Fixing Your Focus on Jesus Christ

President Nelson focused much on the Savior in his three talks in this most recent general conference. In his introductory remarks he said that the speakers would “focus their messages on our Savior, Jesus Christ, His mercy, and His infinite redeeming power.” He continued, “There has never been a time in the history of the world when knowledge of our Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul. Imagine how quickly the devastating conflicts throughout the world—and those in our individual lives—would be resolved if we all chose to follow Jesus Christ and heed His teachings.” He encouraged us to listen for the “pure doctrine of Christ” which is “powerful” and “changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life.” He invited us to “hear what the Lord would have [us] hear during these two days” and testified of the Savior that He is hastening His work “at an ever-increasing pace.”

                The second message of President Nelson was also centered on the Savior as he taught us about the temple. He said, “It is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.” He suggested that the temple is key for us to do that: “The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.” He added that “those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ, and have learned how to draw upon His power, need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era.” I think it can be easy to go through the motions of temple worship without really worshipping Him and seeking to understand how the teachings there focus on the Savior. President Nelson highlighted what the Savior wants for us in His house: “He is the One who wants you to understand with great clarity exactly what you are making covenants to do. He is the One who wants you to experience fully His sacred ordinances. He wants you to comprehend your privileges, promises, and responsibilities. He wants you to have spiritual insights and awakenings you’ve never had before. This He desires for all temple patrons, no matter where they live.” His invitation is to focus more fully on Him in the temple and learn what He would have us learn there to build our foundation on Him. I love President Nelson’s promise as we do so: “Please believe me when I say that when your spiritual foundation is built solidly upon Jesus Christ, you have no need to fear.”

                Nephi made this well-known statement about how his teachings were centered on the Savior: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26). President Nelson surely does the same as he seeks to help us look to the Savior for a remission of our sins. He alluded to this verse in his final talk as he said this: “Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ. Talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, feast upon the words of Christ, and press forward with steadfastness in Christ. Make your Sabbath a delight as you worship Him, partake of the sacrament, and keep His day holy.” And he ended the conference with this testimony and invitation about the Savior: “The Lord knows you and loves you. He is your Savior and your Redeemer. He leads and guides His Church. He will lead and guide you in your personal life if you will make time for Him in your life—each and every day.” President Nelson is a powerful witness of Jesus Christ and surely this is the most important invitation for us from this conference as a whole: we must fix our focus on Jesus Christ in our lives in all that do. We must make time for Him through prayer, scripture study, Sabbath worship, and temple attendance. As we do so we will have a spiritual foundation ready for whatever trials the coming days bring.