The Atonement - Lesson Idea

My friend Melissa gave a wonderful lesson in Relief Society last Sunday.  To prepare, she read through all of the General Conference talks from April 2016.  As she studied the talks, she pulled out various quotes and concepts about the Atonement.  We discussed each theme and quote as she asked questions in class and we had an awesome, heartfelt discussion.  We all desperately need the Atonement so I appreciated that she chose to give a lesson on it.

Because of the Atonement, there will be no unfairness

I can emphatically state that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, ultimately, in the eternal scheme of things, there will be no unfairness. “All that is unfair about life can be made right”. Our present circumstances may not change, but through God’s compassion, kindness, and love, we will all receive more that we deserve, more than we can ever earn, and more than we can ever hope for.

Dale G. Renlund, April Conference 2016

How can knowing that everything will be made right help us now?

 (That is the essence of faith)

Forgiveness through the Atonement sets us free

There is not a soul alive who will not, at one time or another, be the victim to someone else’s careless actions, hurtful conduct, or even sinful behavior. That is one thing we all have in common. Gratefully, God, in His love and mercy for His children, has prepared a way to help us navigate these sometimes turbulent experiences of life. He has provided an escape for all who fall victim to the misdeeds of others. He has taught us that we can forgive! Even though we may be a victim once, we need not be a victim twice by carrying the burden of hate, bitterness, pain, resentment, or even revenge. We can forgive, and we can be free!

            Kevin R. Duncan, April Conference 2016

What is the connection between being forgiven and offering forgiveness to others?

How does forgiving others free us?

The Atonement brings us peace

Peace of mind, peace of conscience, and peace of heart are not determined by our ability to avoid trials, sorrow, or heartache. Despite our sincere pleas, not every storm will change course, not every infirmity will be healed, and we may not fully understand every doctrine, principle, or practice taught by prophets, seers, and revelators. Nevertheless, we have been promised peace-with a condition attached. Faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice is, and forever will be, the first principle of the gospel and the foundation upon which our hope for “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” is built.

            W. Christopher Waddell, April Conference 2016

Would anyone like to share a time when they have felt peace, even through a trial?

The Atonement can help us discern what it right for us

When trust is betrayed, dreams shattered, hearts broken and broken again, when we want justice and need mercy, when our fists clench and our tears flow, when we need to know what to hold onto and what to let go of, we can always remember Him. His infinite compassion can help us find our way, truth, and life.

            Gerrit W. Gong, April Conference 2016

When you think about the burdens that you are carrying, what could it mean when he says “know what to hold onto and what to let go of”? 

Relying on the Atonement can ease our burdens

God rarely infringes on the agency of any of His children by intervening against some for the relief of others. But He does ease the burdens of our afflictions and strengthen us to bear them, as He did with Alma’s people in the land of Helam. He does not prevent all disasters, but He does answer our prayers to turn them aside…He does blunt their effects.

            Dallin H. Oaks, April Conference 2016

What are some strategies for turning our burdens over to the Lord so he can help us bear them?

(Prayer, fasting, finding a support system)

The Atonement gives us strength to keep trying

With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.

            Jeffrey R. Holland, April Conference 2016

Would anyone like to share a time when you just kept trying, even though you felt like you weren’t succeeding?

Talk - Developing Christlike Characteristics

Here is a talk that my son gave at church today.  He was the companion speaker for a high council speaker.

Today I will talk about how to develop Christlike characteristics.

In Preach My Gospel, there is a section titled “How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes.”  Much of my talk will come from this book. Writing this talk has been good preparation for my mission, since Preach My Gospel is an essential tool used by missionaries every day. I know it’s not a coincidence that I was asked to speak about this topic, and I’m very thankful for this opportunity to study about Christ and share my testimony with all of you.

At the beginning of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and called out to two fishermen named Peter and Andrew.  He said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. The Lord invites each of us to follow His example and to become like Him. The restored gospel allows each of us to become like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The Savior has set the perfect example, and He commands us to become as He is. We can try hard to learn of Him and seek to incorporate His attributes into our lives. Through the power of His Atonement, each of us can achieve this goal and help others to achieve it also.

In Preach My Gospel focus there is a lot of focus on HOW to do things —how to study, how to teach, how to manage time wisely. Just as vital as what you do, however, is who you are.  Preach My Gospel says “You need to BE a Christlike missionary, not just DO missionary things.” This applies not only to missionaries but to everyone.  Each of us needs to learn to BE Christlike members of the church and not just DO Mormon things.

HOPE HAS COME - Cason Smithson, Jacob Packham

Quote - No Matter What Your Past Has Been, Your Future is Spotless

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes. It has provided a lot of hope for me.  I thought it was fitting to put it on my blog at Easter time since Jesus Christ is the reason our future can be spotless.

Website - Fight the New Drug, Educating on the Harmful Effects of Pornography

I learned about this great website from a friend on Facebook.  Looks like a great one!  I am a big believer in the damage and chaos that come from pornography and have seen it destroy individuals, marriages, and families.  I applaud this group for fighting the good fight and helping people overcome the destructive affects of this "new drug."  Almost every family I know has been affected by pornography addiction in some way.  They say there is a Pornography Pandemic but people are afraid to discuss this "taboo" topic.  Let's expose this problem and fight it face on.

Here's the pledge that people can sign on their website:

"Now is the time for me to stand and help others overcome that which has affected my family, my friends and my community.  I will avoid exposure to this powerful drug called pornography.  I will be a source of strength to those who need support and accept help when I am in need.  I will be a voice of reason among the clatter of self serving opinion.  Too many have suffered.  Too many have sacrificed.  I must be open about a topic no one wants to discuss."

Click HERE to read about the harmful effect of porn.

If you are addicted to pornography or have a loved one who is struggling, there is hope.

Things Always Work Out

I've been thinking about adversity and challenges lately. While hardships will always be a recurring part of our lives, I think the important thing is how we face them.  Everyone has their own set of problems.  The severity of our adversity tends to ebb and flow.  The truth is, we never really know what another person is struggling with.  But we all are struggling each day with something, rather big or small.  And if we think we have no struggles, then we have the struggle of pride, right?

Here are some of the ways I personally deal with challenges.

Have faith and hope, not fear and worry.  Our natural-man tendencies lead us to fear.  Having faith instead of fear is a choice and must be worked for.  Everyday.  Try to look at things optimistically instead of focusing on the negative.  Think about all the wonderful things in your life and all the wonderful things yet to be.  Don't allow yourself to mope, stay in bed, wallow in self-pity, or embrace depression.

Trust Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  They love us and wants to help us.  They will never abandon us.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), humility is key to learning to trust Heavenly Father.  I attempt to be one of those people who chooses to be humble, but it is really hard to keep pride out of our lives.  Challenges compel us to be humble and therefore should be valued.  Humility leads to trusting God and increasing faith.

Pray, pray, pray.  Pray for patience and to be faithful.  Pray for the Lord's will to be done.  I have the tendency to be bossy and have to be careful when I am praying that I don't try to tell the Lord exactly how to answer my prayers.  I am constantly facing the battle of "MY will be done" versus "THY will be done."  This concept has changed the way I pray.  Life experience has taught me that I don't have the full picture.  He does.  It seems logically smart to listen and be guided by someone who knows what I need and when and how I need it. 

Thought of the Day - Refiner's Fire

Here, then, is a great truth. In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and the unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be mirrored from the soul. It is part of the purging toll exacted of some to become acquainted with God. In the agonies of life, we seem to listen better to the faint, godly whisperings of the Divine Shepherd.

Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The Apostle Paul referred to his own challenge: “And lest I should be exalted above measure … , there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.

The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process.

To whom can we go? Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855–1931) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles asked and answered this question:

“To whom do we look, in days of grief and disaster, for help and consolation? … They are men and women who have suffered, and out of their experience in suffering they bring forth the riches of their sympathy and condolences as a blessing to those now in need. Could they do this had they not suffered themselves?

“… Is not this God’s purpose in causing his children to suffer? He wants them to become more like himself. God has suffered far more than man ever did or ever will, and is therefore the great source of sympathy and consolation.”

Refined in our Trials, Pres. James E Faust.

Quote - Make Peace with your Past

MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR PAST

SO
IT WON’T MESS UP YOUR FUTURE

Don’t judge past behavior by present knowledge

One Day at a Time

I've been thinking a lot about living one day at a time.  It is so easy to dwell on the past or obsess about the future, neither of which is healthy.

When we dwell on the past, we harm ourselves because it can destroy our hope.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell encouraged us to hold on to hope by "not looking back, and refusing to let yesterday hold tomorrow hostage." 

Think about Lot's wife in the Bible - she was told not to look back when they were fleeing from Sodom.  She did look back and was turned into a pillar of salt.  In furthering this analogy, salt is not a living substance.  It cannot change or grow.  I don't want to be like Lot's wife.  If I look at the past and dwell on regrets, I will be like the salt, unchangeable, stagnant and not thriving, albeit spiritually in my case.

Thankful for the Ride!

This wonderful piece was written by my dear friend Carmen who is going through a divorce (not by her choice). I love her positive attitude and the way she faithfully handles adversity. She asked me to post this on my blog in the hopes that it would comfort those in similar situations.

 As a child, I always spent the months of summer at the beach with my family. I loved the summer. I loved being at the beach with my cousins and close friends. I loved everything about it.

It seems to me that there were hard times, like fights and not liking what was cooked for dinner and having to eat it anyway. Some adult wanting to teach you something, but as the time goes by, all I remember is how much fun and happiness there was. I find myself wanting to go back and have it all again. I loved my childhood summers at the beach on the coast of Brazil.

When I got home and it was time to go back to school and reality, I just wish my summers would never end and I could stay in that moment of happiness forever.

The trick was to cherish the good times and to be thankful to God that you had them, that you had the family there, and the sun, and the laughter and the love and that God made it all possible for you to have many memories for the hard months of winter ahead of you.