Be True to God and His Work

The Importance of a Personal Testimony

Elder Cook emphasizes the importance of having a personal testimony of God's work and the role of Jesus Christ. He warns that we cannot endure on borrowed light and need our own testimony to stand against the trials and tribulations of life.

We each need a personal testimony of God’s work and the seminal role of Jesus Christ.

We cannot obtain the celestial kingdom and live with God the Father on borrowed light; we need our own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

• What does Elder Cook mean by "borrowed light"?
• Why is it important to have our own personal testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel?
• What steps can you take to strengthen your personal testimony?
• How has your personal testimony helped you in your life?

Bridling Our Passions

Elder Cook talks about the need to bridle or control our passions, specifically anger and lust. He warns that unbridled passions can lead to heartache, diminish the influence of the Spirit, and separate us from God and His work.

The body is not evil—it is beautiful and essential—but some passions, if not used properly and appropriately bridled, can separate us from God and His work and adversely impact our testimony.

In our day one of the most significant challenges is contention and verbal abuse related to societal issues.

• What does it mean to bridle our passions?
• How can unbridled passions separate us from God and His work?
• How can you better bridle your passions?
• What steps can you take to avoid contention and verbal abuse in your interactions with others?

The Role of Repentance

Elder Cook discusses the importance of repentance in our lives. He emphasizes that repentance is not an event but a process that is integral to our lives. Through repentance, we can obtain mercy and return to the presence of God.

Alma’s preventive counsel was to bridle passions, but his counsel for those who have transgressed was to repent.

None can return to God by his or her own good works alone; we all need the benefit of the Savior’s sacrifice.

• What is the role of repentance in our lives?
• How does repentance help us return to the presence of God?
• How can you incorporate daily repentance into your life?
• What steps can you take to better understand and apply the doctrine of repentance?

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

Elder Cook testifies of the reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He explains that through the Savior's Atonement, mercy can prevail for those who have repented, allowing them to return to the presence of God.

Alma testified that Christ would take away sin. Without the Savior’s Atonement, the eternal principle of justice would require punishment.

It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can obtain mercy and live with God.

• What is the role of the Atonement in our lives?
• How does the Atonement allow for mercy to prevail?
• How have you experienced the Atonement of Jesus Christ in your life?
• What can you do to better understand and apply the Atonement in your life?

Being True to God and His Work

Elder Cook emphasizes the need to be true to God and His work. He encourages us to seek our own testimony, bridle our passions, repent of our sins, and find peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

In Alma’s day, in Heber’s day, and certainly in our day, we all need to seek our own testimony of Jesus Christ, bridle our passions, repent of our sins, and find peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and be true to God and His work.

• What does it mean to be true to God and His work?
• How can we be true to God and His work in our daily lives?
• What actions can you take to be more true to God and His work?
• How has being true to God and His work impacted your life?