Family holds a pivotal position in God’s divine design. Indeed, the very essence of His plan is centered around the exaltation of the family unit.
Dear brothers and sisters, it is a true pleasure to gather with you on this significant occasion. Although Sister Nelson is unable to be with us due to illness, her spirit is here. I am deeply moved by the vast assembly of young adults present, both here and across continents – North, Central, and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the isles of the sea. We earnestly seek the Spirit of the Lord to be with us as we communicate, and we extend our gratitude for our translators who make this message accessible in 28 languages.
I bring greetings and love from President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Thomas S. Monson, President James E. Faust, and my esteemed Brethren of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to each of you. We commend your unwavering faith, your dedicated service, and your heartfelt desire to follow the Lord. We cherish each and every one of you.
For a moment, I invite you to pause from note-taking and engage in personal reflection. Tonight, you are vibrant and full of youthful energy. Many of you are students, brimming with aspirations for the future. Now, I ask you to contemplate yourselves not as you are today, but as you might become 50 years hence. Journey with me through an imaginary time tunnel and envision your future selves. The sharp minds and slender physiques of youth may have transformed. Your professional lives are likely complete, your working days behind you. Are you with me in this vision?
Consider these questions: What do you see when you look at yourself 50 years from now? What do you aspire to be in 50 years? What is your deepest desire, your ultimate goal, 50 years into the future?
I can almost hear the gears turning in your minds. Some of you might simply wish to be alive and well in 50 years. This is a valid aspiration, as life is fragile, and mortality brings unforeseen challenges. While some may face illness or accidents, the majority of you will likely reach that milestone. Therefore, let us plan for the likely path, not just the exceptions. Some of you envision fame or financial success. And I believe, most of you yearn for loving families.
If Sister Nelson were here, I would ask her to join me. As scripture reminds us, “neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.” Perhaps our shared presence might offer some insight as you contemplate and strive to achieve your future aspirations. The theme of my message tonight is “Faith and Families.” Note that I intentionally place “faith” first. This prioritization has been the guiding principle of our marriage: to have the faith to “seek ye first the kingdom of God.” We have discovered that unwavering faith in the Lord profoundly enriches the bonds of marriage and love. Faith in Him expands one’s capacity to love, both in depth and breadth.
Over five decades ago, we stood where you stand now, as young adults. This photograph captures us at that time. We were both university students. [A photograph of them as a young couple was shown.] I was a sophomore in pre-med studies; she was a freshman, a bright scholar on a scholarship. We were deeply in love, a sentiment I believe is evident in the photo. Gentlemen, can you fault me for falling in love with her?
Thank you for sharing that image. Time has certainly changed our appearances, but in my eyes, Sister Nelson’s beauty has only deepened with time.
My career as a medical doctor is now complete, my years of surgical practice concluded. Sister Nelson has likewise fulfilled the demanding role of mother to our ten children. I should mention, our first nine children were daughters. Our home was a lively all-girls dormitory until our son finally arrived. Poor boy! He was quite bewildered by the female-dominated household for his first few years.
Now, Sister Nelson enjoys a less demanding but equally fulfilling role as grandmother to our ever-growing posterity. Many of our grandchildren are with us tonight. Would all members of our family please stand briefly? I would like the cameras to capture your presence so others can see our family. We are blessed with 56 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, with the newest grandchild only two weeks old. And we anticipate these numbers will continue to grow.
I considered sharing photos of each of our 106 family members, but then I recalled the anecdote of a grandmother on an airplane, enthusiastically sharing family stories with a stranger. She eventually asked, “Have I shown you pictures of my grandchildren?”
Her seatmate replied, “No, and thank you!”
I will spare you further photos. Pictures alone cannot convey the true essence of our family. Our family’s beauty is more than skin deep; it is fundamentally spiritual. Each member is unique and cherished.
What holds the utmost importance for Sister Nelson and me now? Our sacred bond as husband and wife, united for time and eternity. Our children are born within the covenant and are eternally sealed to us. This knowledge is a source of immeasurable joy.
When we married in the temple, our scriptural knowledge was still developing. However, we knew the powerful words of Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” As I mentioned, this scripture became the guiding principle for every decision we made together. Years later, we discovered the even more profound clarity of the Joseph Smith Translation of that verse: “Seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (JST, Matthew 6:38). This scripture has been our guiding light! And I have been profoundly inspired by this woman of unwavering faith who has stood by my side through all these years. The blessings I cherish most are a direct result of her influence.
The world has undergone significant changes in the past half-century. Spiritually, the world is unwell, and this malady is spreading rapidly. The temptations to sin far exceed what we encountered at your age. You are entering a consumer-driven culture fixated on material possessions. Selfishness is glorified, and many worship at its altar. False doctrines proclaiming all lifestyles as equally valid are loudly championed. Entitlement seems to overshadow responsibility. Responsible fatherhood is often reduced to mere weekly visits and financial support. In essence, we are witnessing a bewildering moral inversion.
Against this backdrop of spiritual decline, you, the young adults of the Church, step onto the stage. You possess a firm foundation of faith. You are beacons of righteousness, exemplars in courtship and marriage. You discern right from wrong. You uphold righteous standards. You are grounded in the Lord’s teachings, and you will impart them to your children and grandchildren. You are the “Hope of Israel, Zion’s army, Children of the promised day.” You possess far greater spiritual strength than we did at your age. As you navigate life’s challenges, you are among “the covenant people of the Lord, … scattered upon all … the earth; … armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” We are immensely proud of you!
Looking back, Sister Nelson and I can honestly affirm that our family and our membership in the Church are our greatest treasures. We are eternally grateful that we heeded the counsel of Church leaders to marry in the temple, to welcome children into our family, and to dedicate our lives to serving the Lord. Had we prioritized education over family, our blessings would be far less abundant. Our education journey was lengthy. Earning two doctoral degrees took considerable time, followed by years of surgical specialization. I didn’t send out my first medical bill until over 12 years after graduating medical school! By then, we had five children. Yet, through faith and determination, we persevered.
I commend Sister Nelson for her unwavering support and her ability to make the most of limited resources. I recall one evening in downtown Boston, walking along Boylston Street. We passed a furniture store, and Sister Nelson paused, gazing through the window. She pressed her nose against the glass and asked, “Do you think we will ever be able to afford a lamp?”
Gentlemen, I encourage you to seek a companion with long-term vision, like Sister Nelson. And to the sisters, I urge you to inspire your husbands to reach their full potential, even if the journey is lengthy.
We have experienced life’s joys and sorrows, its triumphs and trials. We have faced disappointment, illness, and even the loss of children. However, death cannot sever the bonds of families sealed in the temple. Such separations are temporary. Thanks to the Lord’s magnificent plan of happiness, we can face the future with unwavering faith and optimism.
Sister Nelson and I have come to understand that life is not a fleeting, single act. A premortal existence precedes this life, and life continues beyond the veil of death. Our premortal and mortal lives are but preludes to our eternal, postmortal existence. The doctrine of the three degrees of glory, revealed to prophets, offers us a glimpse into our postmortal potential. Eternal life is glorious and worth every effort to attain.
The premortal realm holds profound doctrinal foundations that strengthen our faith. It was there that the everlasting gospel was established. Before the earth’s creation, the plan of salvation was prepared. This plan encompassed the glorious potential for us to receive a divine inheritance in God’s kingdom.
Central to this plan of salvation is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In premortal councils, He was chosen by His Father to atone for our sins and overcome the chains of physical and spiritual death. Jesus declared, “I … was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. … In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name.” The Apostle Paul further taught that the Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”
Russell M. Nelson
Equally crucial to God’s plan is the family unit. In fact, a primary purpose of the plan is to elevate and eternalize families. The earth was created as a place for us, the spirit children of our Heavenly Father, to gain physical bodies. We are here to be tested and refined, to “choose liberty and eternal life, … or to choose captivity and death.” And wonderfully, we are given the opportunity to experience love, to marry, and to welcome children into our families.
Certain blessings were reserved for these latter days. The Lord purposed to reveal “things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” These revelations include the sacred truths found in the Book of Mormon, and the ordinances and covenants of the holy temple. To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord declared, “I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times.”
“The ordinance of baptizing for the dead … was [also] instituted from before the foundation of the world.” Salvation was thus made accessible to those “who should die without a knowledge of the gospel.” A vital link between generations was forged, ensuring a “whole, complete, and perfect union of dispensations, keys, powers, and glories.” This interconnectedness of generations is so paramount that the very purposes of the earth and the Church would be undermined if families were not sealed in holy temples.
Our preparation for mortal life commenced in the premortal realm. Before the world’s foundation, we existed as spirit children with our heavenly parents. Among us were noble and great souls. Abraham, Jeremiah, Joseph Smith, and others were foreordained to be prophets of God, some destined to become martyrs for His holy cause. The authority of the priesthood was to be passed down “from the fathers, from the beginning of time, … even … before the foundation of the earth.”
The Lord teaches that to attain the highest degree of celestial glory, individuals must enter into “the new and everlasting covenant of marriage.” Without this covenant, that highest degree remains unattainable.
Sisters are bestowed with a unique and sacred gift. They are empowered, according to the Lord, “to multiply and replenish the earth, … and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, … for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; … herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified.” Consider the profound significance of this decree. When a mother worthily bears and nurtures a child, she not only fulfills the earth’s purpose of creation but also glorifies God!
As children of the covenant, we were chosen to serve the Savior. The Apostle Paul taught that the Lord “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” As part of this foreordination, God established conditions for us to receive His blessings, blessings predicated upon obedience to His laws.
One such condition is our need to overcome worldly temptations. Even before the world’s creation, opposition, personified by Satan, was permitted. Satan has consistently opposed the Savior’s sacred work and continues to do so. He has fought against prophets and the scriptures of the Restoration. And in our time, Satan has focused his attacks directly on the heart of God’s plan: the family. Evidence of these attacks is pervasive. The percentage of adults who are married is decreasing, as are birth rates. The age of marriage is rising, while the number of unmarried couples increases. Immorality and pornography are widespread and destructive.
In the face of such pervasive spiritual sickness, unwavering faith in the Lord and His gospel is essential to withstand the adversary’s assaults. I implore you to reject all forms of ungodliness, both physical and spiritual. Hold firmly to the iron rod of the gospel!
Brothers and sisters, before the world existed, the gospel was central to God’s eternal plan. It is an everlasting gospel, now restored in its fulness. With this unshakeable foundation, the Church will remain steadfast, even through the Millennium. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the sure foundation upon which we build our individual faith and strengthen our families. Some may be spirituallyอ่อนแอ; others strong. We can be tossed about “like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed,” or we can anchor ourselves with cords of spiritual steel, rooted and grounded in the eternal truths of the gospel.
Such faith does not guarantee a life devoid of challenges, but it provides strength when difficulties arise. Adversity touches even the righteous. Accidents happen. Some married couples may not be blessed with children. Others may not marry in this life, or they may face the heartache of a spouse who strays from God’s commandments. The Lord is aware of these circumstances. He will bestow all the blessings He has in store for His faithful children, in His own time and way. Remain righteous, cultivate patience, maintain an eternal perspective, and you will be protected.
Throughout your lives, you will observe that apostles and prophets teach the general principles, the divine rules. We do not focus on exceptions, as these are governed by individual agency and accountability. The Lord understands that we live in an imperfect world, one that is “ripening in iniquity.” His judgments will be perfectly fair, just, and merciful.
A decade ago, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, foreseeing the spiritual decline we now face, issued a proclamation to the world on the family. Its message is even more critical today. We proclaim:
that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
Now, dear friends, heed this solemn warning:
Individuals who violate covenants of chastity, … or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
If you embrace this proclamation, brothers and sisters, you will be richly blessed. God lives and loves us. With His divine assistance, we can strengthen our faith and nurture our families. We can become worthy to receive this promise from the Lord: “If a man marry a wife by my word, … and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, … [they] shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, … powers, [and] dominions.”
I bear my testimony that your faith and your families will bring you profound joy, both in this life and in eternity. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored. We are guided by His prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley. Upon each of you beloved young adults of the Church, I bestow my love and blessing, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
