Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
Apostles and Prophets have testified that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Knowing this about Christ is fundamental to our religion. In this week's reading, Paul shared his witnesses of the risen Christ and taught that all women and men would be resurrected. Paul also emphasized that we should be courageous, strong, and "excel in edifying the church."
“Some further instruction on the gift of tongues is found in the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
To excel in edifying the church:
President Russel M. Nelson: “Before His death, the Savior commanded His Twelve Apostles to love one another as He had loved them. And then He added, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
“The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire—no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers.” (https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson: “My young friends, I can guarantee that there will always be someone at every Church meeting you attend who is lonely, who is going through challenges and needs a friend, or who feels like he or she doesn’t belong. You have something important to contribute to every meeting or activity, and the Lord desires for you to look around at your peers and then minister as He would.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/the-needs-before-us?lang=eng)
Joseph Smith: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 49).
“How could some say there is no resurrection? Not only did the Sadducees deny the reality of the resurrection, but some of those espousing Greek mythology and philosophy believed that the body was evil, that though there might be eternal life for the spirit, there certainly was none for the body. Paul's response is that the doctrine of the resurrection is pivotal in importance and that all other truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ depend on it. In effect, Paul says the following:
Joseph Fielding Smith: “It is true that the mortal body in due time returns to the earth as the Lord predicted that it should. Much of the cremated body is carried off into the air and only a small portion of ash remains. However it is impossible to destroy a body. It makes no difference whether a body is consumed by fire, buried in the depths of the sea, or placed in the tomb, the time will come when every essential particle will be called back again to its own place, and the individual whose body was laid away, or scattered to the winds, will be reassembled with every essential part restored.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:100)
Lorenzo Snow: “We know that in the future, after we have passed through this life, we will then have our wives and our children with us. We will have our bodies glorified, made free from every sickness and distress, and rendered most beautiful. There is nothing more beautiful to look upon than a resurrected man or woman. There is nothing grander that I can imagine that a man can possess than a resurrected body. There is no Latter-day Saint within the sound of my voice but that certainly has this prospect of coming forth in the morning of the First Resurrection and being glorified, exalted in the presence of God, having the privilege of talking with our Father as we talk with our earthly father. (5 October 1900, CR, p. 4.) [Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p.99]
Brigham Young: “It is supposed by this people that we have all the ordinances in our possession for life and salvation, and exaltation, and that we are administering in these ordinances. This is not the case. We are in possession of all the ordinances that can be administered in the flesh; but there are other ordinances and administrations that must be administered beyond this world. I know you would ask what they are. I will mention one. We have not, neither can we receive here, the ordinance and the keys of the resurrection. They will be given to those who have passed off this stage of action and have received their bodies again, as many have already done and many more will.
“They will be ordained, by those who hold the keys of the resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the Saints just as we receive the ordinance of baptism, then the keys of authority to baptize others for the remission of their sins. This is one of the ordinances we cannot receive here, and there are many more. We hold the authority to dispose of, alter and change the elements; but we have not received authority to organize native element, to even make a spear of grass grow. (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp.397-398) See also Spencer W. Kimball, "Our Great Potential," in Conference Report April 1977, pp. 69-72; Ensign May 1977, p. 49)
Joseph Fielding Smith: “In the resurrection there will be different kinds of bodies; they will not all be alike. The body a man receives will determine his place hereafter. There will be celestial bodies, terrestrial bodies, and telestial bodies. …
“… Some will gain celestial bodies with all the powers of exaltation and eternal increase. These bodies will shine like the sun as our Savior’s does. … Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have terrestrial bodies, and they will not shine like the sun, but they will be more glorious than the bodies of those who receive the telestial glory” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:286, 287).
Robert J. Matthews: “In Romans 15:24-31, Paul explains at some length that his purpose in going to Judea was to take a welfare donation from Macedonia and Achaia to the "poor saints which are at Jerusalem.“ … His epistles give evidence that in the years that followed he became a diligent welfare worker, collecting donations throughout Galatia (see 1 Cor. 16:1), Macedonia (see Rom. 15:25-26), and Greece (see 2 Cor. 9:1-5) for the Judean saints. … From the book of Acts we would scarcely know of Paul's great diligence in welfare activity but from his epistles we learn of his several welfare collections and of his strong persuasions to the branches of the Church concerning this part of his ministry.” ("St. Paul Writes about the Church," New Era, Apr. 1977, 33, 35)
Teaching Thoughts:
“Some further instruction on the gift of tongues is found in the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
- First, the devil can imitate this gift (see 162).
- Second, its specific purpose is to teach unbelievers (see 195; 1 Corinthians 14:22).
- Third, don't be too curious about it (see 247), and don't indulge in it too much (see 229).
- And finally, as a rule, anything taught by the gift of tongues is not to be received as doctrine” (see 229). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 143)
To excel in edifying the church:
- Focus on Christ.
- Look for God’s hand in the church (gratitude).
- Be specific.
- Be intentional.
- Be Humble - one way our pride is manifest is by “withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another.” (https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride)
- Encouragement takes courage.
- Share spiritual gifts (see 1 Cor 12:16; Doc. and Cov. 46:26).
- Be motivated by love.
President Russel M. Nelson: “Before His death, the Savior commanded His Twelve Apostles to love one another as He had loved them. And then He added, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
“The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire—no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers.” (https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson: “My young friends, I can guarantee that there will always be someone at every Church meeting you attend who is lonely, who is going through challenges and needs a friend, or who feels like he or she doesn’t belong. You have something important to contribute to every meeting or activity, and the Lord desires for you to look around at your peers and then minister as He would.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/the-needs-before-us?lang=eng)
Joseph Smith: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 49).
“How could some say there is no resurrection? Not only did the Sadducees deny the reality of the resurrection, but some of those espousing Greek mythology and philosophy believed that the body was evil, that though there might be eternal life for the spirit, there certainly was none for the body. Paul's response is that the doctrine of the resurrection is pivotal in importance and that all other truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ depend on it. In effect, Paul says the following:
- Verse 13 if there's no resurrection, then Christ is dead.
- Verse 14 if there's no resurrection, then we're wasting our time, and our faith is a terrible joke.
- Verse 15 if there's no resurrection, then we (apostolic preachers) are liars.
- Verse 17 if there's no resurrection, there's no spiritual redemption and no redemption from physical death (that is, resurrection is redemption; see 2 Nephi 9:6-9).
- Verse 29 if there's no resurrection, why perform baptisms for the dead?
- Verse 32 and finally, if there's no resurrection, then why am I working so hard, killing myself off? (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 145)
Joseph Fielding Smith: “It is true that the mortal body in due time returns to the earth as the Lord predicted that it should. Much of the cremated body is carried off into the air and only a small portion of ash remains. However it is impossible to destroy a body. It makes no difference whether a body is consumed by fire, buried in the depths of the sea, or placed in the tomb, the time will come when every essential particle will be called back again to its own place, and the individual whose body was laid away, or scattered to the winds, will be reassembled with every essential part restored.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:100)
Lorenzo Snow: “We know that in the future, after we have passed through this life, we will then have our wives and our children with us. We will have our bodies glorified, made free from every sickness and distress, and rendered most beautiful. There is nothing more beautiful to look upon than a resurrected man or woman. There is nothing grander that I can imagine that a man can possess than a resurrected body. There is no Latter-day Saint within the sound of my voice but that certainly has this prospect of coming forth in the morning of the First Resurrection and being glorified, exalted in the presence of God, having the privilege of talking with our Father as we talk with our earthly father. (5 October 1900, CR, p. 4.) [Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p.99]
Brigham Young: “It is supposed by this people that we have all the ordinances in our possession for life and salvation, and exaltation, and that we are administering in these ordinances. This is not the case. We are in possession of all the ordinances that can be administered in the flesh; but there are other ordinances and administrations that must be administered beyond this world. I know you would ask what they are. I will mention one. We have not, neither can we receive here, the ordinance and the keys of the resurrection. They will be given to those who have passed off this stage of action and have received their bodies again, as many have already done and many more will.
“They will be ordained, by those who hold the keys of the resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the Saints just as we receive the ordinance of baptism, then the keys of authority to baptize others for the remission of their sins. This is one of the ordinances we cannot receive here, and there are many more. We hold the authority to dispose of, alter and change the elements; but we have not received authority to organize native element, to even make a spear of grass grow. (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp.397-398) See also Spencer W. Kimball, "Our Great Potential," in Conference Report April 1977, pp. 69-72; Ensign May 1977, p. 49)
Joseph Fielding Smith: “In the resurrection there will be different kinds of bodies; they will not all be alike. The body a man receives will determine his place hereafter. There will be celestial bodies, terrestrial bodies, and telestial bodies. …
“… Some will gain celestial bodies with all the powers of exaltation and eternal increase. These bodies will shine like the sun as our Savior’s does. … Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have terrestrial bodies, and they will not shine like the sun, but they will be more glorious than the bodies of those who receive the telestial glory” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:286, 287).
Robert J. Matthews: “In Romans 15:24-31, Paul explains at some length that his purpose in going to Judea was to take a welfare donation from Macedonia and Achaia to the "poor saints which are at Jerusalem.“ … His epistles give evidence that in the years that followed he became a diligent welfare worker, collecting donations throughout Galatia (see 1 Cor. 16:1), Macedonia (see Rom. 15:25-26), and Greece (see 2 Cor. 9:1-5) for the Judean saints. … From the book of Acts we would scarcely know of Paul's great diligence in welfare activity but from his epistles we learn of his several welfare collections and of his strong persuasions to the branches of the Church concerning this part of his ministry.” ("St. Paul Writes about the Church," New Era, Apr. 1977, 33, 35)
Teaching Thoughts:
- How to “excel in edifying the church.”
- Who?
- What?
- Where?
- When?
- Focus on “The fundamental principles of our religion.”
- Testify of the resurrection.
- Be courageous and strong this week. Do all that you do in love.