WEBVTT 00:00:10.620 --> 00:00:12.900 Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, 00:00:13.099 --> 00:00:15.320 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:17.039 approach to studying the most recent General 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:19.920 Conference talks. This is Abbey. And Amy. Let's 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:25.980 jump into it. Today's talk is titled Sons and 00:00:25.980 --> 00:00:29.539 Daughters of God by Elder Ruben A. Aliad of the 00:00:29.539 --> 00:00:33.539 Seventy. And he starts his talk by telling of 00:00:33.539 --> 00:00:35.780 a story of being part of a conference of Christian 00:00:35.780 --> 00:00:38.740 religions around the world. And all of these 00:00:38.740 --> 00:00:41.320 religions were recognized for baptisms they've 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.899 completed, except for, ding, ding, the Church 00:00:44.899 --> 00:00:47.259 of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints. And so 00:00:47.259 --> 00:00:49.899 he kindly asked why that was after the conference, 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:51.859 and the man in charge explained it primarily 00:00:51.859 --> 00:00:55.100 had to do with how we view the Godhead, as other 00:00:55.100 --> 00:00:58.539 Christian denominations often refer to. you know, 00:00:58.579 --> 00:01:02.000 the Trinity. And he says, I expressed my appreciation 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:04.219 for him taking the time to explain to me his 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:06.400 beliefs and the policy of his church. At the 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:08.439 end of our conversation, we hugged and then said 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:13.299 goodbye. And this talk today speaks on these 00:01:13.299 --> 00:01:15.060 differences that we may have from other Christian 00:01:15.060 --> 00:01:18.239 churches. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:22.859 of Latter -day Saints, Amy, you're going to tell 00:01:22.859 --> 00:01:25.560 us what we know about the understanding or our 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:28.840 understanding of the nature of God. So he talks 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:30.920 about two of them. We believe that God the Father 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:34.519 is an exalted man with a glorified body of flesh 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.500 and bones as tangible as man's and the Son also. 00:01:37.620 --> 00:01:41.579 And we find that in D &C 130, 22. So every time 00:01:41.579 --> 00:01:43.920 we talk about the nature of God, in some way, 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.219 somehow we're also talking about our own nature. 00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:51.340 Because as God is, man may become. They don't 00:01:51.340 --> 00:01:54.689 like that when you say that. I know. He also 00:01:54.689 --> 00:01:57.950 talks about how Paul said it. They will disregard 00:01:57.950 --> 00:02:00.709 that fact because it doesn't work to what they 00:02:00.709 --> 00:02:04.329 want you to think. You can only get so good and 00:02:04.329 --> 00:02:07.090 then you're capped off. Then why did you set 00:02:07.090 --> 00:02:09.110 the example of what greatness could look like? 00:02:09.770 --> 00:02:12.729 That's a conundrum. Okay, question. God is our 00:02:12.729 --> 00:02:14.870 Heavenly Father and we are His children, but 00:02:14.870 --> 00:02:17.090 many people believe we are children of God. What's 00:02:17.090 --> 00:02:19.650 the difference in that? That is true, but their 00:02:19.650 --> 00:02:21.330 understanding may be a little different from 00:02:21.330 --> 00:02:23.509 the implication of its deeper meaning that we 00:02:23.509 --> 00:02:45.840 affirm. Let's get some examples from the scriptures. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.259 What comes to mind first for me is the example... 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.740 From this dispensation, Joseph Smith learned 00:02:53.740 --> 00:02:56.000 for himself about the nature of God. Some of 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.020 the things he learned is he knew our name. You 00:02:58.020 --> 00:02:59.159 know, we're talking about from, you know, the 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:02.340 first vision. He knows our name. He has a body. 00:03:02.740 --> 00:03:05.360 Christ has a body. They're two separate beings. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:08.479 And the Holy Ghost is a spirit. So that would 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.759 be different then. the traditional view of the 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:14.060 Trinity. And there's more. What about the account 00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:15.620 in the Pearl of Great Price? What do we learn 00:03:15.620 --> 00:03:17.919 from Moses and man's relationship to God? You 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:19.319 know, what do you want to share about that? So 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:22.000 good, Abby. This is one of, I absolutely love 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:24.800 this. In Moses chapter one, we read that God 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.699 spake unto Moses saying, behold, I am the Lord 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:30.080 God Almighty and endless is my name. In other 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:32.879 words, Moses, I want you to know who I am. Then 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.400 he added, and behold, thou art my son. Later 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:39.259 he said, And I have a work for thee, Moses my 00:03:39.259 --> 00:03:42.060 son, and thou art in the similitude of mine only 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:45.199 begotten. And then finally he ended with, And 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.439 now behold, this one thing I show unto thee, 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:51.039 Moses my son. So it appears that God was determined 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.580 to teach Moses at least one lesson. You are my 00:03:54.580 --> 00:03:57.740 child, which he repeated at least three times. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.599 He could not even mention the name of Moses without 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:04.189 immediately Adding that he was his son. Abby, 00:04:04.289 --> 00:04:06.370 when I think of Satan and his deceptive tactics, 00:04:06.689 --> 00:04:09.449 this very thing comes to mind. If Satan can separate 00:04:09.449 --> 00:04:13.330 us from God in our minds, then he wins. What 00:04:13.330 --> 00:04:15.930 changes for you knowing that you are a child 00:04:15.930 --> 00:04:19.670 of God? How are your decisions and goals in life 00:04:19.670 --> 00:04:22.329 impacted by this truth? Haven't we heard that 00:04:22.329 --> 00:04:25.629 from the brother? as far back as I can even remember, 00:04:25.790 --> 00:04:28.230 that knowing our divine nature, knowing where 00:04:28.230 --> 00:04:31.009 we came from, knowing whose we are, changes everything 00:04:31.009 --> 00:04:35.329 about what we do. And I would say that that's 00:04:35.329 --> 00:04:39.129 true for me. And I also, I pointed out, this 00:04:39.129 --> 00:04:43.129 came up the other day and I'm like, I think it 00:04:43.129 --> 00:04:45.110 was at our temple prep class. And I said, if 00:04:45.110 --> 00:04:47.009 you know that truth, if you don't know that truth 00:04:47.009 --> 00:04:49.209 for yourself, you can't teach it to anybody else. 00:04:49.290 --> 00:04:51.910 And so the most important thing they can be doing 00:04:51.910 --> 00:04:54.170 now and before they head out into the world is 00:04:54.170 --> 00:04:56.430 to affirm that truth for themselves that they 00:04:56.430 --> 00:05:02.170 know whose they are. That's so great, Abby. Okay, 00:05:02.170 --> 00:05:07.129 let's go back to where we were at in Moses. He 00:05:07.129 --> 00:05:10.750 sees God and immediately after seeing God. Satan 00:05:10.750 --> 00:05:13.509 takes his turn. Satan comes to Moses and he says 00:05:13.509 --> 00:05:16.470 to him, he says, Moses, son of man, worship me. 00:05:17.269 --> 00:05:20.889 So what's Moses' response going to be? And it 00:05:20.889 --> 00:05:22.970 came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:25.689 said, who art thou? For behold, I am a son of 00:05:25.689 --> 00:05:27.569 God and the similitude of his only begotten. 00:05:27.829 --> 00:05:30.069 Fortunately, Moses was not confused and he did 00:05:30.069 --> 00:05:32.430 not allow himself to become distracted. He learned 00:05:32.430 --> 00:05:35.350 the lesson of who he really was. It makes all 00:05:35.350 --> 00:05:37.170 the difference on how you're able to stand up 00:05:37.170 --> 00:05:39.360 to Satan. So there's some scriptural. accounting 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.160 of what I was hoping they would fill the truth 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:43.699 of know what for yourself and what does it do? 00:05:43.740 --> 00:05:45.360 It helps you withstand what Satan's going to 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.199 throw at you. Absolutely. One of the greatest 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:48.579 things I've learned over the years, something 00:05:48.579 --> 00:05:50.660 that brings me incredible peace is this, and 00:05:50.660 --> 00:05:52.660 we've actually touched on this before with so 00:05:52.660 --> 00:05:55.339 many variations of evil and all the tactics that 00:05:55.339 --> 00:05:57.620 Satan has to throw at us. We could fill volumes 00:05:57.620 --> 00:06:01.139 of all the quote things not to do or the quote 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:03.819 things not to fall for, but that would divide 00:06:03.819 --> 00:06:06.420 our attention. Something remains very simple. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.540 As we study God's word, like we talked about 00:06:08.540 --> 00:06:11.980 in the previous conference session, in its many 00:06:11.980 --> 00:06:15.540 forms, we get to know his nature. We come to 00:06:15.540 --> 00:06:18.439 know him as and his son, Jesus Christ. When we 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:20.759 fill our hearts and our study time with this 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.240 quest, we will undoubtedly be able to recognize 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:26.019 the counterfeits in their numerous forms. So 00:06:26.019 --> 00:06:29.120 when Satan comes, we too can say, who art thou? 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:31.750 For behold, I am a daughter of God. or I am a 00:06:31.750 --> 00:06:34.149 son of God. The difference in glory and peace 00:06:34.149 --> 00:06:36.449 and clarity and light and love is so noticeable, 00:06:36.629 --> 00:06:38.970 we will not be fooled. The distractions will 00:06:38.970 --> 00:06:41.689 not resonate with us, but will be a tinkling 00:06:41.689 --> 00:06:45.730 symbol referred to in 1 Corinthians 10. So I 00:06:45.730 --> 00:06:48.810 looked it up. A tinkling symbol is something 00:06:48.810 --> 00:06:51.949 that is empty, meaningless, and annoying, often 00:06:51.949 --> 00:06:54.509 used metaphorically to signify words spoken without 00:06:54.509 --> 00:06:57.899 genuine feeling. or love, or truth. And this 00:06:57.899 --> 00:06:59.839 is the part that I really liked. While tinkling 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.540 to us might seem like a delicate sound, the Greek 00:07:03.540 --> 00:07:06.180 word used in the Bible actually implies a more 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:10.779 forceful, jarring, clashing sound. Again, when 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:12.319 compared to the fruit of the Spirit, which are 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.180 love, joy, peace, long -suffering, gentleness, 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:17.579 goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, it 00:07:17.579 --> 00:07:19.860 makes it easy to tell the difference between 00:07:19.860 --> 00:07:22.480 God and Satan's many voices, especially when 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:25.589 they're jarring. I love this quote by Joseph. 00:07:25.610 --> 00:07:28.189 Oh, go ahead, Abby. No, well, I was just thinking, 00:07:28.230 --> 00:07:30.910 like, I don't know the actual statistic, but 00:07:30.910 --> 00:07:35.050 isn't it like one, you know, one positive, one 00:07:35.050 --> 00:07:37.350 negative comment to somebody requires like 10 00:07:37.350 --> 00:07:39.990 positives to counterbalance that? Love that. 00:07:40.149 --> 00:07:42.550 It's just, you know, when building esteem or 00:07:42.550 --> 00:07:44.610 whatever. Yeah. And I was just thinking, like, 00:07:44.670 --> 00:07:47.370 it doesn't take much for somebody to try. It 00:07:47.370 --> 00:07:50.730 doesn't take Satan much to be like, no. you're 00:07:50.730 --> 00:07:52.910 not his, you're not that special. Right. There's 00:07:52.910 --> 00:07:55.069 nothing of worth or whatever. And it takes a 00:07:55.069 --> 00:07:58.569 lot of exposure and encounter just to remind 00:07:58.569 --> 00:08:01.509 us of that divine nature. It's our biggest challenge 00:08:01.509 --> 00:08:04.670 and it's the best force, the strongest force 00:08:04.670 --> 00:08:06.290 for good that we can have in the world once we 00:08:06.290 --> 00:08:08.329 know it. And it would be awesome to be to the 00:08:08.329 --> 00:08:11.110 point where no matter how many times Satan's 00:08:11.110 --> 00:08:13.430 trying to put that message in you, that that 00:08:13.430 --> 00:08:16.199 one doesn't get you. We're moving on from that. 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:18.939 I already know who I am. That's not a distraction 00:08:18.939 --> 00:08:21.800 any longer, Satan. I came across this quote in 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:23.680 the past couple weeks in my study, and I love 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:26.040 it. The greatest achievement mankind can make 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:28.740 in this world is to familiarize themselves with 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:32.519 divine truth so thoroughly, so perfectly, that 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:35.220 the example or conduct of no creature living 00:08:35.220 --> 00:08:37.580 in the world can ever turn them away from the 00:08:37.580 --> 00:08:40.480 knowledge that they have obtained. From my boyhood, 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:42.759 I have desired to learn the principles of the 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:44.879 gospel in such a way that it would matter not 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.480 to me who might fall away from the truth. My 00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:50.139 foundation would be certain in the truths that 00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:53.259 I have learned. And not just no creature living 00:08:53.259 --> 00:08:58.080 in the world, Satan, the bodiless creature and 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:00.179 his minions. That was my first thought, too. 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:04.000 I'm like, there's even more than that. Okay, 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:07.399 we talked about the Doctrine and Covenants reference. 00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:11.370 We talked about Moses. Let's go to the New Testament. 00:09:11.570 --> 00:09:14.509 There was an account in Matthew 4. Scholars have 00:09:14.509 --> 00:09:18.230 entitled this account, The Three Temptations 00:09:18.230 --> 00:09:20.389 of Jesus, as if the Lord was tempted only three 00:09:20.389 --> 00:09:22.690 times, which of course is not the case. I'll 00:09:22.690 --> 00:09:26.549 start with this one, if that's okay. So Jesus 00:09:26.549 --> 00:09:29.070 had gone into the desert, and when he'd fasted 00:09:29.070 --> 00:09:31.509 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungered. Like 00:09:31.509 --> 00:09:33.509 anybody would be, you know, 40 would be my limit. 00:09:35.330 --> 00:09:37.429 Satan's first temptation apparently had only 00:09:37.429 --> 00:09:39.389 to do with satisfying the Lord's physical needs. 00:09:39.830 --> 00:09:42.169 Command these stones be made bread, he challenged 00:09:42.169 --> 00:09:47.870 the Savior. What, let's see, what were the other? 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:50.159 There were a couple more. Okay, so the three 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:52.960 challenges, yeah. A second enticement may have 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:55.580 had to do with a tempting God. Yes. He says, 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:58.000 cast thyself down, for it is written, he shall 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.519 give his angels charge concerning thee. And then 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:02.980 that third one, Satan's third temptation referred 00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:06.019 to the aspirations and glory of the world. After 00:10:06.019 --> 00:10:08.820 Jesus had shown all the kingdoms of the world, 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:10.940 Satan said unto him, all these things will I 00:10:10.940 --> 00:10:13.139 give thee, if that will fall down and worship 00:10:13.139 --> 00:10:15.919 me. So in truth, and I love this, this is what 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:19.679 Elder Ayod. In truth, Satan's ultimate temptation 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:21.980 may have had less to do with those three specific 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:24.860 provocations and actually more to do with tempting 00:10:24.860 --> 00:10:28.340 Jesus Christ to question his divine nature. Because 00:10:28.340 --> 00:10:31.000 if he takes the challenge to make stones to bread, 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:34.659 then he's saying, oh, my physical needs supersede 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:39.080 my godly nature, my divine nature. Or your power 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:40.840 is greater than anybody's and I'll bow down to 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:45.889 you. Or if I try to wreck this body that... Yeah. 00:10:45.889 --> 00:10:47.690 Or that the world is more important. It's just 00:10:47.690 --> 00:10:50.590 really interesting. It really puts things. agree 00:10:50.590 --> 00:10:52.490 with what he's saying. What I think was interesting 00:10:52.490 --> 00:10:55.490 about that is that he challenged Jesus in this 00:10:55.490 --> 00:10:58.169 scenario with the things he thought he could 00:10:58.169 --> 00:11:00.549 trip him up on. Yeah. So for me, weren't even 00:11:00.549 --> 00:11:02.529 his to give. Yeah. For me, the three challenges 00:11:02.529 --> 00:11:04.450 might look completely different. You're right. 00:11:04.529 --> 00:11:07.049 But he's very good at customizing what he thinks 00:11:07.049 --> 00:11:08.309 will make us trip up. Right. It would probably 00:11:08.309 --> 00:11:10.529 be within those three things, but something different 00:11:10.529 --> 00:11:12.049 that applies to it, whether it was, you know, 00:11:12.049 --> 00:11:17.009 praise of man, being better than God or... The 00:11:17.009 --> 00:11:19.490 bread thing was him using his priesthood power 00:11:19.490 --> 00:11:22.710 to satisfy an earthly appetite. Totally. We all 00:11:22.710 --> 00:11:25.350 have them. That's what being mortal is. At least 00:11:25.350 --> 00:11:29.149 twice. enticement was preceded by the challenging 00:11:29.149 --> 00:11:32.309 accusation from Satan, if thou be the Son of 00:11:32.309 --> 00:11:34.590 God. If you really believe it, then do this or 00:11:34.590 --> 00:11:36.269 that. Then you would do this with that power. 00:11:36.629 --> 00:11:39.110 Yes. And then he says this, please notice what 00:11:39.110 --> 00:11:41.070 happened immediately before Jesus went into the 00:11:41.070 --> 00:11:43.309 desert to fast and pray. We find this account 00:11:43.309 --> 00:11:45.789 of Christ's baptism. And when he had come out 00:11:45.789 --> 00:11:48.210 of the water, there came a voice from heaven 00:11:48.210 --> 00:11:51.090 saying, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well 00:11:51.090 --> 00:11:53.669 pleased. So here we are again. Do we see this 00:11:53.669 --> 00:11:56.450 connection? Do we recognize the pattern? It's 00:11:56.450 --> 00:11:58.450 no wonder that every time we're taught about 00:11:58.450 --> 00:12:00.929 our divine nature and destiny, the adversary 00:12:00.929 --> 00:12:04.549 of all righteousness tempts us to call them into 00:12:04.549 --> 00:12:06.549 question. How different our decisions would be 00:12:06.549 --> 00:12:11.029 if we really knew who we are. Yes. And I don't 00:12:11.029 --> 00:12:13.389 want to get like all controversial on it, but 00:12:13.389 --> 00:12:16.649 I don't understand. I just can't understand how 00:12:16.649 --> 00:12:19.590 we all share the Bible verse in common. Everybody, 00:12:19.590 --> 00:12:22.590 nobody just like throws that scripture out. This 00:12:22.590 --> 00:12:25.830 is my beloved son. That's an entity talking to 00:12:25.830 --> 00:12:29.549 another entity in whom I am well pleased. I know. 00:12:29.909 --> 00:12:33.490 It makes the way that they're trying to make 00:12:33.490 --> 00:12:36.629 me think of Jesus like schizophrenic. I don't 00:12:36.629 --> 00:12:40.559 get it. From my mind, too. Like, I'm very visual. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:42.159 I'm just super grateful that Joseph Smith saw 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:45.139 two personages. And back in the day, you know, 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:47.320 we weren't the only church that believed in the 00:12:47.320 --> 00:12:49.960 Godhead. You know, the Nicene Creed brings this 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:51.480 idea. Like, let's all agree on this thing. And 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.620 they're like, how do you teach that? Be like, 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.019 you don't really have to teach it. You just say 00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:55.740 that to people. It's an idea. Question their 00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:57.879 thoughts if they question the idea that it's 00:12:57.879 --> 00:13:01.179 one entity. Whereas we're like, what? We believe 00:13:01.179 --> 00:13:03.639 that he did see two personages standing up, you 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:05.080 know, Jesus Christ standing on the right hand 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:07.480 of God. And it makes sense that father -son relationship 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:10.059 and that the Spirit's able to touch our hearts 00:13:10.059 --> 00:13:13.220 because he doesn't have a physical body. All 00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:16.419 of that rings true to me. The Spirit has testified 00:13:16.419 --> 00:13:18.799 that to me. So when I'm told that I believe in 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.240 a false God, I'm like, man, the Spirit's not 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:24.820 telling me that. Anyway, not trying to get super 00:13:24.820 --> 00:13:27.580 controversial on it, but that scripture is like 00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:29.629 one of the big ones for me that I'm like. Why 00:13:29.629 --> 00:13:32.210 don't we agree more on this? It feels very clear. 00:13:32.450 --> 00:13:37.830 Yeah. Where were you at? I derailed you. I think 00:13:37.830 --> 00:13:40.529 we were talking about this knowledge of being 00:13:40.529 --> 00:13:42.960 as children. If we know that we're His children, 00:13:43.059 --> 00:13:46.019 there are high expectations. What is something 00:13:46.019 --> 00:13:48.580 that is required of us to become like our Heavenly 00:13:48.580 --> 00:13:52.059 Father? So Elder Ayad taught Jesus' commandment 00:13:52.059 --> 00:13:54.500 to be perfect, even as our Father, which is in 00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:56.980 heaven, is perfect, is a clear reflection of 00:13:56.980 --> 00:13:59.379 His high expectations and our eternal possibilities. 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:01.919 Now, none of this will happen overnight. In the 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.860 words of President Jeffrey R. Holland, it will 00:14:03.860 --> 00:14:06.259 happen eventually. Here's a little perspective 00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:08.460 on the idea that perfection will happen eventually. 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:11.100 I read this week that Jesus was perfected only 00:14:12.479 --> 00:14:14.679 And I may have learned that before, but it was 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:17.179 a revelation to me. That's sometimes good for 00:14:17.179 --> 00:14:20.039 me. I'm like, it's always new information. Here's 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:21.940 a little perspective on the idea that perfection 00:14:21.940 --> 00:14:24.299 will happen eventually. I read this week that 00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:26.620 Jesus was perfected only after his resurrection. 00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:29.039 Think of that. The only perfect person to ever 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:31.200 have walked the earth. While he was mortally 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:33.700 perfect on earth, his father had even higher 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:36.409 plans for him. as well as for us. The scripture 00:14:36.409 --> 00:14:39.610 that I just read was in his earthly ministry. 00:14:39.690 --> 00:14:43.009 It's Matthew 5, 48. Be perfect even as our Father 00:14:43.009 --> 00:14:45.250 in heaven is perfect. When he came to the Americas 00:14:45.250 --> 00:14:47.549 after his ascension, his words changed just a 00:14:47.549 --> 00:14:49.710 little bit. President Nelson taught this principle 00:14:49.710 --> 00:14:53.210 in his talk entitled Perfection Pending in 1995. 00:14:53.730 --> 00:14:55.970 This is what he teaches us about Jesus. He said, 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:58.980 I would that you should be perfect even as I 00:14:58.980 --> 00:15:01.779 or your father who is in heaven is perfect. This 00:15:01.779 --> 00:15:04.039 time he listed himself along with his father 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:06.620 as a perfected personage. Previously, he had 00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:09.700 not. And that's Matthew 5, 48. And then the second 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:13.440 one is 3 Nephi 12, 48. So perfection is pending. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.419 It can come in full only after the resurrection 00:15:16.419 --> 00:15:19.220 and only through the Lord. It awaits all who 00:15:19.220 --> 00:15:21.820 love him and keep his commandments. It includes 00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:25.710 thrones, kingdoms, principalities. powers and 00:15:25.710 --> 00:15:28.370 dominions. It is the end for which we are to 00:15:28.370 --> 00:15:31.009 endure. It is eternal perfection that God has 00:15:31.009 --> 00:15:34.009 in store for each of us. God has this in store 00:15:34.009 --> 00:15:36.549 for each of his children. I love this teaching 00:15:36.549 --> 00:15:39.049 so much because for me, it's very clear and answered 00:15:39.049 --> 00:15:41.330 a few questions that I've actually had as far 00:15:41.330 --> 00:15:44.830 as timing, what eventually means, and at least 00:15:44.830 --> 00:15:47.789 part of what the end means in enduring to the 00:15:47.789 --> 00:15:49.529 end. Have you ever thought that? Like, if you 00:15:49.529 --> 00:15:52.500 endure to the end, well, it says, It is the end 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:54.919 for which we are to endure, meaning after our 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:57.820 resurrection, we are made perfect. It brings 00:15:57.820 --> 00:16:00.179 comfort to my soul that as I continually repent 00:16:00.179 --> 00:16:03.600 and come unto Christ and be perfected in him, 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:07.320 I am working toward my own eventual perfection. 00:16:07.940 --> 00:16:09.700 What are your thoughts, Abby? My thoughts are 00:16:09.700 --> 00:16:12.179 in the meantime of being perfected, knowing that 00:16:12.179 --> 00:16:15.559 I agree, I do think that it comes with the resurrection, 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:21.250 that the challenge in life is to work. towards 00:16:21.250 --> 00:16:24.490 it the best of our ability but knowing that the 00:16:24.490 --> 00:16:26.330 natural man's going to put some limitations on 00:16:26.330 --> 00:16:29.549 that yeah but that any time that we at any time 00:16:29.549 --> 00:16:31.750 we participate in a fast sunday and we are a 00:16:31.750 --> 00:16:33.529 little bit hungry and we wait a little bit longer 00:16:33.529 --> 00:16:36.669 to indulge our body that makes us more like our 00:16:36.669 --> 00:16:39.070 savior jesus christ or if food's not what you're 00:16:39.070 --> 00:16:42.730 giving up you know if electronics is your thing 00:16:42.730 --> 00:16:45.909 and that you're not fasting on food for medical 00:16:45.909 --> 00:16:48.830 reasons or whatever And you choose to give up 00:16:48.830 --> 00:16:50.330 electronics and you're just like, oh, I just 00:16:50.330 --> 00:16:52.169 really want to pick up that phone. And you continue 00:16:52.169 --> 00:16:54.529 to leave the phone down for an extra five or 00:16:54.529 --> 00:16:56.629 10 minutes or 24 hours or whatever you're doing. 00:16:57.450 --> 00:17:00.929 We have a chance to get to know the nature of 00:17:00.929 --> 00:17:04.269 God a little bit more. Yeah. Sometimes we backtrack. 00:17:04.309 --> 00:17:07.549 Sometimes we need to turn to him again to, you 00:17:07.549 --> 00:17:10.549 know, make those corrections. But that opportunity 00:17:10.549 --> 00:17:13.269 is ever present. And the reason being because 00:17:13.269 --> 00:17:17.549 he because. our loving heavenly father wants 00:17:17.549 --> 00:17:21.269 us to reach whatever level whatever he wants 00:17:21.269 --> 00:17:22.869 us to be as much like him as possible and he 00:17:22.869 --> 00:17:24.490 will do everything in his power to make that 00:17:24.490 --> 00:17:27.509 happen here on this earth life yes and then in 00:17:27.509 --> 00:17:29.589 the realm of our agency yeah like what we choose 00:17:29.589 --> 00:17:33.170 what we opt into yeah and not beat yourself up 00:17:33.170 --> 00:17:34.890 when you don't get it right it wasn't really 00:17:34.890 --> 00:17:36.869 expected that we'd get it perfectly it was expected 00:17:36.869 --> 00:17:39.289 that we would need a savior we got to fill in 00:17:39.289 --> 00:17:43.930 the difference thank goodness for that um That's 00:17:43.930 --> 00:17:46.589 my last thought. What do you have? In closing, 00:17:46.690 --> 00:17:49.029 I will end with his testimony. He says, I testify, 00:17:49.190 --> 00:17:52.589 as with the Apostle Paul, that the Spirit itself 00:17:52.589 --> 00:17:55.630 beareth witness unto our spirit that we are children 00:17:55.630 --> 00:17:59.390 of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of 00:17:59.390 --> 00:18:02.390 God, and joint heirs with Christ, if it so be 00:18:02.390 --> 00:18:04.410 that we suffer with him and that we may also 00:18:04.410 --> 00:18:08.089 be glorified together. That was great. So good. 00:18:08.230 --> 00:18:10.789 Thanks for being with us. We'll catch you on 00:18:10.789 --> 00:18:13.849 the last episode of the conference session. See 00:18:13.849 --> 00:18:14.569 you next time.