Writing Exercise B

Title suggestions: Is the gospel working for you? The gospel can work for you, The

Commented [JJ1]: This is my favorite of the three

options.

gospel works
Kicker: When we simplify spiritual learning, we will recognize that the gospel is blessing
our lives and bringing us closer to Christ.
When I was a missionary, the solutions to everyone elses problems seemed so
straightforward. From the perspective of a bright-eyed sister missionary immersed in the
gospel, the indisputable solution to any difficulty was to apply the doctrine of Christ.
Although I had complete confidence that the gospel would work for the people that I
taught, I found that applying it to myself wasnt as simple.
When I joined the LDS Church in 2011, I loved that there were so many new
gospel topics for me to learn about. As would any eager, nineteen-year-old college
student, I dove into all the Cchurch materials I could get my hands on to learn more about
my new faith.
However, despite my enthusiasm, after hearing countless reiterations of basic
doctrines, I began to feel like there was no more new information for me to learn. I
reached this point in my Church membership just as I was entering the mission field,
where there is an even stronger emphasis on fundamentals than in regular Church
meetings. While I loved teaching and testifying about the gospel and testifying of it, I
couldnt shake the looming feeling that the gospel had done all it could do for me.
When the end of my mission arrived, I came home from my mission in a state of
disenchantment: I couldnt re-find my same enthusiasm for learning about the gospel. I
didnt know how I had expected the mission to affect me, but it certainly wasnt in this

Formatted: Font: Italic

way. Id been home for just over a year later when President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a
general conference talk called It Works Wonderfully! about how to we can know if the
gospel is working for us. He said we should take time to consider these questions: Is it
bringing me closer to Christ? and Is it t is blessing me and my family with peace and
joy?
President Uchtdorf tellstold members who feel they are having a less-than-

Commented [JJ2]: Instead of leaving these questions

hanging, consider adding another sentence about how these
questions affected you. What did you think when you heard
them?

fulfilling experience in the Church to simplify the gospel. He described gospel learning as
a process in which our hearing the word of God leads to increased love for the Lord; our
being filled with love increases our desire to render service; and our walk on the path of
discipleship increases our desire to learn.
Focus on the basic doctrines, principles, and applications of the gospel,
President Uchtdorf says. I promise that God will guide and bless you on your path to a
fulfilling life, and the gospel will definitely work better for you. President Uchtdorfs
words helped me see gospel learning in a broader context.
I still struggle at times to stay motivated to continue learning, but for now, I know
I can answer yes to both of President Uchtdorfs questionsthat my time in the Church
has brought me closer to Christ and that it is blessing me and my family with peace joy.
The gospel works to the degree that we let it shape our lives. I know that the gospel
hasnt done all it can do for me, and that there is much left to learn as I become a disciple
of Christ.
Read or watch President Uchtdorfs talk, It Works Wonderfully.
Source: LDS General Conference

Commented [JJ3]: What a beautiful story. Thank you for

sharing!

Pull quotes: You will discover that the gospel of Jesus Christ is indeed working in your
life. It works. President Uchtdorf
I promise that God will guide and bless you on your path to a fulfilling life, and the
gospel will definitely work better for you President Uchtdorf
Metadata tags: President Dieter F. Utchdorf, It Works Wonderfully, spiritual learning,
discipleship, the gospel works
SEO: Gospel works, spiritual learning, discipleship
Word count: 512

Commented [JJ4]: This is a great quote, but its not in

your article, so Im not sure it will work as a pull quote.