Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2024 general conference. He spoke on nourishing the roots of faith and testimony. The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Uchtdorf’s talk summary
Knowing what is eternal and what is not is key to growing a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Church.
“Some truths are core, essential, at the root of our faith. Others are appendages or branches — valuable, but only when they are connected to the fundamentals.”
Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice are the root of testimony, and everything else is branches.
“When it comes to nourishing our testimonies of Jesus Christ, I wonder if we sometimes mistake the branches for the roots. … If you want to nourish a tree, you don’t splash water on the branches. You water the roots. Similarly, if you want the branches of your testimony to grow and bear fruit, nourish the roots.”
Faith is strong when it has roots in personal experience and personal commitment to Jesus Christ, independent of what one’s traditions are or what others may say or do.
“Our testimony will be tested and tried. Faith is not faith if never tested. Faith is not strong if never opposed. So do not despair if you have trials of faith or unanswered questions.”
Faith endures the trials and the uncertainties of life because it is firmly rooted in Christ and His doctrine.
Read the full text of Elder Uchtdorf’s talk: ‘Nourish the Roots, and the Branches Will Grow’
Notable quotes
“Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice are the root of our testimony. All other things are branches.”
“If you want the branches of your testimony to grow and bear fruit, nourish the roots.”
“Our testimony will be tested and tried. Faith is not faith if never tested. Faith is not strong if never opposed.”
Who is Elder Uchtdorf?
- Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2004. He served as second counselor in the First Presidency under President Thomas S. Monson, from February 2008 to January 2018.
- From 1965 to 1996, he was a pilot, captain and corporate executive for the German airline Lufthansa.
- Twice in his life, he and his family have been refugees. As a 4-year-old boy, World War II forced him from Czechoslovakia. Years later, the Uchtdorfs fled their home in East Germany in search of safety in West Germany.
- He met his wife, Sister Harriet Reich Uchtdorf, in their teens attended a branch in Frankfurt, Germany, soon after she and her family joined the Church. Years later, following Elder Uchtdorf joining the German air force and completing his training in the United States, they began a courtship and were soon married in the Swiss Temple (now the Bern Switzerland Temple) in 1962. They are the parents of two children.
What has Elder Uchtdorf done recently?
- Elder Uchtdorf shared a message of joy with the world in the April 2024 general conference and taught Saints that the peace Jesus Christ offers is better, higher and holier.
- Elder Uchtdorf reassured BYU–Pathway Worldwide students in a May devotional that their dreams can become reality as they trust in the Lord and allow BYU–Pathway programs and leaders to guide them.
- In an extended ministry from mid-May to early June, Elder Uchtdorf returned to the roots of his spiritual heritage as he “connected the dots” in visits to boyhood areas in the Czech Republic and Germany.
- In the concluding devotional of the 2024 Utah Area YSA Conference in August, Elder Uchtdorf testified that young adults today can embrace their eternal potential and purpose by focusing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
- In the heart of the “City of Bridges,” Elder Uchtdorf dedicated the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple on Sept. 15 and taught how a temple can be a connection between heaven and earth.
Read more of Elder Uchtdorf’s general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
