WEBVTT 00:00:02.320 --> 00:00:04.639 Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, 00:00:04.860 --> 00:00:06.719 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:08.539 approach to studying the most recent General 00:00:08.539 --> 00:00:11.480 Conference talks. This is Abbie and Aimee. Let's 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:31.670 jump into it. Today we get to talk about the 00:00:31.670 --> 00:00:34.090 atoning love of Jesus Christ by Elder Neil L. 00:00:34.189 --> 00:00:36.750 Anderson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Hey, 00:00:36.829 --> 00:00:39.770 Amy. Hey, Abby. Happy to be here. We're excited 00:00:39.770 --> 00:00:42.049 to be here with you again today, you guys. In 00:00:42.049 --> 00:00:44.170 Elder Anderson's talk, he begins by saying he 00:00:44.170 --> 00:00:46.270 feels greater love for our Savior Jesus Christ 00:00:46.270 --> 00:00:48.289 and for His merciful atonement with each passing 00:00:48.289 --> 00:00:50.890 year, which is a great place to be every year 00:00:50.890 --> 00:00:52.649 learning more about our Savior and loving Him 00:00:52.649 --> 00:00:55.219 more. I would say this is a key part of progression. 00:00:55.700 --> 00:00:57.719 He then goes on to say that understanding his 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:00.039 divine gift is, for me, an open -ended, heavenly 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:02.020 tutorial that will continue beyond the grave. 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.400 So again, addressing our needs as a people who 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:06.620 love and follow Jesus Christ, to continue to 00:01:06.620 --> 00:01:08.560 learn about him and understand his principles 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:13.099 by living them every day of our lives, a correct 00:01:13.099 --> 00:01:15.439 understanding of his gospel is vital and it becomes 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:18.140 more clear every year we learn and live it. In 00:01:18.140 --> 00:01:19.939 this, I see an invitation. It's the beginning 00:01:19.939 --> 00:01:21.799 of a new year and it's a great time to reflect 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:24.269 on the things that we learned last year. What 00:01:24.269 --> 00:01:26.489 progress do you see in your testimony of Jesus 00:01:26.489 --> 00:01:28.810 Christ? Maybe you could share your current testimony, 00:01:29.650 --> 00:01:32.150 maybe record it in some way in a journal or a 00:01:32.150 --> 00:01:34.170 voice memo, and then do it again next January. 00:01:34.609 --> 00:01:36.370 Look back on the progress that you've made and 00:01:36.370 --> 00:01:38.030 see how your relationship with the Savior has 00:01:38.030 --> 00:01:40.280 changed over. a year period of time. That's great 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:42.439 Abby, I love it. I feel like there was so much 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:44.459 to love in this talk. I found myself listening 00:01:44.459 --> 00:01:46.620 over and over again and getting something else 00:01:46.620 --> 00:01:48.780 out of it each time. One thing that really stood 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:51.980 out to me throughout Elder Anderson's address 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:55.959 was his desire to really give hope. in the Savior's 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:58.599 miraculous ability to heal on all levels. This 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:00.980 is what he shares. The powerful compassion of 00:02:00.980 --> 00:02:03.599 the Savior in forgiving sin and in healing the 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:05.640 wounds caused by the sins of others is a most 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:08.240 miraculous manifestation of the love of God. 00:02:08.860 --> 00:02:10.900 And then he says, my desire is to offer hope 00:02:10.900 --> 00:02:13.479 for those seeking forgiveness for very serious 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:16.000 sins and to offer comfort to those seeking healing 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:18.500 from the anguishing wounds caused by the serious 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:21.680 sins of others. Healing and forgiveness are each 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:24.199 found in their fullness and atoning love of Jesus 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:27.139 Christ. So again, He turns us back to Jesus Christ. 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:30.219 He's always the center. His message is one that 00:02:30.219 --> 00:02:32.520 speaks to my heart, and I think not one person 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:34.860 listening to this message is not in need of both 00:02:34.860 --> 00:02:37.819 healing and also forgiveness, even if the sins 00:02:37.819 --> 00:02:41.479 are not serious. He first addressed those who 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:43.860 have committed serious sin or are in the process 00:02:43.860 --> 00:02:46.020 of repenting or have a desire to fully repent. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:49.289 And He testified that They will feel the unspeakable 00:02:49.289 --> 00:02:51.810 joy of forgiveness. Please know this miracle 00:02:51.810 --> 00:02:54.210 is awaiting you. The Savior continuously calls, 00:02:54.430 --> 00:02:56.789 come unto me. This invitation is very loving, 00:02:57.050 --> 00:02:58.990 even for those that have gone against God's laws. 00:02:59.349 --> 00:03:01.349 There's a way back, and that way is always through 00:03:01.349 --> 00:03:04.250 the Savior and His loving Atonement. And Heavenly 00:03:04.250 --> 00:03:06.689 Father rejoices in your resolve to come unto 00:03:06.689 --> 00:03:10.229 Him. He suggests two ways to do this. Faith in 00:03:10.229 --> 00:03:13.639 Jesus Christ. and honesty. So strengthening our 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:15.780 faith in the Savior Jesus Christ will invigorate 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:18.060 yearning of our souls to know Him, believe Him, 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:21.039 and yield our hearts to Him. A desire to truly 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:23.259 return to God is accompanied by the determination 00:03:23.259 --> 00:03:25.900 to completely be honest with your Heavenly Father 00:03:25.900 --> 00:03:28.219 and with yourself, with those who were harmed, 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:31.500 and with your priesthood leaders. I love this 00:03:31.500 --> 00:03:39.169 reminder because Satan's always going to try 00:03:39.169 --> 00:03:41.789 to tempt us with a thing that we think we can't 00:03:41.789 --> 00:03:44.830 receive forgiveness from. And he's pretty crafty, 00:03:44.969 --> 00:03:47.789 and it can be a minor thing. Like, some people 00:03:47.789 --> 00:03:49.169 will write harder on themselves than others, 00:03:49.349 --> 00:03:51.129 but it doesn't have to be a big thing that can 00:03:51.129 --> 00:03:52.849 be the roadblock between us and our relationship 00:03:52.849 --> 00:03:55.849 with our Savior, when all he's saying is, I never 00:03:55.849 --> 00:03:57.550 expected to be perfect, and that's why I came 00:03:57.550 --> 00:03:59.789 and did the things that I did. Bring it all to 00:03:59.789 --> 00:04:02.050 me. Don't withhold anything from me. Be honest 00:04:02.050 --> 00:04:04.810 with yourself. and unload that burden from yourself. 00:04:05.050 --> 00:04:07.370 I love that. And also on the flip side, Satan 00:04:07.370 --> 00:04:10.490 can lull us into thinking that what we're doing 00:04:10.490 --> 00:04:12.210 is not really a big deal. Do you know what I 00:04:12.210 --> 00:04:14.030 mean? Like it's, that it's okay. And it's just 00:04:14.030 --> 00:04:16.589 our nature. And when I, so I love that he said 00:04:16.589 --> 00:04:18.370 honesty. That's a really good thing. And the 00:04:18.370 --> 00:04:21.269 way to assess if, if he's got you in that trap 00:04:21.269 --> 00:04:23.389 is what's your relationship looking like with 00:04:23.389 --> 00:04:25.589 the savior, being honest about that. And you're 00:04:25.589 --> 00:04:28.769 saying, I felt more distance than ever before. 00:04:28.850 --> 00:04:31.860 And then you would say, It's that thing that 00:04:31.860 --> 00:04:34.439 I've been doing lately and that's causing this 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:36.959 disconnect with us. And so, you know, Satan doesn't 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.319 win in those scenarios when we're able to recognize 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:41.100 it, call it out for what it is and be honest 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:44.199 in that relationship and make the little corrections 00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:48.389 that need to be made. Awesome, Abby. So then 00:04:48.389 --> 00:04:51.189 he talks about the third way is to restore what's 00:04:51.189 --> 00:04:53.470 broken. I was really struck by the story that 00:04:53.470 --> 00:04:56.589 he shared from the perspective of someone, Abby's 00:04:56.589 --> 00:04:59.069 nodding, we both remember this story, who's in 00:04:59.069 --> 00:05:01.430 the process of repenting and desiring to return 00:05:01.430 --> 00:05:03.889 to the church. His former wife was still suffering 00:05:03.889 --> 00:05:07.170 from the loss of their eternal marriage, difficulties 00:05:07.170 --> 00:05:09.930 with children, the loss of financial security. 00:05:10.350 --> 00:05:12.829 and not being quite able to keep up with expenses 00:05:12.829 --> 00:05:16.050 and also the deeply suffocating feelings of being 00:05:16.050 --> 00:05:19.209 betrayed. So then he shares that he initially, 00:05:19.350 --> 00:05:22.050 this man, believed that the amount of money he 00:05:22.050 --> 00:05:25.410 gave up on the divorce was enough payment. He 00:05:25.410 --> 00:05:28.370 then went to his branch president, who counseled 00:05:28.370 --> 00:05:31.740 him to pray and fast about it. He then decided 00:05:31.740 --> 00:05:34.079 to give a large amount of his monthly net pay 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.920 to his family. And he was about, as he was about 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:40.019 to pay this amount, the spirit instructed him 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:43.959 to double that amount. And this is the part that 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:46.199 struck me. He himself said he was surprised by 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:47.779 that, right? Because it already felt like a generous 00:05:47.779 --> 00:05:50.459 amount. But what struck me is that because priesthood 00:05:50.459 --> 00:05:52.160 leaders had met with his wife and his children 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:54.360 who were still struggling, the fact that she 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:56.740 now did not have to worry about also providing 00:05:56.740 --> 00:06:00.100 for her family financially, this made space for 00:06:00.100 --> 00:06:02.839 her. to be able to heal. So this story is really 00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:04.980 not all about the money. This story is about 00:06:04.980 --> 00:06:07.980 making restitution by removing a worry that his 00:06:07.980 --> 00:06:10.879 wife had that he had the power to help, right? 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:12.540 Happen to be with money. You can't make her not 00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:16.259 feel betrayed. Right. All the other things. And 00:06:16.259 --> 00:06:17.680 one thing that I've learned in the past eight 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:20.180 years is how much effort and space is required 00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:23.079 for healing. It can be a full -time job and when 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:25.439 you are still in survival mode, meaning she's 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:27.139 still trying to pay bills and figure that out, 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:31.279 you cannot heal. He was able to at least provide 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:34.459 that environment to where his wife in this talk 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:36.500 said could seek the spirit. She could use her 00:06:36.500 --> 00:06:38.920 own agency and begin to heal from this devastating 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:42.850 loss and this life challenge. That was a lot 00:06:42.850 --> 00:06:45.009 to think about it was and maybe you find yourself 00:06:45.009 --> 00:06:48.490 in that situation and you can't hope that your 00:06:48.490 --> 00:06:50.790 former spouse is just gonna the goodness of their 00:06:50.790 --> 00:06:53.110 heart come up with this doubling effect, but 00:06:53.110 --> 00:06:56.389 I'm really glad that that's the way that this 00:06:56.389 --> 00:06:58.629 story worked out. No, we get to see it from the 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:03.060 Is it rude to call Him the sinner? From the sinner's 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:05.839 end, you know? Not rude, we're all sinners. Yeah, 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.079 in this perspective. And a repentant person, 00:07:08.300 --> 00:07:10.899 a repentant soul who is seeking the Spirit. And 00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:13.079 even though he felt like he'd already made restitution, 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.839 the fact that the Lord said, do more, and he 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.160 did it. Obeying that is what this story. It's 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:21.519 the ideal progression of this Let's say that 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:23.720 he didn't come to that thinking but she was reaching 00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:27.699 out to Bishop and Like priesthood leaders and 00:07:27.699 --> 00:07:29.519 really society and whatever and and they knew 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:31.639 like hey, she's struggling Yeah, this is not 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:33.500 enough to get by and she didn't ask for this 00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:35.459 situation at all Maybe the church steps in and 00:07:35.459 --> 00:07:38.139 they help with rent their groceries and you know 00:07:38.139 --> 00:07:41.410 kind of a myriad of things in that way, the church 00:07:41.410 --> 00:07:44.129 could have been the safety net to open up those 00:07:44.129 --> 00:07:47.889 channels that she could have that relief of financial 00:07:47.889 --> 00:07:50.949 pressure to, again, do the healing, but so much 00:07:50.949 --> 00:07:54.850 more powerful that it was the... of the effector 00:07:54.850 --> 00:07:57.889 of the situation. Absolutely. The healing, the 00:07:57.889 --> 00:07:59.410 power he's going to get in healing is going to 00:07:59.410 --> 00:08:01.250 come so much faster because he's the one that's 00:08:01.250 --> 00:08:04.009 making it right, not just the Lord and his church 00:08:04.009 --> 00:08:07.449 and his servants doing that. I agree. Okay, there 00:08:07.449 --> 00:08:09.629 was a second group Elder Anderson addressed and 00:08:09.629 --> 00:08:12.250 that was to those who'd been unfairly injured 00:08:12.250 --> 00:08:16.600 by the serious sins of another. the wife in this 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:19.399 story. He says, I long to share the Savior's 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.339 love and compassion, his comfort and peace, the 00:08:21.339 --> 00:08:23.300 sadness you have felt, the heartbreak, the loss, 00:08:23.420 --> 00:08:26.040 the suffocating feeling of betrayal, the upending 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:28.860 of your life as you imagined it to be. I give 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:31.500 you my absolute assurance the Savior knows you 00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:35.399 and loves you. Reach out to him. I love that. 00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:38.039 And I really take comfort in the promise that 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:39.659 he shared to those who've been hurt by others' 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:42.720 actions, which is probably, you know, To a degree, 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:44.519 it'll be all of us at one time or another on 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:46.639 this earth. When you're feeling the depths of 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:49.860 sorrow, I love this promise. He says, your sorrow 00:08:49.860 --> 00:08:53.500 shall be turned into joy. And your joy, no one 00:08:53.500 --> 00:08:56.480 taketh from you. That moment will come. I testify 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.679 that it will come. Abby, I've been thinking this 00:08:58.679 --> 00:09:01.600 week about how grateful I am for modern day prophets. 00:09:02.379 --> 00:09:04.500 What if we didn't have these words of truth in 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:06.340 a time of so much pain and sorrow on the earth? 00:09:06.700 --> 00:09:10.139 The fact that God sends prophets to us to testify 00:09:10.139 --> 00:09:13.340 of Jesus Christ. to teach of his truths and to 00:09:13.340 --> 00:09:16.220 turn us to him in our thoughts and actions. To 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:18.740 me, this is an indication that God loves each 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:21.179 of us and he wants us to be happy and successful 00:09:21.179 --> 00:09:23.399 in this life. Another thing that resonates with 00:09:23.399 --> 00:09:25.600 me with this week is I started the Book of Mormon 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.240 again for a new year and the title page reminds 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.000 us, and now if there are faults, they are the 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:33.220 mistakes of men. wherefore condemn not the things 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:36.320 of God." The ones who wrote the scriptures are 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.120 primarily prophets, so he's reminding us not 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:40.700 to condemn the things of God and to try to extend 00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:42.820 grace to those humans who are doing their best 00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:44.500 to teach the word of God as it comes to them. 00:09:44.700 --> 00:09:46.340 I feel like it's the same thing with modern -day 00:09:46.340 --> 00:09:48.720 prophets. One of the greatest life lessons I've 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:51.299 found is to pray for the gift of discernment 00:09:51.299 --> 00:09:54.460 and the ability to decipher truth from the faults 00:09:54.460 --> 00:09:56.019 of men. And I just mean this like in anything, 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:58.679 you know, someone's speaking in church or whatever 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:02.990 it is. the ability to decipher this, simply meaning 00:10:02.990 --> 00:10:04.669 that sometimes we may not like a person or their 00:10:04.669 --> 00:10:07.490 delivery, but we can learn to separate our feelings. 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:10.799 for a person or the way they taught and the principle 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:13.039 to be able to distinguish it as a true principle 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:16.200 and the Word of God. So not to be so quick to 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:17.940 dismiss the words of God and to sort of say, 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:19.799 well, that didn't feel right or whatever, right? 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:22.279 Anyhow, I just wanted to share my deep gratitude 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:24.379 to God for blessing us with modern day prophets 00:10:24.379 --> 00:10:27.399 who guide us and direct us with love and sincerity. 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:30.220 It has been a blessing in my life over and over 00:10:30.220 --> 00:10:33.039 again. I'm so grateful for prophets as well. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:35.419 They always pointed us to Christ, and our own 00:10:35.419 --> 00:10:37.179 president, Dallin H. Oaks, taught, because of 00:10:37.179 --> 00:10:39.440 his atoning experience and mortality, our Savior 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:42.000 is able to comfort us and heal and strengthen 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.460 all men and women everywhere, but I believe he 00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:47.279 does so only for those who seek him and ask for 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:50.500 his help. The apostle James taught, Humble yourselves 00:10:50.500 --> 00:10:52.379 in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you 00:10:52.379 --> 00:10:55.600 up. We qualify for that blessing when we believe 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:59.200 in him and pray for his help. Love that, Abby. 00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:01.259 Thank you so much. Do you have anything else 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:04.620 you want to add before I wrap it up? I think 00:11:04.620 --> 00:11:06.700 this talk, like you said, there were so many 00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:08.500 layers to it. It was one that I did listen to 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:11.879 for myself back again. And a lot of experiences 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:15.480 I haven't been betrayed by a spouse, but that 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:17.279 was something that just struck me so much. And 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.799 I thought, how can I apply this in my own life? 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:25.059 And I just thought... Like you said, in this 00:11:25.059 --> 00:11:26.840 life experience, something's going to come in 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:30.539 my way. It is going to require me to return to 00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:32.840 the Lord. And even my small daily things, like 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:37.860 I make mistakes daily. So I love that he's just 00:11:37.860 --> 00:11:40.519 trying to cut through the noise of feeling like 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:43.610 you can't take certain things to the Lord. Because 00:11:43.610 --> 00:11:45.750 you can take everything to Him. He meant for 00:11:45.750 --> 00:11:47.990 it to be that way. Whether you think it's a small 00:11:47.990 --> 00:11:49.850 thing or an insignificant thing, those things 00:11:49.850 --> 00:11:52.870 can compound just like small little changes can 00:11:52.870 --> 00:11:56.690 compound for the positive in our lives. I was 00:11:56.690 --> 00:12:00.830 just thinking, what a neat thing to solidify 00:12:00.830 --> 00:12:02.750 those principles and just kind of tell myself 00:12:02.750 --> 00:12:05.049 now, before I'm in deep trouble, that I just 00:12:05.049 --> 00:12:07.889 say, if something should happen, that the first 00:12:07.889 --> 00:12:10.549 person I'm going to turn to is my Savior Jesus 00:12:10.549 --> 00:12:14.529 Christ. kind of prepare myself for that plan 00:12:14.529 --> 00:12:16.230 of action. Maybe Satan would be like, hey, she's 00:12:16.230 --> 00:12:17.950 a waste of my time. You know, if he knows that 00:12:17.950 --> 00:12:20.230 I'm already going to turn to the source of peace 00:12:20.230 --> 00:12:22.429 and healing so quickly, maybe he'll leave me 00:12:22.429 --> 00:12:26.409 alone a little bit more. We'll test it. Like 00:12:26.409 --> 00:12:28.730 we heard in church today, pray. Do you think 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:31.250 you'll pray? Yeah, pray more. Pray more. I love 00:12:31.250 --> 00:12:34.960 that. I am going to end with Elder Anderson's 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:58.940 testimony. He says, Again, so much hope and love 00:12:58.940 --> 00:13:03.429 and just genuine feeling from that. Airs like 00:13:03.429 --> 00:13:05.710 at the beginning of a new year such a good reminder 00:13:05.710 --> 00:13:07.990 for us and we're grateful that you guys joined 00:13:07.990 --> 00:13:11.049 us today And we hope that you have an amazing 00:13:11.049 --> 00:13:13.370 blessed week. Catch you next time. See you next 00:13:13.370 --> 00:13:13.690 time