Elder Robert D. Hales (August 24, 1932-October 1, 2017) served as a Seventy from 1976 to 1985, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
"As prophesied, we live in a time when the darkness of secularism is deepening around us. Belief in God is widely questioned and even attacked in the name of political, social, and even religious causes. Atheism, or the doctrine that there is no God, is fast spreading across the world.
"Even so, as members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ, we declare that 'we believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.' (Articles of Faith 1:1)
"Some wonder, why is belief in God so important? Why did the Savior say, 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent'? (John 17:3; emphasis added.)
"Without God, life would end at the grave and our mortal experiences would have no purpose. Growth and progress would be temporary, accomplishment without value, challenges without meaning. There would be no ultimate right and wrong and no moral responsibility to care for one another as fellow children of God. Indeed, without God, there would be no mortal or eternal life."
- Robert D. Hales, "Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ," General Conference October 2009
Click here to read or listen to the full talk
Do you believe in God? Does it matter in today's world? Elder Hales warns that we live in a world that is increasingly dark and secular, where belief in God is widely questioned. So why does it matter? He testifies:
To understand why belief in God matters, Elder Hales suggests we consider the implications of not believing in Him, or of God not existing. We may live a life of blissful ignorance; but in reality, that life exists only because God exists, and the chance for true happiness depends on accepting and trusting Him.
(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)
No comments:
Post a Comment