Editor’s note: To support personal and family gospel learning, the Church News is publishing articles on messages from April 2025 general conference. It is recommended to listen to or read the full address in addition to reviewing these resources.
About this talk
- “Right Before Our Eyes”
- Elder Ronald A. Rasband | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
- Saturday morning session of April 2025 general conference.
- Theme: The Lord is hastening His work, seen in the growth of His Church.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Rasband’s message here.
Outline
- The Lord is hastening His work. “Hastening” suggests moving quickly, accelerating and even urgency.
- In April 1834 in Kirtland, Ohio, in a little schoolhouse, a small group of priesthood holders met the Prophet Joseph, who said that one day the Church would fill the world. Today, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are seeing this prophecy fulfilled.
- The Church is increasing in numbers and influence, but more importantly in the hearts and lives of its members, who are known as disciples of Jesus Christ. Members are encouraged to stand tall as His disciples, as eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of prophecy.
- Naysayers are but footnotes in this noble work. The Church is building temples at an unprecedented rate, missionary work is gathering record numbers to the fold, and Church education is at a new high.
- Before April 2025 conference, the Church had 367 temples in various stages of design, construction or operation. Members are hastening holiness as they live temple worthy, worship in the house of the Lord and make covenants with God for themselves and on behalf of their ancestors. (Note: President Russell M. Nelson announced 15 more temple locations at the end of the Sunday afternoon session, for a total of 382 temples.)
- The Lord is hastening His work in missions. In 2024, 80,000 missionaries were serving in 450 missions. In the same year, missionary work brought over 308,000 members into the Church.
- Before setting off as missionaries to the British Isles in 1839, Apostles Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball cheered, “Hurrah, hurrah for Israel.” Elder Rasband heard a similar cheer from missionaries in Lima, Peru.
- The Lord is hastening educational opportunities for members and for others around the world. Currently, there are more than 800,000 students worldwide enrolled in seminary and institute.
- Whatever is on a to-do list, give equal time, not spare time, to the Lord in personal scripture study, family study of “Come, Follow Me,” prayer, Church callings, ministering, partaking of the sacrament, worshipping in the temple and pondering the things of God.
- There is positive spiritual momentum building at seminaries, institutes and Church universities. In these environments, the Lord is a priority.
- Another area showing the growing reach of education in the Church is BYU–Pathway Worldwide. Around the world, enrollment has reached nearly 75,000. The PathwayConnect programs are about access to education.
- In the midst of the good news of the gospel, there are those who struggle with faith challenges, doubts and questions. Jesus Christ is the answer. He understands. Faith in Christ can lift and heal the wounded soul.
Reflection questions
How is the Lord hastening His work? Why does it matter?
How is worshipping regularly in the temple “hastening our holiness”?
How can we have the “spirit of the gathering” in missionary work?
What blessings have you found as you “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118)?
How can looking to Jesus Christ help us with faith challenges, doubts and questions?
Speaker quotes
- “We are grateful to be on earth when the Church is increasing in numbers and influence, but more importantly in the hearts and lives of its members. We are known as disciples of Jesus Christ. We share our testimonies of Him, His Church, His ways and His covenant path. We are His people, and He is our Savior.”
- “Remember the words of Joseph Smith: ‘No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, … but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.’”
- “I recognize that in the midst of the good news of the gospel, there are those who struggle, who have faith challenges, doubts and questions that seem to have no answers. Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is the answer.”
Reference scriptures
- “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”
- “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
- “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Invitations and promises
- “I marvel at what President [Russell M.] Nelson calls the ‘majesty of this moment’ and express profound gratitude to the Lord for His work. I encourage us to stand tall as His disciples, eyewitnesses of the fulfillment of prophecy, both ancient and modern.”
- “Whatever is on your to-do list, give equal time, not spare time, to the Lord in personal scripture study, family study of ‘Come, Follow Me,’ prayer, Church callings, ministering, partaking of the sacrament, worshipping in the temple and pondering the things of God.”
- “Faith in Jesus Christ can lift you up and heal your wounded soul. Trust Him and you will hasten your return to ‘the arms of his love’ (2 Nephi 1:15).”
Stories
- In April 1834 in Kirtland, Ohio, the Prophet Joseph Smith gathered priesthood holders into a little schoolhouse about 14 feet square. The Prophet said, “It is only a little handful of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America — it will fill the world.” This prophecy is being fulfilled “right before our eyes.”
- In 2024, Elder Rasband presided over the dedication of the Mendoza Argentina Temple. In his message, he referred to the 1926 prophecy by Elder Melvin J. Ballard that the work would grow slowly in South America, “just as an oak grows slowly from an acorn. It will not shoot up in a day,” but that in time thousands would join the Church and the nations of South America would become “a power in the Church.” Elder Rasband declared that this prophecy was being fulfilled before his eyes.
- In 1839, Apostles Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball set off as missionaries to the British Isles, though ill and leaving their families sick and destitute. As the wagon pulled away, the two Apostles struggled to their feet and shouted, “Hurrah, hurrah for Israel.” Elder Rasband shared how he met with missionaries in Lima, Peru, and at the end of the meeting, the missionaries rose up and shouted, “Hurrah for Israel.”
From the footnotes
- 7. The inscription “Holiness to the Lord” is on the exterior of every temple of the Church. Most also include the phrase “The House of the Lord.”
- 13. President Gordon B. Hinckley stated: “I need not remind you that this cause in which we are engaged is not an ordinary cause. It is the cause of Christ. It is the kingdom of God our Eternal Father. It is the building of Zion on the earth.” (“An Ensign to the Nations,” October 1989 general conference.)
Additional resources
- Related image: “The Second Coming” by Harry Anderson
- Related video: “Why Do We Need a Church?”
- Related hymn: No. 60, “Battle Hymn of the Republic”
Recent conference talks on preparing for the Second Coming
- Elder Dale G. Renlund: “Personal Preparation To Meet the Savior” (April 2025)
- President Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again” (October 2024)
- Bishop L. Todd Budge: “Seek Him With All Your Heart” (October 2024)
Who is Elder Rasband?
- Elder Ronald A. Rasband was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 3, 2015. Between his call as a General Authority Seventy in 2000 and serving in the Presidency of the Seventy in 2005, he served in the Temple Department first as an assistant executive director and then as executive director in 2004 — a position no other living prophet or apostle has held.
