--- title: Experiences with Christ date: 2025-11-10T09:40:00-07:00 author: Matt Bloomfield canonical_url: "https://www.mlj.one/church/talks/experiences-with-christ" section: Blog --- [ ← Church Talks ](/talks) Talk November 10, 2025 # Experiences with Christ I gave this talk on December 17th, 2023 in the White Mountain YSA Ward Sacrament Meeting at the historic Social Hall in Snowflake, Arizona, per an assignment from President Todd Burk. --- What does it mean to have an experience with Christ? How do I know when I’m having an experience with Christ? What about experiences with the Spirit? Do I know Christ? What experiences have helped me to get to know the Savior? Who is he to me? John 14:1-7 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (Explains how to get to know Him) 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. ... 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. So how is it that we get to know Christ? By working with him. By serving Him, and by obeying his words and example. This is further solidified in Jacob 5, which I won’t read much of here, but just to get a feel for it, consider these two passages: 8 And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will; and it mattereth not that if it so be that the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit thereof unto myself; wherefore, I will take these young and tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will. 9 Take thou the branches of the wild olive tree, and graft them in, in the stead thereof; and these which I have plucked off I will cast into the fire and burn them, that they may not cumber the ground of my vineyard. — 49 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard? 50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer. 51 And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard. ### Peace I Give Unto You The first experience with Christ that comes to mind, not necessarily the first experience chronologically I had, but what immediately came to mind was the temple. When I first went on a mission I got to Stockholm and we walked around - did a little sightseeing - but then we went to the temple. It was incredible. It was there that my mission president taught me something I’ve never forgotten about going to the temple. He said to go with a question. Always go with a question. And then have faith that the question will be answered. That practice has been so meaningful for me and helped me answer so many important questions in my life. Now, how is this an experience with Christ? If I’m to believe that Christ cares about the details in my life, and wants to offer me peace, then certainly he is the author of the responses that I receive through the Spirit. *Tell story about leaving Virginia, directionless, struggling to figure out what to do, anxiety, depression, moving to Snowflake, not sure if we should start, prices were weird, etc.* ### Repentance When it comes to experiences that I can easily pin down as being with Christ - the answer is easy. It’s the times that I’ve repented and truly felt the Lord’s forgiveness. There are a few times when I’ve been weighed down heavily by the sins I’ve committed. As Alma describes it in Alma 36, “But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.” I hope you’ve never felt that feeling of emptiness, regret, sadness. But on the other hand, if you have, I hope you’ve been able to feel the sweet peace and joy of repentance that comes as you work with Priesthood leaders to overcome those sins. “And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea ... there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. And … there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.” Perhaps that is why President Nelson has repeatedly called for daily repentance. It’s not a surprise to any of us to learn that we make mistakes daily. Does the Lord want us to wallow in our sorrow and guilt? As Elder Neil L Andersen taught, “Repentance is not the backup plan; it is the plan.” And so is becoming clean. Each week as we partake of the sacrament we renew our covenant with the Lord while he restores our cleanliness as if we were just walking out of the waters of baptism. *Could tell story about forgiveness with President Newell* ### Prayer My final thoughts on experiences with Christ all hinge around prayer. Prayer is something that I find so incredibly valuable. I’m not always so good about saying formal prayers morning and evening. I do try, but I also am praying all the time. I often take time throughout the day to pray and ponder, and as I do so I feel taught by the Lord. My prayers changed significantly, however, when I stopped focusing on what I wanted and started to try to align my will with the Lord’s. Listen to how Paul describes prayer in Romans 8. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ### Conclusion Experiences with Christ is such an interesting topic and one that I hope we all continue to consider. I feel so grateful to have been able to prepare this talk. I know that the Lord wants to have experiences with us. If we don’t feel that we are having experiences with Christ, perhaps we need to look inside ourselves. Are we putting ourselves in places where the Lord can speak? How often do we find ourselves in his house? Are there things in our lives that we need to repent of? Are we shadowing ourselves from the Lord’s presence due to our own unworthiness and pride? Are we talking with Him? Are we opening a line of communication for him to be able to change our hearts and minds and align our wills with His? I invite you to do the things that the Spirit has revealed to you to do and I testify that by so doing you will find peace, joy, and the presence of the Lord. I testify of his great redeeming power and love, and I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.