At the end of June, I was privileged to report on the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center.
Each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as well as members of the Missionary Executive Council, spoke to the new mission leaders about how to lead their missions and lead their missionaries, helping them become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
This is the only time outside of general conference when each of these leaders speak all together, and the excitement among the new mission leaders was palpable. Many are leaving behind careers, families and other priorities, yet they are ready to sanctify the next three years of their lives to the Lord.
Watching as these couples mingled, took notes and were taught by the leaders of the Church, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja vu. The messages were all familiar — about Jesus Christ, His gospel, the Book of Mormon, perseverance, unity, setting goals and plans, continuing commitment and connecting to the Holy Ghost.
Why would these leaders spend this precious time with the new mission leaders going over such foundational principles?
While pondering this question, I spoke with Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary general presidency and a member of the Missionary Executive Council, about her message. She had focused her remarks on the connection between the missionary purpose and the temple.
As we spoke, she told me she was considering sharing this same message again at the Provo MTC.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has cautioned against discounting a message because it sounds familiar.
Then as second counselor in the First Presidency, he wrote in a 2011 Liahona article: “Prophets have always taught by repetition; it is a law of learning. … We continue to hear messages on similar issues because the Lord is teaching and impressing upon our minds and hearts certain foundational principles of great eternal importance that must be understood and acted upon before we can move on to other things” (“General Conference — No Ordinary Blessing,” Liahona, September 2011).
Recurring themes, lessons and messages are an important part of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the restored Church.
The more I’ve pondered on this, the more examples I’ve found, but here are just a few:
Every six months, the Church News staff meets to discuss similar themes and topics from messages given during general conference to include in our coverage. There are often multiple messages with the same overall theme. Many point to similar scriptures or messages from the Prophet.
President Russell M. Nelson has extended repeated invitations to spend time in the temple, study the Book of Mormon, be peacemakers, seek and offer forgiveness, and prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The scriptures are also filled with repetition. Nephi quotes the words of Isaiah, and Jesus Christ delivers a discourse similar to the Sermon on the Mount to those gathered at the temple in the land Bountiful.
The Savior also repeatedly calls for us to repent and return to Him.
“Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 9:22).
Continual, daily repentance is an opportunity for us to learn and try again.
This principle became extremely clear to me during a recent driving lesson with my 15-year-old niece.
We drove to a nearby parking lot so she could practice parking and backing up. We repeated the same steps over and over again. We then drove around the neighborhood, repeating left and right turns. It was simple, foundational stuff — but she made small improvements and was more confident after the repeated practice.
During the April 2025 general conference, President Nelson invited us to take intentional steps to grow in confidence before the Lord.
He made this promise: “Then, as we go to our Heavenly Father with increasing confidence, we will be filled with more joy, and your faith in Jesus Christ will increase. We will begin to experience spiritual power that exceeds our greatest hopes.”
Even though we may sometimes yearn for more, following the same pattern of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism (or renewing our baptismal covenants), receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end is how we slowly — but surely — can make improvements and gain confidence before the Lord.
