By ELder Neil L. Andersen
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Lord warned that in the last days, there would be distress among nations, people would “be lovers of their own selves,” “all things [would] be in commotion,” confusion would abound, and “men’s hearts [would] fail them.” We have certainly seen men’s and women’s hearts fail them: the enticements of the world, the distraction of alluring voices, the neglect of spiritual nourishment, the fatigue from the demands of discipleship. Perhaps you have been saddened as you have seen someone you love, who at one time spoke sincerely of his or her faith in Jesus Christ, bore witness of the Book of Mormon, and eagerly helped build the kingdom of God, suddenly move away, at least for now, from his or her beliefs and toward the sidelines of the Church. My counsel to you is don’t despair! All is well. For with God, nothing is impossible.

With this prophesied commotion and disbelief in the world, the Lord promised that there would be a covenant people, a people eagerly awaiting His return, a people who stand in holy settings and are not moved out of their place. He spoke of a righteous people resisting the deceptions of the adversary, disciplining their faith, thinking celestial, and trusting completely in the Savior Jesus Christ.

Why is the Lord now bringing hundreds of His temples closer to us? One reason is that amid the turmoil and temptations of the world, He has promised to strengthen and bless His covenant Saints, and His promises are being fulfilled!

How do these holy houses strengthen, comfort, and protect us? We find an answer in the pleadings of the Prophet Joseph Smith in the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. It was in this temple where the Saints sang, “We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven.” The Savior Himself appeared, and prophets of old returned, bestowing additional priesthood keys to the restored gospel.

On that sacred occasion in the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet prayed that in the Lord’s holy house, the Saints would be armed with the power of God, that the name of Jesus Christ would be upon them, that His angels would have charge over them, and that they would grow up in the Lord and “receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost.” These powerful supplications are fulfilled in our lives as we faithfully worship in the house of the Lord.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/55andersen?lang=eng