Learn three truths from the Prophet about who you are, what your eternal potential is, and how to get there
For most of us, it’s difficult to understand the concept of forever. Here on earth, not many things last that long. Jobs, trends, friends, and mistakes all come and go. But because of Jesus Christ, all of us will live forever, and how we choose to live now will determine how we live in the eternities.
Thankfully, we’ve been given a prophet to help us along the way. In a worldwide young adult devotional , Russell M. Nelson, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught three truths that will help us decide what kind of life we want to live forever.
1. Who you are
Every person on earth is a child of God. That identity is unchanging and means we are all deserving of His love. In the grand idea of forever, knowing that we are children of God can greatly influence how we live now.
Knowing that you’re a child of God brings power. It means you have a purpose on this earth and a loving, eternal family who will support you in your righteous efforts. It can help motivate and uplift you in every aspect, including your work, studies, and relationships.
Along with reminding us of our incredible identity, President Nelson also warned about replacing this primary identifier with worldly labels. He said, “Other labels will disappoint you in time because they do not have the power to lead you toward eternal life in the celestial kingdom of God. Worldly identifiers will never give you a vision of who you can ultimately become.”
2. What God and Jesus Christ have offered you
So who can we become? Our divine potential is closely linked with what God and Jesus Christ have offered us. President Nelson said, “In short, they have offered you everything! Heavenly Father’s plan for His children allows us to live where and how He lives and ultimately to become more and more like Him. His plan literally makes the richest blessings of all eternity available to us, including the potential for us to become ‘joint-heirs with Christ.’”
How incredible is that! By living righteously in this life, we have the opportunity to live with and like God forever. But what do we need to do to get there?
3. You must own your personal conversion
Because of and through Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to become the best versions of ourselves over time, but only if we choose to follow Him. President Nelson taught “You are establishing priorities and patterns that will dramatically affect not just your mortal life but also your eternal life. … I plead with you to take charge of your testimony. Work for it. Own it. Care for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth.”
Understanding our personal conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel is what fills the gap between the way we are living now and the life we want to live forever. By consistently choosing Christ, we deepen our conversion to Him and put ourselves on a path to reach our divine potential.
President Nelson said, “As you do, I promise that you will experience spiritual growth, freedom from fear, and a confidence that you can scarcely imagine now. You will have the strength to have a positive influence far beyond your natural capacity. And I promise that your future will be more exhilarating than anything you can presently believe.”
How does knowing you are a child of God influence your daily decisions? What was your favorite part of the YA devotional with President and Sister Nelson?