When Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, invited a friend in Germany to attend Church meetings with them one Sunday, Elder Uchtdorf was worried about what this friend thought of the little branch.
On the way home, she said how impressed she was with the way people treated one another — they came from different backgrounds but genuinely loved one another. It was what she imagined Christ wanted His Church to be like.
In the Saturday afternoon session of April 2025 general conference, Elder Uchtdorf testified that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s true and living Church, and it teaches the restored fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“In the Savior’s Church, we gather all of God’s children who are willing to be gathered and who seek the truth,” he said.
He spoke about all being unified in the body of Christ and of one voice.
“Thank you for being part of this great and divine work and for helping to make the Church of Jesus Christ what the Savior wants it to be,” Elder Uchtdorf said.
Elder Uchtdorf was one of several Church leaders who spoke on themes of religious observance, the Lord’s restored Church, discipleship and more.
The Restoration of the Church
In the Sunday morning session, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles outlined the sequence that led to the Church being restored 195 years ago to the day.
Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, visiting Joseph Smith was the initiating event in the restoration of all things. Then, “the Church was organized in proper sequence only after the restoration of the priesthood and the publication of the Book of Mormon,” Elder Bednar said.
He quoted the Restoration Proclamation, which proclaims that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ’s New Testament Church restored.
“This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.”
Elder Bednar’s message, he said, was the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ has restored His gospel and Church in the latter days.
“I invite all to learn about and prove this message. I promise that individuals ‘who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed [through the power of the Holy Ghost] to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ’ (see the Restoration Proclamation).”
Worshipping together
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about worshipping together as the body of Christ — which has unique power and benefits.
“As a community of Saints, we strengthen each other in worship and in faith,” he said during the Saturday evening session.
Besides worshipping Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath, in Church meetings and in the temple, “we cannot forget the daily acts of worship that we engage in individually and at home.”
The covenant path is the path of worship, love and loyalty to God. “Ultimately, how we live may be the best, most genuine form of worship,” Elder Christofferson said.
Discipleship and reverence
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke in the Sunday afternoon session about transforming discipleship into a higher pattern of spirituality through reverence. All can make reverence “a sacred part of our spiritual character,” he said.
Reverence can come with a feeling or attitude of profound respect, love and gratitude.
“Such expression for the sacred by those who have a contrite heart and deep devotion to God and Jesus Christ fosters increased joy in their souls,” Elder Soares said.
Cultivating the gift of reverence will allow disciples to open themselves to a deeper communion with God and Jesus Christ.
“I witness that as we embrace this gift of reverence for sacred things — whether in the mountain of the Lord’s house, in a meetinghouse or in our own home — we will be filled with astounding amazement and awe as we connect to the perfect love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,” Elder Soares said.
Come back and say yes to serving
Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy invited all those who are longing for faith to come back to the Church.
“I promise your faith can be strengthened as you once again worship with the Saints,” he said in the Saturday afternoon session. He said that every week, many are returning to Church activity and discipleship, and young people are choosing to stay.
His talk footnotes referred to a Church News video with Elder Christofferson called “Flocking to the Church.”
To all, Elder Palmer said, “You are needed, and you are loved.”
In the Saturday morning session, Elder Ricardo P. Giménez, General Authority Seventy, said many voices try to influence Latter-day Saints and tell them that the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are unnecessary, including the need for the Church.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the means established by Heavenly Father to access covenants that enable us to return home,” Elder Giménez said. “Thus, we need more than just a personal relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son; we require essential priesthood ordinances through which we make covenants with Them.”
Elder Steven D. Shumway, General Authority Seventy, spoke in the Sunday morning session about engaging in God’s work. Saying yes to serving is saying yes to Jesus Christ, he explained.
He encouraged all to be unafraid of serving and participating in God’s work. “When we consecrate our meager but best effort, God magnifies it,” he said. And magnifying Christ makes service joyful.
In the Sunday afternoon session, Elder Michael B. Strong, General Authority Seventy, spoke about becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.
“Discipleship is a deliberate journey that we take to become transformed through the Lord’s atoning sacrifice and His enabling power,” Elder Strong said, adding, “We can take comfort that God is mindful of us and yearns to help us every time we try.”
