Last updated on May 11th, 2025 at 08:39 am
General Conference Applied
S5 E7 – Sunday, May 4, 2025 | “The Times of Restitution of All Things” by Elder David A. Bednar; April 2025 General Conference
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Podcast Episode Outline
Introduction
Bio
- Elder David A. Bednar, “A Lesson from My Father“, May 2015 Friend Magazine: “I learned a great lesson from my father about priesthood authority and power.
“I grew up in a home with a faithful mother and a wonderful father. My dad was not a member of our church but still came to Church meetings with our family. He coached our ward softball team and helped with Scout activities.
“As a boy I asked my dad many times each week when he was going to be baptized. My father replied each time, ‘David, I will join the Church when I know it’s the right thing to do.’
“One Sunday I asked my dad when he was going to be baptized. He just smiled and asked me a question. ‘David, your church teaches that the priesthood was taken from the earth anciently and has been restored by heavenly messengers. Why are so many of the men in your church no different about doing their priesthood duty than the men in my church?’
“My mind went blank. I had no answer for my dad.
“I knew that men who hold the priesthood should act differently than other men. Priesthood holders should not only receive priesthood authority but also be faithful and worthy to exercise God’s power.
“I decided I never wanted to be a poor example to my father. I simply wanted to be a good boy. The Lord needs all of us who hold the priesthood to be honorable, virtuous, and good boys at all times and in all places.
“A number of years later, my father was baptized. I had the opportunity to confer upon him the Aaronic and the Melchizedek priesthoods. One of the great experiences of my life was seeing my dad receive the authority and the power of the priesthood.” - 5 Facts about Elder Bednar:
- Born on June 15, 1952, in Oakland, California
- Played quarterback on his high school football team
- Served a mission in Germany
- Was president of Brigham Young University–Idaho
- Ordained an Apostle in October 2004
- This was Elder Bednar’s 42nd general conference address. His most recent address was “In the Space of Not Many Years” from the October 2024 General Conference.
Discussion Questions
- What is the Lord, through Elder Bednar, inviting us to do?
- Elder Bednar quotes frequently from “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World.” Did you catch this during his live address? How familiar are you with this proclamation?
- Why were “the appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith, the translation and coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of priesthood authority and keys … necessary prerequisites to the organization of the Lord’s restored Church”?
- Do you believe that “the most important and glorious ‘good news’ any person anywhere in the world can ever receive [is] the message that the Lord Jesus Christ has restored His gospel and Church in the latter days”? If not, how can we come to feel about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ like Elder Bednar feels about it?
- What is the significance of “the Savior’s restored Church … ‘[gathering] together in one all things in Christ'”? What might this look like in our lives?
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized 195 years ago today, on April 6, 1830.
“A small congregation of believers and friends gathered for this momentous and joyous occasion. A great outpouring of the Spirit blessed all in attendance as the ordinance of the sacrament was administered, the gift of the Holy Ghost was conferred, priesthood ordinations were performed, and truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ were preached.
“In reestablishing His Church, the Lord designated by revelation 24-year-old Joseph Smith as its earthly leader: ‘a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church through the will of God the Father, and the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ.’
“I earnestly pray for the help of the Holy Ghost as we consider the importance and ongoing impact of this singular event in the history of the world.
- Footnote 2: “In preparing this message, I have relied extensively on the teachings set forth in the 1980 and 2020 proclamations issued by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: ‘Proclamation,’ Ensign, May 1980, 52–53; ‘The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,’ Gospel Library.”
The First Vision
“The formal organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the culmination of a sequence of miraculous experiences. The first of these experiences occurred 10 years earlier in upstate New York.
“In the spring of 1820, a young boy named Joseph Smith went into the woods near his home to pray. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul, and he yearned ‘to know which of all the [churches] was right, that [he] might know which to join.’ Joseph trusted that God would answer his prayer and direct him.
“Please note that Joseph did not pray merely to know what was right. Rather, he prayed to know what was right so he could do what was right. Joseph asked in faith and was determined to act in accordance with the answers he received.
“‘In [response] to his [sincere] prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the ‘restitution of all things’ (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth.’ Joseph Smith would be instrumental in restoring once again the doctrine, the authority, and the covenants and ordinances of the Savior’s ancient Church.
“Joseph affirmed: ‘I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!‘
“Through this vision and subsequent supernal experiences, Joseph Smith came to understand that God and Jesus Christ knew him as an individual, cared about his eternal salvation, and had a mission for him to perform. He also learned vital lessons about the attributes, character, and perfections of the Godhead—and that the Father and the Son are separate and distinct Beings. Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God in spirit and in the flesh.
“Joseph Smith declared that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are corporeal beings. He said, ‘The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.’
“I testify the visitation of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith was the initiating event in the grand ‘restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.’
The Book of Mormon
“The second in the sequence of miraculous experiences that led to the formal organization of the Savior’s restored Church was the translation and coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
“‘Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus Christ. … This sacred text include[s] an account of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. [The Book of Mormon] teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a companion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.’
“As members of the Savior’s restored Church, ‘We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.’ The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, confirms the truthfulness of the Bible, and restores plain and precious truths that were lost from the Bible.
Priesthood Restored
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the original Church established by the Savior, with its divine authority, doctrine, and covenants and ordinances, was lost from the earth. As part of the prophesied restoration of all things in the latter days, ancient prophets and apostles personally conferred priesthood authority upon Joseph Smith and committed priesthood keys to him. This was the third in the sequence of miraculous experiences that led to the formal organization of the Savior’s restored Church.
“Priesthood authority allows God’s servants to ‘represent [Him] and act in His name.’ ‘Priesthood keys are the authority to direct the use of the priesthood on behalf of God’s children.’
“Under the direction of the Father and the Son, the resurrected John the Baptist restored, in 1829, the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins. In that same year, three of the original Twelve Apostles—Peter, James, and John—restored the apostleship and additional priesthood authority and keys.
“Six years after the formal organization of the Church, in the Kirtland Temple, Moses, Elias, and Elijah committed to Joseph the additional authority necessary to accomplish God’s work in the latter days.
“Moses committed the keys of the gathering of Israel.
“Elias committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, including the restoration of the Abrahamic covenant.
“Elijah committed the keys of the sealing power, providing the authority that allows ordinances performed on earth to be binding in eternity, such as joining families together in eternal relationships that transcend death.
The Church of Jesus Christ Is Organized
“As Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received revelations indicating that the Church of Jesus Christ would be reestablished. But the Lord instructed Joseph not to organize His Church immediately. Rather, ‘by the spirit of prophecy and revelation,’ the Lord revealed to Joseph ‘the precise day … [he] should proceed to organize His Church once [again] upon the earth.’
“The Church was organized in proper sequence only after the restoration of the priesthood and the publication of the Book of Mormon. The first copies of the Book of Mormon became available on March 26, 1830, and the Church was formally organized on April 6.
“‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints … is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.’
- Elder Bednar quoted frequently from the “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” in this address. Did we make the connection that he was quoting from this proclamation? If not, perhaps we are not as familiar with this proclamation as we could be. Elder Bednar also quoted frequently from Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith. It would certainly be beneficial to become more familiar with this resource as well.
The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times
“The appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith, the translation and coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of priesthood authority and keys were necessary prerequisites to the organization of the Lord’s restored Church 195 years ago today.
“In the Old Testament, the prophet Daniel interpreted a dream about a stone that would be cut out of a mountain without hands and fill the entire earth. One year after the organization of the Church, the Lord instructed Joseph Smith that the keys of the kingdom of God had again been ‘committed unto man on the earth’ and the ‘gospel [of Jesus Christ would] roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands.’
“I testify: The Lord is fulfilling His promise. The Savior’s restored Church is being established throughout the world and is the instrument by which God will ‘gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.’
- Come Back Podcast S1:E39 – Jared Halverson discusses difficult questions on the Book of Mormon and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ – January Book Club episode: “If I intend to make a difference in this dispensation, it’s gathering together in one all things in Christ. And I need the understanding of my LGBT brothers and sisters. I need the understanding of ex latter-day saints, because they can show us our blind spots in ways no one else can. I need the experiences and perspectives of everyone, until we form one great whole of truth. Until we can say to our parents in heaven ‘we are all coming home’ and that to me is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about.”
“The Lord’s latter-day work ‘is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day.’
“In this greatest and last of all gospel dispensations, ‘a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world … shall be revealed … in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.’
“The Prophet Joseph further explained, ‘All the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by the Priesthood, under the directions and commandments of the Almighty in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation, … bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets.’
Promises and Testimony
“I have attempted to summarize basic elements of the most important and glorious ‘good news’ any person anywhere in the world can ever receive—the message that the Lord Jesus Christ has restored His gospel and Church in the latter days.
“I invite all to learn about and prove this message. I promise that individuals ‘who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed [through the power of the Holy Ghost] to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.’ As you pray earnestly with the expectation to both receive and act upon an answer from God, as did young Joseph Smith, your capacity to recognize and respond to that divine witness will be increased.
What is the speaker inviting me to do?
- In my own words: Learn about the message: “that the Lord Jesus Christ has restored His gospel and Church in the latter days.” Prove the message: by “[gathering] together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” (Ephesians 1:10)
Why does it matter, or why is it important? (Doctrines, Principles, Christlike Attributes)
- Christlike Attribute: “I cherish the doctrine and principles of the gospel. (2 Nephi 4:15)” (Knowledge)
- “[15] And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.”
What’s in it for us? (Promises)
- “I promise that individuals ‘who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed [through the power of the Holy Ghost] to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.’ As you pray earnestly with the expectation to both receive and act upon an answer from God, as did young Joseph Smith, your capacity to recognize and respond to that divine witness will be increased.” -Elder Bednar
How will we take action? (Directives, Personal Revelation)
- “Pray earnestly with the expectation to both receive and act upon an answer from God, as did young Joseph Smith.” -Elder Bednar
- Elder David A. Bednar, “Gather Together in One All Things in Christ“, October 2018 General Conference: “The purpose and purification, the happiness and joy, and the continuing conversion and protection that come from ‘yielding [our] hearts unto God’ and ‘[receiving] his image in [our] countenances’ cannot be obtained merely by performing and checking off all the spiritual things we are supposed to do. Rather, the power of the Savior’s gospel to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles, and practices. Only as we gather together in one all things in Christ, with firm focus upon Him, can gospel truths synergistically enable us to become what God desires us to become and endure valiantly to the end.
“The gospel of Jesus Christ is a magnificent tapestry of truth ‘fitly framed’ and woven together. As we learn and link together revealed gospel truths, we are blessed to receive precious perspective and increased spiritual capacity through eyes that can see the Lord’s influence in our lives and ears that can hear His voice. And the principle of gathering together in one—even in Him—can assist us in changing the traditional checklists into a unified, integrated, and complete whole.” - “Proclamation“, April 1980 General Conference: “We invite the honest in heart everywhere to listen to the teachings of our missionaries who are sent forth as messengers of eternal truth, to study and learn, and to ask God, our Eternal Father, in the name of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, if these things are true. …
“We call upon all men and women to forsake evil and turn to God; to work together to build that brotherhood which must be recognized when we truly come to know that God is our Father and we are his children; and to worship him and his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind.” - “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World“, April 2020 General Conference: “We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same, as God will ‘gather together in one all things in Christ’ (Ephesians 1:10).
“With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know—as we do—that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” - Mitch: I will attend the Bluffdale Utah Independence Stake missionary preparation meeting on Sunday, May 18, 2025, to receive and begin studying the missionary resources, especially about the Bible, that will be provided there.
“I witness that God, the Eternal Father, is our Father. I testify and witness that Jesus Christ is the Father’s Beloved Son and His Only Begotten in the flesh. He is our Savior and Redeemer.
“And I joyfully witness that the Father and the Son appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, thus initiating the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and contains the word of God. Priesthood authority to represent the Savior and act in His name again is found on the earth. And The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. I bear my sure witness that all of these things are true in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.”
What will you do?
How will you take action on the invitations extended in this General Conference address?
Conclusion
The focus of our next podcast episode will be the April 2025 General Conference address that was delivered by Elder Quentin L. Cook and was entitled “The Atonement of Jesus Christ Provides the Ultimate Rescue.”
As we conclude this episode, we would invite you to refer to the podcast episode details for this podcast episode where we have provided important information for connecting with us and further supporting the General Conference Applied Podcast. The best ways to help us are to like and subscribe to the podcast, to share the podcast with others, and to like and share our content on social media.
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Tags
Book of Mormon | Dispensations | First Vision | Joseph Smith | Priesthood | Restoration