The Atonement Is For All of Us

I was feeling a little down today.  And a little overwhelmed.  Then I looked on my Youtube channel and there was this video waiting for me:

It's about the point in the ancient church when Peter received the revelation that the gospel could be preached to the gentiles.  I love how Peter explains to Cornelius that Jesus Christ atoned for and died for all of us.  Every single one of us.  It made me think of a conversation I had with my sister earlier today.  We were talking about how we don't all have to do all things the same way and it's ok.  I told her about a quote I had read by President Uchtdorf that really impressed me and we looked it up together.  Here it is (if you want to read the whole talk go here):

"Without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, life would be a dead-end road without hope or future. With the Atonement, life is an ennobling, inspiring journey of growth and development that leads to eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

But while the Atonement is meant to help us all become more like Christ, it is not meant to make us all the same. Sometimes we confuse differences in personality with sin. We can even make the mistake of thinking that because someone is different from us, it must mean they are not pleasing to God. This line of thinking leads some to believe that the Church wants to create every member from a single mold—that each one should look, feel, think, and behave like every other. This would contradict the genius of God, who created every man different from his brother, every son different from his father. Even identical twins are not identical in their personalities and spiritual identities."

 

I think this video and this quote go perfectly together.  It doesn't matter where we were born, who our parents are, how we look, how smart we are . . . the Atonement is for all of us.  We have been given agency to receive it and through it become the best version of ourselves.  I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made for us.  I am thankful that he has given me the opportunity to repent and keep trying to become like him.  I am thankful for agency to go about this in the best way I know how.  I am also thankful for the opportunity to have others in my life who are using their own agency to draw closer to Christ.  I learn a lot from them and it helps me in my own journey.  I love that we are not all expected to be exactly the same.

 

I love the Bible Videos and how they bring the scriptures to life.  And I love the scriptures and how they can chase my blues away by helping me feel the Spirit.  If you would like to see all of the Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos you can go here.

What Easter Means to Me

     One of my favorite songs is "I Believe in Christ."  I love my Savior and this song, by Bruce R. McConkie, for me is an expression of that love.  I especially love the last verse and, as I sang it in the MTC one day, it really hit me that this song is true.  The part that brought tears to my eyes and gratitude to my heart was when it says, "From him I'll gain my fondest dream."  For me, my fondest dream is that returning to my Heavenly Father and spending eternity with him and my family.  The problem is, I can't do that on my own.  I make mistakes and I become unclean in the process.  The scriptures say no unclean thing can be in the presence of God.  Because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, and through his grace, I can be clean again and I can become perfect when I repent and do the best I can to follow Jesus Christ.  My weaknesses will become strengths.
     The other part of Christ's Easter gift was that, just as he rose again on the third day, we can, too.  During my last year of college, I started to get sick.  I felt lightheaded all the time and my body always hurt.  I felt nauseated all the time and it was so bad I couldn't read my school books.  I had no energy and I had constant headaches.  I finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  This was about 13 years ago.  Back then, doctors didn't really know what caused it and there was no cure.  I was facing a lifetime of pain and illness.  As the years have gone on I have found things that help and if I take care of myself things are pretty much ok.  I have flare-ups from time to time, but most of the time I can almost forget.  I have to lead a pretty quiet life, though.  On those days when I can't do what I want without pain I remember that, because of Jesus' resurrection, I will once again be able to do things without pain.  Not only that, I will be able to associate once again with those I love who have passed on before me.  I will be able to meet my sister, Sarah, and my niece, Graycee, who passed on before I even got to know them.
     All of these things are possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  It is because of him that I can sing:

I believe in Christ; he stands supreme!

From him I'll gain my fondest dream;

And while I strive through grief and pain,

His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain."

I believe in Christ, so come what may,

With him I'll stand in that great day

When on this earth he comes again

To rule among the sons of men.

Captained by Christ

This is one of my favorite quotes. Whenever I make a decision I try to remember these words from Ezra Taft Benson:
"When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed . . .
The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature . . .
Yes, Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world. Men changed for Christ will be captained by Christ. Like Paul they will be asking, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' (Acts 9:6). Peter stated they will 'follow his steps'(1 Peter 2:21). John said they will 'walk, even as he walked' (John 2:6).
Finally, men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. To paraphrase President Harold B. Lee, they set fire in others because they are on fire.
Their will is swallowed up in His will (see John 5:30). They do always those things that please the Lord (see John 8:29). Not only would they die for the Lord, but more importantly they want to live for Him.
Enter their homes, and the pictures on their walls, the books on their shelves, the music in the air, their words and acts reveal them as Christians. They stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places (see Mosiah 18:9). They have Christ on their minds, as they look unto Him in every thought (see D&C 6:36). They have Christ in their hearts as their affections are placed on Him forever (see Alma 37:36).
In Book of Mormon language, they 'feast upon the words of Christ' (2 Nephi 32:3), 'talk of Christ' (2 Nephi 25:26), 'rejoice in Christ' (2 Nephi 25: 26), 'are made alive in Christ' (2 Nephi 25:25), and 'glory in [their] Jesus' (see 2 Nephi 33:6). In short, they lose themselves in the Lord, and find eternal life (see Luke 17:33)."

I framed these words and posted them on my wall to remind myself of the person I am trying to become. I started this blog because I wanted a way to share my love for Jesus Christ and His gospel with my family and my friends. I hope you enjoy your visit and that you will come back often as I share those things I love that I feel are "virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy."