Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on having Christ at the center of our lives

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"We must point past the hustle and bustle and concentrate them on the meaning of it all, on the beating heart of the eternal gospel—the love of Heavenly Parents, the atoning gift of a divine Son, the comforting guidance of the Holy Ghost, the latter-day restoration of all these truths and so much more....

"If Jesus—His name, His doctrine, His example, His divinity—can be at the center of our worship, we will be reinforcing the great truth Alma once taught: 'There be many things to come; [but] behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all— … the Redeemer [who] liveth and cometh among his people.' (Alma 7:7.)

"I testify... that surely the most thrilling sight and sound in life is that of Jesus not only passing by (see Luke 18:37) but His coming to us, stopping beside us, and making His abode with us. (See John 14:23.)

"Sisters and brothers, through the incessant din and drumbeat of our day, may we strive to see Christ at the center of our lives, of our faith, and of our service. That is where true meaning lies. And if some days our vision is limited or our confidence has waned or our belief is being tested and refined—as surely it will be—may we then cry out the louder, 'Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me' (Mark 10:47). I promise with apostolic fervor and prophetic conviction that He will hear you and will say, soon or late, 'Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee' (Luke 18:42)."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Message, the Meaning, and the Multitude," General Conference October 2019, Saturday morning

Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Holland gave the introductory talk in the October 2019 conference, and spoke warmly on the role and place of the Savior as the focus of all we do, using as the prime example the healing of the blind man by the Savior as recorded in Luke 18. The faith of the man, according to the account, brought about the miracle.

In our modern world, with all its noise and confusion, we must get past the "hustle and bustle" to concentrate on "the meaning of it all." That is no small task. It requires prolonged and devoted focus on the things that truly matter. And certainly, the primary focus must be on the Savior, who is the ultimate source of healing and hope.

Like the blind man of the parable, we must continue to seek, to cry out, to plead for His help and involvement in our life. We must do whatever is needed to draw near to Him. Only then can He lay His hands on us to heal and bless.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)