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Editor’s note: The following is an essay published in the Church News in preparation for the Church’s 189th Annual General Conference.

What’s changing next?

That question, or variations of it, seems to come up a lot following a whirlwind year of changes in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From adjustments to the Sunday worship schedule and an emphasis on home-centered gospel learning, to changes in age requirements for youth to participate in temple and priesthood ordinances, to how missionaries can communicate with their familiesand last week’s announcement regarding changes to seminary — it has been a whirlwind year. Those changes don’t even address half of what we’ve seen since January 2018.

It’s clear God has a vision for His Church at this time. His prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, shared a glimpse when he said, “If you think the Church has been fully restored, you’re just seeing the beginning. There is much more to come.”

At the Rome Italy Temple dedication, where Latter-day Saints witnessed even more historic firsts, President Nelson added, “This is a hinge point in the history of the Church. Things are going to move forward at an accelerated pace. … The Church is going to have an unprecedented future, unparalleled. We’re just building up to what’s ahead now.”

Unprecedented. Unparalleled. What does that mean for us as members of the Church today?

It’s easy to think of “the Church” as a big, global institution. But, really, “the Church” is you and me. It’s the people and their individual acts of love, service and devotion to God that make all the difference. It’s individuals over institution. When you think of it that way, the responsibility is clear. Our future, as disciples of Jesus Christ, is unprecedented and unparalleled.

To read the full article on the Church News, CLICK HERE.