Notable quotes:
“Each of us has received gifts that we could not provide for ourselves, gifts from our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, including redemption through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” “Every time we use, benefit from, or even think of these gifts, we ought to consider the sacrifice, generosity and compassion of the givers. Reverence for the givers does more than just make us grateful. Reflecting on Their gifts can and should transform us.” “As you act act on those words [‘Hear Him’] and listen to Him, remember, joyfully and reverently, that the Savior loves to restore what you cannot restore; He loves to heal wounds you cannot heal; He loves to fix what has been irreparably broken; He compensates for any unfairness inflicted on you; and He loves to permanently mend even shattered hearts.” Summary points:
- Prophets throughout time have encouraged men and women to remember the greatness of God and to consider what He has done for individuals, families and a people.
- Heavenly Father wants His children to recall His and His Son’s goodness, not for Their own gratification, but for the influence such remembrances have on His children.
- Remember each day the greatness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and what they have done for each individual.
Summary:
Prophets have encouraged their listeners to remember the greatness of God and to consider what He has done for individuals, families and a people.
Heavenly Father wants His children to recall His and His Beloved Son’s goodness — not for Their own gratification, but for the influence such remembrance has on the individual. By considering Their kindness, one’s perspective and understanding are enlarged. By reflecting on Their compassion, one becomes more humble, prayerful and steadfast.
An example: an older man waiting for a heart transplant learns of a suitable donor – his 16-year-old grandson, mortally injured in a car-train accident. Much like the man, each person is a recipient of provisions not from oneself but from Heavenly Father and the Son, including redemption through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
“Every time we use, benefit from, or even think of these gifts, we ought to consider the sacrifice, generosity and compassion of the givers. Reverence for the givers does more than just make us grateful. Reflecting on Their gifts can and should transform us. …
“I invite you to remember each day the greatness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and what They have done for you. Let your consideration of Their goodness more firmly bind your wandering heart to Them. Ponder Their compassion and you will be blessed with added spiritual sensitivity and become more Christlike.”
Consider Heavenly Father, referring to His Beloved Son by saying, “Hear Him.”
“As you act on those words and listen to Him, remember, joyfully and reverently, that the Savior loves to restore what you cannot restore; He loves to heal wounds you cannot heal; He loves to fix what has been irreparably broken; He compensates for any unfairness inflicted on you; and He loves to permanently mend even shattered hearts.”
In the news:
- At the annual Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction on Feb. 27, Elder Renlund taught local leaders about the importance of working with the ward temple and family history leader.
- Elder Renlund and his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, spent 10 days visiting the Carribean in February. He became the first apostle to visit the islands of Dominica, Martinique, and Turks and Caicos and dedicated each for the preaching of the gospel.
- In a Jan. 14 devotional broadcast to Missionary Training Centers worldwide from the MTC in Provo, Utah, Elder Renlund told sisters and elders to “treasure up continually the words of life.”
- He spoke to Brigham Young University students about keeping their “spiritual receptors” open to God’s love at a campus devotional on Dec. 3, 2019.
- In April 2019, Elder Renlund dedicated the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple.
About the speaker:
- Elder Renlund was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 3, 2015.
- He served in Sweden as a young full-time missionary.
- He was a professor of medicine at the University of Utah and medical director of the Utah Cardiac Transplant Program.
- Elder Renlund was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in November 1952. He married Ruth Lybbert in 1977. They are the parents of one daughter.
Recently on Social:
- In a March 24 Facebook post, Elder Renlund shared a photo of his niece’s son, Joshua, who recently turned 8 and chose to be baptized despite limitations on how many guests could be invited to the event. Joshua wanted to have the Holy Ghost with him, Elder Renlund wrote.
- Likening the recent earthquake in Utah to “seismic hits” that can occur in an individual’s personal life, Elder Renlund invited his Instagram followers on March 21 to strengthen their faith to prepare for spiritual trials in the future.
- In light of an increased focus on handwashing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he wrote in a March 15 Facebook post that the “Living Water, our Savior Jesus Christ,” and “the soap of repentance” can protect against spiritual maladies.
- On Jan. 28, Elder Renlund posted a photo on Instagram of himself standing next to the grave of Thomas B. Marsh, the first president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the latter days.
