LIAHONAT H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R - D A Y S A I N T S A P R I L 2 0 0 1

LIAHONAT H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R - D A Y S A I N T S A P R I L 2 0 0 1

F E A T U R E S2 SPECIAL WITNESSES OF CHRIST: TEXT FROM A VIDEO PRESENTATION BY THE

FIRST PRESIDENCY AND QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES

25 VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE: INCREASING OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

42 ALBIN LOTRIC: THE WORTH OF A SOUL MARVIN K. GARDNER

48 USING THE APRIL 2001 LIAHONA

E S P E C I A L LY F O R Y O U T H26 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES: TRUSTING IN HIS CARE

“THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT” GLORIA OLAVEDAVID LED THE WAY SERGIO ARROYO

30 A PROPHET’S COUNSEL AND PRAYER FOR YOUTHPRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY

T H E F R I E N D2 EASTER: A STORY FOR YOU TO TELL

4 SHARING TIME: LISTEN TO A PROPHET’S VOICE DIANE S. NICHOLS

6 MAKING FRIENDS: NORBERTO HARIJAONA OF ANTANANARIVO,MADAGASCAR ANITA F. BOTT

9 SONG: THE SACRED GROVE JOAN D. CAMPBELL AND HAL K. CAMPBELL

10 NEW TESTAMENT STORIES: JESUS CHOOSES HIS APOSTLES

14 FICTION: THE TALK T. S. HETTINGER

ON THE COVERThe Christus, by Bertel Thorvaldsen(Photograph by Craig Dimond). Inset: Photograph by Acey Harper, from The Mission.

THE FRIEND COVERGod’s Constant Care, by Sheri Lynn Boyer Doty.

SEE THE FRIEND,PAGE 2

SEE PAGE 30 SEE PAGE 2

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April 2001 Vol. 25 No. 4LIAHONA 21984Official English International Magazine of The Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The First Presidency: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust

Quorum of the Twelve: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry,David B. Haight, Neal A. Maxwell, Russell M. Nelson,Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Joseph B. Wirthlin,Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland,Henry B. Eyring

Editor: Dennis B. NeuenschwanderAdvisers: L. Lionel Kendrick, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, John M. Madsen

Curriculum Department Administrators:Managing Director: Ronald L. KnightonEditorial Director: Richard M. RomneyGraphics Director: Allan R. Loyborg

Editorial Staff:Managing Editor: Marvin K. GardnerAssistant Managing Editor: R. Val JohnsonAssociate Editor: Roger TerryAssistant Editor: Jenifer GreenwoodEditorial Associate: Susan BarrettPublications Assistant: Collette Nebeker Aune

Design Staff:Magazine Graphics Manager: M. M. KawasakiArt Director: Scott Van KampenSenior Designer: Sharri CookDesigners: Thomas S. Child, Randall J. PixtonProduction Manager: Jane Ann PetersProduction: Reginald J. Christensen, Kari A. Couch,Denise Kirby, Kelli Pratt, Claudia E. WarnerDigital Prepress: Jeff Martin

Printing and Distribution:Printing Director: Kay W. BriggsDistribution Director (Subscriptions): Kris T. Christensen

For subscriptions and prices outside the United Statesand Canada, contact your local Church distributioncenter or ward or branch leader.

Send manuscripts and queries to Liahona, Floor 24, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3223,USA; or e-mail: CUR-Liahona-IMag@ldschurch.org

The Liahona (a Book of Mormon term meaning“compass” or “director”) is published in Albanian,Amharic, Armenian (East), Bulgarian, Cebuano,Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian,Fijian, Finnish, French, German, Haitian, Hiligaynon,Hungarian, Icelandic, Ilokano, Indonesian, Italian,Japanese, Kiribati, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian,Malagasy, Marshallese, Mongolian, Norwegian, Polish,Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Slovenian,Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tahitian, Thai, Tongan,Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. (Frequency varies bylanguage.)

© 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America.

For Readers in the United States and Canada:April 2001 Vol. 25 No. 4. LIAHONA (USPS 311-480)English (ISSN 1080-9554) is published monthly by TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 East NorthTemple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150. USA subscription priceis $10.00 per year; Canada, $15.50 plus applicabletaxes. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah, andat additional mailing offices. Sixty days’ notice required forchange of address. Include address label from a recentissue; old and new address must be included. Send USAand Canadian subscriptions to Salt Lake DistributionCenter at address below. Subscription help line: 1-800-537-5971. Credit card orders (Visa, MasterCard,American Express) may be taken by phone. (Canada PosteInformation: Publication Agreement #1604821)

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Salt LakeDistribution Center, Church Magazines, PO Box 26368,Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368.

MISSIONARIES SERVE WITH PURE HEARTS

My daughter and I read the Liahona(Ukrainian), from which we find out aboutthe current events of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints and about thelives of members in all corners of ourplanet. My heart delights when I read ofthe brothers and sisters who do missionarywork in many countries despite the hard-ships that may await them. With purehearts, great faith, and much love, they goto every house, to every family, and do theirimportant work. By doing this, they helpus—through the scriptures and theirpersonal examples—get to know ourHeavenly Father better. This service pleasesnot only the eye, but the heart as well.

Leonid Stepanovich Shkolny,Vynohradars’ka Branch,Kyiv Ukraine Sviatoshyns’kyi District

GOD LIGHTS THE ROAD FOR US

I want to say to all the readers of theLiahona how important it is to have God in our lives. I became a totally differentperson when I joined the Church. Life is somuch easier now. I’m thankful for ourHeavenly Father’s wisdom, kindness,patience, protection, and love. Problemshaven’t disappeared. They still exist, butGod helps me overcome adversity.

I know now that just as the moonmakes a dark road visible, God lights for usthe road that leads to His heavenlykingdom. We can open our arms and invite

A P R I

all who are in the dark to join us on thisbright path.

Marina Ruseva,Stara Zagora Branch,Plovdiv Bulgaria District

REASSURED BY LIAHONA

I have been a member of the Churchsince I was eight years old, and I would liketo tell you thanks for the edifying messages.Because of the Liahona (French), I am re-assured and consoled in knowing thatthere are faithful young people who holdfast in spite of intense opposition.

Seeing some of my own friends get offthe right road has been very painful. Often Ihave wondered if I would have the strengthand courage to resist their call to be part ofthe world. The sincere testimonies of theyoung people whose words you publish havestrengthened me. It is truly comforting toknow that I am not the only young personto have hope in the truth, to practice thegospel, and to strive to have high principles.Thanks very much for that help. TheLiahona is a compass in this world.

Vayana Mataoa,Arue Ward,Arue Tahiti Stake

Editors’ note: In this issue, “SpecialWitnesses of Christ” replaces the FirstPresidency Message. Home teachers areencouraged to use this message during themonth of April.

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Special Witnesses of Christ

Following is the text from a video presentation by the First Presidency and

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The presentation was broadcast by satellite between general conference

sessions on 1–2 April 2000.

President Gordon B. Hinckley

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T his great and ancient city ofJerusalem—it has always been

an inspiration to me. It is so becausethis place bears the imprint of theSon of God. Two thousand years ago,the Savior of mankind was born inBethlehem, a short distance to thesouth. He was brought here to the temple when He wasan infant. Here Mary and Joseph heard the wonderful

L I A

prophecies spoken by Simeon and Anna about this tiny

babe who was destined to becomethe Savior of the world.

He spent His boyhood inNazareth of Galilee to the north ofus. When 12 years of age, He wasbrought back here to Jerusalem.Here He was found by His mother

conversing with the doctors in the temple, “and theywere hearing him, and asking him questions” (Joseph

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Smith Translation, Luke 2:46). T

PAIN

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It was near here that He gazed out over this city andsaid with sorrow, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou thatkillest the prophets, and stonest them which are sentunto thee, how often would I have gathered thy childrentogether, . . . and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37).

Jerusalem was the scene of the final days of the mortallife of the Son of God. Here He suffered the agony ofGethsemane, His arrest, His trials, His condemnation,the unspeakable pain of His death on the cross, Hisburial in Joseph’s tomb, and the triumphant coming forthin the Resurrection.

None can fully comprehend the splendor of His life, themajesty of His death, the universality of His gift tomankind. We declare with the centurion, who said at Hisdeath, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39).

Otherwise, we will be kept from Ephesians 3:9; H

PREMORTA

Elder NeaO F T H E Q U O R U M O F

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A P R I

Now, 2,000 years have come and gone since His birthin Bethlehem. Surely this is a time for remembrance andrecommitment. In our day the Lord has called 15 specialwitnesses to testify of His divinity before all the world.Theirs is a unique calling; they are Apostles of the LordJesus Christ, chosen and commissioned by Him. Theyhave been commanded to bear witness of His livingreality by the power and authority of the holy apostleshipin them vested.

I invite you to listen to the testimonies of these specialwitnesses. They will speak to us from various locationsaround the earth, testifying of His premortal, mortal, andpostmortal ministry. God be thanked for the gift of HisSon, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind,the Prince of Life and Peace, the Holy One.

L MINISTRY

l A. MaxwellT H E T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This magnificent, far-reachingtelescope is deliberately situ-

ated above the smog, so this powerfulinstrument can better probe thegalaxies. So it is with life, and seeingby the lens of faith. If we are to seethings more clearly, we too must liftourselves above the secular smog.Then, in the words of the hymn, wecan “in awesome wonder consider allthe worlds [God’s] hands have made. . . [and see God’s] pow’r thru-outthe universe displayed” (“How GreatThou Art,” Hymns, number 86).

probing Jesus’ univfrom seeing “things a(Jacob 4:13).

Nevertheless, bstretching cosmos, contemplate the vahandiwork. Long beat Bethlehem and bJesus of Nazareth, Jehovah. Way backdirection of the Fathe Lord of the created worlds witof which ours is

ersal gospel ands they really are”

y viewing thewe can humblystness of divinefore He was bornecame known asour Savior was

then, under thether, Christ wasuniverse, who

hout number—only one (see

How many planets are there inthe universe with people on them?We don’t know, but we are not alonein the universe! God is not the Godof only one planet!

I testify that Jesus is truly the Lordof the universe, “that by [Christ],and through him, and of him, theworlds are and were created, and theinhabitants thereof are begottensons and daughters unto God”(D&C 76:24).

Having purchased us (see 1 Cor-inthians 7:23) with His atoning blood

ebrews 1:2). (see Acts 20:28) in the great and

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marvelous Atonement, Jesus therebybecame our Lawgiver (see Isaiah33:22). It is by obedience to His lawsand His commandments that we mayreturn one day to His presence andthat of our Heavenly Father.

The foregoing cosmic facts shouldbring us to our knees even now—longbefore that later Judgment Day, whenevery knee shall bow and everytongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.I testify that Jesus fulfilled these greatroles as Creator and Lawgiver out ofHis desire to immortalize all ofHeavenly Father’s children, with the

Elder Neal

Mount

most valiant to live in His Father’shouse, which has many mansions.

When Christ comes again, it willnot be to the meekness of the manger;it will be as the recognized Redeemerand the Lord of the universe! Then,in a great solar display, stars will fallfrom their places in a witnessing way(see D&C 133:49), with much moredrama than at His birth, when “thestars in the heavens looked downwhere he lay” (“Away in a Manger,”Hymns, number 206).

Yet in the vastness of Hiscreations, the Lord of the universe,

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A. Maxwell speaking from the Lick Ob

Hamilton, located outside San Jose, Ca

who notices the fall of every sparrow,is our personal Savior, of which I giveapostolic testimony in the holy nameof Jesus Christ, amen!

Elder Russell M. NelsonO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

Whenever I look at stars in thesky, I am reminded that

about 4,000 years ago Jesus the Christ(then speaking as Jehovah—God ofthe Old Testament) made a covenantwith Father Abraham. Included was

servatory on

lifornia.

Elder Russell M. Nelson speaking from the grounds of Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

the promise that the Savior of the world would come throughAbraham’s lineage and that his seedwould be multiplied “as the stars ofthe heaven.” In addition, Abrahamwas told that through his seed, “allthe nations of the earth [shall] beblessed” (Genesis 22:17–18). Thiscovenant was to be everlasting—eventhrough “a thousand generations” (1 Chronicles 16:15). Abraham waspromised “that this right shallcontinue in thee, and in thy seed afterthee . . . even with the blessings of theGospel, which are the blessings ofsalvation, even of life eternal”(Abraham 2:11).

From scriptures we learn that thiscovenant “should be fulfilled in thelatter days” (1 Nephi 15:18). Thenthe fulness of His gospel would be

preached and many would truly

believe that Jesus Christ is the Son ofGod.

In 1836, keys of “the gospel ofAbraham” were conferred (D&C110:12). In 1843 the Lord declaredto the Prophet Joseph Smith that“Abraham received promises con-cerning his seed, and of the fruit ofhis loins—from whose loins ye are. . . . This promise is yours also,because ye are of Abraham” (D&C132:30–31).

Brothers and sisters, you may alsoclaim the supernal blessings promisedto the faithful lineage of Abraham.The Lord explained that blessingsand responsibilities of His priesthoodare yours because of your faith,works, and lineage—the lineagedeclared in your patriarchal bless-ings. You “are lawful heirs,” He said.

“Your life and the priesthood have

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remained, and must needs remainthrough you and your lineage”(D&C 86:9–10).

The ultimate blessings of theAbrahamic covenant are conferredin holy temples. These blessingsallow us to come forth in the FirstResurrection and inherit thrones,kingdoms, powers, principalities, anddominions, to our “exaltation andglory in all things” (D&C 132:19).The fulfillment of the ancientAbrahamic covenant is feasible onlybecause of the Lord Jesus Christ. It isHe who has made it possible for us todwell with God, with Him, and withour families eternally. This is Hiswork and His glory. I love Him; Itestify of Him and express my ever-lasting gratitude for Him now andforevermore, in the name of Jesus

Christ, amen.

MORTAL MINISTRY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Elder Joseph B. WirthlinO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin speaking from Salt Lake City.

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Two thousand years ago, twotravelers—a man and a

woman—looked upon a small city,Bethlehem. The woman, heavy withchild, had been traveling fromNazareth. The long journey was mostdifficult and so uncomfortable for her.

Due to a sudden influx of visitors,every inn, every room in the city wasoccupied. The only place Joseph andMary could find shelter was in aplace where cattle were kept.

And so He was born: Jesus theChrist, the Messiah, the BelovedSon of God. The Creator of suns andmoons and swirling seas lay wrappedin swaddling clothes, His surround-ings among the most humble earthhad to offer.

At a very early age and continu-ing throughout my life, I havemarveled at the beautiful story of thebirth of our Lord and Savior, JesusChrist. The inspiring part of it allwas the announcement through theprophets in the Old Testament andthe Book of Mormon. They knewthe plan of salvation and the majorpart He would play in saving allmankind. The singing of the angelsas the shepherds in their field were

informed of the greatest event of

history, and the Wise Men from theFar East who followed the star ofBethlehem—these inspired eventscaptured my love and understandingof our beloved Savior.

As His birth, so His life. “Despisedand rejected, . . . a man of sorrows,and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah53:3), He had no place to lay Hishead. In our modern age, where gloryand fame is wrapped around medalsand worldly wealth, it seems almostinconceivable to us that a solitary

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man, without home, without politicalinfluence, could change the course ofhistory and eternity.

But I testify to you that He did.Jesus the Christ taught the words oflife. He showed the way to truth, theway to peace, the way to happiness. Itestify that when He walked the earth,thousands looked into His eyes—yearning for answers, yearning forrelease from suffering and grief,yearning that the burdens they carriedwould be lightened. Everyone who

looked into His eyes with faith foundhealing, peace, and happiness.

As an Apostle of the Lord JesusChrist, I testify to you this day thatthe time will come when every oneof us will look into the Savior’sloving eyes. And we will know thenwith a surety that a child was born toMary who was indeed the Son ofGod, the Savior of the world. We willknow that no grief is so great, nopain so profound, no burden sounbearable that it is beyond Hishealing touch.

He asks that we believe in Him,that we learn of Him, that we strive tofollow His teachings. That each oneof us may never forget the sacredness

Elder Richard G. Scott speaking in fr

the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

of this event and celebrate His birthby coming unto Him and keeping Hiscommandments is my prayer in thename of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Richard G. ScottO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E L V E A P O S T L E S

We all have a vivid memory ofour baptism and receipt of

the Holy Ghost. As we grow inunderstanding of the full meaning ofthe life of Jesus Christ, of what Hehas done to bless every soul, thatordinance takes on increasing signifi-cance. We did live in the presenceof our Eternal Father and of His

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ont of the baptismal font in

Beloved Son, our Savior. Everymortal that has or ever will come toearth chose that privilege after fullyunderstanding the plan of happinessthat would guide our life here.

Only those who make and keep thecovenant of baptism, diligently obeyHis commandments, and receive allof the other necessary ordinances willhave a fulness of joy on earth and willlive eternally in the celestial kingdom.For the truly repentant, baptism pro-vides a remission of sins because of theAtonement of Jesus Christ.

The Savior said, “Except a manbe born of water and of the Spirit, hecannot enter into the kingdom ofGod” (John 3:5). That is an absoluterequirement for every soul thatwould receive a fulness of the bless-ings offered us. That is why weperform, in holy temples, the ordi-nance of baptism vicariously for ourdeceased ancestors. The MasterHimself was baptized “to fulfil allrighteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Heis our perfect example in all things.

I testify that our Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ, is a resurrected beingof perfect love and compassion. Iwitness that He gave His life that wemight live eternally with Him andour Father in Heaven and our lovedones who qualify, through obedienceto the commandments and receipt ofall of the ordinances of salvation. Isolemnly witness that I know that

the Savior lives.

Elder L. Tom Perry speaking from Salt Lake City.

Elder L. Tom PerryO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

There was an experience in mylife which has often reminded

me of the joy resulting from askingthe question “What would theSavior do in this situation?”

I was among the first wave ofMarines to go ashore in Japan afterthe signing of the peace treatyfollowing World War II. Entering thedevastated city of Nagasaki was oneof the saddest experiences of my life.A large part of the city had beentotally destroyed. Some of the deadhad not yet been buried. As occupa-tion troops, we set up headquartersand went to work.

The situation was very bleak, anda few of us wanted to give more. Wewent to our division chaplain andrequested permission to help rebuildthe Christian churches. Because ofgovernment restrictions during the

war, these churches had almost

ceased to function. Their few build-ings were badly damaged. A group ofus volunteered to repair and replasterthese chapels during our off-duty timeso they would be available for theholding of Christian services again.

We had no command of thelanguage. All we could accomplishwas the physical labor of repairingthe buildings. We found the minis-ters who had been unable to serveduring the war years and encouragedthem to return to their pulpits. Wehad a tremendous experience withthese people as they again experi-enced the freedom to practice theirChristian beliefs.

An event occurred as we wereleaving Nagasaki to return homethat I will always remember. As wewere boarding the train that wouldtake us to our ships to return home,we were teased by a lot of the otherMarines. They had their girlfriendswith them saying good-bye to them.

They laughed at us and indicated

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that we had missed the fun of beingin Japan. We had just wasted ourtime laboring and plastering walls.

Just as they were at the height oftheir teasing, up over a little rise nearthe train station came about 200 ofthese great Japanese Christians fromthe churches we had repaired, singing“Onward, Christian Soldiers.” Theycame down and showered us withgifts. Then they all lined up along therailroad track, and as the train starteddown the tracks, we reached out andjust touched their fingers as we left.We couldn’t speak; our emotions weretoo strong. But we were grateful thatwe could help in some small way inreestablishing Christianity in a nationafter the war.

I know that God lives. I knowthat we are all His children and thatHe loves us. I know that He sent HisSon to the world to be an atoningsacrifice for all mankind, and thosewho embrace His gospel and followHim will enjoy eternal life, thegreatest of all gifts of God. I knowthat He directed the Restoration ofthe gospel again here upon the earththrough the ministry of the ProphetJoseph Smith. I know that the onlylasting joy and happiness we will everfind during our mortal experiencewill come by following the Savior,obeying His law, and keeping Hiscommandments. He lives. This is mywitness to you in His holy name,

even Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Henry B. Eyring speaking from the east steps of the Salt Lake Temple.

Elder Henry B. EyringO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

This building on its east facade has

the words “The House of the

Lord.” The first time I walked just a

few feet into the temple I had the

feeling that I had been here before. In

an instant, the thought came to me

that what I recognized was a sense of

peace beyond anything I had felt

before in this life, but that I seemed to

recognize and almost remember.

We knew our Heavenly Fatherand His Beloved Son before we cameinto this life. We felt peace withThem then, and we long to be withThem again, with our families andthose we love.

Dedicated temples are sacredplaces where the risen Savior maycome. In them we can feel the peaceof our associations with Him in thelife before. In them we can make thecovenants which help us to come

unto Him in this life and which will

permit Him, if we keep our promisesto Him, to take us home to theFather, with our families, in theworld to come.

Every part of these buildings andall that goes on inside them reflectthe love of the Savior for us and ourlove for Him. I felt that one day, highin this temple. I was in one of thetowers, in a place few people wouldhave been since the building wasdedicated. In a small room that hasrarely if ever been used, I sawexquisite pioneer era woodwork.

I remember the sense of awe thatcame over me when I imagined theworkmen who had so carefullycarved and finished the detailedmoldings. They toiled away withoutpower tools in a place where, for themost part, only the Lord they lovedand heavenly beings would lookupon it. They did it not for man orfor recognition but for Him, for Hishouse. They knew, as I do, that He

lives and that He asked His people to

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gather and to be worthy to build Hima house, that He might direct themand bless them and their families.

I know that He lives. I know thatJoseph Smith was His prophet andsaw in vision not only the shape of thewindows for an early temple but thespread of temples across the earth.The Lord has in His loving-kindnessentrusted the keys of the priesthoodexercised in these temples to Hisservants, to bless us and our kindreddead and to finish the work for Hisglorious return. I know that is true,and it brings peace to my heart. In thename of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Robert D. HalesO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

Ihave a great love for the scriptures.I love reading about the mortal life

of Jesus Christ. There is so much inHis life that can lift and inspire andstrengthen us in our times of need. Tome, one of the most sacred chapters inall the scriptures is John chapter 17.The entire chapter is an intercessoryprayer offered by Jesus Christ to HisFather. He says, in effect, “If only theworld could know you as I know you.”He tells His Father that He has doneeverything He has been asked to do.

Sometimes we forget how re-markably obedient the Savior was.Everything that He did, everything

that He said was out of obedience to

His Father. His seeking out and caringfor the poor, the calling of His dis-ciples, His teachings both in the landof Palestine and in the Americas—allthese things were done because HisFather had commanded Him to dothem. He had no personal agenda. Hesaid, “I do nothing of myself; but as myFather hath taught me” (John 8:28).What a perfect example of obedience!

In the choices we make in life, weneed to know the Savior. His simpleadmonition “Come . . . follow me”(Matthew 19:21) could transformhuman existence if we would let it.He has the power to make ourburdens light if we will turn to Him.

As an Apostle of the Lord JesusChrist, I have the opportunity to

Elder Robert D. Hales speaking from

bear testimony as a sacred witness ofthe Savior. My greatest desire is thatmy testimony might penetrate thehearts of those who hear it.

I know that Jesus Christ lives. Iknow that He guides and directsHis Church by revelation throughHis prophet in this very day andtime. If we will have faith in ourSavior, He will see us through ourtrials and tribulations, and we willbe able to endure to the end andreturn to His presence after thismortal probation. He lives andknows and loves each one of us. Heso much wants to bless us if we willcome unto Him. Of this I bearhumble testimony and witness inthe name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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the Bountiful Utah Temple grounds.

Elder David B. HaightO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

often think of the time PresidentSpencer W. Kimball, a few years

ago, called me to the temple. I wasbusy as an Assistant to the Twelve atthat time, and he telephoned me tomeet him at the fourth floor of thetemple. He said, “David, can youcome right now?” And I said, “Yes,President.” And he said, “Rightnow.” And as I walked to the temple,my heart was beating fast, notknowing, of course, what PresidentKimball was calling me there for.

But he took me into a room that I hadn’t been in before, and therePresident Kimball interviewed meregarding my worthiness. And, ofcourse, I was amazed because of hisspeaking to me that way, because Ididn’t have any idea why I was there.And then he motioned for us tostand, and as I was standing with thatwonderful man and he’s holding myhands, he said to me, “With all thelove that I possess, I’m calling you tofill the vacancy in the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles.” And when he saidthat, I thought I would collapse withthe shock, the astonishment thatcame into my mind!

And so, as I had sleepless nightsafter that call, I mulled that in mymind and I have thought of it timeand time again. He did not say, “As

the President of the Church” or “As

the prophet” or “By my authority.” Hesaid, in that humble, humble way ofhis, “With all the love that I possess.”He was teaching me that love is essential—the love that the Saviorhopes that we will acquire—that wemust show, that we must demonstrate,we must feel in our hearts and souls inorder to teach the gospel properly.

As we meet with people out inthe world and bear testimony of aliving God, I have that warm, com-fortable feeling in my heart thatHe’s real, that God lives, that He isour Father in Heaven, and that Jesusis the Christ, the Only Begotten Sonin the flesh. I know that that’s true.I so bear my witness and my testi-mony and my knowledge and the

Elder David B. Haight speaking from

burning that is in my heart that thisis true in the name of Jesus Christ,our Savior, amen.

Elder Dallin H. OaksO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E L V E A P O S T L E S

A t the conclusion of His min-istry, Jesus introduced the

sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Hebroke bread and blessed it and gave itto His disciples, saying, “Take, eat; thisis my body” (Matthew 26:26). “Thisdo in remembrance of me” (Luke22:19). He took the cup and gavethanks and gave it to them, saying,“This is my blood of the new testa-ment, which is shed for many for the

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the Church Office Building.

remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).The sacrament of the Lord’s

Supper is a renewal of the covenantsand blessings of baptism. We arecommanded to repent of our sins andto come to the Lord with a brokenheart and a contrite spirit and partakeof the sacrament. In partaking of thebread, we witness that we are willingto take upon us the name of JesusChrist and always remember Him andkeep His commandments. When wecomply with this covenant, the Lordrenews the cleansing effect of ourbaptism. We are made clean and canalways have His Spirit to be with us.

The administration of the sacra-ment and the renewal of covenantsand cleansing that take place in thepartaking of the sacrament are themost important acts in the Sabbathworship of Latter-day Saints. We dothis in remembrance of the blood ofthe Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.He is at the center of our faith. He isour Savior and our Redeemer.

In this year in which we celebratethe 2,000th anniversary of His birth, Iadd my testimony to that of His otherApostles. I testify that He lives andloves us. I testify that as the Light andLife of the World, He has providedthe way for us to return to our heav-enly home to enjoy the associationsand highest blessings of God ourEternal Father, even eternal life, thegreatest of all the gifts of God. In the

name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland speaking from the Garden of Gethsemane.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks speaking from a chapel located in the Joseph Smith

Memorial Building in Salt Lake City.

Elder Jeffrey R. HollandO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

Few places on earth are assacred and important as this

small grove of olive trees here onthe Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.It was here in the Garden ofGethsemane, on that last night inmortality, that Jesus left HisApostles and descended alone intothe depth of agony that would beHis atoning sacrifice for the sins ofall mankind.

Moving slowly, kneeling, fallingforward on His face, He cried,“Abba, Father, all things are possibleunto thee; take away this cup fromme: nevertheless not what I will, butwhat thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).

To the thoughtful follower ofChrist, it is a matter of surpassingwonder that the voluntary andmerciful sacrifice of a single being

could satisfy the infinite and eternal

demands of justice; atone for everyhuman misdeed; bear every mortalinfirmity; feel every personal heart-ache, sorrow, and loss. But I testifythat is exactly what Christ did forevery one of us. I bear solemn

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witness that the Atonement of JesusChrist is the compassionate founda-tion and central fact in God’seternal plan for our salvation andour happiness.

Is it any wonder that we walkquietly and reverently here? Is it anywonder that we make sacred cov-enants because of the love that wasdemonstrated here? Is it any wonderthat Christ, the greatest of all,partook of the bitter cup and did notshrink here, that we might not sufferif we would repent and come untoHim?

I declare my wonder and awe, myadoration and apostolic witness ofHim in His redeeming name, theLord Jesus Christ, amen.

President Gordon B.Hinckley

Just outside the walls of Jerusalem,in this place or somewhere

nearby, was the tomb of Joseph ofArimathea where the body of theLord was interred. On the third dayfollowing His burial “came MaryMagdalene and the other Mary to seethe sepulchre.

“And, behold, there was a greatearthquake: for the angel of the Lorddescended from heaven, and cameand rolled back the stone from thedoor, and sat upon it. . . .

“And the angel . . . said unto thewomen, Fear not ye: for I know thatye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

President Gordon B. Hinckley speak

“He is not here: for he is risen, ashe said. Come, see the place wherethe Lord lay” (Matthew 28:1–2, 5–6).

These are the most reassuringwords in all of human history.Death—universal and final—hadnow been conquered. “O death,where is thy sting? O grave, where isthy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

To Mary, the Risen Lord firstappeared. He spoke to her, and shereplied. He was real. He was alive,He whose body had been laid indeath. Small wonder that whenThomas later saw Him with Hiswounded hands and side, heexclaimed in wonder, “My Lord andmy God” (John 20:28).

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ing from the Garden Tomb.

Never had this occurred before.There had been only death withouthope. Now there was life eternal.Only a God could have done this.The Resurrection of Jesus Christ wasthe great crowning event of His lifeand mission. It was the capstone ofthe Atonement. The sacrifice of Hislife for all mankind was not completewithout His coming forth from thegrave, with the certainty of theResurrection for all who have walkedthe earth.

Of all the victories in the chroni-cles of humanity, none is so great,none so universal in its effects, noneso everlasting in its consequences asthe victory of the crucified Lord,

Elder M. Russell Ballard in front of Grant Romney Clawson’s enlargement

of Harry Anderson’s painting ”Go Ye Therefore, and Teach All Nations.”

who came forth from the tomb thatfirst Easter morning.

Those who were witnesses of thatevent, all who saw and heard andspoke with the Risen Lord, testified ofthe reality of this greatest of all mira-cles. His followers through the cen-turies lived and died in proclamationof the truth of this supernal act.

To all of these we add our testi-mony that He who died on Calvary’scross arose again in wondroussplendor as the Son of God, theMaster of life and death.

Elder M. Russell BallardO F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E

T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

When the Savior originallycharged His Apostles, “Go ye

into all the world” (Mark 16:15), HisChurch was very small, with membersscattered in the geographic regionnow known as the Middle East. Hisdynamic Apostles, like Peter, James,John, and Paul, traveling mostly byfoot or by ship, did everything theycould to keep the little flock together.

But the distance and the lack ofcommunication made their work verydifficult. They themselves knew thatthe future would bring “a falling away”from the teachings of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:3); they also knewthat eventually there would come tothe world a restoration of the fulness

of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I testify

that the Restoration of the gospel wasaccomplished, beginning with theappearance of Heavenly Father andthe Lord Jesus Christ to the ProphetJoseph Smith in the spring of 1820.

Since that glorious day, more than90 men have been called to serve asApostles with the same commissionas the Apostles of old, to teach allnations that Jesus is the Christ, theSon of God our Eternal Father. Today,our labors are greatly enhanced by jetairplanes and remarkable technologythat stretch the reach of our ministryto the furthest parts of the world.Since 1820, over 750,000 full-timemissionaries have served in the world,teaching and testifying of Christ inover 100 languages and in 137nations and territories.

I testify to you that it is the will ofour Father in Heaven, through HisBeloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,that this mighty work moves forward.

It is by Him and through Him that

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our missionaries bear humble andsincere testimony. I’m a witness ofthat. I came to know for myself thetruth of this work and of the Savior’sdivinity while serving as a full-timemissionary in England 50 years ago. Iknow it more surely today, throughexperiences too numerous and toosacred to discuss.

This is His gospel. He stands atthe head—holy, divine, supreme, fullof power, majesty, grace, and truth.He lived for us, and He died for us,because He loves us. I love Him moredeeply and powerfully than I can findwords to express. He is my Lord, mySavior, my Redeemer, and my friend.I know that Jesus Christ is the Son ofGod our Eternal Father. He lives anddirects His Church today throughHis prophet and His Apostles. Hisgreat work will continue to roll forthuntil it fills the whole earth. This ismy testimony in the name of the

Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

POSTMORTAL MINISTRY

President Boyd K. PackerA C T I N G P R E S I D E N T O F T H E Q U O R U M O F T H E T W E LV E A P O S T L E S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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President Boyd K. Packer speaking from the Kirtland Temple.

In this room on April the 3rd, in1836, there was fulfilled a prophecy

which had been given more than2,000 years before. The closing wordsof the Old Testament, given by theprophet Malachi, prophesied that,“Behold, I will send you Elijah theprophet before the coming of the greatand dreadful day of the Lord:

“And he shall turn the heart ofthe fathers to the children, and theheart of the children to their fathers,lest I come and smite the earth witha curse” (Malachi 4:5–6).

When the angel Moroni appearedto the Prophet Joseph Smith, hequoted many scriptures; among them,this one was separated out and appearsas the second section of the Doctrineand Covenants. Then on that day in 1836, Joseph Smith and OliverCowdery in this room knelt in solemnand silent prayer, and after rising fromprayer Joseph said: “The veil wastaken from our minds, and the eyes ofour understanding were opened.

“[And] we saw the Lord standingupon the breastwork of the pulpit”(D&C 110:1–2).

The Lord spoke to them, and thenMoses appeared and committed to

them the keys of the gathering of

Israel. Elias committed to them thekeys of the gospel of Abraham. Andthen it happened: Elijah the prophetcame, giving that same statement, theturning of the hearts of the fathers tothe children and the hearts of thechildren to the fathers, and he said,“By this [you] may know that thegreat and dreadful day of the Lord is . . . at the [gates]” (D&C 110:16).

Now, in our day, the marvelouswork is moving forward—the familyhistory work, the temple work in

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which families are being united for alleternity. And in a world that isdegrading itself with the dissolution offamilies, this work goes forward acrossthe world. It is a supernal work. It is awork designed by the Lord and intro-duced by Himself as He came to thisspot and introduced the prophetElijah, who gave the keys of this work.

I bear testimony that Jesus is theChrist. This is a supernal work; themind of man could not have con-ceived it. It is true. Jesus is the

Christ. He lives. He directs and leadsthis Church. Of this I bear solemntestimony, in the name of JesusChrist, amen.

President James E. FaustS E C O N D C O U N S E L O R I N T H E

F I R S T P R E S I D E N C Y

Iam humbled to stand on thissacred ground in historic Nauvoo.

This city was also known as the Cityof Joseph, named after Joseph Smith,its founder. He it was who saw invision God the Father and His Son,Jesus Christ, in the Sacred Grove inPalmyra, New York. His life is a

President James E. Faust speaking f

testament that he communed withthe Christ to bring more spiritualtruth, keys, and authority to theearth than any other prophet.

So much of the important historyof the early days of our Church tookplace here. A magnificent templewas erected here. It was the secondtemple built in this dispensation.The Nauvoo Temple was built sothat the members of the Churchcould receive the highest blessingswhich God has for His people.

As I walk over these hallowedfoundation stones of the NauvooTemple, my soul is subdued. On thelast day before the temple was closed

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rom Nauvoo, Illinois—the City of Josep

and the Saints left, many virtuallylived in the temple. My great-grandparents John and Jane Akerleywere among the last to receive theirtemple blessings in this magnificentbuilding, on February 3, 1846. Thiswas providential, because JohnAkerley died at Winter Quarters. Intime, this magnificent temple will berebuilt to the glory of the Lord.

This is where the temple bap-tismal font was located. Said theSavior to Nicodemus, “Except a manbe born of water and of the Spirit, hecannot enter into the kingdom ofGod” (John 3:5). Salvation for boththe living and the dead depends

h.

President Thomas S. Monson speaking from the Grandin Building in

Palmyra, New York.

upon this and other ordinances, all ofwhich is a powerful confirmation ofmy belief that Jesus is the Christ.

In the Gethsemanes of life whichwe all have, and often in my presentcalling, I have gone to my knees witha humble spirit to the only place Icould for help. I often went in agonyof spirit, earnestly pleading with Godto sustain me in the work I have cometo appreciate more than life itself. I have, on occasion, felt a terriblealoneness of the wounds of the heart,of the sweet agony, the buffetings ofSatan, and the encircling warm com-fort of the Spirit of the Master.

I have also felt the crushingburden, the self-doubts of inadequacyand unworthiness, the fleeting feelingof being forsaken, then of being reinforced an hundredfold. I haveclimbed a spiritual Mount Sinai dozensof times, seeking to communicate andto receive instructions. It has been asthough I have struggled up an almostreal Mount of Transfiguration and,upon occasion, felt great strength andpower in the presence of the Divine. Aspecial, sacred feeling has been asustaining influence and often a closecompanion.

As I serve in the calling of the holy

apostleship, I recognize that I am a

very ordinary man. Yet I gratefully

acknowledge one special gift. I have

a certain knowledge that Jesus of

Nazareth is our Divine Savior. I know

that He lives. I know that through the

unspeakable agony of the Atonement,

men and women, if they repent, can

be forgiven of their sins. Because of

the miracle of the Resurrection, all

will rise from the dead. I feel His love

and marvel at the price He paid for

each of us. I wonder how many drops

of blood were spilled for me. This is

the testimony I give of Him, even in

the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

President Thomas S.MonsonF I R S T C O U N S E L O R I N T H E

F I R S T P R E S I D E N C Y

We see today the beautifullyand authentically restored

Grandin Building situated in Palmyra,New York. The restoration of theGrandin Building had as its objective“to maintain the historical integrity of the building, while allowing thevisitor to be enveloped in the history

of the time.”

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This is where the first edition ofthe Book of Mormon was printed,with the number of copies in this firstedition totaling 5,000, an unusuallylarge order for the rural printing busi-ness. Mr. E. B. Grandin had acquireda Smith Patented Improved Pressfrom New York. The press featurednew technology over the commonpresses of the day and offered theProphet Joseph Smith the prospectsof printing the Book of Mormoncloser to his home.

Let’s turn back the pages of historythat we might more fully appreciateone of civilization’s greatest wonders,namely the advent of movable type.Before Gutenberg discovered thepossibilities of movable type, every-thing was printed with a quill penletter by letter, line by line, page bypage. It was movable type from whichMr. Grandin printed the Book ofMormon. It was tediously composed

by the hands of a skilled compositor,

President Monson speaking from the Hill Cumorah.

who learned from memory and ex-perience every typeface, font, andsize available. After the page wasformed, it was inked and printed andthen was available for binding.

The Lord brought forth the Bookof Mormon at a period of time whenprinting methods would enhance itsdistribution far and wide. Modern-day printing presses now enable theChurch to print and distributemillions of copies of the Book ofMormon each year.

May I share with you an experienceI had many years ago in the southernarea of the United States when, aftera stake conference, a woman cameforward and asked, “Do you knowElder Delbert L. Stapley?” I repliedthat he and I were Apostles of theLord, serving together in the Master’swork. She then handed me a copy ofthe Book of Mormon which containedan inscription and the signature ofDelbert L. Stapley. She indicated thevolume had been given to her grand-mother when Elder Stapley was ayoung missionary. She added, “Couldyou present this book to Elder Stapleyand tell him hundreds of my grand-mother’s descendants have beenconverted by this volume; and they, inturn, conveyed the message of theBook of Mormon to others.”

I presented that signed copy of theBook of Mormon to Elder Stapley. Helistened attentively when I explained

where and how it had been given to

me. Quietly he examined his signa-ture and said, “This is one of thehappiest days of my life.”

It is my personal testimony thatthe Book of Mormon changes humanlives. It is indeed another testamentof Jesus Christ.

[PRESIDENT MONSON NOW SPEAKS

AT THE HILL CUMORAH.]

W hat a privilege to be here atthe Hill Cumorah and to

reflect on the momentous events thatunfolded on September 22, 1827,when a plowboy prophet took a horseand wagon and, in the dark of night,rode to this hill, where he received an ancient record from the angelMoroni. In a remarkably short time,

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this untutored young man translateda record detailing 1,000 years ofhistory and then prepared the Book ofMormon for public distribution.

The way of Joseph Smith was notwithout mean-spirited criticism ormonumental effort. Joseph did notwilt, nor did he waver. He laterdeclared: “By the wisdom of God, [theplates] remained safe in my hands,until I had accomplished by them whatwas required. . . . When, according toarrangements, the messenger called forthem, I delivered them up to him”(Joseph Smith—History 1:60).

This beautiful area of God’s gardenattracts literally millions of visitors,most of whom come to see the HillCumorah Pageant. The visitor often

President Hinckley speaking from the Sacred Grove.

comes with an attitude of curiosity.He or she departs with a soul touchedby the Spirit of the Lord.

The Book of Mormon is a newwitness of Jesus Christ. Its messagespans the entire earth and brings itsreaders to a knowledge of truth. Itanswers that piercing and universalquestion best phrased by Job of old:“If a man die, shall he live again?”(Job 14:14).

Many years ago I was called to thebedside of Robert Williams, a youngman who lay dying. His wife and theirtwo children stood nearby. We wereall trying to be brave, but tears werein our eyes. Robert asked me, “Wheredoes my spirit go when I die?” Ioffered a silent prayer. I noticed on hisbedside table a copy of the triplecombination. I reached for the bookand fanned the pages.

Suddenly I discovered that I had,with no effort on my part, stopped atthe 40th chapter of Alma in the Bookof Mormon. I read these words toRobert: “Behold, it has been madeknown unto me by an angel, that thespirits of all men, as soon as they aredeparted from this mortal body, yea,the spirits of all men, whether they begood or evil, are taken home to thatGod who gave them life.

“And . . . the spirits of those whoare righteous are received into astate of happiness, which is calledparadise, a state of rest, a state of

peace, where they shall rest from all

their troubles and from all care, andsorrow” (Alma 40:11–12).

As I continued to read about theResurrection, a glow came to Robert’sface, a smile graced his lips, and histired and ill body slept. I said good-byeto his wife and children. I next sawthem at Robert Williams’s funeral. Inthose precious corridors of memory, Ithink back to that night when a youngman pleaded for truth and, from theBook of Mormon, heard the answer tohis question.

I read the words, but God turnedthe pages. Yes, our Heavenly Fatherdoes answer prayers, in His own timeand in His own way. I bear an apos-tolic witness that Jesus is the Saviorof the world and that He and His

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Father appeared to the ProphetJoseph Smith to usher in this dispen-sation of the fulness of times, and sodeclare in His holy name, the nameof Jesus Christ, amen.

President Gordon B.Hinckley

This is the Sacred Grove. Thishallowed ground is reverenced

by Latter-day Saints throughout theworld. Here is where it all began, themiracle of this great work which hasspread over the earth. This is thescene of the First Vision. It was herethat God, the Eternal Father, ap-peared with His Beloved Son, JesusChrist, the resurrected Lord. The

Father, pointing to His Son, said, “Thisis My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JosephSmith—History 1:17).

Do you realize the import of thatdeclaration? Here was God, theEternal Father, the Almighty, bearingtestimony in words plainly spoken.No more important or compellingtestimony has been given of theRisen Lord than this testimony of Hisown Father.

The curtains that had been closedfor centuries were now parted. A newand glorious gospel dispensation wasopened, introducing yet other mar-velous revelations. Another testa-ment of Jesus Christ was broughtforth to speak as a voice from thedust. The holy priesthood, originallybestowed by the Master on His livingApostles, was restored upon living

Pr

. . . . . . . .

men by these same Apostles, nowresurrected. There followed a veri-table “cloud of witnesses” with keysand powers to complete the restora-tion of the Church established byJesus when He walked the earth, nowto be known as The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints.

Here in this very place the longnight of apostasy blossomed into theglorious dawn of a new age. GodHimself was both seen and heard.Here, where we stand in the quiet ofthese trees, in this most sacred ofplaces, the nature of Deity was againrevealed.

The uncluttered and receptivemind of a boy became the instru-ment of the revelation here givenand of many more yet to follow.Standing as the 15th in line from

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esident Gordon B. Hinck

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Joseph Smith and bearing theprophetic mantle which came uponhim, I solemnly declare my testi-mony that the Prophet Joseph’saccount of these events is true, thatthe Father here bore witness of thedivinity of His Son, that the Soninstructed the boy prophet, and thatthere followed a train of eventswhich led to the organization of “theonly true and living church upon theface of the whole earth, with which,”He declared, “I, the Lord, am wellpleased” (D&C 1:30).

Of the reality and personality ofthe living God and of His Son, ourRedeemer, I stand as a solemn andreverent witness, speaking thesewords by the power of the HolyGhost, in the sacred name of JesusChrist, amen.

ley

. . . . . . . . .

WAT

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BY

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EY

How I love my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Hisstirring commission and His divine love motivate

all of us in this work. I love mybrethren. To a man they are loyal.Without hesitation they respond toevery call. They are true disciples of theLord Jesus Christ.

It is He, Jesus Christ, who stands atthe head of this Church which bearsHis sacred name. He is watching over

it. He is guiding it. Standing at the right hand of HisFather, He directs this work. Unitedly, as His Apostles,

authorized and commissioned by Himto do so, we bear our witness that Helives and that He will come again toclaim His kingdom and rule as King ofKings and Lord of Lords. Of this we arecertain and bear apostolic testimony inHis holy name, even the name of JesusChrist, amen.

BESI

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VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE

INCREASING OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

ILLU

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E lder Stephen D. Nadauld,while serving as a member of the Seventy, related the

following experience: “A stake presi-dent and I took the opportunity tovisit a young woman. . . . Herhusband had been killed in a caraccident; she was living in a modestapartment with her two young chil-dren. I suppose we expected to findher upset and discouraged. . . . Onthe contrary, she was cheerful; shewas calm; she was very gracious. Shethanked us for coming and then said,. . . ‘Brethren, I want you to know Ibelieve in the plan of redemption. Iam grateful to my Savior for thepromise of a glorious resurrectionwith my husband. I am grateful forHis redeeming sacrifice.’ Then,putting her arms around her twochildren, she said, ‘Our faith in JesusChrist will see us through’” (“Faithand Good Works,” Ensign, May1992, 82–83).

This sister’s humble declarationdemonstrates how faith in the Saviorcan replace fear and doubt with hopeand courage.

FAITH IS NECESSARY

In today’s uncertain world, wemay not know whattomorrow will bring,but faith in Jesus Christ

can give us spiritual

peace, even in the face of calamityand heartbreak. As President EzraTaft Benson (1899–1994), whilePresident of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles, explained, “Faithin [Jesus Christ] means believingthat even though we do not under-stand all things, He does” (“JesusChrist: Our Savior and Redeemer,”Ensign, November 1983, 8).

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ isthe first principle of the gospel (seeArticles of Faith 1:4). By exercisingfaith we receive strength to facedifficulties and overcome tempta-tions. As we put our faith in Him,repent, and are obedient, He willforgive our sins and help us return toHim. “If ye will have faith in me,” Hehas promised, “ye shall have powerto do whatsoever thing is expedientin me” (Moroni 7:33).

NURTURING OUR FAITH

We study and practice to developthe skills we need in any earthlyendeavor. So also do we developfaith. “Faith cometh by hearing, and

hearing by the word of God,” theApostle Paul explains (Romans10:17). Elder Henry B. Eyring of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostlesobserves that “simply hearing thewords of doctrine can plant the seedof faith in the heart. And even atiny seed of faith in Jesus Christinvites the Spirit” (“The Power ofTeaching Doctrine,” Liahona, July1999, 86).

Once the seed of faith has beenplanted in our hearts, it must be nour-ished. Our faith in Jesus Christ isnourished as we study, search, andponder the scriptures; fast and pray;participate in sacred ordinances; keepour covenants; serve the Lord andothers; sustain our Church leaders;and obey the commandments.

As our faith in Jesus Christ growsstronger, we learn to walk with faith inHim. “To have faith in Christ,” saysSister Sheri L. Dew, second counselorin the Relief Society general presi-dency, “is to believe in Him, followHim, and rely on Him. And it is to beblessed with the peace of conscience

and mind that the ApostlePaul spoke of when he said,‘I can do all things throughChrist which strengtheneth

me’ (Philip. 4:13)”(“Our Only Chance,”Liahona, July 1999,

78).

Trusting in His CareLATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES

H eavenly Father asks that we pray for

what we need, and He has promised

to answer our prayers. But how and

when our needs are met is up to Him. We must

trust that He knows better than we do what

we need and how best to give it to us.

We are, after all, His children.

As Elder George Q. Cannon

(1827–1901) of the Quorum of

the Twelve Apostles explained:

“Heavenly Father is a loving and

a kind and beneficent Parent. . . .

It wasn’t until two hours before I was happening, a

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

L I A

He knows how to guide us and how to time His

blessings to our wants; . . . He knows our condi-

tion; He knows what is good for us. If we need

a gift and a blessing, He knows when to bestow

it upon us” (Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings

of George Q. Cannon, compiled by

Jerreld L. Newquist [1974], 102).

Faith in Heavenly Father is always

rewarded—although, as the fol-

lowing stories illustrate, some-

times not immediately or in quite

the way we anticipate it will be.

ETAI

L FR

OM

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RIST

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D T

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Two hours before I was to depart, I

realized I needed some money to

travel to the Missionary Training

Center. I knelt down in anguish

and told my Heavenly Father what

“There Shall Not Be RoomEnough to Receive It”By Gloria Olave

M y heart leapt on 7 November1981 as I received my mission

call to serve in the Chile ConcepciónMission. When I opened that letter,my world froze in place, and all Icould think of was my mission.

I had almost everything ready.Again and again I reviewed the list ofthings I needed. I made a little markon the list as I put each item in mysuitcase. But even with my carefulplanning, I completely forgot oneessential thing.

was to depart that I realized I neededsome money to travel from my homein Quilpué to the Missionary TrainingCenter in Santiago, Chile, which wasabout two hours away. I had alreadyused all my savings and the funds myparents had given me.

My bishop wasn’t home when I ranto see if he could lend me the money.I didn’t need very much, but at thatmoment it seemed like a fortune.

I knelt down in my room in anguishand told my Heavenly Father what

lthough I knew He

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already knew. When I got up from myknees, I was confident that He wasgoing to help me solve my problem. Iwas a faithful tithe payer, and I knewthe Lord would open the windows ofheaven and pour out blessings uponme until there was no room to receivethem (see Malachi 3:10).

My mother called to me andasked me to go through my closet

Dwas happening.

When we met David again, he

said, “Elders, when are you going

to give me my Book of Mormon?”

and decide which things I wanted toleave there and which my sistercould use. While I was sorting myclothes, I found a little purse so smallit fit in the palm of my hand. Iremembered that I had received itmany years ago and that in it I hadhidden my first savings.

I opened it and—what a blessing!Tucked neatly inside was somemoney I had put there many yearsearlier. It would be enough to pay fortwo fares to Santiago. I invited myfather, who is not a member of theChurch, to accompany me to theMissionary Training Center.

The years have passed, but I stillremember this answer to my prayer.It has helped me remember howgreat are the power and mercy of ourFather in Heaven.Gloria Olave is a member of the Paterson

First (Spanish) Branch, Paterson New Jersey

District.

David Led the WayBy Sergio Arroyo

A s missionaries in the ChileAntofagasta Mission, my com-

panion and I were teaching a younglady and her brother, who was eightyears old. For the second discussion,her brother invited David Marín, afriend his age, to attend. David was asmall boy, and he did not yet knowhow to read. But he looked at usattentively, listened enthusiastically,

and asked for a copy of the Book

of Mormon. My companion and Iglanced at each other. Since Daviddidn’t read, we silently decided againstgiving him a Book of Mormon.

Later that same day, we happenedto meet David again in the street. Hesaid, “Elders, when are you going togive me my Book of Mormon?” Stillthinking he would have no use forthe book, we let the opportunity goby a second time. After all, he wasjust an eight-year-old boy.

When we taught the thirddiscussion to the young lady andher brother, little David was thereagain. After the discussion, heasked us again, this time a littleannoyed, “And where is my Book ofMormon?”

I looked at him and felt some-thing special. Smiling, I tried toexplain why we hadn’t given him thebook, saying, “You cannot read it,David.” His face fell. But at thatmoment, the thought came into mymind, His parents can read it. So Icontinued, “But your parents can.Let’s go to your house and talk withthem.”

David smiled, jumped for joy, andtook us to his home. There we methis father, Don Astemio; his mother,María; his sisters, Macarena andValeska, both age 11; and his one-year-old brother.

The Maríns were a humble andloving family. The father had once

been a fine athlete, but he had been

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afflicted with Parkinson’s disease forabout seven years; for the past twoyears, he had been confined to bed.

After listening to the discussions,David, Macarena, and Valeska werebaptized but not Don Astemiobecause of his illness. His wife,María, was not baptized either.

We continued to visit the family,and one day Don Astemio said,“Tomorrow I am going to be bap-tized,” adding, “and afterward I willbe healed.” When I heard thesewords, I felt great joy, but I was alsoafraid. I knew his faith had grown,but what would happen if he couldnot walk after his baptism? I tried toexplain to him that baptism wouldheal him spiritually—but a physicalhealing was in the hands of ourFather in Heaven. In spite of every-thing my companion and I said, heremained certain that after his bap-tism he was going to walk.

That night I knelt and prayedwith all my heart, asking HeavenlyFather for His will to be done. Aftermy prayer, I felt a special peace.

The next day, Don Astemio stoodwith great difficulty. He could nottake a single step without assistance.When we got to the meetinghouse,we had to go up a long staircase to

the second floor. We were all moved

by the great effort and pain it tookDon Astemio to go up those stairs,step by step. When we finally walkedinto the building, the members therelooked at us with surprise.

When Don Astemio came out ofthe water, I saw he had great faith,but his body was the same. He couldnot stand by himself.

We left him at his home after theservice. He did not want to go to bedbut remained sitting calmly in an

armchair.

The next day, we dropped by tovisit him. As we approached hishome, we could see little Davidplaying outside with a ball—andthere was Don Astemio runningand playing with his son. I couldhardly believe what I was seeing.My eyes filled with tears, and in myheart I thanked Heavenly Fatherfor His great love. Two weeks later,María was baptized.

While Don Astemio’s healing was

unusual, I am grateful that the Lord

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blessed this family in a remarkableway. Left to our own intelligence, mycompanion and I would have con-tinued to ignore little David, but theLord knew something we didn’t. Heknew that this child would be themeans by which an entire familywould come into His Church and behelped in ways we could not haveforeseen.

Sergio Arroyo is a member of Los Presidentes

Ward, Santiago Chile Ñuñoa Stake.

A Prophet’sCounsel&Prayerfor YouthBy President Gordon B. Hinckley

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I think there never beforewas a meeting anything likethis in this Church. Thereare so many of you heretonight. How good you look.

Some of you have comewith doubts. Some havecome with high expecta-

tions. I want you to know that I have been on my kneesasking the Lord to bless me with the power and thecapacity and the language to reach into your hearts.

Beyond this hall are hundreds of thousands of otherswho are participating with us. To each of you I saywelcome. I am glad for this tremendous opportunity tospeak to you, and I recognize how important it is.

I am now old in years—90 plus. I have lived a longtime, and I have lived with great love for the young menand young women of this Church. What a trulywonderful group you are. You speak various languages.You are all part of a great family. But you are also indi-viduals, each with his or her problems, each wishing foranswers to the things that perplex you and worry you.How we love you and pray constantly for the genius tohelp you. Your lives are filled with difficult decisions andwith dreams and hopes and longings to find that whichwill bring you peace and happiness.

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, I was your

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age. I didn’t worry about drugs or pornography becausethey were not available then. I worried about school andwhere it would lead. It was the season of the terribleeconomic depression. I worried about how to earn aliving. I served a mission after I finished the university. Iwent to England. We traveled by train to Chicago, madea bus transfer across that city, and went on to New York,where we caught a steamship for the British Isles. Whileriding the transfer bus in Chicago, a woman said to thedriver, “What is that building ahead?” He said, “Ma’am,that is the Chicago Board of Trade Building. Every weeksome man who has lost his fortune jumps out of one ofthose windows. He has nothing else to live for.”

Such were the times. They were mean and ugly. Noone who did not live through that period will ever under-stand it fully. I hope with all my heart we never haveanything like it again.

Now, here you are on the threshold of your maturelives. You too worry about school. You worry aboutmarriage. You worry about many things. I make you apromise that God will not forsake you if you will walk inHis paths with the guidance of His commandments.

This is the age of great opportunity. You are so fortu-nate to be alive. Never in the history of mankind has lifebeen filled with so many opportunities and challenges.When I was born, the average life expectancy of a man or

woman in the United States and other Western countries

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P

Be GratefulYouth and young adults wait

outside the Conference Center in

Salt Lake City for the fireside

to begin.

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was 50 years. Now it is more than 75 years. Can youimagine that? On average you may expect to live at least25 years longer than someone who lived in 1910.

This is the season of an explosion of knowledge. Forinstance, when I was your age there were no antibiotics.All of these wonderful medicines have been discoveredand refined in more recent times. Some of the greatscourges of the earth are gone. Smallpox once took

whole populations. That is gone entirely. It is a miracle.

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Polio was once the dreaded fear of every mother. Iremember going to visit a man with polio in the countyhospital. He was in a great iron lung that moved his ownlungs as it pumped up and down. There was no hope forhim; he couldn’t breathe on his own. He died, leaving hiswife and children. This terrible disease is now gone. Thattoo is a miracle. And so it is with other matters.

Of course you face challenges. Every generation that

has ever walked the earth has faced challenges. We could

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BeSmart

spend the entire evening talking about them. But of allthe challenges that have been faced in the past, the oneswe have today, I believe, are most easily handled. I saythat because they are manageable. They largely involveindividual behavioral decisions, but those decisions canbe made and followed. And when that happens, the chal-lenge is behind us.

I suppose that most of you are in school. I am pleasedthat you have that opportunity and that desire. I hopethat you are studying diligently and that your great ambi-tion is to get A grades in your various courses. I hopeyour teachers will be generous toward you and that yourstudies will yield top grades and an excellent education.I could wish nothing better for you in your schoolwork.

Tonight I am going to let your teachers give you theA’s that I hope you earn. I want to talk about some B’s.You get the A’s; I will give you the B’s.

1. Be grateful.2. Be smart.3. Be clean.4. Be true.5. Be humble.

6. Be prayerful.

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Why don’t you repeat these B’s with me, and then wewill talk about each of them, all right?

1. Be grateful.2. Be smart.3. Be clean.4. Be true.5. Be humble.6. Be prayerful.Be grateful. There are two little words in the English

language that perhaps mean more than all others. They are“thank you.” Comparable words are found in every otherlanguage, such as gracias, merci, danke, obrigado, domo.

The habit of saying thank you is the mark of an educatedman or woman. With whom is the Lord displeased? Henames “those who confess not his hand in all things” (D&C59:21). That is, those who walk without grateful expression.Walk with gratitude in your hearts, my dear friends. Bethankful for the wonderful blessings which are yours. Begrateful for the tremendous opportunities that you have. Bethankful to your parents, who care so very much about youand who have worked so very hard to provide for you. Letthem know that you are grateful. Say thank you to your

mother and your father. Say thank you to your friends. Say

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Youth and young adults in the Taytay First Ward,

Cainta Philippines Stake, listen to the fireside

through the Internet.

thank you to your teachers. Express appreciation toeveryone who does you a favor or assists you in any way.

Thank the Lord for His goodness to you. Thank theAlmighty for His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who has donefor you what none other in all this world could do. ThankHim for His great example, for His tremendous teachings,for His outreaching hand to lift and help. Think about themeaning of His Atonement. Read about Him and read Hiswords in the New Testament and in 3 Nephi in the Book ofMormon. Read them quietly to yourself and then ponderthem. Pour out your heart to your Father in Heaven ingratitude for the gift of His Beloved Son.

Thank the Lord for His marvelous Church restored inthis great season of history. Thank Him for all that itoffers you. Thank Him for friends and loved ones, forparents and brothers and sisters, for family. Let a spirit ofthanksgiving guide and bless your days and nights. Workat it. You will find it will yield wonderful results.

B number two—be smart.You are moving into the most competitive age the

world has ever known. All around you is competition.You need all the education you can get. Sacrifice a car;sacrifice anything that is needed to be sacrificed toqualify yourselves to do the work of the world. Thatworld will in large measure pay you what it thinks you areworth, and your worth will increase as you gain educa-tion and proficiency in your chosen field.

You belong to a church that teaches the importance of

education. You have a mandate from the Lord to educate

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your minds and your hearts and your hands. The Lordhas said, “Teach ye diligently . . . of things both in heavenand in the earth, and under the earth; things which havebeen, things which are, things which must shortly cometo pass; things which are at home, things which areabroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, andthe judgments which are on the land; and a knowledgealso of countries and of kingdoms—that ye may beprepared in all things” (D&C 88:78–80).

Mind you, these are not my words. These are the wordsof the Lord who loves you. He wants you to train yourminds and hands to become an influence for good as yougo forward with your lives. And as you do so and as youperform honorably and with excellence, you will bringhonor to the Church, for you will be regarded as a man orwoman of integrity and ability and conscientious work-manship. Be smart. Don’t be foolish. You cannot bluff orcheat others without bluffing or cheating yourselves.

Many years ago I worked for a railroad in the centraloffices in Denver. I was in charge of what is called head-end traffic. That was in the days when nearly everyonerode passenger trains. One morning I received a call frommy counterpart in Newark, New Jersey. He said, “Trainnumber such-and-such has arrived, but it has no baggagecar. Somewhere, 300 passengers have lost their baggage,and they are mad.”

I went immediately to work to find out where it mayhave gone. I found it had been properly loaded and properlytrained in Oakland, California. It had been moved to ourrailroad in Salt Lake City, been carried to Denver, down toPueblo, put on another line, and moved to St. Louis. Thereit was to be handled by another railroad which would takeit to Newark, New Jersey. But some thoughtless switchmanin the St. Louis yards moved a small piece of steel just 7.5centimeters, a switch point, then pulled the lever touncouple the car. We discovered that a baggage car thatbelonged in Newark, New Jersey, was in fact in NewOrleans, Louisiana—2,400 kilometers from its destination.

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Just the 7.5-centimeter movement of the switch in the

Be Clean

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St. Louis yard by a careless employee had started it on thewrong track, and the distance from its true destinationincreased dramatically. That is the way it is with our lives.Instead of following a steady course, we are pulled by somemistaken idea in another direction. The movement awayfrom our original destination may be ever so small, but, ifcontinued, that very small movement becomes a great gapand we find ourselves far from where we intended to go.

Have you ever looked at one of those 5-meter farmgates? When it is opened, it swings very wide. The end atthe hinges moves ever so slightly, while out at the

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perimeter the movement is great. It is the little things

upon which life turns that make the big difference in ourlives, my dear young friends.

Be smart. The Lord wants you to educate your mindsand hands, whatever your chosen field. Whether it berepairing refrigerators, or the work of a skilled surgeon, youmust train yourselves. Seek for the best schooling available.Become a workman of integrity in the world that lies aheadof you. I repeat, you will bring honor to the Church and youwill be generously blessed because of that training.

There can be no doubt, none whatever, that educa-tion pays. Do not short-circuit your lives. If you do so,you will pay for it over and over and over again.

The third B—be clean. We live in a world that is filledwith filth and sleaze, a world that reeks of evil. It is all

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around us. It is on the television screen. It is at the

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NPHOTOGRAPH BY WAYNE SALTZGIVER

Youth, young adults, and missionaries gather to listen

to the fireside in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Be True

movies. It is in the popular literature. It is on theInternet. You can’t afford to watch it, my dear friends.You cannot afford to let that filthy poison touch you.Stay away from it. Avoid it. You can’t rent videos and

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watch them as they portray degrading things. You young

men who hold the priesthood of God cannot mix thisfilth with the holy priesthood.

Avoid evil talk. Do not take the name of the Lord invain. From the thunders of Sinai the finger of the Lordwrote on tablets of stone, “Thou shalt not take the nameof the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

It is not a mark of manhood to carelessly use the nameof the Almighty or His Beloved Son in a vain and flip-pant way, as many are prone to do.

Choose your friends carefully. It is they who will leadyou in one direction or the other. Everybody wants friends.Everybody needs friends. No one wishes to be without

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them. But never lose sight of the fact that it is your friends P

who will lead you along the paths that you will follow.While you should be friendly with all people, select with

great care those whom you wish to have close to you. Theywill be your safeguards in situations where you may vacil-late between choices, and you in turn may save them.

Be clean. Don’t waste your time in destructive enter-tainment. There was recently held in the Salt Lake Valleya show put on by a traveling band. I am told that it wasfilthy, that it was lascivious, that it was evil in every respect.The young people of this community had paid $25 to $35to get in. What did they get for their money? Only a seduc-tive voice urging them to move in the direction of the slimythings of life. I plead with you, my friends, to stay away fromsuch. It will not help you. It can only injure you.

I recently spoke to your mothers and your fathers.Among other things, I talked with them about tattoos.

What creation is more magnificent than the humanbody? What a wondrous thing it is as the crowning workof the Almighty.

Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, said: “Know ye notthat ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of Goddwelleth in you?

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall Goddestroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple yeare” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17).

Did you ever think that your body is holy? You are achild of God. Your body is His creation. Would youdisfigure that creation with portrayals of people, animals,and words painted into your skin?

I promise you that the time will come, if you havetattoos, that you will regret your actions. They cannot bewashed off. They are permanent. Only by an expensive andpainful process can they be removed. If you are tattooed,then probably for the remainder of your life you will carry itwith you. I believe the time will come when it will be anembarrassment to you. Avoid it. We, as your Brethren wholove you, plead with you not to become so disrespectful ofthe body which the Lord has given you.

May I mention earrings and rings placed in other parts

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of the body. These are not manly. They are not attractive.You young men look better without them, and I believeyou will feel better without them. As for the youngwomen, you do not need to drape rings up and downyour ears. One modest pair of earrings is sufficient.

I mention these things because again they concernyour bodies.

How truly beautiful is a well-groomed young womanwho is clean in body and mind. She is a daughter of God inwhom her Eternal Father can take pride. How handsome isa young man who is well groomed. He is a son of God,deemed worthy of holding the holy priesthood of God. Hedoes not need tattoos or earrings on or in his body. TheFirst Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve are allunited in counseling against these things.

And while I speak of such matters I want to giveemphasis again to the matter of pornography. It hasbecome a $10 billion industry in the United States, wherea few men grow rich at the expense of thousands uponthousands who are their victims. Stay away from it. It isexciting, but it will destroy you. It will warp your senses. Itwill build within you an appetite that you will do anythingto appease. And don’t try to create associations throughthe Internet and chat rooms. They can lead you down intothe very abyss of sorrow and bitterness.

I must also say a word concerning illicit drugs. Youknow how I feel about them. I don’t care what the varietymay be. They will destroy you if pursued. You will becometheir slave. Once in their power, you will do anything toget money to buy more.

I was amazed while watching a television program tolearn that parents introduced drugs to their children in20 percent of the cases. I cannot understand what Iregard as the stupidity of these parents. What futureother than slavery for their children could they see inthem? Illegal drugs will utterly destroy those who becomeaddicted to them.

My advice, my pleading to you wonderful young men

and women, is to stay entirely away from them. You don’t

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BeHumble Youth and young adults in Bogotá, Colombia, watch

the live broadcast of President Hinckley’s fireside.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY H. DANIEL ROSAS L.

need to experiment with them. Look about you and seethe effects they have had on others. There is no need forany Latter-day Saint boy or girl, young man or youngwoman, to even try them. Stay clean from these mind-altering and habit-forming addictions.

And now just a word on the most common and mostdifficult of all problems for you young men and youngwomen to handle. It is the relationship that you have one

with another. You are dealing with the most powerful of

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human instincts. Only the will to live possibly exceeds it.The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a

great purpose. But this very attraction becomes as a powderkeg unless it is kept under control. It is beautiful whenhandled in the right way. It is deadly if it gets out of hand.

It is for this reason that the Church counsels againstearly dating. This rule is not designed to hurt you in anyway. It is designed to help you, and it will do so if you

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will observe it. P

Steady dating at an early age leads so often to tragedy.Studies have shown that the longer a boy and girl dateone another, the more likely they are to get into trouble.

It is better, my friends, to date a variety of companionsuntil you are ready to marry. Have a wonderful time, butstay away from familiarity. Keep your hands to yourself. Itmay not be easy, but it is possible.

You young men who plan to go on missions mustrecognize that sexual sin may keep you from that oppor-tunity. You may think that you can hide it. Long experi-ence has shown that you cannot. To serve an effectivemission you must have the Spirit of the Lord, and truthwithheld does not mix with that Spirit. Sooner or lateryou will feel compelled to confess your earlier transgres-sions. Well did Sir Galahad say, “My strength is as thestrength of ten, because my heart is pure” (Alfred, LordTennyson, Sir Galahad [1842], stanza 1).

My dear young friends, in matters of sex you knowwhat is right. You know when you are walking ondangerous ground, when it is so easy to stumble and slideinto the pit of transgression. I plead with you to becareful, to stand safely back from the cliff of sin overwhich it is so easy to fall. Keep yourselves clean from thedark and disappointing evil of sexual transgression. Walkin the sunlight of that peace which comes from obedi-ence to the commandments of the Lord.

Now, if there be any who have stepped over the line,who may already have transgressed, is there any hope foryou? Of course there is. Where there is true repentance,there will be forgiveness. That process begins with prayer.The Lord has said, “He who has repented of his sins, thesame is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them nomore” (D&C 58:42). Share your burden with yourparents if you can. And by all means, confess to yourbishop, who stands ready to help you.

My next B—be true.Said Shakespeare, “To thine own self be true; and it

must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then

be false to any man” (Hamlet, I, iii, 78–81). You have

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a tremendous inheritance. You have a great background of noble ancestry. Many of you are descendants of thepioneers, who died by the hundreds and thousands in testi-mony of the truth of this work. If they were to look downupon you, they would plead with you: “Be true. Be loyal. Be‘true to the faith that our parents have cherished, true tothe truth for which martyrs have perished.’” They wouldsay, “Faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to theetill death” (Hymns, numbers 254 and 84).

And those of you who may not be descended frompioneer ancestry, you belong to a church which has beenmade strong by the loyalty and unwavering affection ofits members through the generations. What a marvelousthing it is to belong to a society whose purposes arenoble, whose accomplishments are tremendous, whosework is uplifting, even heroic. Be loyal to the Churchunder all circumstances. I make you a promise that theauthorities of this Church will never lead you astray.They will lead you in paths of happiness.

You who are members of this Church must have a loyaltyto it. This is your church. You have as great a responsibilityin your sphere of action as I have in my sphere of action. Itbelongs to you just as it belongs to me. You have embracedits gospel. You have taken upon yourselves a covenant inthe waters of baptism. This you have renewed each timeyou have partaken of the sacrament. These covenants willbe added to when you are married in the temple. Youcannot hold them lightly. They are too great a thing. This isthe very work of God designed to bring about the immor-tality and eternal life of His sons and daughters.

Walk in faith before Him with your heads high, proud ofyour membership in this great cause and kingdom whichHe has restored to the earth in this, the last dispensation ofthe fulness of times. Why? To bring you happiness.

Be true to your own convictions. You know what isright, and you know what is wrong. You know when youare doing the proper thing. You know when you aregiving strength to the right cause. Be loyal. Be faithful.

Be true, my beloved associates in this great kingdom.

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The Conference Center is filled to capacity as youth

and young adults listen to the counsel of President

Gordon B. Hinckley.

The fifth B—be humble.There is no place for arrogance in our lives. There is

no place for conceit. There is no place for egotism. Wehave a great work to do. We have things to accomplish.We need direction in the pursuit of our education. Weneed help in choosing an eternal companion.

The Lord has said, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thyGod shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer tothy prayers” (D&C 112:10).

What a tremendous promise is given in this state-ment. If we are without conceit and pride and arrogance,if we are humble and obedient, then the Lord will lead usby the hand and answer our prayers. What greater thingcould we ask for? There is nothing to compare with this.

The Savior, in the great Sermon on the Mount,declared, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit theearth” (Matthew 5:5).

I believe the meek and the humble are those who areteachable. They are willing to learn. They are willing tolisten to the whisperings of the still, small voice for guid-ance in their lives. They place the wisdom of the Lordabove their own wisdom.

And this leads to my final B—be prayerful.You cannot do it alone. I look at this vast congrega-

tion, and I know that you are young people who pray,who get on your knees and speak with the Lord. Youknow that He is the source of all wisdom.

You need His help, and you know that you need His

help. You cannot do it alone. You will come to realize that

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and recognize that more and more as the years pass. Solive that in good conscience you can speak with the Lord.Get on your knees and thank Him for His goodness to youand express to Him the righteous desires of your hearts.The miracle of it all is that He hears. He responds. Heanswers—not always as we might wish He would answer,but there is no question in my mind that He answers.

You have such a tremendous responsibility, you youngmen and young women. You are the products of all of thegenerations that have gone before you. All that you haveof body and mind has been passed to you through yourparents. Someday you will become parents and pass on tosucceeding generations the qualities of body and mindwhich you have received from the past. Do not break thechain of the generations of your family. Keep it bright andstrong. So very much depends on you. You are so veryprecious. You mean so much to this Church. It could notbe the same without you. Stand tall, proud of your inheri-tance as sons and daughters of God. Look to Him forunderstanding and guidance. Walk according to Hisprecepts and commandments.

You can have a good time. Of course you can! Wewant you to have fun. We want you to enjoy life. We donot want you to be prudes. We want you to be robust andcheerful, to sing and dance, to laugh and be happy.

But in so doing, be humble and be prayerful, and thesmiles of heaven will fall upon you.

I could wish for you nothing better than that yourlives be fruitful, that your service be dedicated and freelygiven, that you contribute to the knowledge and thewell-being of the world in which you live, and that youdo it humbly and faithfully before your God. He lovesyou. We love you. We want you to be happy andsuccessful, to make significant contributions to the worldin which you will live and to the on-rolling of this greatand majestic work of the Lord.

Well, my brothers and sisters, those are my B’s—begrateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble, be

prayerful.

H O N A

40

Be Prayerful

Now, in conclusion, I offer a word of prayer concerning

you.O God, our Eternal Father, as Thy servant I bow

before Thee in prayer in behalf of these young peoplescattered over the earth who are gathered tonight inassemblies everywhere. Please smile with favor uponthem. Please listen to them as they lift their voices inprayer unto Thee. Please lead them gently by the hand inthe direction they should follow.

Please help them to walk in paths of truth and righ-teousness and keep them from the evils of the world.Bless them that they shall be happy at times and seriousat times, that they may enjoy life and drink of its fulness.

A P R I

Bless them that they may walk acceptably before Thee as

Thy cherished sons and daughters. Each is Thy childwith capacity to do great and noble things. Keep them onthe high road that leads to achievement. Save them fromthe mistakes that could destroy them. If they have erred,forgive their trespasses and lead them back to ways ofpeace and progress. For these blessings I humbly praywith gratitude for them and invoke Thy blessings uponthem with love and affection, in the name of Him whocarries the burdens of our sins, even the Lord JesusChrist, amen.

Text of a talk given to youth and young single adults on

12 November 2000 at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City

and broadcast by satellite throughout the Church.

L 2 0 0 1

41

TH E WO RT HA L B I N L O T R I £ :

O F A SO U L

He was a stranger in a foreign land. He would live there only three

months and would then return to his home in a nation where the Church had not

yet been established. Would it be worth anybody’s time to get to know him? Would

it be worth the missionaries’ time to teach him the gospel?

By Marvin K. Gardner

Opposite page: Albin Lotri™ (inset)

discovered the gospel in a foreign land

and brought it back to his native Slovenia

(background).

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Albin Lotri™ has lived in Sloveniaall his life, except for three monthswhen he worked in Norway. Thosethree months changed his life—andhelped lead to the establishment ofthe Church in Slovenia.

Albin was born in 1963 in a smallvillage in the Julian Alps onEurope’s Balkan Peninsula. At thattime, Slovenia was part of theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugo-slavia. His parents worked in afactory, maintained a small family

farm, and taught their children to

study and work hard. After gradu-ating from high school, he accepteda job at the company where hisparents worked.

His employment was interruptedby a 15-month stint in the Yugo-slavian army, where he was exposedto “all kinds of people, good andbad,” he says. “I learned that Iwasn’t supposed to think too muchbut do only what I was told. I cameto believe that all people are selfishand are ready to walk all over those

A P R I L 2 0 0 1

43

who are weaker. I became distrustful

“I prayed more and more,

waiting to get some kind of

answer. Then one day while I

was reading the words of Moroni,

the answer came—unexpected,

unannounced. I felt the Holy

Ghost giving me indescribable

feelings, and my mind was

enlightened. . . . In that moment

I knew the Holy Ghost was

present with me, and I was

thankful to the Lord.”

A L B I N ’ S T E S T I M O N Y

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of others and relied only on myself. I didn’t feel any realemotions at that time.”

After his military assignment, Albin returned to hisjob but felt restless and dissatisfied. He eventually quithis job to study computer and information technology atthe university. But he was still not finding joy in life. “Onweekends my friends and I would have what we calledfun—wandering from place to place, drinking alcohol,and flirting with girls we met,” he says. “I wasn’t happybecause I felt empty inside. It all seemed fake.”

Then in 1987 he met BoΩa Gartner, a young womanhe had known briefly before, and they began dating. Andin June 1989, he was accepted as an internationalstudent trainee for three months at a company inStavanger, Norway. He moved to Norway, started hisinternship, and met the missionaries a few weeks later.

“A young man holding a book stopped me on thestreet,” Albin says. “He said something to me inNorwegian, and his book was written in Norwegian. I

explained in English that I didn’t understand a word he

L I A

said and that I had no intention oftaking any book, especially one ina language I did not understand.”To his surprise the missionary, anAmerican, responded in English

and offered to get Albin a copy of the Book of Mormonin English. Albin politely gave the missionary his address,but he hoped nothing would come of it.

A few days later the missionaries arrived at his doorand gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon in English.They later gave him a copy in Croatian, which he couldalso read. (A Slovenian edition did not yet exist.) Albin’sconversations with the missionaries caused him to thinkabout his religious beliefs.

“I had always believed in God,” he says. “And I prayedalmost daily—but my prayers were ones I was taught as aCatholic, and I was only subconsciously repeating words.I didn’t believe my church was true, but I wasn’t lookingfor an alternative.”

Although parts of the Book of Mormon were inter-esting, he says, “I had no spiritual witness while readingit.” And when he attended the Stavanger Branch inNorway—a stranger who knew no one and didn’t speakthe language—he initially felt uncomfortable.

But he liked what he saw and felt at church, and themembers welcomed him warmly. “They were extremelykind to me,” he says. “They showed great interest in meby asking where I was from and what I was doing in thetown. They invited me to come again. When I did, theyaccepted me as a part of their family.”

Now he felt more motivated to study the Book ofMormon and pray about it. “I prayed more and more,” hesays, “waiting to get some kind of answer. Then one daywhile I was reading the words of Moroni, the answercame—unexpected, unannounced. I felt the Holy Ghostgiving me indescribable feelings, and my mind wasenlightened. At that same moment I was aware of all mysins, and I began to cry. I had never cried because of a

book before. In that moment I knew the Holy Ghost

H O N A

44

P

was present with me, and I was thankful to the Lord.” Albin was baptized on his 26th birthday, 19 August

1989. “I was a completely different man now than whenI went to Norway in June,” he says. “My soul was clean,my sins were forgiven, and I was starting a new life muchdifferent from the one before. I felt glad, peaceful, andsafe.” He also felt the nudges of the Holy Ghost—hintingof spiritual responsibilities that awaited him at home.

When he learned that the Church had not yet beenestablished in Slovenia and that, as far as he knew, noChurch members lived there, he realized the importanceof learning all he could during his few remaining weeksin Norway. He continued attending Church meetings,family home evenings, and other activities; received theAaronic Priesthood; had many discussions with mission-aries, members, and Church leaders; and read theDoctrine and Covenants in English.

“I was worried about being left on my own back home,”he says. “I prayed that God would give me strength toexplain my beliefs to my girlfriend, my parents, andothers. I knew it would be difficult, but I also knew Godwould help me as long as I remained worthy.”

The closest branch in what was then the SocialistFederal Republic of Yugoslavia was in Zagreb, Croatia—three hours away from Albin’s home in Slovenia. He laterlearned there was a branch a little more than an houraway, in Klagenfurt, Austria. For more than a year heattended the branch in Austria every Sunday, eventhough his ability to speak German was limited. “Thebranch president and all the members were very friendlyand kind,” he says. He received the MelchizedekPriesthood and served in his first Church callings in the

“One Sunday in 1990 I wen

Joseph Smith did. The answ

warmth around my heart. .

God wanted me to accept H

B O Û A’ S T E S T I M O N Y

Klagenfurt Branch. Andhis girlfriend, BoΩa,often went with him.Sister missionaries taughther the gospel.

“It took me almost six months to get my owntestimony,” says BoΩa. “The Book of Mormon had not yetbeen translated into Slovenian, and it was difficult for meto read it in Croatian. One Sunday in 1990 I went to anearby grove to pray for the answer, just like JosephSmith did. The answer came in the middle of the prayeras an exceptional warmth around my heart. I thought atfirst that this warmth came from the sun—but the sunhad already gone down, and the warm feeling was stillthere. I felt peace and knew from that moment on thatGod wanted me to accept His gospel.” Albin baptized herin the Klagenfurt Branch in March 1990.

In December of that year, the first two full-timemissionaries were assigned to Slovenia, and soon the firstbaptisms in that land took place. In the summer of 1991,Slovenia proclaimed independence from Yugoslavia.After a tense 10-day war, the matter was peacefullyresolved. A few months later, on 22 December 1991, thefirst branch in Slovenia was organized, with Albin Lotri™as branch president.

The next year, in July 1992, Albin and BoΩa weremarried in Slovenia and then sealed in the FrankfurtGermany Temple—the first couple living inSlovenia to be sealed. “I could not havefound a better, more understanding wife,”Albin says. “She gives me strength with herlove and encouragement. It is especially

t to a nearby grove to pray for the answer, just like

er came in the middle of the prayer as an exceptional

. . I felt peace and knew from that moment on that

is gospel.”

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wonderful to be together in the temple, to review the planof salvation and enter into an eternal bond together. Itgives perspective to all other activities in life.”

Their three children were born in the covenant: LeaMartina, April 1993; Flora Ema, January 1995; andBenjamin Luka, November 1996. “My wife and I are

trying to plant the seeds of a gospel-centered life in thehearts of our children,” Albin says, “so they will be strongenough to face the challenges that will come and so theywill be able to stand up for their beliefs.” The childrenare learning about the gospel through family homeevening and scripture study, using the illustrated Book of Mormon Stories, which has been translated intoSlovenian. Albin and BoΩa are helping them learn to

1991The first branch in Sloveniais organized; Albin Lotri™serves as branch president.

1992Albin and BoΩa Lotri™ arethe first Slovenian couplesealed in the temple (shown left, above with Elder Dennis B. and SisterLeAnn C. Neuenschwander).

1993Matjaz Juhart is the first full-time missionary calledfrom Slovenia.

1998Leon Berganreceives medwhen he learacing careefull-time misRiding a BicyApril 1999,

1999The SloveniaMission (misleft, bottom) the Austria VMission.

2001The LiahonaSlovenian.

G L I M P S E S O F T H E C H U R C H I N S L O V E N I A

The Church in Slovenia currently has one district and three

branches—Ljubljana, Celje, and Maribor—and approximately

200 members. Regarding the future of the Church in

Slovenia, President Lotri™ says, “I have a vision of

the Saints blossoming like a rose in this country.”

recognize answers to their simple prayers. “The Lord is blessing us abundantly,” Albin says. “I am

trying to return this blessing by being faithful in theChurch and trying to be a good husband and father.”

With the Church still in its infancy in Slovenia,President and Sister Lotri™ and other pioneering Saints

continue giving much to assist in itsgrowth. Sister Lotri™ serves in theauxiliaries and is writing a history ofthe Church in Slovenia. And afterserving as branch president for sevenyears, President Lotri™ was called inApril 1998 to his current assignmentas Slovenia’s first district president.Over the years he has representedthe Church on national televisionand radio, in newspapers and maga-zines, and in legal matters.

Meanwhile his career has blos-somed. With university degrees inbusiness administration and com-puter science, he currently works inthe information technology depart-ment of the Slovenian ministry of

finance. He enjoys friendly associations with colleaguesand feels that most of them respect his lifestyle andbeliefs. “To live according to the teachings of this Churchrequires many demands of the members,” he says. “But Iknow from my own experience that the resulting bless-ings bring much more joy than any earthly thing.”

One of his most memorable assignments has been toserve on the translation team for the Slovenian edition

t (left, middle)ia attention

ves a bicycle-r to serve a sion (see “Stillcle,” Liahona,26–28).

Ljubljanasion office shownis created fromienna South

is published in

Ljubljana

SLOVENIA

AUSTRIA

CROATIA

Celje

Maribor

The Lotri™s’ children, Benjamin, Lea, and Flora, are being raised in the true gospel of Jesus Christ. BoΩa and Albin are working to

share their faith and to fortify their children for the future.

of the Book of Mormon, which is expected to becompleted soon. “When the Book of Mormon comesforth with all its divinity and power,” says PresidentLotri™, “the gates of heaven will open wide. The Spiritwill testify even more mightily to the people of Sloveniathat the word of God has once more been revealed tothe children of men and that there is no name givenunder the heavens but the name of Jesus Christ throughwhich salvation can come.”

In July 1999, nearly 10 years after Albin’s baptism, theSlovenia Ljubljana Mission—which includes variouscountries of the former Yugoslavia—was created. InSlovenia itself, a nation of two million inhabitants, thereare now 200 members, one district, and three branches—

in Ljubljana, Celje, and Maribor. Local leaders and

A P R I

members are learning to fellowship new converts.Couples have been sealed in the temple. Young men andwomen from Slovenia are serving full-time missions inmany parts of the world. And members in Slovenia cannow receive the Liahona in their own language.

“I know this is just a beginning,” says President Lotri™.“I have a vision of the Saints blossoming like a rose inthis country.”

Was it worth anyone’s time to befriend a stranger in aforeign land and teach him the gospel, knowing that inthree months he would return to his home in a nationwhere the Church had not yet been established?

“The ways of our Lord are sometimes unpredictableand beyond human imagination,” says Albin Lotri™. “He

chose a wonderful way to present the gospel to me.”

L 2 0 0 1

47

TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE

Adversity .......................................... 26

Apostles .................................... 2, F10

Conversion ........................ 26, 42, F6

Easter .............................................. F2

Education ..........................................30

Faith ................................................ 25

Family home evening ...................... 48

First Vision ...................................... F9

General conference .......................... F4

Gratitude ..........................................30

Healing ...................................... 26, F6

Home teaching .................................. 1

Humility ............................................30

Jesus Christ.................... 2, 25, F2, F10

Madagascar ...................................... F6

New Testament Stories .................. F10

Prayer ........................................ 26, 30

Primary.................................. F4, F14

Prophets ...................................... F4

Purity..................................30

Slovenia ............................ 42

Testimony ............................ 2

Tithing ................................ 26

Truth..................................30

Visiting teaching ..............25

Using the April 2001 Liahona

Are you looking for a story or quotation for a talk, class, family

home evening lesson, or seminary devotional? You might find

some helpful ideas in this issue of the Liahona. (The numbers

refer to pages in this issue. F=The Friend.)

“SPECIAL WITNESSES OF CHRIST”: DISCUSSION IDEAS

“Special Witnesses of Christ: Premortal Ministry,” Elder Neal A.Maxwell, page 4: Under the Father’s direction, Jesus Christ created worldswithout number, yet He notices the fall of every sparrow (see Matthew10:29). Discuss what it means to realize that the Lord of the universeknows your name and cares about you enough to die for you.

“Special Witnesses of Christ: Mortal Ministry,” Elder L. Tom Perry, page 9: We honor the Savior by followingHis example. Read Elder Perry’s story about rebuildingChristian churches in Japan. Discuss specific ways youcan serve others in a Christlike manner.

“Special Witnesses of Christ: PostmortalMinistry,” President Gordon B. Hinckley, page19: President Hinckley bears his propheticwitness from the Sacred Grove. Relate thestory of the First Vision. Bear your testi-mony of the difference the First Visionhas made in your life.

L I A H O N A

48

Worldwide Church........42, F6

Youth ....................................30

C A L L F O R Y O U T H A R T I C L E S

We invite our youth readers to tell us about experiences living and sharing the gospel, how the Lord

helps you overcome trials, or how the Lord has answered your prayers. Send your articles to Liahona,

Floor 24, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3223, USA; or e-mail to CUR-Liahona-

IMag@ldschurch.org. Please include your complete name, age, address, telephone number, and ward

and stake (or branch and district).

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TheFriendFOR CHILDREN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS APRIL 2001

A STORY FOR YOU TO TELL

EASTER“Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people” (Habakkuk 3:13).

EASTER

THE PROPHET ISAIAH FORETELLS CHRIST’S BIRTH, BY HARRY ANDERSON; CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE, BY HEINRICH HOFMANN; JOHN BAPTIZING JESUS AND THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, BY HARRY ANDERSON; JESUS CHRIST, BY WARNER SALLMAN; CHRIST HEALING THE SICK AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA, BY CARL HEINRICH BLOCH (BETHESDA DANSK INDRE MISSION, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK);

CHRIST’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY, BY HARRY ANDERSON; THE LAST SUPPER, BY CARL HEINRICH BLOCH (COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL HISTORIC MUSEUM AT FREDERIKSBORG IN HILLERØD, DENMARK); CHRIST IN GETHSEMANE, THE CRUCIFIXION, THE RESURRECTION, AND THE ASCENSION, BY HARRY ANDERSON

SHARING TIME

Listen to a Prophet’s VoiceBy Diane S. Nichols

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“What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, . . .

whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my

servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38).

§If Jesus Christ was coming to speak to you,would you take time to listen? Each Apriland October, the prophet and other

General Authorities speak to us in general conference.They tell us the things the Savior would tell us if Hewere here. Their words will guide us in our lives.

In the Book of Mormon, we read about KingBenjamin, a prophet. When he was old, he wanted toteach his people about the Savior one more time. Hehad a tall tower built near the temple, so he could beheard by all the people.

The people pitched their tents around the templeand were ready when King Benjamin spoke. However,there were so many people that everyone couldn’t hearhim. So he had his words written down and given tothe people.

When he finished speaking, the people wanted totake upon them the name of Jesus Christ and keep Hiscommandments. They made a covenant to alwaysremember Jesus. The people did what the Lord, throughtheir prophet, asked them to do (see Mosiah 1–6).

Last October, our prophet, President Gordon B.Hinckley, spoke to us, and he will speak to us this April.Like King Benjamin, he speaks to us for the Savior. Hedoesn’t need a high tower; he speaks to us from the newConference Center in Salt Lake City.

Not everyone can go to the Conference Center tohear President Hinckley speak. So his words are carriedby television, satellite, radio, computer, videotapes, andChurch magazines to people all over the world. It isimportant to listen to his words just as we would listento Jesus Christ. Through President Hinckley, the Savior

T H E

is speaking to us!

Instructions

1. Glue page 5 onto heavy paper.2. Cut out the two sections and the window in

section 1. 3. List four things our prophet asks us to do. List four

things you will do to follow the prophet’s counsel.4. Color the pictures of children doing things

prophets have asked us to do.5. Form two tubes by gluing the ends of section 1

together, and then gluing the ends of section 2 (seeillustration).

6. Place section 2 inside section 1, and turn it until a picture is visible. Each day, turn the pictures andremember what you will do to follow the prophet.

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Attach statements from conference addresses or from

“Special Witnesses of Christ” (see Liahona, April 2001, 2–24)

along a string, with BIRTH as a label at one end and ETERNAL

LIFE at the other. Explain that when we come to earth, we

cannot remember Heavenly Father’s plan for us. We must learn

from the scriptures and our living prophets about His plan. Place

a blindfold over a child’s eyes to represent forgetting our premortal

existence, and have him or her move along the string from BIRTH

to a statement. Remove the blindfold and have the child read the

statement and tell how the message can be applied to his or her

life. Continue until all the messages have been read. Sing “We

Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (Hymns, number 19).

2. To help the children understand how we progress line upon

line, make a poster of a ladder without rungs. Have the children

choose the rungs from a container. Write on each rung some-

thing the prophets have counseled us to do. Explain that with

only one or two rungs, it is impossible to climb the ladder, but

with all the rungs, we can climb to the top and obtain the happi-

ness Heavenly Father has in store for those who follow the

prophets’ counsel. Reinforce the topic on each rung by singing a

F R I E N D

4

song or hymn. B

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THINGS I WILL DO TOFOLLOW THE PROPHET

1.

2.

3.

4.

THINGS THE PROPHETASKS ME TO DO

1.

2.

3.

4.

Turn

Cut out

Illustration

Section 1

Section 2

I will pray. I will study the scriptures. I will remember the Savior. I will be kind to others.

NORBERTOHARIJAONA

OF ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR

MAKING FRIENDS

By Anita F. Bott

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T he sun comes up early in the city ofAntananarivo. By the time Norberto, age 10,and his brothers, Tahiry, age 9, and Tahina,

age 12, walk the 500 meters to school, the streets arefilled with cars and people. School starts promptly at8:00 A.M.

“I love to see my friends at school,” Norberto says.He has lots of chances to share the gospel because he isone of only a few members at his school. He likes to bea good example to the other children by living Jesus’teachings. “I tell my friends not to fight, and I don’t hitothers,” he explains.

Norberto and his classmates keep memory books thattheir friends can write in. Recently Norberto wrote a

letter to his friend Hery for his memory book.He told Hery that God loves him and that he

shouldn’t make bad choices, because theybring unhappiness. Norberto wrote the

letter very carefully in French and hadhis parents correct it.

Norberto speaks French atschool and Malagasy at home.

(These are the two official

languages of Madagascar, and

T H E

many people speak both languages.) Hisfavorite subject in school is math, but healso enjoys his English class.

When he gets home from school, helikes to play basketball in his backyardwith his brothers and neighborhoodfriends. And he likes riding his bicycle,which he shares with his brothers.Sometimes he rides the bike alone; sometimes allthree brothers ride at the same time! He also lovesmaking cars that he can pull around on a string. He haschores to do, too, like doing his homework, making hisbed, and sometimes buying bread for the family.

Norberto spends a lot of time with his family. Theyoften watch videos or walk to the market together.They eat all their meals together because the boys walkhome from school for lunch. Norberto’s favorite lunchis pork chops, and his favorite dinner is fried eggs.

Family home evening is a special time for him. Heloves to study the scriptures, sing, and pray with hisfamily. He likes to play games from Le Liahona (French).He likes it when he is called on to say the family prayer.

At night Norberto says his prayers and crawls into

the bunk bed he and a brother share. Then the boys

F R I E N D

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P

Top: Norberto enjoys singing with his brother. Above:

Family prayer is an important part of the Harijaona

sing songs together. Theylike singing Primary songsthe best. “I love the Churchbecause of Primary,” Norberto says.

Norberto looks forward to church every Sunday. He likes studying the scriptures and playing games inPrimary. His class is learning about Joseph Smith andreading in the scriptures about Job. “I like to read aboutJob because it reminds us that people are tested in thislife,” he says.

Norberto and his family have been tested. OnceNorberto was sick from malaria and trembled all over.His parents had no medicine to give him. His fathergave him a priesthood blessing, and then Norberto wasfinally able to sleep through the night. Now wheneverhe is sick or has an important test at school, he asks fora father’s blessing.

Norberto says the Church has brought him manyblessings in his life. The best blessing is that he and hisfamily were sealed in the temple on 5 January 1997. Aspecial Church fund paid for his parents to travel to thetemple in Johannesburg, South Africa. But his parentshad to sell the house they lived in to pay for the chil-dren to go with them.

Norberto and his family were brought into theChurch through an uncle they call “Ton Ton.” Ton Tonbought their family a subscription to the Church maga-zine in French in 1985. So when he visited the family in1991, they already had an idea of what the Church wasabout. Ton Ton said, “The Church has now come toMadagascar. Let’s go find it.”

They found the meetinghouse, but the first time thefamily attended, Norberto’s father, Elie, couldn’t go. Hestill had responsibilities with the young men’s group inanother church. Norberto’s mother, Esther, came homefrom that first meeting and told her husband, “We’vefound the right church.” Elie went with them the nextweek, and the entire family accepted the gospel.

T H E

Norberto was a baby at the time. He was baptized whenhe turned eight, even though he was afraid to go underthe water.

His dad and mom say that Norberto is a very givingboy. “Norberto has some friends who live near ourhouse who are very, very poor,” his mom explains.“Some of his friends have no shoes. Norberto is alwaysasking me if we can give them some of our things. Hesays that we have enough. He always wants to share hisfood and clothes with them. That’s his character. He isvery generous.”

Many of the members in Antananarivo shareNorberto’s faith and strength. The Church is growingrapidly in Madagascar. It may not be long before thebranches will be made into wards and the district into astake.

Norberto has borne his testimony in Primary. “Iknow the Church is true,” he says. “I have a testimonyof the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know he translated theBook of Mormon.”

Norberto wants to encourage all Primary children to choose the right. That is how they will find truehappiness—the same happiness Norberto shares witheveryone who knows him.

family’s day.

F R I E N D

8

Joan D. Campbell, born 1929. © 1969 IRI Hal K. Campbell, born 1927. © 1969 IRI. Arrangement © 2001 IRI

Words:Music:

This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.

Joseph Smith—History 1:14, 17

Reverently = 60–66C

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THE SACRED GROVE

THE FIRST VISION, BY GARY L. KAPP

T H E F R I E N D

10

JESUSCHOOSES HISAPOSTLES

NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

One day Jesus taught people on the shore of the Sea ofGalilee from a boat. The boat belonged to a mannamed Peter. Peter and his friends had fished all nightwithout catching any fish.

Luke 5:1–5

After Jesus taught the people, He told Peter to take the boat into deep water. Then He told Peter and his friends toput their fishnets into the water, and they did.

Luke 5:4–5

ILLU

STRA

TED

BY

ROBE

RT T

. BA

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T

A P R I L 2 0 0 1

11

Peter called to his friends in another boat to come andhelp. The fish filled both boats.

Luke 5:7

They caught so many fish in their nets that the netsbegan to break.

Luke 5:5–6

Peter knelt by the Savior’s feet and said that he was asinner and was not worthy to be near Jesus. Jesus toldPeter not to be afraid.

Luke 5:8–10

Peter and his friends were amazed. They knew JesusChrist had made this happen.

Luke 5:8–9

T H E F R I E N D

12

Two of Peter’s friends, James and John, were brothers. Jesus told all of them to come with Him. The three men lefteverything they had and went with Jesus. The Savior asked other men to go with Him, too, and be “fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:18–22, 9:9; Luke 5:10–11; John 1:35–51

A P R I L 2 0 0 1

13

The Apostles traveled to many cities and taught the gospel and healed people. Then they returned to tell Jesus whatthey had done.

Mark 6:30; Luke 9:1–6, 10

He needed Twelve Apostles to lead His Church. Because He wanted to choose the right men, the Savior prayed allnight. The next morning He chose and ordained 12 men, giving them the priesthood and the power to be Apostles.

Luke 6:12–16; John 15:16

FIC

TIO

N

THE TALKBy T. S. HettingerILLUSTRATED BY DICK BROWN

T ime to get up,” Mom called cheerfully.I rolled over and pretended I didn’t hear her.

That’s what I do when I don’t want to get up.Mom didn’t give up. “Breakfast will be ready in a few

minutes,” she called. “Anyone who wants to eat hadbetter hurry.”

That got my brother going. “Come on,” Devon said,giving my bed a shake.

“I’m not hungry,” I muttered.“Suit yourself.” He headed for the kitchen.It was true. I wasn’t hungry. In fact, my stomach kind

of ached. Maybe I should tell Mom I’m sick, I thought.That’s it—I’m sick and need to stay home.

A few minutes later I got my chance.“Devon says you’re not hungry.” Mom sat down on the

edge of my bed. “Are you feeling all right?” She put herhand on my forehead. “You don’t feel hot.”

“I’m not sick,” I answered truthfully, “but I don’t feelso good.”

At first Mom looked puzzled, thenshe understood. “Are you nervousabout your talk?”

“I’m not just nervous,” I said.“I was nervous last night when Iwent to bed. Then I dreamed thatwhen I got up to give my talk Icouldn’t find my notes, and Icouldn’t remember anything. Itwas awful!”

Mom shook her head. “I’m sorry you had a baddream, but it was just a dream.

You’re going to do fine.”

“Can’t we say I’m sick?” I asked. But I knew Momwould never go for that.

“Come have some breakfast,” she said, pulling theblankets off me. “You’ll feel better.”

I knew the only thing that was going to make me feelbetter was telling the Primary president I was too sick togive a talk. Mary Kay could give two talks. She gives talksall the time. She even enjoys giving talks. I started to saysomething, but Mom gave me one of those “don’t even tryit” looks.

“Good morning,” Dad said happily as I slumped intomy chair.

“Morning,” I grumbled. I couldn’t bring myself to call ita good morning.

Dad looked at me quizzically.“Jeremy’s a bit worried about his talk,” Mom explained.“I see,” Dad said. “Is there anything I can do to help?

I’d be happy to listen if you want to practice before we goto church.”

I shook my head. Practicing my talk in front of my dadwouldn’t help. I ate a little before I asked to

be excused.“We’re really proud of you, you

know,” Mom said as I rinsed my plate.“I wouldn’t have guessed that you

would be the first one in our family tospeak in church.”

“I’m sure we’ll all get aturn eventually,” Dadsaid with a smile.

“What do you mean?”Devon asked anxiously.

“Just that speaking in

church is something Latter-day Saints do,” Dadreplied. “We don’t have a pastor who gives a sermonevery week like we used to. The members take turnsgiving talks instead.”

Devon shook his head. “I don’t ever want to give atalk.” He looked at me. “Who said you had to give atalk?”

“Nobody did. My teacher asked our class who wantedto give talks. Two of us raised our hands,” I explained.

“You mean you volunteered?” Devon was shocked.I shrugged my shoulders. “It seemed like a good idea at

the time. Now I wish I’d kept quiet.”Mom squeezed my shoulder. “You’re going to do great.

Now go get dressed for church.”Some time later I hurried to find Dad. “Dad, will

you tie my tie? I’ve tried three times, and I still can’t

A P R I

get it right.”

“I’d be happy to.” He wrapped my tie aroundhis neck and tied a perfect knot. My tie looked

pretty funny on him. It was way too short. He slidthe tie up over his head, then pulled it down over mine.

“Thanks,” I said. I pulled my talk out of my shirtpocket and started to read through it for the zillionthtime.

I sat through sacrament meeting, quietly reading mynotes over and over. It wasn’t until I saw Mary Kaywatching me that I put them back into my pocket.

When I reached the Primary room, I walked up tothe chairs at the front of the room. On the way, Istopped at the podium to make sure I was tall enoughto see over it without standing on the stool the littlekids use.

As I looked out over the podium, I saw my mom anddad sitting in the back of the room. I hadn’t asked themto come, but I wasn’t surprised to see them. What didsurprise me was that Devon was with them. He wasmissing Sunday School to hear me talk! I wasn’t sure if

L 2 0 0 1

15

I was pleased or not.

Mary Kay sat down next to me. “Are you nervous?” she asked.

I tried to look calm. “Are you?” I asked.She nodded. “I’ve given lots of talks, but I still get

nervous.” She held out her hands to show me that theywere shaking.

“Then why do you volunteer?” I asked.Mary Kay shrugged. “I think talking in church is a

good thing to do. I think it’s important to tell people whatyou believe. Don’t you?”

“I guess so,” I said. “I’ve never given a talk before.”Mary Kay looked shocked. “Really?”“In my old church, the pastor did all the preaching,” I

explained.“It’s all right, once you get going,” Mary Kay said with

a smile.Primary started, so we stopped talking. I felt surpris-

ingly calm. Somehow, knowing that Mary Kay gotnervous when she gave a talk made me feel better.

After the opening song and prayer, the Primarypresident announced that Mary Kay and I would begiving talks. Mary Kay went first. I had a hard timelistening to her talk. I kept going over mytalk in my mind. I was startled when Iheard her say, “Amen.”

“Good luck,” she

whispered as I passed her on my way to thepodium.

I pulled the notes out of my pocket and began.“This is the first time I’ve given a talk in

church,” I began. “In fact, it’s the first time anyonein my family has given a talk in church.” I lookedat my family. They were all smiling at me.

I went on to tell of all the ways my life had changedsince we were baptized. I talked about reading the Bookof Mormon. I told about when the missionaries taught myfamily.

Then I talked about learning to pray, how glad I waswhen I learned that Heavenly Father wants us to pray,and how I knew that He listens to and answers ourprayers.

I was almost finished when I realized my noteswere still clenched tightly in my hand. I hadn’t evenneeded them! I thanked my parents and Devon forjoining the Church with me and told them I lovedthem. That part wasn’t even in my notes. Then Iended my talk, “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

As I sat down, I was filled with relief and joy.“You did great!” Mary Kay whispered.“Thanks,” I said, blushing slightly.

I looked back at my family. Devon and Dadsmiled. Mom had tears running down hercheeks. I could tell they were happy tears.

When singing time began, I watchedmy family slip quietly out the back door

to go to their classes. It was then I decided that the next time it was my class’s turn to give

talks, I would volunteer

again.

“Fishers of Men,” by Simon Dewey“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother. . . . And he saith unto them, Follow me,

and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him” (Matthew 4:18–20).

Unitedly, as His Apostles, authorized and commissioned by

Him to do so, we bear our witness that He lives and that He

will come again to claim His kingdom and rule as King of Kings and

Lord of Lords. Of this we are certain.” See “Special Witnesses of

Christ,” page 2.

“