Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference,
where two friends who love Jesus share our own
approach to studying the most recent General
Conference talks. This is Abbey and Amy. Let's
jump into it. Welcome. Today we are talking about
My Love for the Savior is My Why by Elder Ricardo
Jimenez of The Seventy. What motivates you to
do the things you do? Responsibility, obligation,
expectations, money, fear, or letting someone
down. He talks about how our dear prophet, Russell
M. Nelson, continuously extends invitations to
us, as does the Savior. Do you hear the invitations
when they come? Sometimes they feel subtle. Sometimes
they are front and center. I can attest to that.
You know when the Spirit is speaking to you,
right? One such invitation was him inviting us
to study and ponder the messages shared at the
last two conferences. In April 2024, he said,
I hope you'll repeatedly study these messages
of this conference throughout the coming months.
Then in October 24, he said, I urge you to study
the speaker's messages. Use them as a litmus
test of what is true and what is not during the
next six months. We've heard this before, right
Abby? Yeah, I can't tell you how much those invitations
excited me because I was like, we've done this
actually. I was so proud. Doing this, doing as
he's asked, reflecting on the conference talks
past just the weekend that they're delivered
has changed me, helped me through difficult times.
And more than any other time in my life, these
last couple conference sessions in particular,
you and I have put in the effort to make. make
more out of conference than just a wonderful
conference weekend. And we get to track who's
tuning in and we have friends across the world
that are joining us weekly to do the same thing.
So we share some thoughts. I'm going to share
a thought from a review that we got. People are
welcome to leave reviews. It does help us to
be seen. a friend of Amy's messaged her the other
day and I kind of took an excerpt out of that.
The friend said, even though I'm not talking
with you, I love to see what stands out to you.
I just listened to your podcast, Simple Teachings
of the Doctrine of Christ. I've listened to it
a couple of times and the Spirit was teaching
me things besides listening to you guys. And
that's my favorite part. We know that what we're
saying, it's just... It's commentary on an already
great talk. We always recommend that the talk
itself is really where you go to, and hopefully
it's sometime right before or right after you
listen to the podcast that you're hearing it
right from their words. But we know more important
than anything we're saying is what the spirit
touches and impresses you with, how it's going
to deepen your own understanding, how it's going
to give you the direction that you need. that's
more exciting than anything we could ever explain.
Or just most pertinent, right? I love that, Abby.
We often pour our action items. We go over our
action items and we hear in the conference talk,
but we also love when you hear a different message
or take a different direction. As Elder Jimenez
explained, we may feel or think these invitations
are another thing we need to add to our to -do
lists, simply because we are invited or asked
to do it. But could there be more to it? we've
mentioned in another podcast, but sometimes things
bear repeating. What we've learned about invitations
and action items is that when the spirit prompts
a person to do something specific, it's because,
you know, you've grown to a certain point and
you're ready to hear and learn in a certain way
when the invitation's made and you decide to
pick it up. It's because you're ready for that.
Sometimes there might be an invitation, you're
like, it just goes in one and out the other,
but there's maybe a few other steps that you
could do before you hit that action item to grow
in the best way possible for you. So if an invitation
is heard in the right place, in the right time,
the Spirit can teach us something with that.
That's the direction that we are looking for.
There were 32 talks in this conference. The way
that we read them, I see two to three action
items in every talk. So if conference was just
a list of to -do items that we were adding to,
we'd have somewhere between 64 and 96 things
to do after every conference. Yeah. If you look
at it that way, that's a lot. It's overwhelming,
right? Right. And he's asking a rhetorical question,
is that the best way to do things? We believe
that there is a much better way to look at it.
Yes. The best way to go about deciding what you
want to do with your life is to consider the
why. And if the why is because of Jesus Christ
and our love for Him, this is the real and most
powerful reason why we do what we do. I would
also say that when we listen to like Abby, when
you gave us the numbers of 64 to 96 things, that's
a lot to... Someone's looking at their plate
and they're like, it's already full. How am I
going to fit that in? And like most of us, if
it's overwhelming, the whole thing is overwhelming
rather than assuming that it's going to be a
bite at a time. Sometimes you just walk away
from the invitation because you're like, if I'm
not going to do it all, the Midas will not do
any of it. Yeah. And one thing that I've learned
through my years is that the Lord is really good
at helping me to filter through and say this
one thing, you can get really good at it or you
can do this thing because it's the time in my
life to do it the season in my life to do it
and because you have that um the draw or the
pull um, from our father in heaven or Jesus Christ.
And you also have the Holy Ghost witnessing that
to your heart. I am a hundred percent fine, Abby,
to just let go of the 64 to 96 and focus on that
one or two things for six months. I'm more than
happy with that. So I am now too. Yeah. And it's
a beautiful thing. I thought that's a gift. Or
I think I probably would have been more like,
man, it's overwhelming to do. Right. It's just
too much. Yeah. So I feel like that's a gift
that the Lord gives to those who come to Him
and say, Hey, what is for me right now? into
lists that we're maybe coming up with, you could
say good, better and best. So are all of the
things that we could be doing great? Yes. But
if we try to take on too many and we overload
ourselves, then all of a sudden, the best things
are barely even good for us anymore. Yeah, I
love that Abby. And also you did mention, you
take it to prayer as to like, I've heard all
of these suggestions, maybe what is the thing
that I should be focusing on the most? And he
helps you see. through his eyes, the capacity
that you have to do something. And it may seem
overwhelming, but all I see in that is that he's
saying, you came to me for this, I'll work with
you to achieve that thing. It's okay if it feels
a little bit overwhelming, but you asked and
I suggested this is the thing that would be the
best. the best effort could be put into this
right now. Absolutely. So I love that. Also,
he sees exactly where we are right now and how
old our kids are. So for example, right now I
have a son who's leaving on a mission. Would
it not be in my best interest to give like prayerfully
go to the Lord and say, what is the best use
of my time right now in these next two months
or one month now before he leaves? It's going
to hit different, Abby, than when he was seven
and there was random stuff going on, right? So
the Lord knows these things, and I love that.
Elder Jimenez's invitation to each of us as we
listen and ponder on this talk is this. I hope
you will consider my words as a sincere invitation
to seek to understand the opportunity to link
everything we do. with our love for the Savior.
Doing this will help us understand the real why
behind everything we do as disciples of the Savior.
And I would say the real why, too, to ask Heavenly
Father, again, what is the best use of my time
and what will bring the biggest impact? This
will help us strengthen our covenantal connection
with God, understanding His divine and eternal
truths, His eternal and absolute truths that
will never change. Eternal truths, for example,
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.
I love that and I think that's such a good question
that it is one that should come up more often
than not when you ask you know what what's needful
of this time that I have right now is a good
question to ask and in a month or two as you
make those adjustments and done it that you're
not just like well he already gave me the answer
about that. things have changed. The situation
in front of you has changed. Nothing wrong with
circling back to that question. Now what is most
needful? Have I finished the thing that you told
me to work on? Are we ready for the next layer?
Have I not quite got it? So it's a question worth
repeating. Sometimes we get in routines with
life. We do this so well because we've done them
so many times before. there is a chance of that
becoming like monotonous. It's a task that we
lose sight of the why. Maybe when I said that,
you were thinking of how your scripture study
looks. It's important that we read a chapter.
No, the way I want to say that is sometimes we
say, this is so important, I have to read a chapter
a day. But why? Am I trying to learn more of
my Savior? Am I trying to see what areas I can
improve in? Am I pondering a question? Is it
more important to say we're going to do specific
things, or is it a better way to look at it that
you say, I'm turning to the scriptures with this
time that I have, help me learn what I need to
about the Savior? Kind of go into it to break
up the monotony that definitely can exist. Yeah,
you got your morning and your night prayers,
check a box. Or did we take time to commune with
Father, ask him questions, listen, have a conversation?
reflect on that at some point during the day.
Those look a little bit differently, right? Absolutely.
So I've reevaluated some goals I've had for myself.
When I feel like it has a checkbox component
to it, that I've done it, then I try to step
back and I say, that's my personality is to like
checkboxes. I like things clean and tidy, but
that's not when I grow. That's not when I get
the most out of what he's suggesting that I do.
And so it's just an opportunity to look at it
again and see. How is this going to draw me closer
to the father? And then because I've turned to
the father, learn more about his son. I think
the why behind church assignments, temple attendance,
service in our community, all of those are such
good things. But if we come back to the why,
it's not just like, well, they said go to the
temple as often as possible. What does that mean?
Once a month, once a week, once a day, you know,
if we put it into that category of like, I heard
it, they said to do it and I'm checking that
off. I do believe that there is less value in
that than just to say, you know, Father, help
me to recognize the time when, you know, when
I can make time for the temple. My schedule looks
crazy and I can't really see a way for it, but
I put it to him, like, if there's an opportunity
here, like, let me know so that I can seize it.
Then it's like, all of a sudden a thought comes
to my mind, like, should go to the temple. And
I kind of look through the day, I'm like, yeah,
I actually have a minute here. And I do it. It's
so great. But if your life is feeling a little
bit stressed out and you have to be a checkbox
person for a time till you get to that point,
that's great. I'm not trying to diminish that.
I'm just saying there are a few of these components
in my life that I'm seeing the value that's come
from asking the why. I haven't really thought
of it as asking the why, but It's always nice
to know why you're doing the things that you
do. Is it for the praise of man? Like am I doing
that service project because I really want the
world to be like, man, that was so good that
you did that. Or because I've experienced the
blessings that have come to myself, to my children
as we have helped them participate in service
activities. And I like to think it's the second
reason for us. I don't say his name as good as
you, so I'm calling him. He posed a question.
I tweaked it a little bit, but the way that I
wrote the question out is what impact on our
covenantal connection with the Savior do the
things that we do have? Love that. We get comfortable
making lists and checking items, like you said,
off that list when they're important things.
And we know that we want to get them done. We
find joy in being the type of just being the
type to accomplish things. Some seasons of our
lives we are just trying to get by so much that
the lists and checking marks are the only way
that anything really gets done and the only way
we can feel good about ourselves. When we understand
the why behind the things we do, we enter into
the spiritual sphere and we have the opportunity
to go beyond just doing the things or achieving
goals by understanding the why again. Here's
a direct quote about that. He said, if we can
understand and connect the reason behind our
actions, how it relates to our love for the Savior
and our Heavenly Father by taking advantage of
these opportunities, we will understand that
even though doing righteous things like having
church activities or traditions and appropriately
doing them is a good thing, when we connect them
with the why, we will be blessed to understand
the reason. It won't be just doing things or
doing them right. get them right. Love that.
That doesn't mean they go perfectly. It means
that we knew the why. Eventually we get it right.
Yeah. I think we're less concerned about exactly
how they get executed in the heart of the reason
we were doing it for our savior. There's time
for practice. Yeah. Different church callings
and things that I've been like, well, that didn't
really go like I planned. Well, did it bring
someone closer to the savior? Still a win, right?
It's a good point. How different do the tasks
we take on become when we make the Savior our
focus of our lives? Is the goal to read scriptures,
say prayer, prepare and execute activities like
you were just saying, Abby, for the family or
the ward, or are they the actions to achieve
the true goal, which is connecting yourself or
those in your circle of influence to the Savior.
Like it's interesting, you know, like if I went
to the Lord and said, Heavenly Father, spiritually,
what's the best thing I could do right now with
my son? I would say that reminding him that the
Lord is his why of going on a mission and just
filling him as much as I can with my testimony
of the Savior and how he really is at the center
of everything we do. He's the purpose of everything.
He's the reason we can have healing in our life.
He's the reason we can have joy and hope and
why the reason or he's the reason that the people
that he's going to find and teach or find and
just buoy up is just to put more Jesus into their
lives. And if I'm being honest, if I think back
of, you know, I said, you know, maybe what might
not have been as impactful as when he was seven,
if the Lord is my focus, then it's just as impactful
as when he was seven at his level to be talking
to him about how much Jesus loves him, knows
him, and will walk with him in his hard times.
Now, I was more talking about the type of things
like remember to get the flag or remember to
take family pictures. Right now, like I'm in
a season of my health has been a big concern.
It's been taking up a lot of time. So I've really
appreciated the spirit reminding me, literally
reminded me, oh, yeah, he has to have his suit
before you take family pictures so you can take
small things like that. Like that was not on
my, on my mind. My mind was make sure I call
this doctor and do this and this so that everything
aligns. Again, my point is no matter what you're
going through right now, the spirit will help
you through and know what is most important for
you to do right now. I will say because the opportunities
presented itself as we've taught mission prep
for many years now, we always want to reiterate
time and time again that the purpose of a mission
is not to baptize people. and have these numbers.
I know we keep track, we're record -keeping people,
but the purpose of a missionary is to bring or
invite people to come closer to Jesus Christ.
You might be one of the people that gains a stronger,
firmer testimony of our Savior, and you may contact
somebody 20 times, and yeah, they don't enter
the waters of baptism, but if you can say that
your encounters with them, your experiences with
them, you were able to bring them closer to your
Savior, you were successful. And that's achievable.
You can't decide what they do with the knowledge
that they have of the Savior, or that they're
really going to listen. But again, you testifying
in a multitude of ways, time and time again,
it's going to strengthen your own testimony.
I totally agree. You can't help it. It says,
is the purpose merely to hold an activity because
we have done it for many years and then check
the box that we have? completed it? Or once again,
are these the means we use to learn to feel and
to connect with the Savior? Good question. I
feel like he kind of worried that his words were
going to make us feel bad if we find that looking
back, we're in that monotony of life and going
through the motions and doing things that we
do with little to no thought. I think what he's
actually saying is it's a great place to start.
Get in the habit of doing the little things,
and then once it's a habit, consider these tasks
that we're doing. and look for the opportunity
to dig in to the spiritual blessings that are
available to us as we recognize what we do on
a daily or weekly or monthly basis. Are we doing
it because we love the Savior and He loves us?
I don't think Father's sitting there waiting
around to punish us because we aren't doing things
exactly right or we didn't check that box, but
He is prepared to bless us more fully when we
recognize that the whole point was to draw closer
to the Son through the things we do and therefore
closer to Him also. What a neat practice to look
over the things that stand in front of you and
say, am I going to do this thing just to get
it done versus how would it look to see the same
task with open hearts and minds to the opportunity
and the blessings of coming closer to the Savior
after the task. I love that. He reminded us of
President Dallin H. Oaks on behalf of the First
Presidency, inviting us to make our Easter traditions
Christ -centered. So, he brings it back because
he's like, I don't want to negate these traditions
and these habits that we have for ourselves.
I'm just asking you to, so I would say I wasn't
like the greatest at like setting Easter traditions.
And now I've gotten better at kind of planning
that in advance, making Easter look a little
more special. And I have to kind of schedule
time into the crazy weeks that we have, like,
how are we going to achieve that? but reminded
in this talk in so many ways that those traditions
will become most valuable and important being
Christ -centered if I do stop and remember, that's
the why. It's for that, not just all I can say,
well, He asked us to make Easter more important,
so I made a list of these 15 things that I would
achieve. I would say we had big intentions of
certain things we wanted to do. We didn't necessarily
achieve all of those things, but when I look
back on the week, it was one of the best that
we've experienced. like mission accomplished.
And effort well, I feel like effort well received
on the part. Yeah. The Lord received that effort.
Let me quote what President Oaks just said, just
so people can remember, he said, as we enter
this new year, let us prepare for an Easter celebration
of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No
matter what others believe or do, we should celebrate
the resurrection of our living Savior by studying
His teachings, helping to establish Easter traditions
in our society as a whole, especially within
our own families. As you see, it is not just
an invitation to have traditions. Instead, we
use these traditions as a means to learn more
about the Savior and remember His resurrection.
Amy, you spent time preparing for that invitation
to elevate your Easter traditions. Are you comfortable
reflecting back on maybe any changes that you
noticed to your week? Well, I'll say it again.
I feel like every year my family looks a little
bit different. And this year, Holy Week looked
a little bit different. I went into it with already
being, I think I was sick for almost two months
at this point. And there was a lot of things
I needed to change about my diet because it was
making me really, really sick. That's kind of
hard when you're looking at like a meal for the
family or whatever well And when my traditions
always center around food well because the Passover
meal I wanted to do right yeah for sure and then
the dinner on Sunday I wanted to do that so yeah,
it was a little bit. I definitely put more thought
into it I actually put more prayer into the food
than I ever have before because I needed to just
I wasn't in that mode of life right then. So
yes, it looked different. Number two, yes, I
still involved the Lord in my planning. And I
would say that with what I was able to put together
with the Lord's help, that even though it wasn't
as much as what I've done in years past, I feel
like the Lord totally consecrated my efforts
and was like, well done with where you are right
now, Amy. It's not going to look the same as
other years. And that's okay because you gave
your full heart. And I take that. That made me
feel good. If I was judging it by other years,
I'd be like, oh, two thumbs down. That was lousy,
Amy. And I might've gotten stuck in that. But
if I look at where the Lord was, he was like,
I don't look at that. I look at, did you give
me your whole heart? And it was a yes. So it's
okay if it didn't look like it was quote supposed
to. And we've talked a few times in this about,
you know, the checkbox, like, yeah, it can be
a checkbox thing. If that's what you're able
to do, that's just fine. But that it's like a
spiritual component to the blessings of these
things that we're doing that really tap in. Why
don't you say that that's exactly what you got?
You got confirmation that it was enough. You
did enough. And you were Christ -centered the
whole time. Right. And I would also say that
something I would very happily wish away, which
is my health issues for the past few months,
when I just listened to myself say what I said,
my whole life really. But yeah, it's been very
intense the past three months. When I say that,
the Spirit testified to my heart that the Lord
gives us these weaknesses. so that we can turn
to Him and acknowledge our lacking and whenever
we choose to yoke with Him, it's going to be
the best for our spiritual progression. So I
think that's another thing to remember is that
the Savior is always focused on what is best
for us spiritually and eternally in the long
run. And maybe it's not having a perfect dinner,
but it is interning to Him with the whole family
and bringing our hearts closer to Him. There's
a quote in the talk. And I love it, Abby. The
more we connect the reason with our love for
the Savior, the more we will be able to receive
what we need or are seeking. So that's a great
way he said it. President Nelson said, whatever
questions or problems you have, the answer is
always found in the life and teachings of Jesus
Christ. And then he extended this invitation
to each of us. Learn more about his atonement.
his love, his mercy, his doctrine, his restored
gospel of healing and progression. Turn to him,
follow him. So I feel like I just gave a testimony
of what he just said. If we allow our trials
and just the things that happen in our lives
to soften our heart and to turn to him, we are
going to be better for it. You've pondered on
this. You've testified of this. I think it's
a good invitation to share with our audience,
to ponder this in your own hearts and minds.
Do you believe President Nelson's invitation
had the intention of helping us to prepare a
checklist where we will accumulate more knowledge
and complete tasks so that we can check off his
invitation from our to -do lists? Or is he inviting
us to consider the aspects of these eternal truths
and principles as an opportunity to understand
the why, connect with the Savior's covenant to
love, and for us, to become lifelong disciples
in this journey? Kind of a rhetorical question.
The answer is yes. So I went back to the beginning
thinking, is it our job to just say, oh, another
conference is coming up. I need to really quickly
go through the talks and listen to them one more
time in preparation for, so you put it on like
two and a half speed and you just blast through
the last conference session. Compare that to
maybe spending a little bit of time each week
pondering a particular talk. Depending on what
circumstances are going on in your life, you're
hearing different things, different things are
standing out, the spirit's teaching you, and
you're encouraged to make some change. If you
contrast those very two different ways of looking
at how we can get the most out of conference,
it illustrates the principle that they're trying
to convey. One option is... Um, it's kind of
extreme, you know, probably we're not blasting
through it in a day to get ready for it, but
trying to exaggerate it to say what happens when
we say, yeah, I've checked that box. I listened
to conference. I listened to it again as they
suggested, but it was in such a quick fashion
with little to no thought. And when you're done,
you certainly can check the box that you did
the assignment, but What happens to a person
when they do take him more of a bite -size approach?
Listen check in let the spirit touch you Find
something that it's suggesting you do from the
talk that the spirit tells you yeah That's the
thing you're gonna grasp on to take some time
to make those adjustments and do them You can
see those are very different scenarios of what
can be done with conference I would say to Abby
that if you do take the time and the effort to
blast through it at two and a half and you listen
right before you're gonna get like for as long
as you're listening to conference, you have the
Holy Ghost's ear, or what is it? You have access
to the Holy Ghost and he can bless you in those
ways. However, if you, like you said, are going
throughout it every week and putting time into
it, it's a slower way and there is much more
time that the Lord and the Holy Ghost can speak
to your heart. So I do believe that whatever
effort you put in - It can be diffused more slowly,
more gently. And over time, you need to like
learn and live it and then like it becomes part
of your life more. Do you know what I mean? I'm
speaking from experience. I know I have definitely
been like, Oh my goodness, conferences in a couple
of weeks. And so I, you know, use those two weeks
of time to say, yeah, I got to the conference
talks. I have been that so I can speak from experience
and saying, if I hear things that are suggestions
of things that need to be done, it's kind of
unfortunate because rather than having spent
the last six months on it. the spirit's pricking
me like you could have worked on that thing.
Yeah, or maybe next time we're gonna do better,
Abby. But then two weeks later, I've got another
set of session of conference. And there's like
all these other things that I also could be doing.
And if yes, doing what I heard in the previous
conference session and starting them then there's
nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying it's
such a more gentle tender process. It's more
doable. It is if you just kind of take them off
in a more bite size approach. It's a smaller
accounting to the Lord, you could say. I like
that. Rather than boom, throw it all out there.
What do you got for me? Well, when the next thing
pricks you that you should be doing, you're kind
of like, oh, it kind of plays off of the thing
I was already doing. I so felt that. I love that.
Like it's in steps and layers and there's a deeper
meaning in it. Totally. And it kind of is the
confirmation that he recognizes that I'm on that
track doing that one thing. He's like, she can
have more. She can take more. She'll feel good
about it. Love that, Abby. and ponder the messages
from the general conference and then use them
to determine and understand what we each can
do to improve. This is going to look so different
for each of us, even though in print the words
are all the same, right? The message is the same.
When we tap into the spiritual sphere, especially
when we have entered conference with a question
in mind or in our hearts, we will each have the
opportunity to develop a stronger covenantal
connection with the giver of gifts. That's a
cute title. When we accept the invitation, understanding
the why behind what we're doing, we have more
opportunities to become closer to the Savior.
We will begin to understand that because of our
love of the Savior, we want to learn more about
Him by studying the words of the living prophet.
And because of our love of fellow man, we can
share those teachings of prophets, seers, and
revelators with them, you know, usually starting
with ourselves. then our family is usually affected.
Maybe we have responsibilities in our callings
that we're preparing these lessons. So, you know,
we're going to share in those ways. And maybe
just conversation with strangers, because we
have these words on our heart and our minds,
it helps us to say the right thing at the right
time. When I have my own struggles, I'm often
finding that I can recall truths that I've learned
because of the study that I put into the general
conference talks. Okay we're going to pass over
this one more time. What if you are at a season
in your life where playing a conference talk
once through is all you can imagine or sorry
all you can manage. That's okay. What if you
challenge the Lord to help you with your challenges
by pointing you to the in the right direction.
or asking to be given ears to hear the message
that has been customized for your specific need
while you're listening to it that one time. He
is willing and He is able to be whatever we need
and whatever we ask for. And again, if you listen
to the conference talk once through with all
of your heart and truly give like the widows
might say, this is all I have to give right now,
the Lord is going to bless you with all that
He is able. When have you ever? tried to connect
yourself with the Savior and been disappointed
by the outcome? Probably never, right? We're
continuously Love that, Abby. I know for myself
that the Church Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints
is the means established by Heavenly Father to
access covenants that enable us to return home.
We work toward having a personal relationship
with the Father and with the Son. And because
of this beautiful restoration, we have the privilege
of performing essential priesthood ordinances
through which we make covenants with them. This
provides a covenantal connection. I love that
he kept saying covenantal connection. I love
that covenantal was part of each of the things
because it does. caused me to pause and think
a little bit and say, that's why I do that thing.
That's true. It's not just a friendship that
we can create with Him. It is a breakable bond.
Yep. That is what came to my mind, bond. The
covenantal connection with them that grants us
access to their covenantal love, making it possible
to attain the highest kingdom of glory prepared
for all those who are true and faithful to their
covenants. Any final thoughts, Amy? I feel like
I've shared them all. This was so great. And
I'll just say this one last thing is that, again,
speaking with you and I in real time, as we talk
about this talk and as we talk about the things
that we've learned from it, I just want to say
over and over again that the Holy Ghost really
does testify to our hearts, the things we've
learned. and helps us to draw a connection with
what the Lord is teaching us in our lives. But
it's not just happenstance. It's not just, holy
cow, what are we doing here? There's that quiet
confirmation that you're on the right track as
you continue to have an accounting and to learn
of Him. I love it. I couldn't say it better myself.
I'll close with his testimony. He said, with
all the energy of my soul, I bear witness to
the reality and divinity of our Savior, Jesus
Christ. He loves you. He knows what is happening
in your life. His arms are wide open, extending
the invitation. Come unto me and I will give
you rest. I love the Savior and I love him. My
love for him is my why. And this he said in the
name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen, Abby. Thank
you for being with us. We will see you next time.
See you next time.