Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on our loving Father in Heaven

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"We, of all people, should be 'sing[ing] the song of redeeming love' (Alma 5:26), but that takes discipline—'discipleship,' if you will—the kind that guards against negative attitudes and destructive habits that would pull us off-key as we try to sing that song of eternal salvation.

"Even as we stay 'on the sunny side of the street,' we do run into that fellow from time to time who is determined to find something bleak and dismal about everything. You know his motto: 'It is always darkest just before it goes pitch-black.' What a malignant vision, and what a miserable existence! Yes, we might sometimes want to run away from where we are, but we certainly should never run away from who we are—children of the living God who loves us, who is always ready to forgive us, and who will never, ever forsake us. You are His most precious possession. You are His child, to whom He has given prophets and promises, spiritual gifts and revelations, miracles and messages, and angels on both sides of the veil."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Fear Not: Believe Only!", General Conference April 2022, Saturday afternoon

Click here to read or listen to the complete address

Much of Elder Holland's address was directed to youth, but with powerful application to all of us. The challenges of life are often profound and heavy. But remembering who we really are, what our heritage is, the help that is available through the Savior's Atonement—those are all great keys to moving forward successfully in life.

We must never forget that we truly do have a loving Father! And that He has provided so many resources to help us with our challenges, and will continue to love and sustain us. Elder Holland's witness was powerful, and if it helps only one struggling youth, it will certainly have been worthwhile. But I believe it has power to help every one of us.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the power of coming unto Christ

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (b. 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"Whoever we are, and whatever our problems, his response is always the same—forever. 'Come unto me' (Matt. 11:28). Come see what I do and how I spend my time. Learn of me, follow me, and in the process I will give you answers to your prayers and rest to your souls.

"I know of no other way for you to be able to carry your burdens or find what Jacob called 'that happiness which is prepared for the saints' (2 Ne. 9:43). That is why we make solemn covenants based on Christ's atoning sacrifice, why we take upon us his name.

"In as many ways as possible, both figuratively and literally, we try to take upon us his identity. We seek out his teachings and retell his miracles. We send latter-day witnesses, including prophets, apostles, and missionaries, around the world to declare his message. We call ourselves his children and we testify that he is the only source of eternal life. We plead for him to swing open the gates of heaven in our behalf, and trust everlastingly that he will, based upon our faithfulness.

"My desire for you is to have more straightforward experience with the Savior's life and teachings. Perhaps sometimes we come to Christ too obliquely, focusing on structure or methods or elements of Church administration. Those are important, but not without attention to the weightier matters of the kingdom, first and foremost of which is a personal spiritual relationship with Deity, including the Savior whose kingdom this is."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Come and See," adapted from a Church Education System fireside address delivered March 2, 1997. See New Era, Dec. 1997, pp. 4-8; Ensign, April 1998, pp. 16-23
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Holland has a way of sharing thoughts and invitations that speak right to the heart. In describing the Savior's love for each of us, he does that in a powerful way in this quote. He interprets the Savior's invitation to "Come unto me" as a beckoning call to "Come see what I do and how I spend my time. Learn of me, follow me, and in the process I will give you answers to your prayers and rest to your souls." The goal is to "try to take upon us his identity" and become more and more like Him in every way. We do that through our direct, personal experiences with His life and teachings:

In the establishment of that "personal spiritual relationship with Deity," we unlock the door to His love and blessings in our lives. That is certainly worth every effort to obtain and achieve!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)
June 26, 2016

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the power and blessing of the Savior's Atonement

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (b. 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"Prophesying of the Savior’s Atonement, Isaiah wrote, 'He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows' (Isaiah 53:4). A majestic latter-day vision emphasized that '[Jesus] came into the world ... to bear the sins of the world' (D&C 76:41). Both ancient and modern scripture testify that 'he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old' (D&C 133:53; see also Isaiah 63:9). A favorite hymn pleads with us to 'hear your great Deliv’rer’s voice!' (“Israel, Israel, God Is Calling,” Hymns, no. 7.)

"Bear, borne, carry, deliver. These are powerful, heartening messianic words. They convey help and hope for safe movement from where we are to where we need to be—but cannot get without assistance. These words also connote burden, struggle, and fatigue—words most appropriate in describing the mission of Him who, at unspeakable cost, lifts us up when we have fallen, carries us forward when strength is gone, delivers us safely home when safety seems far beyond our reach. 'My Father sent me,' He said, 'that I might be lifted up upon the cross; ... that as I have been lifted up ... even so should men be lifted up ... to ... me.' (3 Nephi 27:14.)"

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Behold Thy Mother," Ensign, November 2015, pp. 47-50
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Holland identifies some "Messianic words"— "Bear, borne, carry, deliver" — strong verbs that convey a tender meaning. I've never considered the thought of a Messianic word; a very interesting concept. And the power in those words lies in their ability to bless us; to bring hope, help, and progress, for all things we are unable to do for ourselves, but cannot do without assistance.

What a powerful testimony of a loving Redeemer!

The beauty of this excerpt is that Elder Holland then goes on to talk, in a most tender tribute, about how mothers act in the same spirit to bless lives.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)
January 19, 2016

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on living with faith in God

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940 - 76 years ago today!) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot's wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord's ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind....

"To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now; to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future; to miss the here-and-now-and-tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there-and-then-and-yesterday—these are some of the sins, if we may call them that, of ... Lot's wife."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Remember Lot's Wife," BYU Devotional, 13 January 2009
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This is, for me, one of the most memorable of Elder Holland's many remarkable speeches. In addressing an assembly of BYU students, he spoke about what he identified as the second shortest verse in all the scriptures: "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32). He explained that in the original story in Genesis 19, when Lot's family is fleeing God's destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, his wife disobeyed the Lord's instruction to "look not behind thee;" but her greater problem was that in her heart, she wanted to be back in Sodom enjoying the pleasures of the city. At least one aspect of the sin she committed was to doubt that God could give her something better than what she had already experienced. A parallel danger is to focus too much on the trials and hardships, forgetting the promises of "good things to come."

Faith in God reminds us to look forward, not backward. It is anticipation and expectation of the good to come, trusting in God's promises and the ultimate deliverance He will provide. We must remember, as Elder Holland emphasized on another occasion, that He truly is the “high priest of good things to come” (Hebrews 9:11).

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)
December 3, 2016

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the start of a new year

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"The start of a new year is the traditional time to take stock of our lives and see where we are going, measured against the backdrop of where we have been. I don't want to talk about New Year's resolutions, but I do want to talk about the past and the future, with an eye toward any time of transition and change in our lives—and those moments come virtually every day....

"You can remember just enough to avoid repeating the mistake, but then put the rest of it all on the dung heap Paul spoke of to the Philippians (3:7-12). Dismiss the destructive, and keep dismissing it until the beauty of the Atonement of Christ has revealed to you your bright future and the bright future of your family, your friends, and your neighbors. God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go....

"This is an important matter to consider at the start of a new year—and every day ought to be the start of a new year and a new life. Such is the wonder of faith, repentance, and the miracle of the gospel of Jesus Christ....

"Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the 'high priest of good things to come' (Hebrews 9:11).

"Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever. That is a New Year's resolution I ask you to keep."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Best is Yet to Be," BYU devotional given January 13, 2009; see Ensign, January 2010, pp. 22-27
Click here to read the full talk

Today is January 1, and a new year begins. Elder Holland notes that "every day ought to be the start of a new year," but we tend to emphasize the accustomed calendar boundaries. As I "take stock" of my life this morning, I appreciate Elder Holland's encouragement to learn from the past but not dwell on it, allowing the "beauty of the Atonement of Christ" to guide me to the future.

This profound excerpt ought to be engraven on every heart: "God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go." We can easily dwell too much on where we have been, the mistakes, the shortcomings, the challenges and frustrations. 

That's the New Year's resolution to focus on, keeping our eyes on our dreams and ensuring we are claiming "His help" as offered for every step.  And then, as promised, we will each witness "the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
January 1, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the Christmas message and families

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"At this focal point of all human history, a point illuminated by a new star in the heavens revealed for just such a purpose, probably no other mortal watched—none but a poor young carpenter, a beautiful virgin mother, and silent stabled animals who had not the power to utter the sacredness they had seen.

"Shepherds would soon arrive and later, wise men from the East. Later yet the memory of that night would bring Santa Claus and Frosty and Rudolph—and all would be welcome. But first and forever there was just a little family, without toys or trees or tinsel. With a baby—that’s how Christmas began.

"It is for this baby that we shout in chorus: 'Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn king! ... Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die: Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.' (Hymns, no. 60.)"

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Maybe Christmas Doesn’t Come from a Store," address given to the Religious Instruction faculty at BYU, December 12, 1976; see Ensign, Dec. 1977, pp. 63–65
Click here to read the full talk

In the midst of the many retellings of the Christmas story, it's easy to forget that based on the New Testament record, the actual event of the birth of the Savior was a very simple and solitary occurrence. Joseph and Mary were apparently alone in the stable as witnesses of one of the most important events of all history.

This is a beautiful summary: "First and forever there was just a little family, without toys or trees or tinsel. With a baby—that’s how Christmas began." And it's with family that we continue to find the greatest joys and blessings of the season as well.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
December 10, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on God's love for each of us

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"Jesus did not come to improve God's view of man nearly so much as He came to improve man's view of God and to plead with them to love their Heavenly Father as He has always and will always love them. The plan of God, the power of God, the holiness of God, yes, even the anger and the judgment of God they had occasion to understand. But the love of God, the profound depth of His devotion to His children, they still did not fully know—until Christ came.

"So feeding the hungry, healing the sick, rebuking hypocrisy, pleading for faith—this was Christ showing us the way of the Father, He who is 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness' (Lectures on Faith, 42). In His life and especially in His death, Christ was declaring, 'This is God's compassion I am showing you, as well as that of my own.' In the perfect Son's manifestation of the perfect Father's care, in Their mutual suffering and shared sorrow for the sins and heartaches of the rest of us, we see ultimate meaning in the declaration: 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved' (John 3:16-17).

"I bear personal witness this day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers, and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that amidst the wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seeks our individual happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created in His very image and likeness (see Gen. 1:26-27; Moses 2:26-27), and Jesus of Nazareth, His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal manifestation of His grandeur."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Grandeur of God," General Conference October 2003
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Holland is a master of hope and encouragement. In this message, he helps us understand our relationship with God, and His enduring love for us.

The key is understanding how the Jesus' mortal experience demonstrated the "profound depth" of God's devotion to His children. Every aspect of the Savior's life showed us "the way of the Father"—"In His life and especially in His death, Christ was declaring, 'This is God's compassion I am showing you, as well as that of my own.'" What a beautiful witness.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
December 3, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the burdens and blessings of life

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (b. December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"On this upward and sometimes hazardous journey, each of us meets our share of daily challenges. If we are not careful, as we peer through the narrow lens of self-interest, we may feel that life is bringing us more than our fair share of trials—that somehow others seem to be getting off more lightly.

"But the tests of life are tailored for our own best interests, and all will face the burdens best suited to their own mortal experience. In the end we will realize that God is merciful as well as just and that all the rules are fair. We can be reassured that our challenges will be the ones we needed, and conquering them will bring blessings we could have received in no other way.

"If we constantly focus only on the stones in our mortal path, we will almost surely miss the beautiful flower or cool stream provided by the loving Father who outlined our journey. Each day can bring more joy than sorrow when our mortal and spiritual eyes are open to God's goodness. Joy in the gospel is not something that begins only in the next life. It is our privilege now, this very day. We must never allow our burdens to obscure our blessings. There will always be more blessings than burdens—even if some days it doesn't seem so. Jesus said, 'I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly' (John 10:10). Enjoy those blessings right now. They are yours and always will be."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "What I Wish Every New Member Knew—and Every Longtime Member Remembered," Ensign, October 2006, pp. 10-16
Click here to read the full talk

This is an important warning. It's so easy, so natural for us to constantly compare our situation with what we perceive of the situations of others around us. We know quite a bit about our own "daily challenges," and at times it can seem that we are getting more than we deserve of those problems than our friends or associates. We "peer through the narrow lens of self-interest" and compare burdens; but we often misinterpret the burdens carried by others, not realizing the weight or severity of the challenges they face.

More importantly, we forget that God is in charge, and He molds the experience of life to "our own best interests." It's so important that we learn to trust in His wisdom, His personal knowledge of each of us, and His deep and unending love.

Once we begin to open our eyes and see not just the stones in the path but the beautiful vistas that accompany it, then we begin to experience the abundant life that the Savior promised.

Joy is available NOW! Life is a great blessing, and "there will always be more blessings than burdens" if we only have eyes to see.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
July 28, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the first great commandment

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (b. December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"Friends, in our present moment we find all manner of divisions and subdivisions, sets and subsets, digital tribes and political identities, with more than enough hostility to go around. Might we ask ourselves if a 'higher and holier' life, to use President Russell M. Nelson’s phrase, is something we could seek? When doing so, we would do well to remember that stunning period in the Book of Mormon in which those people asked and answered that question so affirmatively:

"'And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people, in all the land … because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

"'And there were no envyings, nor strifes, … nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

"'There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

"'And how blessed were they!' (4 Nephi 1:13, 15–18; emphasis added.)

"What is the key to this breakthrough in contented, happy living? It is embedded there in the text in one sentence: 'The love of God … did dwell in the hearts of the people.' When the love of God sets the tone for our own lives, for our relationships to each other and ultimately our feeling for all humankind, then old distinctions, limiting labels, and artificial divisions begin to pass away, and peace increases. That is precisely what happened in our Book of Mormon example. No longer were there Lamanites, or Jacobites, or Josephites, or Zoramites. There were no '-ites' at all. The people had taken on just one transcendent identity. They were all, it says, to be known as 'the children of Christ.'

"Of course, we are speaking here of the first great commandment given to the human family—to love God wholeheartedly, without reservation or compromise, that is, with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. (See Mark 12:30.) This love of God is the first great commandment in the universe. But the first great truth in the universe is that God loves us exactly that way—wholeheartedly, without reservation or compromise, with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. And when those majestic forces from His heart and ours meet without restraint, there is a veritable explosion of spiritual, moral power. Then, as Teilhard de Chardin wrote, 'for [the] second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.'"

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Greatest Possession," General Conference October 2021, Saturday morning

Click here to read or view the full talk

We truly do live in a time of "all manner of divisions and subdivisions." Conflicts related to politics, racial differences, nationalities, belief systems - there are so many divisive issues. These are parallel to the "ites" of the Book of Mormon times. How can we confront, and correct, the anger and bitterness that accompany those divisions?

I have never heard someone propose a solution based on our spiritual focus. But clearly, ultimately, that is the only way to overcome all divisions. If we achieve true unity in Christ, if  "the love of God … did dwell in the hearts of the people", there will be no more divisions. What a truly blessed and happy situation that would be!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the blessings of General Conference

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"I think it is safe to say that the prayer all the brethren and sisters have had as they have spoken this weekend is that general conference will have been as uplifting, and if needful as life-changing for each of us... who semi-annually respond to our LDS hymn, 'Come, listen to a prophet's voice, and hear the word of God' (Hymns, no. 21).

"In my own expression of testimony and gratitude for the messages and meaning of general conference, may I suggest three things these twice-yearly gatherings declare to all the world.

"First, they declare eagerly and unequivocally that there is again a living prophet on the earth speaking in the name of the Lord. And how we need such guidance! Our times are turbulent and difficult. We see wars internationally and distress domestically. Neighbors all around us face personal heartaches and family sorrows. Legions know fear and troubles of a hundred kinds....

"Secondly, each of these conferences marks a call to action not only in our own lives but also on behalf of others around us, those who are of our own family and faith and those who are not....

"Lastly, a general conference of the Church is a declaration to all the world that Jesus is the Christ....

"To all of you who think you are lost or without hope, or who think you have done too much that was too wrong for too long, to every one of you who worry that you are stranded somewhere on the wintry plains of life and have wrecked your handcart in the process, this conference calls out Jehovah's unrelenting refrain, '[My] hand is stretched out still' (see Isaiah 5:25; 9:17, 21). 'I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them,' He said, '[and even if they] deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, ... if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts' (2 Nephi 28:32). His mercy endureth forever, and His hand is stretched out still. His is the pure love of Christ, the charity that never faileth, that compassion which endures even when all other strength disappears (see Moroni 7:46-47)."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Prophets in the Land Again," Ensign, November 2006, pp. 104-7
Click here to read the full talk

It's hard to over-state the importance and blessing of general conferences in the Church. I can only imagine the feeling of those assigned to speak in these settings, as they long for their words to be "uplifting, and if needful as life-changing for each of us" as possible. I appreciated Elder Holland's analysis of the power and importance of the meetings, and how they declare important truth to all the world:

But perhaps more important than what conference says to the whole world, is what is says to me, as a single individual, and to each and every person who listens with humility and sincerity. Particularly for those times when we feel hopeless, lost, or discouraged, Elder Holland testifies that general conference is one of the ways that God reaches His open hands out to us, inviting us into His embrace of comfort, peace, and guidance. If I am willing, general conference is so much more than a series of talks on familiar Gospel topics! I can allow God to speak to me, to teach me, to comfort me, to heal me. What an incomparable blessing that is.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
April 3, 2016

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the Savior's love and gifts for us

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"So today [Easter Sunday] we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced—to say nothing of our resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins. That victory is available to us because of events that transpired on a weekend precisely like this nearly two millennia ago in Jerusalem....

"That first Easter sequence of Atonement and Resurrection constitutes the most consequential moment, the most generous gift, the most excruciating pain, and the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever to be demonstrated in the history of this world. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to His commandments, lift us to eternal life.

"This Easter I thank Him and the Father, who gave Him to us, that Jesus still stands triumphant over death, although He stands on wounded feet. This Easter I thank Him and the Father, who gave Him to us, that He still extends unending grace, although He extends it with pierced palms and scarred wrists. This Easter I thank Him and the Father, who gave Him to us, that we can sing before a sweat-stained garden, a nail-driven cross, and a gloriously empty tomb:

"How great, how glorious, how complete
Redemption's grand design,
Where justice, love, and mercy meet
In harmony divine! (Hymns, no. 195.)"

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet," General Conference, April 2015, Sunday Morning session
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Holland's remarks were shared during the Easter Morning session of the April 2015 general conference, and provided a tender and practical look at the Savior's Atonement and its meaning in our lives. This is a wonderful summary of the blessings of that "most generous gift" to us:

It truly is "the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever to be demonstrated in the history of this world." Of course, that gift is offered to us, but with the exception of the resurrection (that comes to all men), the gift must be received by us. We have to choose to accept His love!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
April 25, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on our individual relationships with God

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies (see 2 Ne. 2:18). It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, 'Give me thine honor' (Moses 4:1)....

"Brothers and sisters, I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn't measure our talents or our looks; He doesn't measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I know that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of righteousness ready and waiting for everyone, (see Isa. 61:10; 2 Ne. 4:33; 2 Ne. 9:14) 'robes... made... white in the blood of the Lamb' (Rev. 7:14). May we encourage each other in our effort to win that prize."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Other Prodigal," General Conference April 2002
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Holland's wonderfully descriptive language and presentation always speak to my heart. This insight speaks to the tendency we all have at one time or another to evaluate ourselves in comparison to others—their gifts, talents, blessings, life circumstances. It is enabling and powerful to recognize where these misguided compulsions to compare often come from:

To truly believe that God loves me, even with my "insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all"—what a gift that is! His standards, His priorities are so much different than the ones we often limit our perspectives to.

And the final insight: "May we encourage each other in our effort to win" God's ultimate approbation. The great secret isn't "winning" for myself. It's helping all those around me to succeed. In the end, that may be the only way for each of us to succeed ourselves.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
April 13, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on the obstacles of life

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"A life without problems or limitations or challenges—life without 'opposition in all things' (2 Ne 2:11), as Lehi phrased it—would paradoxically but in very fact be less rewarding and less ennobling than one which confronts—even frequently confronts—difficulty and disappointment and sorrow. As beloved Eve said, were it not for the difficulties faced in a fallen world, neither she nor Adam nor any of the rest of us ever would have known 'the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient' (Moses 5:11). 

"So life has its oppositions and its conflicts, and the gospel of Jesus Christ has answers and assurances. In a time of terrible civil warfare, one of the most gifted leaders ever to strive to hold a nation together said what could be said of marriages and families and friendships. Praying for peace, pleading for peace, seeking peace in any way that would not compromise union, Abraham Lincoln said in those dark, dark days of his First Inaugural, 'Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory,' he said, 'will yet swell... when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.' (First Inaugural Address, 4 Mar. 1861) 

"The better angels of our nature. That is much of what the Church and general conference and the gospel of Jesus Christ are about. The appeal today and tomorrow and forever to be better, to be cleaner, to be kinder, to be holier; to seek peace and always be believing." 

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom," General Conference October 1996
Click here to read the full talk

From another of the wonderful, sensitive, encouraging messages Elder Holland often shares. It's interesting to ponder his opening "paradox":

Again, that's a hard principle to remember when we are deep in the midst of one of those "problems or limitations or challenges" that can so easily suck the joy and hope right out of us. How critical it is to remember that "the gospel of Jesus Christ has answers and assurances"! Only with that perspective can we qualify for the divine help that will see us through the challenges.

So we turn to "marriages and families and friendships" when they are available, as a source to find "the better angels of our nature."

What a beautiful reminder. Each of us has room to repent and grow.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
March 15, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on help and hope from the Savior

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"On those days when we have special need of heaven's help, we would do well to remember one of the titles given to the Savior in the epistle to the Hebrews. Speaking of Jesus' 'more excellent ministry' and why He is 'the mediator of a better covenant' filled with 'better promises,' this author—presumably the Apostle Paul—tells us that through His mediation and Atonement, Christ became 'an high priest of good things to come' (Hebrews 8:6, 9:11). 

"Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better. Moroni spoke of it in the Book of Mormon as 'hope for a better world' (Ether 12:4). For emotional health and spiritual stamina, everyone needs to be able to look forward to some respite, to something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead. It is enough just to know we can get there, that however measured or far away, there is the promise of 'good things to come.' 

"My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the 'light that is endless, that can never be darkened' (see John 8:12; Rev. 22:16; Mosiah 16:9). It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo's reach, we say, 'What light through yonder window breaks?' It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. (See William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 2, scene 2, lines 2-3.) To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His 'more excellent ministry' with a future of 'better promises.' He is your 'high priest of good things to come.'" 

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "An High Priest of Good Things to Come," General Conference October 1999
Click here to read the full talk

This was one of Elder Holland's most heartfelt and tender talks. He has such a sensitivity to those who struggle — which we all do from time to time. This message is a crucial one; "through His mediation and Atonement, Christ became 'an high priest of good things to come.'" That is the core of Christianity, the essence of the help and hope that is available to one and all.

Knowing that those times of need come to all, when out stamina runs out in the midst of a challenging part of our journey, Elder Holland wisely counsels on the strength that can come by anticipating the time of relief ahead. There is always a promise of relief ahead.

But it's not always easy to cling to that promise. We forget; we doubt. The pressures of the world can be so difficult to bear. Where is hope? Elder Holland testifies that help and hope and happiness are always available to us through the Savior:

So when the darkness almost overwhelms the light, and we forget that there is a promised dawn, this apostolic reassurance is powerful:

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)

February 16, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on latter-day discipleship

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940- ) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

[After describing an incident in which fans at a basketball game subjected a player on the opposing team to "vitriolic abuse", Elder Holland commented:] 

"The day after the game, when there was some public reckoning and a call to repentance over the incident, one young man said, in effect: 'Listen. We are talking about basketball here, not Sunday School. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. We pay good money to see these games. We can act the way we want. We check our religion at the door.' 

"'We check our religion at the door'? Lesson number one for the establishment of Zion in the 21st century: You never check your religion at the door. 

"That kind of discipleship cannot be—it is not discipleship at all. As the prophet Alma taught, we are 'to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in' (Mosiah 18:9)—not just some of the time, in a few places, or when our team has a big lead. 

"Whatever the situation or provocation or problem, no true disciple of Christ can check his or her religion at the door." 

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Israel, Israel, God Is Calling," CES devotional delivered at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, on September 9, 2012.  See also Ensign, June 2014, pp. 30-37; click here to read the full talk

This is a grand message, and it applies to much more than public athletic competitions and other similar gatherings. Saints and disciples don't "put on" and "put off" their appropriate behavior. It's not a set of clothes; it's part of the very nature of who they are. It's the heart; it's the devotion and commitment that directs every word, every step.

Elder Holland used the opportunity of speaking to a fireside for young adults to direct this rebuke, related to how some fans behave when caught up in the emotion of a sports competition:

I can hear Elder Holland's voice speaking these words, in "righteous indignation." You have to wonder how that "young man" who made the thoughtless comment felt after hearing or reading this comment - I hope his heart was pricked. Each of us should consider if there are ever times when we symbolically "check our religion" and behave differently than we should.

Elder Holland is, in my mind, a prime example of a true disciple.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)

Jan 31, 2015