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 Name by Which Ye Are Called”
- Elder B. Corey Cuvelier | General Authority Seventy
- Sunday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference.
- Theme: Follow Christ’s example by doing good and making discipleship a lifelong priority.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Cuvelier’s message here.
Outline
- President Russell M. Nelson taught that one’s true identity is child of God, child of the covenant and disciple of Jesus Christ; any other designation will ultimately let one down. Elder Cuvelier humorously learned this for himself when his oldest son received his first cellphone and entered Elder Cuvelier’s name in his contacts as “Not Mother.”
- Jesus called His followers by many names, each underscoring a personal relationship with Him. King Benjamin taught that those who take upon themselves the name of Christ “shall be called by the name of Christ” (Mosiah 5:8-9).
- Individuals who take upon themselves the name of Christ become His disciples and witnesses. The New Testament and Book of Mormon describe believers in Christ as Christians.
- Being “called by the name of Christ” means making and keeping covenants, always remembering Him, keeping His commandments, serving others, standing as witnesses of God and standing with prophets and apostles as they carry Christ’s message around the world. It is a lifelong pursuit.
- Along the journey of discipleship, it’s easy to get caught up in worldly titles. Following prophetic counsel to make discipleship a priority is both timely and wise.
- A seed planted by a branch president in Germany in 1909 produced countless fruit as it led to several generations of Martin Gassner’s family being sealed in the Bern Switzerland Temple. Martin is Elder Cuvelier’s great-grandfather.
- Strive to follow Jesus Christ’s example by doing good and making discipleship a lifelong priority so others can feel God’s love and the confirming power of the Holy Ghost.
- In the end, one’s identity isn’t defined by the world; however, one’s discipleship is defined by ordinances received, covenants kept, and love shown to God and neighbor.
Reflection questions
How have President Russell M. Nelson’s teachings about identity influenced the way you see yourself and others?
How would you answer Elder Cuvelier’s question: “Brothers and sisters, by which name are you called?”
What does it mean to be “called by the name of Christ”?
How did you feel listening to Elder Cuvelier’s story about his great-grandfather Martin Gassner? How can we answer the Savior’s call like the branch president did?
What can you do this week to better follow Christ’s example of doing good and make discipleship your highest priority?
Speaker quotes
- “Brothers and sisters, by which name are you called? Jesus called His followers by many names: Disciples. Sons and daughters. Children of the prophets. Sheep. Friends. The light of the world. Saints. Each carries eternal significance and underscores a personal relationship with the Savior. But among these names, one rises above the rest — the name of Christ.”
- “What does it mean to be called by the name of Christ? It means making and keeping covenants, always remembering Him, keeping His commandments and being ‘willing … to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things’ (Mosiah 18:9). It means standing with prophets and apostles as they carry Christ’s message — with its doctrine, covenants and ordinances — across the world. It also means serving others to relieve suffering, being a light and bringing hope in Christ to all people.”
- “In the end, our identity isn’t defined by the world. But our discipleship is defined by the ordinances we receive, the covenants we keep and the love we show to God and neighbor by simply doing good. As President Nelson taught, we are indeed children of God, children of the covenant, disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Reference scriptures
- “And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives. And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.”
- “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
- “And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.”
Invitations and promises
- “Because the journey of discipleship takes time and effort built ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (Doctrine and Covenants 98:12), it’s easy to get caught up in worldly titles. These yield only temporary value and will never be enough on their own. Redemption and the things of eternity only ‘cometh in and through the Holy Messiah’ (2 Nephi 2:6). Therefore, following prophetic counsel to make discipleship a priority is both timely and wise, especially in an age of so many competing voices and influences.”
- “Perhaps the greatest sermons are the ones we never hear but those we see in the quiet, unassuming actions and deeds observed in the lives of ordinary people who, trying to be like Jesus, go about doing good. What this gracious branch president did was not part of a checklist. He was simply living the gospel as described in the book of Alma: ‘They did not send away any … that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, … they were liberal to all, both old and young, … both male and female.” And, a point we should not overlook, they did not send away any ‘whether out of the church or in the church’ (Alma 1:30).”
- “Let us strive to follow Christ’s example, doing good and making discipleship a lifelong priority so that each time we interact with others, they will feel God’s love and the confirming power of the Holy Ghost. Then we may join my great-grandfather and millions of others who have declared, like the disciple Andrew, ‘We have found the Messias’ (John 1:41).”
Stories
- When Elder Cuvelier’s oldest son received his first cellphone, Elder Cuvelier discovered his son entered Elder Cuvelier’s name in his contacts as “Not Mother.” This humorous story underscores President Nelson’s teaching about one’s true identity being child of God, child of the covenant and disciple of Jesus Christ — and that “any other designation will ultimately let us down.”
- Elder Cuvelier’s great-grandfather Martin Gassner was able to join the Church because a humble branch president in Germany in 1909 “answered the Savior’s call.” Several generations of Martin’s family, on both sides of the veil, were sealed in the Bern Switzerland Temple 48 years later.
From the footnotes
- 20. “We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment.” “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith,” 2007, page 211.
- 27. “There is a saying that you can count the seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the apples that come from one seed. Only one person was receptive to Abinadi’s testimony, but that one person — Alma — influenced generations of Nephites. Perhaps you could use a fruit with seeds to demonstrate this principle. How does this message apply to our family? What can we do to share our testimonies with others?” “Come, Follow Me — For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020,” page 76.
- 30. “Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.” “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith,” 2007, page 426.
Additional resources
- Related image: “Alma Baptizes in the Waters of Mormon” by Arnold Friberg
- Related video: “Taking Upon Ourselves the Name of Christ”
- Related hymn: No. 1019, “To Love Like Thee”
Recent conference talks on discipleship
- Elder Dale G. Renlund: “Taking on the Name of Jesus Christ” (October 2025)
- Elder Ronald M. Barcellos: “The Lord Looketh on the Heart” (October 2025)
- Elder Michael Cziesla: “Simplicity in Christ” (October 2025)
Who is Elder Cuvelier?
- Elder B. Corey Cuvelier was sustained as a General Authority Seventy during the April 2025 general conference. He was born in Los Angeles, California, where he was adopted and raised. Elder Cuvelier worked for Shell Oil Co. across various North America business units and as a director and officer on several boards.
