The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day

Experiencing the Savior's Power in Trials

Elder Costa shares experiences of individuals who have faced intense trials and challenges, yet have been able to endure and find strength through their faith in Jesus Christ.

One of the greatest privileges for me and my wife, Renee, is to meet with the Saints where we serve. We hear their stories, we witness their losses, we share their grief, and we rejoice with their success. We have witnessed many of the blessings and miracles that the Savior has bestowed upon the faithful. We have met people who have gone through the impossible, who have suffered the unthinkable.

What gives them the power to go through hard things? What gives an extra layer of strength to go on when everything seems lost? I have found that the source of that strength is faith in Jesus Christ as we intentionally seek to come unto Him each and every day.

• Faith in Jesus Christ provides strength to endure trials.
• Coming unto Christ daily is a source of strength.

• Can you think of a time when your faith in Christ helped you through a difficult trial?
• How has coming unto Christ daily helped you in your life?
• Can you share a personal experience where you witnessed someone else's faith in Christ helping them through a trial?

Coming to Jesus Christ to Fix Our Lives

Elder Costa emphasizes that we come to Christ not because we are perfect, but because we are flawed and need His healing and perfecting power.

Sometimes we may think, "I need to fix my life before I come to Jesus," but the truth is that we come to Jesus to fix our lives through Him.

We don’t come to Jesus because we are perfect. We come to Him because we are flawed and in Him we can "be perfected."

• We come to Christ because we are flawed.
• Christ can perfect us.

• Can you share a time when you felt the Savior's perfecting power in your life?
• Have you ever felt like you needed to fix your life before coming to Christ? How did you overcome this feeling?
• What changes have you seen in your life as you have sought to come unto Christ?

Remembering Christ through Daily Practices

Elder Costa shares his personal practice of beginning each day with prayer and scripture study to help him remember Christ throughout the day.

How do we begin exercising a little bit of faith every day? For me it begins in the morning: When I wake up, instead of looking at my phone, I say a prayer. Even a simple prayer. Then I read a scripture. This helps me with my weekly covenant that I make as I partake of the sacrament to "always remember him."

• Starting the day with prayer and scripture study can help us remember Christ.
• Remembering Christ can influence our actions and attitudes throughout the day.

• What daily practices help you remember Christ?
• How has starting your day with prayer or scripture study influenced your day?
• Can you share a time when remembering Christ helped you make a good decision or change your attitude?

Covenants as Transformational, not Transactional

Elder Costa teaches that the promises we make with God are not merely transactional, but transformational, enabling us to become new people through the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ.

One of the mistakes we often make is to think that keeping covenants, or the promises we make to God, is somehow a transaction we make with Him: I obey, and He protects me from anything bad ever happening to me. I pay my tithing, and I will never lose my job or the fire will not burn my house.

Our covenants are not merely transactional; they are transformational. Through my covenants I receive sanctifying, strengthening power of Jesus Christ, which allows me to become a new person, to forgive what seems unforgivable, to overcome the impossible.

• Keeping covenants with God is not a transaction, but a transformation.
• Through our covenants, we receive the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ.

• How have your covenants with God transformed your life?
• Can you share a time when you felt the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ through keeping your covenants?
• How has understanding your covenants as transformational changed your perspective on obedience?

The Comfort and Strength from Trusting God

Elder Costa shares stories of individuals who, despite experiencing great loss and pain, found peace and strength through their trust in God and their covenants with Him.

When our pain or the pain of someone we love is so much that we can’t bear it, remembering Jesus Christ and coming unto Him can lighten the burden, soften the heart, and ease the pain.

Trusting God and keeping our covenants with Him bring power to our weakness and comfort to our grief.

• Trusting God and keeping our covenants can bring comfort and strength in times of pain and loss.
• Remembering and coming unto Christ can ease our burdens and soften our hearts.

• Can you share a time when trusting God and keeping your covenants brought you comfort or strength during a difficult time?
• How has remembering and coming unto Christ eased your burdens or softened your heart?
• Can you think of a time when your faith provided you with peace amidst a storm?