Lesson Prepration Guide for "Focus on Jesus Christ and His Gospel"

In his General Conference talk, Elder I. Raymond Egbo of the Seventy shares the profound impact of focusing on Jesus Christ and His gospel, drawing parallels between the triumphant Nigerian football team of 1996 and our spiritual journey. By highlighting stories from the Book of Mormon and personal experiences, he illustrates how centering our lives on Christ can lead to unimaginable success and joy, even amidst trials and hardships.

Ideas for Opening the Lesson

Share a personal experience where focusing on Christ brought unexpected joy or peace.
Begin the lesson by asking class members to share a moment when they felt united with others over a shared goal, similar to the Nigerian football team's victory.
Show a short video clip or image of the 1996 Nigerian football team to illustrate the concept of overcoming distractions to achieve success.
Invite class members to ponder a current distraction in their lives and how focusing on Christ might help them overcome it.
Start with a hymn or song that emphasizes joy in Christ, such as "Joy to the World," and discuss its themes.

Topics

Overcome Distractions by Focusing on Christ

Elder Egbo compared the Nigerian football team's focus amid distractions to our need to focus on Christ. By ignoring worldly distractions, we can achieve spiritual success and joy.

When the focus of our lives is on … Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.

What are some common distractions in our lives that can take our focus away from Christ?
How can we better prioritize our time to focus more on Christ and His gospel?
Can you share a personal experience where focusing on Christ helped you overcome a challenge?
What practical steps can we take to minimize distractions in our daily lives?
How does focusing on Christ bring joy, even in difficult circumstances?

Find Joy Through Repentance and Faith

Alma the Younger's story illustrates how focusing on Christ through repentance leads to joy. His transformation shows the power of faith and the joy that follows sincere repentance.

Joy in Christ began for Alma when he exercised faith in Him and cried for mercy.

What can we learn from Alma the Younger's experience about the process of repentance?
How does exercising faith in Christ lead to joy?
Why is it important to remember past spiritual experiences of joy?
What role does repentance play in maintaining our focus on Christ?
How can we support others in their journey of repentance and faith?

Trust in Christ During Trials

Elder Egbo shared how the people of Helam found strength and joy by focusing on Christ during their trials. Trusting in God helped them endure and ultimately find deliverance.

Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

How can we find peace and strength during our personal trials?
What does it mean to let our troubles be "swallowed up in the joy of Christ"?
How can remembering our covenants help us during difficult times?
What examples from your life illustrate trusting in the Lord during trials?
How can focusing on Christ help us redefine our identity during challenging times?

Experience Joy in Christ Through Service

Alma the Younger found joy in serving others and bringing them to Christ. His story shows that serving with faith in Christ brings blessings and joy, even amid trials.

The Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors.

How does serving others help us focus on Christ?
What are some ways we can serve those around us to bring them joy?
How has serving others brought you joy in your own life?
Why is effort in service important in the gospel?
How can we involve our families in service to strengthen our focus on Christ?

Embrace the Promise of Eternal Joy

Elder Egbo testified of the eternal joy found in Christ, even amid sorrow. He shared personal experiences of loss and the hope of being reunited with loved ones through Christ's promises.

The sorrow of losing my mom has been swallowed up in the joy of Christ!

How does the promise of eternal life bring us joy in our mortal lives?
What role does faith in Christ play in overcoming sorrow and loss?
How can we support others who are experiencing grief or loss?
What does it mean to "think celestial" in the context of our daily challenges?
How can we strengthen our hope in Christ's promises during times of sorrow?

Additional Discussion Questions

How can we apply the lessons from the Nigerian football team's focus to our spiritual lives?
What are some specific ways we can focus more on Jesus Christ in our daily routines?
How does the concept of joy differ from happiness in the context of the gospel?
What examples from the scriptures inspire you to focus more on Christ?
How can we teach our children to focus on Christ amid worldly distractions?
What does it mean to 'let God prevail' in our lives?
How can we find joy in Christ when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges?
What role does the Holy Ghost play in helping us focus on Christ?
How can we cultivate a spirit of unity in our families and wards by focusing on Christ?
What are some ways to remember and celebrate the joy of Christ in our lives?