Ronald A Rasband | To Heal the World | April 2022 General Conference | Faith to Act

To Heal the World
By Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Wounds and differences can be resolved and even healed when we honor God, the Father of us all, and Jesus Christ, His Son.

Brothers and sisters, at this glorious Easter season we are so blessed to meet and receive counsel and direction from God’s servants.

Sacred guidance and teachings from our Heavenly Father help us navigate life in these perilous times. As was prophesied, “fires, and tempests,” “wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places,” “and all manner of abominations,”1 “plague,”2 “famines, and pestilences”3 are ravaging families, communities, and even nations.

There is another scourge sweeping the globe: attacks on your and my religious freedom. This growing sentiment seeks to remove religion and faith in God from the public square, schools, community standards, and civic discourse. Opponents of religious freedom seek to impose restrictions on expressions of heartfelt convictions. They even criticize and ridicule faith traditions.

Such an attitude marginalizes people, devaluing personal principles, fairness, respect, spirituality, and peace of conscience.

What is religious freedom?

It is freedom of worship in all its configurations: freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom to act on personal beliefs, and freedom for others to do the same. Religious freedom allows each of us to decide for ourselves what we believe, how we live and act according to our faith, and what God expects of us.

Efforts to curtail such religious liberty are not new. Throughout history, people of faith have suffered mightily at the hands of others. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are no different.

From our beginnings, many seeking God were drawn to this Church because of its teachings of divine doctrine, including faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, the plan of happiness, and the Second Coming of our Lord.

Opposition, persecution, and violence plagued our first latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith, and his followers.

Amidst the turmoil in 1842, Joseph published 13 fundamental tenets of the growing Church, including this one: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”4

His statement is inclusive, liberating, and respectful. That is the essence of religious freedom.

The Prophet Joseph Smith also stated:

“I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the … Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves.

“It is a love of liberty [that] inspires my soul—civil and religious liberty to the whole of the human race.”5

General Conference Sunday Morning Session April 2022

Get your FREE copy of The New Proclamation to the World: “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ”
🙏🏼http://bit.ly/Restoration200

😇Come Unto Christ - Faith to Act - http://www.faithtoact.com

⛪ - Find a local Latter-day Saint Church to attend ➜ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/maps/meetinghouses/

📘 - Request a FREE Book of Mormon ➜ https://www.comeuntochrist.org/requests/free-book-of-mormon

📖 - Request a FREE Holy Bible ➜ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/free-holy-bible

⭐ - Learn the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ➜ https://news-nz.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/mormonism-basics--faq

👪 - Find out about your family history and get to know your relatives ➜ https://www.familysearch.org/en/

#GeneralConferenceApril2022 #FaithToAct #Christian
#BookofMormon #ComeUntoChrist #HeLives #HearHim #TheRestoration