Drawing Closer to Christ
"Good afternoon, Brothers and Sisters. For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Katie Lundgreen. I am fourteen years old and also am the oldest of six. Today I have been asked to speak on drawing closer to the Savior.
Imagine your whole body being emerged in a cloud of darkness. The sound of a rushing river far below you pierces your ears, and your heart leaps to your throat when a rock you accidentally kick skitters of the edge of an apparent cliff and plummets into the oblivion. You swing your head in every direction, searching desperately for an escape from this never-ending night. And then your hand brushes something, something hard and cool. Immediately you cling to it, soon coming to realize that it is a long, iron rod. The fear tearing at your soul melts away.
It has been said that Jesus Christ is not our last option for achieving exaltation, but our only option.
As Latter Day Saints, it is our goal to be able to return to our Father in Heaven. Of course, the best way to do this is by drawing nearer to Christ. So how do we do that?
1. The first thing that helps me draw nearer to Christ is, of course, personal scripture reading and prayer. And as I say this, I don’t mean a quick- get on your knees, mutter a quick prayer- or just reading a verse or two. I mean actually taking to think about what you are doing. Always pray in the name of Jesus Christ and remember who you are speaking to. While you’re reading the scriptures, keep in mind that it is the words of the prophets, called by God. The scriptures were written for the purpose of teaching us, literally, about the iron rod, that we may draw closer to Christ. I had the chance to finish The Book of Mormon again last night, and I testify that this is so true.
2. The second thing would be kindness/service. This can be many different levels. For example, last year, instead of taking regular PE, I had the chance to help those with special needs. And it was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. I loved those kids! Perhaps maybe the reason service gives us that warm feeling is that is that we know that’s emulating the life of the Savior. Even just smalls things are good. With five younger siblings, sometimes it’s easy to get a bit frustrated. But I’ve found that patience alone can make me so much better.
3. Surprisingly, I’ve found that the media is actually not always a bad thing. Music and literature have both changed my life for the better. With literature, I could spend my whole day either reading or writing. I’ve found they too can be very inspiring to me. For all media, I’ve decided to just stick with the good stuff. I know, I know… That movie, that song, it’s like my favorite ever! I mean, there’s just a little swearing, and just, like, that one part… It’s worth it, right? Yeah, it’s worth it- if you plan on plunging headfirst into the outer rim of darkness! In all seriousness, I will admit it. It is so hard to find good entertainment these days. But there is nothing wrong with trying out some of the stuff that isn’t perhaps “cool” in the eyes of the world. I found that my favorite books ever are The Work and the Glory and Children of the Promise. Not only did they “entertain” me, they taught me so much, and helped me gain a stronger testimony. Musically, I love singing and playing the piano. There’s something about music that is so beautiful and touching, and when you sew together meaningful lyrics to a pretty tune, it can just enlighten your whole day.
Girls Camp starts next week, and I know it’s going to be a total “spiritual high.” Last year one of the most spiritual parts was when the bishoprics came and the girls in the stake stood up and sang the Courage to Stand. It had been a long day filled to the brim with fun and games, and when the sun went down, we all went to the lodge. Hundreds of young women, completely unified in this song despite all our differences. And the bishoprics, well, these were all big, strong men… and all crying. I myself could just feel the tears burning in my eyes, the Spirit of God, like a fire [was] burning, within my heart. Perhaps those beautiful, testifying emotions we feel are why we always imagine the heavens flowing with music.
There are so many more examples on how to draw closer to the Savior, but as I close up, I would like to say it one more time: Jesus Christ is not our last option for achieving exaltation, but our only option. Please, I ask you, think of Him in your daily efforts, and cling tight to the Iron Rod.
And I say these things, in the beloved name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen."
