by Jared Harding Wilson
On December 27, 2025, the world lost one of its most passionate witnesses of Jesus Christ. President Jeffrey R. Holland, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away at age 85 from complications associated with kidney disease, surrounded by his family. Just days after Christmas, his departure feels poignant—especially coming so soon after his final message in the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional on December 7, 2025, titled “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
He will be deeply missed. For decades, President Holland’s powerful, poetic sermons touched millions, blending intellectual depth with raw emotional honesty. His voice—often trembling with conviction—reminded us of the Savior’s love, the reality of the Atonement, and the urgency of living the gospel. He was a teacher at heart, a former president of Brigham Young University, and an apostle whose words could comfort the brokenhearted one moment and thunder against complacency the next.
As I reflect on his ministry, here are my top five favorite talks from President Holland—messages that have strengthened my faith time and again:
1. Like a Broken Vessel (October 2013 General Conference)
One of the most vulnerable and hopeful talks ever given on mental health. President Holland openly shared his own struggles with depression, urging us to seek help, lean on the Savior, and extend compassion to those suffering in silence. “However deep the wound… patiently endure.”
2. None Were with Him (April 2009 General Conference)
A profound testimony of the Savior’s loneliness in Gethsemane and on the cross. This talk always brings me to tears, reminding me that even when we feel utterly alone, Christ understands because “none were with Him.”
3. The Ministry of Reconciliation (October 2018 General Conference)
A plea for forgiveness and healing broken relationships. With characteristic intensity, he taught that harboring grudges wounds us more than anyone else, and invited us to let the Atonement reconcile us to God and each other.
4. Lord, I Believe (April 2012 General Conference)
Perfect for anyone wrestling with doubt. Addressing a parent’s honest plea about faith, President Holland encouraged us to build on whatever belief we have: “Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”
5. Emissaries to the Church (October 2016 General Conference Priesthood Session)
This is the one that always makes me smile (and wince a little). President Holland shared the story of “Molly,” a single sister frantically cleaning her flooded basement when her home teachers arrived on the last day of the month. Seeing the chaos, they quickly delivered a brief message and left, thinking she was too busy—missing the perfect opportunity to roll up their sleeves and serve. It’s a humorous yet piercing reminder that true ministering means seeing needs and acting, not just checking boxes.
Finally, his last public message—“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”—feels prophetic now. Speaking of the longing to be with loved ones at Christmas, he invited us to reach out to those who might be alone, making them feel “home” through our kindness. Little did we know he would soon be truly home, reunited with his beloved wife Patricia (who passed in 2023) and embracing the Savior he testified of so boldly.
President Holland, thank you for your lifetime of teaching, testifying, and loving. Your words will continue to inspire us until we, too, are home for that eternal Christmas. You will be missed, but your legacy burns bright.
Rest in peace, dear apostle. We’ll carry your fire forward.
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