Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference,
where two friends who love Jesus share our own
approach to studying the most recent General
Conference talks. This is Abbey and Amy. Let's
jump into it. Today we're discussing the talk,
Return Unto Me That I May Heal You, by Elder
S. Mark Palmer of the Seventy. One night during
a terrible storm, a willow tree in Elder Palmer's
yard was uprooted and seemed beyond saving. He'd
planned to cut it down for firewood, but a neighbor
intervened, urging them to give the tree a chance
to recover. Despite initial skepticism, they
followed the neighbor's advice to prop it up,
trim the branches, take care of it, hoping that
the single remaining root would help it survive.
And the result? After some time, he says, we
saw signs of life as the tree began to take root.
Now, 12 years later, the tree is vibrant and
full of life with strong roots and once again
contributing to the beauty of the landscape.
Elder Palmer said the story of the willow tree
reminded him how one can find hope even when
all seems lost in relation to those who were
once rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ or
others that maybe just have one root barely hanging
on. So you might say, what does it look like
to have but a single root hanging on? We might
have those around us that once had testimonies
of the gospel that were strong and vibrant like
the willow. And then through a series of events
that are... personal. These testimonies become
weakened, leading to a loss of faith and maybe
job loss, becoming offended by a comment, a policy
change. Man, there are just so many things, right?
A dispute with a neighbor, unexpected loss, chronic
illness or pain, addiction, death of a loved
one. Any combination of any number of these things
might be the wind that uproots a person who was
once deeply rooted in the gospel. And it's also
important to be aware that those that join us
weekly are trying with all their might as they're
hanging on with the slimmest of roots, tapping
into that gospel soil, one small gust of life's
challenges, and they may have nothing left to
hold on to anymore. Not a question that, you
know, you're asking people to answer, but something
I thought of as I heard this part was a question
to self -reflect on, asking myself, would I treat
those around me in the church differently if
I knew that they were hanging on by one root?
Absolutely. In his service around the world,
Elder Palmer has been able to witness stories
of so many who have chosen to renew their discipleship
and come back into their church home. Rather
than discarding their faith and belief like worthless
firewood, instead they have responded to spiritual
promptings and loving invitations to return.
Let's see what we can learn from some of the
insights in his examples. Okay, he talked about
an instance that he had at a state conference
in Korea. A returning member expressed gratitude
for the kindness and acceptance he received despite
his struggles with faith, and he noted that many
less active friends also desire to regain their
faith and even encouraged each other to return
to church. Could we draw the analogy that the
neighbor that rushed to another's fallen? to
his fallen willow tree, know something about
others who have taken a beating by the wind and
saw them too brought back to life with little
attention and care. I've personally had my own
testimony strengthened by people who have stepped
away for a time and then took the difficult steps
to come back. They have a unique ability to testify
of their experiences and my resolve to work on
digging a little bit deeper in hopes of weathering
life's storms happens as they share their testimony.
of being away and coming back. This example he
shared concluded with an invitation for all who
are seeking faith to come back with the promise
that their faith can grow through worship with
fellow believers. Very good. Another one he shares,
Abby, is a former missionary from Africa wrote
to a church leader seeking forgiveness for taking
offense at a teaching about a cultural tradition
which led him to leave the church. He expressed
deep regret for the heavy personal losses he
experienced over 15 years and the harm he may
have caused. Grateful to have returned, he shared
his joy in finding his way back. The message
ends with an invitation for others who recognize
that they've lost what they've lost to return
and once again experience the joy of the gospel.
And then there was a third example. It was from
a sister who lived in the United States who was
away from the church for some time. And I want
to read her account word for word because it
highlights that there are things that we can
do for those that we love, those in our immediate
circle, if they've stepped away or if they're
just hanging on, for the perfect example of how
guiding principles were used in this situation.
I'm talking about guiding principles like we
talked about in Elder Anderson's talk on cherishing
life. I knew that when I was directed to the
footnotes in that talk that they would become
very important to me in many ways. And I thought
it was awesome that it popped up in just this
talk, just a couple down the line. Hey, you could
use it here. Please reiterate that. So maybe
you could read her testimony of how. of her coming
back, and then I'll circle back to the guiding
principles. Perfect. These are her words. I could
list a myriad of reasons for why I walked away
from the church, the gospel, and in a way my
family, but they really don't matter. I didn't
make one big decision to leave the church. I
probably made a thousand choices. But one thing
I've always known is that my parents did make
one big decision, and they stuck to it. They
decided to love me. I couldn't possibly know
how many tears had been shed. How many sleepless
nights, nor how many heartfelt pleading words
of prayer have been uttered on my behalf. They
didn't call me out on my sins. Rather, they called
out to me in my sinfulness. They didn't make
me feel unwelcome in their home and at gatherings
for the family. Any of those feelings were of
my own doing. Instead, they continued to welcome
me. They must have seen my light dim over time,
but they knew that the person I was then was
just a shadow of who I was yet to become. Just
as my path away from the church was complex,
so was my way back. But one thing that was not
hard about coming back was the feeling of being
back home where I belong. That whole testimony
was just full of examples of these guiding principles.
To minister effectively, we're encouraged to
begin with love. Every person deserves kindness,
even if we don't fully understand their experiences.
Then we listen with empathy. We avoid assumptions.
We build trust through sincere interest. Teach
true principles gently and with the Spirit's
guidance to help others stay on the path to eternal
joy. I just felt like her testimony was just
full of that feeling that she just felt like
her interactions, they were never one of like
rebuke or chastisement, just love. Yeah. Encourage
faith by helping others trust in God, understanding
Christ's atonement, and seeking guidance through
prayer and scripture study. I think in her situation,
just demonstrating, you stay in the church, you
continue to do the things that you're doing to
foster your relationship with Jesus Christ. that's
trying to distance themselves from it that's
the best thing you can do rather than well you
need to do this and you need to do that you do
it for yourself and they're able to be eyewitness
to what a life with jesus christ looks like instead
of being told all these changes that they need
to make that clearly they're not in a time it's
not the time or place for that for them um seek
guidance through prayer and scripture study ultimately
loving action Attentive listening and spiritual
sensitivity are key to meeting an individual's
needs. Elder Palmer extends many invitations
in this talk, but one that he extended here was
to invite all those who have ever felt the Spirit
and have stepped away from the Church who wonder,
is there really a place for me back in the restored
Church of Jesus Christ? It's also... for anyone
who's barely hanging on who are tempted to step
away. Very good. The answer to the question is
yes, there's a place for you here. I like that
she was very open and honest about it not being
an easy path back, but it was a small and simple
steps away. And so she wasn't, I don't think
she was really unprepared for it to take the
time and the effort, but what she had in the
process was just love and understanding and acceptance
the whole way along. And still being connected,
right? If you don't have connection with a person,
then that lowers the amount of love and everything
else that you can give to them. So is this person
you? Have you stepped away for some time and
questioned whether there is a place to come back
to you? If so, Abby and I join Elder Palmer in
his invitation to you. It's an invitation extended
with love and a sincere desire to welcome you
back to your spiritual home. We pray that you
will feel the witness of the Holy Ghost and also
hear this loving invitation. I like that he just
briefly paused there to say the words that I'm
going to utter is out of love, not out of chastisement.
So when he says that it's like, when are you
going to come back to me? Repent! Be converted!
You read it exactly perfectly. When will you
return to me? I've been waiting for you, child.
Come back. Giving him an opportunity to repent
of their sins and be converted because he wants
nothing more than to heal us from those things
that are challenging us. People are often really
loud and vocal on their way out. But we're reminded
every week that many more are responding to the
Savior's invitation by returning to discipleship
and church activity. But usually they do that
quietly, humbly. Seeking the healing that Jesus
promises. This isn't the narrative that's circulated
around social media. Right? Social media wants
to think everybody's on their way out. When in
reality, record numbers of young people are choosing
to stay strong and to grow their faith in Jesus
Christ. Absolutely, Abby. When those around us
leave, it often causes us to reflect our own
testimony and our why. For choosing the gospel.
I know it has for me and it's strengthened it
each time. Like, why do I stay? And it strengthens
my resolve and also my relationship with Jesus
Christ and with Heavenly Father. When Jesus taught
a hard truth and some of his followers chose
to leave, he asked, will ye also go away? I love
Peter's response. He says, to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life. Can we all
take the opportunity to do the same as we witness
others around us make the decision to leave?
Can we look to the Savior and ask what can we
do to become more rooted in his teachings? What
message that is out there today offered more
comfort, more peace in the gospel of Jesus Christ?
If you too believe that there is nothing that
comes close to offering more than the Savior
already has, then please stay. He circles back
here to the lesson from the willow tree. To summarize,
he says, the return may be hard, but it's worth
it. Like the willow tree, growth often begins
with vulnerability and letting go of pride. I
mean that. willow tree was not pretty when the
pictures of it you're like oh yeah it's down
yeah if you go to this imprint you'll see like
a play -by -play of what that pruning process
looked like for sure be patient faith and strength
take time to rebuild just as the willow took
years to regain its beauty and i love that the
analogy was tied to a tree it's not quick pro
a quick process that's true you don't really
know what the root system looks like under a
tree as that's re -establishing you know you
use a flower It grows quickly. It dies quickly.
We're talking about something that's got some
sustainability. Nourish your faith consistently.
Regular worship, taking the sacrament will sustain
spiritual growth. I was in a talk from a friend.
She was doing a mental health class. We had this
conversation where sometimes maybe you're going
through the motions when it comes to the sacrament
or reading the scriptures or whatever it is.
But all of those things, even if they lack emotion
because of the mental state that you're in, Consistency
in doing those faith -promoting activities one
day will pay off. Staying sensitive to the Spirit
like sunlight to a tree. The Spirit helps your
testimony grow when you're open to its promptings.
Again, putting yourself in a situation where
there's a possibility for the Spirit to take
hold is key. It doesn't happen the first time
or the second time, but you keep doing it. Again
and again, it's going to eventually sink deep.
And then remember that God knows your potential.
Just as the neighbor saw hope in the willow,
the Lord never gives up on you and can heal all
through Christ's atonement. Amy, let's go to
your final thoughts, and then I'll wrap it up
after that. I love this talk for a lot of reasons.
It gives us a chance to reflect on where our
own testimonies are, that when life's storms
beat us up or beat upon us. Am I prepared with
deep roots that I need to sustain the harsh winds?
Another reason I love this talk is that many
invitations are made in the hopes that people
who are on the verge of collapse or who've been
gone for a short time or even many years can
hear that invitation. It was this talk that maybe
definitely the wrong thing to say is if somebody
comes back, where have you been? He said that
part. Where have you been? He's passed, whatever.
What would the Savior do? He'd see you. He'd
maybe just embrace you in a hug. Words wouldn't
really be necessary. Totally true. Glad to see
you here. Yeah. You don't need to say the words.
Whatever's kept you away. Love that he takes
some of the principles that Elder Palmer summarized
with love, encouraging those around us to know
that the return might be difficult. Like I just
said, there may be a couple of conversations,
not that you need to tell everybody, but a few
key conversations. It will be worth it, you coming
back. And you will have the support and love.
in the progress. Be patient with yourself as
you're coming back. Be patient with others that
are coming back. Share your faith with them,
to the Spirit as it directs you with the things
that you can do as you minister to these family
and friends. And again, my heart goes out to
anyone who's coming back for any amount of time.
I know it's a hard thing to do. And sometimes
you don't have the right words to say. And I
pray that you will have peace and you will know
that you are in the right place among friends,
even if the words that they say might not be
exactly what the Savior would say to you right
then. Have patience and love. This talk is both
an invitation to those who are on their way out
or have been gone and to people that are in it
currently and wanting to be in it more deeply
rooted. He's, you know, both sides of that camp.
There are jobs that we can do as members that
are actively going right now. We have a responsibility
to love as Jesus loved and to make a very well
-inviting home. He referenced the church, you
know, church home. Come back into our church
home. If we see it in that way, what are we actively
doing to help those around us? Are we making
it easier for people to... tap into the atonement
of Jesus Christ and come back or making it more
difficult. Yeah. And again, the guiding principles.
When I had this experience the other day, I was
like, Amy, this would do well for you to learn
and to have in your heart the guiding principles
because they will be used every day. It literally
is, when I say that, I mean like lead with love
and, you know, use the scriptures, ask for the
Holy Ghost, everything that we talked about.
in this talk, if we have those in our heart,
really all it's doing, like you could say guiding
principles equal. a disciple of Christ. Yes,
doing it in the Savior's way and maintaining
these relationships that sometimes can be difficult
because sometimes we don't know that when we're,
you know, we don't get like a quick briefing
before church or before a function with the Lord
saying, you know, giving us a call and saying,
hey, by the way, when you walk into church today,
you are meeting people who are hanging on by
a thread. When you speak, please take my spirit
with you and speak to them with my love. That
would be different. That was my first rhetorical
question up at the top. Exactly. What if we assume
that everybody was there hanging on by a thread?
Not even that they don't, that they're struggling
with the gospel principle. Life is just beating
them down, which is really your scenario right
now. Exactly. You can take that for so many months
and years, but even the strongest can get beaten
down by it. But what rebuilds from those people
is even more beautiful, more deeply rooted. He
mentioned that that tree was more beautiful after
the whole incident than it would have been otherwise.
Loved it. So I feel like what we're saying is
to remember that the work and the glory of Jesus
Christ is, or sorry, I said that poorly. Remember
that it is the work and the glory of Jesus Christ
to bring to pass the immortality and eternal
life of men. He's our biggest cheerleader, and
we can be extensions of that if we join with
Him in the work to bring people to Jesus Christ.
His testimony is what I'll finish up with. He
said, I witness that there is rejoicing in heaven
over those who return. You are needed. You are
loved. I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior
and that He blesses all who return unto Him with
greater peace and greater joy. His arms of mercy
are not folded. They are open, extended to you.
It is not too late for you to come back. With
all of the love in our hearts, we welcome you
home. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thanks
for being here, guys. See you next time.