Elder Takashi Wada, a General Authority Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, delivered Tuesday’s devotional address, emphasizing the importance of the Book of Mormon in shaping his life.
Elder Wada illustrated through the story of the ancient American prophet Nephi how we can 1) liken the scriptures to ourselves, 2) come to know Christ and 3) develop charity and other Christlike attributes.
“I have profited and learned so much from likening Nephi’s journey unto my life again and again. Nephi’s accounts led me to experience a change of heart and receiving the image of God in [my] countenance,” Elder Wada said.
Just as Nephi and his family left everything when they left Jerusalem, Elder Wada explained that many of us have experiences where we feel the Lord directs our lives in a way that requires us to make difficult sacrifices.
“What is your Jerusalem? What would you need to leave behind?” Elder Wada asked. He taught that in these circumstances we can look to the example of Nephi and respond to the direction of the Lord in faith.
“The Book of Mormon has become my compass to help me navigate through the ups and downs of my life,” Elder Wada testified.
Prayer is essential to our journey in this life, especially to know the Lord’s will for us. Just as Nephi went to the mountains to pray, Elder Wada encouraged us to find our own sacred place where we can pray to the Lord and feel closer to Him.
“By living the precepts in the Book of Mormon, you will learn of and become like the Savior, Jesus Christ,” Elder Wada explained.
Nephi had a profound desire to come to know Jesus Christ. When his father, Lehi, had a dream and vision, Nephi prayed to come to have similar experiences and gain a deeper knowledge of spiritual matters. Nephi provided an example of striving to know Christ and become more like Him.
“He [Nephi] received the constant guidance of the Spirit, refined his life, and eventually developed Christlike attributes. One important attribute Christ possesses is charity, or the pure love of Christ,” Elder Wada said.
Elder Wada testified of the life-changing power in the Book of Mormon and what the stories of ancient times can teach us about our lives today.
“May I remind you of your divine identity and potential as spirit children of God. By living the precepts in the Book of Mormon, you will learn of and become like the Savior, Jesus Christ.” Elder Wada concluded.
