Elder Kelly R. Johnson, a General Authority Seventy, spoke during the Saturday morning session of October 2025 general conference about being reconciled to God. The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Kelly R. Johnson’s talk summary
To be reconciled with God is coming into harmony with Him, or restoring a relationship with God that has been strained or broken by sin or other actions.
Being reconciled to God means aligning one’s will and actions with God’s. As the late President Russell M. Nelson taught, it means letting God prevail.
Reconciliation depends on Jesus Christ’s mercy and is made possible through His Atonement. Just as someone chooses to distance themself from God, he or she must also initiate the effort to reconcile.
Enos is one example of reconciliation in the scriptures. His life was out of alignment, and he relied on the Atonement of Jesus Christ to reconcile with God.
Reconciliation brings relief from guilt and brings peace with oneself and others. It heals relationships, softens hearts and strengthens discipleship. It increases confidence before God.
Disobedience, doubts and fears weaken a person’s connection to Jesus Christ. The antidote is to do those things that strengthen a connection to Christ — particularly repenting.
The desire to be reconciled to God also requires a desire to repent. Repenting and experiencing the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ leads to unshaken faith. Unshaken faith brings a desire to always be reconciled to God.
Read the full text of Elder Johnson’s talk: ‘Be Reconciled to God’
Notable quotes
“To be reconciled to God means to be brought back into harmony with God, or to restore a relationship with God that has been strained or broken because of our sins or actions. Simply put, being reconciled to God means aligning our will and actions with God’s will or, as taught by President Russell M. Nelson, letting God prevail in our lives.”
“Just as ethylene weakens the connection of a ripe cherry stem, disobedience, doubts and fears can weaken our connection to the Stem of Jesse, or Jesus Christ, allowing us to be easily shaken and separated from Him. As faithful as we may be, we must guard against a weakening of our connection to Jesus Christ.”
“I have learned that a desire to be reconciled to God must be accompanied by a desire to repent. Repenting and experiencing the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ lead to unshaken faith. Unshaken faith leads to a desire to always be reconciled to God. This is a circular, or iterative, pattern.”
Who is Elder Kelly R. Johnson
- Elder Kelly R. Johnson was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 4, 2020.
- He grew up in Ogden, Utah, and as a young missionary, served in Bangkok, Thailand.
- He married Terri Lynn Bartrum in the Salt Lake Temple on March 27, 1986. They have five children.
- Elder and Sister Johnson served as mission leaders of the Thailand Bangkok Mission from July 2015 to June 2018.
What has Elder Johnson done recently?
- In June, Elder Johnson presided over the groundbreaking for the first temple in Singapore.
- In May, Elder Johnson joined Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson in Sri Lanka, where they saw how the Church and UNICEF’s collaboration is helping women and children in the nation.
- In April, Elder Johnson attended a BYU Ballroom Dance Company performance held in Thailand. Also in attendance were the king and queen of Thailand.
- Elder Johnson spoke in October 2020 general conference about God’s power.
Read Elder Johnson’s previous general conference addresses.
