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covenants. I wept too, with ull realiza-tion that the everlasting unity exem-plied by this aithul couple was therighteous result o making, keeping,and honoring sacred covenants.

One o the most important con-cepts o revealed religion is that o asacred covenant. In legal language, acovenant generally denotes an agree-

ment between two or more parties.But in a religious context, a covenantis much more signicant. It is a sacredpromise with God. He xes the terms.Each person may choose to acceptthose terms. I one accepts the termso the covenant and obeys Gods law,he or she receives the blessings associ-ated with the covenant. We know thatwhen we obtain any blessing romGod, it is by obedience to that lawupon which it is predicated.4

Through the ages, God has madecovenants with His children.5 Hiscovenants occur throughout the entireplan o salvation and are thereorepart o the ulness o His gospel.6 Forexample, God promised to send aSavior or His children,7 asking in turnor their obedience to His law.8

In the Bible we read o men andwomen in the Old World who wereidentied as children o the covenant.

S U N DAY AF T ERN O O N S ES S IO N | October 2, 2011

One week ater a recent assign-ment to create the rst stakein Moscow, Russia,1 I attended

a district conerence in St. Petersburg.While speaking about my gratitude orearly missionaries and local leaders

who brought strength to the Churchin Russia, I mentioned the name o

Vyacheslav Emov. He was the rst

Russian convert to become a mis-sion president. He and his wie did

wonderully well in that assignment.Not long ater they had completedtheir mission, and much to our sorrow,President Emov suddenly passedaway.2 He was only 52 years o age.

While speaking o this pioneeringcouple, I elt impressed to ask thecongregation i Sister Emov might bepresent. Far in the rear o the room, a

woman stood. I invited her to come

to the microphone. Yes, it was SisterGalina Emov. She spoke with con-viction and bore a powerul testimonyo the Lord, o His gospel, and o Hisrestored Church. She and her husbandhad been sealed in the holy temple.She said they were united orever.

They were still missionary compan-ions, she on this side o the veil andhe on the other side.3 With tears o joy,she thanked God or sacred temple

By Elder Russell M. NelsonOf the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

CovenantsWhen we realize that we are children of the covenant, weknow who we are and what God expects of us.

His servant Brother Peter Mourik.My beloved brothers and sisters,

communication with our Father inHeavenincluding our prayers to Himand His inspiration to usis necessaryin order or us to weather the stormsand trials o lie. The Lord invites us,Draw near unto me and I will drawnear unto you; seek me diligently and

ye shall nd me.7 As we do so, wewill eel His Spirit in our lives, pro-viding us the desire and the courageto stand strong and rm in righteous-nessto stand . . . in holy places, andbe not moved.8

As the winds o change swirlaround us and the moral ber o soci-ety continues to disintegrate beoreour very eyes, may we rememberthe Lords precious promise to those

who trust in Him: Fear thou not;or I am with thee: be not dismayed;or I am thy God: I will strengthenthee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I willuphold thee with the right hand o my

righteousness.9What a promise! May such be our

blessing, I sincerely pray in the sacredname o our Lord and Savior, JesusChrist, amen.

NOTES

1. Jonathan Sacks, Reversing the Decay oLondon Undone, Wall Street Journal,

Aug. 20, 2011, online.wsj.com; emphasisadded.Note: Lord Sacks is the chie rabbio the United Hebrew Congregations o theCommonwealth.

2. Exodus 20:34, 78, 1217.3. Moroni 8:18.

4. 1 Corinthians 2:14.5. Isaiah 32:17.6. 3 Nephi 18:1820.7. Doctrine and Covenants 88:63.8. Doctrine and Covenants 87:8.9. Isaiah 41:10.

To watch the video of PresidentMonsons address, scan thisimage with a QR-enabledsmartphone.


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What covenant? The covenant whichGod made with [their] athers, say-

ing unto Abraham, And in thy seedshall all the kindreds o the earth beblessed.9

In the Book o Mormon we reado people in the New World who

were also identied as children o thecovenant.10 The resurrected Lord soinormed them: Behold, ye are thechildren o the prophets; and ye are othe house o Israel; and ye are o thecovenant which the Father made with

your athers, saying unto Abraham:And in thy seed shall all the kindreds

o the earth be blessed.11

The Savior explained the impor-tance o their identity as children othe covenant. He said, The Fatherhaving raised me up unto you rst, . . .sent me to bless you in turning awayevery one o you rom his iniquities;and this because ye are the children othe covenant.12

The covenant God made withAbraham13 and later rearmed with

Isaac14

and Jacob15

is o transcendentsignicance. It contained several prom-ises, including:

Jesus the Christ would be bornthrough Abrahams lineage.

Abrahams posterity would benumerous, entitled to an eternalincrease, and also entitled to bearthe priesthood.

Abraham would become a father ofmany nations.

Certain lands would be inherited byhis posterity.

All nations of the earth would beblessed by his seed.16

And that covenant would be ever-lastingeven through a thousandgenerations.17

Some o these promises have beenullled; others are still pending. Iquote rom an early Book o Mormonprophecy: Our ather [Lehi] hath notspoken o our seed alone, but also o

all the house o Israel, pointing to thecovenant which should be ullled inthe latter days; which covenant theLord made to our ather Abraham.18Isnt that amazing? Some 600 yearsbeforeJesus was born in Bethlehem,prophets knew that the Abrahamiccovenant would be nally ullled onlyin the latter days.

To acilitate that promise, theLord appeared in these latter days torenew that Abrahamic covenant. To

the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Masterdeclared:Abraham received promises con-

cerning his seed, and o the ruit o hisloinsrom whose loins ye are, . . .my servant Joseph. . . .

This promise is yours also, becauseye are o Abraham.19

With this renewal, we havereceived, as did they o old, the holypriesthood and the everlasting gospel.


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We have the right to receive the ul-ness o the gospel, enjoy the bless-ings o the priesthood, and qualiyor Gods greatest blessingthat oeternal lie.20

Some o us are the literal seed oAbraham; others are gathered into hisamily by adoption. The Lord makesno distinction.21 Together we receivethese promised blessingsi we seekthe Lord and obey His command-ments.22 But i we dont, we lose the

blessings o the covenant.23 To assistus, His Church provides patriarchalblessings to give each recipient a

vision or his or her uture as well as aconnection with the past, even a dec-laration o lineage back to Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob.24

Brethren o the covenant have theright to qualiy or the oath and cov-enant o the priesthood.25 I you areaithul unto the obtaining these twopriesthoods . . . and the magniying

[o your] calling, [you] are sanctiedby the Spirit unto the renewing o[your] bodies.26 That is not all. Men

who worthily receive the priesthoodreceive the Lord Jesus Christ, andthose who receive the Lord receiveGod the Father.27 And those whoreceive the Father receive all that Hehas.28 Incredible blessings fow romthis oath and covenant to worthy men,

women, and children in all the world.

Ours is the responsibility to helpulll the Abrahamic covenant. Oursis the seed oreordained and preparedto bless all people o the world.29

That is why priesthood duty includesmissionary work. Ater some 4,000

years o anticipation and preparation,this is the appointed day when thegospel is to be taken to the kindredso the earth. This is the time o thepromised gathering o Israel. And weget to participate! Isnt that exciting?

The Lord is counting on us and oursonsand He is prooundly grateulor our daughterswho worthilyserve as missionaries in this great timeo the gathering o Israel.

The Book o Mormon is a tangiblesign that the Lord has commencedto gather His children o covenantIsrael.30 This book, written or ourday,states as one o its purposes that yemay know that the covenant whichthe Father hath made with the chil-

dren o Israel . . . is already beginningto be ullled. . . . For behold, the Lordwill remember his covenant whichhe hath made unto his people o thehouse o Israel.31

Indeed, the Lord has not orgot-ten! He has blessed us and othersthroughout the world with the Booko Mormon. One o its purposes is orthe convincing o the Jew and Gentilethat Jesus is the Christ.32 It helps us to

make covenants with God. It invitesus to remember Him and to know HisBeloved Son. It is another testament o

Jesus Christ.Children o the covenant have

the right to receive His doctrine andto know the plan o salvation. Theyclaim it by making covenants osacred signicance. Brigham Youngsaid: All Latter-day Saints enter thenew and everlasting covenant whenthey enter this Church. . . . They enterthe new and everlasting covenant tosustain the Kingdom o God.33 Theykeep the covenant by obedience to Hiscommandments.

At baptism we covenant to servethe Lord and keep His command-ments.34 When we partake o thesacrament, we renew that covenantand declare our willingness to takeupon ourselves the name o JesusChrist. Thereby we are adopted as Hissons and daughters and are known asbrothers and sisters. He is the ather o

our new lie.35 Ultimately, in the holytemple, we may become joint heirsto the blessings o an eternal amily,as once promised to Abraham, Isaac,

Jacob, and their posterity.36 Thus,celestial marriage is the covenant oexaltation.

When we realize that we are chil-dren o the covenant, we know who

we are and what God expects o us.37His law is written in our hearts.38 Heis our God and we are His people.39

Committed children o the covenantremain steadast, even in the midst oadversity. When that doctrine is deeplyimplanted in our hearts, even the stingo death is soothed and our spiritualstamina is strengthened.

The greatest compliment that canbe earned here in this lie is to beknown as a covenant keeper. Therewards or a covenant keeper willbe realized both here and hereater.

Stockholm, Sweden


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Scripture declares that ye shouldconsider on the blessed and happystate o those that keep the command-ments o God. For behold, they areblessed in all things, . . . and i theyhold out aithul to the end they arereceived into heaven . . . [and] dwell

with God in a state o never-ending

happiness. 40God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His

Church has been restored to bless allpeople. President Thomas S. Monsonis His prophet today. And we, asfaith-fulchildren o the covenant, will beblessed now and orever. I so testiyin the name o Jesus Christ, amen.

NOTES

1. The Moscow Russia Stake was created onSunday, June 5, 2011.

2. Vyacheslav Emov was president o theRussia Yekaterinburg Mission rom 1995 to

1998. He died on February 25, 2000.3. See Doctrine and Covenants 138:57.4. Doctrine and Covenants 130:21.5. For example, ater the great Flood, He

stated that the bow shall be seen in thecloud: and I will remember my covenant,

which I have made between me andyou . . . ; and the waters shall no morebecome a food to destroy all fesh(Genesis 9:1415, ootnote 15b; rom

Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 9:20).6. See Doctrine and Covenants 66:2; 133:57.7. See John 3:16.8. See Abraham 3:25.

9. Acts 3:25.10. See 3 Nephi 20:26.11. 3 Nephi 20:25.12. 3 Nephi 20:26.13. See Genesis 17:110, 19; Leviticus 26:42;

Acts 3:25; Bible Dictionary, Abraham,Covenant o.

14. See Genesis 26:15, 24.15. See Genesis 28:14, 1014; 35:913;

48:34.16. See reerences listed above in endnotes

1315.17. Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Chronicles 16:15;

Psalm 105:8.18. 1 Nephi 15:18; emphasis added.19. Doctrine and Covenants 132:3031. The

Lord also told the Prophet Joseph Smith,As I said unto Abraham concerning thekindreds o the earth, even so I say untomy servant Joseph: In thee and in thy seedshall the kindred o the earth be blessed(Doctrine and Covenants 124:58).

20. See Doctrine and Covenants 14:7.21. See Acts 10:3435.22. See Exodus 19:5.23. Scripture declares that I, the Lord, am

bound when ye do what I say; but when

ye do not what I say, ye have no promise(Doctrine and Covenants 82:10).

24. On September 21, 1823, this covenantalconcept was rst revealed to the Prophet

Joseph Smith. The angel Moroni declaredthat Elijah the prophet would come as amessenger rom heaven to plant in thehearts o the children a knowledge opromises once made to the athers othe house o Israel (see Doctrine andCovenants 2:13).

25. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:3334, 3940.26. Doctrine and Covenants 84:33.27. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:35, 37.

28. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:38.29. See Alma 13:19.30. See 3 Nephi 29.31. 3 Nephi 29:1, 3.32. Title page o the Book o Mormon: Another

Testament o Jesus Christ.33. Teachings of Presidents of the Church:

Brigham Young(1997), 62.34. See Doctrine and Covenants 20:37.35. We talk o Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we

preach o Christ, we prophesy o Christ, . . .that our children may know to what sourcethey may look or a remission o their sins(2 Nephi 25:26).

36. See Galatians 3:29; Doctrine andCovenants 86:811.

37. This concept pertains to us: Manygenerations ater the Messiah shall bemaniested in body unto the children omen, then shall the ulness o the gospel othe Messiah come unto the Gentiles, androm the Gentiles unto the remnant o ourseedand at that day shall the remnant oour seed know that they are o the houseo Israel, and that they are the covenantpeople o the Lord; and then shall theyknow and come to the knowledge o their

oreathers, and also to the knowledgeo the gospel o their Redeemer, which

was ministered unto their athers byhim; whereore, they shall come to theknowledge o their Redeemer and the

very points o his doctrine, that they mayknow how to come unto him and be saved(1 Nephi 15:1314).

38. See Isaiah 55:3; Jeremiah 31:33; Romans2:15; 2 Corinthians 3:23; Hebrews 10:16.

39. See Psalm 95:7; 100:3; Jeremiah 24:7; 31:33;32:38; Ezekiel 11:20; 37:23, 27; Zechariah 8:8;2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10.

40. Mosiah 2:41.

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2011 10 5010 Elder Russell m Nelson Eng