--- title: Always Remember Him date: 2026-05-03T14:00:00-07:00 author: Matt Bloomfield canonical_url: "https://www.mlj.one/church/talks/always-remember-him" section: Blog --- [ ← Church Talks ](https://www.mlj.one/church/talks) Talk May 3, 2026 # Always Remember Him I gave this talk on May 3, 2026 in the Snowflake Stake Conference at the Main Street Chapel in Snowflake, Arizona, per an assignment from President Todd Burk. This talk was an interesting exploration into the true meaning of "Always Remember Him" and its relationship with our covenant-bind with the Lord. --- What does it mean to remember? I’ve spent the last month pondering this question. Many of us have probably heard the quote from President Spencer W. Kimball that “‘Remember’ is perhaps the most important word in the dictionary” because we’ve all made covenants, but we need to remember them. But what does it mean to remember? ## The Worldly Definition Of course, we can look in the dictionary. After all, it’s in the quote! The dictionary defines it as: “to keep in mind for attention or consideration; to bring to mind or think of again.” Listen to those verbs - “To Keep” - “To bring to mind” - “To think of” These are action words - not words of a passive, “object to be acted upon” nature. This is us taking control, making a decision, staying in the driver’s seat. Then we have “always”, meaning: “At all times, on every occasion.” So then we naturally apply this definition to the covenant we made at baptism, which we renew each Sunday. “Always Remember Him” Or, in other words, “At all times keep in mind and think of Jesus Christ.” Ok, now I’m overwhelmed. How on earth do I do this? If you were to stop me at various points throughout my day, whether I’m cooking breakfast, working in the yard, doing a task at work, or reading a story to my kids, and ask me, “Are you thinking of Jesus Christ right now?” the answer would surely be, “Well, not really.” ## Scriptural Definition So I started looking at other passages in scripture that use this idea of “always.” In the New Testament, Paul asks the saints to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to "always abound in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). So maybe “always” isn’t quite the mathematical definition of “never-ending” that I have been imagining here. Perhaps it’s referring more to constancy, something that we do not abandon over time. I believe the Lord is asking us to never leave Him. Indeed, it could be that we’ve also been mistaken in our definition of “remember.” Webster, after all, came long after Jesus Christ. The Hebrew word used for “remember” in this context in the bible is Zachar. In the biblical tradition, Zachar does not simply mean a passive mental recall of facts. Instead, it means to act upon a covenant, to be mindful of, or to be in a relationship with. So the actual command is not “at all times be thinking of Jesus Christ.” But instead, “constantly throughout your life act upon or be mindful of your covenants and relationship with Jesus Christ.” Now this is starting to feel doable. This is no longer a pressing weight. I am starting to see the purpose behind this divine command. The Savior is asking us to constantly act upon our covenants and remember the relationship we have built with Him. ## The Gift So, how do we do that? I want us to consider the following story from my own life and think about how it might help us. A few weeks ago, my mom was cleaning out her house, and she returned to me a drawing pad that I’d been given when I was about 10 years old. I remember when I was gifted this notepad. It was made from the nicest paper I’d ever seen, and it came with a pack of fancy drawing pencils. I loved to draw, so you’d probably think the notepad would be filled with doodles, drawings, and other creative things. However, you would be wrong! Rather than use the gift, I had saved it for when I would draw something very special. And 20 years later, the notepad is still empty. ## The Atonement is the Gift We, too, have been given a gift. And it’s much nicer than a notepad! We’ve been given the opportunity to change our lives by repenting from the things that hold us back, aligning our lives with the Savior’s. I am proud to say that this is a gift that I have used countless times and I am so grateful. This metaphorical notepad is not empty. Nothing has strengthened my testimony and increased my sense of divine love more than repenting. In last night’s session, Brother Van Vleet said so eloquently that sometimes we fall into the trap that holding something inside us makes it go away. Nothing can be further from the truth. Instead, the guilt affects every part of us. In some people, it even creates mental illness. If there is anything in your life that you need to remove in order to feel the fullness of the Spirit, I urge you to take the proper steps through your bishop so that you can be free from the burden of sin. As the Lamanite king stated in his humble prayer, "I will give away all my sins to know thee" (Alma 22:18). Or, as the Savior himself said, "Come unto me. And I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). ## Joy of Repentance Elder Kearon, in his recent conference talk, "Welcome to the Church of Joy," (Elder Patrick Kearon, "Welcome to the Church of Joy," General Conference) highlighted the feelings associated with repentance. At the start of my journey of faith, joy in Jesus Christ was my first great discovery, and it changed my world. If you have yet to discover this joy, embark on its quest. This is an invitation to receive the Saviour’s gift of peace, light, and joy—to revel in it, to wonder at it, and to rejoice in it every Sabbath. I, too, testify of the sweet joy and peace we can feel as we repent. It will change your world just as it has mine and Elder Kearon’s. You will find a renewed view of the world and those around you. You will feel like singing the song of redeeming love. You will know of the Savior and His goodness. And you will always remember Him. I testify of the Savior’s desire to heal you, in his name, amen. --- ## Addendum: Deeper Meaning of Zachar The Hebrew term "Zachar" (זָכַר) carries a much deeper etymological weight than the modern English concept of memory. In the biblical tradition, "remembering" is intrinsically linked to covenants and relationships. It signifies far more than a passive mental recall of information; rather, it implies the active performance or activation of a pre-existing covenant or relationship. This is exemplified when the scriptures describe God "remembering" individuals, such as Noah (Genesis 8:1) or Abraham (Genesis 19:29). In these instances, the "remembering" is immediately followed by a saving action, demonstrating that to remember is to act in accordance with a divine bond.