President Thomas S. Monson: 'Stand...in Holy Places'

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Communication with Heavenly Father — including "our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us" — is necessary in order for Latter-day Saints to weather the storms and trials of life, said President Thomas S. Monson.

'The Lord invites us: 'Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you. Seek me diligently and ye shall find me,'" said President Monson. "As we do so, we will feel His spirit in our lives, providing us the desire and the courage to stand strong and firm in righteousness — to stand in holy places and not be moved."

Speaking during the Sunday morning session of the Church's 181st Semiannual General Conference, President Monson said he felt impressed to share "certain thoughts and feelings which I consider to be pertinent and timely."

President Monson said he has lived on the earth for 84 years. "Yesterday's science fiction has become today's reality. And that reality, thanks to the technology of our times, is changing so fast we can barely keep up with it — if we do at all. … Also evolving at a rapid rate has been the moral compass of society. Behaviors which once were considered inappropriate and immoral are now not only tolerated but also viewed by ever so many as acceptable."

President Monson told the worldwide congregation that they need not "wring their hands in despair" and wonder how they "will ever survive in such a world."

"Indeed," explained President Monson, "we have in our lives the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we know that morality is not passé, that our conscience is there to guide us, and that we are responsible for our actions."

Although the world has changed, the laws of God remain constant, he said. "They have not changed; they will not change. The Ten Commandments are just that — commandments. They are not suggestions. They are every bit as requisite today as they were when God gave them to the children of Israel."

After reading the Ten Commandments, President Monson said the Church's code of conduct is definitive; it is not negotiable. "It is found not only in the Ten Commandments but also in the Sermon on the Mount, given to us by the Savior when He walked upon the earth. It is found throughout His teachings. It is found in the words of modern revelation."