President Dieter F. Uchtdorf on being devoted disciples

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (born November 6, 1940) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He served as second counselor in the First Presidency from 2008 to 2018.

"The Apostle Paul wrote, 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light' (Ephesians 5:14).

"My dear friends, know that you are sons of light.

"Don’t allow selfishness! Don’t allow habits that could lead to addiction! Don’t allow competing priorities to lull you into indifference or detachment from blessed discipleship and ennobling priesthood service!

"There is too much at stake for us as individuals, as families, and as Christ’s Church to give only a halfhearted effort to this sacred work.

"Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not an effort of once a week or once a day. It is an effort of once and for all....

"I testify that the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the transformative power of the Holy Ghost can heal and rescue mankind. It is our privilege, our sacred duty, and our joy to heed the Savior’s call to follow Him with a willing mind and full purpose of heart. Let us 'shake off the chains with which [we] are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust' (2 Nephi 1:23).

"Let us be awake and not be weary of well-doing, for we 'are laying the foundation of a great work' (D&C 64:33), even preparing for the return of the Savior. Brethren, when we add the light of our example as a witness to the beauty and power of restored truth, we will not sleep through the Restoration."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?", General Conference April 2014
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As a member of the First Presidency, President Uchtdorf shared these remarks in a Priesthood session of General Conference. He encouraged his listeners to be alert and active as they watched, and participated in, the great events of these last days—and not to "sleep through the Restoration." As we strive to participate actively in the "blessed discipleship" that we believe in, we all have countless opportunities to serve and to grow. But we need to be fully committed and engaged in the Lord's work:

President Uchtdorf bore a powerful witness about "the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the transformative power of the Holy Ghost" that are available to each of us, to bring healing and rescue. What a precious gift for us!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)