This year my husband (our Bishop) wanted to have our ward do a Walk with Christ, so I got an opportunity to create another one. This time instead of focusing on creating opportunities for participants to feel the Spirit, I focused on qualities the Savior possessed. "Becoming" is probably the highest level of obedience---more than just knowing or doing the right things. This one is culminates on Easter Sunday. Of course, you can adjust the dates and use this anytime. It will always help you grow closer to your Savior.
Some of this may look a little familiar from my
14-Day Walk with Christ because why reinvent the wheel.
Walk with Christ
An 8-day
Journey to Strengthen your Relationship With Christ
This 8-day journey is intended to help you feel closer to your Savior and
learn how to become more like Him. Some
of the days focus on things to do.
Others concentrate on ways to be or qualities that we should have. Mornings are hectic; therefore, the bulk of
your study will happen at night with most of your Challenges or assignments to
be carried out the following day. Later
that night, we encourage you to journal about some of your experiences and then
read the scriptures and stories pertaining to the next day’s Assignments. In this way, we hope that you will have an
opportunity to apply the principles you study, ponder the experiences you have,
and really critique what you have learned from them.
This Walk with Christ will use several elements daily. First, you will study the scriptures. President
Spencer W. Kimball taught: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships
with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine
voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the
scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.” You
will open yourself to feeling the Spirit as you read the scriptures that are
listed for each day. Then, the Spirit
can much more easily testify of Christ’s divinity and of the truthfulness of
the gospel. So take the time to read the
assigned scriptures. Overall, I have
tried not to make them too lengthy.
Secondly, you will write in your
journal. President
Spencer W. Kimball described that process of inspired writing: “Those who keep
a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their
daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an inventory
of these blessings for our posterity.” (The
Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 349). The act of writing in your journal will help you be closer
to the Lord as you remember Him. When we
take the sacrament, we are promised that we will have the Spirit to always be
with us if we remember Christ.
Each
day, you can listen to good, uplifting music. We have included several songs that
coordinate with the topic for each day.
Reverent music can be a powerful method for helping us feel close to the
Lord. In fact, for many people hearing
good music is one of the fastest ways to bring the Spirit. You can listen to
the songs by going to lds.org/music.
You will have the
opportunity to apply what you
learn. When we “experiment upon the
word” we have the opportunity to receive a testimony of what we are doing. President
Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained, “To follow Christ is to become more like Him. It is to
learn from His character. As spirit children of our Heavenly Father, we do have
the potential to incorporate Christlike attributes into our life and character.
The Savior invites us to learn His gospel by living His teachings. To follow
Him is to apply correct principles and then witness for ourselves the blessings
that follow. This process is very complex and very simple at the same time.
Ancient and modern prophets described it with three words: “Keep the
commandments”—nothing more, nothing less. Developing Christlike attributes in our lives
is not an easy task, especially when we move away from generalities and
abstractions and begin to deal with real life. The test comes in practicing
what we proclaim. The reality check comes when Christlike attributes need to
become visible in our lives—as husband or wife, as father or mother, as son or
daughter, in our friendships, in our employment, in our business, and in our
recreation. We can recognize our growth, as can those around us, as we
gradually increase our capacity to “act in all holiness before [Him]” (DandC 43:9).” (Dieter
F. Uchtdorf, “Developing Christlike Attributes,” Liahona, Oct. 2008,
2–7).
Lastly, we encourage
you to pray. This will be an assigned Challenge on several
days, but you will benefit from doing it every day. It should become a habit for your entire
life.
One of our greatest desires is to
see each of you have a strong testimony that burns within you. With this testimony you can be fully
converted and become even stronger and more courageous in choosing the right
than you already are. This will bless
you in your individual life and strengthen your family. Of all the things you should seek in this
life, a close relationship with Jesus Christ is at the top of the list. I hope you will take this opportunity to
strengthen that relationship over the next week.
Journal: Write what you would like to gain from this
experience, Walk with Christ. When we
begin with the end in mind, we gain more than if we just set off not knowing
where we are headed or why we are even going there.
Day One: Sunday, March 24,
2013
Prayerful
Evening
Study: Read and mark DandC 88:63
Prayer is a powerful way to draw near unto the Lord. We humble ourselves as we go before our
Heavenly Father and pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. However, sometimes we forget to pray or our
prayers become routine. As we strive to
make our prayers more effective, we will be closer to our Savior. Jesus Christ set the example for us in how to
pray. Throughout the scriptures we see Him communicate with His Father through
prayer, often in behalf of others.
Read and mark 3 Nephi 17:3,
15-18
When Christ faced his greatest
challenge, the Atonement, He turned to his Father in prayer.
Read and mark Matthew 26:36-45
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin explained: “There are many reasons our prayers may lack
power. Sometimes they become routine. Our prayers become hollow when we say
similar words in similar ways over and over so often that the words become more
of a recitation than a communication. This is what the Savior described as
“vain repetitions” (see Matt. 6:7). Such prayers, He said, will not be
heard. . . Our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley,
has observed: ‘The trouble with most of our prayers is that we
give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries—we
place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we
are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to
another.’ Do your prayers
at times sound and feel the same? Have you ever said a prayer mechanically, the
words pouring forth as though cut from a machine? Do you sometimes bore
yourself as you pray? . . . As we approach our Heavenly Father in the name of
Christ, we open the windows of heaven. We can receive from Him truth, light,
and knowledge. Prayer is
the doorway through which we commence our discipleship to things heavenly and
eternal. We will never be alone so long as we know how to pray.” (Joseph B.
Wirthlin, “Improving Our Prayers,” Ensign,
Mar 2004, 24–31)
Read and mark important phrases in Enos 1:1-8
Challenge
(beginning tonight and carrying on tomorrow):
Be sure to say your personal prayers morning and night
kneeling. One way to push ourselves to
improve our prayers is to lengthen them just like Enos did. For the next 3 days, try to pray for about
10-15 minutes at least once each day (or longer if you are already praying this
long). At first, you may feel that you
have nothing to say, but doing this will encourage you to break your
routines. Praying does not mean that you
must always be saying something. Feel
free to stop in the middle of your prayer to think. This gives the Holy Ghost an opportunity to
speak to you. Also, the Spirit may put
things into your heart and mind that you need to pray for and ways you should
improve yourself. Follow those
promptings.
Day 2: Monday, March 25
Faith
"Faith" (Children’s Songbook p.
96)
Evening Study:
Read and mark Hebrews 11:1 Alma
32:21
Faith is a principle of action and
power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our
hope for something that we cannot yet see.
In order for faith to
lead to salvation, it must be centered in the Lord Jesus Christ (see Acts
4:10-12; Mosiah 3:17; Moroni 7:24-26; Articles of Faith 1:4). We can exercise
faith in Christ when we have an assurance that He exists, a correct idea of His
character, and a knowledge that we are striving to live according to His will.
Having faith in Jesus Christ means
relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and
love. It includes believing His teachings. It means believing that even though
we do not understand all things, He does. Because He has experienced all our
pains, afflictions, and infirmities, He knows how to help us rise above our
daily difficulties (see Alma 7:11-12; D&C 122:8). He has “overcome the
world” (John 16:33) and prepared the way for us to receive eternal life. He is
always ready to help us as we remember His plea: “Look unto me in every
thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36).
Dieter
F. Uchtdorf said, “The one help we all need is given to us freely through
the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus Christ and in His
Atonement means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power,
intelligence, and love. Christlike attributes come into our lives as we
exercise our agency righteously. Faith in Jesus Christ leads to action. When we
have faith in Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments—even
when we do not completely understand the reasons for them. In seeking to become
more like the Savior, we need to reevaluate our lives regularly and rely,
through the path of true repentance, upon the merits of Jesus Christ and the
blessings of His Atonement.
Developing Christlike attributes can be a painful process. We need to be
ready to accept direction and correction from the Lord and His servants.
Through the Church’s regular worldwide conferences, for example, with their
music and spoken word, we feel and receive spiritual power, direction, and
blessings “from on high” (DandC
43:16). It is a time when the voice of personal inspiration
and revelation will bring peace to our souls and will teach us how to become
more Christlike. This voice will be as sweet as the voice of a dear friend, and
it will fill our souls when our hearts are sufficiently contrite.” (Dieter F.
Uchtdorf, “Developing Christlike Attributes,” Liahona, Oct 2008, 2–7).
Faith in Christ leads you to want to change your life for the
better. As your faith increases, you will desire to repent of your sins. In
other words, you will want to change those thoughts and actions that are not in
harmony with the teachings that Heavenly Father has revealed through His Son,
Jesus Christ. If your desire for
righteousness has decreased, you may need to nurture your faith. Just by completing this Walk with Christ,
your faith can be strengthened. Prayer,
scripture study, and obedience all increase our faith.
As you obey Heavenly Father, He blesses you. He gives you
inner strength and determination to meet life's challenges and helps you change
the desires of your heart. Through your faith in Jesus Christ, you can be
healed, both physically and spiritually.
Challenge: Think about the Atonement of our Savior and
your complete reliance on Him. Pray to
express your gratitude for His sacrifice for you. He died for you. He suffered for you. You can be exalted if you learn to rely on
Him and accept His atonement in your life.
Journal: Write your feelings regarding the
Atonement. Write about any experiences
you have had using the atonement to repent for your sins. You may also choose to write about times when
your faith in the Lord has helped you during times of trial. How did those experiences strengthen your
testimony of the Savior?
Day 3: Tuesday, March 26
Humility
and Gratitude
D and C
59:21 2
Nephi 9:52
To
be humble is to recognize gratefully our dependence on the Lord—to understand
that we have constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgment that
our talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness,
timidity, or fear; it is an indication that we know where our true strength
lies. We can be both humble and fearless. We can be both humble and courageous.
The Lord wants us to be grateful to Him. All we have is because of His mercy. When we do not recognize His hand in our
lives, we truly offend Him. We can have
an attitude of gratitude in our lives by not complaining when things do not go
as planned or as we wish them to go. We
can express thanks to those we interact with, and we can express our gratitude
to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Doing
so will help us “draw near unto” him.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin wrote, “When you find yourself
getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for a
while on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They
don’t have to be grand or glorious. Sometimes we should express our gratitude
for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your
favorite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice. Thinking of things we are grateful for is a
healing balm. It helps us get outside ourselves. It changes our focus from our
pains and our trials to the abundance of this beautiful world we live in.”
(Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Improving Our Prayers,” Ensign, Mar 2004, 24–31).
Pres. Henry B. Eyring said, “President Benson suggested
prayer as a time to [thank the Lord]. He said:
‘The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of
which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. I
presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great
tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for
additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our
prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already
received. We enjoy so much.’ (God,
Family, Country, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p.
199).” Pres. Eyring continued, “You
could have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today. You could begin
a private prayer with thanks. You could start to count your blessings, and then
pause for a moment. If you exercise faith, and with the gift of the Holy Ghost,
you will find that memories of other blessings will flood into your mind. If
you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your prayer may take a little
longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will gratitude.”
Journal: Write your feelings about prayer. Do you feel that your prayers are
improving? List some of the things you
are grateful for.
Pres. Eyring said, “As you start to write, you could ask
yourself, “How did God bless me today?” If you do that long enough and with
faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes, you will
have gifts brought to your mind which you failed to notice during the day, but
which you will then know were a touch of God’s hand in your life.”
Challenge
(beginning tonight and carrying on tomorrow):
Elder
David Bednar taught: “During our service
at Brigham Young
University–Idaho,
Sister Bednar and I frequently hosted General Authorities in our home. Our family learned an important lesson about
meaningful prayer as we knelt to pray one evening with a member of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles.
Earlier
in the day Sister Bednar and I had been informed about the unexpected death of
a dear friend, and our immediate desire was to pray for the surviving spouse
and children. As I invited my wife to offer the prayer, the member of the
Twelve, unaware of the tragedy, graciously suggested that in the prayer Sister
Bednar express only appreciation for blessings received and ask for nothing.
His counsel was similar to Alma’s instruction to the members of the ancient
Church “to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things” (Mosiah 26:39). Given the unexpected
tragedy, requesting blessings for our friends initially seemed to us more
urgent than expressing thanks.
Sister
Bednar responded in faith to the direction she received. She thanked Heavenly
Father for meaningful and memorable experiences with this dear friend. She
communicated sincere gratitude for the Holy Ghost as the Comforter and for the
gifts of the Spirit that enable us to face adversity and to serve others. Most
importantly, she expressed appreciation for the plan of salvation, for the
atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, for His Resurrection,
and for the ordinances and covenants of the restored gospel which make it
possible for families to be together forever.
Our
family learned from that experience a great lesson about the power of
thankfulness in meaningful prayer. Because of and through that prayer, our
family was blessed with inspiration about a number of issues that were pressing
upon our minds and stirring in our hearts. We learned that our gratefulness for
the plan of happiness and for the Savior’s mission of salvation provided needed
reassurance and strengthened our confidence that all would be well with our
dear friends. We also received insights concerning the things about which we
should pray and appropriately ask in faith.
The
most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many
expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests.
Let
me recommend that periodically you and I offer a prayer in which we only give
thanks and express gratitude. Ask for nothing; simply let our souls rejoice and
strive to communicate appreciation with all the energy of our hearts” (“Pray
Always”, General Conference, Oct. 2008).
Continue to lengthen your prayers. However, this time pray only about the things
you are grateful for. For an entire day,
try not to ask the Lord for anything at all and instead focus on all He’s
already given you.
Day 4: Wednesday, March 27
Obedience
Evening Study:
Read and mark Matthew 5:48 3
Nephi 12:48 3 Nephi 27:27
While it can seem
overwhelming to fulfill the commandment to be perfect, we must take one day at
a time. We must constantly be
progressing day by day. We can use the
Atonement to repent of the areas we have weakness. Eventually those will become strengths for
us.
Elder
Russell M. Nelson taught, “It is important to develop faith to keep all of the
commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless you and bring you
joy. You will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and
which they will ignore. This practice of picking and choosing will not work. It
will lead to misery. To prepare to meet God, you need to keep all of His
commandments. It takes faith to obey them, and keeping His commandments will
strengthen that faith.” (“Focus on Values”, New Era, Feb. 2013)
David
A. Bednar explained, "Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a
testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion.
We should know the gospel is true and be true to the gospel" ("Converted unto the Lord", Liahona and Ensign, November 2012).
Challenge:
Think about a commandment that you have difficulty with. Commit to be obedient to that
commandment. Pray to repent as well as
to ask for the Lord’s help in overcoming your weakness.
Journal: Sister
Elaine S. Dalton shared, “It starts with making a commitment. When I was a
young woman, I learned that some decisions need to be made only once. I wrote
my list of things I would always do
and things I would never do in
a small tablet. It included things like obeying the Word of Wisdom, praying daily, paying my tithing,
and committing to never miss church. I made those decisions once, and then in
the moment of decision, I knew exactly what to do because I had decided
beforehand. When my high school friends said, “Just one drink won’t hurt,” I
laughed and said, “I decided when I was 12 not to do that.” Making decisions in
advance will help you be guardians of virtue. I hope each of you will write a
list of things you will always do
and things you will never do.
Then live your list.” (Elaine S. Dalton, “Guardians of Virtue,” Ensign
or Liahona, May 2011, 121–24).
Write in your journal a list of things you will never do and
things you will always do. Then commit
to live that list.
Day 5: Thursday, March 28
Meekness
Music: “Lord, I would Follow Thee” (Hymn #220)
“Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words”
(Hymn #232)
Evening Study:
Matt. 11:29 D and C
31:9 Moroni
7:43-44
Elder
Neal A. Maxwell explained meekness, “Agency is essential to perfectibility, and
meekness is essential to the wise use of agency—and to our recovery when we
have misused our agency. . . The Father and our Savior desire to lead us
through love, for if we were merely driven where They wish us to go, we would
not be worthy to be there, and, surely, we could not stay there. They are
Shepherds, not sheepherders. . . Meekness, however, is more than
self-restraint; it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and
gentleness, reflecting certitude, strength, serenity, and a healthy self-esteem
and self-control. . . We even tend to think of a meek individual as being used
and abused—as being a doormat for others. However, Moses was once described as being the most
meek man on the face of the earth (see Num. 12:3), yet we recall his impressive boldness
in the courts of Pharaoh and his scalding indignation following his descent
from Sinai. . . Meekness does not mean tentativeness. But thoughtfulness. . .
Among the meek there is usually more listening and less talking. . . The meek
use power and authority properly, no doubt because their gentleness and
meekness reflect a love unfeigned, a genuine caring. . . Meekness permits us to
be prompted as to whether to speak out or, as Jesus once did, be silent. But
even when the meek speak up, they do so without speaking down.”
(“Meekness: A Dimension of True
Discipleship”, from an address at a BYU Fireside, Sept. 5, 1982).
Challenge: Think of a relationship where you struggle to
be meek. Sometimes when we become
frustrated we react in anger to others.
For the next day, seek to act with gentleness, meekness, and kindness
regardless of how others treat you.
Treat others based on correct principles instead of reacting to their
behaviors---good or bad.
Journal: Write
about your experience of acting in meekness.
How did acting like the Savior in your interactions with others help you
feel closer to the Savior? How did it
strengthen your testimony of Him?
Day 6: Friday, March 29
Sacrifice
Evening
Study: Today is Good Friday—the day
Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for us.
Please prayerfully read these scriptures to remember Him.
Read and mark Luke
22:39-46
Matthew
27:27-38
Matthew
27: 45-54
Luke
23:50-56
2
Nephi 9:21
Read and
mark 3 Nephi 9:19-20 DandC
97:8
In ancient days,
sacrifice
meant to make something or someone holy. It has now come to mean to give up or
suffer the loss of worldly things for the Lord and His kingdom. Members of the
Lord’s Church should be willing to sacrifice all things for the Lord. Joseph Smith taught that “a religion
that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power
sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.” In the eternal perspective,
the blessings obtained by sacrifice are greater than anything that is given up.
Jesus Christ sacrificed so much for us.
All He asks is that we sacrifice our will to the Father’s. We must have broken hearts and contrite
spirits. We must be willing to give our
money, time, and talents in building His kingdom on this earth.
Challenge:
(beginning tonight and carrying on through Sunday night)
Pres. Ezra Taft Benson taught, “The
people of the world have the light of Christ to help guide them, but we are
entitled to the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost to be fully
operative in our lives, we must keep our spiritual channels of communication
open. The clearer our channels, the easier it is for us to receive God’s
message. And the more of His promptings we receive and follow, the greater will
be our joy. If our channels are not clear of sin, then we may think we have
received inspiration on a matter when it is really promptings from the devil.”
(Ezra Taft Benson, “In His Steps,” Ensign,
Sep 1988, 2)
On
earthly battlefields, the enemy often attempts to destroy the lines of communication. If that is gone, troops cannot follow
orders. They cannot find out about the
enemies’ strategies from those in a position to warn them. Satan does the same thing to us today. He attempts to jam the communication lines
between us and the Lord. He does this by
constantly barraging us with noise---radio, TV, books. If we aren’t careful, we can become numb to
the things of the Spirit because our minds are always busy with trivial things. Popular music, movies, and books have a
place but they shouldn’t take the place of spiritual things.
For the next 3 days, do not
watch or listen to anything of the world (Media Fast). This includes: TV, movies, CD’s, MP3 players, internet,
Facebook, etc. Instead, fill your life
with things that will bring the Spirit.
Read General Conference talks.
Immerse yourself in the scriptures.
Listen to music that has a spiritual message. Spend time interacting with your family. Get outside and enjoy Nature. Fill that time positively.
Journal:
Write your feelings regarding Christ’s
ultimate sacrifice for you. Write about
the things of the world you can sacrifice that will help you draw near unto
Him.
Day 7: Saturday, March 30
Charity
and love
Music: “Because I Have Been Given Much” (Hymn #219)
Evening
Study: Read and mark John 15:12 John 13:34-35 Matt. 5:44 Moroni 7:45-48
Mosiah 2:17 DandC 4:2
Jesus Christ’s live was filled with service. He blessed others, at all times. He put others’ needs above his own. And He has commanded us to also serve others
with all our hearts, might, mind, and strength.
President
Monson explained, “We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our
encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness. … We are the Lord’s
hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.
He is dependent upon each of us.”
Linda K. Burton said, “For some, serving
or ministering one by one, following the Savior’s example, doesn’t come easily.
But with practice, each of us can become more like the Savior as we serve God’s
children. To help us better love one another, I would like to suggest four
words to remember: “First observe, then serve.” (“First Observe, Then Serve,”
General Conference, Oct. 2012).
Elder M. Russell Ballard taught, “How do
we ingrain this love of Christ into our hearts?
There is one daily practice that can make a difference for every member
of the Church, including you boys and girls, you young men and you young women,
you single adults, and fathers and mothers.
That simple practice is: In your
morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an
opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart
full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused. . . If you do this, your
spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to
serve that you never before realized were possible. And President Spencer W. Kimball said, ‘God
does notice us, and he watches over us.
But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve one
another.’ I know that if you do
this---at home, at school, at work, and at church---the Spirit will guide you,
and you will be able to discern those in need of a particular service that only
you may be able to give. You will be
prompted by the Spirit and magnificently motivated to help pollinate the world
with the pure love of Christ and His gospel.” (“Be Anxiously Engaged,” General
Conference, Oct. 2012)
Challenge: Observe those around you. Watch for and create opportunities to serve
others---first in your home, and then with those you home/visit teach. You will even find neighbors and strangers
that could use your helping hand. In addition, continue with the Media Fast.
Journal: Write about how
you felt when you served others. How
does serving others strengthen your testimony of the Savior?
Day 8: Easter Sunday, March 31
Godliness
Evening Study: Remember the true reason for this Easter
season.
Read and mark John 20: 1-18 Mosiah 3:17
Because Jesus Christ was resurrected, we will all be resurrected. He has done for us what we could never do on
our own. Through the Atonement, Christ
overcame spiritual death or sin. And
through the Resurrection, Christ overcame physical death for all mankind.
Elder Dallin
H. Oaks taught, “The “lively hope” we are given by the resurrection is our
conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity but merely a
necessary step in the destined transition from mortality to immortality. This
hope changes the whole perspective of mortal life. The assurance of
resurrection and immortality affects how we look on the physical challenges of
mortality, how we live our mortal lives, and how we relate to those around us.
“The
assurance of resurrection gives us the strength and perspective to endure the
mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love, such things as the
physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies we bring with us at birth or
acquire during mortal life. Because of the resurrection, we know that these mortal
deficiencies are only temporary!
“The assurance that the resurrection
will include an opportunity to be with our family members—husband, wife,
parents, brothers and sisters, children, and grandchildren—is a powerful
encouragement for us to fulfill our family responsibilities in mortality. It
helps us live together in love in this life in anticipation of joyful reunions
and associations in the next.” (Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 2000, 14).
Read and mark Alma 34:32
Elder
Quentin L. Cook taught, "Act in accordance with your true beliefs by
spending your time on those things that will build and develop your character
and help you become more Christlike. I hope none of you see life as primarily
fun and games but rather as a time 'to prepare to meet God.'" ("A Time to Prepare to
Meet God",
Broadcasts, March 2012).
Read and mark DandC 20:69 Romans
12:2
In order to best become like our Savior, we have to separate
ourselves from the World. We must be in
the world but not be of the
world. This involves making careful
choices about how we spend our time, what we say and how we behave.
Read and mark Titus 2:11-12 1
John 2:15-16
DandC 84:19-22 James 1:27
Renewing our covenants by taking the sacrament will help us
repent and be clean. As we are unspotted by the world, we become holy and
godly.
Challenge: You
have learned about some of the attributes of our Savior. Your challenge is to continue to develop
these qualities and gradually become more Christlike than you already are. Prayerfully consider the challenges you want
to undertake for the Ward 3-month Challenge beginning tomorrow. You may want to choose one or two challenges
to do as a family as well as ones you want to focus on personally. Continue with your media fast today.
Journal: Write which challenges you have chosen to do
for the 3-month Challenge. Write a detailed plan of how you will accomplish
these tasks. Take note of things that
might cause difficulties in accomplishing your goals. Include what you hope to gain by taking on
these Challenges.
Furthermore,
you may wish to write what you have gained while doing this 8-day Walk with
Christ. Write your testimony of Him as
you remember that He lives again!
