Elder Holland
I started this post three years ago, but now it's time to finish it so it can be part of this series. Because of that, its format will be just a bit different, but I can start it out the same!
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Although most of my favorite parts of Elder Holland's talks are how he helps me understand a concept or parable better, he does have the occasional memorable one-liners. Here are a few of them:
"Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we."
"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."
"Why should you be jealous because I choose to be kind?"
"God's concern is for the faith at which you finally arrive, not the hour of the day in which you got there."
"It is never too late so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time."
"The loveliest women have a glow of health, a warm personality, a love of learning, stability of character, and integrity, and carry the sweet and gentle Spirit of the Lord."
(from 2017) I think it's normal for each of us to have a favorite apostle, and mine would be Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. He was president of Brigham Young University while I was there as a student, which I think has a lot to do with it. Even though he didn't speak, it was an extra special treat just to see him walk into the Marriott Center when we were there this spring for Steven's graduation. It just felt right.
I've had the thought for a while that I should study each of his conference talks, looking for themes and patterns and counsel. The first step is to organize them all into one place, which is the purpose of this post. (I just discovered them all here, which makes this step quite a bit easier, and maybe even unnecessary!) We'll see what the second step is once the first is complete!
Talks given as BYU President:
25 August 1981 - "That Our Children May Know" (Education Week)
Talks given in General Conference:
October 1989 - "He Loved Them Unto the End" - Christ and charity will never fail us.
October 1993 - "Look to God and Live" - Turn to God; reaffirm faith; reassert hope.
October 1994 - "Miracles of the Restoration" - Living prophets and faithful members strengthen each other and move the work forward together.
April 1995 - "Our Priesthood Legacy" - A prophet's preparation; duty, honor, courage and example; teach the youth.
October 1995 - "This Do in Remembrance of Me" - The sacrament should be a powerful, reverent, reflective moment.
April 1996 - "A Handful of Meal and a Little Oil" - Learn from the widow's faith, and care for the poor.
October 1996 - "The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom" - One of the purposes of general conference is to encourage us to turn to the Lord and seak peace through repentance and forgiveness.
April 1997 - "Because She is a Mother" - A talk on motherhood that changed my life.
October 1997 - "He hath Filled the Hungry with Good Things" - Come and feast at the table of the Lord, the Bread of Life, the Fountain of Living Water.
April 1998 - "A Teacher Come from God" - "Satan is certainly not subtle in his teachings; why should we be be? Never make our faith difficult to detect."
October 1998 - "Personal Purity" - Importance of chastity before and after marriage.
April 1999 - "The Hands of the Fathers" - Emulate relationship of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in our own families.
October 1999 - "An High Priest of Good Things to Come" - Don't give up!
April 2000 - "As Doves to our Windows" - Live our religion.
October 2000 - "Sanctify Yourselves" - Young men, be prepared for priesthood service.
April 2001 - "Witnesses Unto Me" - Share the gospel. Live it. Talk about it. Prepare for full-time service.
October 2001 - "Like a Watered Garden" - Five reasons to pay tithing.
April 2002 - The Other Prodigal - Another one of his talks that made a difference in my life.
October 2002 - Called to Serve
April 2003 - "A Prayer for the Children"
October 2003 - The Grandeur of God
April 2004 - "Abide in Me"
October 2004 - Prophets, Seers and Revelators
April 2005 - Our Most Distinguishing Feature - Priesthood, "divine authority by direct revelation"
October 2005 - To Young Women - Remember you are a daughter of God.
April 2006 - Broken Things to Mend - Contains a beautiful poem, "Carpenter of Nazareth"
October 2006 - Prophets in the Land Again - Importance of general conference
April 2007 - The Tongue of Angels - Words have great power.
October 2007 - The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent
April 2008 - "My Words . . . Never Cease" - Goes with previous talk - two truths to dispute "you're not Christian" claims
October 2008 - The Ministry of Angels - "Always there are angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal."
April 2009 - None Were with Him - "Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so."
October 2009 - Safety for the Soul - divinity of the Book of Mormon
April 2010 - Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul - Love vs. lust. We can reject the evil one.
October 2010 - Because of Your Faith - "No one of you is insignificant."
April 2011 - An Ensign to the Nations - General Conference itself is a unique phenomenon.
October 2011 - We are All Enlisted - We need missionaries.
April 2012 - The Laborers in the Vineyard - Another great explanation of a New Testament parable.
October 2012 - The First Great Commandment
April 2013 - "Lord, I Believe"
October 2013 - Like a Broken Vessel
April 2014 - The Cost and Blessings of Discipleship - Stay strong, even when those around you falter.
October 2014 - Are We Not All Beggars? - "Although I may not be my brother's keeper, I am my brother's brother, and 'because I have been given much, I too must give.'"
April 2015 - Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet - Easter Sunday
October 2015 - Behold Thy Mother
April 2016 - Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You - Keep the fire and inspiration from general conference alive in your heart.
October 2016 - Emissaries to the Church - Importance of home teachers
April 2017 - Songs Sung and Unsung - Be part of the gospel choir; it's meant to be diverse and have variety.
October 2017 - Be Ye Therefore Perfect - Eventually
April 2018 - "Be With Them and Strengthen Them" - Ministering
October 2018 - The Ministry of Reconciliation - Be peacemakers, love, seek, create, and cherish peace.
April 2019 - Behold the Lamb of God - The sacrament is the focal point of our week. "If the ox is in the mire every Sunday, then we strongly recommend that you sell the ox or fill the mire."
October 2019 - The Message, the Meaning, and the Multitude - "Welcome to general conference!" - Find Jesus Christ at the center of everything.
April 2020 - A Perfect Brightness of Hope
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