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
- “Draw Near Unto Me”
- President Henry B. Eyring | Second counselor in the First Presidency
- Saturday morning session of April 2025 general conference.
- Theme: Those who draw closer to the Savior feel His love and find joy.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of President Eyring’s message here.
Outline
- Those who enter Jesus Christ’s kingdom by covenant take His name upon themselves. In His love, the glorified Son of God invites mortals to come closer to Him.
- The Savior’s invitation to “draw near unto [Him]” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63) allows believers to feel an assurance that He knows and loves them. Always remember Him, seek Him through scripture study, and feel closer to Him through prayer.
- Someone separated from dear friends would cherish any message received from them, and the bond of affection would be strengthened as they drew even nearer. Jesus offers the opportunity to draw closer to Him through prayer to Heavenly Father, listening to the Holy Ghost’s guidance and serving others cheerfully.
- In a sacrament meeting as a youth, President Eyring felt the Savior’s love and closeness through the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
- After Christ’s Resurrection, He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They told Him of their sadness that Jesus had died, trusting He would be the Redeemer of Israel.
- The Savior abided with them after their invitation, but when their eyes were opened, Jesus was gone. The disciples said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us?” (Luke 24:32) then rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the apostles of the Savior’s return.
- Christ appeared to His apostles and reviewed the prophecies of His mission to atone for sins and break the bands of death. They were “witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:48).
- Baptized members are under covenant to be a witness of the Savior and care for those in need (see Mosiah 18:8-9). As they are faithful to those promises, the Lord will be one with them in their service, making burdens light.
- Saints with loved ones who wander off the path to eternal life can serve the Lord in faith, and the Lord will draw closer to them.
- The Lord’s power will sustain those who bind up the wounds of those in need. Covenant servants of Jesus Christ will receive His direction from the Spirit as they bless and serve others for Him.
- The Lord lives, and this is His true Church. The Day of Judgment will be a time of great joy for those who have drawn close to Him in His service.
Reflection questions
How can you more closely follow the Savior’s invitation to “draw near unto [Him]” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63) this week?
How has the Savior lightened your burdens as you’ve made and kept covenants?
What invitations in Mosiah 18:8-9 can you live more fully?
How has serving others helped you come to know the Savior?
When do you feel closest to the Savior? How can you make more time for these experiences?
Speaker quotes
- “There are times we feel close to the Savior, Jesus Christ. And yet, sometimes during our mortal trials, we feel some distance from Him and wish for an assurance that He knows what is in our hearts and loves us as individuals. The Savior’s invitation (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:63) includes the way to feel that assurance. Draw near Him by always remembering Him. Seek Him diligently through scripture study. Ask through heartfelt prayer to Heavenly Father to feel closer to His Beloved Son.”
- “Just as His beloved disciples, every child of Heavenly Father who has chosen to enter through the gate of baptism is under covenant to be a witness of the Savior and to care for those in need throughout our mortal lives.”
- “Many of you have loved ones who are wandering off the path to eternal life. You wonder what more you can do to bring them back. You can depend on the Lord to draw closer to them as you serve Him in faith.”
Reference scriptures
- “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
- “And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.”
- “And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.”
Invitations and promises
- “Jesus Christ loves each of us. He offers that opportunity to draw closer to Him. As with a loving friend, you will do it in much the same way, by communicating through prayer to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, listening for cherished guidance from the Holy Ghost, and then serving others for the Savior cheerfully. Soon you would feel that blessing of drawing nearer to Him.”
- “As you are faithful to these [baptismal] promises, you will find that the Lord keeps His promise to be one with you in your service, making your burdens light. You will come to know the Savior, and in time you will come to be like Him and ‘be perfected in him’ (Moroni 10:32). By helping others for the Savior, you will find that you are drawing nearer to Him.”
- “As you bind up the wounds of those in need, the Lord’s power will sustain you. His arms will be outstretched with yours to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father. Every covenant servant of Jesus Christ will receive His direction from the Spirit as they bless and serve others for Him. Then they will feel the Savior’s love and find joy in being drawn closer to Him.”
Stories
- If someone is separated for a time from dear friends, they would cherish any message received and do all they could to help them. The deeper the bond of affection is strengthened, the friends draw even nearer. If much time passes without the cherished communication and opportunity to help one another, though, the bond weakens. Similarly, believers can draw closer to Jesus Christ through prayer to Heavenly Father, listening to the Holy Spirit and serving others.
- President Eyring fondly remembers attending a sacrament meeting as a young boy. He felt light and warmth by gathering with the Saints to partake of the sacrament and by covenanting with Heavenly Father to always remember His Son. At the end of the meeting, the hymn “Abide With Me; ‘Tis Eventide” brought an overwhelming sense of the Spirit to him, and He felt the Savior’s closeness.
- After Christ’s Resurrection, He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They told Him of their sadness that Jesus had died, not knowing He was there. They invited the Savior to abide with them, and they went in to break bread. Christ blessed the bread, and when the disciples recognized Him, Jesus was gone. The disciples said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).
Additional resources
- Related image: “Christ Calling Peter and Andrew” by James T. Harwood
- Related video: “Christ Appears on the Road to Emmaus”
- Related hymn: No. 165, “Abide With Me; ‘Tis Eventide”
Recent conference talks on discipleship
- Elder John A. McCune: “Joy Through Covenant Discipleship” (April 2025)
- Elder Ulisses Soares: “Aligning Our Will With His” (October 2024)
- President Dallin H. Oaks: “Following Christ” (October 2024)
Who is President Eyring?
- President Henry B. Eyring has been a general authority for about four decades, called in 1985 to the Presiding Bishopric. After his call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1995, he served as a counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Thomas S. Monson and now President Russell M. Nelson. He served as the 10th president of Ricks College — now BYU–Idaho — from 1971 to 1977.
