Final Testimonies of the Savior

In his most recent general conference address, President Nelson spoke about what he has learned in nearly a century of living. He summarized it this way: “I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is fabulous, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible.” He focused first on the last part of this statement as he summarized what his recent health struggle taught him about the Savior: “I have felt even deeper appreciation for Jesus Christ and the incomprehensible gift of His Atonement. Think of it! The Savior suffered ‘pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ so that He can comfort us, heal us, rescue us in times of need. Jesus Christ described His experience in Gethsemane and on Calvary: ‘Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore.’ My injury has caused me to reflect again and again on ‘the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.’ During my healing, the Lord has manifested His divine power in peaceful and unmistakable ways. Because of Jesus Christ’s infinite Atonement, our Heavenly Father’s plan is a perfect plan!” He encouraged us, “Put Jesus Christ first because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement.” To those who have sinned he said, “Come unto Christ and receive His promise of complete forgiveness as you fully repent of your sins.” Speaking of temples he also added, “There you are drawn closer to the Savior and given greater access to His power.” He finished with this simple testimony: “God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored to bless all of God’s children.” It is fitting that this testimony about what matters most in our lives, built upon the experiences of nearly 100 years, would focus on Jesus Christ.

                Many other prophets in the Book of Mormon included a powerful testimony of the Savior in their final words. Nephi invited us to believe in Christ as he closed his record: “And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good” (2 Nephi 33:10). Enos spoke with eagerness of the Savior as he anticipated his pending death: “And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father” (Enos 1:27). King Benjamin encouraged us to steadiness in the gospel of Christ with these final words to his powerful address: “Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all” (Mosiah 5:15). The last words that we have of Helaman, son of Helaman, are contained in this well-known verse: “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12). Mormon’s final chapter in the Book of Mormon includes these words about the Savior: “Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up…. If it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment” (Mormon 7:5, 10). And as Moroni finished the Book of Mormon he left this powerful invitation: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moroni 10:32).

                Now I surely hope that what President Nelson testified about the Savior was not his very last word about Him, but his days are numbered and we know that number of messages he will give us in the future are limited. However many he has left, we know that like these Book of Mormon prophets, he will continue to testify that Jesus is the Christ, that it is through His great atoning sacrifice that we are saved, and that we must exercise faith in Him unto repentance to receive all the blessings He has in store for us.