09 November 2025
All God needs to accomplish His purposes and to help us become who He wants is for each of us to turn our hearts fully to Him.
Sacrament Meeting Program
Presiding: Brother Alan Riker
Conducting: Brother Alan Riker
Opening Hymn: CS 230 - I Think the World Glorious
Invocation: By Invitation
Ward Business
Sacrament Hymn: #179 - Again, Our Dear Redeeming Lord
Administration of the Sacrament
Bearing of Testimonies
Closing Hymn: #1039 - Because
Benediction: By Invitation
Messages from General Conference
The Lord Looketh on the Heart
By Elder Ronald M. Varcellos
Of the Seventy
When commanded to choose the new king of Israel from among the sons of Jesse, the prophet Samuel, upon looking at Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, exclaimed with enthusiasm, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” But Eliab was not the Lord’s chosen servant. The Savior warned Samuel: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
While David may not have been physically the strongest or most skilled of his brothers, his heart was strong in the sight of God. He loved God with all his heart and had a deep desire to obey Him. He had unwavering faith in God’s love, power, and promised blessings, as he later demonstrated when he fearlessly fought and defeated Goliath with the Lord’s help.
This story teaches us that all God needs to accomplish His purposes and to help us become who He wants us to become is for each of us to turn our hearts fully to Him. To a lawyer, He commanded, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” To the Prophet Joseph Smith, He said, “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” And to the Nephites, the resurrected Savior extended this invitation: “Ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”
Why is that so? The Savior taught that if our hearts are fully turned to Him, because of His atoning sacrifice we can be blessed with the strength and spiritual gifts we need to overcome our mortal challenges, resist temptation, receive direction and understanding, and feel joy and peace in our lives. “Out of small things proceedeth that which is great.” He said He can “make weak things become strong” and bless us with everything we need to succeed in this mortal life and to receive eternal life. “Blessed are the pure in heart,” He said, “for they shall see God.”
I believe this is why, at least in part, Jesus Christ so often corrected the scribes and Pharisees during His mortal ministry. Though diligent in keeping His law, they did so for the wrong reasons. He rebuked them, saying, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
This is a sober reminder to all His disciples that it is not just about what we do—our words and actions—but also why we do what Jesus Christ has asked us to do—our desires and motives. He said, “For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.” Our Heavenly Father desires more than mechanical acts of obedience and service from His children. He wants us to do those things with real intent because we love Him with all our hearts. He wants us to desire to become like Him.
Now, if the spiritual health of our hearts is a main concern of the Savior—what He looks for in a true disciple—how can we examine our heart and know if it is right in the sight of God?
Recently, as my wife and I returned from our mission in Portugal, we ran a series of health tests to evaluate our physical condition. Some of those tests focused on our hearts’ health—such as blood tests, echocardiograms, and stress tests. I believe the Savior has also provided us with a set of spiritual tests we can use to assess our hearts’ spiritual condition. Let me share a few with you.
Elder Ronald M. Barcellos
