3 years ago

Our Personal Savior
By Elder Michael John U. Teh

Of the Seventy

Because of His atoning sacrifice, the Savior has power to cleanse, heal, and strengthen us one by one.

I am grateful to be with you this wonderful Easter morning. When I think of Easter, I love to rehearse in my mind the words spoken by angels to those who were at the Garden Tomb: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.”1 I testify that Jesus of Nazareth was resurrected and He lives.

What Think Ye of Christ?
Thirty-four years ago, my missionary companion and I met and taught a very intellectual man who was a contributing writer for a local newspaper in Davao City, Philippines. We enjoyed teaching him because he had a lot of questions and was very respectful of our beliefs. The most memorable question he asked us was “What think ye of Christ?”2 We of course excitedly shared our feelings and bore testimony of Jesus Christ. He later published an article on the same topic that contained wonderful words and phrases about the Savior. I remember being impressed but not necessarily lifted. It had good information but felt hollow and lacked spiritual power.

Increasingly Coming to Know Him
“What think ye of Christ?” I am realizing that how intimately I know the Savior significantly influences my ability to hear Him as well as how I respond. A few years ago, Elder David A. Bednar asked the following questions as part of his remarks: “Do we only know about the Savior, or are we increasingly coming to know Him? How do we come to know the Lord?”3

As I studied and pondered, I came to the stark realization that what I know about the Savior greatly outweighed how much I really know Him. I resolved then to put forth more effort to know Him. I am very grateful for the scriptures and testimonies of faithful men and women disciples of Jesus Christ. My own journey over the last few years has taken me down many roads of study and discovery. I pray that the Holy Ghost will convey to you today a message far greater than the inadequate words that I have written.

First, we need to recognize that knowing the Savior is the most important pursuit of our lives. It should take priority over anything else.

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”4

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”5

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”6

Second, as we are increasingly coming to know the Savior, scriptural passages and the words of the prophets become so intimately meaningful to us that they become our own words. It is not about copying the words, feelings, and experiences of others as much as it is coming to know for ourselves, in our own unique way, by experimenting upon the word7 and receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost. As the prophet Alma declared:

“Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

“Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.”8

Third, an increasing understanding that the Atonement of Jesus Christ applies to us personally and individually will help us know Him. Oftentimes it is easier for us to think and speak of Christ’s Atonement in general terms than to recognize its personal significance in our lives. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is infinite and eternal and all-encompassing in its breadth and depth but wholly personal and individual in its effects. Because of His atoning sacrifice, the Savior has power to cleanse, heal, and strengthen us one by one.

General Conference Sunday Morning Session April 2021

The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ
Get your FREE copy 👉http://bit.ly/MyBookofMormon 🙏

Get your FREE copy of The New Proclamation to the World: “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ”
🙏🏼http://bit.ly/Restoration200

😇Come Unto Christ - Faith to Act - http://www.faithtoact.com

#GeneralConferenceApril2021 #FaithToAct #Christian
#BookofMormon #ComeUntoChrist #HeLives #HearHim #TheRestoration

Loading comments...