We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, but do we enough?

[martybess]

"We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ" (2 Ne. 25:26) But do we enough? Should latter day saints have a greater focus on the Savior then we do? Is our Sunday worship focused on him? Is our lessons focused enough on him? Isn't that why we go to church? Do we not covenant to remember him every Sunday?

Options?,

[Hemidakota]

Apparently not!

I was distraught this week's with our Sacrament testimony meeting. I never heard anything about the Savior. Not one person stood up and gave gratitude to the Savior or the sacrifice He made for us with the Atonement. Or mention the influence it has in our lives.

Marty, in my heart, I simply don't understand, why not one member didn’t give gratitude to our elder brother. Besides, who world is this? Whom does this church belong too? Is it me or I am not seeing the world for what it is in members lives?

[Hemidakota]

Finding solace, between this last sacrament meeting and today's affairs with the lack of faith people do display, I went back and reread President Henry B. Eyring book, "To Draw Closer to God: A Collection of Discourses", chapter on 'Remembrance and Gratitude',

"You can choose to remember the greatest gift of all. Next week you can go to a meeting where the sacrament is administered. You will hear the words, "Always remember him." You can pledge to do that, and the Holy Ghost will help you. President Marion G. Romney talked about the gift we will be helped to remember. He said:

"We should be thankful and express appreciation for all favors received—and surely we receive many. The chief objects of our gratitude, however, should be, and are, God, our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. . . . To the Lord Jesus we owe an undying debt of gratitude, for he bought us with a great price. It is impossible for us, weak mortals as we are, to fully comprehend and appreciate the sufferings he endured on the cross that he might gain for us the victory over death." ("'Thou Shalt Thank the Lord Thy God in All Things,'" Ensign, June 1974, p. 3.)"

Amazingly, he draws his from President Marion G. Romney.

[Moksha]

Well, at least his name is spoken of in the opening, closing and Sacrament prayers.

[applepansy]

D&C 10: 4

Do not run afaster or labor more than you have strength and means ...; but be cdiligent unto the end.

This scripture was the first thing that popped into my head when I read your post. Then I thought about it a little more. Then I read Hemi'l post.

My answer is: No we don't do enough, BUT we can only do what we can do. We can't do for others and we can't do more than we have strength to do.

I praise Christ in my life every day. I can't get out of bed without the blessings.

[martybess]

Well, at least his name is spoken of in the opening, closing and Sacrament prayers.

Yes true but do we really understand we just said a prayer in the name of Jesus Christ? Should we not give thanks to G-d that we are able to gather and renew our baptismal covenants in both those prayers?

[martybess]

Apparently not!

I was distraught this week's with our Sacrament testimony meeting. I never heard anything about the Savior. Not one person stood up and gave gratitude to the Savior or the sacrifice He made for us with the Atonement. Or mention the influence it has in our lives.

Marty, in my heart, I simply don't understand, why not one member didn’t give gratitude to our elder brother. Besides, who world is this? Whom does this church belong too? Is it me or I am not seeing the world for what it is in members lives?

This is what made me think about it Hemi. Just when the sacrament prayer for the bread was said a thought popped in my head, "did you even hear a word of that prayer" I was ashamed of myself. Yes I was thinking of my duties in the priesthood at the time but that was not excuse.

[martybess]

President Henry B. Eyring book, "To Draw Closer to God: A Collection of Discourses", chapter on 'Remembrance and Gratitude',

"You can choose to remember the greatest gift of all. Next week you can go to a meeting where the sacrament is administered. You will hear the words, "Always remember him." You can pledge to do that, and the Holy Ghost will help you. President Marion G. Romney talked about the gift we will be helped to remember. He said:

"We should be thankful and express appreciation for all favors received—and surely we receive many. The chief objects of our gratitude, however, should be, and are, God, our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. . . . To the Lord Jesus we owe an undying debt of gratitude, for he bought us with a great price. It is impossible for us, weak mortals as we are, to fully comprehend and appreciate the sufferings he endured on the cross that he might gain for us the victory over death." ("'Thou Shalt Thank the Lord Thy God in All Things,'" Ensign, June 1974, p. 3.)"

Amazingly, he draws his from President Marion G. Romney.

Hemi, there isn't a better example then Eyring. I love his talks. I just bought that book and plan on reading it as soon as I finish Holands "Christ and the New Covenant". Hmmmmmm maybe that book has brought me to a greater awareness. Didn't think of that til just now. LOL

[john doe]

Apparently not!

I was distraught this week's with our Sacrament testimony meeting. I never heard anything about the Savior. Not one person stood up and gave gratitude to the Savior or the sacrifice He made for us with the Atonement. Or mention the influence it has in our lives.

Marty, in my heart, I simply don't understand, why not one member didn’t give gratitude to our elder brother. Besides, who world is this? Whom does this church belong too? Is it me or I am not seeing the world for what it is in members lives?

Did you get up and change that?

[mnn727]

Come on people, what Church do you belong to? Our worship and our lessons are centered around Christ.

The differece between us and most Protestant Churches is that they have a "gospel ABOUT Jesus Christ" and we have the "Gospel OF Jesus Christ"

Let that sink in for a minute, in fact go back and read that last sentance again, and you should understand the difference between the two.

I used to belong to a Pentecostal Church and everything was "Jesus this" and "Jesus that", "turn everything over to Jesus", "let Jesus do everything" and "We're sinners, rotten and terrible, not worthy of anything, and Jesus is everything" Well, thats one reason I am an EX-Pentecostal.

I challange anyone to keep track of the number of times Jesus and God the Father are mentioned on a typical Sunday (not including prayers) I think you'll be suprised how high that number is. I was the times I've done it.

Edited June 8, 2010 by mnn727

[Moksha]

Apparently not!

I was distraught this week's with our Sacrament testimony meeting. I never heard anything about the Savior. Not one person stood up and gave gratitude to the Savior or the sacrifice He made for us with the Atonement. Or mention the influence it has in our lives.

Too often testimonies center around proclaiming the Church is true rather than proclaiming a witness to Christ and his redemptive love. However, the Church is predicated upon existence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this oversight is akin to missing the forest due to the trees. The message must not be forgotten while praising the messenger.

[Maureen]

Come on people, what Church do you belong to? Our worship and our lessons are centered around Christ.

The differece between us and most Protestant Churches is that they have a "gospel ABOUT Jesus Christ" and we have the "Gospel OF Jesus Christ"

Let that sink in for a minute, in fact go back and read that last sentance again, and you should understand the difference between the two.

I used to belong to a Pentecostal Church and everything was "Jesus this" and "Jesus that", "turn everything over to Jesus", "let Jesus do everything" and "We're sinners, rotten and terrible, not worthy of anything, and Jesus is everything" Well, thats one reason I am an EX-Pentecostal.

I challange anyone to keep track of the number of times Jesus and God the Father are mentioned on a typical Sunday (not including prayers) I think you'll be suprised how high that number is. I was the times I've done it.

That's one way to see your relationship with Christ - by comparing it to other denominations. Or just have a relationship, regardless of how other denominations view their relationship with Christ or how you view their relationship.

And to be honest "about" and "of" used above sound like synonyms.

M.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Maureen

[mnn727]

And to be honest "about" and "of" used above sound like synonyms.

.

Not even close as my example about my former Church showed.

You'll never hear things like my example showed (from my previous Church) in the LDS Church and you should not hear it in any Church, its not what Christ taught -- not in the Bible nor in the BoM

Edited June 9, 2010 by mnn727

[Hemidakota]

Too often testimonies center around proclaiming the Church is true rather than proclaiming a witness to Christ and his redemptive love. However, the Church is predicated upon existence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this oversight is akin to missing the forest due to the trees. The message must not be forgotten while praising the messenger.

Perhaps...

I will have the opportunity this week to speak. One thing is always in my talk, centered on GOD and the Savior.

[Hemidakota]

Did you get up and change that?

I only get up when the Spirit moves me.

[martybess]

I don't know I guess what it boils down to is how our relationship with the Savior is? I hear someone really express themselves about what he has down from them, what the atonement means to them. Like they really do love him, appreciate him and I say to myself, do I that? Do I feel the same way? Sometimes I'm taken back a little and I resolve to do better and to make the Savior more central in my life (all the time). To always have him on my mind while spending the countless hours at my calling, while I go home teaching, while I go to the temple etc. I ask myself where would I be right now spiritually if I did this consistently day after day, year after year? I know much further along. Will I be ashamed when I pass from this life and really come to know how prevalent his in everything? Or will I be filled with joy?

[Hemidakota]

Like you Marty, I do a daily self-analysis and listen to every talk. If there is anything that is good, I will add it to my own knowledge base.

[Justice]

D&C 76 tells us that it's all about Jesus Christ.

It describes those who will go to outer darkness, and those who will go to the different kingdoms of glory, including the Celestial Kingdom. If you break it apart and simplify the cause of the separation, you will be left with one thing:

51 They are they who received the testimony of Jesus

Describes those who will receive Celestial glory.

Before that it describes those who received this testimony then afterward rejected it:

32 They are they who are the sons of perdition

Each kingdom in between these 2 are based on the degree which those people received the testimony of Jesus.

It's simple.

[martybess]

D&C 76 tells us that it's all about Jesus Christ.

It describes those who will go to outer darkness, and those who will go to the different kingdoms of glory, including the Celestial Kingdom. If you break it apart and simplify the cause of the separation, you will be left with one thing:

51 They are they who received the testimony of Jesus

Describes those who will receive Celestial glory.

Before that it describes those who received this testimony then afterward rejected it:

32 They are they who are the sons of perdition

Each kingdom in between these 2 are based on the degree which those people received the testimony of Jesus.

It's simple.

Wow Justice I really like that and so true. The greater my testimony is in Christ the stronger my disposition to do good is, the greater my charity becomes, the stronger my hope and faith are and so on. So really if I really want to make it to the highest degree I need to really come to know Christ? No....the more I should want to be like Christ meaning I better come to know him so I will know how to become like him.

[Guest mormonmusic]

The name of Christ is mentioned more frequently in the Book of Mormon than the Bible. Our Church has his name in the middle of it. A ton of the lessons in Gospel Principles are all about Christ and his atonement. Much of what we talk about in our Church meetings and families has to do with doing good, following the example of the Savior's life.

i think the belief that we don't talk enough about Christ is a misnomer.

[Hemidakota]

It is true with provided lessons but not true with Sacrament [Fast and Testimony] meeting. Think of it as - without 'purse and script'. This is very revealing what is the pressing thought within the members mind. What is more important, dichotomy of GOD or oneself?

Edited June 10, 2010 by Hemidakota