"Brothers and Sisters in Christ" Talk Outline

Last updated on January 6th, 2024 at 06:06 pm

General Conference Applied

“Brothers and Sisters in Christ” by Elder Ulisses Soares; October 2023 General Conference

Corresponding General Conference Applied episode show notes: S2 E14

Talk Outline

Invitations

“May we align our hearts and minds with the knowledge and testimony that we are all equal before God, that we are all fully endowed with the same eternal potential and inheritance. May we enjoy more the spiritual kinship that exists between us and value the different attributes and varied gifts we all have.”

Directives (“an official or authoritative instruction”)

“Our dear prophet, Russell M. Nelson, declared: ‘I call upon our members everywhere to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice. I plead with you to promote respect for all of God’s children.’ (“Let God Prevail“) As a global and ever-growing Church, following this invitation from our prophet is a vital prerequisite for building the Savior’s kingdom in every nation of the world.”
“As disciples of Christ, we are invited to increase our faith in, and love for, our spiritual brother- and sisterhood by genuinely knitting our hearts together in unity and love, regardless of our differences, thereby increasing our ability to promote respect for the dignity of all the sons and daughters of God.”
“President Nelson further emphasized the importance of spreading dignity and respect for our fellow beings when he stated: ‘The Creator of us all calls on each of us to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God’s children. Any of us who has prejudice toward another race needs to repent! … It behooves each of us to do whatever we can in our spheres of influence to preserve the dignity and respect every son and daughter of God deserves.'” (“We Are All Children of God“)

Promises

Promise: “I can assure you that the light of a new day shines brighter in our lives”
Action: “when we see and treat our fellow beings with respect and dignity and as true brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Action: “May we align our hearts and minds with the knowledge and testimony that we are all equal before God, that we are all fully endowed with the same eternal potential and inheritance. May we enjoy more the spiritual kinship that exists between us and value the different attributes and varied gifts we all have.”
Promise: “If we do so, I promise you that we will flow in our own way, as does the water of the Iguaçú Falls, without losing our divine connection that identifies us as a peculiar people, ‘the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.’ (4 Nephi 1:17) I testify to you that as we continue to flow this way during our mortal life, a new day will begin with a new light that will brighten our lives and illuminate wonderful opportunities to value more, and be more fully blessed by, the diversity created by God among His children. We will surely become instruments in His hands to promote respect and dignity among all His sons and daughters.”

Doctrines

Godhead: “There are three separate personages in the Godhead: God the Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost (see Articles of Faith 1:1; Acts 7:55–56). The Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bone, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit (see D&C 130:22–23). Although the members of the Godhead are distinct beings with distinct roles, they are one in purpose. They are perfectly united in bringing to pass Heavenly Father’s divine plan of salvation.”

Principles

Our Heavenly Family: “God is not only our Ruler and Creator; He is also our Heavenly Father. All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God. ‘Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body’ (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335). Every person who was ever born on earth is our spirit brother or sister. Because we are the spirit children of God, we have inherited the potential to develop His divine qualities. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become like our Heavenly Father and receive a fulness of joy.”

Christlike Attributes

Charity and Love: “As you pray for the gift of charity, you will be less inclined to dwell on negative feelings such as anger or envy. You will become less likely to judge or criticize others. You will have more desire to try to understand them and their points of view. You will become more patient and try to help people when they are struggling or discouraged.” (See Moroni 7:45.)

Attribute Activity:

“I feel a sincere desire for the eternal welfare and happiness of others. (Mosiah 28:3)”
“When I pray, I ask for charity—the pure love of Christ. (Moroni 7:47–48)”
“I try to understand others’ feelings and see their point of view. (Jude 1:22)”
“I forgive others who have offended or wronged me. (Ephesians 4:32)”
“I reach out in love to help those who are lonely, struggling, or discouraged. (Mosiah 18:9)”
“When appropriate, I express my love and care for others by ministering to them through word and deed. (Luke 7:12–15)”
“I look for opportunities to serve others. (Mosiah 2:17)”
“I say positive things about others. (Doctrine and Covenants 42:27)”
“I am kind and patient with others, even when they are hard to get along with. (Moroni 7:45)”
“I find joy in others’ achievements. (Alma 17:2–4)”

Most Important Quote

“I have deep compassion for those who have been mistreated, belittled, or persecuted by unfeeling and thoughtless people, because, in the course of my life, I have seen firsthand the pain good people suffer from being judged or dismissed because they happened to speak, look, or live differently. I also feel genuine sorrow in my heart for those whose minds remain darkened, whose vision is limited, and whose hearts remain hardened by the belief in the inferiority of those who are different from them. Their limited view of others actually obstructs their ability to see who they are as children of God.“

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