A few years ago, I was asked to speak in one of the sessions of our Stake Conference.¹ As I was sitting on the stand before the meeting started I was watching the people as they entered the chapel and took their seats. It was then that I received what I believe was a very special gift from the Lord. For just a few minutes, I was given to see each of the people in the chapel as the Lord sees them (to some small degree only I’m sure). Many of them I didn’t know at all; others, I knew as acquaintances or even friends, but didn’t know of their personal struggles, their doubts, their particular trials.

But none of that mattered, because I felt the most overwhelming sense of love for each of them, no matter their situation. I expect there were many who were there out of a sense of duty, some were probably even eager to be in attendance, while others I suspect were reluctant congregants. But the love that God felt for them was exactly the same, and impossible to put into words. As I say, this only lasted a few minutes, but it is an experience and feeling that has remained with me for all the years since that day.

When I think about the Ward in which I currently live, I feel similarly. I really, really love our Ward and its members. There are so many people there who I really look up to and admire. I wish I could be as humble, as faithful, as diligent, as compassionate as so many of them are. Without doubt, I’m a work in progress – but for all the stops and starts over the years, I do believe I’m at least making progress just now. I thank the Lord for that.

And when I think about the days ahead of us, as we get nearer to the prophesied return of our Saviour and Eternal King, my heart yearns for the safety and wellbeing of all those members of my Ward. Those feelings extend to family across the world, the people of my home nation, Australia; the beautiful people of Chile, where I served my mission; those of my resident nation, the UK; members of the LDS church across the globe; Christians everywhere; indeed, all those with good hearts, whoever and wherever they are.

The drama, and trauma, to come will be beyond anything the world has experienced. Of course, it may not happen for a great many years, but I believe there are reasons to think it is nearer than many of us might think. I won’t go into those reasons here – that’s not the point I’m trying to make.

But as I’ve studied the scriptures over the last year, it has become so clear to me just how important the word of God, as found in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants², is. More than any other book, the Book of Mormon is written for our day, and is heavily focused on the last days and the challenges we face. Indeed, in may ways, the whole book is an apocalyptic work when properly understood.

From the Old Testament, Isaiah and the other so-called ‘prophets’³ also prophesy of our day and our challenges. Prayerfully and diligently studying these works, just as Christ commanded in the Book of Mormon, in this light really will open our eyes to see a great many things essential to our wellbeing in the coming days.

It will also help us come to understand that all of the scriptures are really just different ways of expressing the same things so necessary for us in this life and for the next – the Doctrine of Christ.

The Doctrine of Christ is found throughout the scriptures. It’s one of those things that you might not realise it’s there until you understand it, at which point you suddenly see it everywhere. It’s taught most clearly in the Book of Mormon and I encourage you to carefully and prayerfully study 2 Nephi 31-32, 3 Nephi 11, and 3 Nephi 27. 

In short, it includes Faith in Christ, Repentance, Baptism by Water, Baptism by Fire and the Holy Ghost⁴ and continuing on until we come to Christ. It really is that simple. It’s not easy – that’s for sure – but it is simple for anyone and everyone to understand. If we want to come to Christ, that is what we need to do; nothing more, nothing less. Indeed, Jesus taught that anyone adding to or taking away from this ‘cometh of evil’ (3 Nephi 11:40).

Progress in this journey with the Doctrine of Christ brings true joy. It brings love. It brings a desire to share the goodness of God with all the world. Ultimately, it will bring us into His presence. And this is the path we need to follow if we want to have Him with us through all the coming storms and calamities we will see in the days and years ahead of us. Relying on the arm of the flesh – any arm of the flesh – will not save us. It can’t. Only Christ can save us, and He employs no servant to stand between Him and us. He, and He alone, stands at the gate.

‘Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.’ (2 Nephi 9:41)

I love my church, but religion will not save us. Only Christ will. The prophets, whether ancient or modern, give us the word of God, but prophets – even true ones – will not save us. Only Christ will.

And Christ really will save us, if we come to Him through following His doctrine. Not adding to His doctrine. Not taking away from His doctrine. Following it exactly as He, Himself, taught it.

I love Him. I love my Father in Heaven. I hope and pray that each of us can have the strength and wisdom to come to Him.

©Copyright Jeffrey Collyer 2025

1 For those who aren’t members of the LDS church, a ‘Stake’ is somewhat akin to a Diocese. It is made up of a number of smaller units, called Wards (or Branches if smaller).

2 The Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants are books that we believe are also scripture. The various denominations that splintered from the church organised by Joseph Smith all have these scriptures, although the content of the Doctrine and Covenants varies to some degree between them.

3 Roughly speaking the ‘prophets’ section of the Old Testament is everything after (and including) Isaiah, not including apocryphal works. 

4 Faith, repentance, baptism (by water) and the gift of the Holy Ghost are what Joseph Smith called the first ordinances of the gospel. In its redefinition of the word ‘ordinances’ the LDS church has changed this to ‘principles and ordinances’.