In his remarks to the Church and the world on Sunday, Oct. 4, President Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, invited all to come unto Jesus Christ.
“I pray for what our Heavenly Father wants for each of us — to be active members of the Church of Jesus Christ, proceeding forward on the covenant path into the eternities. We need one another’s prayers,” he said.
President Oaks spoke during the Church’s 196th Semiannual General Conference, held Oct. 3-4 in Salt Lake City. The two days of general sessions included counsel and teachings from members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other Church leaders.
This special conference edition of the Church News podcast, hosted by editor Jon Ryan Jensen and reporter Mary Richards, features excerpts from each of the conference addresses and covers topics such as overcoming through the Savior, finding comfort, believing God, temple covenants, peacemaking, commandments and truth.
Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.
Transcript:
Jon Ryan Jensen: I’m Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen.
Mary Richards: And I’m Church News reporter Mary Richards. Welcome to the Church News podcast.
Jon Ryan Jensen: Millions tuned in Oct. 3-4 for the 196th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with messages from the President and Prophet of the Church, President Dallin H. Oaks; the First Presidency; the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and other general authorities and general officers of the Church.
Mary Richards: This special conference edition of the Church News podcast features excerpts from each of the October 2026 general conference addresses.
0:36
Conference began on Saturday morning with Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He spoke about blessings of and respect for the temple.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong: God’s redeeming work is majestic in its sweep and reach. As the Prophet Joseph Smith saw in vision, every person, except a very few, is saved in a kingdom of glory. We can inherit a glorified paradisiacal earth and live in the highest degree of celestial glory with God our Father and Jesus Christ.
Agency means we choose directly and indirectly our relationships. God will not require a woman or man to be sealed and live in an eternal relationship he or she does not choose. Agency, faith and repentance and Jesus Christ’s Atonement make change and forgiveness possible. As we become new creatures in Jesus Christ, we sweeten our relationships. Temple service evokes our Savior’s Atonement. It softens hearts on both sides of the veil.
We find hope and healing when we perform temple ordinances for family members with whom we may earlier have had difficult relationships. Jesus Christ can help us mend, forgive, move forward. We exclaim: “When I did the temple work for my family member, my heart softened.” “I could forgive.” “I was freed.” “Anger and bitterness left.” “I felt peace for the first time.” We may even come to desire sealing with those family members.
2:27
Mary Richards: Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, spoke about the purpose of suffering.
Sister Tamara W. Runia: God is shaping us into something only He knows we can become. Still, like Nephi, I do not know the meaning of all things. When I spoke at Ryan’s funeral, I looked at his wife, Cari, and their four children with such a heavy heart and said: “I don’t understand why this happened. I don’t. But let me be clear: Not understanding is not the same as not believing.” I may not understand everything, but I absolutely believe God sees you, loves you and knows your story. A story that is both personal and purposeful.
First, your story is personal, so you don’t need to look sideways and ask, “How come my life doesn’t look like theirs?” And it’s purposeful in that it has meaning. Our suffering means something. It’s not a detour from the path; it gives purpose to our path. God is intimately aware of your experience and has a plan for all of it, for each one of us, even if we can’t see it right now.
3:30
Mary Richards: Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified about the gift of testimony.
Elder Gérald Caussé: How many Almas are there around you waiting to hear your witness and discover or rediscover the hope that is found in Jesus Christ? If you have received the gift of the testimony, even if it is only the beginning of one, it is your duty and your privilege to share it.
I invite you to look each day for opportunities, as prompted by the Holy Ghost, to bear witness of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, even if only for a minute or two. A brief, sincere expression of faith can make a profound difference.
Whether at home with your family, in testimony meetings, in ministering visits, missionary lessons, on social media or in simple, everyday interactions with others, you can share your beliefs in simple and natural ways, such as: “I love our Savior, Jesus Christ” or “The gospel brings joy to my heart.” Imagine what could happen if all of us — millions of disciples of Jesus Christ — consistently shared our testimonies. Countless lives would be blessed, faith would grow, and the love of Christ would spread more abundantly throughout the world.
4:57
Mary Richards: Elder Vaiangina Sikahema, a General Authority Seventy, spoke about prophets, seers and revelators.
Elder Vaiangina Sikahema: Perhaps you can appreciate why my beloved grandparents were so eager to be in the presence of one of the Lord’s anointed. Even in their despair and while mourning the tragic loss of their only son, their handsome, cheerful little boy, they solemnly buried him and made the herculean effort to sail just to listen to an Apostle of the Lord.
What a blessing it is to live in a time when apostles and prophets are on the earth. As we begin this opening session of the 196th Semiannual General Conference of the Church, let us not be guilty of holding “the oracles of God ... as a light thing” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:5).
5:55
Mary Richards: Elder Kevin J. Hathaway, General Authority Seventy, testified about Jesus Christ and divine deliverance.
Elder Kevin J. Hathaway: Have you ever felt left out, wondered if you were enough, lost someone you loved, faced illness, experienced family difficulties or carried a burden no one else could see? My message today is that Jesus Christ delivers the righteous from these and every other affliction of mortality.
Jesus Christ descended below all things and suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” (Alma 7:11). Therefore, He comprehends our suffering, is filled with mercy and knows how to succor us according to our infirmities. With perfect understanding and infinite power, He can deliver the righteous from all things forever.
6:46
Mary Richards: Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the law of the fast.
Elder Ulisses Soares: Adopting this holy pattern of fasting is more than a physical test of restraint or a petition for specific blessings. It is an elevating expression of faith and trust in the Lord through which our hearts can be filled with rejoicing as we commune with Him more deeply. It is a way to align our desires with His purposes and our expectations with His wisdom.
Even when answers do not come in the way we expect, fasting and prayer helps us develop greater confidence in the Lord, in our covenants with Him and His plan for our lives, as well as a deeper willingness to accept His will. Through this holy law, the Lord also invites us to look beyond ourselves and turn our hearts toward His children. Isaiah taught that an acceptable fast helps us to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke.
The Prophet Joseph Smith once taught, “A man filled with the love of God is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.” Thus, our fast becomes not only a personal act of devotion to God but also an outward expression of Christlike charity and love.
8:30
Mary Richards: Bishop Sean Douglas, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, shared more about missionary work.
Bishop Sean Douglas: To you wonderful converts of the Church, a mission may not have been on your radar. But it ought to be now. To all the rising generation of the Church, I invite you to place serving a full-time mission high on your list. Don’t be distracted by alternatives of far less worth.
Some might be like Amulek of the Book of Mormon, who expressed, “For I was called many times and I would not hear” (Alma 10:6). Prophets of God today strongly reaffirm that “the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For [you], missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. ... For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. ... Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission.”
9:27
Mary Richards: President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency, was the concluding speaker of the Saturday morning session. He spoke about gambling.
President D. Todd Christofferson: Today I am pleading with all of us to live life on a higher plane. God has granted life and agency to each of us, and each of us is accountable to Him for how we live that life.
A key part of a life well lived is contributing to the well-being of others. It’s being productive in worthy endeavors. It’s being and doing better without others doing worse. It comes by supporting and rewarding work rather than idle pursuits. Work leads to prosperous, just and equitable societies. Gambling, even for fun, leads in the opposite direction. Remember President Oaks’ comments about “opportunity cost” and the opportunities lost when a person devotes time and money to gambling.
My plea again is not only to refrain from gambling but to use the time and resources saved thereby for doing good. The Lord counsels us to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause, ... and bring to pass much righteousness” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27). Indeed, “blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 12:6).
If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, there are many good things we will pursue and other things that, because they’re incompatible with righteousness, we will put out of our lives entirely. I pray that you’ll not treat gambling lightly. Having begun these remarks quoting the prophet Jacob, I end with another of his statements: “O be wise; what can I say more?” (Jacob 6:12).
11:19
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles led off on the Saturday afternoon session. He spoke about remembering covenants with the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Elder Dale G. Renlund: Perhaps you have been served more than your share of cold oatmeal. Perhaps, like the children of Israel, you have doubted God’s care for you, His willingness to succor you or His capacity to keep His promises. Yet God invites us to trust Him and His promises.
During His mortal ministry, the Savior told His disciples, “These things I have spoken [to] you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus overcame the world. We don’t have to do so ourselves.
When our faith is centered on Jesus Christ, He promises spiritual peace no matter our circumstances. We can experience joy in our here and now because of Him and through our covenant relationship with Him. Faith in Jesus Christ frees us from uncertainty because our hope rests on His faithfulness and righteousness, not our own. The prophet Lehi testified to his son Jacob, “Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer” (2 Nephi 2:3).
Jacob was a good and faithful person, yet his righteousness would not be the source of his redemption. No, Jacob’s redemption would come through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The same is true for each of us.
13:03
Jon Ryan Jensen: Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes also spoke in the Saturday afternoon session about ministering to others with compassion.
President Timothy L. Farnes: Our promise of willingness is met by the Lord’s promise that we can always have His Spirit with us. With that gift, we can minister as the Savior would, with His power and His loving-kindness. We make the covenant during sacred time with God every Sunday. A way we keep the covenant is by ministering to God’s children every day. Often this happens when God places someone in our path and we have eyes to see them. I call these divine appointments.
13:41
Jon Ryan Jensen: General Authority Seventy Elder Christian C. Chigbundu spoke in the Saturday afternoon session about spiritual immunity.
Elder Christian C. Chigbundu: President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “As we honor those covenants by keeping [Heavenly Father’s and Jesus Christ’s] commandments and following Their plan of redemption, Their promised blessings enable us to soar to celestial heights.” What a promise, my friends.
Remember that trials may come, yet as we worship in the temple and remember our covenant, we receive personal direction from the Lord that will guide us along the covenant path. My beloved brothers and sisters, I invite you to always remember scriptures, prayers, sacrament and covenants. While they may seem small and simple, they are truly the armor of God that will help us stand against the tactics of the devil.
14:43
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Patricio M. Giuffra spoke on Saturday afternoon as well, about tithes and offerings.
Elder Patricio M. Giuffra: Throughout my life, I have learned to trust in the Lord. I have seen innumerable blessings to come to my family and me as we sought to faithfully live the law of tithing and offerings. Some blessings have been temporal, others spiritual, but all have strengthened our testimony that the Lord always fulfills His promises and that the windows of heaven are opened according to our obedience.
My wife often teaches a principle that has become very meaningful in our family: We keep the commandments because we love God, not merely because we hope to receive the blessings that come from obedience.
15:32
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Jeremiah J. Morgan, a General Authority Seventy, spoke about the power of covenants.
Elder Jeremiah J. Morgan: President Dallin H. Oaks has said that covenants “do not take a day off.” Though the covenant faithfulness of parents and grandparents does not alter the agency of children or grandchildren, there is a discernible impact of those covenants on all our posterity. It was covenants that had impacted me — not my covenants but those that came before me.
The power of God in those covenants reached out after me, and as Elder Patrick Kearon has taught, “He employs every possible measure to bring [you] back.” It is exactly how the Lord revealed it to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers” (Doctrine and Covenants 2:2).
16:24
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Hutch U. Fale spoke Saturday afternoon about knowing and understanding Heavenly Father’s love.
Elder Hutch U. Fale: Living prophets and apostles stand as witnesses that the resurrected Christ is evidence of the continuing and immeasurable love of our Eternal Father. What I witness before you today first came by way of the Holy Spirit as a young boy riding from Nuku‘alofa to my home village of Muʻa. I was reading a copy of the New Testament that referenced John 3:16 in several different languages: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I knew this was true then, and I know it is true now.
17:07
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the Savior’s ability to uplift Heavenly Father’s children.
Elder Patrick Kearon: With His all-powerful hand, He lifted His beloved Peter from sinking in the waves. He lifted the daughter of Jairus from the depths of death. And after healing the boy plagued with an unclean spirit, who was as one dead, Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up. Our Savior constantly sought out the most desperate souls sinking into darkness and dread and lifted them up. And He wants to lift you.
Through the amazing grace of Jesus Christ, we can avoid spiritual sink and find spiritual lift. Spiritual lift cannot be seen, but as we learn to discern and act upon the sensitive impressions of the Holy Spirit, we can feel it as surely as I felt the rising air lift a wing beneath me.
Can you identify moments when you have felt undeniable spiritual lift? Where were you? How did it feel? Isn’t it magnificent to feel like you’re being drawn upward, rising higher and higher toward your Heavenly Father and your intended eternal potential? Can you likewise identify moments when you have felt spiritual sink? You likely remember how this felt in contrast. Just as with gliding, we turn away from it decisively.
19:00
Jon Ryan Jensen: General Authority Seventy Elder Michael A. Dunn spoke about Christ’s help in life’s journey.
Elder Michael A. Dunn: But as I’ve come to learn through this race called life and the ups and downs of it, He simultaneously lifts and uplifts, sometimes in unseen fashion, multiplying and magnifying even our most minuscule offerings. In other words, the Redeemer rescues not by shortening our course but by helping us lengthen our stride.
Anytime we turn to Christ, we turn a corner. By His grace, we can trust and expect in His constant care. And because God knows our prayers even before we ask Him, it’s reasonable to assume that blessings may often materialize in the selfsame moment we verbalize. His grace, which is a duality defined as a divine means of help or strength, can free us from the freight we would otherwise carry.
20:02
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Matthew J. Eyring spoke about feeling comfort from the Holy Ghost.
Elder Matthew J. Eyring: The Lord has promised: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; ... for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16–17).
We have received repeated prophetic warnings that in coming days we will not survive spiritually without the constant influence of the Holy Ghost. One reason is that in a world of increasing temporal and spiritual turbulence, true sources of comfort will become more scarce. Without divine comfort, we risk losing hope, and without hope, we can lose our faith and stop trying. Our hearts can fail us. There is hope in Jesus Christ.
20:59
Jon Ryan Jensen: Closing out the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about loving those who have left the gospel path.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband: Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ pulls much more than His weight. His Atonement is witness of His all-encompassing love for each one of us. Brutal as it was for Him, His Atonement was crucial for our eternal journey. Remember, “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
He has already paid for the sins and errant choices of all of God’s children, including those for whom you and I grieve. He knows them. He knows their hearts. He loves them. He gave His very life to bring them home, all the way home.
Remember the prodigal son who chose to leave his safe moorings for riotous living? He lost his fortune and his self-respect, and he returned home in a wretched state. When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran to him. He was lost, and now was found.
What brought him back? It was love. He knew where to find it. Love, brothers and sisters, is the answer to connecting with all of our loved ones. Our Father extends His protective arms to us and to those still distant from Him and His Son. He asks us to do the same.
22:49
Mary Richards: The Sunday morning session began with President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency. His address talked about helping give the Lord’s comfort to others.
President Henry B. Eyring: My wise mother taught me that when I was a little boy. I had asked her, “Mother, why is life so hard?” She smiled and said firmly: “Hal, of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. Life is a test.”
Years later, I realized that as she spoke those words to me, she was passing through tests of her own and rising up through a lifetime of terrible medical trials. As a girl, she had been diagnosed with diseases that would cause lifelong health challenges. But because she knew the words “Fear not, I am with thee” were true, the Lord’s promise was fulfilled for her.
You might reasonably wonder why a loving and all-powerful God allows our mortal test to be so hard. It is because He knows that we must grow in spiritual cleanliness and stature to be able to live in His presence. To make that possible, Heavenly Father gave us a Savior and the power to choose for ourselves by faith to keep His commandments and to repent and to come unto Him.
The Savior not only understands and has felt grief, but He has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows. He knows you perfectly. He knows your heart. The combination of trials and their duration are as varied as are the children of our Heavenly Father. No two are exactly alike, but what is being tested is the same at all times, in all lives and for every person. Will we do whatsoever the Lord our God will command us?
25:18
Mary Richards: Primary General President Rosemary K. Chibota talked about seeing each other as children of God.
President Rosemary K. Chibota: You too can make a difference in someone’s life today simply by seeing them and acknowledging them. Remember that every person has divine worth. When we see one another through the Savior’s eyes, hearts change, relationships deepen and faith grows.
This week, I invite you to learn the name of someone who may feel unseen. Pray to see others as Heavenly Father sees them. Replace worldly labels with these eternal truths: child of God, child of the covenant, disciple of Jesus Christ. My dear friends, I leave you a final “Sawubona.” I see you. More importantly, your Heavenly Father sees you. Your Savior, Jesus Christ, sees you. They know your name, your circumstances, your gifts and your divine potential.
26:31
Mary Richards: Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about spiritual courage being born of faith in Jesus Christ.
Elder Neil L. Andersen: Our world is in constant commotion. Our phone seems almost attached to our hand, bringing a flood of information, misinformation and now artificial information. I grew up on a small dairy farm. For a season, our three dozen cows were housed near a small canyon. Nearly every summer morning after milking, I would saddle my horse and guide the cows into the high meadow to graze with no cell phone, no earbuds, no music, no texting. All day long, just me and the cows, alone with my thoughts.
Times have changed, but our spirits have not changed. We need stillness to nourish our faith in Christ. As we choose faith in Christ, He blesses us with the courage, sometimes in very difficult situations, to choose the right. And as we manifest our courage to choose the right, our faith in Christ strengthens. We rejoice in the faith in Jesus Christ and the spiritual courage we see in you, our members of the Church across the world.
28:05
Mary Richards: Elder James G.O. Fantone, a General Authority Seventy, talked about taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ.
Elder James G.O. Fantone: How do we, as covenant children of God, truly take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ? How does that manifest in our daily lives? I love the simple yet profound answer taught by the prophet Moroni. He recorded that none were baptized “save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end” (Moroni 6:3). Taking upon us His name requires a lifelong determination to serve Him, and King Benjamin provided the divine key: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).
28:59
Mary Richards: Next, Elder Edward Dube of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke about coming unto Christ.
Elder Edward Dube: President Oaks taught, “Jesus Christ did all of this because He loves all of the children of God.” His suffering and atoning sacrifice show us how completely devoted He is to all of us. He invites us to come unto Him.
Consider Moroni’s invitation: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him. ... Deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32). Three key truths to note. One, come. It’s an action. We choose to move from our current place to a better place. Two, deny yourselves. Surrender. Let go of the things that are holding us back. Three, be perfected in Him. Come as we are, with a willing heart. He will give us a new heart. We do not need to perfect ourselves to come to Christ. We come to Christ to be perfected.
30:19
Mary Richards: Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed integrity, virtue and happiness.
Elder Quentin L. Cook: What we are seeing in society and social media today is conduct and language that is often coarse and crude and lacks virtue. It is destructive of civil discourse. It also violates the basic principles the Savior taught. Any use of the internet to bully, destroy a reputation or place a person in a bad light is reprehensible.
It is clear evil communications are not just a matter of bad manners. If practiced by Latter-day Saints, they can adversely affect others who do not have a knowledge of God or a testimony of our Savior. The Lord has inspired marvelous technology that provides us with unparalleled experiences and opportunities when used wisely.
The Church has experienced physical and verbal attacks over the years. We cannot control the conduct of others, but we can strive to be a peaceable people who live in accordance with the Christlike conduct and virtues taught by the Savior, Jesus Christ. Both President Russell M. Nelson and President Dallin H. Oaks have been inspired to consistently talk about being righteous peacemakers.
31:51
Mary Richards: Elder Alfred Kyungu, a General Authority Seventy, talked about using the language of peacemakers.
Elder Alfred Kyungu: Therefore, let us fill our hearts with the true doctrine of Christ, which has the power to change our language and help us speak more as peacemakers today, tomorrow and always. As we follow Jesus Christ, we will not only feel His peace, but as Elder Ulisses Soares said, we can become instruments of His peace in the world.
Let us repent for the harsh language and expressions that have offended our friends, leaders or family members and colleagues. Let us pray for peaceful communication among us, regardless of the difference in our opinions. Let us use the language that uplifts, edifies, comforts and brings people together.
32:52
Mary Richards: Another General Authority Seventy, Elder Ciro Schmeil, testified about making covenants with God.
Elder Ciro Schmeil: May we also consider our ways. Heavenly Father is not asking us to physically build a temple. But He’s asking us to build a strong relationship with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, through our covenants. He will magnify our efforts as we consider our ways and make the proper adjustments to make and keep covenants with Him.
God knows what is best for us, and He’s eager to bless us. Remember what He said to the Israelites: “From this day will I bless you” (Haggai 2:19). I know that God keeps His promises. I have seen it in my life. He gave me spiritual and physical strength when I needed it most.
33:44
Mary Richards: The concluding speaker of the Sunday morning session was President Dallin H. Oaks, President of the Church. He spoke about overcoming through the Savior.
President Dallin H. Oaks: As your President, I pray for what our Heavenly Father wants for each of us — to be active members of the Church of Jesus Christ, proceeding forward on the covenant path into the eternities. We need one another’s prayers. I feel the positive effect of your prayers. I am thankful, and I love you.
We all have present or future concerns or struggles we are trying to overcome. These may include questions or doubts. Whatever they are, the way to overcome them is to get closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Again and again, He has taught us that He is the way. Focus on developing your faith in God and the mission of His Son, Jesus Christ. Strong faith requires more than strong desire. It means daily trying, one step at a time, with prayer and scriptural learning.
We are all a work in progress. We are all at different places on what President Nelson called the covenant path. We need to be patient with one another and occasionally even with ourselves. Overcoming uncertainty and doubt, which may include resolving conflicts between the evolving understanding of science and the sometimes incomplete teachings of religion, can be a lengthy process. It involves building faith and strengthening humility. Hold on to the first article of faith, even if something else is uncertain. And while you wait, wait upon the Lord, which includes trusting in His timing as well as in His promises.
A major concern to your prophet leaders are those members of diminishing faith in Jesus Christ. We love you, young men and women, young and old. So does the Lord God. He is relentless in His loving pursuit of each of you. Because of this concern and according to His words, I urge you to keep the commandments and be true to the covenants so many of you have made to guide you along the covenant path. Never let your secular learning limit your spiritual horizons.
37:20
Jon Ryan Jensen: The Sunday afternoon session of the October 2026 general conference began with President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who spoke about Christ-centered unity.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: On this path to more unity, let us not miss the unifying power of the sacrament. Each week we gather as fellow disciples of Jesus Christ to renew our baptismal covenant and to remember all the covenants we have personally made with God. My dear brothers and sisters, the sacrament can become a fresh starting point for our personal relationship with God and for a greater Christ-centered unity in our lives.
Have you ever noticed that the sacrament is the only ordinance we receive during which we are not addressed by name? Rather, it is performed for the souls of all those who partake of it. The only names that are used are those of God the Father and Jesus Christ. We partake individually but also as a group. There is something powerful, something empowering about renewing covenants with God while surrounded by brothers and sisters who have made or are considering making the same covenants.
The sacrament is a weekly reminder, a sacred reminder, that we are not alone. We have the Savior, and we have each other. Wherever you are, I invite you to join the Christ-centered unity we are trying to build. It would be incomplete without you. Please come and see. Come and help. And come and belong.
39:21
Jon Ryan Jensen: Following President Uchtdorf, Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus — second counselor in the Young Women general presidency — spoke directly to young women about the crucial and important work they have on the earth.
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: On my way to the dentist, I put the address in my phone. While I was driving on the freeway, the GPS thought I was on a parallel street and kept telling me to turn right when there was no place to turn. Finally, I pulled off the freeway and called my husband for help. When I gave him my exact location, he was able to guide me to the place I wanted to go.
Dear young women, the Lord knows where you are. He has your exact location and can guide you. He knows your dreams and your gifts. He knows when you feel alone and what your questions are. He knows your challenges and how to turn your weaknesses into strengths. He knows everything, and knowing everything about you does not make Him love you less.
40:30
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Moisés Villanueva, a General Authority Seventy, spoke on Sunday afternoon about finding blessings the Lord has promised through faithfully paying tithing.
Elder Moisés Villanueva: These blessings, both temporal and spiritual, and many others are evidence that the Lord has indeed opened the windows of heaven and poured out His promised blessings in abundance. I invited that sister to write her own list of the significant yet subtle blessings the Lord had given her, blessings that are often easy to overlook.
Later, I heard another faithful sister share in a sacrament meeting that the 20-liter propane tank in her home had lasted far longer than she had expected. It almost seemed as though it would never run out. She knew this was one of the Lord’s tender mercies for paying an honorable tithing.
41:31
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also spoke Sunday afternoon. He spoke about ordinances and covenants, with a focus on the sealing ordinance.
Elder David A. Bednar: The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit, testifies of all truth and is the witness of and messenger for the Father and the Son. The Holy Ghost is also described in scripture as the Holy Spirit of Promise, who ratifies or confirms as acceptable to God the righteous acts of His children. Ultimately, all gospel ordinances and covenants must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.
As the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “All covenants ... not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise ... are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead” (Doctrine and Covenants 132:7). When sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, an ordinance, vow or covenant is binding on earth and in heaven. This sealing is conditional in mortality and can be broken or forfeited through unrighteousness.
42:51
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Thabo Lebethoa, a General Authority Seventy, spoke during Sunday afternoon about how to receive more of the Savior’s light.
Elder Thabo Lebethoa: Many of us may wonder how we can receive more of the Savior’s light as we navigate through the daily challenges and struggles in our lives. We may be concerned about becoming self-reliant; meeting the demands placed upon us at school or at work; feelings of inadequacy, fear and doubt; how to deal with the loss of a loved one; or simply knowing what to do with our lives.
Whatever concerns, challenges and struggles we may have in our lives, the answer is always Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ can bring light in our moments of darkness and restore hope where there is hopelessness.
43:40
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Paul H. Sinclair, a General Authority Seventy, spoke Sunday about helping more and judging less.
Elder Paul H. Sinclair: As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are invited to reorient our souls so we may help friends and new members in more Christlike ways. President Dallin H. Oaks has plainly and directly invited us to “seek to be holy like our Savior.” Being quick to help and slow to judge is a simple and deeply encouraging way for each of us to be more holy, to be more like our Savior, to be His true disciples. I pray that when these modern-day men and women at the well meet you and me, they will know that they have come home.
44:35
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke Sunday afternoon about the fruits of the gospel.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson: This is why Jesus Christ is the strength of youth. He has done everything necessary for you, for us, to have joy in this life and forever. Even when we make mistakes and feel discouraged or wonder if we will ever be good enough, there is good news, wonderful, hopeful news. Because God loves us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself our sins so we can repent, be forgiven and keep progressing. I find no greater testimony that captures the great plan of happiness than when Primary children worldwide sing: “Gethsemane! Jesus loves me” from a new hymn that we love.
Finally, a most delicious fruit for Latter-day Saints is the gift of the Holy Ghost, His constant companionship. When you turn 8 years old following your baptism, you receive this gift by the laying on of hands. Hundreds of thousands of recent converts have also been confirmed and received the Holy Ghost. We know through revelation the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit and a member of our Godhead. His very important roles include to warn, to comfort and to testify.
46:09
Jon Ryan Jensen: Brother Gabriel W. Reid, second counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, spoke Sunday about teaching in the Church.
Brother Gabriel W. Reid: After teaching many precious truths, Jesus invited people to return home and ponder what they had learned. We may say that class had ended, but His love for the people had not. When He perceived the desire of their hearts, He was filled with compassion. He healed the sick, blessed their children and prayed for them one by one.
For the Master Teacher, every lesson was inspired by love for those He taught. Christ-centered teaching is rooted in relationships. The inspired new Sunday schedule offers weekly opportunity to love and know those we teach, helping them come closer to the Savior and helping deepen their conversion. That is the pattern for every gospel lesson, even shorter ones.
47:05
Jon Ryan Jensen: Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke Sunday afternoon about standing for truth with love.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: When we try to love others by minimizing God’s laws, we separate ourselves from the one person who loves them the very most. The Savior showed love for the woman taken in adultery, but He also charged her to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). President Nelson cautioned that the “messages [of the adversary] tend to be loud, bold and boastful,” while Heavenly Father communicates “simply, quietly and with such stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand.” Christ modeled this perfectly for us.
The fifth principle, then, is to stay anchored in Jesus Christ. Ask yourself if you carry these Christlike attributes when you are striving to stand for truth with love. “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth” (Moroni 7:45). For disciples of Jesus Christ, truth and love always walk together. I believe teaching truth with love will be the hallmark of Christ’s disciples in the last days.
48:46
Jon Ryan Jensen: And as the concluding speaker at the October 2026 general conference, Church President Dallin H. Oaks said attendees, viewers and listeners had all felt inspired to “concentrate our worship, focus our learning and unite our testimonies.” Here is his final word.
President Dallin H. Oaks: As we now go forward, we invoke the blessings of the Lord on you and your families — blessings of peace and contentment — and we bless your service of the Lord Jesus Christ in these challenging times.
I close with my testimony. This is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, in His Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Truth is to be found here — truth about the teachings of the Lord and truth about the covenant path that will lead us to our destiny, the destiny desired by our Heavenly Father. Of all this I testify to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
