Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 40, "How to Gain Access to God's Presence"
Season 2
Air Date:  14 FEB 2021

This week's Conference spotlight comes from Elder Ulisses Soares -- "Seek Christ in Every Thought."  What does it mean to seek Christ in every thought?

Three Questions to Consider:

1. How does seeking Christ help us gain access to His presence?
2. Where do we find Christ in our thoughts? And
3. How can we make sure Christ's attributes are reflected in our thoughts?

Scripture References:

• 1 Chronicles 16:11 
• D&C 88:83  
• Psalm 63:1 
• D&C 88:83  
• D&C 93:1  
•  D&C 121:45-46  
• Galatians 5:22-25 
• Nehemiah 6

Some Key Points:

We gain access to Christ when we learn to do all that we do in His name. When our mind is the mind of Christ, our words the words of Christ--when His words abide in us, when our wishes are his wishes, our desires his desires, and when we see others through his eyes and love others as He does.

We gain access to Christ when we think of the Sabbath as our holy place, and partaking of the Sacrament as the "Holy of Holies." The priests prepare the body of Christ for it's final resting place (within us). The deacons act as pallbearers bringing the body of Christ to "rest in peace in us." (Elder Kyle S. McKay)
 
When we repent daily, we re-align our will to God's will.  And we can learn to recognize negative thoughts before they take root. 

The focus of our thoughts is connected to our ability to remain in the Spirit. The challenge for each of us is to learn how to think the way Jesus thinks. 

It’s not about asking ourselves "What would Jesus do?" as much as it is asking, "How would Jesus think in this situation?" If we learn to think like Jesus thinks, our actions will follow His more closely. 

Truths about how Jesus thinks:

1. He thinks about the will of His Father. 
2. He thinks about what is necessary to bring to pass our eternal life.
3. He puts people above programs, problems or politics.
4. He considers the needs of others -- always willing to leave the 99 to serve the one.
5. He thinks about unity--unifying the family of God.
6. His thoughts are governed by charity.

There’s more I'll discover as I continue in this quest. 

Promised Blessings:

1. Our ability to control our thoughts will increase significantly.
2. Our spiritual maturity will grow at an increasing pace.
3. Our heart will change, and we will become more like Christ.
4. The influence of the Holy Ghost will be more intense and continuous in our life.
5. Temptations will lose their power over us.

Elder Soares added this promise:  As we learn to seek Christ in every thought, "the Lord will send an added measure of His Holy Spirit to strengthen and comfort us and we may become individuals after the Lord’s own heart."
 

Do One Thing:
Focus on gaining access to the presence of God by more fully taking upon you the Name of Jesus Christ. Choose one Name of Christ to take upon you more fully this week. Here are  some samples:

Counselor
Teacher
Healer
Savior
Advocate
Comforter
Lion
Shepherd
Creator
Deliverer
Bread of Life
Light of the World
Living waters
The truth
The Way
The Word
The Rock

"Seek Christ in Every Thought" -- Ulisses S. Soares
"Attributes of Christ"

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