Study Guide for "Invite Christ to Author Your Story"

In this talk, Sister Camille N. Johnson, Primary General President, invites us to consider the narrative we are writing for our lives and challenges us to allow Jesus Christ to be the author and finisher of our stories. She uses powerful examples from the scriptures and real life to illustrate the blessings and trials that come when we fully trust in the Lord and let Him guide our lives.

Before Reading

Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:

What does it mean for Christ to be the "author and finisher" of our stories?
How does faith play a role in allowing Christ to guide our lives?
What examples from the scriptures illustrate the principle of letting God guide our lives?
How can we improve our communication with God to understand His will for us?

Topics

Understanding Our Personal Narrative

Sister Johnson begins her talk by asking us to reflect on the narrative we are writing for our lives. She emphasizes the importance of allowing Christ to guide our narrative and challenges us to examine what might be preventing us from fully surrendering our lives to Him.

What kind of personal narrative are you writing for your life?

Is the path you describe in your story straight?

Does your story end where it began, at your heavenly home?

Is there an exemplar in your story—and is it the Savior Jesus Christ?

What is the current narrative of your life?
How does Christ fit into your personal narrative?
What obstacles might be preventing you from letting Christ guide your narrative?
What steps can you take to allow Christ to have a greater role in your personal narrative?
How can you align your life goals with Christ's plan for you?
What changes can you make today to start surrendering your life to Christ?

The Role of Trials in Our Lives

Sister Johnson emphasizes the importance of trials in our lives, explaining that they are what refine us and draw us closer to the Savior. She uses the example of David and Goliath to illustrate this principle.

Trials are the elements of the plot that make our favorite stories compelling, timeless, faith promoting, and worthy of telling.

The beautiful struggles written into our stories are what draw us closer to the Savior and refine us, making us more like Him.

For David to overcome Goliath, the boy had to take on the giant.

Why are trials an important part of our life's narrative?
How did the trial of David and Goliath refine David and draw him closer to God?
How can trials make us more like Christ?
What trials are you currently facing?
How can these trials draw you closer to Christ and refine you?
What steps can you take to trust God more during these trials?

The Power of Agency and Surrendering to God

Sister Johnson discusses the principle of agency and the power that comes from surrendering our will to God. She uses the example of Esther to illustrate the courage and faith required to fully surrender to God.

The sublime principle of agency does, of course, allow us to write our own stories.

Esther is another beautiful example of letting God prevail.

Esther was willing to let the Savior write her story even though, through the lens of mortality, the ending may have been tragic.

What does it mean to surrender our will to God?
How does the principle of agency relate to surrendering to God?
What can we learn from Esther's example of surrendering to God?
How can you apply the principle of surrendering to God in your life?
What areas of your life do you need to surrender to God?
What steps can you take to surrender these areas to God?

Increasing Faith in Jesus Christ

Sister Johnson discusses the role of faith in allowing Christ to guide our lives. She shares President Nelson's counsel on increasing our faith and how acting in faith can lead to more faith.

In April 2021, our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, asked us to consider what we could do if we had more faith in Jesus Christ.

And the promised blessing that will come from acting in faith in Jesus Christ is an increase in faith in Him as our author and finisher.

The things we will achieve as we act with more faith will increase our faith in Jesus Christ.

What is the relationship between faith and allowing Christ to guide our lives?
How can acting in faith lead to an increase in faith?
What does it mean for Christ to be our "author and finisher"?
How can you increase your faith in Jesus Christ?
What steps can you take to act in faith, even when it's difficult?
How can you allow Christ to be the "author and finisher" of your life?

Inviting Christ to Author Our Story

Sister Johnson concludes her talk by inviting us to let Christ be the author and finisher of our stories. She encourages us to write a story that leads us back to our heavenly home and allows adversity to draw us closer to Christ.

Let Christ be the author and finisher of your story!

Write a story in which the path you are on is straight, on a course leading you back to your heavenly home to live in the presence of God.

Let the adversity and affliction that are part of every good story be a means by which you draw closer to, and become more like, Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to let Christ be the author and finisher of our story?
How can adversity and affliction draw us closer to Christ?
How can we write a story that leads us back to our heavenly home?
What changes can you make to let Christ be the author and finisher of your story?
How can you use current adversities to draw closer to Christ?
What steps can you take to ensure your path leads back to your heavenly home?