"Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions" Talk Outline

Last updated on March 17th, 2024 at 09:14 pm

General Conference Applied

“Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions” by Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella; October 2023 General Conference

Corresponding General Conference Applied episode show notes: S2 E23

Talk Outline

Invitations

“My purpose today is to remind us that we can show God that we take the name of His Son upon ourselves by bearing testimony in word and deed, as often as we can, that Jesus is the Christ.”

Directives (“an official or authoritative instruction”)

“As we strive to live our lives in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ, our conduct will be a living testimony of our Redeemer and His name.”
“Moreover, we witness of Christ in word by sharing with others what we believe, feel, or know of Jesus Christ.”
“Our Church meetings are choice opportunities for us to testify of Christ and signal to God that we rejoice in taking His Son’s name upon us.”
“By following the prophet, we can all learn to testify more of Jesus Christ by using the correct name of the Church, thus taking upon us more fully the name of the Lord.”

Promises

Action: “When we humbly share our testimony of the Lord through our words and actions,”
Promise: “the Holy Ghost confirms to those with real intent, open hearts, and willing minds that Jesus is indeed the Christ.”

Doctrines

Atonement of Jesus Christ: “Jesus Christ was the only one capable of making a perfect Atonement. His Atonement included His suffering for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, His death on the cross, and His Resurrection from the tomb. In addition to suffering for our sins, He also took upon Himself our pains, sicknesses, and infirmities (see Alma 7:11–13). Jesus Christ overcame physical and spiritual death. Because of His Atonement, everyone will be resurrected (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22). Those who repent, obey the commandments, receive the saving ordinances, and keep their covenants will receive the gift of eternal life (see Articles of Faith 1:3).”

Principles

The Life of Christ: “Jesus taught: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you’ (John 15:13–14). He willingly and humbly went through the sorrow in Gethsemane and the suffering on the cross so we could receive all the blessings of the plan of salvation. To receive these blessings, we must come unto Him, repent of our sins, and love Him with all our hearts.”

Christlike Attributes

Faith in Jesus Christ: “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge. Rather, it is an assurance from the Spirit of things you do not see but that are true. (See Alma 32:21.)

“You express your faith through action. These actions include following the Savior’s teachings and example. They include serving others and helping them choose to follow Christ. You also express your faith through diligence, repentance, and love.”

Attribute Activity

“I believe in Christ and accept Him as my Savior. (2 Nephi 25:29)”
“I feel confident that God loves me. (1 Nephi 11:17)”
“I trust the Savior enough to accept His will and do what He asks. (1 Nephi 3:7)”
“I believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost, I can be forgiven of my sins and sanctified as I repent. (Enos 1:2–8)”
“I have faith that God hears and answers my prayers. (Mosiah 27:14)”
“I think about the Savior during the day and remember what He has done for me. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79)”
“I have faith that God will bring about good things in my life and the lives of others as we devote ourselves to Him and His Son. (Ether 12:12)”
“I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true. (Moroni 10:3–5)”
“I have faith to accomplish what Christ wants me to do. (Moroni 7:33)”

Most Important Quote

“We all left general conference that day committed and determined to follow the prophet and to use the revealed name of the Church from then on. I really watched myself to make sure I used the correct name of the Church. The first few times, I had to be very conscious and not allow myself to go back to the old ways. After the first attempts, I felt more comfortable with using the revealed name of the Church. I admit that many times, I would speak the name of the Church quickly. I felt concerned that people would not pay attention to the Church’s full name and that they might think it to be a bit long.

“However, I later realized that speaking the full name of the Church with intent gave me valuable opportunities to speak the name of Jesus Christ and in fact bear testimony of the Savior by declaring His name in the name of His Church. I also noticed that when I spoke the correct name of the Church with others, I more frequently remembered Jesus Christ and felt His influence in my life.

“By following the prophet, we can all learn to testify more of Jesus Christ by using the correct name of the Church, thus taking upon us more fully the name of the Lord.”

Powerful Stories

“When my wife, Elaine, and I went to Spain in 2022, we attended Sunday meetings in a small unit of the Church there. As I sat on the stand and my wife in the congregation, I noticed that she sat by an older woman. When the sacrament meeting ended, I walked toward Elaine and asked her to introduce me to her new friend. She did so and indicated that this woman, who was not a member of the Church, had been visiting the Church for about two years. When I heard that, I asked this God-fearing woman what made her come back and attend our meetings for such an extended period. The woman lovingly replied, ‘I like to come here because you speak of Jesus Christ in your meetings.’

“Clearly, members of the Church in that unit in Spain talked, taught, and testified of Christ in their meetings.”
“After serving in the Brazil Area, I received a new assignment to serve at Church headquarters. When we moved to Salt Lake City at the end of July of this year, we attended Sunday meetings at our new and wonderful ward. One of these meetings was a fast and testimony meeting. After reverently partaking of the sacrament, members stood up and bore heartfelt testimonies of the Savior one after the other. The meeting was centered on Jesus Christ, and we could palpably feel the Spirit. We were edified, and our faith was strengthened. If friends of the Church, honestly seeking the truth, had been at that meeting, they would have recognized that this is the Church of Jesus Christ.”
“Last August, I accompanied Elder Jonathan S. Schmitt to the open house of the Feather River California Temple in Yuba City. There I had the blessing of guiding groups on a tour of the temple. One of these groups included a member of the Church, Virgil Atkinson, and seven friends of other faiths. Toward the end of the visit, in a temple sealing room, Brother Atkinson was emotional as he expressed his love for his friends who had come to the temple that day. Almost immediately after he had done so, a woman in the group stood up and said, ‘We all love Virgil. He has never imposed his faith on us. But he is not shy about it either. He just lives what he believes.’

“Over the years, Brother Atkinson’s Christlike living served as a powerful testimony to his friends. His example is strong evidence that he has taken upon himself the name of Christ.”

The Best Footnote

Footnote 2: “Russell M. Nelson, “The Correct Name of the Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 88: ‘Taking the Savior’s name upon us includes declaring and witnessing to others—through our actions and our words—that Jesus is the Christ.'”

Questions for Reflection Asked by the Speaker

None.

Additional Content

Previous Talk Outline (“The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day” by Elder Joaquin E. Costa)

Next Talk Outline (“God Knows and Loves You” by Elder Alan T. Phillips)

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“Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions” Talk Outline