Area Leadership Message
Getting to Know Our Saviour Jesus Christ
Missionaries told me about Jesus Christ, His life, and His teachings when I was a young man. Now, having been a member of the Church for 30 years, I sometimes ask myself if I really do know my Saviour Jesus Christ. The answer is, yes, I do know Him, and so do you.
However, just as people whom we have not been in contact with for a long time become strangers to us, so can our Saviour also become a stranger to us. Getting to know Him and knowing Him is an ongoing process. I wish to share with you some of the actions that have helped me come to know Christ better and to know Him continually.
Prayer
True to the Faith teaches us about prayer: “Your Heavenly Father loves you and knows your needs, and He wants you to communicate with Him through prayer. …
“As you make a habit of approaching God in prayer, you will come to know Him and draw ever nearer to Him. Your desires will become more like His. You will be able to secure for yourself and for others blessings that He is ready to give if you will but ask in faith”1.
Once I started to pray, I became close with my Heavenly Father and to His Son. Regular prayer helps to maintain this close relationship. I am grateful for the power of prayer.
Scripture Study
The Book of Mormon uses the following words to describe the sons of Mosiah, “And they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God” (Alma 17:2). Daily scripture study helps us to be receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. It strengthens our faith, helps us resist temptations and helps us to learn to know our Heavenly Father and His beloved Son.
Service
Reading the scriptures helps us come to know the Saviour. However, merely knowing Him is not enough, we must also become like Him. To become like the Saviour, you need to act. By serving others, we are the fellow servants of Christ.
When I was a young member in the Church, there were tough times in my homeland, and many struggled financially. I sometimes took food to the members of our branch and left the bags in front of their doors anonymously. I loved to think that when they would find the bag with the food, not knowing who brought it, they would thank God and not me. One of my favorite scripture parables is the parable of the good Samaritan. The Samaritan did not plan any good deeds for that day, but he saw the need and took action. Jesus said to a lawyer at the end of this account, “Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:37). This message of Jesus is directed to us as well. By helping others, we will be able to feel the way Jesus felt, when He was serving others.
Covenants
Covenants are made between two or more parties. When we make covenants in the Church, we are one of the partners and the other partner is God. Our first covenant is baptism, and by making this covenant we promised to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. On Sundays, we attend sacrament meeting to renew our baptismal covenant. In the temples we make covenants that will be in effect even after leaving this world.
President Nelson said that we “increase the Savior’s power in our lives when we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power”2. To help others to increase the Savior’s power in our lives we could encourage and help them to receive divine ordinances and covenants.
Testifying of Jesus Christ
Our personal testimony usually begins with someone else’s testimony. My sister shared her testimony with me after her baptism. I felt a desire to hear more about what my sister had testified. Then missionaries came and testified about Jesus Christ, His gospel, and the restored Church. It was so powerful that it completely changed my life. In an instant, an atheist had become a believer who wished to follow the teachings and example of Christ. In the same way, our testimony can change someone else’s life. Because of our testimony, someone can come to know Christ whom they did not know before.
I testify to you that I know we have a loving Heavenly Father. I know that His Son, Jesus Christ, redeemed us from sin. I promise you that as you pray, study the scriptures, serve others, make covenants with the Lord, and testify of Him, you will come to know your Saviour Jesus Christ even better.