VIDEO: Elder Dale G. Renlund — Our Brother’s Keeper

Elder Dale G. Renlund: Our Brother’s Keeper – powered by Happy Scribe

Today, I speak to you not as a former physician, I speak to you as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, as individuals, as families and as a church, we will be judged by how we treat the vulnerable and disadvantaged in our societies.

As the covid-19 pandemic spreads around the world, it wreaks havoc among those who are already disadvantaged.

Sadly, responses to the pandemic have been politicized and contentious.

Ours need not be as we anticipate performing more proxy ordinances in the temples we do for others what they cannot do for themselves.

Without these blessings, these deceased individuals are profoundly disadvantaged. The savior taught that the second great commandment after loving God was Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. As it relates to this pandemic, especially in temples, that means social distancing, wearing a mask and not gathering in large groups. These steps demonstrate our love for others and provide us a measure of protection, wearing a face covering is a sign of Christlike love for our brothers and sisters. covid-19 is serious.

Its consequences are not yet fully understood. The church has taken the pandemic seriously from the beginning.

We closed all temples. Now we’re opening them cautiously and phases to minimize the risk to temple ordinance workers, patrons and communities. We will carefully expand temple operations based on criteria that indicate that it’s safe to do so. We’ll begin with a handful of temples located in areas where the incidence of covid-19 is low and local public health guidelines can be met. This will be done in consultation with temple leadership and area presidencies. We should not anticipate that these phases of temple worship will be short lived, we should follow the council given to the Saints heading into a temporary situation, the Lord said.

And I consecrate onto them this land for a little season until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise and command them to go hence. And the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and they shall return on to them for their good. If you act on these phases of temple worship, as for years, not delaying, but doing all you can to accomplish your temple worship, now it will turn to your good eye.

So testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.