2023 October General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Be Peaceable Followers of Christ
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

  • Trials and death are things all of us face in mortality.
  • We are blessed with agency
  • Peaceable followers of Christ remember that mortality is like the second act in a three act play. They follow and obey even in trials.
  • Moroni quotes his father, who in speaking to his congregation, calls them the “peaceable followers of Christ.” Those troubled times in Nephite history resemble our own times. Navigating such difficult times can be done with joy by being the peaceable followers of Christ.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, Prayer, Prophets, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Obedience, the Family can be Eternal, Exaltation

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ordinances and Covenants, Commandments

Scriptures

Moroni 7:3, John 16:33, Mosiah 18:8–9, 2 Nephi 32:7, Abraham 3 (Chapter heading), Abraham 3:24–25, Alma 12:24, 2 Nephi 28:7–9, Acts 17:21, Doctrine and Covenants 123:12, Moroni 7:3, Doctrine and Covenants 6:34, Doctrine and Covenants 6:36–37, Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 5:9, Moroni 7:3–4, Doctrine and Covenants 122:7–9, Alma 7:11-12, Matthew 11:28;verses 29–30, Doctrine and Covenants 137:10, Doctrine and Covenants 137:7, Mosiah 2:41, Doctrine and Covenants 1:14, Doctrine and Covenants 1:12, Doctrine and Covenants 136, Doctrine and Covenants 136:28, Doctrine and Covenants 136:29

Related talks: 

Other Sources Cited:

Look for Jesus Christ:

  • Testimony of Christ.
    • …We have a Father in Heaven who knows and loves us personally and understands our suffering perfectly. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer.
    • As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I testify that “peaceable followers of Christ” will find personal peace in this life and a glorious heavenly reunion. I bear a sure witness of the Savior’s divinity and the reality of His Atonement. He is our Savior and Redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
  • Description of His Teachings.
    • “Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”
    • “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
    • “… Be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”
    • “If the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
    • “The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
    • “… Fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”
    • “give heed to the words of the prophets.”
    • “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come.”
  • Description of His Atonement.
    • We are blessed to know of Jesus Christ and His role in the plan.
    • As peaceable followers of Christ, we strive to live His commandments. It has never been easy for His followers. Nor was it easy for the Savior to faithfully fulfill His mortal mission.
    • “In His atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ took upon Himself our pains, afflictions, and infirmities. Because of this, He knows ‘according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities’. He invites, ‘Come unto me,’ and as we do, He gives us rest, hope, strength, perspective, and healing.” (Preach My Gospel)
    • “As we rely on Jesus Christ and His Atonement, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” (Preach My Gospel)

Inspiring Words & Phrases

  • Those who believe in, humbly worship, and testify of Jesus Christ have always experienced trials, tribulation, and adversities.
  • Bad things happen to good people on this mortal journey.
  • Now all of us are here in the second estate of our journey of progression toward a kingdom of glory as part of God’s great plan of salvation and exaltation. We are blessed with agency and subject to the trials of mortality. This is the time allotted for us to prepare to meet God.
  • We choose the role of “a peacemaker, now and always.”
  • Our heavenly destiny is not altered when we suffer adversity.
  • Trials are a part of mortality and occur in everyone’s life throughout the world. This includes major conflicts between countries.
  • We can joyfully be peaceable followers of Christ.
  • Our Father’s plan of happiness for His children includes not only a premortal and mortal life but also a potential for eternal life, including a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost.
  • Many do not appreciate that under His loving and comprehensive plan, those who appear to be disadvantaged, through no fault of their own, are not ultimately impacted.
  • Almost all of us have experienced physical and spiritual storms in our lives, some devastating.
  • A loving Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the head of His restored Church, have provided us scriptures and prophets to prepare us, warn us about dangers, and give us guidance to prepare and protect us.
  • The Lord provides His people a chance to prepare for the challenges they will face.
  • Lives full of praise, music, and thanksgiving are uniquely blessed. Being joyful and relying on heavenly help through prayer is a powerful way to be peaceable followers of Christ. Striving always to be of good cheer helps avoid being cast down in spirit.

Lists

The scriptures warn us of some of the ways people are led astray:

  • They succumb to an “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die” approach
  • Follow in line with like-minded people advocating for the next “new thing”
  • Listen to the philosophies of men
  • They know not where to find the truth

The Plan of Salvation:

  • Includes a premortal life
  • Includes a mortal life
  • Includes the potential for eternal life
  • Includes the potential for a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost
  • Includes the potential of having all wrongs righted
  • Will allow us to see with perfect clarity
  • Will allow us to have faultless perspective and understanding

Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ have given us scriptures & prophets to:

  • prepare us for physical & spiritual storms in our lives
  • Warn us about dangers
  • Give us guidance to prepare
  • Prepare and protect us

Some of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s directions:

  • Require immediate action
  • Provide protection for many years in the future

Stories/Parables

  • The Plan of Salvation is like a three-act play. Those who have no knowledge of the Father’s plan don’t understand what happened in the first act (the premortal life) and the purposes established there; nor do they understand the clarification and resolution that come in the third act. Many do not appreciate that under His loving and comprehensive plan, those who appear to be disadvantaged, through no fault of their own, are not ultimately impacted.
  • One of the most important scriptures for those who are righteous, regardless of their situation in life, is part of King Benjamin’s address to his people. He promises that those who faithfully keep the commandments are blessed in all things in this life and “are received into heaven … [and] dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.”
  • Story of the revelation given to Brigham Young on Jan 14, 1847 at Winter Quarters. The revelation gave practical counsel on preparing for the exodus; taking care of the poor, the widows and fatherless and families of the Mormon Battalion; advice on living righteously; and then encouraging them to praise the Lord with singing, music, dancing and prayer; and if sorrowful, to call on the Lord that their souls may be joyful.

Invitations/Challenges

  • We are warm, engaged members of the communities where we live. We love, share, and invite all of God’s children to follow Christ’s teachings. We follow the counsel of our beloved prophet, President Nelson: we choose the role of “a peacemaker, now and always.”

Equations

  • Peaceable followers of Christ who (a) are righteous + (b) follow the Savior + (c) keep His commandments = will be blessed
  • the ultimate answer = “Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.”

Blessings/Promises

  • For those of us in the Church striving to be peaceable followers of Christ, a brighter day awaits us as we focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
  • All wrongs will be righted, and we will see with perfect clarity and faultless perspective and understanding.
  • As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I testify that “peaceable followers of Christ” will find personal peace in this life and a glorious heavenly reunion. 

Apologetics:

  • We do not know all the answers; however, we do know important principles that allow us to face trials, tribulation, and adversities with faith and confidence in a bright future that awaits each of us.

Application Ideas

  1. How can I better love all of God’s children? How can I invite them to follow Christ’s teachings?
  2. Ask yourself: which gospel principles allow us to face trials, tribulations and adversities with faith and confidence? Consider listing them in your journal, scriptures or study journal. Make a plan to study those principles and pray about them.
  3. Make a goal to be a peaceable follower of Jesus Christ.
  4. How can I praise the Lord with singing, music, dancing and the prayer of thanksgiving?
  5. How can I show others the joy I have in being a follower of Jesus Christ?

 

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