Addressing the global membership during the Saturday afternoon session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ 196th Semiannual General Conference, Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes delivered a powerful message centered on everyday acts of service. Speaking on October 3, 2026, at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, President Farnes urged believers to minister with genuine compassion to those whom God places in their daily paths.
The Covenant to See, Feel, and Act Like Christ
President Farnes anchored his remarks in the foundational commitments that Latter-day Saints make as disciples of Jesus Christ. By partaking of the sacrament each week, members formally witness to Heavenly Father their willingness to take upon themselves the name of Christ.
“As covenant followers of Jesus Christ, we minister with compassion to whomever God places in our path,” President Farnes stated during the session. “We do it because that’s what the Savior did. And we’ve made a covenant to follow Him.”
He explained that taking Christ’s name upon oneself involves a profound transformation:
- Choosing to see as He sees and feel as He feels.
- Reflecting the Savior’s life, kindness, patience, hope, and love in daily interactions.
- Ensuring that encounters with others leave them experiencing a measure of Christ’s character.
When believers receive the Spirit of the Lord, President Farnes explained, they receive the divine power and loving-kindness needed to serve others effectively, maintaining a vital spiritual connection with God.
Recognizing ‘Divine Appointments’ in Daily Life
A central theme of President Farnes’s address was the concept of “divine appointments”-moments when unexpected opportunities arise to assist someone in need. He encouraged members to pray daily for the spiritual awareness required to identify these encounters rather than viewing them as interruptions.
Drawing on personal experience, President Farnes shared how he and his wife once aided a frightened young missionary navigating an unfamiliar airport flight, illustrating how small acts of assistance transform ordinary situations into meaningful ministerial opportunities. To Jesus, he noted, individuals seeking help were never interruptions; they were His mission.
“Let us pray every day for eyes to see the divine appointments God places before us,” President Farnes urged. “Let us put compassion into action and minister to the person in front of us. It’s what Jesus did.”
Background on President Timothy L. Farnes
President Farnes brings a diverse personal and professional background to his calling as the Young Men General President, a position he assumed on August 1, 2025. Before this assignment, he served as an Area Seventy in the Utah Area.
Born in Maryland, he grew up with six younger siblings in Sandy, Utah. On August 27, 1992, he married Linsey Anne Skinner in the Salt Lake Temple. The couple has raised five children and has six grandchildren.
Early in his adult life, a near-death experience while vacationing in Hawaii shifted his perspective. It prompted him to rededicate his life to religious service and integrate core spiritual values into his work as an entrepreneur and humanitarian nonprofit founder.
Broader Context of the 196th Semiannual General Conference
President Farnes’s address was part of the opening day for the faith’s fall general conference, which featured 18 speakers addressing an international audience during a period of historic growth. Other general authorities and auxiliary leaders during the Saturday sessions spoke on topics ranging from finding spiritual peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ to exercising faith amidst personal adversity.
As the Church continues its global expansion-marked by rising missionary numbers and forthcoming temple open houses, including the anticipated Salt Lake Temple opening-messages like President Farnes’s emphasize the foundational importance of grassroots, compassionate Christian service in the daily lives of members.
