Weekly Study
Conference Talk of the Week
One conference talk each week, pre-selected on a rolling cycle. Start with the overview here, then open the official talk when you are ready to read it in full.
Saturday Afternoon Session
He Knows You by Name
Elder Clement M. Matswagothata
Of the Seventy
The most eternity-shaping name we can receive is the sacred name of Jesus Christ.
Overview
Elder Matswagothata teaches that while family names can remind us of hope, the most eternity-shaping name we can receive is Jesus Christ’s, taken upon us through baptism, the sacrament, and temple covenants. Because of His Atonement, the Savior knows each of us personally “by name,” understands our specific burdens, and reaches us in real, often unexpected ways. The talk invites us to stop asking whether Christ will walk with us (He will) and instead choose to deliberately walk with Him through scripture, living prophets, daily repentance, and consistent discipleship.
Three Key Takeaways
- 1Taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ in weekly sacrament covenants is meant to be a recurring, strength-giving reminder that brings enabling power to rise above mortality’s challenges.
- 2Jesus Christ knows you personally, by name, and because He “descended below all things,” He can succor you in grief, illness, loneliness, anxiety, and other quiet burdens.
- 3The core choice is not whether the Savior will be with you, but whether you will walk with Him deliberately and always, listening to His voice in scripture, following living prophets, repenting daily, and responding to “Come, follow me.”
Reflection Questions
- When have you felt the Savior reach you in an unexpected way (through a hymn, a child, a comment, a kind word), and what does that moment teach you about being known by Him?
- As you think about the sacrament prayers, what would it look like this week to more consciously “take upon you the name of His Son” and “always remember Him” in a specific situation you’re facing?
- What is one burden you’ve been carrying quietly, and how might trusting that Christ truly understands it (because of His Atonement) change the way you pray and act today?
Application Prompt
Before taking the sacrament this week, write down one current burden and one specific way you will “walk with Him” for the next seven days (scripture listening, prophet counsel you’ll follow, or a daily repentance step), then review it each morning.