of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
August 17, 2021
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, delivered this BYU Education Week address on August 17, 2021.
Also in the Aug 2022 Liahona, pg u4- u9
Such a great talk! The whole thing was amazing, but here are some parts I really loved...
"4. Conflict Is Inevitable and Contention Is a Choice
Have you noticed that in many movies there comes a moment when someone says, “At least things can’t get any worse”? As soon as you hear those words, you know that things are about to fall apart. Do you ever feel like a character in one of those movies?
Just when it seems as though we have faced all the trials and heartaches we can handle, bigger ones come along. These conflicts come in a variety of shapes and sizes: An unwanted medical diagnosis. A wandering child or friend. The loss of a job. The passing of a loved one. A global pandemic.
Sometimes we think how pleasant life would be if only we didn’t have so much opposition.
Our Lord Jesus Christ—our model of perfection—did not live a life free of conflict. He was opposed throughout His ministry, and in His final hours He was betrayed by a friend, accused by false witnesses, slandered, beaten, bloodied, and crucified.
What was His response?
To some, He did not speak a word. To others, He spoke the simple truth—not in anger but with calm majesty. As others contended with Him, He stood in His place—trusting in His Father, calm in His testimony, and firm in the truth.
Conflict is inevitable. It is a condition of mortality. It is part of our test. Contention, however, is a choice. It is one way that some people choose to respond to conflict.
When we contend with others, we cause discord, dissension, resentment, and even rage. Harmful emotions almost always accompany contention: anger, hurt, jealousy, hostility, revenge, and malice—to name just a few.
Our world overflows with contention. We have 24/7 access to it: on the news, on social media, and even, at times, in our relationships with those we love.
We cannot adjust the volume on others’ bitterness, wrath, or rage. We can, however, choose our response. We can choose a better way—the Lord’s way! Of course this is easy to say and difficult to do.
To refrain from contending with those who contend requires great discipline. But that’s what it means to be a disciple. Jesus taught:
He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention. . . .
. . . This is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.34
When God speaks—even when He calls us to repentance—His voice is not likely to be “a voice of thunder, neither . . . a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but . . . a still voice of perfect mildness, . . . [like] a whisper . . . [that pierces] even to the very soul.”35
As followers of Jesus Christ, we follow this example. We do not shame or attack others. We seek to love God and serve our neighbors. We seek to joyfully keep God’s commandments and live by gospel principles. And we invite others to do the same.
We cannot force anyone to change. But we can love them. We can be an example of what the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. And we can invite all to come and belong.
When others throw insults at us, do we return fire?
There is a better way—the Lord’s way!
To some, we say nothing. To others, we state with quiet dignity who we are, what we believe, and why we believe. We stand confident in our faith in God, trusting that He will uphold us in our trials.
Let us emulate the gentle Christ. And we do that through learning to love God and reaching out to bless others.
Yes, there will still be conflict. But our all-powerful Father in Heaven has promised that He will fight our battles for us.36
That is a message we all need to hear."
