I was asked to speak on Pres. Henry B. Eyring’s talk in April 2024 General Conference, entitled “All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants.” As I considered how many others addressed our covenants in April Conference, I included insights from many of them, as well as my own thoughts. But it allowed me to speak of important truths that are vital to our connection with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and ultimately to our salvation.
Brothers and sisters, I am grateful for the strength and the inspiration I felt as I listened to General Conference a few weeks ago. I felt renewed, and my witness that this is the Church of Jesus Christ which he leads through prophets and apostles was strengthened.
Every general conference, I have asked myself “Is it just me? Or do the conferences just keep getting better?”
President Nelson invited us to “repeatedly study the messages of this conference”[1], and I am being blessed with additional understanding and faith as I have begun to follow his counsel.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the prophets invite the reader to “come unto Christ, … to partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption, … and to be saved.”[2] This message is so important, that Moroni chose it as his final invitation to us at the close of the book.
In fact, one of the priesthood duties of the Deacons and Teachers is to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ”[3].
As I listen to general conferences, I listen for themes that run through the talks. One of many themes that I felt through the conference speakers was the power of our covenants to bind us to our Heavenly Father and to enable us to have peace despite the difficulties of mortal life.
President Oaks taught “A covenant is a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities. Personal commitments are essential to the regulation of our individual lives”[4].
As we come unto Christ, we make covenants which allow us to partake of his salvation and the power of his redemption. Each covenant is made as we receive an ordinance from someone who has priesthood authority to administer that ordinance.
Baptism is the gateway ordinance. This is followed by partaking of the sacrament each week and renewing our covenants with the Father. Just as a truck driver periodically checks the straps that tie down his load, we are checking the ties that bind us to God through the sacrament each week and tightening them through repentance and gospel living.
As boys and men receive priesthood ordinations, they make additional covenants with God. Next, we can receive (not “take out,” but receive) our temple covenants, with their many obligations and powerful promises. The scriptures speak of this as being “endowed with power in the Lord’s house”[5].
The crowning ordinance in this life is the sealing ordinance with its important covenants, in which husband and wife can be sealed together for eternity, with many additional powerful obligations and blessings. This sealing also binds us together as families. Heidi and I were blessed to begin our marriage in the temple, with the promise that the children we would have together were already sealed to us in eternal family bonds. Those who have a civil marriage and already have children, and are sealed later, may bring them to the temple where they will be sealed to their parents in person.
Elder Andersen reminded us that “When we are baptized, we profess our belief in Him and our willingness to keep His commandments. In the temple, we sacredly promise, through our covenants, to follow Him forever”[6].
These exalting covenants are also available to our deceased family members, who also need to receive the saving ordinances of baptism, the endowment, and sealings to parents, spouses and children. As we serve our ancestors by making these covenants in their behalf, we are, in a sense, renewing our own covenants.
I bear witness to you that the priesthood authority to perform these ordinances is on earth today, and that it is very real. I have felt the joy of serving family members in the temple, and I know many of you have experienced that same joy.
Elder Andersen also reminded us that we are not just receiving ordinances for names; we are representing people as we perform these ordinances[7].
As President Eyring shared his personal witness of the reality of our temple ordinances[8], Heidi and I thought of our own experience.
[Told story of Robby.]
Heidi and I had similar initial thoughts. Mine was: “We have a child who has qualified for the Celestial Kingdom.” Heidi’s was: “He’s ours forever.” Both had the qualifier that we needed to remain true and faithful to our covenants. Both thoughts gave us great comfort as the Spirit whispered peace to our souls and guided us through a challenging time, and they have motivated us to be true to our covenants so we can be reunited with our little son. We had then and we have now complete confidence in God’s promises through our sealing in the temple.
Elder Soares spoke of “covenant confidence through Jesus Christ”. He defined it as “the quiet yet certain assurance of receiving the blessings that God promises for those who keep their covenants”[9]. In quiet moments following Robby’s short life, we experienced sacred reassurances; each of our children also had personal, sacred experiences.
It is important to recognize that the enabling power behind our covenants is the Atonement of Jesus Christ[10]. As we make and keep sacred covenants, we bind ourselves to the Savior, who helps us to overcome the world. He becomes the foundation of our lives.
In a previous General Conference, President Nelson taught that making and keeping sacred covenants will help us to maintain our spiritual momentum, thus creating a powerful virtuous cycle[11].
President Nelson taught us “Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us”[12]. Isn’t that a wonderful promise? These are some of the most comforting words I have ever heard; it is a witness of God’s love for each of us.
President Nelson continued: “Those who keep their covenants with God will become a strain of sin-resistant souls! Those who keep their covenants will have the strength to resist the constant influence of the world”[13]. Think of that! It is as if we are spiritually immunized against the evils of the world through our spiritual DNA.
No matter where we are on the covenant path, we need this power. We need the peace that we feel in the House of the Lord. We need the revelation that will come as we attend the temple[14].
I testify of the strength of these covenants. Through the restored priesthood authority, we can receive covenants as we progress along the covenant path and receive strength for the journey. Each person who make covenants … in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ.
As we do this, we can have the same assurance that President and Sister Eyring received, that “no matter the outcome, all will be well because of temple covenants”[15].
May we be true to the covenants we have made, and bind ourselves to Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and enjoy the increased blessings of the Holy Ghost, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] Nelson, Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/57nelson?lang=eng
[2] Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Omni 1:26; Moroni 10:32; many other verses.
[3] Doctrine and Covenants 20:59.
[4] Oaks, Covenants and Responsibilities. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/47oaks?lang=eng
[5] Doctrine and Covenants 105:11.
[6] Andersen, Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/55andersen?lang=eng
[7] Andersen, op. cit.
[8] Eyring, All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/18eyring?lang=eng
[9] Soares, Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/16soares?lang=eng
[10] Renlund, The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/43renlund?lang=eng
[11] Nelson, Overcome the World and Find Rest. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/47nelson?lang=eng
[12] Nelson, The Everlasting Covenant. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2022/10/04-the-everlasting-covenant?lang=eng
[13] Ibid.
[14] Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives?lang=eng
[15] Eyring, op. cit.
Doctor Bob's Weblog 
Leave a comment