It’s Easter.

The sermons in Sunday’s General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focused on the life, death, resurrection and Atonement of Christianity’s biblical Savior.

Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf set that tone with the first talk Sunday morning.

The risen Christ “is not confined to the pages of a book any more than he was confined to that grave of stone,” he said. “The scriptures teach us not only who Jesus was but who he is."

In addition, Dallin H. Oaks delivered his first General Conference address as the newly sustained president of the 17.8 million-member global faith, urging Latter-day Saints to heed Christ’s call to “love your enemies.”

“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,” Oaks said. “In a democratic government we should seek ‘fairness for all.’”

Here are the latest news, announcements and speeches from Sunday’s sessions:

Afternoon session

President Dallin Oaks: A promise of revelation

President Dallin H. Oaks offered a brief send-off to viewers of Sunday’s Easter broadcast, stating: “Truly, Jesus Christ is the way to peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.”

He instructed Latter-day Saints to study the messages that had been shared, promising that those who do will be rewarded with personal revelation.

“May we,” he said, “demonstrate the pure love of Christ in our families, in our communities and in all of our interactions with God’s children.”

Apostle Gerrit Gong: Abiding with Jesus

Just as the disciples on the road to Emmaus asked Jesus “to abide with them, Jesus Christ promises to abide with us,” apostle Gerrit W. Gong said. “Jesus teaches his disciples and us how he can remain, belong [and] walk with us. His faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.”

Jesus’ Atonement “changes everything,” Gong said. “It brings literal resurrection. It can enable our return to the presence of God and the eternal uniting of families.”

The faith’s first and only Asian American apostle promised listeners that as “we walk our dusty roads to Emmaus, he will be with us,” and then urged members who see “someone walking alone and sad, will you please walk with them?”

No one should “walk their road to Emmaus alone or unseen,” he concluded. “Let us see and walk together in his love so he can abide with and in us, and us in him.”

Seventy Taniela Wakolo: A message to part-member families

Speaking directly to those in part-member families, Fijian general authority Seventy Taniela B. Wakolo instructed, “do not lose heart.”

He pleaded with those waiting for family members to join the church to “not give up.”

Wakolo also spoke to those who are not Latter-day Saints but have been asked to join, assuruing them that “the invitation is rooted in love.”

And to all church members, he advised, “Let’s continue to minister one by one.”

He reminded listeners, “Timing is individual. Agency is sacred.”

Apostle Quentin Cook: Uniting families for eternity

This Easter Sunday also coincides “with the magnificent vision of the Savior that occurred in the Kirtland Temple on Easter Sunday of 1836 — 190 years ago — just one week after the Kirkland Temple was dedicated,” said apostle Quentin L. Cook.

It was there, Latter-day Saints believe, that the Bible’s Elijah appeared and provided the “keys” to binding families together, Cook said. “Elijah was a remarkable prophet … through whom mighty miracles were performed.”

He promised his listeners that “as you adhere to [God’s] ordinances, covenants and commandments, you will grow closer in your relationship with our Savior as well as your appreciation and gratitude for the sealing keys that have been restored in this dispensation.”

Apostle Neil Andersen: ‘Eternal marriage is an eternal journey’

Apostle Neil L. Andersen decried what he described as a disturbing trend regarding attitudes toward marriage.

“In much of the world, confidence in the lasting nature of marriage is eroding,” Andersen warned. “ In the gospel of Jesus Christ, we proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. We believe in eternal marriage, we teach of eternal marriage, and we seek an eternal marriage.”

He noted that this does not negate the challenges that arise in marriage. Or, he added, times when divorce “should be considered,” although “the cautions are significant.”

Andersen praised a couple who, committed to their covenants made in the temple and to God, successfully weathered mental illness, cancer and neurological disorders.

“Eternal marriage,” he said, “is an eternal journey.”

Primary President Susan Porter: ‘You were born with gifts’

Addressing the church’s children, Primary General President Susan H. Porter said, “You were born with gifts. You have a purpose. And you were born with the ability to make a

difference for good. Heavenly Father loves his children so much that he wants each of us to receive all the blessings he enjoys.”

She assured them that “Jesus Christ knows you, he understands you, and he loves you. Jesus has done everything to help you.”

Porter, who will leave her post in August, urged children to “stay close to him. Learn all you can about him” and to “reach up to Heavenly Father in prayer and say, like Jesus did, ‘Here am I, send me.’”

Seventy Aaron Hall: ‘He is my Jesus and yours’

Redeemer, good shepherd, healer, advocate, lawgiver, deliverer — these were the names general authority Seventy Aaron T. Hall used to describe Jesus’ power and role.

“What names of Jesus Christ help you glory in him?” he asked viewers. “Master? Counselor? Friend?”

He concluded: “On this Easter Sunday, and always, I invite us to glory in Jesus Christ. He is my Jesus and yours.”

Seventy Chi Hong Wong: ‘Remember, remember’

General authority Seventy Chi Hong (Sam) Wong noted there are five verses in the Book of Mormon, the faith’s signature scripture, containing the phrase, “remember, remember.”

From them, he taught, readers learn that obedience paired with Jesus’ sacrifice are what permits all to return to live with God and that those who build their “foundation” upon the Savior “will not fail.”

“Let us remember, remember our Savior,” the Hong Kong native said, “especially in this Easter season. He is resurrected. He wants us to come unto him.”

President D. Todd Christofferson: A mighty change of heart

Through the Holy Spirit, believers receive “the power of godliness” in their lives, said D. Todd Christofferson in his first General Conference sermon as a member of the governing First Presidency. “This transformative power produces a mighty change of heart and the character qualities that accompany it.”

And transformed people can heal the world.

“We tend to underestimate the influence of Christlike individuals in the world, but working one by one has always been Jesus’ approach to changing society and establishing his kingdom,” Christofferson said. “It is the aggregation of individual choices over time that forms and changes societies for good or ill. No one of us alone can change the world, but each of us can have an influence in the world.”

Morning session

President Dallin H. Oaks: Love our adversaries

Many current writers describe modern life as “toxic,” a time of “contempt” or “hostility” toward adversaries, said President Dallin H. Oaks. “This hostility affects many different relationships in society, involving many whose Christian beliefs should orient them otherwise.”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

What a “revolutionary teaching for personal relationships,” Oaks declared. “...But who are our enemies?”

It could mean “military foes,” he said, but also “any who actively oppose one another…our adversaries.”

Followers of Christ 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,” Oaks said. “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.”

How it would change the world, Oaks said, “if followers of Christ would forgo harsh and hurtful words in all their communications.”

How can individuals be peacemakers? Oaks offered several examples.

“A bishop who seeks to heal a troubled marriage or resolve a personal controversy is working for peace,” he said. “Young men and women are peacemakers when they forgo the temporary pleasure of self-gratifying activities and involve themselves in service projects and other acts of kindness.”

Then there are “persons who seek to reduce human suffering and persons who work to promote understanding among different peoples are also important workers for peace,” he said. And “faithful mothers and fathers who lovingly care for their own children or shelter foster children and raise them in righteousness rather than leave them to be scarred and twisted by the sins of others.”

As followers of Christ, Oaks urged members to follow Christ “by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers.”

Seventy Alan Walker: The Lord’s treasure

True “treasure” doesn’t lie within the riches of the world, general authority Seventy Alan R. Walker said. Real riches rest in our relationship with God.

“As we study the scriptures, we encounter the word ‘treasure’ dozens of times — most often as a warning not to set our hearts upon riches or upon the fleeting things of the world,” Walker said. “Yet among all those warnings about earthly treasure, there is one passage that reveals something astonishing: the Lord himself speaks of us as his treasure.”

Walker, an Argentine native, instructed that “becoming the Lord’s treasure” requires listeners to focus on their covenants and value their relationship with God above anything else.

Seventy Thierry Mutombo: Where can I turn for peace?

For Thierry K. Mutombo, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, belief in Christ’s resurrection is personal.

He and his wife, Nathalie, lost four of their 10 children. The fourth was a 9-month-old boy, Allan.

“I found him in his crib. Holding his body in my arms, I cried, begging for a miracle that day,” Mutombo said. “However, as you know, God’s plan for us is perfect, and that day he decided to take Allan back to him. My prayers did not change his mind.”

“The resurrected Savior overcame the bonds of death,” he said. “So, no matter how dark your days are, please remember that Sunday will come.”

Apostle Dale Renlund: Keep your eye on Christ

Apostle Dale G. Renlund directed listeners who felt overwhelmed from all of life’s concerns to start “focusing on the Savior.”

Renlund shared a story of a dog his family owned years ago, a little black poodle named Lady. While playing fetch with Lady, he threw two balls at once. Renlund said he watched as she became confused struggling to know which ball to chase.

He equated this situation to becoming overwhelmed in modern life.

“I cannot add more time to your days or eliminate the many concerns modern life brings,” Renlund said. “But I can offer this counsel: Not all matters are of equal value, and maintaining an eternal perspective helps us prioritize the things that are of greatest value.”

Renlund instructed that understanding Christ and his role helps to alleviate the burdens of a mortal life and “will bring joy and clarity.”

“Focusing on the Savior, his infinite Atonement, and what he has done for us will bring joy and clarity into our lives, no matter how many other concerns we have,” Renlund explained. “This is why ancient and modern prophets have always and will always direct us to Christ.”

Apostle Ronald A. Rasband: Jesus — more than a mere man

Jesus Christ is “more than a mortal first laid in a manger, more than a friend, teacher, rabbi, minister or prophet,” said apostle Ronald A. Rasband. “He is the only begotten son of the Father. By divine design, his resurrection by his own godly power, reunited his body and his spirit.”

Rasband mentioned the Latter-day Saint belief that the risen Christ appeared in the Americas and showed believers marks of the crucifixion.

The apostle assured his listeners that “all who live or ever have lived, who come unto Christ and live his gospel, will feel joy beyond any earthly expression as we reunite, resurrected, with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, our parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and ancestors.”

Seventy Edward Rowe: Choose Christ as your guide

General authority Seventy Edward B. Rowe reminded listeners to come closer to Jesus Christ and “accept him as our personal guide.”

Several years ago, while working as a lawyer, Rowe said he was involved in resolving a border dispute between warring countries.

His work required him to travel on foot through several remote areas. Some areas had thousands of land mines and necessitated a guide to traverse.

Rowe said he was provided with a guide named Winta who helped him travel to his destination safely.

“Brothers and sisters, as much as I needed Winta to be my guide then,” Rowe explained, “I’ve learned, more importantly, that I need Jesus Christ to be my guide through life’s journey amidst its spiritual land mines. All of us do.”

He explained that Christ’s footsteps lead individuals on “the covenant path” and eventually to the temple.

“This Easter morning, may we all accept Christ’s invitation to be our guide and walk with him,” Rowe said. “And when we struggle or stray, let us return to him that he may heal us — that he may heal you."

Seventy Pedro Larreal: Taking the sacrament is a sacred time

The sacrament — eating bread and water — is offered in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice, said general authority Seventy Pedro X. Larreal.

The Venezuelan leader pointed out what Jesus says in scripture: “This is my body, which is given for you” and in the following verse, he says, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”

It is the ordinance of the sacrament, or Communion, that “makes sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meetings in the church,” Larreal said. “During the sacrament, we should strive to remove every worldly thought from our minds. This is time to be prayerful and reverent; not a time for reading secular books or magazines, nor is it a time for checking our cellphones.”

It is time to feel ‘Christ’s love for us and remember him,” Larreal said, “to know that we are never alone, and that his spirit will be with us to help us during trials and challenges.”

Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman: Best days and worst days

“Isn’t it amazing how you can go from best day to worst day in a matter of minutes,” said Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman.

Freeman, the second woman to speak at this weekend’s conference, told a recent experience she shared with her husband while planning their daughter’s wedding. They received a call and found out his cancer had returned.

“Have you ever accepted an invitation from the Lord and then felt unequal to the task,” Freeman asked. “We all know what it is to doubt, to experience sinking moments.”

In response to finding out about her husband’s cancer, Freeman said she opened her copy of the church’s “For the Strength of Youth” to look for guidance. She called the book a “guide for strength,” saying it gave her much-needed perspective.

“Jesus Christ knows all about best days and worst days: Suffering so great that an angel was sent to strengthen him. The betrayal of a good friend.The cross on Calvary,” Freeman said. “But his story also has a garden, a stone rolled away and an empty tomb. Because of him, no matter how bad things are right now, your best days are ahead.”

Apostle Dieter Uchtdorf: ‘Glorious’ message of the empty tomb

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and second in line to lead the global church, said he cannot imagine the experience of those women who arrived at Christ’s tomb on that first Easter morning only to find it empty.

Yet their encounter “changed them forever,” the popular German apostle said. “It changed the world.”

That’s because “the bold message of the empty tomb is that Jesus Christ is not merely a historical figure,” he said. “We do not seek him among the dead. He is risen.”

That “glorious work continues today as we proclaim his way in word and deed throughout more than 150 countries,” he said. “...I have stood at the entrance to the empty tomb and seen with spiritual eyes the eternal truth that Jesus Christ is not found among the dead but among the living.”

That testimony, Uchtdorf said, “has made all the difference in my life.”

“As we desire to encounter Christ, we must eventually make our way to the empty tomb,” he added. “We must come to know for ourselves the blessed words, ‘Be not afraid, for Jesus who was crucified is not here. He is risen!’”