Elder Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, issued a challenge to all who would desire a closer connection to Heavenly Father and to our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ. For me, I have started this opportunity a couple of times, but life seems to get in the way of my having the discipline to follow through. So said, the promises are so personal, profound, deep, spiritually engaging that I feel a delicious pull to keep at it, keep trying. In this it’s important I understand that when I accept defeat I play into the adversary’s plan against me. It’s also important I appreciate Heavenly Father has infinite patience, and with each time I sincerely work at it, want it and call upon him in the midst of my struggle… I’m a little closer than the last time. kdm
Elder Nelson shared: “God so loved the world that He sent His Only Begotten Son [i] to help us.[ii] And His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us. All so that we could have access to godly power—power sufficient to deal with the burdens, obstacles, and temptations of our day [iii].Today I would like to speak about how we can draw into our lives the power of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
We begin by learning about Him [iv]. “It is impossible for [us] to be saved in ignorance [v]. The more we know about the Savior’s ministry and mission [vi]—the more we understand His doctrine [vii] and what He did for us—the more we know that He can provide the power that we need for our lives.
Earlier this year, I asked the young adults of the Church to consecrate a portion of their time each week to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works. I invited them to let the scriptural citations about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide become their personal core curriculum. See [viii] Topical Guide, “Jesus Christ”
I gave that challenge because I had already accepted it myself. I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide.[ix] When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!”
I felt a renewed devotion to Him as I read again in the Book of Mormon the Savior’s own statement about His mission in mortality. He declared: “I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.“And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross.”
As Latter-day Saints, we refer to His mission as the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which made resurrection a reality for all and made eternal life possible for those who repent of their sins and receive and keep essential ordinances and covenants.”~Elder Russell M. Nelson
The path Elder Nelson suggests is clear. Is it easy?… For most and me personally, no. Is it worthwhile? Best estimated on what sort of person I become upon doing it prayerfully… and then doing it again sometime. What sort of person by contrast will I be, should I not do as he suggests?… Elder Nelson is likely one of THE most close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ of anyone now living. He said, “I am a different man!” for having studied as he suggests above. Looking back on my life from the end of it (hopefully many years from now), such opportunities as Elder Nelson suggests may have been critical in how close and comfortable I feel (or not) in the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior!
References: Complete talk (quotes were lifted directly from original talk/text …(read, watch, listen to – ) Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives – Elder Russell M. Nelson
[i] John 3:16
[ii] Jesus was the Anointed One—anointed by Heavenly Father to be His personal representative in all things pertaining to the salvation of mankind. Jesus was anointed to be our Savior and Redeemer. Before the world was formed, Jesus was anointed to make immortality a reality and eternal life a possibility for all of God’s children (see John 17:24; 1 Peter 1:20). Thus, Jesus bore two unique titles: the Messiah (Hebrew) and the Christ (Greek)—each meaning “anointed.” (See Bible Dictionary, “Anointed One.”)
[iii] We can protect ourselves by knowing and living by the word of God (see Ephesians 6:17–18; Doctrine and Covenants 27:18).
[iv] Under the direction of His Father, Jesus was Creator of the earth (see John 1:2–3) and other worlds without number (see Moses 1:33). Long before His mortal birth, Jesus was the great Jehovah—God of the Old Testament. It was Jehovah who communed with Moses on Mount Sinai. It was Jehovah who made a covenant with Abraham that all nations of the earth would be blessed through Abraham’s lineage. And it was Jehovah who made covenants with families of the house of Israel. Jesus was also the promised Immanuel, as prophesied by Isaiah (see Isaiah 7:14).
[v] Doctrine and Covenants 131:6
[vi] Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-41
[viii] see Topical Guide “Jesus Christ”. In addition to text under that major heading, there are 57 subtitles about Him. For non-English editions of the scriptures, use Guide to the Scriptures.
[ix] More than 2,200 listings are cited in those 18 pages of the Topical Guide.
