“The Matchless Gift of God’s Divine Son,” Liahona, December 2021
The Matchless Gift of God’s Divine Son
By Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita
Of the Seventy
Heavenly Father gave us the gift of His Son, whose life and mission have brought us many other precious gifts.
The Nativity, by N. C. Wyeth
When the Salt Lake Tabernacle was refurbished, its rededication took place during the Saturday afternoon session of April 2007 general conference. During that session, I had an experience that helped me to understand, in a small way, the love our Father in Heaven has for His Son, Jesus Christ.
Satomi, our second daughter, was serving in the Salt Lake Temple Square Mission. I knew that the missionaries serving on Temple Square would be in the Tabernacle for the afternoon session, seated on the main floor. I had a seat in the balcony for that session, and I hoped to see my daughter.
Right before the session began, a door opened and a group of missionaries came inside. I saw that my daughter and her companion were in the group. They were guided to their seats. Then Satomi looked toward the balcony. She saw me and said something. I could see tears in her eyes. Her companion put her arm around Satomi’s shoulder and comforted her.
I could not hear what my daughter said, but I understood the word: “Father.” That word made me think of Satomi’s childhood and her school days. It reminded me of her desire to serve God, to do His will, to serve Him as a missionary. Soon, I was crying too. Here was my daughter, and I was well pleased with her.
The Father’s Love for the Son
At that same moment, I thought of our Father’s feelings for His Son as Jesus Christ suffered in Gethsemane. Heavenly Father might have been moved to tears when He heard His Son’s prayer: “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).
“And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:43–44).
Our Savior completed His Atonement by suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, dying on the cross, and then being resurrected. I am so grateful that because of His great love for His Father and for us, Jesus did the will of the Father.
Gifts We Have Received
At this Christmas season, we have many chances to think of our Savior, Jesus Christ. What gifts have we received because of Him? What gifts will we yet receive? We can find answers in the scriptures, in the document “The Living Christ,” and from personal revelation.
Christ in Gethsemane, by Harry Anderson
The Lord Himself is a gift from our Heavenly Father to us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Jesus Christ said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He also said, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; see also Matthew 20:28).
“He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.”1
I am so grateful for His life and His Atonement.
The Lord has given us the gift of hope. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, not only can we overcome physical death and spiritual death, but we are also cleansed, sanctified, forgiven, and strengthened. His life brings us resurrection (see Alma 11:42–43; Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–12), light (see Doctrine and Covenants 50:24), and grace and truth (see John 1:17) and can bring us eternal life and salvation (see John 3:16, 17; 6:35, 51; 10:9; 14:6; Ether 3:14). As we have faith in Him, repent, make sacred covenants, and strive to keep those covenants, He brings us light and hope (see Luke 2:25–32; John 8:12; 1 Corinthians 15:19–23; Moroni 7:41; Doctrine and Covenants 50:24; 84:44–46; 93:7–10).
The Lord gives us the gifts of comfort, commandments, and spiritual strength. In addition, Jesus Christ has given us comfort, help, His teachings, His example (see 1 Peter 2:21), the earth (see Mosiah 3:8), power, happiness, strength, peace, joy, revelations, and the commandments (see John 13:34; 15:12).
President Russell M. Nelson testified: “[God’s] Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us. All so that we could have access to godly power—power sufficient to deal with the burdens, obstacles, and temptations of our day.”2
President Nelson said we can draw the Lord’s power into our lives by:
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Learning about Him.
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Choosing to have faith in Him and follow Him.
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Making sacred covenants and keeping them with precision.
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Reaching up to Him in faith.3
Jesus Christ Is God’s Divine Son
How is Jesus Christ able to offer so many gifts to us? Because as God the Father said, as Jesus Christ Himself said, as prophets said, and as angels said, Jesus Christ is God’s divine Son.
On April 29, 2019, my father-in-law, who was 95 years old, was baptized. It was truly a miracle for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We had waited for his baptism for a long time. What a gift for our family!
What changed him? Why did he commit to be baptized?
A few months before his baptism, he had a stroke and was hospitalized. My wife, Tazuko, returned home to see him. He was very pleased to see her. He had been afraid that he wouldn’t see her before he died. He started to tell her many things that he was worried about. He was thinking about his funeral.
But Tazuko told him, “Father, if you trust in God and leave everything to Him, your mind will be at ease and you will feel peace.” She explained about Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness and what the Savior Jesus Christ has done for us. They talked about the spirit world, where my father-in-law’s wife, his oldest son, and his parents already are. “The next world will be amazing,” she said.
She also told him that it is better to be able to go there without sin. She said that thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and thanks to baptism, he could be spotless before God. He thought a little and said, “I want to be baptized.”
Then he said, “It has been wonderful to see your children establish their own faith and continue to go to church, keep the commandments, and rely on God. I am so impressed with them.” And softly and with emotion, he said, “Family is really important! It is wonderful that our family can be one.”
The Gifts of Choice and Change
After he joined the Church, I asked my father-in-law why he finally committed to be baptized. He replied without any hesitation, “I chose the right.”
My father-in-law demonstrates what President Nelson taught: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is filled with His power, which is available to every earnestly seeking daughter or son of God.”4
“None other has had so profound an influence [as Jesus Christ] upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.”5 The influence of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is infinite. It gives us power to choose, and it gives us power to change.
His gospel was and is a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example.6
I know that through His disciples and servants, He still walks the roads throughout the world, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. I know that through many faithful members, teachers, missionaries, ministering brothers, and ministering sisters, He is still teaching the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential of the sons and daughters of God in this life and in the life to come.
He is the living Son of God. He invites us to work with Him. And many people respond to His invitation. I testify He is a matchless gift and He has brought us many gifts through His life and His mission.