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BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton and his wife, Sister Melinda Ashton, address students during the opening devotional for fall semester, broadcast on Friday, September 20, 2024. Screenshot from byupathway.org, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Rachel Sterzer Gibson, Church News
One main reason for education is to help individuals learn and apply truth in their lives, explained BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton. But of all the truths to learn in mortality, there is no truth more important than this: “Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world,” he testified during a devotional broadcast on Friday, September 20.
Addressing BYU–Pathway students, faculty and staff around the globe, President Ashton and his wife, Melinda, sat side by side as they bore testimony of Jesus Christ and encouraged listeners to “to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written” (Ether 12:41).
Sister Ashton explained that each person lived before this life with God. “Our Heavenly Father presented a plan by which we could come to earth; receive physical bodies; form families; be tested; and, if we obeyed the conditions of the plan, return to live with God in the celestial kingdom.”
There were two conditions that had to be overcome in Heavenly Father’s plan: physical death and spiritual death, President Ashton said.
“A Savior or Redeemer was required to help us overcome physical and spiritual death. This Savior would have to be a God, live a sinless life in mortality, fulfill all the demands of justice for everyone who would ever live, voluntarily give up his life, and then break the bands of death by being resurrected,” President Ashton taught. “Our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer. Jesus was uniquely prepared for this role and was the only One who could perform this exalted mission.”
Jesus Christ was born of His immortal Heavenly Father and mortal mother, Mary, Sister Ashton continued. “Thus, Jesus was both God and man and had power over life and death in His mortal state. This means that He could voluntarily give up His life and take it up again by choosing to be resurrected.”
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The Savior offers relief to those who are suffering, as seen in this screenshot from the Bible Videos.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.President and Sister Ashton testified that because Jesus voluntarily give up His life on the cross and was resurrected, the bands of death were broken. “Thus, death is not the end. We can see our loved ones and live with them again,” Sister Ashton said.
In mortality, Jesus experienced pain, hunger, thirst, fatigue and temptation. Although He was capable of sinning, he never did, President Ashton said.
Through His Atonement, “Jesus made it possible for us to repent and be forgiven of our sins and obtain mercy. He also obtained power to help us overcome all things, including our weaknesses, imperfections, afflictions and infirmities,” President Ashton taught.
Because of Christ’s Atonement, individuals can receive the grace of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost to perform and maintain works. “Thus the Savior cannot only cleanse us but also perfect us,” President Ashton said.
The Savior did all of this out of love, Sister Ashton added, “for us and for Heavenly Father. … We testify that Jesus Christ lives. He is not a distant God. Rather He wants to help us find joy in this life and the next. He knows each of us intimately, and that includes you. He will help you as you pray in His name to Heavenly Father and keep the commandments.”
Prophets and apostles as well as the scriptures can help individuals come to know the Savior, President Ashton said.
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Sister Melinda Ashton speaks during a BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional broadcast while her husband, BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton, looks on, on September 20, 2024. Screenshot from byupathway.org, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.“The more we know about Jesus Christ, the greater our capacity to love Him and draw upon His cleansing and perfecting powers,” he said. “We must also live the doctrine that He taught and serve Him by serving others. As we do those things, we can come to know the ‘Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written.’”
President Ashton encouraged listeners to follow the counsel given by the Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, including to worship in the temple, “think celestial” and become a peacemaker. “As you do these things, you will become a better disciple of Jesus Christ,” President Ashton assured.
In conclusion, Sister Ashton said, “I know that He loves me and you. As we more fully follow the Savior, we will become more like our heavenly parents, whose greatest desire is our return to their presence.”
Added President Ashton: “Coming to know Jesus Christ is the most important thing we can do in this life.”
Copyright 2024 Deseret News Publishing Company.