Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus
If we are to be valiant in our testimony of Jesus, we must avoid the stumbling blocks that entrap and impede the progress of otherwise many honorable men and women…..
We cannot afford to have our testimonies of the Father and the Son become confused and complicated by stumbling blocks. We cannot fall into that trap. Our testimonies of Them need to remain pure and simple….
Alma contains some of the most magnificent doctrine on the Atonement in all scripture…… Alma established that God’s plan is a plan of Happiness…
Looking beyond the Mark Is a Stumbling Block …
Some members elevate causes, many of which are good, to a status superior to basic gospel doctrine.… If we elevate anything above our devotion to the Savior… then we are looking beyond the mark….
Jesus Christ is the mark!
We need to avoid looking beyong the mark and focus on Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer and follow His Doctrine….
Look always for “stepping stones” that improve lives and ennoble character.
Being valiant in our testimony of Jesus is a stepping stone towards qualifying for the Savior’s grace and the Celestial Kingdom,” he concluded. “ Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven by which we may be saved.
Look to the Book, Look to the Lord
As you look to the Book, you look to the Lord…
Can you see the Book of Mormon as your KEYSTONE to your testimony?
Pres. Benson: “There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony.The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity….”
I have learned that one is never too young to seek and receive a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon….Each of you young men, young women and children can have the same feelings…..When you read the Book of Mormon and pray with a desire to know it is true, you too can receive the same impression in your heart….
You can easily find time to study the Book of Mormon…and you can enjoy it…
The Book of Mormon can become the keystone of one's testimony….. Spiritual witnesses can lead to the Book of Mormon becoming the Keystone of your testimony.
In gospel terms, it is a gift and a blessing from the Lord that the keystone of our religion is something as tangible and graspable as the Book of Mormon and that you can hold it and read it. Can you see the Book of Mormon as your keystone, your spiritual center of strength?…
The Book of Mormon is centered on Christ with some form of His name mentioned nearly every 1.7 verses….
You will pore through the passages of this precious book and encounter your beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, on nearly every page…
The truths you will find there will uplift and inspire you in a similar way. They will strengthen your faith, fill your soul with light, and prepare you for a future you scarcely have the ability to comprehend.
Abide in My Love
God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever. But what it means for each of us depends on how we respond to His Love….
To 'continue in' or 'abide in' the Savior's love means to receive His grace and be perfected by it…..
To receive His grace, we must have faith in Jesus Christ and keep His commandments, including repenting of our sins, being baptized for the remission of sins, receiving the Holy Ghost, and continuing in the path of obedience…
Because no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God, Christ atoned for the sins of the world….
From the Book of Mormon we learn that the intent of Christ's suffering — the ultimate manifestation of His love — was 'to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they many have faith unto repentance…(Alma 34:15-16).
Repentance, then, is His gift to us, purchased at a very dear price….
As we come to trust rather than resist our divine Teacher, He can work with us to enlighten and lift us to a new reality….
Each of us can love and serve God and be empowered to bless our fellow man….
What a precious gift is divine love!
Will you not love Him who first love you? Then keep His commandments….
Will you not be a friend to Him who laid down His lie for His friends? Then keep His commandments….
Will you not abide in His love and receive all that He graciously offers you? Then keep His commandments!
For Our Spiritual Development and Learning
The Lord’s pattern for learning is timeless, and requires faith and trust from the student…
Truths Nephi described as written for our learning and profit….Nephi’s example of seeking knowledge included (1) a sincere desire, (2) humility, (3) prayer, (4) trust in the prophet, and an exercise of (5) faith, (6) diligence, and (7) obedience….
Faith and trust in the Lord require us to acknowledge that His wisdom is superior to our own…
We must also acknowledge that His plan provides the greatest potential for spiritual development and learning…
Each is expected to "hope for things which are not seen, which are true…
The companionship of the Holy Ghost will aid in spiritual development and learning….
As we acknowledge that we are the workmanship of a wise and devoted Father in Heaven, O then, why not allow Him to guide our spiritual development and learning according to His will and pleasure rather than our own.
Be Ambitious for Christ
Be ambitious for Christ…
Being ambitious for Christ means being motivated, focused and dedicated to His work…
Being ambitious for Christ means that we serve faithfully and diligently in our wards and branches without complaint and with joyful hearts…
Our missionaries serving throughout the world are beautiful examples of those who are truly ambitious for Christ….
In our lives we experience trials, but if we are ambitious for Christ, we can focus on Him and feel joy even in the midst of them…
Our Redeemer is the ultimate example. He understood His holy mission and was obedient to the will of God the Father. What a choice blessing it is to bring His wonderful example to our remembrance each week as we partake of the sacrament.
We are amibitious for Christ when we: Serve Faithfully, Accept Humbly, Endure Nobly, Pray Fervently, and Partake Worthily.
Sharing the Restored Gospel
Sharing the Restored Gospel is a life-long Christian duty.
First, we can all pray for desire to help with this vital part of the work of salvation…
Second, we can keep the commandments ourselves. Faithful members will always have His Spirit to be with them, to guide them as they seek to participate in the great work of sharing the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.…
Third, we can pray for inspiration on what we can do in our individual circumstances to share the gospel with others….
Sharing the gospel is not a burden but a joy. What we call ‘member missionary work’ is not a program but an attitude of love and outreach to help those around us. It is also an opportunity to witness how we feel about the restored gospel of our Savior
As an Apostle of the Lord, I urge every member and family in the Church to pray for the Lord to help them find persons prepared to receive the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. …
I promise that with faith in the Lord’s help, we will be guided, inspired, and find great joy in this eternally important work of love. We will come to understand that success in sharing the gospel is inviting people with love and genuine intent to help them, no matter what their response.
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