Elder Gerrit W. Gong — Holiness to the Lord in everyday life
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, began with a humorous story from a family reunion, where he and his grandchildren competed in a “dad joke” contest against an artificial intelligence program designed to think and talk like him. We are meant to experience joy and laugh in life, he explained.
Elder Gong emphasized that holiness is about setting things apart for sacred purposes while infusing the ordinary with the sacred. He reminded listeners that walking with the Lord in holiness brings peace and strength. He cited studies showing that religious believers generally experience greater happiness, health and satisfaction with their lives.
“Holiness to the Lord says ‘yes’ to the sacred and reverent, ‘yes’ to our becoming our freest, happiest, most authentic best selves as we follow him in faith,” Elder Gong said.
“Holiness to the Lord says ‘yes’ to the sacred and reverent, ‘yes’ to our becoming our freest, happiest, most authentic best selves as we follow Him in faith.” – @GerritWGong | #GeneralConferencepic.twitter.com/fmSkd342LK
— GeneralConference (@ldsconf) October 6, 2024
He shared personal stories from people who demonstrated faith during difficult circumstances — a young couple learning from each other’s testimonies, a missionary who sacrificed college baseball opportunities to serve the Lord, and a woman whose faith helped heal her strained relationship with her father through temple attendance.
Elder Gong also reflected on the importance of the temple and the healing power it brings. He shared that he honors his mother who has passed away by going to the temple. He encouraged listeners to make finding holiness a daily practice, creating greater connection with God and others.
“To walk with the Lord, we must become holy, for He is holy; and, to help us become holy, the Lord invites us to walk with Him.” —Elder @GerritWGong#GeneralConferencepic.twitter.com/nOtBYPuryr
— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 6, 2024
He closed by sharing that holiness in everyday life draws us closer to Jesus Christ and prepares us for eternal life with God and loved ones. He invited listeners to seek holiness and joy in their daily lives.
— Jenny Rollins




