Presidency Message

The first step on the path of discipleship begins, luckily enough, in the exact
place where we stand! We do not have to prequalify to take that first step. It
doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor. There is no requirement to be educated,
eloquent, or intellectual. We do not have to be perfect or well-spoken or even
well-mannered. You and I can walk in the path of discipleship today. Let us be
humble; let us pray to our Father in Heaven with all our heart and express our
desire to draw close to Him. There are some who believe that because they have
made mistakes, they can no longer fully partake of the blessings of the gospel.
How little they understand the purposes of the Lord. One of the great blessings
of living the gospel is that it refines us and helps us learn from our
mistakes. We “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” yet the
Atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to make us whole when we repent. We
[might] see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees
us in terms of forever. …The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of
transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into
men and women for the eternities. To those who have left the path of
discipleship for whatever reason, I invite you to start where you are and come
to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Walk again in the way of the Lord. I
testify that the Lord will bless your life, endow you with knowledge and joy
beyond comprehension, and distill upon you the supernal gifts of the Spirit. It
is always the right time to walk in His way. It is never too late. To those who
feel inadequate because they have not been members of the Church all their
lives, to those who feel that they can never make up for the time they have
lost, I testify that the Lord needs your specific abilities, talents, and
skills. The Church needs you; we need you. It is always the right time to walk
in His way.