Because We Follow Jesus Christ

This past week I have been back in Utah and I was able to visit my friends from my old ward, which was fabulous!  President Jack Christiansen and his amazing wife Melanie lived in my old ward, and they recently returned from The Rochestor New York Mission where he served as mission president.  

As I was visiting a friend, she told me of some advice about how to share the Gospel that President Christiansen taught those preparing to serve missions from our ward.  He taught that when answering any question that you may not know how to answer, or when an individual you are trying to teach is becoming contentious, always begin with "Because we follow Jesus Christ." 

"Because we follow Jesus Christ, we believe in keeping the Sabbath Day holy." or "Because we follow Jesus Christ, we accept trials as learning experiences that help us to become more like our Heavenly Father." or "Because we follow Jesus Christ, we know that the Atonement can wash away our wrongs and we can be clean and pure again."

This statement is the essence of everything we do in this Church. We don't keep the commandments because it makes the prophet happy, we don't build temples because they are good publicity for the Church, and we don't go on missions because we want to stay busy while the boy of our dreams is on his mission. We do all of these things, and everything else, because we follow Jesus Christ. 

It is impossible to reverently speak the name of Christ without bringing the Spirit, and as you invite the Spirit through speaking of Christ, you will be impressed what to say to touch the individual.  Heavenly Father knows each of His children and exactly what they need, and it is our job as missionaries, to be tuned into what He wants us to say and do.  What better way to stay in touch with the Spirit than testifying of Christ?

I love this doctrine and cannot wait to put it to the test while teaching the beautiful people of Peru.  Only 32 days to go!!