With Unwearyingness Declared the Word

We recently passed the five-year mark for President Nelson’s time as the prophet. This article highlights some of the teachings of our beloved prophet over this time. He has truly been a global leader, focusing his messages and actions on unifying the church across the world and including all of God’s children. His global tours before the pandemic also evidenced his love for all across the globe.  He said near the beginning of his ministry as he took to the skies to visit faithful saints everywhere, “The Lord’s message is for everyone. This is a global work. Whenever I’m comfortably situated in my home, I’m in the wrong place. I need to be where the people are. We need to bring them the message of the Savior.” He also has spoken out consistently against racism of any kind: “God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto him, ‘black and white, bond and free, male and female.’ I assure you that your standing before God is not determined by the color of your skin. Favor or disfavor with God is dependent upon your devotion to God and his commandments, and not the color of your skin.” His efforts to build temples—he has announced 118 since he became prophet—has shown his commitment to bringing access to the covenants of the Lord to as many of God’s children as possible around the world. His focus is summed up well in these words he spoke as he traveled to eight countries in eleven days: “The message is to invite all of God's children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior and enjoy the blessings of the temple, have enduring joy and qualify for eternal life. And that will bring hope, help and lift to all people.” If we are to follow the prophet in our own lives then we too must look upon all those around us with love and a desire to help them no matter who they are.

                President Nelson has also urged us repeatedly to come to know the Lord and to understand our true identity as His children. He declared, “In all of eternity, no one will ever know you or care about you more than he does. No one will ever be closer to you than he is. You can pour out your heart to him and trust him to send the Holy Ghost and angels to care for you.” He continued in a broadcast to young adults, “I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly tonight, the first thing he would make sure you understand is your true identity. My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God.” He similarly declared in a different message to young adults in 2019, “You are sons and daughters of God. You already know this. You have sung about it since you were toddlers. But let me clarify a distinguishing characteristic about your identity. You are the children whom God chose to be part of His battalion during this great climax in the longstanding battle between good and evil—between truth and error. I would not be surprised if, when the veil is lifted in the next life, we learn that you actually pled with our Heavenly Father to be reserved for now. I would not be surprised to learn that premortally you loved the Lord so much that you promised to defend His name and gospel during this world’s tumultuous winding-up scenes. One thing is certain: You are of the house of Israel and you have been sent here to help gather God’s elect.” His teachings have continually invited us to seek to come unto the Lord, hearing His voice and gaining personal revelation, living up to our potential as children of God with power to do all things that He asks of us.

            These teachings of President Nelson were summed up well in one of his most famous conference talks as the prophet: “Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound.” From this he invited us to let God prevail in our lives. He questioned each of us, “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?” I am grateful for the prophet’s teachings and his invitations to come unto the Lord and let the will of our Father be our most important priority in our lives. President Nelson has worked tirelessly these five years to invite all to come unto the Lord, and surely these words of the Lord that He spoke to Nephi were meant for President Nelson as well: “Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments” (Helaman 10:4). As we seek to follow the prophet’s teachings in our own lives, our aim should be nothing less than to have these words apply to us each individually as well.