Excerpts from Elder Christofferson’s address are shown in italics.

Elder Christofferson recounts the story of the battle between Elijah and the priests of Baal.  Until Elijah was victorious and humiliated the priests of Baal the children of Israel were unwilling to commit to the Lord. Elder Christofferson suggests some modern day examples were we may ‘halt between two opinions’:

‘Today Elijah might say:

• Either God, our Heavenly Father, exists, or He does not, but if He exists, worship Him.

• Either Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the resurrected Redeemer of mankind, or He is not, but if He is, follow Him.

• Either the Book of Mormon is the word of God, or it is not, but if it is, then “get nearer to God by [studying and] abiding by its precepts.”

• Either Joseph Smith saw and conversed with the Father and the Son that spring day of 1820, or he did not, but if he did, then follow the prophetic mantle, including the keys of sealing that I, Elijah, bestowed upon him.’

Can you think of any other modern day examples?

Notice in each of Elder Christofferson’s examples how choosing the Lord’s side in the pair of options necessitates action:

‘Today Elijah might say:

• Either God, our Heavenly Father, exists, or He does not, but if He exists, worship Him.

• Either Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the resurrected Redeemer of mankind, or He is not, but if He is, follow Him.

• Either the Book of Mormon is the word of God, or it is not, but if it is, then “get nearer to God by [studying and] abiding by its precepts.”

• Either Joseph Smith saw and conversed with the Father and the Son that spring day of 1820, or he did not, but if he did, then follow the prophetic mantle, including the keys of sealing that I, Elijah, bestowed upon him.’

Is not taking the associated action equivalent to not making the choice?

We don’t have to wonder which is the right choice:

‘In the most recent general conference, President Russell M. Nelson declared: “You don’t have to wonder about what is true [see Moroni 10:5]. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.”’

This reminds me of a comment I once heard in a Sunday School class:

‘A person with an experience should never be hostage to a person with an opinion.’

This struck a chord with me. There are many people with widely different opinions about the Church and its doctrines but none of these opinions are as valuable as a personal experience. Let me give you some examples.

The Book of Mormon

Faced with the fact of the Book of Mormon, there is a range of opinions about its origins:

• it was based on a manuscript by Solomon Spaulding
• it was plagiarised from Ethan Smith’s A View of the Hebrews
• Sidney Rigdon wrote it
• Joseph Smith wrote it during an epileptic fit
• Joseph Smith was some sort of ‘naive genius’ and wrote it himself

While each of these theories has been thoroughly squashed by subsequent research, what is more valuable than any or all of them is the reader’s personal experience of the Book of Mormon.

• I have tested Moroni’s promise and received a spiritual witness that it is true
• I have felt the spirit on innumerable occasions while reading the Book of Mormon
• I have experienced the complexity of the narrative arc and the beauty of language and thought
• I have been able to distinguish for myself the varied authorial voices in the book
• I have found answers to questions in the book
• I have seen my life and the lives of countless others changed and blessed by its influence

Prayer

Some will put forth the opinions that prayer:

• is a meaningless talking to oneself
• is nothing but an expression of wishes and desires
• does not work

My personal experience is that:

• prayers are answered
• I have received inspiration and answers to questions through prayer
• prayer allows me to communicate with my Heavenly Father
• prayer has blessed my life
• there is real power in prayer

President Nelson

Opponents of the Church may express opinions that President Nelson:

• is a good but misguided man
• is a fraud
• is nothing but the President of a large corporation

My personal experience is that:

• the spirit has confirmed to me on many occasions that President Nelson is his Prophet on the earth today
• As I listen to his words I receive spiritual confirmation that they are from the Lord
• when I follow his counsel I am blessed and am happier
• I have shaken his hand and looked into his eyes and know he is a prophet.

Elder Christofferson talks of the need for a new heart and a new spirit and says:

‘Most of us find ourselves at this moment on a continuum between a socially motivated participation in gospel rituals on the one hand and a fully developed, Christlike commitment to the will of God on the other. Somewhere along that continuum, the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ enters into our heart and takes possession of our soul. It may not happen in an instant, but we should all be moving toward that blessed state.’

What do you think it means to have a new heart and a new spirit?

How can we move ourselves further along the continuum towards a ‘fully developed, Christlike commitment to the will of God’?

Elder Christofferson gives three examples of people who remain steadfast despite trials and tribulations in their life. Do you know similarly steadfast people?

‘I am reminded of our mothers’ counsel: “Eat your vegetables; it will do you good.” ‘

What does Elder Christofferson say is the gospel equivalent of ‘eating vegetables’?

Have a look at footnote 24 to Elder Christofferson’s talk – What is President Nelson’s advice? Which of these challenges could you do better on at this time?