Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives

This message from Elder Jose L. Alonso, of the Seventy, was one I needed to hear. His message is His testimony of our Savior. It is simple and beautiful.

I am not going to give commentary on his message. It speaks for itself.

But I will share my testimony. I know my life is infinitely better when my focus is on the Savior. I get frustrated with myself about the many things that distract me. Distract me from the things and the people that matter most. It feels like a favorite tool of Satan.

There is nothing more worthy of my time than drawing closer to my Savior. I know He loves me. He stands with outstretched arms, waiting for me to come to Him. I want to spend more time in His arms, walking side by side with Him. It is a journey worth taking and a journey that makes all the difference. He brings hope and healing to my life in a very real and eternally changing way. I love Him and know He lives, waiting to welcome us back home.

Prompting

Adopt a “Christ-centric” perspective and place Him at the center of my life.

Invitation

Strive each day to draw nearer to Jesus Christ.

Highlights

“The profound questions of the soul, those that surface in our darkest hours and highest trials, are addressed through the unwavering love of Jesus Christ. In Him, and through the promised blessings of His restored gospel, we find the answers we seek. It is through His infinite Atonement that we are offered a gift beyond measure – one of hope, healing, and the assurance of His constant, enduring presence in our lives. This gift is available to all who reach out with faith, embracing the peace and redemption He so freely offers.

The Lord extends His hand to each of us, a gesture that is the very essence of His divine love and kindness.

As we diligently seek spiritual guidance, we embark on a deeply transformative odyssey that strengths our testimonies. As we comprehend the vastness of our Heavenly Father’s and Jesus Christ’s perfect love, our hearts are filled with gratitude, humility, and a renewed desire to pursue the path of discipleship.

When confronted with challenges, it’s easy to become engrossed in our difficulties. However, Jesus Christ exemplified the power of focusing on His Father, offering gratitude, and acknowledging that solutions to our trials do not always lie within ourselves but with God.

By placing Christ at the core of our thoughts and deeds, we align ourselves with His outlook and strength. This adjustment does not discount our struggles; instead, it helps us to navigate through them under divine guidance. As a result, we discover solutions and support that arise from a higher wisdom. Adopting this Christ-centric perspective empowers us with the fortitude and insight to turn our trials into victories, reminding us that with the Savior, what seems like a major problem can become a pathway to greater spiritual progress.

Jesus Christ is our hope and the answer to life’s greatest pains. Through His sacrifice, He paid for our sins and took upon Himself all of our suffering – pain, injustice, sorrow, and fear – and He forgives and heals us when we trust in Him and seek to change our lives for the better. He is our Healer, comforting and repairing our hearts through His love and power, just like He healed many during His time on earth. He is the living water, fulfilling the deepest needs of our souls with His constant love and kindness.

I bear solemn witness that Jesus Christ lives, that He presides over this, His sacred Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify that He is the Savior of the world, the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Redeemer of the world. I affirm with certainty that we are ever present in His mind and heart. As a testament to this, He has restored His Church in these latter days and has called President Russell M. Nelson as His prophet and the President of the Church at this time. I know that Jesus Christ gave His live so that we might have eternal life.

As we strive to place Him at the center of our lives, revelations unfold to us, His profound peace envelops us, and His infinite Atonement brings about our forgiveness and healing. It is in Him that we discover the strength to overcome, the courage to persevere, and the peace that surpasses all understanding. May we strive each day to draw nearer to Him, the source of all that is good, the beacon of hope in our journey back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

FULL text and video Elder Jose L. Alonso’s message can be found HERE.

Other messages from the April 2024 General Conference that I found particularly impactful:

• Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys by President Russell M. Nelson
• Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ by Elder Ulisses Soares
• “Be Still, and Know That I Am God” by Elder David A. Bednar
• The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ by Elder Dale G. Renlund
• Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ by Sister J. Anette Dennis