2023 October General Conference, Saturday Morning Session
The Sealing Power
D. Todd Christofferson, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Main Points
- The gathering of Israel is how the covenant promises given to Abraham are realized.
- The gathering of Israel is the most important thing taking place on earth today.
- The sealing power isn’t just confined to certain temple ordinances, but is necessary to make any ordinance valid and binding beyond death.
- The very reason the earth was created was so families could be formed and sealed to each other.
Gospel Principles taught
The Lord’s Covenant People, Missionary Work, The Family Can be Eternal, Eternal Marriage, Temple Work & Family History, Gathering of Israel, Exaltation
Gospel Doctrine taught
The Atonement of Jesus Christ, The Restoration, Priesthood and Priesthood Keys, Ordinances and Covenants, Marriage and Family, Exaltation, The Covenant Path
Scriptures
Isaiah 49, 2 Nephi 10:8, 2 Nephi 10:7, Doctrine and Covenants 115:6, Abraham 2:11, Doctrine and Covenants 132:6, Doctrine and Covenants 110:11, Doctrine and Covenants 110:12, Doctrine and Covenants 84:34, Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16, Doctrine and Covenants 2:1, Doctrine and Covenants 128:9, Doctrine and Covenants 132:7, Doctrine and Covenants 128:18, Doctrine and Covenants 124:32, Doctrine and Covenants 128:15, Malachi 4:6, Doctrine and Covenants 2:3
Related talks:
- Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018)
- Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022
- Russell M. Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, May 1995
- Henry B. Eyring, “Families under Covenant,” April 2012 general conference
- M. Russell Ballard, “Hope in Christ,” Liahona, May 2021
- David A. Bednar, “A Welding Link” (worldwide devotional for young adults, Sept. 10, 2017)
Look for Jesus Christ:
- Testimony of Christ.
- I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has made immortality a verity and the possibility of exalted family relationships a reality.
- Description of His Teachings.
- “Baptism is the gate that leads to becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.” (quoting President Nelson)
- Description of His Atonement.
- We now carry the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news of redemption through Him—to all parts and peoples of the earth and gather all who will into the gospel covenant.
- We have hope in Christ.
- I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has made immortality a verity and the possibility of exalted family relationships a reality.
- Description of His relationship with us.
- “When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ.” (quoting President Nelson)
- “In all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has given a dispensation of the priesthood to any man by actual revelation, or any set of men, this power has always been given. Hence, whatsoever those men did in authority, in the name of the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper and faithful record of the same, it became a law on earth and in heaven, and could not be annulled, according to the decrees of the great Jehovah.” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:9)
- “…Individual salvation and family exaltation (are) universally available to the children of God wherever and whenever they may have lived on the earth… This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.”
Inspiring Words & Phrases
- Highest and holiest
- The latter-day gathering into the covenant crosses through the veil.
- The gathering is for the purpose of bringing the blessings of salvation and exaltation to all who will receive them. It is how the covenant promises given to Abraham are realized.
- We now carry the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news of redemption through Him—to all parts and peoples of the earth and gather all who will into the gospel covenant.
- The power to validate all priesthood ordinances and make them binding both on earth and in heaven—the sealing power—is crucial for gathering and preparing a covenant people on both sides of the veil.
- Here we see the majesty and sacredness of the sealing power—it makes individual salvation and family exaltation universally available to the children of God wherever and whenever they may have lived on the earth. No other theology or philosophy or authority can match such an all-inclusive opportunity. This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.
- The commitment to aid one another across the veil can be classified as a covenant promise, part of the new and everlasting covenant.
- The highest and holiest manifestation of the sealing power is in the eternal union of a man and a woman in marriage and the linking of humankind through all their generations.
- We recognize that in the imperfect present, this [eternal marriage & family] is not the reality or even a realistic possibility for some. But we have hope in Christ.
- “Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter. No one can be exalted alone.” (quoting President Nelson)
Lists
The purpose of the gathering of Israel is:
- To provide defense against the natural consequences of disobedience
- To provide refuge from the natural consequences of disobedience
- To bring the blessings of salvation and exaltation to all who will receive them
- To fulfill the promises given to Abraham
- The building and operation of temples so that
- God can reveal the ordinances of the temple
- God can reveal the glories of His kingdom
- God can teach people the way of salvation
In 1836 in the Kirtland Temple:
- Moses committed the keys of the gathering of Israel (to Joseph)
- Elias appeared and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham (that in us and our seed all the following generations would be blessed)
- Elijah restored the authority and keys to make ordinances binding on earth and in heaven
If you have experienced unhappy/unhealthy family circumstances:
- Remember that God’s pattern for families begins with you
- Any healthy and happy connections are also important
- You can strengthen your family
- You may be able to restore some of the broken relationships
- The work of family exaltation is accomplished one by one
Invitations/Challenges
- If you have experienced heartache or violated trust, remember that God’s pattern for families begins with you.
- Turn our hearts to our “fathers” and forge enduring links with them through the sealing power.
Warnings
- Without the sealings that create eternal families and link generations here and hereafter, we would be left in eternity with neither roots nor branches—that is, neither ancestry nor posterity. It is this free-floating, disconnected state of individuals, on the one hand, or connections that defy the marriage and family relations God has appointed, on the other hand, that would frustrate the very purpose of the earth’s creation. Were that to become the norm, it would be tantamount to the earth being smitten with a curse or “utterly wasted” at the Lord’s coming.
Blessings/Promises
- I promise that as you faithfully seek that privilege [being sealed as a family in the temple], in time or eternity it will surely be yours.
- In the latter days, the Lord’s covenant people will be gathered in.
Apologetics:
- No other theology or philosophy or authority can match such an all-inclusive opportunity. This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.
Application Ideas
- Consider each of the covenants and ordinances you’ve taken part in. Write in your journal how the sealing power affects those covenants and ordinances.
- Create an account on FamilySearch if you don’t have one yet.
- Find a way to engage in family history this week. There are some great ideas here.
- Spend time in the temple this coming week.
- Set a goal that will help you be a strong link in your family.
