This week on social media, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke on developing “clean hands” and a “pure heart” (see Psalm 24:4) through Jesus Christ, His gospel and His “transforming power.”
Other posts in the past week from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focused on the blessings received by walking with the Savior, becoming faithful stewards and understanding Christ’s role as advocate before the Father.
“Can you have clean hands and not have a pure heart?” asked Elder Bednar in a video clip posted to his social media account May 4.
Speaking to a group of Latter-day Saints in Germany, Elder Bednar taught that while being cleansed is “absolutely essential,” that alone is “not enough.”
“You don’t get a pure heart just by trying hard,” he said. “God has to work in you and on you to help that to occur. That transforming power only comes from Him.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote to his friends and followers on social media May 4, testifying about the safety and blessings found “when we walk with Jesus.”
He said, “Hearts full of love, gratitude, joy and peace are the righteous rewards of staying on the covenant pathway — walking with Jesus Christ — and enduring to the end by His side.”
In his post, Elder Cook also shared that, while speaking at BYU Women’s Conference Friday, May 2, he felt “inspired” seeing the faith of “devoted women who are uniquely committed in their efforts to walk with the Savior.”
Standing outside the “grand doors” of the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson invited viewers to consider the “impact” they “stand to make.”
In her May 4 video post, President Johnson said her great-grandfathers, being “faithful stewards,” used recycled materials to build the Tabernacle’s doors because resources were scarce. She shared their story and impact as part of her remarks at the young adult worldwide devotional broadcast from the Salt Lake Tabernacle on May 4.
“Could they have ever imagined their granddaughter speaking in this building so many years later?” she asked. “I invite you to use your gifts and talents to do a few small things in the spirit of your stewardship.”
Tuesday, May 6, Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, posted a video to the Young Men Worldwide account where he spoke to those struggling to feel the Spirit and compared the influence of the Spirit to a “furnace.”
“We sing songs like, ‘The Spirit of God like a fire is burning,’ and that’s true, but not all the time,” Brother Wilcox said. “It’s easy to recognize the Spirit if it’s like a fire. It’s a little harder to recognize it when it’s like a furnace.”
Brother Wilcox invited those wondering if they can feel the Spirit to “stop and see” if they can recognize its influence through feelings of love, peace and long-suffering, among others.
In a video posted May 8 to the Gospel Learning and Teaching account, Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson bore witness of Jesus Christ as the “perfect advocate.”
“Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him,” he said, reading from Doctrine and Covenants 45:3.
“I love that image of the Savior, our advocate,” President Johnson continued, testifying it is Christ’s perfect life and Atonement that is the “power behind His advocacy.”
