Cecily M. led our discussion on living a Christ-Centered life using Chapter 24 in the Ezra Taft Benson manual. We began by making a list of goals for next year, including ways to become more focused on the Savior.
- What is your favorite trait of the Savior?
Some may say, “But I have so far to go to become like those you describe.” The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ
is that the desires of our hearts can be transformed and our motives
can be educated and refined. When we are baptized into the true fold of
God, we begin the process of becoming new creatures (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Mosiah 27:26). Each time we renew the covenant of baptism by partaking of the sacrament, we are one step closer to that ultimate goal.5 As we endure in that covenant, we access the strength to mourn with those who mourn and to comfort those who need comfort (see Mosiah 18:9).
In that covenant, we find the grace that enables us to serve God and
keep His commandments, including loving God with all our hearts and
loving our neighbors as ourselves.6 In that covenant, God and Christ succor us so we can succor those who stand in need of our succor (see Mosiah 4:16; see also verses 11–15) (Elder Michael T. Ringwood, Truly Good and without Guile, April 2015 General Conference)
- What is something concrete that you do to become closer to Christ?
As
President Benson exhorted the Saints to follow the Savior’s perfect
example, he reminded them that they could do so only with the Savior’s
help. He declared:
“I
know the Lord lives. I know that He loves us. I know that apart from
Him no one can succeed, but as a partner with Him no one can fail.
“I know that God can make a lot more out of our lives than we can.
“May
we all have the moral courage from this moment forward to more fully
strive each day to think on Christ, learn of Him, walk in His steps, and
do what He would have us do.” (A Christ-Centered Life)
