In the Sunday morning session of General Conferece, Elder D. Todd Christofferson encouraged members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to become one in Christ.

During Christ's intercessory prayer, he prayed, "Neither pray I for these alone but also for those who will believe on me through their words, that they may be one in me . . . that the world will believe that thou hast sent me. . . . That they may be made perfect in One."

We have been invited to be one with Christ, Elder Christofferson said. Our spirit has been enlightened by conscience. It naturally wants to do God's will. But the earthly appetites of our body can interfere.

Nephi expressed similar feelings: "Yea, my heart sorrowed because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of my iniquities . . . Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted."

"What did he mean?" asked Elder Christofferson. "Nephi was a soul of flesh and blood, but he yielded not to temptation."

Elder Christofferson said that soon after Christ's intercessory prayer that we might become one, Jesus suffered and gave his life for us.

"As we endeavor day by day and week by week to follow the will of Christ, our spirit begins to manifest itself," he said. "There is greater and greater unity between the spirit and the body. Becoming at one within ourselves prepares us for the greater blessing of becoming one in Christ."

Jesus' ministry was always focused because there was no debilitating double-mindedness in him.

"Because it was his father's will, Jesus submitted even unto death, the will of the Son swallowed up into the will of the Father," Elder Christofferson said.

Christ trembled before the bitter cup but ultimately took it. The Father's glory and the Father's will are the business of the Son. Those branches that do not bear fruit are removed, while those that do bear fruit are purged to give more fruit. What form that purging may take we cannot know.

Elder Christofferson said President Brigham Young spoke understandingly of our challenge when he said after all Christ has done, after He has led this people for so long, we yet lack confidence in Him.

"We should understand and feel as far as possible as far as we can . . . that the interest of that God whom we serve is our interest, and that we have no other, neither in time nor in eternity," he said.

"Surely we will not be one with God and Christ until we make their will and interest our greatest desire. Such submissiveness is not reached in a day, but the Lord will tutor us if we are willing," Elder Christofferson said. "I'm grateful beyond expression that I am invited to be one with those I worship."