Editor’s note: To support personal and family gospel learning, the Church News is publishing articles on messages from October 2025 general conference. It is recommended to listen to or read the full address in addition to reviewing these resources.
About this talk
- “The Lord Looketh on the Heart”
- Elder Ronald M. Barcellos | General Authority Seventy
- Saturday morning session of October 2025 general conference.
- Theme: As children of God assess and improve the spiritual condition of their hearts, they can be blessed with peace, love and strength.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Barcellos’ message here.
Outline
- When Samuel was commanded to choose the new king of Israel, the Lord warned him not to look at the brothers’ outward appearances, because “the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Although David was not as physically strong or skilled as his brothers, he loved God with all his heart.
- All God needs to accomplish His purposes is for His children to turn their hearts fully to Him. When they do so, they can be blessed with strength and spiritual gifts.
- God cares about His children’s intents — He wants them to obey Him because they love Him.
- When Elder Barcellos and his wife returned from serving as mission leaders in Portugal, they ran a series of health tests to evaluate their physical condition. Likewise, the Savior has provided tests for His followers to assess their hearts’ spiritual condition.
Assessing your heart with spiritual tests
- Where listeners choose to spend their time and focus their attention says a lot about their hearts. How can listeners make the Savior a priority in their lives?
- Listeners can assess their willingness to obey God’s commandments. The Savior doesn’t expect perfection in keeping His commandments, but He does ask that His followers strive to keep them with all their hearts.
- Listeners can ask themselves if they are making a sincere effort to study the scriptures daily.
- The quality of one’s thoughts and words is a good indicator of the purity of one’s heart. Listeners can ponder on the effect their words have on others.
Improving your heart’s spiritual health
- The Savior offers spiritual treatment for weaknesses, the first of which is to strengthen one’s relationship with Christ through scripture study and prayer.
- Second, as listeners strive to align their will with God’s, they can be blessed with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
- Last, as listeners serve God and others with a sincere heart, each act of worship can fill their hearts with joy and love. God will bless His children with strength and peace as they turn their thoughts and the desires of their hearts to Him.
Reflection questions
How can you make the Savior more of a priority in your life?
How can you make your scripture study more meaningful?
What adjustments can you make to your words to better lift and inspire others?
Why is it important to assess the spiritual condition of your heart?
What might be holding you back from aligning your will with God’s?
Speaker quotes
- “It is not just about what we do — our words and actions — but also why we do what Jesus Christ has asked us to do — our desires and motives.”
- “Our Heavenly Father desires more than mechanical acts of obedience and service from His children. He wants us to do those things with real intent because we love Him with all our hearts. He wants us to desire to become like Him.”
- “While the Savior does not expect perfection in keeping His commandments, He does ask that we desire and strive to keep them with all our hearts.”
Reference scriptures
- “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
- “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.”
- “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
Invitations and promises
- “The Savior taught that if our hearts are fully turned to Him, because of His atoning sacrifice we can be blessed with the strength and spiritual gifts we need to overcome our mortal challenges, resist temptation, receive direction and understanding, and feel joy and peace in our lives.”
- “Daily study of the scriptures, accompanied by sincere prayer and regular fasting, will increase your love for the Savior and strengthen your faith and desire to repent and humbly yield your heart to God.”
- “Brothers and sisters, I invite you to give your whole heart to the Savior today. Let each act of worship and service be sincere and intentional. Set aside the distractions of the world and strive to have meaningful time for the Lord every day of your lives.”
Stories
- When commanded to choose the new king of Israel from among the sons of Jesse, the prophet Samuel thought Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, would be the new king. The Lord warned Samuel not to look at the brothers’ outward appearances, because “the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Although David was not as physically strong or skilled as his brothers, he loved God with all his heart, which later helped him defeat Goliath.
- When Elder Barcellos and his wife returned from serving as mission leaders in Portugal, they ran a series of health tests to evaluate their physical condition. Likewise, the Savior has provided tests for His followers to assess their hearts’ spiritual condition.
Additional resources
- Related image: “Jesus Knocking at the Door” by Del Parson
- Related video: “Now Is the Time To Draw Closer to the Savior”
- Related hymn: No. 1025, “Take My Heart and Let It Be Consecrated”
Recent conference talks on conversion
- President Camille N. Johnson: “Spiritually Whole in Him” (April 2025)
- President D. Todd Christofferson: “Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion” (October 2024)
- Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Conversion to the Will of God” (April 2022)
Who is Elder Barcellos?
- Elder Ronald M. Barcellos was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 5, 2025. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he served with his wife, Sister Karin Barcellos, as mission leaders in the Portugal Lisbon Mission from 2021 to 2024. Elder Barcellos studied business administration at São Marcos University in São Paulo and worked for several companies in sales and marketing roles and as an entrepreneur.
