SALT LAKE CITY — Jesus Christ stands ready to nourish and comfort all who suffer, President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, said Sunday afternoon at the start of the final session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He said the divine purpose of life is to test, prove and polish God’s children and offered encouragement in the face of what he said are mortality’s inevitable trials.
“You might reasonably wonder why a loving and all-powerful God allows our mortal test to be so hard,” he said. “It is because he knows that we must grow in spiritual cleanliness and stature to be able to live in his presence in families forever.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve listed the calamities caused by the coronavirus pandemic — death, sickness, cancellations, closures, disappointment, sorrow and discouragement.
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“Many, many of you have dealt with heartbreaking disappointment, sorrow and discouragement,” he said. “So how do we heal, endure and move forward when things seem so broken?”
Christ’s suffering makes him the perfect healer, President Eyring said: “You are being nourished and comforted by a loving Savior, who knows how to succor you in whatever tests you face,” adding that “Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know and love you. They want you to return to them and become like them. Your success is their success.”
President Eyring said the blessing God’s children should seek is not ease.
“The greatest blessing that will come when we prove ourselves faithful to our covenants during our trials will be a change in our natures,” he said. “By our choosing to keep our covenants, the power of Jesus Christ and the blessings of his Atonement can work in us. Our hearts can be softened to love, to forgive and to invite others to come unto the Savior. Our confidence in the Lord increases. Our fears decrease.”
Elder Stevenson said the pandemic has taught the church as a whole and its members that the Lord continues to watch over his children during challenging times. Over the past nine months, Latter-day Saints have become more home-centered and honed their ministering skills.
“Ministering brothers and sisters, young women and young men, and others have reached out to provide contact, conversation, yard care, meals, messages via technology and the sacrament ordinance to bless those in need,” he said. “The church itself has also been ministering to others during the pandemic with an unprecedented distribution of commodities to food banks, homeless shelters and immigrant support centers and with projects directed to the world’s most serious hunger situations.
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“I have seen people rise to great heights through proving faithful in terrible trials. Across the church today are examples. People are driven to their knees by adversity. By their faithful endurance and effort, they become ever more like the Savior and our Heavenly Father.”
Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, a General Authority Seventy, said his family had looked forward to this year.
“(The year) 2020 instead brought the global COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest and economic challenges. Our Heavenly Father may be allowing us time to reflect and consider our understanding of patience and our conscious decision to choose joy.”
Like President Eyring and Elder Stevenson, and like President Russell M. Nelson in the Sunday morning session, Elder Jaggi said that God’s children should focus on being his.
“Of all the zealous social, religious and political endeavors of our day, let disciple of Jesus Christ be our most pronounced and affirming affiliation,” he said.
One way to do that, added Elder Milton R. Camargo of the Seventy, is to remember prayer.
“An important part of Heavenly Father’s plan is the opportunity to communicate with him anytime we want,” he said.
That communication often is enough to sustain through trial.
“We don’t always need to know everything or see everything,” Elder Camargo said. “The still, small voice is reaffirming, encouraging and comforting — and many times that’s just what we need for the day.”
Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles converse before the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church leaders are seated in the Conference Center Theater during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, is seated in the Conference Center Theater during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder David A. Bednar, left, Elder Neil L. Andersen, Elder Ulisses Soares and Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles converse before the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, converse before the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Russell M. Nelson waves to church leaders before the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Brother Milton Camargo, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Brother Milton Camargo, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Kelly R. Johnson, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Kelly R. Johnson, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Russell M. Nelson speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Russell M. Nelson speaks during the Sunday afternoon session of the 190th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2020. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the final session.
The First Presidency and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gathered to broadcast the conference from the stage of the Conference Center Theater, but they wore face coverings and sat several feet apart. The only other people in attendance were the speakers and those who said opening and closing prayers.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is not performing live at the the conference due to the pandemic. Music was provided using previously recorded choir performances, including “O Say What is Truth,” from the October 2016 conference; “Softly and Tenderly,” Oct. 2014; “Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah,” April 2016.
The opening prayer was provided by Elder Paul V. Johnson, the church commissioner of education and a General Authority Seventy.
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