Conference Talk of the Week

Overview

Elder Dale G. Renlund opens with Mr. Martin, a heart transplant patient who nearly died, received a second, marginal heart that worked, and then complained ten days later that his oatmeal was not hot. Elder Renlund compares this to the children of Israel. God freed them from Egypt and fed them in the wilderness, yet they kept dwelling on their complaints and lost trust in Him. At the edge of the promised land the Lord asked Moses, "How long will it be ere they believe me?" (Numbers 14:11). The talk teaches that you can trust God's promises when you remember what He has already done. Your hope rests on the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not your own. His promises include you, and the Atonement covers every circumstance.

Three Key Takeaways

• 1Day-to-day problems, the "cold oatmeal," can crowd out your memory of what God has already done and what He has promised. When the children of Israel overlooked both, their trust in God and in Moses wore away.
• 2Jesus said, "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33), so you do not have to overcome it yourself. Lehi told Jacob he was redeemed "because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer" (2 Nephi 2:3). Your hope rests on Christ's faithfulness, not on your own performance.
• 3Remembering is how trust grows. The Book of Mormon was written to show "what great things the Lord hath done," and Moroni asks readers to remember the Lord's mercy and ponder it (Moroni 10:3). That remembering helps you see the bigger picture and rely on His promises.

Reflection Questions

• What is the "cold oatmeal" in your life right now, and how has it affected how clearly you see what the Lord has already done for you?
• Do you read some scripture promises with a hidden asterisk that leaves you out? Which promise, and what would change if you believed it applies to you?
• Does your hope for redemption rest more on your own righteousness or on the righteousness of Jesus Christ? How does Lehi's teaching to Jacob speak to you?