Jesus Christ Is the Answer I Needed
I’ve long looked for answers where the world says I will find them. It turns out that the answer I need most is Jesus Christ.
Like many, I came to general conference with questions. What should I do about my chronic health problems? What direction should my career take? How do I support my family’s needs, my own needs, and my spiritual growth?
I didn’t know how to ask these questions in my prayers leading up to general conference because I didn’t think any of these topics would be addressed by conference speakers.
I knew to be open to receive revelation, though. And I felt like it started to come when President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President, taught, “Jesus Christ is our relief.”1
But Isn’t Life Just Hard?
I love the idea of Jesus Christ being my relief, but I couldn’t see a practical application. How was Jesus Christ going to provide me with relief from my health challenges? Or the direction of my career? He won’t take those challenges or worries away, right? Isn’t this life meant to be hard?
But Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helped me understand how to apply what President Johnson taught. He said that our covenant connection with Jesus Christ gives us greater “perspective, hope, power, peace, and enduring joy.”2 That doesn’t mean my burdens will be removed, but couldn’t those blessings from a covenant connection with Christ give me relief, like President Johnson said?
A greater perspective would help me find gratitude for all I can do despite my physical challenges.
Greater hope would relieve my fears about my career and family.
Greater power may mean power to remove my trials, but if not, at least it means greater power to endure my trials well.
And if greater perspective, hope, and power aren’t enough to overcome my challenges, my covenant connection with Jesus Christ means that I can have greater peace and enduring joy no matter what.
Each one of the questions I came to conference with had the same answer: I need to strengthen my covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.
How Do I Strengthen My Covenant Connection to Christ?
Elder Bednar taught that we strengthen our connection by abiding in Christ. We do that “as we are firm and steadfast in our devotion to the Redeemer and His holy purposes, in times both good and bad [see John 15:10].” 3 Elder Bednar taught that we abide in Him as we pray sincerely, feast on the words of Christ, worthily take the sacrament, serve God (and others), and keep His commandments.4
I realized that I sometimes overlook these “Primary answers” because it feels like my trials are too complex to be relieved by these simple things. Instead, I often find myself late-night panic scrolling on my phone, trying to find the answer to my current health challenges or how to help my family’s needs.
But what if I put more of that effort into strengthening my relationship with the Lord instead? I may still need medical attention. And I’ll keep reading parenting books. But instead of late-night doomscrolling, it would do me more good to turn to the Lord and find rest.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assured me that my family’s needs are also met by a closer covenant connection with Jesus Christ. Going to the temple, he taught, “restore[s] covenant relationships with the Lord and each other.”5
Strengthening my covenant relationship with the Lord through temple worship strengthens my covenant relationships with my family too.
Bringing Conference Home
I had hoped for some direct revelation—specific answers for my health and other challenges. Those haven’t come yet. I don’t have all the specifics, but my anxiety has reduced, and my hope has increased. Strengthening my commitment and covenant connection to Jesus Christ is the true answer I needed.
I’m working now to carve out more time to grow my relationship with Jesus Christ. I’m asking myself what I need to do, change, and prioritize to put that covenant relationship with Him first.
How will I release my fears and trust Him more?
How will I forsake the world and abide in Him more?
How will I access His perspective, hope, power, peace, and enduring joy more?
These are my new questions, but these ones don’t bring me anxiety and dread. These questions bring me hope and peace.