Come unto Christ—Together

Recognize God’s purpose to bring His children to eternal life

Elder Wakolo begins by showing that prophets and apostles clearly invite all people to come unto Christ. He connects this invitation to Moses’s questions about the purpose of creation and the Lord’s answer that His work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. He also cites Nephi’s witness that all are alike unto God and none are denied if they come unto Christ. The talk teaches that because of Jesus Christ, all can receive eternal life and ultimately live in God’s presence as families.

How grateful we are for living prophets and apostles who speak with simplicity and clarity—whose collective voices invite us to “come unto Christ.”

Overwhelmed by this vision, Moses asked two profound questions to God: Why? And by what means? In other words, he wanted to understand the purpose.

The Lord answered, “For mine own purpose have I made these things … to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

The prophet Nephi later testified, “For … he denieth none that come unto him … ; and all are alike unto God.”

Because of Jesus Christ, all can receive the gift of eternal life—which includes living in God’s presence eternally as families.

• What questions did Moses ask after seeing the earth and its inhabitants?
• How did the Lord answer Moses’s question about purpose?
• What does Nephi teach about who may come unto Christ?
• According to Elder Wakolo, how does Jesus Christ make eternal life possible for all of God’s children?
• How does the doctrine of eternal life include families?
• How has understanding God’s purpose for His children affected the way you view your life?
• When have you felt invited to come unto Christ with greater clarity?
• How can you better align your personal goals with God’s work of bringing to pass immortality and eternal life?
• What does it mean to you personally that all are alike unto God?
• How can you help someone else feel that they are included in the Savior’s invitation?

Center family discipleship on temple ordinances and sealings

A major focus of the talk is that the doctrine of the Church centers on the family and that the temple is essential to that doctrine. Elder Wakolo quotes President Dallin H. Oaks to teach that temple ordinances enable us to return as eternal families to Heavenly Father’s presence. He also teaches that marriage is ordained of God and that the sealing authority is necessary for the earth to fulfill the end of its creation. Temple sealings are presented as part of God’s divine order and as the crowning ordinance of the gospel.

The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints centers on the family. Essential to our doctrine on the family is the temple.

The ordinances received there enable us to return as eternal families to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

The gospel plan … is implemented through our mortal families, and its intended destiny is to exalt the children of God in eternal families.

The Lord has also declared that “marriage is ordained of God … that the earth might answer the end of its creation,”

Without the sealing authority needed to enter these eternal covenants that unite families forever, “the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”

Temple sealings invite us into the divine order of God. Is it any wonder that the temple sealing is often described as the crowning ordinance?

• What did President Oaks teach about the relationship between family doctrine and the temple?
• How do temple ordinances help fulfill God’s plan for His children?
• What does the talk teach about marriage being ordained of God?
• Why is the sealing authority essential in God’s plan?
• Why might temple sealing be described as the crowning ordinance?
• How has the temple helped you better understand God’s plan for families?
• What can you do now to prepare for, return to, or more fully honor temple covenants?
• How can you teach your family about the eternal significance of temple ordinances?
• What feelings do you have when you think about being united eternally with loved ones?
• If temple blessings feel distant right now, how can you continue moving toward them with faith?

Build bridges of love instead of dividing families

Elder Wakolo carefully teaches that the gospel and the temple should never be used as pressure or as a source of division in families. He emphasizes that the temple is a symbol of hope, not pressure, and that discipleship should reflect the Savior’s patience, gentleness, and perfect love. He speaks directly to those from families not yet sealed, to those who are not members, and to members with spouses of another faith, assuring them that they are essential to God’s plan. The message is one of inclusion, compassion, and hope.

The temple stands as a symbol of hope, not pressure.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a wedge to divide families but a bridge to unite them eternally.

We must ensure that our discipleship reflects the Savior’s patience, His gentleness, and His perfect love.

My dear brothers and sisters, many of you are from families yet to be sealed in the temple.

Some of you who are listening are not members of the Church. Others of you who are members of the Church may have spouses not of our faith.

Today I say to each of you: You are essential to God’s plan.

• How does Elder Wakolo describe the temple in relation to those who are still waiting for family blessings?
• What does it mean that the gospel is a bridge and not a wedge?
• What qualities of the Savior should shape our discipleship in family relationships?
• Whom does Elder Wakolo specifically include in his message of hope?
• What does the talk teach about the worth and place of those in part-member or not-yet-sealed families?
• Have you ever felt pressure or discouragement regarding family gospel situations? What in this talk offers you hope?
• How can you make your discipleship more patient, gentle, and loving in your home?
• What can you do to help someone in a part-member family feel included and valued?
• How can you avoid using gospel truths in ways that create distance instead of unity?
• What does it mean to you personally that you are essential to God’s plan?

Honor agency and trust the Lord’s timing in conversion

Through several stories, Elder Wakolo teaches that conversion cannot be forced. Denny and Alex’s story shows that faithful consistency can eventually lead to unity. The story of the seven-year-old boy and his father shows that invitations may be declined for a time, yet love and agency remain. Bob and Marlene’s experience demonstrates that quiet covenant keeping and the influence of the Spirit can bring a person to baptism and sealing, even late in life. Elder Wakolo then shares his own conversion story and testifies that God keeps His promises in His timing. He stresses that conversion is personal, timing is individual, and agency is sacred.

May I share a few sacred stories of patience, agency, and the quiet, persistent invitation to come unto Christ—together?

What began with tension ended in unity. They chose to come unto Christ—together.

And yet the love remains. The invitation remains. The agency remains.

Sometimes the seed is planted long before it breaks the soil.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord honors patient faith. And it is never too late for miracles.

My only regret? I wish I had been baptized sooner.

Brothers and sisters, God keeps His promises—but in His timing.

These things remind us that conversion is personal. Timing is individual. Agency is sacred.

• What do the stories in the talk teach about the role of agency in conversion?
• How did patience and faithful example influence the people in these stories?
• What does Elder Wakolo mean when he says the seed may be planted long before it breaks the soil?
• How does the story of Bob and Marlene illustrate the influence of the Holy Ghost?
• What truths does Elder Wakolo emphasize about God’s promises and timing?
• Is there someone you love whose spiritual journey requires you to be more patient?
• How can you show steady faith without trying to force another person’s choices?
• What experiences have taught you to trust the Lord’s timing?
• Where might the Lord be asking you to keep planting seeds of love and testimony?
• How can you better respect the agency of others while still extending loving invitations?

Persevere in faithful waiting and believe in promised blessings

The account from Fiji illustrates long-term faithfulness in difficult family circumstances. Elder Wakolo describes a wife who attended church alone for eight years while her husband remained hesitant. She did not withdraw, resent, or stop serving. Her patriarchal blessing promised future temple blessings if she remained true and faithful, and eventually that promise was fulfilled. This story reinforces the doctrine that the Lord remembers covenant keepers and fulfills sacred promises, even after long waiting.

In Fiji, I know of a faithful wife who waited eight long years for her husband to join the Church.

Eight years of attending church alone while her husband remained uninterested and hesitant.

Yet she did not withdraw. She did not resent. She served.

When the wife received her patriarchal blessing, she was promised that if she remained true and faithful, a day would come when her husband would take her to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity.

Over eight years and 24 missionaries later, the husband was baptized and the couple was sealed in the house of the Lord.

• What attitudes and actions did the wife in Fiji maintain during her years of waiting?
• How did her patriarchal blessing strengthen hope in her circumstances?
• What does this story teach about enduring faithfulness?
• How does this account show that the Lord remembers and fulfills promises?
• Why is it significant that she continued to serve rather than withdraw or resent?
• What promised blessings are you still waiting to receive?
• How can you remain true and faithful when answers or changes seem delayed?
• Are there ways you have been tempted to withdraw or resent? How can you choose service instead?
• How have priesthood blessings, patriarchal blessings, or personal revelation strengthened you in waiting?
• What would it look like for you to show hopeful endurance in your current circumstances?

Minister one by one and invite all to come unto Christ together

In the closing portion of the talk, Elder Wakolo offers direct invitations to several groups: those in part-member families, those who are waiting, those who need to return to temple worship, and those who are being invited. He testifies that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know every family, every prayer, and every tear. He reminds listeners that the Savior never forces but lovingly invites and fulfills promises according to faith and faithfulness. He then calls all Church members to minister individually and ensure that no one sits alone, especially as we remember the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I witness that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know every family represented in these stories.

They know the tears, the prayers, and the patience.

To those in part-member families—do not lose heart.

To those who are waiting—do not give up.

To those who have been endowed or sealed and need to return—come, come again to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

To those who are invited—know that the invitation is rooted in Christlike love.

To all members of the Church—let’s continue to minister one by one and ensure that “no one sits alone.”

The Savior never forces. He invites. He blesses. He fulfills promises according to faith and faithfulness.

This month, as we celebrate and remember the Resurrection of our Savior, I invite you to make a commitment and choose to come unto Christ—together. Eternity shall be your reward.

• What witness does Elder Wakolo bear about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s awareness of families?
• What invitations does he extend to those in different family and covenant situations?
• What does it mean to minister one by one?
• How does Elder Wakolo describe the Savior’s pattern of inviting others?
• What commitment does he invite listeners to make at the end of the talk?
• Who in your ward, family, or circle of friends may feel like they are sitting alone?
• What is one specific way you can minister one by one this week?
• If you are waiting for family blessings, what does “do not lose heart” mean in your life right now?
• Are you being invited to return, to receive, or to act? What will you do next?
• How can remembering the Resurrection strengthen your commitment to come unto Christ together?