Pres Nelson - Opening Message

This is my personal study of this talk. All words in blue font,highlights, bold type, and italics are mine only and reflect my personal impression about this talk and are not meant to reflect the author's intentions. 4/20

Opening Message

By President Russell M. Nelson
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We are to
seek,
in every way we can,Scriptures, General Conference Talks, Prayer, Pondering,
to hear Jesus Christ, Expect to "hear Him" in your study and prayer.
who speaks to us
through the power and ministering of the Holy Ghost.
A pattern we are taught in the temple and in the scriptures is that we pray to the Father, and then He says to us, "Hear Him" and then our Savior teaches us through the ministration of the Holy Ghost or other "angels".

What I Hear: There is a reason we need to be able to hear Jesus Christ. Because of the "enemy" the prophet may have to speak in code, or in a manner that they cannot understand his words. Like Nephi who spoke honestly to Zoram as they went to meet Nephi's brothers - where Zoram thought he was saying one thing and Nephi meant another. Nephi knew was Zoram misunderstood him, but for his own safety, he didn't correct him until it was safe to do so. Nephi wasn't lying, but he was allowing Zoram to believe his words meant something other than what he was saying. Pres. Nelson could be doing the same thing as he cooperates with the world on COVID restrictions and calls on us to be "good global citizens" to "stop the spread of COVID-19". But is that what he is really saying? What would God call a "good global citizen"? Wouldn't he want us to stand for truth and righteousness and defend our liberties? Elder Holland said we are at "war" with the virus and that we will "conquer" it. You only go to war with an enemy. Are they trying to get us to hear the Lord telling us who the enemy really is? And that the Lord's way to be a "good global citizen" is to spread the message of the the Restoration and a manifestation of the Love of God.

My beloved brothers and sisters, as we welcome you to this historic April 2020 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for reasons you know, I stand before you in an empty auditorium!

Little did I know, when I promised you at the October 2019 general conference that this April conference would be “memorable” and “unforgettable,” that speaking to a visible congregation of fewer than 10 people see, he's making sure they know he's following their guidelines would make this conference so memorable and unforgettable for me! Yet the knowledge that you are participating by electronic transmission, and the choir’s beautiful rendition of “It Is Well with My Soul,” bring great comfort to my soul.

Listen to this last verse:
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

This can be the Second Coming. Or it could be a coming spiritual awakening, when the clouds of darkness are rolled back and the Lord comes to establish Zion BEFORE the great tribulations and the GREAT GATHERING commences like never before.

As you know, attendance at this general conference has been strictly limited as part of our efforts to be good global citizens and do all we can to limit the spread of COVID-19. This virus has had a major impact throughout the world. Nothing has taken the world stage that I know of like this! It has also altered our Church meetings, missionary service, and temple work for a while."No unhallowed hand shall stop the work of God."

Though today’s restrictions relate to a virulent (def:marked by a rapid, severe, and destructive course) virus, life’s personal trials stretch far beyond this pandemic. Future trials could result from an accident, a natural disaster, or an unexpected personal heartache. Notice all three of these examples are "unexpected".

How can we endure such trials? The Lord has told us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”¹ Prepare for the unexpected.

Footnote
D&C 38:30
I tell you these things because of your prayers;
wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, Are we not to broadcast these things?
lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you
by their wickedness,
in a manner which shall speak in your ears
with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth;
but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

"President Ezra Taft Benson commented on this verse in one of his general conference addresses:

“What are some of the calamities for which we are to prepare? In section 29 the Lord warns us of ‘a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.’ (D&C 29:16.) In section 45 we read of ‘an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.’ (D&C 45:31.) In section 63 the Lord declares he has ‘decreed wars upon the face of the earth. …’ (D&C 63:33.)

“In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of ‘famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes. …’ (Matt. 24:7.) The Lord declared that these and other calamities shall occur. These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional. The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will happen. Some will come about through man’s manipulations; others through the forces of nature and nature’s God, but that they will come seems certain. Prophecy is but history in reverse—a divine disclosure of future events.

“Yet, through all of this, the Lord Jesus Christ has said: ‘… if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ (D&C 38:30.)
...“Here then is the key—look to the prophets for the words of God, that will show us how to prepare for the calamities which are to come [see D&C 1:38].” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1973, p. 89; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, p. 68.)(NT Manual)

And how have we been told to prepare? Food water, savings, faith, truth, ,testimony

Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings. But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony.

Key points
1. He said this in his opening talk
2. “of course...” meaning the commandment is not only still in force, but obviously so.
3. “Store our own”... should quell the theory that the church will provide or we can rely on manna
4. “Equally crucial”... meaning it’s not a lesser commandment or optional. So many say it's just about the spiritual preparation. Not so.
5. “Personal Spiritual Storehouse”... He made our Personal Temporal Storehouses EQUAL to our Personal Spiritual Storehouse. Both are CRUCIAL!

Our

ultimate quest in life is to
prepare to meet our Maker. We do this This should help us relax a little bit about the circumstances of our life. We are here to prepare to meet/return to God. You can do that no matter what is going on in the world.
by striving daily to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.² And
we do that as we
repent daily and
receive His cleansing, healing, and strengthening power.How do we accomplish our ultimate quest? We daily strive to become like the Savior through daily repentance. We should feel the cleansing, healing, strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Remember - HE is the one that perfects us. We become more like the Savior but, as James Ferrell says, "repenting of our inability to love" which is "all that we can do". Jesus was LOVE personified. If we are like Him then we love others. Daily we repent of NOT loving others fully and pray to be given a new heart and healed from the wounds that make it hard to fully love.
Then we can feel enduring peace and joy,
even during turbulent times. This is Repentance can happen daily no matter what is going on in the world.
exactly why the Lord has implored us to stand in holy places and “be not moved.”³

footnote:
D&C 87:8 Wherefore, ^astand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh ^bquickly, saith the Lord. Amen.

footnote for "stand"

Doctrine and Covenants 101:21–22, 64

21 Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion.

22 Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;

64 That the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places; for the time of harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled.

footnote for "quickly"

Doctrine and Covenants 1:12

12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;


What I hear:

This year, we commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of the most significant events in the history of the world—namely, the appearance of God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith. During that singular vision, God the Father pointed to Jesus Christ and said: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”⁴

That admonition given to Joseph is for each of us. We are to seek, in every way we can, to hear Jesus Christ, who speaks to us through the power and ministering of the Holy Ghost.

The purpose of this and every general conference is to help us to hear Him. We have prayed, and invite you to pray, that the Spirit of the Lord will be with us in such rich abundance that you can hear the messages that the Savior has especially for you—messages that will bring peace to your soul. Messages that will heal your broken heart. Messages that will illuminate your mind. Messages that will help you know what to do as you move ahead through times of turmoil and trial.

We pray that this conference will be memorable and unforgettable because of the messages you will hear, the unique announcements which will be made, and the experiences in which you will be invited to participate.

For example, at the conclusion of the Sunday morning session, we will convene a worldwide solemn assembly when I will lead you in the sacred Hosanna Shout. We pray that this will be a spiritual highlight for you as we express in global unison our profound gratitude to God the Father and His Beloved Son by praising Them in this unique way.(Thank offering?)

For this sacred experience, we use clean white handkerchiefs. But if you do not have one, you may simply wave your hand. At the conclusion of the Hosanna Shout, the congregation will join with the choir in singing “The Spirit of God.”⁵

My dear brothers and sisters, this conference will be magnificent. This year will be extraordinary as we focus intently on the Savior and His restored gospel. The most important lasting effects of this historic conference will be as our hearts change and we commence a lifelong quest to hear Him.

Welcome to April 2020 general conference! I know that God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, are mindful of us. They will be with us throughout the proceedings of these two glorious days as we seek to draw closer to Them and honor Them. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.