Lesson Prepration Guide for "Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives"

In his talk, Elder Jose L. Alonso of the Seventy discusses the importance of placing Jesus Christ at the center of our lives. He uses examples from the scriptures and personal experiences to illustrate how Christ's love and atonement can provide peace, strength, and guidance during the trials of mortality. Elder Alonso emphasizes the transformative power of Christ's love and the blessings that come from focusing on His teachings and example.

Ideas for Opening the Lesson

Begin the lesson by sharing personal experiences or testimonies about how putting Jesus Christ at the center of your life has helped you overcome trials.
Ask class members to share their thoughts or feelings about the title of the talk before diving into the topics.
Start the discussion by reading Matthew 11:28-30 and asking class members what these verses mean to them.

Topics

Seeking Refuge in Jesus Christ Amidst Trials

Elder Alonso emphasizes that during trials, we can find peace and strength in Jesus Christ. His Atonement provides hope, healing, and assurance of His constant presence.

The profound questions of the soul, those that surface in our darkest hours and highest trials, are addressed through the unwavering love of Jesus Christ.

How has the Atonement of Jesus Christ provided hope and healing in your life?
How can we better rely on the Savior during our trials?
What does it mean to you to have Jesus Christ's constant presence in your life?
How has Christ's love been manifest in your life during difficult times?
What can we do to better recognize Christ's hand in our lives?

Placing Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives

Elder Alonso emphasizes the importance of making Jesus Christ the focus of our lives. This focus brings joy and support in our trials and tribulations.

President Russell M. Nelson taught that "when the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him."

What does it mean to you to place Jesus Christ at the center of your life?
How can focusing on Jesus Christ bring joy in our lives?
How does focusing on Christ help us during trials?
Can you share an experience when focusing on Christ helped you overcome a challenge?
What can we do to better center our lives on Jesus Christ?

Relying on God in the Face of Challenges

Using the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, Elder Alonso teaches that we should focus on God and express gratitude during difficulties. Solutions often come from God, not ourselves.

Jesus Christ exemplified the power of focusing on His Father, offering gratitude, and acknowledging that solutions to our trials do not always lie within ourselves but with God.

How can we better focus on God during our challenges?
Why is gratitude important during trials?
Can you share a time when a solution to a problem came from God, not from your own efforts?
How can we cultivate a more Christ-centric perspective in our lives?
What does it mean to you that solutions to our trials lie with God?

Experiencing Redemption through Repentance

Elder Alonso uses the story of Alma the Younger to illustrate the transformative power of repentance and centering one's life around Christ.

With a heart yearning for redemption, [Alma] earnestly repented and pleaded fervently for the Lord’s mercy. This crucial moment of complete surrender, bringing Christ to the forefront of his thoughts as Alma earnestly sought His mercy, triggered a remarkable transformation.

How does the story of Alma the Younger illustrate the power of repentance?
How can repentance lead to transformation in our lives?
Why is it important to center our lives around Christ during the repentance process?
Can you share a time when repentance brought about a significant change in your life?
How can we better utilize the Atonement in our lives?

Jesus Christ as Our Healer and Redeemer

Elder Alonso testifies of Jesus Christ as our Healer and Redeemer. Through His Atonement, Christ takes upon Himself our suffering and offers forgiveness and healing.

Jesus Christ is our hope and the answer to life’s greatest pains. Through His sacrifice, He paid for our sins and took upon Himself all of our suffering—pain, injustice, sorrow, and fear—and He forgives and heals us when we trust in Him and seek to change our lives for the better.

How has Jesus Christ been a healer in your life?
What does it mean to you that Christ took upon Himself all our suffering?
How does trust in Christ lead to forgiveness and healing?
Can you share a time when Christ's Atonement brought about healing in your life?
How can we better trust in Christ and seek to change our lives for the better?

Additional Discussion Questions

How can we help others to place Christ at the center of their lives?
What are some practical ways we can keep our focus on Christ during our daily routines?
How can we better utilize the Atonement in our lives?
How can the teachings of this talk improve our relationships with others?
How can we cultivate a grateful heart during trials?
What steps can we take to make Christ the center of our homes?
What can we do to better recognize Christ's hand in our lives?
How can we use this talk to help us in our callings?
How can we apply the principles from this talk to better serve in our communities?
How can the principles of this talk help us to better understand and fulfill our divine potential?