Last Word

Learn of Jesus Christ and Access His Power

By President Russell M. Nelson

President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

From an April 2017 general conference address.

I would like to share how we can draw into our lives the power of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

We begin by learning about Him.¹ “It is impossible for [us] to be saved in ignorance” (Doctrine and Covenants 131:6). The more we understand the Savior’s doctrine and what He did for us, the more we know that He can provide the power that we need for our lives.

As Latter-day Saints, we refer to His mission as the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which made resurrection a reality for all and made eternal life possible for those who repent of their sins and receive and keep essential ordinances and covenants.

Under the Father’s great eternal plan, it is the Savior who suffered. It is the Savior who broke the bands of death. It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins and transgressions and blots them out on condition of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers us from physical and spiritual death.

Sacred terms such as Atonement and Resurrection describe what the Savior did, according to the Father’s plan, so that we may live with hope in this life and gain eternal life in the world to come.

Ignorance: Not having knowledge about something.

Condition: A requirement; something that must be done before something else can be done.

Here are other ways to learn about and draw closer to Jesus Christ:

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  Illustrations by Mallory Klinger

  Look for what the Savior said and did in the scriptures.

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  Choose to follow Him.

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  Make sacred covenants and keep them.

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  Reach up to Him in faith.

Note

1. You can study the Topical Guide or Guide to the Scriptures references for the topic “Jesus Christ” and “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.