of rebellion against God in our lives and replace it with a willing heart and a willing mind.”
Who is Elder Christofferson?
- Elder D. Todd Christofferson has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since April 5, 2008. He was called as a General Authority Seventy in 1993 and served in the Presidency of the Seventy from 1998 until his call as an Apostle.
- In 1968, he married Kathy Jacob. The two met at a BYU football game — at the time, he had been helping with crowd control, and she was a Cougarette. They are the parents of five children.
- From 1975 to 1980, Elder Christofferson practiced law in Washington, D.C., after serving as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge John J. Sirica during the trials and other proceedings known as Watergate (1972-74).
What has Elder Christofferson done recently?
- As part of the April 2024 general conference, Elder Christofferson taught what it means to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ.
- Elder Christofferson ministered to members of the Church in Angola, South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar in May. “You can have total faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said to South African youth.
- In June, Elder Christofferson dedicated the Salta Argentina Temple, in the area where he served a mission years earlier.
- Elder Christofferson participated in the Sons of Utah Pioneers National Encampment in American Fork, Utah, in September.
Read more of Elder Christofferson’s general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.
