Featured Devotional
You Can Do All Things through Christ
From a devotional address delivered at Brigham Young University–Idaho on Nov. 12, 2024.
How do we accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished?
The Light of Life, by Yongsung Kim
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
With that knowledge, we might ask ourselves, “So what is expected of me, and do I need to do all things at the same time?”
We live in an interesting world with so much information coming our way and such high expectations. At times, we might find ourselves in a situation where we don’t know what to do first or last. This might even result in doing nothing at all and becoming discouraged and depressed.
So let’s take a good look at what we can do to function well and accomplish what needs to be accomplished.
Work on Our Relationship with the Savior
First, it might be wise to work on our relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ and have that on top of our list. When we get to know Him better, we will be able to understand our role in life better.
Once you start working on your relationship with Christ, you will notice that the strengthening part is taking place immediately and can only deepen.
You will get to know yourself better in the process and come to be more confident about yourself. You will have more self-esteem because of your special relationship with Christ.
As a result of this relationship, you will want to do better and be better.
Find Balance in Our Priorities
Looking at everything that needs to be done and everything that we would like to do, we need to learn how to categorize tasks as good, better, and best.
A thought I cherish comes from President Holland when he was visiting a meeting in Paris. He advised us that, in the prioritizing process, we can ask ourselves this question:
“Am I sealed to this?”
We are sealed to our spouses and our children. They remain with us forever and need to be our priority always.
Our priority should be the one we are sealed to, but we should not use this as an excuse and miss out on growing experiences that make us better. Life cannot be all about work, and it cannot be all about play; there needs to be a certain balance.
Please get your priorities straight and discuss them with your Father in Heaven, as Nephi did: “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things,” (1 Nephi 18:3).
Keep the Commandments
We are promised in the Book of Mormon that if we keep God’s commandments, He will bless and prosper us (see Mosiah 2:22).
President Nelson has said that immorality is one of the quickest ways to lose a testimony and that it can complicate life quickly. He has also said that many of the adversary’s most relentless temptations involve violations of moral purity.
President Nelson also said, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”
Daily scripture study and daily prayer are the way to hold on to the rod and to be able to hear His voice. And let’s not forget about daily repentance—daily trying to do better and to be better.
Alma provides his sons with some profound teaching on personal prayer: “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day,” (Alma 37:37).
Rely on the Holy Ghost
As members of the Lord’s Church, we are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost.
President Nelson stated, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
I believe that the day has arrived when we can no longer discern what is true or not without the influence of the Holy Ghost. Think about what artificial intelligence can do these days. Besides the role of Comforter, the Holy Ghost is also the Sanctifier.
Elder Christofferson explained this further. He taught that sanctification is the process of Christ’s Atonement cleansing us, healing us, and helping us become more Christlike—but it is only through the Holy Ghost that we can access Jesus Christ’s sanctifying power. “The gift of the Holy Ghost … is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied to take away our sins and sanctify us.”
How can we know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is working in our lives? The answer is simple: If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost during this day, you may take that as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life.
Receive the Endowment
We can receive the gift of the endowment when we go to the house of the Lord and when we make and keep covenants to live the laws of obedience, sacrifice, the law of the gospel, chastity, and consecration.
Some of the gifts we receive as we keep these covenants include:
1. Greater knowledge of the Lord’s purposes and teachings
2. Power to do all that God wants us to do
3. Divine direction and protection as we serve the Lord, our families, and others
4. Increased hope, comfort, and peace
5. Promised blessings now and forever
What glorious blessings these are. What amazing gifts we have received from our loving Heavenly Father, who wants us to succeed in life and return to His presence.
On several occasions, I have received a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And not only about the cleansing part but also that we can receive power that enables us to do what we could never imagine doing.
I have felt that power time and time again in my life, especially when I am out of my comfort zone.
Please know that you can do all things through Christ, and let that knowledge bless your lives forever.