Brothers and Sisters,

Today I would like to speak about remembrance, restoration, and the importance of reading scripture for ourselves.

Over the last little while, I have spent time reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover. As I read, I found myself thinking less about fear of the future and more about understanding the past. I realized that so much of scripture is not only prophecy about what may come, but also a record of what already happened to real people who struggled, loved, fought, repented, governed, failed, and tried again.

One of the greatest lessons I personally see in scripture is this:
when people forget God, forget gratitude, forget self-governance, and forget how to communicate with one another in kindness and truth, societies begin to divide.

But when people remember God and strive to live with integrity, communities become stronger.

The Ten Commandments are actually very simple principles. They are not complicated. They teach us not to steal, not to lie, not to murder, not to covet, to honor our parents, and to remember God. These principles are foundational to civility. They teach accountability and respect. They teach us how to govern ourselves instead of constantly trying to govern everyone else.

Sometimes in the modern world, people speak as though righteousness is impossible or confusing. But many of the Lord’s teachings are simple and direct. The difficulty is not understanding them intellectually. The difficulty is living them consistently.

As I have read the Book of Mormon, I have thought often about the people in its pages who left lands of inheritance and journeyed into uncertainty searching for freedom, peace, and covenant living. They raised families. They endured wars, pride cycles, political disagreements, and spiritual struggles. In many ways, they dealt with the same human weaknesses we still wrestle with today.

That is why I believe scripture matters so much in our day.

If we do not remember the past, we can accidentally repeat it.

Scripture teaches patterns. It teaches consequences. It teaches what happens when pride overtakes humility, when contention replaces communication, and when people stop listening to the Spirit and only listen to anger, fear, or selfishness.

I believe one reason the world struggles so much right now is because people no longer know how to truly communicate with one another. Everyone wants to speak, but very few want to listen. Everyone wants to be understood, but many struggle to understand others. The Savior, however, taught people one by one. He listened. He taught with patience. He corrected with love and truth together.

In 3 Nephi, when Christ ministered to the people after His resurrection, He did not come with confusion or chaos. He came with peace. He invited people to come unto Him personally. He taught them to pray, to forgive, to stop contending, and to become unified.

One of the most powerful things about the Savior’s ministry is that He continually reminded people that they belonged to God and that they were accountable for how they treated one another.

Sometimes we become so focused on proving ourselves right that we forget the greater purpose of discipleship. The purpose is not to dominate one another. The purpose is to become more Christlike.

And becoming Christlike requires discipline.

It requires honesty when honesty is uncomfortable.
It requires humility when pride would be easier.
It requires forgiveness when anger feels justified.
It requires patience when we are frustrated.
It requires responsibility for our own choices rather than constant blame.

I believe the Restoration reminds us that God still speaks, that scripture still matters, and that individuals must seek understanding personally. Nobody can gain a testimony for us. Nobody can read for us. Nobody can pray for us forever. At some point, each of us must decide whether we will seek truth sincerely and whether we are willing to live according to the light we receive.

I also believe that we must be careful not to let conviction become condemnation. It is easy to become frustrated with the world. It is easy to feel discouraged by division, confusion, or disrespect. But the Savior did not teach hatred. He taught repentance, mercy, and invitation.

The gospel calls us to stand firm in truth while still treating others as children of God.

That balance matters.

We can uphold commandments without becoming cruel.
We can defend values without losing compassion.
We can disagree without dehumanizing one another.

The Savior’s ministry was always centered on agency. He invited people to follow Him, but He did not force them. He taught clearly and then allowed individuals to choose.

I think one of the greatest responsibilities we have today is to become examples of peaceful self-governance. To live in such a way that our homes become places of honesty, reverence, responsibility, forgiveness, and learning.

The world does not need more noise.
It needs more light.
It needs more people willing to slow down, study deeply, communicate clearly, and remember God.

I am grateful for scripture that reminds us humanity has struggled before and that the Lord has never abandoned His children. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue learning and growing. I am grateful that Christ teaches us line upon line and gives us opportunities to repent, improve, and become more united.

Most of all, I am grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ, for His example, His mercy, His teachings, and His invitation to come unto Him.

I leave these thoughts with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.