Saints of all ages in Mexico gather to hear from an Apostle during his 9-day ministry from Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — The Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ “is the most important message” anyone will ever hear, testified Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during a series of virtual and in-person meetings throughout Mexico Nov. 4 through 12.
“It is the message of the living, resurrected Christ, returning to the earth in the latter days to reestablish His Church with the same truth and doctrine, authority, and covenants and ordinances as were found in His ancient Church” he told Latter-day Saints and their friends in Mexico. “Examine it.”
During the nine-day ministry, Elder Bednar was joined by his wife, Sister Susan K. Bednar. Members of the Church’s Mexico Area presidency — all General Authority Seventies — and their wives also attended different meetings with Elder Bednar: Elder Hugo Montoya, area president, and Sister Carmen Montoya; Elder Adrián Ochoa, first counselor, and Sister Nancy Ochoa; and Elder Sean Douglas, second counselor, and Sister Ann Douglas.
In each message Elder Bednar expressed gratitude to return to Mexico — a nation and a people that are close to his heart.
Navigating life as a young adult
Meeting in the multistake center on the grounds of the Mexico City Mexico Temple on Nov. 8, more than 700 young adults attended an in-person devotional, and thousands more viewed it around the country.
Elder Bednar told the young adults that the Book of Mormon is not a history book about the past — it was written specifically for our day. He quoted from 1 Nephi 14:14 and talked about “the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth.”
“Being ‘the covenant people of the Lord’ is about much more than simply being a member of the Church,” he said.
Elder Bednar invited the young adults to listen for the promptings of the Holy Ghost in the devotional to find answers to their personal questions. As a result, the young adults came away with impressions on topics that were not directly addressed during the devotional.
“One of the things I realized while I was here is that I was looking for answers to questions, but I have to improve my communication with Heavenly Father. I need to do a better job of consulting Him in everything I do,” said Karen Cerón Aguilar from the Centenario Ward of the Madero Mexico Stake.
Luis Felipe Carvajal Figueroa from the Tepalcates Ward, Mexico City Oriental Stake, said he felt a need to prioritize his time better.
“And when we put God first in our lives, everything else will fall into its proper order,” Carvajal said. “With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can make that happen.”
Alejandra Valdez Leyva attends the Centro Escolar Ward in the Mexico City Arbolillo Stake and said she felt that her questions had been answered, even though they were not directly asked or addressed during the event.
“I felt comforted in the face of the questions and insecurities we have as young adults. Despite many uncertainties, I can trust and have security and faith in the Savior. … Even though I do not know what is going to happen, I know it is going to be OK.”
Strengthening marriage and families
In speaking with married couples in a devotional broadcast from Mexico City to chapels all around Mexico on Nov. 9, Elder Bednar emphasized the importance of marriage between a man and a woman and the role of marriage in helping individuals overcome the tendencies of the natural man.
“In our marriages and in our homes, we cannot hide from what we are really like. We should not be two people — acting one way at church and a different way at home,” Elder Bednar said.
Sister Bednar talked about the blessings that come as Latter-day Saints consecrate their lives to the cause of Jesus Christ.
“Consecration means dedicating ourselves and our family to a holy purpose. It means being your best self. It means giving your life to live the gospel of Jesus Christ,” she said.
‘Be worthy,’ Elder Bednar tells the youth
From the Mexico Area’s offices in Mexico City, Elder Bednar met virtually with youth in and around Culiacán, the capital of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, on Saturday, Nov. 4. While in the country, Elder Bednar also met with youth in Ciudad Juarez in Mexico’s northern state of Chihuahua a week later, on Saturday, Nov. 11.
In each meeting, he answered questions from youth on a wide variety of topics.
“Always be worthy to enter and serve in the house of the Lord,” he said to the youth. “Live worthy. Be worthy. Stay worthy.”
Sister Bednar encouraged the youth to study the scriptures as a way to become “fluent in the gospel.” She told them this would help both in their missionary service and their understanding of temples as the house of the Lord.
Elder Bednar called faith in the Lord Jesus Christ “a principle of action and power. There are two kinds of faith — faith that makes things happen and faith to accept the things that happen. … Faith is when we meekly, modestly, humbly follow Christ’s teachings.”
Source: The Church News
