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This week on social: President Holland invites Latter-day Saints to never run away from who they are as children of a living God

Additionally, Elder Uchtdorf shares steps on finding higher peace and joy, President Johnson and Sister Dennis share a 99+1 moment

This week on social media, President Jeffery R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared a video from a talk given during the April 2022 general conference. Other Apostles and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared videos from past conferences as well, including Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who shared a video from a talk in the more recent April 2024 general conference.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles posted two videos on Instagram focusing on marriage, family and ministry. The video came from his recent ministry to the Saints in Peru.

In President Holland’s talk — titled “Fear Not: Believe Only!” — he encourages listeners to seek for happiness by embracing the boundaries of the gospel. He writes on Instagram that “tremendously difficult issues face any disciple of Jesus Christ” in our present day.

“We might sometimes want to run away from where we are, but we certainly should never run away from who we are — children of the living God who loves us and will never forsake us,” President Holland shared.

In the video from his earlier talk, he said: “We of all people should be singing the song of redeeming love. But that takes discipline — discipleship, if you will, essentially the same word — the kind that guards against negative attitudes and destructive habits that would pull us off-key as we try to sing that song of eternal salvation.”

Elder Uchtdorf, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, writes on Instagram: “In Jesus Christ, you have a perfect, trustworthy pilot for your life. He is, as the epistle to the Hebrews says, ‘the Captain of [your] salvation, (Hebrews 2:10)’” he said.

Elder Uchtdorf shared a video from his recent talk, “A Higher Joy,” given during April 2024 general conference.

In the talk, he gave steps to finding a higher peace and joy, including drawing near unto God, looking for eternal joy and bearing one another’s burdens.

He goes on to say that Jesus Christ is also the best Friend you can ever wish for.

In the video, Elder Uchtdorf promises that the peace the Savior gives is not like what the world gives: “It is better. It is higher and holier.”

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Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson shared a 99+1 memory on Facebook Friday morning.

“She just knows,” President Johnson wrote, sharing two photos of a friend. “She just knew that I wanted some flowers for my front porch but hadn’t had the time to plant any.”

This friend “always knows what I need but wouldn’t ask for,” President Johnson said. “I was the 1. And yet, I know there are at least 99 more for whom she provides loving care.”

Elder Bednar recently visited Latter-day Saints in Peru. And his most recent post on Facebook and Instagram shares a few minutes of one of those meetings with his wife, Sister Susan Bednar.

“You do not simply find the marriage and family you hope to have. You create it,” Elder Bednar said on Instagram.

“When we have issues we have to resolve, financial or parenting, it takes both views of the issue to get it right,” he said in the video.

Sister Bednar went on to share a story about a situation they had with their children one time.

“My husband and I were bickering a bit between each other, and we had a son say this: ‘Mom and Dad, wait a minute. Let me save your marriage.’ And then he said, ‘Dad, you say this to mom.’ And then he said, ‘Mom, you say this to Dad,’” Sister Bednar said. “And we were laughing so hard at the end that we forgot why we were upset at each other.”

Sister Bednar said children don’t like to see their mother and father fight with each other: “And so, I think when we have things to say to each other, it’s better to do it in private and to make sure that there’s a feeling of love between you.”

This week, Elder Bednar also shared a video of events and visits he and Sister Bednar participated in throughout a weekend of his recent ministry in Peru.

This included visits like meeting with Huancayo’s general manager to explain the purpose for constructing a house of the Lord, discussing faith with youth at a face-to-face devotional, and talking about the Holy Ghost with missionaries from the Peru Huancayo Mission.

Elder Bednar said: “It was a remarkable blessing for Sister Bednar and me to be among the Saints in Huancayo. I left them with a blessing that through their study and prayers, they would more fully understand what it means to be one of the covenant people of the Lord.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote on social media: “Heavenly Father knows and understands you. Nothing about you is a mystery or a surprise to Him. Trust in Him, and trust Him.”

He shared a video with remarks he gave in a BYU devotional on Aug. 20, titled “Educating Our Righteous Desires.”

“The Lord’s revelation, which may come without explanation,” he said in the video, “is His truth especially for you, His encouragement and comfort to you, His correction of you, His love for you.”

Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, shared a story on Facebook this week about a time when her husband lost his job and was having no success in the job search. She said they went to an endowment session together at the Salt Lake Temple, where she remembers sitting in the instruction room feeling worried about their current situation.

An older woman sat next to Sister Dennis in the endowment session and repeatedly leaned over to whisper in her ear: “Heavenly Father knows you and loves you.”

Although Sister Dennis said she wasn’t able to thank the woman after the session, she learned through the experience.

“I knew that our Heavenly Father was aware of our family’s circumstances and that we weren’t alone,” Sister Dennis wrote on Facebook.

She said she’s grateful for that inspired sister who had the courage to reach out to “the one.”

“We may never know the impact it will have or the lives it will bless, just as that sister never knew that she was an answer to my prayer that night,” she said.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, shared a story of how she was ministered to by a great friend after her great-aunt “graduated from her life on earth.”

Sister Spannaus said she wasn’t able to travel for the funeral, but her friend — also named Andrea — attended for her.

“Andrea was the one who did for me what I couldn’t do because I was so far away: she bought her flowers and put a card in my name, helped my mom with the funeral details and was by her side hugging her and accompanying her … as I would have done if I could have been there,” Sister Spannaus said on Instagram.

Young Men General President Steven J. Lund wrote on the Young Men Worldwide page about the influence of seminary in his life.

He also asked for others to share their own stories on how seminary has affected their lives.

The Primary general presidency — President Susan H. Porter, Sister Amy A. Wright, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning — all shared a video previewing the upcoming Friend to Friend broadcast on Sept. 14.

The broadcast will feature President Holland and the Primary general presidency.

The video on Instagram features young Latter-day Saints talking about how they share Jesus Christ’s love.

“I can share Jesus’s love by helping my family, helping my friends and following the commandments,” one boy said in the video.

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See past social posts from Church leaders
Episode 204: President Jeffrey R. Holland on the gospel of Jesus Christ and life’s challenges, with guest host Sister Sheri Dew
To celebrate his 100th birthday, President Nelson invites all to reach out to ‘the one’
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