Invitations from the Prophet

In the recent general conference, President Nelson gave us many invitations to live the gospel more fully, to move forward with increased faith, to stay true to our covenants, and to let God become the most important influence in our lives. Today I reviewed the four talks that he gave and pulled out some of the most important invitations that should help guide our actions over the next six months:

Lay Hold Upon the Word of God – In his first talk he urged us to hear and lay hold upon the words of the Lord in the conference, saying: “As we gather to hear the words the Lord has inspired His servants to deliver, I invite you to ponder a promise the Lord made. He declared that “whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning … and the wiles of the devil, and lead the [disciple] of Christ in a strait and narrow course.” I pray that you will choose to lay hold upon the word of God as it is declared during this general conference.”

·        Regular repentance –- He encouraged us again to grow spiritually by repenting regularly: “I pray that we as a people are using this unique time to grow spiritually. We are here on earth to be tested, to see if we will choose to follow Jesus Christ, to repent regularly, to learn, and to progress. Our spirits long to progress. And we do that best by staying firmly on the covenant path.” In another talk he similarly urged us, “It takes persistent, rigorous spiritual work to repent and to put off the natural man through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It takes consistent, daily effort to develop personal habits to study the gospel, to learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and to seek and respond to personal revelation.”

·        Temporal Preparedness – Along with others, he encouraged us to be temporally prepared for the future:  “For decades, the Lord’s prophets have urged us to store food, water, and financial reserves for a time of need. The current pandemic has reinforced the wisdom of that counsel. I urge you to take steps to be temporally prepared.”

·        Study the Book of Mormon – He again invited us to take seriously our study of the Book of Mormon: “Further, few things build faith more than does regular immersion in the Book of Mormon. No other book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most. The Book of Mormon is our latter-day survival guide.”

·        Create Spiritual Sanctuaries –  President Nelson urged us to make our homes a place of spiritual safety: “Similarly, as turmoil rages around us, we need to create places where we are safe, both physically and spiritually. When your home becomes a personal sanctuary of faith—where the Spirit resides—your home becomes the first line of defense…. I invite you, my dear sisters, to create a home that is a place of security. And I renew my invitation for you to increase your understanding of priesthood power and of temple covenants and blessings.”

·        Strengthen Our Faith –  As prophets always do, President Nelson also exhorted us to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ: “We strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ as we strive to keep His commandments and ‘always remember him.’ Further, our faith increases every time we exercise our faith in Him. That is what learning by faith means. For example, each time we have the faith to be obedient to God’s laws—even when popular opinions belittle us—or each time we resist entertainment or ideologies that celebrate covenant-breaking, we are exercising our faith, which in turn increases our faith.”

·        Increase Capacity to Receive Revelation – President Nelson once again gave us the invitation to improve how we receive revelation: “The Lord has promised that if we will ask, we may receive ‘revelation upon revelation.’ I promise that as you increase your capacity to receive revelation, the Lord will bless you with increased direction for your life and with boundless gifts of the Spirit.”

·        Let God Prevail – In his powerful talk on the gathering of Israel, he urged us to let be the most important influence in our lives: “The question for each of us, regardless of race, is the same. Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?”

·        Study the Promises for Covenant Israel – He also gave us a specific scripture study assignment: “As you study your scriptures during the next six months, I encourage you to make a list of all that the Lord has promised He will do for covenant Israel. I think you will be astounded! Ponder these promises. Talk about them with your family and friends. Then live and watch for these promises to be fulfilled in your own life.”

·        Turn to the Lord – Finally, he invited us to turn our whole hearts to God: “Today we often hear about ‘a new normal.’ If you really want to embrace a new normal, I invite you to turn your heart, mind, and soul increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Let that be your new normal. Embrace your new normal by repenting daily. Seek to be increasingly pure in thought, word, and deed. Minister to others. Keep an eternal perspective. Magnify your callings. And whatever your challenges, my dear brothers and sisters, live each day so that you are more prepared to meet your Maker.”

That is certainly plenty to keep us busy over the next six months as we seek to follow His counsel and let the Lord prevail in our lives. We have this promise from the Lord as we seek to hearken to His prophet: “For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory” (Doctrine and Covenants 21:6).