It has been 4½ years since his wife died and he is still processing that experience.
What matters most is what lasts longest.
Barbara Ballard
Things that matter most:
- Family (including friends, wards, and extended family for those without close family)
- Follow the promptings of the spirit
- Being converted to the Lord
- Having a testimony of Christ
- Bearing testimony of Christ
In courtship and marriage we don’t fall in love and out of love like we are rocks being moved, we choose.
We often hear more of “I love” and “I’m grateful” rather than “I know” in testimony meeting. … Bear testimony of what you know.
Today I will share from my heart a few feelings and thoughts on what matters most.
- A relationship with our Heavenly Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is most important. This relationship matters most now and in eternity.
- Family relationships are among those things that matter most.
- Following the promptings of the Spirit in our most important relationships and in our efforts to love our neighbors as ourselves, including in our private and public ministries.
- Being converted to the Lord, bearing testimony of Him, and serving Him are also among the things that matter most.
A choice to be part of a family requires commitment, love, patience, communication, and forgiveness. There may be times when we disagree with another person, but we can do so without being disagreeable. In courtship and marriage, we don’t fall in love or fall out of love as though we are objects being moved on a chessboard. We choose to love and sustain one another. We do the same in other family relationships and with friends who are like family to us.
Often in our testimony meetings on fast Sundays, we hear the phrases “I am thankful” and “I love” more than we hear the phrases “I know” and “I believe.”
I invite you to bear your testimony of Jesus Christ more often. Bear testimony of what you know and believe and what you feel, not just of what you are thankful for. Testify of your own experiences of coming to know and love the Savior, of living His teachings, and of His redemptive and enabling power in your life. As you bear testimony of what you know, believe, and feel, the Holy Ghost will confirm the truth to those who earnestly listen to your testimony.
Update 11/13/2023 @ 9:02 AM: At 7:29 AM (35 minutes after I finished listening to this talk) the church news announced that President Ballard died last night. I consider this a great talk to remember him by.
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