Reyna I Aburto | We Are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | April22 General Conference

We Are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
By Reyna I. Aburto

Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

The Church is more than the buildings and the ecclesiastical structure; the Church is us, the members, with Christ at the head and the prophet as His mouthpiece.

After receiving an invitation to “come and see,”1 I attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the first time at the age of 26. I had recently separated from my first husband. I had a three-year-old boy. And I felt powerless with fear. When I entered the building, I was filled with warmth as I perceived the faith and joy of the people surrounding me. It was truly “a refuge from the storm.”2 Three weeks later, I made the baptismal covenant with Heavenly Father and started my journey as a disciple of Christ, although my life has not been perfect along that journey.

For me to receive those eternal blessings, many physical and spiritual elements had to be in place. The gospel of Jesus Christ had been restored and preached; that meetinghouse had been built and maintained; there was an ecclesiastical structure, from the prophet to local leaders; and a branch filled by covenant members was ready to embrace me and my son as we were brought to the Savior, “nourished by the good word of God,”3 and given opportunities to serve.4

From the beginning, God has sought to gather and organize His children5 “to bring to pass [our] immortality and eternal life.”6 With that purpose in mind, He has instructed us to build places of worship7 where we receive knowledge and the ordinances of salvation and exaltation; make and keep covenants that bind us to Jesus Christ;8 are endowed with “the power of godliness”;9 and gather together often to remember Jesus and strengthen each other in Him.10 The Church organization and its buildings exist for our spiritual benefit. “The Church … is the scaffolding with which we build eternal families.”11

While talking to a friend going through a difficult time, I asked how he was surviving financially. In tears, he replied that his bishop was helping him using fast-offering funds. He added, “I don’t know where my family and I would be if it wasn’t for the Church.” I replied, “The Church is the members. They are the ones who willingly and joyfully give fast offerings to help those of us in need. You are receiving the fruits of their faith and determination to follow Jesus Christ.”

My fellow disciples of Christ, let us not underestimate the marvelous work the Lord is doing through us, His Church, despite our shortcomings. Sometimes we are givers and sometimes we are receivers, but we are all one family in Christ. His Church is the structure He has given to guide and bless us as we worship Him and serve each other.

General Conference Saturday Morning Session April 2022

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