Prophet’s Easter Conference Messages Encourage Christlike Interactions

Prophet and President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged members to demonstrate the pure love of Christ in all their interactions as part of several messages delivered over this Easter and general conference weekend.

“As followers of Christ, let us follow Him by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers,” he said. “In our families and other personal relationships, let us avoid what is harsh and hateful. Let us seek to be holy, like our Savior.”

Opening the worldwide conference on Saturday morning, April 4, 2026, President Oaks referred to the solemn assembly to sustain the new First Presidency as an “event of great significance.”

“I’m grateful to be among those whose leadership callings are formally recognized in this way,” President Oaks said. He expressed gratitude for Church members’ sustaining vote, prayers, support and service to others.

“At this Easter season, I reaffirm our testimony of the resurrected Lord and recognize that He is the head of this Church,” he said.

“Belief in a literal, universal resurrection” changes one’s perspective of mortality, he said on Sunday morning, April 5. This belief provides strength, perspective and courage when facing physical deficiencies and challenges of mortality, such as death.

As individuals strive to live worthy to meet Christ, “it helps us live together in love in this life in anticipation of joyful reunions and associations in the next,” he taught.

In contrast to today’s “toxic” culture of hostility toward adversaries, President Oaks encouraged members to follow the Savior’s teachings to “love God and neighbor” and “love your enemies.”

“Today we might say that we are commanded to love our adversaries,” he said.

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“As followers of Christ, we should seek to live peaceably and lovingly with other children of God who do not share our values and do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed,” he continued. “In a democratic government, we should seek ‘fairness for all.’ In countless circumstances, strangers’ suspicion or even hostility gradually give way to friendship when personal contacts produce mutual respect.”

Latter-day Saints can follow Christ’s example to choose to love others, even if others show little to no love to us, President Oaks said.

“Peacemakers! How it would change the world if followers of Christ would forgo harsh and hurtful words in all their communications,” he said, and shared examples of how to be a peacemaker.

Concluding the general conference on Sunday afternoon, the Prophet said, “The Spirit of the Lord has inspired all of us to concentrate our worship, focus our learning, and unite our testimonies on the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Father’s plan for our eternal increase and joy.”

He testified, “Truly, Jesus Christ is the way to peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come. He knows us and loves each of us perfectly and invites us to walk with Him, abide in Him, and follow His example of ministering to others one by one in charity and love. We have been reminded of the central role of marriage and families in our Heavenly Father’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. May we all demonstrate the pure love of Christ in our families, in our communities, and in all of our interchanges with God’s children.”

President Oaks closed with an invitation to study and prayerfully ponder conference messages, then act in faith on their principles. “As we treasure up and act upon the teachings of this conference, the Lord will continue to teach and inspire us with personal revelation and guidance,” he promised.