Christ Loves One by One

"And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come." {3 Nephi 11:15; emphasis added}

" . . . and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls . . . " {3 Nephi 17:25}

I find it absolutely incredible that at the time of Christ's coming to the Nephites, He made time for each and every one of them. They came to Him one by one. 

"Certainly, there is a very profound and tender personal message here. Jesus Christ ministers to, and loves us all, one by one . . . I have a testimony in my heart, brothers and sisters, that God, our Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ know and love us individually. I'm not sure I fully understand how, I just know and have experienced that They do. I urge all of us in our own ministries, to our families and to our fellowman, to embrace the Savior's warm invitation to come unto Him, one by one, and be perfected in Him." {Elder Ronald A. Rasband}

I wish to echo the words of this apostle of the Lord. I personally know that we have a Savior who knows us and loves us one by one. He takes the time to comfort us, strengthen us, and heal us individually, one by one. I know this is true because I have felt it in my own life.

I have felt His enabling power to strengthen me to help me do the seemingly impossible.
I have felt His healing power healing me physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
I have felt His love for me in times that I felt so unloved.
I have felt His comfort in times of utter despair.
I have felt His strength carrying me through moments I felt I could not take one more step.

He knows you better than you know yourself.
He loves loves you personally, individually, and unconditionally.
He is your Savior, and He died for you.

I know He knows and loves each and every one of us, one by one.

I stand amazed that Heaven knows me

He heals, one by one

Loves one by one

When the crowded world around you doesn't know your name

He knows us, one by one

The way He loves you is one by one.

Christ Gathers

This characteristic of Christ is one that is a little bit more unique, one that we don't think of often.

Christ gathers us.

"O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:6)

"The Savior has always been the protector of those who would accept his protection . . . There seems to be no end to the Savior's desire to lead us to safety. And there is constancy in the way He shows us the path. He calls by more than one means so that it will reach those willing to accept it. And those means always include sending the message by the mouths of His prophets whenever people have qualified to have the prophets of God among them. Those authorized servants are always charged with warning the people, telling them to way to safety." (Henry B. Eyring)

Just as these words of God describe, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gathers us. He is anxious to lead us to safety. He is our Protector. I love thinking of Him in these terms. He is truly our Older Brother and He is constantly watching out for us. Being the oldest, I have never experienced having an older brother brother within my immediate family. But it brings me great comfort knowing that I really do have an Older Brother. He is my Savior, Jesus Christ, He is always watching over and protecting me.

And He always will be.

Christ Calls

The Lord calls each and every one of us.

3 Nephi 5:13 states,

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."

As I thought about this verse, I was reminded of missionary work. Not only missionary work, but this can also apply to callings we receive within the church.

The Lord calls us, even every day, to stand as a witness of Him.

To stand as His witness, to be His hands while on this earth.

It is easy to feel inadequate when faced with a calling from the Lord. But I testify that:

"God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called."

The Lord calls us to so many varying capacities. Some He calls to serve in distant lands and far off places. Others, He calls to serve right where they are.

Whatever your calling may be from Him, I invite all of us to hearken to His voice.

When the Lord calls, I hope that we say:

"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord; I'll be what you want me to be."

Christ Commands

This characteristic of Christ jumped out at me as I read about Samuel the Lamanite in the book of Helaman.

Even after being cast out of the city, the Lord commands him to go back. He was obedient to that commandment: return to Zarahemla and "prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into [your] heart" (Helaman 13:3). 

Christ commanded, and he obeyed.

As I thought about this more, I realized that Christ commands us to do things for various reasons.

- To fulfill/further His work

- To help us be happy
- To help others
- Through the Spirit to answer the prayers of others

. . . And many more . . .

Christ commands us to do many things, but I believe two of the biggest things He commands us to do is to 1) Remember Him, and 2) Love Him.

It really is that simple.

And something I have come to realize is that when we do what He commands us to do, He always blesses us. The commandments are there for a reason--when we keep them, we truly lead happier and better lives because of it. To some they look restricting, but Christ really does guide us to stay within certain boundaries so that we can be free and truly happy in the end.

"I have always found that when we do the little things correctly, the Lord gives us the strength to accomplish big things... You might not always understand the reasons for some rules or commandments, but if you will follow them even in the little things you will have more strength to do big things... And you will have the great blessing of knowing that you are on the Lord's side and that He is on yours." (Donald L. Hallstrom)

Strength comes when we are obedient to the commandments He gives us.

Christ commands, but He knows that if we do what He asks of us, we will be happy in the end.

Christ Blesses

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ blesses us.

In Helaman, Nephi is left alone and he ponders. As he is pondering, the Lord blesses Nephi with a revelation. I believe this revelation came because he took the time to ponder and draw closer to God by doing so.

The Lord tells Nephi,
"I will bless thee forever." (Helaman 10:5)

It is just previous to this that Nephi and Lehi have been preaching to the wicked Nephites. The following verses are an extension of the verse quoted above. 

I love this evidence that the Lord blesses Nephi because of his faith and diligence in preaching the word of God. As we liken this to our own lives, I know that when we are faithful to the Lord and do what He asks us to, He will bless every time.
Just a few pages over, in Helaman 12:1 it states,
"And thus we can behold how false and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yeah, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him."


It is amazing that in the times of prosperity, it becomes the easiest to forget the Lord. It becomes so easy to forget the Source of all of our blessings.

The following verses are words spoken to Nephi about his diligence in preaching the word of God.

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

Trust in the Lord results in blessings from Him.

The following verse go on to say,

2 Yeah, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people . . . sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies . . . doing all things for the welfare of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One...
(emphasis added)

Each one of those adjectives describes a blessing from the Lord. Sparing. Delivering. Softening. Doing ALL things for their welfare . . .

I find it amazing that when the Lord blesses us, it becomes so easy to forget Him. It becomes so easy to forget from Whom all of our blessings have come from. Something remarkable is that the Lord still does not fail to bless us. Even if He knows we will forget Him, He still blesses us. 

I know personally that I have been countlessly blessed by both my Father in Heaven and Savior. I feel so unworthy of the bounteous blessings which have so graciously been bestowed on me. I am in awe of mercy of my Savior and my Father despite all of the times I fall and fail and forget each of Them over and over and over again. Each of Them continues to bless me over and over and over and over again even though I have weaknesses and shortcomings. I know without a doubt as I strive to become a little bit better each day, my Father in Heaven and my Savior will continue to bless me and help me throughout this mortal life.

One thing I do know for sure. Christ blesses. And He is the greatest blessing of all.

Christ Redeems

Jesus Christ is the Redeemer.

He was sent to redeem us all.

Helaman 5: 9 - 11 states this clearly:

"There is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world."

" . . .  [T]he Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins." (emphasis added)

"And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls."

It is only through the name of Jesus Christ that we are able to be saved. It is only through the infinite debt He paid that we are able to be forgiven of our sins.

"Thank and glorify His Beloved Son, who, with indescribable suffering, gave His life on Calvary's cross to pay the debt of mortal sin. He it was who, through His atoning sacrifice, broke the bonds of death and with godly power rose triumphant from the tomb. He is our Redeemer, the Redeemer of all mankind. He is the Savior of the world. He is the Son of God, the Author of our salvation." (Gordon B. Hinckley)

To redeem means to:
* gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment
* save (someone) from sin, error, or evil
* (of a person) atone or make amends for (error or evil)

Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, the Redeemer of all mankind.

Through Jesus Christ, we are redeemed. It is only through Him as our Redeemer that He has regained possession of us. Because we are redeemed, we are His. Because He has redeemed us, we are able to return to live with Him and our Father again one day.

How grateful I am for a God who has atoned for me and my sins. In my sins and weaknesses, he has redeemed me.

Because I am redeemed, I am forever His.

Christ Promises

It is amazing to me how many of Christ's glorious attributes are clearly demonstrated through the scriptures.

As I was studying today, I came across another thing that Christ does.

He promises.

This became apparent to me when I cam across two very powerful verses.

Helaman 3:29-30 states,

29 Yeah, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked--

30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

These verses in the Book of Mormon demonstrate that Christ really does promise. He promises that if we will lay hold upon the word of God, His words, we will be able to make it back to live with Him and our Father in Heaven again at the end of this life.

What a beautiful promise that is. I know this life is only a temporary state and I can't wait to get back Home.

In my Mission Prep manual, I came across a passage that I felt perfectly fits with this.

“Success in righteousness, the power to avoid deception and resist temptation, guidance in our daily lives, healing of the soul—these are but a few of the promises the Lord has given to those who will come to His word. Does the Lord promise and not fulfill? Surely if He tells us that these things will come to us if we lay hold upon His word, then the blessings can be ours. And if we do not, then the blessings may be lost. However diligent we may be in other areas, certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures, only in coming to the word of the Lord and holding fast to it as we make our way through the mists of darkness to the tree of life . . . I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you in your callings” (“The Power of the Word,” Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1986, 82).

Yet another beautiful promise.

I personally know that Christ does indeed promise. He promises better things ahead. He promises that healing is possible. He promises that hope is just around the corner. He promises that blessings come because of faithfulness. He promises to perform miracles--not always in the way we would expect Him to. He promises that as we come to Him, the Bread of Life, we will never hunger. He promises as we come to Him, the Living Water, we will never thirst. He promises as we come to Him, the Light of the World, we will never walk in darkness. He promises we will never be alone. He promises He will be with us because He has written our names on the palms of His hands. He promises we will never be alone.

Christ promises. And He will never break those promises.

Come Unto Christ

Do you ever think about the Savior? Really, truly, think about Him? I hope you do.

I strive to always remember Him, and how amazing and wonderful and incredible He is. I strive to remember how He has blessed me, and all of the miracles He has performed in my life. And how I hope to be just like Him one day. 

But lately I have been thinking about Him in a different light than I have before. 

I've been thinking about what He does.
I think a lot about what He did, and what He has done for me.
Miraculous, truly miraculous things, and I am forever grateful.

But then I asked myself, "What does Christ do?"

It seems like a very simple question with a simple answer, but there's more to it than the eye can see.

The list of things He does could go on forever. But as I thought about it, I came up with this list:

Christ . . .

| Loves | Heals | Forgives | Saves | Restores | Helps | Rescues | Feeds | Comforts | Walks with you | Listens | Answers | Strengthens | Provides Peace | Performs Miracles | Liberates | Carries | Blesses | Speaks | Prays | Is Constant | Humbles | Captains | Commands | Repeats | Gives Light | Strengthens | Anoints | Sanctifies | Aids | Helps | Serves | Consecrates | Creates | Leads | Delivers | Upholds | Provides Hope | Rejoices | Anchors | Authors | Bestows Grace | Redeems | Calls | Chooses | Ministers | Shepherds | Covers | Reaches | Never Ends | Grants Gifts | Edifies | Encompasses | Cleanses | Weeps | Knows | Shows | Tries | Tests | Shines | Reigns | Teaches | Perfects |

I am in awe of the endless qualities of my Savior, and know this list is just a glimpse towards the glorious being He is.

It is for this reason that I have chosen to embark on a journey. A journey that will help me draw closer to Christ. A journey which will strengthen my relationship with Him and help me to come to know Him better.

This journey will be centered around His words in the Book of Mormon.

I love this book with all of my heart. I know that the main purpose of this book is found in the 32nd verse of the 10th chapter in Moroni.

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

Come Unto Christ. This book is all about this simple invitation. Come, and be perfected in Him. Perfection is a process, and we come to know Him and become like Him through this process.

As a former sister missionary once said, "You don't need to be perfect, just perfecting."

And this perfecting process is exactly what I hope to more fully embark in.

For the next six weeks, I will post a couple of times each week. Each post will be centered around a characteristic of Christ I have come to find in the Book of Mormon. Examples will be provided, verses, quotes from general authorities, and some of my own thoughts.

I invite you to join with me in more fully accepting and investing in this invitation:

Come Unto Christ.

PC: http://jesuschrist.lds.org/bc/content/New%20Home%20Page%20Images/Final/savior-soft_edges.png