Editor’s note: To support elders quorum and Relief Society classes, the Church News is publishing lesson resources on messages from October 2024 general conference. These are meant to be a starting point and not a strict lesson plan.
About this talk
- “His Hand Ready To Help Us”
- by Elder Juan Pablo Villar | General Authority Seventy
- Saturday afternoon session of October 2024 general conference.
- Theme: Reach out to Jesus Christ in faith. He will always be there.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Villar’s message here.
Outline
- After relating how his brother saved him twice from ocean waves as a boy, Elder Villar referred to President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to think celestial to apply this story to the Savior’s rescuing.
The Savior’s power over the adversary
- Life brings challenges that seem greater than one’s capacity to overcome them. These challenges include attacks from the adversary. But do not forget who has power over all things. That is the Savior, Jesus Christ.
- As believers reach out to Him in faith, He will always be there. In His time, He is ready and willing to grasp their hands and pull them to safety.
The Savior and His ministering example
- Jesus Christ is a flawless example of ministry. There is a pattern in the scriptures when He or His disciples reach out to someone in need of help, rescue or a blessing.
- Occasionally, there is a need to more than just be there for someone. One can rely on the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost to discern what kind of help is needed, whether it is temporal support or spiritual guidance.
The Savior is ready to rescue us
- After Peter the apostle “walked on the water, to go to Jesus, ... he was afraid; and beginning to sink” (Matthew 14:29-30). The Savior saved Peter and reminded him that He, the Messiah, was with him.
- For those who exercise faith in Christ — their Rescuer — He will save them from their challenges in this temporal life and give them the greatest of all gifts, which is eternal life.
The Savior does not give up on us
- Elder Villar’s brother did not give up on saving him from the waves but persisted so the young brother could learn how to do it for himself. The Savior will also be there as many times as necessary to provide help if one desires.
The Savior’s hands
- Scriptures immortalize the symbol and significance of the Savior’s hands. In His atoning sacrifice on the cross, His hands were pierced by nails. After the Resurrection, He appeared in a perfect body, but the prints in His hands remain as a reminder of His infinite sacrifice.
- Those who think celestial know they are not left alone in this life. While they face challenges and trials, their Heavenly Father knows their capabilities and knows they can bear or overcome difficulties.
Discussion questions
How can the account of Elder Villar’s brother saving him twice from the waves be like our Savior reaching out to save us?
Why might we sometimes feel powerless and overwhelmed by the waves of life’s challenges? What help can our Savior provide us in these moments?
How does Jesus Christ have power over all things?
What are the symbol and significance of the Savior’s pierced hands?
When have you turned to Jesus Christ in faith to overcome or learn from a challenge?
Notable quotes
- “[Jesus Christ] has the power to help us out of every miserable condition or adverse situation. Regardless of whether we feel close to Him, He still can reach us where we are as we are.”
- “If we think celestial, we will recognize Jesus Christ as a flawless example of ministry. There is a pattern for us in the scriptures when He or His disciples reach out to someone in need of help, rescue or a blessing as they reach out with their hands.”
- “The scriptures immortalize the symbol and significance of the Savior’s hands. In His atoning sacrifice, His hands were pierced by nails to affix Him to the cross. After His Resurrection, He appeared to His disciples in a perfect body, but the prints in His hands remain as a reminder of His infinite sacrifice.”
Key scriptures
- “And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”
- “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Invitations and promises
- “If we think celestial, we will receive the confirmation in our hearts that Jesus Christ is indeed our Rescuer, our Advocate with the Father and our Redeemer.”
- “As we exercise faith in Him, He will save us from our fallen state, beyond our challenges, infirmities and needs in this temporal life, and give us the greatest of all gifts, which is eternal life.”
- “Our Heavenly Father knows our capabilities and knows we can bear or overcome our difficulties. We must do our part and turn to Him in faith.”
Stories
- When Elder Villar was a boy, his family went on vacation to the coast of Chile, his native country. While at the ocean, he joined his older brothers to play in the waves, but he was caught by surprise by a large wave that dragged him under the water. He felt a hand pull him to the surface. It was his brother Claudio. The younger boy went into the ocean a second time, and again the waves tossed him around, so his brother rescued him. Finally, not only did Claudio teach his brother how to dive into the wave, but he also dove in the water with him. Thanks to the help and example of his older brother, Elder Villar learned to dive into the waves and come out victorious.
- When Peter the apostle “walked on the water, to go to Jesus, ... he was afraid; and beginning to sink”; then “he cried, saying, Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:29-30). Although Jesus knew the faith Peter had exercised to come to Him on the water, He was also aware of Peter’s fear. Jesus “immediately ... stretched forth his hand, and caught him,” saying: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).
Notable footnotes
- 3. While we believe that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have the ability to help us whenever we need it, Their help may not always come in the way we expect. It’s important to trust that They know us better than we know ourselves and will provide the support and assistance that is best for us at the right time: “Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7). The trials and challenges we face help us develop the strength and character to resist temptation and overcome the natural man.
- 5. When President Russell M. Nelson invited us to minister in a newer and holier way (see “Ministering,” April 2018), he also asked us to understand that this new way of ministering is not about us and what we want to offer but what others need. Jesus Christ is giving us the opportunity to love our neighbor (see Luke 10:27) in a higher and holier way.
- 8. To truly understand happiness, we need to understand the role of blessings in our lives. The definition of blessings helps to clarify this concept: A blessing is “to confer divine favor upon someone. Anything contributing to true happiness, well-being or prosperity is a blessing” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Bless, Blessed, Blessing”). The world often confuses true happiness with temporary pleasure, which imitates a “happiness” that is short-lived.
Additional resources
- Related image: “Healing Hands” by Adam Abram
- Related video: “Mark 4 | Calming the Tempest”
- Related hymn: No. 105, “Master, the Tempest Is Raging”
Recent conference talks on overcoming
- Elder Neil L. Andersen: “The Triumph of Hope” (October 2024)
- Elder David A. Bednar: “Be Still, and Know That I Am God” (April 2024)
- President Russell M. Nelson: “Think Celestial!” (October 2023)
Who is Elder Villar?
- Elder Juan Pablo Villar was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on March 31, 2018. An Area Seventy in the South America South Area at the time of his calling as a general authority, Elder Villar is the recipient of a Master of Business Administration from BYU.
