Come Unto Christ

”The Church of Jesus Christ is sometimes known as a family-centered church. It is! Our relationship to God and the purpose of our mortal life are explained in terms of the family. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan of our Heavenly Father for the benefit of His spirit children. We can truly say that the gospel plan was first taught to us in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our mortal families, and its intended destiny is to exalt the children of God in eternal families…

Great blessings come to families if they pray together, kneeling night and morning to offer thanks for blessings and to pray over common concerns. Families are also blessed as they worship together in Church services and in other devotional settings. Family bonds are also strengthened by family stories, creating family traditions, and sharing sacred experiences. President Spencer W. Kimball reminded us that “stories of inspiration from our own lives and those of our forebears … are powerful teaching tools.” They are often the best sources of inspiration for us and our posterity.

I testify of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Only Begotten Son of God, our Eternal Father. He invites us to follow the covenant path that leads to a heavenly family reunion. The sealing powers of the priesthood, directed by the keys restored in the Kirtland Temple, bring families together for eternity (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16). They are currently being exercised in a growing number of temples of the Lord throughout the world. This is real. Let us be part of it, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

President Dallin H. Oaks, “The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ,” October 2025 General Conference

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/10/58oaks?lang=eng

Come Follow Me Weekly Excerpt

December 22–28: The Matchless Gift of God’s Divine Son

Christmas

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2011], 49). Over 160 years later, this statement inspired the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to publish “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles” in honor of the 2,000th anniversary of the Savior’s birth (see Russell M. Nelson, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 40).

As Latter-day Saints, we rejoice in the blessing of continuing revelation through modern prophets and apostles. We are thankful for their inspired words of counsel, warning, and encouragement. But most of all, we are blessed by their powerful testimonies of Jesus Christ—at Christmastime and throughout the year. These are more than just stirring words of skilled writers or public speakers or insights from scriptural experts. They are the words of God’s chosen, called, and authorized “special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:23).

“None other has had so profound an influence.”

What would you say in support of the statement that “none other has had so profound an influence [as Jesus Christ] upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth”? Look for passages in “The Living Christ” that testify of the Savior’s profound influence. How has He influenced you?

Suppose someone who is unfamiliar with Christianity asked you why you celebrate Christmas. How would you respond? Review “The Living Christ” with this question in mind, and consider writing down any thoughts or impressions that come to you.

See also “Why We Need a Savior” (video), Gospel Library.

“He rose from the grave.”

In “The Living Christ,” the Apostles testify of the Resurrection of the Savior, mentioning three appearances of the risen Lord (see paragraph 5). Consider reading some accounts of these visits in John 20; 3 Nephi 11; and Joseph Smith—History 1:14–20. What do you learn about the Savior from His words and actions during these appearances?

Focus on the Savior. “Prayerfully reading ‘The Living Christ’ is like reading the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the prophets of the Book of Mormon. It will increase your faith in the Savior and help you stay focused on Him” (M. Russell Ballard, “Return and Receive,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 65).

“His priesthood and His Church have been restored.”

During your study of the Doctrine and Covenants this year, you have had the opportunity to learn more about how the Savior’s “priesthood and His Church have been restored.” Which restored truths or principles have been especially meaningful to you? Consider reviewing some of the following scriptures that teach about the Restoration: Doctrine and Covenants 1:17–23; 13; 20:1–12; 65; 110; 112:30–32; 124:39–42; 128:19–21. Ponder how the truths of the restored gospel help you know and love Jesus Christ.

“He will someday return to earth.”

Christmas is a time to look back on the day Jesus Christ was born and to look forward to the day He will come again. What do you learn about His return from the second-to-last paragraph of “The Living Christ”? You might also consider reading, singing, or listening to Christmas hymns that teach about the Second Coming, such as “Joy to the World” or “It Came upon the Midnight Clear” (Hymns, nos. 201, 207).

“God be thanked for [His] matchless gift.”

In “The Living Christ,” the Apostles refer to the Savior as a “gift” from our Heavenly Father. Based on what you find in “The Living Christ,” how would you complete this sentence: “Through Jesus Christ, God gives me the gifts of …” Ponder what you can do to receive these gifts more fully.

How has studying “The Living Christ” affected your faith in and love for the Savior?

See also Russell M. Nelson, “Four Gifts That Jesus Christ Offers to You” (First Presidency Christmas devotional, Dec. 2, 2018), Gospel Library; “Excerpts from ‘The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles’” (video), ChurchofJesusChrist.org.