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
- “And We Talk of Christ”
- Elder Gary E. Stevenson | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
- Saturday evening session of April 2025 general conference.
- Theme: Followers of the Savior are encouraged to focus on the living Christ, especially by centering Easter celebrations on Him and His Resurrection.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Stevenson’s message here.
Outline
Introduction
- A customs officer’s demeanor changed when she saw a picture of the Savior in Sister Lesa Stevenson’s passport. The picture connected otherwise disconnected strangers.
We talk of Christ
- Followers of Jesus Christ seek to receive and share His light. They also teach and testify of Christ’s divine identity and atoning sacrifice and rejoice that He has overcome death and sin.
Come unto Christ
- Living prophets help listeners center their hearts, ears and eyes on the Savior. Recent adjustments — including the decision to retire the name “Mormon Church” and to replace it with the correct name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — are designed to focus Church members on Jesus Christ.
The Church symbol
- In 2020, President Russell M. Nelson introduced a new visual identifier for the Church, which features a representation of the Christus statue and reflects the truth that Christ is at the center of His Church and should be at the center of the lives of Latter-day Saints.
- In this new symbol, Jesus Christ stands under the arch, representing the resurrected Savior emerging from the tomb. Members of the Church celebrate the living Christ.
Higher and holier Easter
- The First Presidency invited members to have a higher and holier Easter celebration focused on Christ. Worthy activities include devotionals on Palm Sunday and during Holy Week, interfaith choirs, “Living Christ” open houses and family worship.
- Elder Stevenson’s family recently added an Easter Day play to their traditions. Their play includes rudimentary costumes, reading of scriptures, music, Easter pictures and palm fronds to honor Christ’s atoning sacrifice and joyous Resurrection.
A literal Resurrection
- While there appears to be a growing trend among various Christian theologians to view the Resurrection in figurative and symbolic terms, members of the Church affirm the doctrine that the Resurrection is literal. Jesus Christ broke the bands of death for every living soul.
Conclusion and testimony
- All who accept the invitations from the Prophet and his counselors to more intentionally commemorate the holy events that Easter represents will find that their bond with Jesus Christ grows ever stronger.
- A grandmother rehearsed the Easter story to her grandson, who later repeated the story to his parents in surprising detail. When his parents asked him if he knew why they celebrate Easter, he responded, “Cuz Him’s alive.”
Reflection questions
How can you further center your Easter celebrations on Christ?
What changes can you make to focus your life more on the Savior?
What blessings have you seen as you’ve developed a relationship with Christ?
What makes the doctrine of Christ’s Resurrection significant to you?
How can you share the Savior’s light with those around you?
Speaker quotes
- “We are followers of Jesus Christ, and we seek to both receive and share His light.”
- “We rejoice that because of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, we can be forgiven and cleansed of our sins as we repent. This brings us peace and hope while making it possible for us to return to God’s presence and receive a fullness of joy.”
- “Our hearts are heavy as we imagine the Savior’s suffering in the garden and upon Calvary, but our hearts rejoice as we envision the empty tomb and the heavenly decree ‘He is risen’ (Matthew 28:6).”
Reference scriptures
- “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”
- “And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.”
- “But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.”
Invitations and promises
- “Living prophets in our day — who receive revelation from God to teach and lead us — are increasingly inviting us to come unto Christ. They are helping us to center our hearts, ears and eyes more fully on Him.”
- “In recent First Presidency messages concerning Easter, we have been challenged to ‘celebrate the Resurrection of our living Savior by studying His teachings and helping to establish Easter traditions in our society as a whole, especially within our own families.’ In short, we have been encouraged to move to a higher and holier celebration of Easter.”
- “I testify that all who accept the invitations from our living prophet and his counselors to more intentionally commemorate the holy events that Easter represents will find that their bond with Jesus Christ grows ever stronger.”
Stories
- While traveling home from an overseas assignment, Elder and Sister Stevenson were in a long line to get through customs. A customs officer who had previously seemed mechanical smiled warmly when she saw a picture of the Savior in Sister Stevenson’s passport. The picture connected the hearts of strangers.
- A grandmother rehearsed the Easter story to her grandson using simple replicas of the tomb, the stone that covered the sepulchre, Jesus, Mary, the disciples and the angel. The little boy later repeated the story to his parents in surprising detail. When his parents asked him if he knew why they celebrate Easter, he responded, “Cuz Him’s alive.”
Additional resources
- Related image: “Mary and the Resurrected Lord” by Harry Anderson
- Related video: “Greater Love | Easter 2025”
- Related hymn: No. 1016, “Behold the Wounds in Jesus’ Hands”
Recent conference talks on Easter
- Elder Gerrit W. Gong: “Eternity’s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ’s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration” (April 2025)
- Elder Gary E. Stevenson: “The Greatest Easter Story Ever Told” (April 2023)
- President Russell M. Nelson: “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains” (April 2021)
Who is Elder Stevenson?
- Elder Gary E. Stevenson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 3, 2015. He had been serving as the presiding bishop since 2012. Elder Stevenson has lived more than nine years in Japan — as a missionary in the Japan Fukuoka Mission, president of the Japan Nagoya Mission and Asia North Area president.
