Modern Testimonies of Jesus Christ

Continuing the same theme from the past two Sundays, today I explore the testimonies of the Savior from apostles and prophets from the Sunday morning session of the most recent general conference.  Elder Gong spoke to us of “covenant belonging” and testified that “covenant belonging centers in Jesus Christ as ‘mediator of the new covenant.’  All things can work together for our good when we are ‘sanctified in Christ … in the covenant of the Father.’”  We are, Elder Gong reminded us, “’children of the covenant’ and Jesus is your Good Shepherd.”  With our covenants with God, “redemption, salvation, celestial happiness are possible because Jesus Christ ‘wrought out this perfect atonement.’”  He left us this powerful witness of the Savior: “Dear brothers and sisters, as witnessed by the Holy Ghost, everything good and eternal is centered in the living reality of God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the Mediator of the new covenant…. With us at the beginning, He is with us, in all our covenant belonging, to the end.”  As we make covenants with God, Jesus Christ is with us and will help us to the end. 

                Elder Uchtdorf also testified of the saving power of Jesus Christ.  He declared, “What a glorious message we have to share: because of Jesus Christ, every man, woman, and child can return home safely to their heavenly home and there dwell in glory and righteousness!” He taught of the great plan of salvation and reminded us of what we knew before coming to the earth, “We also had a promise: that because of the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we could be cleansed of our transgressions, refined and purified in our spirits, and one day resurrected and reunited with those we love.”  We came to the earth by choice despite the difficulties that we would face knowing that the Savior would be our Redeemer.   Elder Uchtdorf reminded us that “the gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to the most complex questions” as we sojourn in mortality.  His invitation to all of us was to choose to follow the Savior and live His gospel now: “Today is the day to follow God’s Son and our Savior on His path of service and discipleship.”

                In his message Elder Stevenson focused on the Savior’s ability to help us overcome temptation and the blessings that come to us through His restored gospel.  After recounting the story of Moses’s encounter with the adversary, he said, “For you, like Moses, have been blessed with the gift of heavenly help.”  In our day, the Lord told us one way that divine assistance would come as Elder Stevenson quoted, “Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:17).  He explained, “The Lord, who knows ‘the end from the beginning,’ knows the unique difficulties of our day. Therefore, He has provided a way for us to resist challenges and temptations, many of which come as a direct result of the deceitful influences of the adversary and his attacks. The way is simple. Through His servants, God speaks to us, His children, and gives us commandments.”  Jesus Christ has spoken in our day and given commandments to His servants “to lead His children to happiness in this life and glory in the next.”  Elder Stevenson bore this concluding witness of Him: “I bear my witness of the Holy One of Israel—even the name of Jesus Christ. I testify of His abiding love, truth, and joy that are made possible by His infinite and eternal sacrifice. As we obey His commandments, we will always be led in the right way and will not be deceived.”

                In his address called “The Second Great Commandment” President Nelson spoke of the practical ways that we follow Jesus Christ by helping others.  He said to us, “Thank you for living as true followers of Jesus Christ. You know and love to obey His two great commandments, to love God and to love your neighbors.”  He described what it means to follow the Savior: “Latter-day Saints, as with other followers of Jesus Christ, are always looking for ways to help, to lift, and to love others. They who are willing to be called the Lord’s people “are willing to bear one another’s burdens, … to mourn with those that mourn; … and [to] comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”  He reminded us that we should “strive to live the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 25” when the Savior reminded us, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  He summarized, “Living that second great commandment is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ…. I know that God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored in these latter days to fulfill its divine purposes.”  These messages from modern day prophets are powerful reminders that through our covenants we can choose to follow Jesus Christ, receive His divine aide in mortality, and find joy as we give selfless service even as He did.