President Russell M. Nelson's Challenge to Read all the References about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide and How to Mark Your Scriptures about the Savior

In his talk, "Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into our Lives," Pres. Nelson explains why he wants us to take this challenge:

Earlier this year, I asked the young adults of the Church to consecrate a portion of their time each week to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works. I invited them to let the scriptural citations about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide become their personal core curriculum.

I gave that challenge because I had already accepted it myself. I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide. When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!”

I felt a renewed devotion to Him as I read again in the Book of Mormon the Savior’s own statement about His mission in mortality. He declared:

“I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross.”

1. Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into our Lives - President Russell M. Nelson’s Challenge

2. Promises of Daily Reading the Book of Mormon as Given by Prophets and Apostles in General Conference

Below are some ideas on how you could mark your scriptures about the Savior.

I bought the cheap, paperback copies of the 4 standard works. Then I copied the references to Jesus Christ from the Topical Guide and pasted them into a Word document. After I marked a verse in my scriptures, I crossed out the reference on my print out of the Topical Guide. 

Jesus Christ in the Scriptures

·         Attributes of Christ

o   Faith, Hope, Charity, Virtue, Knowledge, Patience, Humility, Diligence, Obedience, Leadership & Teaching, Discernment

·         The Strengthening aspect of Jesus’ Atonement (Grace)

·         The Redeeming aspect of Jesus’ Atonement

·         Christ’s doctrines, laws, and parables

·         The Life of the Savior

·         Symbolism & Prophecies, His Mission, Creator, Antemortal

·         Christ’s Second Coming

·         Divine Sonship, power & authority, titles of Jesus Christ

·         Rejecting the Savior

·         How we can draw the power of Jesus Christ into our lives. 
   (1)  We begin by learning about Him.

 (2)  We choose to have faith in Him and follow Him.

 (3)  We make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. 
(4)  We reach up to Him in faith.

In order to mark "each verse" as President Nelson challenged, first I include the categories above for the major references and second, I use yellow to highlight every other reference to Him along with a couple of words around that reference. I am now in 2 Nephi and I feel that by marking "each verse," I am learning so much about the Savior and His love, His attributes, and His power. After I finish, I will read the Book of Mormon, focusing on what patterns and themes I can learn from my markings.