1. and the Everlasting Gospel Lesson 1: Jesus is the Living Christ
Jesus Christ
and the
Everlasting Gospel
Lesson 1: Jesus is the Living Christ
Flagstaff, AZ LDS Institute of Religion
Instructor: Christina G. Hibbert

2. and why do you believe in Him?
Who is Jesus Christ
Most of us answer this by bearing testimony of Him. Today we’re going to strengthen our testimonies of our Savior through studying His ministry and feeling His love.
and why do you believe in Him?

3. I know that my Redeemer lives…
Open to hymn #136
What phrases or words express who Jesus Christ is and what He does for us?
“My Savior”
“my kind, wise heav’nly Friend”
“my Prophet, Priest and King”
“my everliving head”
He blesses us with His love, pleads for us, guides us, comforts us, grants daily breath
How does this hymn describe what a testimony of Jesus Christ can do for us? Or how it affects us?

4. Elder Melvin J. Ballard
“… I found myself one evening in the dreams of the night in that sacred building, the temple. After a season of prayer and rejoicing I was informed that I should have the privilege of entering into one of those rooms, to meet a glorious personage, and, as I entered the door, I saw, seated on a raised platform, the most glorious being my eyes have ever beheld or that I ever conceived existed in all the eternal worlds.” (I Know that He Lives, Ensign Dec 2014)
Read the full article in the Dec 2014 Ensign, “I Know that He Lives”—It is an incredible article.

5. We will be studying and learning from this document this year
We will be studying and learning from this document this year. I challenge you to memorize it this year, too!
Read paragraph #1.

6. Ponder…
In what ways has the Savior influenced “all who have lived or will yet live upon the earth”?
The Atonement
What influence would you like your study of Jesus Christ and His everlasting gospel to have on you this semester?
“A sincere study of the life of Jesus Christ will help us appreciate the profound influence He has had and can have in our lives.” ~Teacher’s manual

7. Jesus Christ Pre-mortal Mortal Postmortal and the Everlasting Gospel
“As students study the Savior’s many divine roles, their love and testimony of Him will deepen.”
“As students come to understand and appreciate the significance of the Savior’s divine calling and the impact He has in their lives, they will be fortified against life’s challenges and feel better prepared to discuss the divine roles of the Savior in the plan of salvation, of which their personal lives are an integral part.” (Teacher’s Manual)
Postmortal

8. Richard G. Scott
“I energetically encourage you to establish a personal study plan to better understand and appreciate the incomparable, eternal, infinite consequences of Jesus Christ’s perfect fulfillment of His divinely appointed calling as our Savior and Redeemer. Profound personal pondering of the scriptures accompanied by searching, heartfelt prayer will fortify your understanding of and appreciation for His priceless Atonement” (“He Lives! All Glory to His Name!” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 77).

9. Search…Scripture Power
Why were the scriptures written?
John 20:30-31
“that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” and “have eternal life through his name”
1 Nephi 6:4
To “persuade” us “to come unto…God...”
2 Nephi 25:23,26
To “persuade our children” “to believe in Christ;” that they may know to “what source they may look…”
“As we study scripture passages about the Savior, our testimony of Him will be strengthened and we will draw closer to Him.” (Teacher’s Manual)

10. D. Todd Christofferson
“The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. …
“… Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon the word” (“The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 34, 35).
In what ways have the scriptures helped you strengthen your faith in or draw closer to Jesus Christ?
**I challenge you to complete the student readings this year. They are simple, short, and worth your time. You can find them online by searching “Jesus Christ & The Everlastin Gospel” Student Readings.

11. Testimony What is a testimony?
“a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter”
“When we talk about testimony, we refer to feelings of our heart and mind rather than an accumulation of logical, sterile facts. It is a gift of the Spirit, a witness from the Holy Ghost that certain concepts are true.”
“A testimony is the ‘abiding, living, [and] moving conviction of the truths revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ’” (Elder Marion G. Romney) (Deiter F. Uchtdorf, The Power of a Personal Testimony)
It’s not good enough to just study ABOUT the Savior. Our ultimate goal is to develop our personal witness or TESTIMONY of Him.

12. Bearing Testimony
“A testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will always include these clear and simple truths:
God lives. He is our loving Father in Heaven, and we are His children.
Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and the Savior of the world.
Joseph Smith is the prophet of God through whom the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored in the latter days.
The Book of Mormon is the word of God.
[The prophet], his counselors, and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are the prophets, seers, and revelators in our day.” (Uchtdorf, Power of a Personal Testimony, Oct 2006)

13. How do we gain a testimony?
Desire to believe. (Alma 32:27)
Search the scriptures. (Alma 32:28)
Do the will of God; keep the commandments. (John 14:15)
Ponder, fast, and pray. (Moroni 10:3-4; Alma 5:45-46)
“Brothers and sisters, Alma received his witness by fasting and prayer more than 2,000 years ago, and we may have the same sacred experience today.” (Uchtdorf, Power of a Personal Testimony, Oct 2006)
“The pattern is outlined in the scriptures” (Uchtdorf, 2006)

14. What can a testimony of Jesus Christ do for us?
“A testimony…provides proper perspective, motivation, and a solid foundation on which to build a life of purpose and personal growth.”
“ is a constant source of confidence, a true and faithful companion during good times and bad.”
“provides us with a reason for hope and gladness. It helps us cultivate a spirit of optimism and happiness and enables us to rejoice in the beauties of nature.”
“motivates us to choose the right at all times and in all circumstances,…to draw nearer to God, allowing Him to draw nearer to us…[it] will motivate us to change ourselves and then bless the world.”
“Our personal testimony is a protective shield, and like an iron rod it is guiding us safely through darkness and confusion.” (Uchtdorf, Oct 2016)

15. Good Thoughts & Motives
The Savior taught the importance of good thoughts and motives: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” (D&C 6:36)
“Our motives ultimately influence our actions. The testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the most powerful motivating force in our lives.” ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

16. Testimony of Jesus Christ
Why does Jesus Christ need to be at the core of our testimonies?
What do you think Jesus Christ would have you do with your testimony of Him, right now, today?
Christ must be our “motive” for all we do in the gospel. If He is, then we will follow, obey, and become like Him and then bring others unto Him to do and become the same.

17. D. Todd Christofferson
“People should be able to see in us something of Jesus Christ. The way we act, speak, look, and even think will reflect Him and His ways. … Although we were not present with Him in His ministry, as we search the scriptures, we see Jesus and what He said and did. And as we emulate that pattern, we bear witness of Him” (“Becoming a Witness of Christ,”Ensign, Mar. 2008, 60).
Have you experienced this? Can you “see” Him as you search the scriptures? Reading “Jesus the Christ?” “OT, NT, D&C?” BOM? I certainly can. I see Him before this life, ministering, and I see Him in this life, ministering, and I feel His love and I imagine what it might have been like to have walked with Him. We can walk with Him, daily, even today.
How have you seen others bear witness of Jesus Christ through their actions?
What can YOU do to bear witness of Him each day?

18. President Thomas S. Monson
“Regarding one’s testimony, remember, that which one willingly shares he keeps, while that which he selfishly keeps he loses. … Teach and testify. There is no better combination.”

19. Come Unto Christ and bring others with you!
“As we gain a testimony of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost, we have a responsibility to share it.” (Teacher’s manual)
I challenge each of you to “live each day prepared to testify of Jesus Christ” through your words and actions.
Post and share what we learn here on your social media or with friends and family. Invite them to come and see what we are learning here each week. Share what you learn with your family or in class at church. Be willing to bear witness of the Savior as you come to know Him this year.
My life mission statement is simple: “Come unto Christ, and bring others with me.” May we all do so this year.
and bring others with you!

20. Search, Ponder & Pray…
What are your goals for this year? Pray for guidance, and listen to the Spirit guide you. Write down your impressions and set clear goals.
Follow Elder Scott’s advice to “establish a personal study plan to better understand and appreciate the incomparable, eternal, infinite consequences of Jesus Christ’s perfect fulfillment of His divinely appointed calling as our Savior and Redeemer.” Create a plan for “Profound personal pondering of the scriptures accompanied by searching, heartfelt prayer.”
Make an effort to complete the student readings for next week’s class.
Work to memorize the first paragraph of “The Living Christ.”
This year, study all scripture verses in the standard works pertaining to Jesus Christ.

21. Next Week Lesson 2: Jesus Christ is Central to all Human History
Readings: and-the-everlasting-gospel-student-readings/student- readings.p1?lang=eng
Alma 12:22–34; 34:9; 42:8, 11; Doctrine and Covenants 22:1; 45:9; 66:2; Abraham 3:24–27; 1 Peter 1:19– 20; Moses 4:2.
Robert D. Hales, “Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 24–27.