A Visit from Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Magandand tanghali po sa inyong lahat!

The apostle Jeffery R Holland is in the Philippines for the groundbreaking of the Urdaneta Temple and he held a stake conference which we were able to watch via broadcast. I wanted to share some of the things he taught and expound a little in my own words:

He explained to us why we have had all the changes to the church in the past year. He made it very clear that he did not know when Jesus Christ was coming again but the Millennium is already starting and the Prophet is hastening the work. He told us that in the time of the Second Coming, we are going to have to present the Lord His church. No other dispensation has had to do that so we had better not just look or act like his Saints, but actually BE Christ's disciples in all times and in all thing and in all places. So these changes are for the perfecting of the saints, for us to be more Christ-like by caring of others and living and learning the gospel. This is not just in the 2 hours on Sunday but the 164 other hours in the week. 

He said the way to change the world is by submitting to God's will and helping to build the kingdom of God. He promised that if we commit to being obedient, the Millennium could start today in our home. We don't know when the Millennium will come, but it could start early for you if you are obedient, submit to God's will and build up the kingdom of God. "Satan will be bound in that home," he said.  What a cool promise!

What made it even better is that I had read in Isaiah about the Millennium that morning. In 2 Nephi 24:3 it says that in the Millennium, we will have rest from sorrow, fear and "hard bondage." In verse 7 it says " The whole earth is at rest and is quiet and they break forth into singing". That's what we can have in our home if we hearken to the counsel of Elder Holland! We should make and keep covenants, be obedient to all commandments, fulfill our callings, do family history and temple work, share the Gospel, especially in our own home and use the new "Come Follow Me " curriculum to help our family become the disciples of Christ that we need to be in the time of Christ's coming. 

Through experience, I know that Satan can be bound as we are obedient and strive to be submissive to all things God sees fit for us to experience. I know that we can have those feelings of peace and rest when we share the gospel and care for others and I encourage all of you to do the same!

Love you all!

-Sister Gray