Scott and I spoke in Bardstown Branch today. I was asked to speak about our Savior - which is a HUGE subject. I felt like I needed to personally develop a closer relationship with Him lately... so that's what I talked about it. This isn't edited or even eloquent, but for anyone who would like to read it, here it is:
Getting to Know Christ
A few days ago I accepted
a friend request on FB of someone I had never met before. What a strange world we live in when we can
make friends with someone whom we’ve never seen. The woman I “friended” needed some advice
about homeschooling teenagers, so she messaged me and we chatted for
awhile. It was kinda fun to “meet”
someone and get to know them through such awesome technology. I also REALLY like Pinterest. My favorite board that I’ve created has
different paintings and portrayals of Jesus Christ. I love to scroll the art and feel like I know
my Savior even though I don’t remember actually meeting Him in person.
Technology really is
amazing. Making friends and seeing
beautiful art has helped me create relationships with different people. Technology reminds me that I want those personal
relationships and not just with people here but also with my Savior…. Technology helps me to remember that Jesus
isn’t just a character in a great book.
He is the creator of this Earth.
He is someone who knew us before we were born. He loves us and has a deep, personal interest
in how we’re doing. He wants us to know Him as well as He knows us. I want to
get to know my Savior better, but how do we get to know someone we don’t
remember meeting in person? How can I
have a close relationship with Him now?
President James E. Faust
once said, “Having a close relationship to our Savior can unchain the divinity
within us, and nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to
know and understand our divine relationship with God.”
We should earnestly seek
not just to know about Jesus Christ, but to strive, as He invited, to become
one with Him, to be “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man”
(Eph 3:16).
1. So… I decided that the first step to getting to know my Savior is
to gather some factual knowledge about Him. I needed to study “out of the best books”
daily. In other words: Study my scriptures!
How
important, would you say, sleep is to you?
I am a
person who tends to *need* sleep like I need oxygen...a lot. I love
sleep, I crave sleep. I should probably learn to live on less sleep, but
it is my thing!
Then I
read Elder Scott’s General Conference talk….
I wasn’t sure I read his quote right and had to re-read it to make sure
I understood it. He said, “Don't yield
to Satan's lie that you don't have time to study the scriptures. Choose
to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is
more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or
social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time
for the study of the word of God. If so, do it!"
Say
What? Well, even in his kind and gentle
way, Elder Scott really is blunt. Scripture study is more important than
sleep. And therefore I need to do
it. I need to learn about the
Savior. I need to make my relationship
with Him more meaningful, even if it means giving up some of my precious sleep.
The best place to find knowledge
about Jesus Christ is the scriptures. I’ve
found when I read about Him, and ponder what I’ve read. I learn a lot about my Messiah. I even like to journal as I read so that I
can record everything I learn about Him.
I’ve also found modern
day scriptures helpful in learning about the Savior. The official church website has a plethora of
articles about Jesus Christ. I love
reading the thoughts of church leaders on Christ. Their testimonies build mine. Their stories and thoughts help me apply
those insights into my own life, and makes my relationship with Christ closer.
2. Of course, information about Jesus Christ isn’t enough. It creates a knowledgeable person, but it
doesn’t create a personal relationship.
To have a personal relationship, you must have daily communication also.
I talk to my mom EVERY
day. (Or at least every other day if –
one of us is extremely busy.) Our daily
communication has been a blessing in my life.
My mom has given me good advice, listened when I needed her, and laughed
over funny stories I’ve shared. In turn,
I’ve also been able to let her know how much I value our relationship. My mom and I use phones to talk since she
lives so far away.
I can’t call my
Savior. But He has made it possible for
me to use an even better form of communication to talk to my Heavenly Father
through Him. Prayer! Daily prayer has brought me closer to Jesus
Christ, like my phone calls to my mother has brought us closer. There have been times when I, like Nephi,
have watered my pillow with my tears during prayer as I’ve come to realize how
much I value His relationship with me.
As I pray, I try to think of Him as being close by. I know that He loves me. He has compassion for me. He’s willing to help me in my times of need.
3. Daily selfless service to others also helps our relationship
with the Savior.
I have come to learn over
the years that God gets his work accomplished through other people. We are all
angels to each other in helping along in this life and when the chips are down
or we experience a trial, others within our family or close friends can help. And when we do serve others, I have felt
closer to my Heavenly Father.
I LOVE the musical “My
Turn on Earth.” Throughout the show,
Barbara is looking for a treasure to take home to her Heavenly Father and
Heavenly Mother. She discovers that the
treasure she is looking for is love and serving others. She even quotes Matthew at the end of the
musical, “inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these…, ye have done it
unto me.” (Matt. 25:40)
Service to others doesn’t
have to be a whole day affair; it can be a helpful hand opening a door, a
smile, (especially if they are experiencing trials) a listening ear, an “I
care” card for the downtrodden. There
are a number of simple things to do for others besides a more time consuming
service such as bringing baked goods to work or hosting a homeless person at
your house.
A song from church
reminds me of this idea. “Have I done any good in the world today? Have I
helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad? If
not, I have failed indeed. Has anyone’s burden been lighter today, because I
was willing to share? Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?”
This is a song I need to sing daily – to remind me to think of others
before myself. And in so doing I am
building my relationship stronger with my Brother.
4. The final step to building a relationship with Jesus Christ is,
of course, to do His will. We need to
daily strive for increased obedience and perfection in our lives.
If we’re studying and
praying, but then doing anything we want, our relationship with Him is empty
and meaningless. Jesus told his
disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Obedience is important in developing
a personal relationship with Christ.
I was reading President
Monson’s talk “Obedience Brings Blessings” from April 2013 General
Conference. Not only will we build a
closer relationship to our Savior from being obedient, but I discovered 25 other
blessings from being obedient. I’ll list
them quick:
1. Receiving
truth
2. Receiving
light
3. A
simpler life
4. Answers
to our greatest questions
5. Successful
navigation through our often-treacherous mortal existence
6. Strength/grace
7. Physical
safety
8. Spiritual
safety
9. Progress
10. Prosperity
11. The
privilege of eating the good of the land of Zion in these last days
12. Happiness
13. Peace
14. Feeling
worthy to be with the Saints and servants of God
15. The
capacity to be touched and moved by others’ faithful acts
16. Preparing
to be comfortable in heaven
17. Becoming
an inspiration to all who know us
18. Our
seed will bless all nations of the earth
19. Blessing
untold generations
20. Receiving
a blessing at the hands of Christ.
21. Glorification
in truth
22. Coming
to know all things
23. A
fullness (of the Spirit of truth)
24. Eternal
salvation
25. Exaltation
See? Twenty-five
blessings! Obedience is a big deal!
We really can become closer to our Heavenly Father and the Savior by
being obedient.
Just like I made a new
friend a few weeks ago on FB, I can “friend” my Savior too. I can learn about Him and His teachings
through the scriptures. I can develop a
close relationship with Him, like I do with my mom, by communicating with Him
daily. I can serve others and know what
I do for them, I do for Him. And I can keep
His commandments. I’m grateful I can get
to know the Savior and develop a relationship with Him so that someday when I
get to meet my Divine Friend, I will know Him and He will know me. I hope we can all do the things we need to do
in order to draw closer to our Elder Brother….
Testimony
