President Nelson Oct 2022

 I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can.

Dear brothers and sisters, during these five magnificent sessions of general conference, we have once again experienced that the heavens are open! I pray that you have recorded your impressions and will follow through with them. Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, stand ready to help you. I urge you to increase your efforts to seek Their help.

Recently, Sister Nelson and I had the opportunity to preview the new season 4 of the Book of Mormon Videos series.¹ We were inspired by them! May I show you a brief excerpt from the scene depicting the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites.

I think it is significant that the excerpt he chose to show begins with the destruction before the appearance of Christ. We must remember these people had this event prophesied to them hundreds of years earlier. Perhaps they thought it would not be in their lifetime as it was not in so very many before them. Surely it will be in "someone else's day". But it was in their day. Many lost their lives. It must have been so traumatic for all, especially the little children. The Lord told those who had survived that they were spared because they were "more righteous" than the others and had not stoned the prophets. There is much for us to learn from this! They were told to return to Him and repent and be converted and He would heal them. We must know when it is our turn that the most amazing of miracles came after this and it was worth every moment of what had happened before. But we must repent and come to Him!

It is significant that the Savior chose to appear to the people at the temple. It is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can.

We currently have 168 operating temples and 53 new temples under construction and another 54 in the preconstruction design phase!² I am pleased to announce our plans to build a new temple in each of the following locations: Busan, Korea; Naga, Philippines; Santiago, Philippines; Eket, Nigeria; Chiclayo, Peru; Buenos Aires City Center, Argentina; Londrina, Brazil; Ribeirão Prêto, Brazil; Huehuetenango, Guatemala; Jacksonville, Florida; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Prosper, Texas; Lone Mountain, Nevada; and Tacoma, Washington.

We are also planning to build multiple temples in selected large metropolitan areas where travel time to an existing temple is a major challenge. Therefore, I am pleased to announce four additional locations near Mexico City where new temples will be built in Cuernavaca, Pachuca, Toluca, and Tula.

My dear brothers and sisters, may you focus on the temple in ways you never have before. I bless you to grow closer to God and Jesus Christ every day. I love you. May God be with you until we meet again, I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Lessons Learned:     

1. The heavens are open! Learn what God has for you in these words you have been given

2. Record your own impressions and follow them

3. The Father and Son are going to help you but you must seek their help

4. Jesus is coming. There will be much darkness and destruction first

5. Return to Him, repent, be converted. Fully come to Him

6. Know the scriptures WILL be fulfilled

7. There will be great miracles and it will be worth every trial to be with Him when He returns

8. The Savior appeared  to the Nephites at the temple. He can manifest Himself to you there as well. 

9. The temple is His house and is filled with power.

10. Do not lose sight of what the Lord is doing for you right now!

11. Be spiritually refined by increasing your time in the temple. It will bless your life in ways nothing else can.

12. Focus on the temple in ways you never have before

13. Grow closer to Christ every day