How Can I Always Remember Him?
When you desire a spiritual mindset centered on Christ, how do you push through distracting thoughts?
My thoughts are often in a million places at once. I like to plan ahead, and I spend a lot of time thinking about the future—while reading, on the train, or even as I try to sleep.
I am a service missionary with a life focused on Jesus Christ. Now, 16 months in, upcoming plans for school have divided my attention. Sometimes I wonder, what happened to my focus on Christ?
I think we all struggle at times to keep our sacramental covenants to “always remember him” (Moroni 4:3; 5:2) when worldly problems demand our attention.
So, I approached general conference asking Heavenly Father how I can turn my thoughts heavenward.
Thoughts That Abide in Him
General conference helped me realize that our covenants can help direct our thoughts to Christ. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “we begin to abide in the Lord” with the connection we make through covenants.1
His statement caught my attention. In a sense, my desire was to abide with Christ—to keep my thoughts with Him instead of with the world around me.
Brother Milton Camargo, First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, said, “Renewing our covenants during the sacrament each Sunday is a great opportunity to examine ourselves [see 1 Corinthians 11:28] and refocus our lives on Jesus Christ.”2
I was grateful for Brother Camargo’s assurance that “yes, we sometimes get distracted.”3 I took courage that I can refocus each Sunday. I want to take time during the sacrament to consciously recommit to my covenants and refocus my thoughts on Christ.
As we center our attention on and renew our covenant connection to Christ each Sunday, our thoughts will abide in Him.
Jesus Christ Is the Solution
I also learned at conference how to transform my thoughts about the future into thoughts about Christ. I often try to solve problems by thinking far longer than is helpful, which keeps me from turning to Christ.
Brother Camargo quoted his father’s warning:
“‘Don’t focus so intensely on your problems that you can’t see the solution.’”
He went on:
“The Lord Jesus Christ is the solution to even our most difficult problems.”4
Instead of sorting through problems on our own, we can turn our thoughts to Christ and how He can help us through our trials.
Seek Christ in Daily Life
Finally, I learned that our surroundings can help us focus on Christ. Brother Camargo said: “[The Savior] can be an active, daily presence in our lives. ... But we must lift our eyes and raise our sights to see Him.”5
My friend Kaity has been an example to me of how to better focus on Christ. She sees Christ in her life by intentionally connecting songs to Him. When she comes across the songs again, they direct her mind to Christ.
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suggested to habitually think about experiences that have brought you closer to Christ. He also invited us to welcome thoughts about “divine images, holy scriptures, and inspired hymns.”6 These thoughts are easy to recollect, and they bring Christ to our minds.
From the teachings of Church leaders this general conference, I learned that we can always remember Jesus Christ as we focus on our covenant connection with Him, recognize that He is the solution we are seeking, and look for Him in our daily lives.