Relevant to Every Human Soul

In his first message at this most recent conference, President Nelson said this: “The General Authorities and General Officers of the Church who speak will focus their messages on our Savior, Jesus Christ, His mercy, and His infinite redeeming power. 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.” I love that bold declaration and his message that a knowledge of the Savior is relevant to all people. It reminds me of Lehi’s words to his son Jacob: “Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise” (2 Nephi 2:8). The knowledge of a Savior is not an abstract idea unrelated to our daily lives; rather, coming unto Him will make all the difference in what we do. Having His power enables us to better our lives in every way as we are more able to overcome our weaknesses and sins, improve our relationships, increase our abilities, find answers to our questions, and ultimately be filled with a peace that passeth all understanding.   

               President Nelson suggested that we could quickly resolve conflicts, globally and personally, we if will choose to follow and heed the Savior and His teachings. The most obvious teaching that comes to mind which clearly shows this is what He said in the Sermon on the Mount: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Indeed how different our world would be if everyone sought to live by that principle! And certainly we would reduce the conflict in our own lives if our first response to disagreements and relationship challenges and discord was to pray for those we are tempted to have hard feelings towards. In this dispensation the Savior said it this way: “Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:16). If we sought first to renounce war and fighting, if we strove for peace in all our engagements with others, so many conflicts would be resolved before they escalated. When the Savior was among the Nephites He taught this: “Verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30). To follow Him and His teachings means that we seek to do away with anger and contention—how different our lives would be if we always lived by that precept!

               One of my favorite scriptures about the practical difference that seeking to follow the Savior will make in our lives is this verse from Nephi: “Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:3). As we study the words of the Savior in the scriptures, we will better understand the things that we should do. We will be inspired to solve our daily problems in the best way and know how to act. This doesn’t mean that we’ll always know exactly what to do in every circumstance, but I do believe a sincere study of the words of Christ significantly increases our ability to make better decisions on a day to day basis. Recently at work I was struggling to know the best course of action in particular matter, and I sought guidance a few minutes before I was to go into a meeting. This is the verse that came to my mind: “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21). This was exactly what I needed and I realized that in this situation I needed to have patience and faith in another person. I am so grateful for the words of Christ which will “lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out” (Helaman 3:29-30). I know that as we seek to follow Jesus Christ, especially by daily learning of Him through the scriptures, He will indeed lead us along in our daily lives. And that makes all the difference.