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
- “Personal Preparation To Meet the Savior”
- Elder Dale G. Renlund | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
- Saturday afternoon session of April 2025 general conference.
- Theme: Those who follow the Savior’s teachings can be prepared for and not fear His Second Coming.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Renlund’s message here.
Outline
- When President Russell M. Nelson speaks of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, it is always with joyful optimism. But a Primary girl recently told Elder Renlund that she is scared for the Second Coming because bad things will happen first.
- Follow the Savior’s teachings, which are neither mysterious nor complex. When one follows these teachings, one need not fear.
- Toward the end of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ taught three parables, recorded in Matthew 25, about how to prepare to meet Him. Personal preparation to meet Him is central to life’s purpose.
- The Savior identified three aspects from the parable of the ten virgins. First, the wise who take the Holy Spirit as their guide need not fear or be anxious. Next, remaining worthy of the Holy Ghost is a capability acquired drop by drop. Third, avoid deception.
- Christ knew pretenders would try to deceive the very elect and that many disciples would be duped. The Book of Mormon teaches how to differentiate deceivers from disciples. Saints can also avoid deception by worshipping regularly in the temple.
- In the Savior’s parable of the talents, three servants are given five talents, two talents and one talent. The first two doubled their talents, while the third buried his. God expects His children to magnify their talents but not compare.
- Rely upon the merits, mercy and grace of the Savior to magnify God-given abilities. With His loving assistance, He expects believers to become the best version of themselves. Differing abilities are irrelevant to Him.
- In the parable of the sheep and the goats, the Savior taught that those on His right will become heirs to His kingdom and those on His left will receive no inheritance. The distinguishing characteristic will be whether they served others.
- When one serves others, one serves God. The divine impulse to serve is taught in the 19th century poem “Farmer Paavo,” where a farmer with a meager harvest was frugal but continued to be frugal after a bountiful harvest to help a destitute neighbor.
- People are to use time, talents and blessings to serve Heavenly Father’s children, especially the vulnerable and needy.
- Follow Jesus Christ and trust in the Holy Ghost. Rely on loved ones, and seek God’s guidance to develop unique abilities and help others. One will then be ready to meet the Savior and join President Nelson in being joyfully optimistic.
Reflection questions
How can following the Savior’s teachings help us overcome fear of events preceding the Second Coming?
What might the oil acquired by the wise virgins “drop by drop” symbolize for us?
How does studying the Book of Mormon, taking counsel from faithful disciples of the Savior and worshipping regularly in the temple help us avoid deception?
How is using our gifts, talents and abilities to bless the lives of others serving God?
What can you do in the next weeks to “magnify the God-given abilities” you’ve received?
Speaker quotes
- “If we are wise, we receive the truth by accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ through priesthood ordinances and covenants. Next, we strive to remain worthy of having the Holy Ghost always with us. This capability must be acquired individually and personally, drop by drop. Consistent, personal, private acts of devotion invite the Holy Ghost to guide us.”
- “The Savior knew pretenders would try to deceive the very elect and that many disciples would be duped. We should neither believe those who falsely claim divine sanction nor venture into metaphorical deserts or secret chambers to be taught by counterfeits.”
- “Indeed, God will be disappointed if we do not rely upon the merits, mercy and grace of the Savior to magnify the God-given abilities we have received. With His loving assistance, He expects us to become the best version of ourselves. That we may start with differing abilities is irrelevant to Him. And it should be to us.”
Reference scriptures
- “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived — verily I say unto you, they shall ... abide the day.”
- “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
- “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Invitations and promises
- “The best advice ... for you and for me is to follow the Savior’s teachings. His instructions are neither mysterious nor complex. When we follow them, we do not need to fear or be anxious.”
- “If we are wise, we receive the truth by accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ through priesthood ordinances and covenants. Next, we strive to remain worthy of having the Holy Ghost always with us. This capability must be acquired individually and personally, drop by drop. Consistent, personal, private acts of devotion invite the Holy Ghost to guide us.”
- “My invitation ... is to follow Jesus Christ and to trust the Holy Ghost as you would a cherished friend. Rely on those who love you and who love the Savior. Seek God’s guidance to develop your unique abilities, and help others, even when it isn’t easy.”
Stories
- A Primary girl recently told Elder Renlund that she becomes anxious whenever the Second Coming is mentioned. She said, “I’m scared because bad things are going to happen before Jesus comes again.” The best advice for those who feel this way is to follow the Savior’s teachings.
- The 18th-century Hasidic scholar Zusya of Anipol was a renowned teacher who began to fear as he approached death. His disciples asked him why when he had lived a good life. Zusya said that if God asked why he wasn’t another Moses or another Solomon, he would reply he did not have the greatness of Moses nor the wisdom of Solomon. But if God asks, “‘Zusya, why were you not Zusya? Why were you not the man I gave you the capacity to be?’ Ah, that is why I tremble.”
- The 19th-century Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg wrote the poem “Farmer Paavo” about a poor farmer with his wife and children who lived in the lake region of central Finland. For several years, his crops were destroyed. Each time, he would tell his wife to mix bark with the rye flour to make bread to feed their children. Finally, Paavo harvested a rich crop, and his wife exulted that they could bake bread with only rye. He took his wife’s hand and told her to mix half the flour with bark because the neighbor’s fields had frosted over. He sacrificed his family’s bounty to help a destitute neighbor.
From the footnotes
- 2. We need not feel anxious, because Jesus Christ will transform us so that we are ready to meet Him. As we consistently honor our covenants and keep the commandments, we gradually become, through His grace and blessings, more and more like the Savior. And as we do, we will be prepared for His Second Coming.
- 3. The Lord’s Second Coming will occur at the beginning of the millennial era, when He returns in glory, and all will acknowledge that He was and is the promised Messiah.
- 11. The teachings in the Book of Mormon combine with and clarify biblical teachings “unto the confounding of false doctrines” (2 Nephi 3:12). Perhaps this is part of the rationale for President Russell M. Nelson’s teaching that the Book of Mormon is God’s instrument to prepare the world for the Second Coming. (See “The Book of Mormon, the Gathering of Israel and the Second Coming,” Ensign, July 2014, 29.)
Additional resources
- Related image: “Five of Them Were Wise” by Walter Rane
- Related video: “Now Is the Time To Draw Closer to the Savior”
- Related hymn: No. 1002, “When the Savior Comes Again”
Recent conference talks on preparing for the Second Coming
- Elder Steven D. Shumway: “Participate To Prepare for Christ’s Return” (April 2025)
- President Russell M. Nelson: “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again” (October 2024)
- Sister Amy A. Wright: “Abide the Day in Christ” (October 2023)
Who is Elder Renlund?
- Elder Dale G. Renlund was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 3, 2015. He was a professor of medicine at the University of Utah and medical director of the Utah Cardiac Transplant Program.
