Relief Society · Elders Quorum · 25 minutes
Elder Clement M. Matswagothata · Of the Seventy · Saturday Afternoon Session
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Because the Savior knows each of us personally and by name, we can trust Him in our hardest seasons and choose to walk deliberately with Him.
Skip rehearsing the full list of scriptural names (Moses, Adam, Mary, Saul, Joseph), mention one briefly and move to discussion; that alone saves 4–5 minutes.
Before Sunday
Sunday: He Knows You by Name
This week we'll discuss a talk by Elder Clement M. Matswagothata of the Seventy. His family surname means 'getting out of a difficult situation' or 'someone who can do hard things', and his talk explores what it means that the Savior personally knows each of us. You can read or listen to the full talk at ChurchofJesusChrist.org before Sunday. As you prepare, ponder: When have you felt truly seen or known by the Lord, even in a quiet or unexpected way?
Pick one opening
Think of a moment in your life when someone knew you, really knew you, at just the right time. Maybe it was a friend who showed up, a prayer answered in an unexpected way, or simply feeling that you were not alone. Without giving every detail, what did that feel like? [Let 2–3 people share briefly.]
Think of a moment in your life when someone knew you, really knew you, at just the right time. Maybe it was a friend who showed up, a prayer answered in an unexpected way, or simply feeling that you were not alone. Without giving every detail, what did that feel like? [Let 2–3 people share briefly.]
Elder Matswagothata was having one of the harder seasons of his life, his mother had just died, his counselor had buried a teenage son two weeks later, and work was overwhelming. One Sunday, driving to a ward conference, he poured his heart out to the Lord. When he arrived, a young Primary boy stopped him and said, 'When are you going to stop being a naughty boy?' Then explained: 'Every morning and every night, my parents ask us to pray for you.' Elder Matswagothata said, 'I felt seen. I felt loved. I felt known.'
Teach this first
The Savior is not distant or unaware of our personal lives. He knows our joys, our sorrows, our silent tears, and our unanswered prayers. Because of His Atonement He knows exactly how to succor each person according to their specific burdens, and He reaches us through unexpected people, moments, and means.
Elder Matswagothata testified: 'To the Savior, we are never lost in the crowd. He knows how to reach us, through a hymn, a smile, a kind word, and sometimes through people we least expect.'
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If time remains
Elder Matswagothata teaches that the real question is not whether the Savior will walk with us, He will, but whether we will choose to walk with Him. That choice, made deliberately and consistently through covenant, is what transforms Him from a distant figure into a trusted friend.
Ask the class
Counsel together
Last 3–5 minutes
This week, when you feel unseen or overwhelmed, pause and recall one specific moment when you felt the Lord knew you, and let that memory anchor your trust in Him today.
Elder Matswagothata promises that as we listen to His voice in the scriptures, repent daily, and follow His invitation to 'Come, follow me,' we will find peace, feel His Spirit, and experience joy even in our most trying moments.
Your witness: Share, in your own words, what it means to you personally that the Savior knows your name, not a general truth, but your specific experience of feeling known by Him.