If you don’t like religion, turn back now.
Boyd K. Packer, one of the leaders of my church, and someone we revered as a modern-day apostle of Christ, died recently. He served in the Church for more than the length of my life, but of all his various discourses, this one has perhaps had the most impact on me.
I bring this up here, however, because I have grown increasingly troubled by the willingness of so many these days to co-opt Christ for their own political gains. So many are willing to tell us what Jesus would have us do, even though they, of themselves, know almost nothing about who Christ is and what he taught. Christ has done much more than can ever be stated, and much more than most people realize. But his role as savior of all mankind is the most important–without it we are all irredeemably lost.
Elder Packer gave his address in 1977, and while I likely heard it at the time (I was only seven), it has has since gained a great deal of meaning and importance in my life. I present it to you as he gave it: