Friday, May 3, 2019

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf on walking the path of discipleship

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.
"Strive to walk the path of discipleship. As your love for God and His children deepens, so does your commitment to follow Jesus Christ.
"You learn about His way by feasting upon His word and heeding and applying the teachings of modern prophets and apostles. You grow in confidence and courage to follow His way as you communicate with Heavenly Father with a teachable, humble heart.
"Walking the path of discipleship takes practice—each day, little by little, 'grace for grace' (D&C 93:12), 'line upon line' (Isaiah 28:10). Sometimes two steps forward and one step back.
"The important thing is that you don’t give up; keep trying to get it right. You will eventually become better, happier, and more authentic. Talking with others about your faith will become normal and natural. In fact, the gospel will be such an essential, precious part of your lives that it would feel unnatural not to talk about it with others. That may not happen immediately—it is a lifelong effort. But it will happen."
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart," General Conference April 2019
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Uchtdorf counseled regarding ways to be effective missionaries as we strive to share the gospel with others. One of the most important things is to be faithful disciples ourselves, demonstrating in our lives the influence of the gospel plan:


The more we begin to understand God and His plan for us, the more we feel a profound sense of love for Him, and the more eager we are to follow His way. That is the essence of discipleship. Our humble communication with God will increase and we will "grow in confidence and courage" in sharing the message with others. As we persist in that path, we will eventually "become better, happier, and more authentic."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

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