Find him yourself

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday Afternoon Session of the October 1988 Conference.

This week, I loved Elder Scott's description of how the Book of Mormon connects us to Jesus Christ:

I offer you the Book of Mormon, a precious friend provided by a loving Savior. Within its pages is truth that brings comfort, guidance, peace, and yes, the companionship of other true friends. Between its covers you will find the friendship and worthy example of Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Benjamin, Alma, Ammon, Helaman, Mormon, Moroni, and so many others. They will rekindle courage and mark the path to faith and obedience. They will help you overcome the bitterness and anguish of transgression. 

More important, all of them, without exception, will lift your vision to the perfect friend—our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Christ. 

I love President Benson. I love the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and the other holy scriptures. But I adore this friend. 

I cannot comprehend his power, his majesty, his perfections. But I do understand something of his love, his compassion, his mercy. 

There is no burden he cannot lift. 

There is no heart he cannot purify and fill with joy. 

There is no life he cannot cleanse and restore when one is obedient to his teachings.
Let my other friends guide you to him, but find him yourself through humble, sincere prayer, obedience, and faith.

I've done a lot of pondering about how to become closer to the Savior, and this is as good advice as any I've found. The Book of Mormon prophets invariably seem like they know Jesus personally, and like they want ME to know Him too! I love the personal nature of their invitations to come unto Christ. And I like how Elder Scott suggests ways to do it. These ways work! Prayer (even though it's not addressed directly to Jesus) makes me FEEL closer to Him because it helps me remember how much I need Him and how grateful I am for Him. And being obedient and acting in faith requires me to believe my choices matter to Jesus; it helps me think about what He wants and what He would have ME want. That makes me feel closer to Him too.


Other posts in this series:

The power of a testimony—by Jan Tolman
It is not sufficient to treasure the Book of Mormon—by Nathaniel Givens