‘The Saviour accomplished everything we need,’ Elder Cook tells Saints in Birmingham, England

More than 2,500 Latter-day Saints from four stakes gathered to hear from Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Birmingham, England on Sunday, 25 May.

The multi-stake conference drew members from the Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham stakes. Elder Cook’s message was one part of his ministry assignment to the Europe North Area that will carry through the next eight days. He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Mary Cook.

DOWNLOAD

Elder Cook shared the love of President Jeffrey R. Holland with Latter-day Saints from the area where President Holland lived when he served as the president of the Europe North Area. The two apostles served as mission companions when serving as young men. Elder Cook shared that the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would have loved to be with them for Sunday’s meeting.

Elder Cook also shared that the two of them and many others of their generation and since have been blessed by missionary service.

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everybody,” Elder Cook said.

Elder Michael T. Ringwood, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and his wife, Sister Rosalie Ringwood, also came on assignment from Salt Lake City.

Elder Scott D. Whiting, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Europe North Area, attended the conference with his wife, Sister Jeri Whiting. Elder Whiting’s counsellors, Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis and his wife, Sister Luisa Aidukaitis, and Elder Alan T. Phillips and his wife, Sister Lindsey Phillips, also attended the multi-stake conference.

DOWNLOAD

Eternal families start as earthly families

Integral to the gospel plan is the creation of families. Elder Cook spoke of the change he has seen in cultures around the world — inside the Church and out — which has resulted in less of a priority being placed on marriage and having children within marriage.

Quoting from Doctrine and Covenants 1:16, Elder Cook repeated the words of the Lord to Joseph Smith, “Every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god.”

He said that idols may not look like what individuals actively worshipped in past periods of time. He explained that idols are anything that take time, focus and devotion away from Heavenly Father as the one true God.

He counselled against setting career goals before spiritual goals that include making and keeping covenants with God. Elder Cook recalled the teachings of President David O. McKay who repeatedly shared the teaching that no success outside of the home would make up for shortcomings in the home. The decrease in a focus on families around the world has coincided with a general decrease in happiness, Elder Cook said.

King Benjamin witnessed similar trends among his people in the Book of Mormon, Elder Cook taught. And when that king addressed his people in Mosiah 2:41, he taught that lasting happiness comes from obedience to Heavenly Father’s commandments — which includes honouring covenants individuals make with Him. Elder Cook noted that single members who remain faithful to their covenants will be worthy of these same blessings.

“I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness,” King Benjamin said.

Too many individuals are choosing to make other things more important than God in their lives, Elder Cook said.

“Having a specific position in your employment before marriage is not necessary,” he said.

DOWNLOAD

Sister Cook preceded Elder Cook in sharing her testimony at the multi-stake conference. She, too, testified that individual worth is not born of career success or other worldly measures.

“We did not come here to get worth; we brought our worth with us,” she said.

Sister Cook shared her observations from 1 Nephi 13 where the Saviour is referred to as the “Lamb” 24 times. She said that the Lord has made it clear that those who follow Him, honour Him, have faith in Him and follow His commandments will have power over those who try to drag them down.

“Be confident in knowing your worth,” she said.

Learn the plan; live the plan

Elder Ringwood shared that he is a sixth-generation member of the Church thanks to ancestors who were baptised in Norfolk, three hours east of Birmingham. He testified that the plan of salvation is applicable across generations and geography.

“Not only is there a plan generally, but for us individually,” he said. “… Key to that plan is the Saviour’s Atonement.”

Elder Ringwood invited each individual to seek Heavenly Father’s plan for them by praying, studying the scriptures and worshipping in the temple.

Sister Ringwood testified that staying on the covenant path requires following the light of the gospel.

“We need to choose light,” she said. “… We all need to be going toward the light.”

Elder Cook invited individuals not to wait for events to happen around them but to be active in doing what they can right now.

“Do not wait for the Birmingham England Temple to be done to serve in the temple. Preston and London are not that far away,” he said, referencing existing Houses of the Lord where members can already worship and serve within a 2.5-hour drive of Birmingham.

The new temple will be the third in England. Ground was broken for it two months ago on 22 March 2025, by Elder Whiting.

“We are seeing the hastening of His work faster than we have ever seen,” Elder Cook said. “The Saviour accomplished everything we need to be able to return to Heavenly Father.”

In closing, Elder Cook left an Apostolic blessing on those participating in the conference.

“I bless you to have a sense of the Atonement of the Saviour,” he said. “… I bless you — in a world without peace — I bless you to have personal peace.”

Family teachings stand out to members

Many of those who attended heard and were touched by Elder Cook’s teachings about the importance of building strong families.

DOWNLOAD

Maurice Boucher is a member of the Lichfield Ward in the Birmingham England Stake. He said he was baptised in 1967, shortly after the time when President Holland and Elder Cook served their missions. Boucher has witnessed great growth in the Church and said he appreciated both the history that Elder Cook shared and his teachings about family.

“I’m so grateful that he asked us to keep on the covenant path and talking about families, how important families are,” Boucher said. “I’m so grateful that our Saviour lives and that He wants us to get back to our Heavenly Father and live with Him forever.”

Sisters Tania and Raquel Rodrigues drove nearly an hour from the Nuneaton Ward in the Coventry England Stake to attend the conference.

DOWNLOAD

Tania Rodrigues said she felt the Holy Ghost throughout the meeting.

“I definitely felt the Spirit really strong while the speakers were talking,” she said. “There were so many topics spoken about that were divinely inspired and that we needed to hear.”

Raquel Rodrigues said she felt Elder Cook’s message was timely.

“I like what he said about families. I thought it was quite applicable to current times, and it’s an important thing to re-emphasise,” she said.

Both sisters agreed that coming together for a meeting like this helped them have a stronger feeling of unity with other Latter-day Saints in the area.

Tania Rodrigues said the part that stood out to her the most was Elder Cook’s teachings about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

“I really like the part where he emphasised living by our covenants and the Saviour’s Atonement,” she said. She was also touched by his blessing at the end of the meeting. 

DOWNLOAD