Some time ago, while walking in downtown Salt Lake City towards City Creek Canyon, I encountered a driver with an out-of-state license plate who pulled over to ask for directions. “Where is the church of the Mormons?” he inquired, seemingly expecting a specific building or location. Taking a moment, I pointed out the prominent Church Office Building, the dignified Church Administration Building, the majestic temple, and the historic tabernacle – the Conference Center was yet to be constructed at that time. He thanked me and continued on his journey. This encounter prompted a deeper reflection: Where Is The Heart of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly located? Is it within grand structures, within our families, or somewhere more profound?
Is the Church Found Within Buildings?
My wife and I once visited the temple in Kirtland, Ohio during a late fall afternoon. The sun’s rays streamed through the antique, rippled windowpanes, filling the space with light and a sense of grandeur. Knowing my ancestors had contributed to its construction, I felt a deep humility and reverence within its walls. Its beauty and history were captivating.
However, President Boyd K. Packer wisely observed, “We do not have that building. When our people left, they took with them that which was important. They preserved the keys of the ordinances, the covenants, and the sealing power. They took with them all the essentials which we have today.” This powerful statement highlights that the Church’s essence is not merely in its physical buildings, however magnificent they may be. Temples, in their architectural splendor, are vessels – exquisite containers for the priceless spiritual blessings administered through God’s priesthood. The building itself, while inspiring, does not hold the inherent power to bless.
Similarly, while my wife has always imbued our homes with the Spirit of the Lord, making each dwelling a holy place for me, the Church is not simply confined to the places we live. From humble single rooms to small apartments and the houses we’ve owned, the spirit of the gospel has resided within them. Yet, these physical spaces are not the ultimate location of the kingdom of God. The Church’s presence in our lives is more profound than the bricks and mortar that surround us.
Is the Church Rooted in Our Families?
Perhaps, then, the Church resides within our families? This brings us closer to understanding where is the heart of the matter. The family unit, arguably more than any other institution, is uniquely positioned to nurture the Savior’s teachings. Indeed, a significant purpose of the Church is to fortify families. Here, I use the term “family” in its broadest sense, encompassing traditional families, single-parent families, and even individual Church members who form a family within the Church community. Ward families, led by the bishop as a spiritual father, also contribute to this expansive definition.
Given the increasing challenges facing families today, there are frequent calls for the Church as an organization to assume responsibilities that were traditionally family-based. This raises a crucial question: can our youth truly thrive without the foundational practices of family home evening, daily prayer, and consistent scripture study? I believe that family-centered activities are paramount in cultivating eternal values like love, loyalty, honesty, chastity, diligence, self-respect, and personal integrity – values that transcend any institutional framework.
Lou Holtz, the renowned football coach from Notre Dame, eloquently stated:
The family is where our healthy values are formed and shaped. I know no greater challenge or more important role in life than in preparing our children to take their places as contributing citizens. We cannot relinquish this most important responsibility to gang leaders, drug leaders or even our own government. Nothing can destroy individuals or our country as quickly as drugs. It is not confined to a segment of our society, and it has created more damage than anything else I have witnessed in my lifetime. I have never heard a successful man or woman get up and say, “I owe my success to drugs and alcohol.” Yet I know thousands of people who have said publicly or in the press that they have ruined their lives because of drugs and alcohol. Suffice it to say, government can’t stop it, police can’t, but the family can.
While the complexity of issues like drug and alcohol abuse is undeniable, the strength of family leadership cannot be underestimated as a solution. Not all families are equipped to handle every challenge, but families grounded in care, discipline, commitment, and love possess an inherent capacity to overcome adversity. Regardless of a family’s structure or strength, it often offers a more effective and nurturing environment for problem-solving than external institutions or governmental bodies, however well-intentioned.
The unique strength of a loving family lies in its capacity for unconditional love, flowing from the bonds of kinship. Successful families often have a strong, caring leader, ideally a priesthood holder whose influence is guided by “persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:41). Priesthood leadership brings divine blessings, yet many successful family leaders are mothers, grandmothers, and other dedicated individuals. The hallmark of a thriving family is unwavering care and commitment – a refusal to give up, a resilience to endure hardships, loss, and other trials together.
Extended family networks also play a vital role. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins can offer crucial support. Often, what is most needed is the unreserved love expressed through genuine interest and concern, fostering confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth. Reproof and correction within families should be rare and guided by the Holy Ghost. However, loving, constructive feedback is sometimes necessary. Proverbs reminds us, “He that refuseth reproof erreth” (Proverbs 10:17).
The absence of a traditional family structure for some should not diminish the importance of family-centered activities for those who can and should embrace them. As forces that erode family unity intensify, we must fortify the family unit. Historically, even in times of war, families have been the core of what is worth fighting for. The Nephites, in the Book of Mormon, fought “for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church” (Alma 43:45). The defense of family is paramount, even to the point where scripture states, “Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed” (Alma 43:47).
Furthermore, protecting our families includes teaching them the consequences of disobeying God’s commandments. President Stephen L Richards emphasized the importance of teaching youth about divine justice and mercy without compromise. He cautioned against “whitewashing” sins and highlighted the grave “robbery which steals virtue from either woman or man.” (Conference Report, April 1957, 99).
Is the Church Truly in Our Hearts?
While family is undeniably vital to the Church, the ultimate location of the kingdom of God, and therefore, the true Church, must reside within our hearts. This answers the question: where is the heart of the Church? Paul the Apostle provided profound insight when he wrote to the Romans, “He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit” (Romans 8:27). He also declared, “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5).
The story of David, chosen as the future king of Israel in his youth, illustrates how deeply the Lord judges the heart. When the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house, saying, “For I have provided me a king among his sons” (1 Samuel 16:1), Samuel evaluated Jesse’s eldest sons based on outward appearance. However, the Lord corrected Samuel, saying, “look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; . . . for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Despite the impressive stature of Jesse’s older sons, the Lord had not chosen them.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. (1 Samuel 16:10–13)
Like Daniel, who “purposed in his heart” (Daniel 1:8) not to defile himself in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, our actions and choices originate within our hearts. Daniel’s inner resolve led him to great spiritual and earthly honors. Similarly, Willard Richards’ unwavering loyalty, displayed just before the Prophet Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, demonstrated the profoundness of his heart.
Joseph said to Dr. Richards, “If we go into the cell, will you go in with us?” The doctor answered, “Brother Joseph you did not ask me to cross the river with you—you did not ask me to come to Carthage—you did not ask me to come to jail with you—and do you think I would forsake you now? But I will tell you what I will do; if you are condemned to be hung for treason, I will be hung in your stead, and you shall go free.” Joseph said, “You cannot.” The doctor replied, “I will.” (History of the Church 6:616)
Alma’s teachings emphasize the necessity of planting the “good seed” of faith in our hearts.
Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. (Alma 32:28, emphasis added)
Revelation itself is received not only in our minds but also in our hearts. The Lord revealed to Oliver Cowdery, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2, emphasis added). The Holy Ghost, the divine witness, finds its dwelling place within our hearts.
When the Lord asked Solomon, “Ask what I shall give thee?” Solomon’s wise request was for “an understanding heart.” This response pleased the Lord, who declared:
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. (1 Kings 3:5, 9, 11–13, emphasis added)
The Lord Himself declares, “I, the Lord, require the hearts of the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:22). This powerful statement underscores the divine emphasis on the inner disposition of our hearts.
Therefore, when the traveler asked, “Where is the heart of the church of the Mormons?” a more accurate answer than pointing to buildings would have been to point to my chest and say, “The Church should be first and foremost in our hearts.” While perhaps bewildering to the stranger, this response would have been closer to the truth. For the Lord declared, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20–21).
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should reside in our hearts. When it is rooted in our individual hearts, it will naturally manifest in our places of worship, educational institutions, temples, homes, and families. However, the ultimate authority, the keys of the kingdom, rests with the President of the Church. This authority governs all Church activities; without priesthood keys, there would be no Church as we know it.
Paul’s prayer, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:17), echoes my own prayer. Like Peter, when faced with wavering followers, I affirm, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68-69). Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
James E. Faust: Where is the Heart of the Church? – BYU Speeches
James E. Faust was second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given on 1 March 2005.
See Also
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Inspiring Short:
Speeches from 2005
Related Speeches
A Message for the World by Ezra Taft Benson January 31, 1950
The Genius of our Church Organization by J. Reuben Clark Jr. June 17, 1958
