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
- “The Joy of Our Redemption”
- by Sister Kristin M. Yee | Second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency
- Saturday evening session of October 2024 general conference.
- Theme: The Savior helps all people repent and overcome weaknesses.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Sister Yee’s message here.
Outline
- Sister Yee shared her story from when she painted a portrait of Jesus. She explained her self-doubt at the beginning of the process, but she put faith in the Lord to help her complete the painting. At the end of the project, she found herself frustrated with a mistake that helped her realize how the Lord will heal people from their mistakes if they are willing to let Him outstretch His hand.
- Repentance allows God’s children to feel His love, and it is a tool that can be used repeatedly. Repentance is a promised blessing through keeping one’s covenants. Christ’s redeeming power allows the return to both a loving Heavenly Father and loved ones.
- Through the atoning sacrifice Jesus Christ made, a life of immortality and eternal life is available to all who choose Him. The opportunity to truly repent and be forgiven is a miracle God provides to all of His children.
- The depths of divine forgiveness cannot be fathomed. There is nothing anyone can do to descend below the Master’s reach. Those who access His atoning power can overcome their weaknesses and sins and be brought to the light — if they are willing to choose and follow Him.
- Repentance requires work, sincerity of heart and humility. True repentance and change require being “convinced of our sins” (Alma 24:9), looking inside to see that which really needs healing and repair.
- “Let us not defend ourselves from the good that God desires to bless us with.” Those who bury their “weapons of war” (Alma 24:19) are laying down anything that would keep them from loving God with all their hearts and keeping all their covenants with Him.
- Those who live their covenants receive the Lord’s help to overcome weaknesses, including pride. The Prophet has taught that in the days ahead, people will need more than ever the power that comes from repentance and keeping covenants. Heavenly Father and the Savior know everyone’s hearts and care about what is important to them.
- All that has fallen can be redeemed through the Savior. Those with ongoing struggles can be patient with themselves and not give up. As they strive to seek help from leaders and go to the house of the Lord, they can receive the healing and forgiveness that is needed.
- Elder D. Todd Christofferson has taught that “the Lord smiles upon one who desires to come to judgment worthily.” Each day is a new opportunity to find the joy of being made whole and to feel God’s unfailing love.
- Heavenly Father and the Savior love everyone. Jesus Christ lives and broke the bands of sin and death. All are free to choose healing, redemption and eternal life with those they love.
Discussion questions
What makes repentance a joyful act?
How can we apply Sister Yee’s experience with the painting to our own life challenges?
How can we better strengthen our covenant relationship with God?
What does it mean to you that the Savior is “mighty to save”?
How can repentance allow us to feel God’s love?
Notable quotes
- “Repenting allows us to feel God’s love and to know and love Him in ways we would never otherwise know.”
- “Just as it required work and pleading for heaven’s help to repair the painting, it takes work, sincerity of heart and humility to bring ‘forth fruit meet for repentance’ (Alma 12:15).”
- “Like my painting, the Lord is not done with us when we make a mistake, nor does He flee when we falter.”
Key scriptures
- “Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.”
- “Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.”
- “... He has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.”
Invitations and promises
- “The redeeming power of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest promised blessings of our covenants. Ponder this as you participate in sacred ordinances. Without it, we could not return home to the presence of our Father in Heaven and those we love.”
- “As we live our covenants, the Lord can give us the help and power we need to both recognize and overcome our weaknesses, including the spiritual parasite of pride.”
- “If you are struggling with a situation you think you should have overcome by now, don’t give up. Be patient with yourself, keep your covenants, repent often, seek the help of your leaders if needed, and go to the house of the Lord as regularly as you can. Listen for and heed the promptings He sends you. He will not abandon His covenant relationship with you.”
Stories
- Sister Yee shares her experience painting a portrait of the Savior. She explains that the process was long and difficult, and at times she began to question her abilities. Toward the end of her project, she brushed varnish on the painting — but realized the painting was still wet. What was a beautiful portrait seemed to have been ruined in seconds. After receiving wise words and loving guidance from her mother, she continued. She pleaded with the Father in prayer, and after working through the night, she awoke to find the painting better than it was before. This experience gave the Lord an opportunity to extend His merciful hand and to show His love and power can save us from one’s own mistakes, weaknesses and sins.
- In Luke 7, a woman is looked down upon for her sins. She found Jesus in a Pharisee’s house and brought an alabaster box of ointment to anoint the feet of Jesus. As she anointed His feet, she wept and washed away the ointment with her hair. Although the Pharisee was astonished that Jesus would allow a sinner to touch Him, Jesus saw her act of love and sacrifice and forgave her of her sins. He said, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little” (Luke 7:47).
- In a book titled “The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis, a young man finds himself in some trouble because of his own poor decisions. Sister Yee read a quote from Aslan, a leader character, who says, “Oh [humankind], how cleverly you defend yourselves [from] all that might do you good!” Sister Yee invited listeners to take upon themselves the blessings that come from God’s goodness and the healing that is available through a covenant relationship with Him.
Notable footnotes
- 2. “Once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called hesed (חֶסֶד)” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” October 2022).
- 7. Speaking of the sacrament, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Aposltes said: “As we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins” (“Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” April 2016).
- 14. “I plead with you to come unto Him so that He can ... heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Answer Is Always Jesus Christ,” April 2023).
Additional resources
- Related image: “And I Partook” by Sister Kristin M. Yee
- Related video: “Repentance: A Joyful Choice”
- Related hymn: No. 1009, “Gethsemane”
Recent conference talks on joy and hope
- Elder Patrick Kearon: “Welcome to the Church of Joy” (October 2024)
- Elder Gary E. Stevenson: “Days Never To Be Forgotten” (October 2024)
- Elder Neil L. Andersen: “The Triumph of Hope” (October 2024)
Who is Sister Yee?
- Sister Kristin M. Yee has served as second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency since Aug. 1, 2022. She earned degrees in fine arts from Brigham Young University–Idaho and Brigham Young University and a Master of Public Administration from BYU. Sister Yee has created many portraits of the Savior and was once an artist and producer for Disney.
