This sacrament talk is based on Elder David A. Bednar’s April 2026 General Conference message, “All Who Have Endured Valiantly.” It explores what it truly means to endure to the end, the spiritual gift of charity, becoming new creatures in Christ, and how the grace of Jesus Christ helps us grow, change, and become more like Him throughout our lives.
Brothers and sisters,
I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak today. Over the last little while, I’ve spent time studying Elder David A. Bednar’s General Conference talk, “All Who Have Endured Valiantly.” There were several things in his message that really stayed with me, especially the idea that discipleship is not just about surviving life—it’s about becoming something through Jesus Christ.
I think most of us understand what it feels like to simply try to “get through” hard seasons.
Sometimes life feels exhausting.
Sometimes faith feels difficult.
Sometimes we quietly wonder if we are doing enough, becoming enough, or changing enough.
And I think many faithful people carry discouragement because they believe enduring to the end means never struggling, never doubting, or never feeling weak.
But Elder Bednar reminded us that enduring valiantly does not mean living perfectly. It means continuing to turn toward Jesus Christ over and over again throughout our lives.
I loved that perspective because all of us are still learning.
All of us are unfinished.
And thankfully, the gospel of Jesus Christ was designed for imperfect people trying to become better through Him.
One thing Elder Bednar emphasized is that the gospel is not only about doing good things. It is about becoming a new creature in Christ.
That phrase comes from the scriptures:
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.”
I’ve thought a lot about that phrase recently.
The Savior doesn’t just help us manage our lives better.
He changes hearts.
He changes desires.
He changes who we are becoming.
And that change usually happens slowly.
Line upon line.
Prayer by prayer.
Choice by choice.
I think sometimes we become frustrated because we want instant spiritual growth. We want immediate change. We want weaknesses to disappear quickly.
But the Lord often works gradually.
Just like physical growth happens little by little, spiritual growth does too.
Most of the time, we don’t even notice how much the Savior is changing us until we look back and realize:
“I handle things differently now.”
“I trust God more now.”
“I pray differently now.”
“I have more compassion now.”
That quiet transformation is one of the miracles of discipleship.
Elder Bednar also spoke about charity—not simply as being nice, but as the pure love of Christ becoming part of who we are.
I think sometimes we treat charity like a checklist:
Did I serve someone?
Was I kind today?
And those things matter. But true charity goes deeper than actions. Charity changes the way we see people.
When we become more like Christ, we begin to judge less harshly.
We become more patient.
More forgiving.
More compassionate.
More willing to see people the way the Savior sees them.
Honestly, I think one of the greatest evidences that Jesus Christ is changing us is how we treat people when they are difficult to love.
Because charity is easy when people are kind back.
But Christlike love matters most when:
someone disappoints us,
someone misunderstands us,
someone hurts us,
or someone struggles in ways we don’t fully understand.
The Savior consistently loved imperfect people.
And aren’t we grateful He does?
Another thing Elder Bednar talked about was spiritual endurance.
I appreciated that because endurance sounds difficult sometimes. It sounds like just surviving.
But spiritual endurance is actually deeply hopeful because it means we keep turning toward Christ no matter what life looks like.
Some seasons feel spiritually strong and joyful.
Other seasons feel dry or difficult.
There are moments when prayer feels easy.
And moments when prayer feels quiet.
There are moments when faith feels confident.
And moments when faith feels fragile.
But enduring valiantly means we keep coming to Christ anyway.
We keep praying.
We keep repenting.
We keep trying.
We keep trusting Him even while unfinished.
One thing I’ve learned is that discipleship often looks very ordinary.
It looks like:
reading scriptures when tired,
coming to church when life feels heavy,
choosing patience with family,
repenting again,
offering another prayer,
trying one more time.
And sometimes we underestimate how meaningful those small acts of faith really are.
But the Lord sees them.
Small consistent faith matters.
Alma taught that faith grows like a seed. Seeds don’t become trees overnight. They grow slowly with nourishment and time.
I think spiritual growth works the same way.
Elder Bednar also reminded us that becoming more like Christ is impossible through our own strength alone.
We need grace.
Sometimes when we hear the word grace, we think only about forgiveness after mistakes. But grace is also enabling power.
It is heavenly help.
The Savior not only cleanses us—He strengthens us.
He helps us become what we could never become alone.
I love Ether 12:27 where the Lord says:
“My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me.”
Notice He does not say:
“My grace is sufficient only for perfect people.”
Grace is for struggling people.
Tired people.
Learning people.
Weak people.
Ordinary disciples trying to follow Him.
That gives me so much hope.
Because honestly, most of us are trying harder than anyone realizes.
And the Savior knows that.
Elder Bednar spoke about covenant relationships with God. I think that’s especially important in today’s world because the world often teaches us to rely completely on ourselves.
But covenants remind us that we are connected to Jesus Christ.
We are not walking through mortality alone.
When we make and keep covenants:
we receive guidance,
strength,
protection,
peace,
and spiritual power.
Not because life suddenly becomes easy—but because the Savior walks with us through it.
One thing I loved in Elder Bednar’s message was the reminder that discipleship changes our desires over time.
That really stood out to me.
Because sometimes we focus only on behavior:
“Am I doing the right things?”
But the deeper miracle of the gospel is that Christ slowly changes what we want.
Over time:
we want to pray more sincerely,
forgive more quickly,
love more deeply,
serve more willingly,
and follow Him more fully.
That transformation is evidence that the Holy Ghost is working inside us.
And honestly, I think some of the holiest changes are the quiet ones nobody else sees.
The world often celebrates loud accomplishments. But Heaven notices quiet faithfulness.
The parent who keeps praying for a struggling child.
The person who keeps showing up at church while grieving.
The disciple who keeps trusting God through unanswered questions.
The member quietly trying to repent and start again.
Those things matter deeply to the Lord.
Elder Bednar’s talk reminded me that discipleship is not about perfection today.
It is about direction.
Are we turning toward Christ?
Are we letting Him change us?
Are we continuing to come unto Him even when we feel weak?
That is what enduring valiantly looks like.
It means continuing to choose Christ over and over again throughout our lives.
I also think we sometimes forget how patient the Savior is with us.
We often become discouraged by how far we still have to go.
But the Lord rejoices in progress.
He sees effort.
He sees growth.
He sees desires.
He sees the quiet ways we are trying.
And through His grace, He helps us continue becoming.
Brothers and sisters, I know Jesus Christ lives.
I know He is patient with imperfect disciples.
I know His grace is real.
I know He can strengthen weak people.
I know He can change hearts.
And I know that through Him, we truly can become new creatures in Christ.
I know enduring valiantly does not mean never struggling.
It means continuing to trust the Savior enough to keep moving toward Him.
And because of Him, change is possible.
Healing is possible.
Peace is possible.
Joy is possible.
I’m grateful for a Savior who does not give up on us while we are still becoming.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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