The Atonement

This past Sunday Mike and I spoke in church. Our talk was on the Atonement with a Christmasy feel - (As a side note I haven't had a voice now in four weeks. At first it was totally gone, and now it's squeeky at best. I thought it might get me out of talking but nope. I squeked through the whole thing!)

I debated about posting this, but when I went in for my recommend interview the last time one of the things the Stake Presidency talked about was sharing your testimony for your children and friends - so here's my talk.

Brothers and Sisters I’m thankful to be here today, please excuse my voice, I lost it about 4 weeks ago and I’m not so patiently waiting for its full return. Hopefully I’ll make it through my talk, if not Mike can have some extra minutes.

Today I’d like to talk about the one. The one for each of us could be different, and If you are anything like me, at this time of year you may find yourself focused on one or more of several different things- whether its making sure you do that one family tradition before Christmas, getting your spouse that one last gift they haven’t asked for, but you know they’ll love, getting your child that one gift that will make their holiday perfect, getting Christmas cards out, making sure your children know the true meaning of Christmas, serving others, getting neighbors holiday treats or visiting temple square to see the lights. As a child I remember my family’s yearly trip to Preston to see the lights. We would normally go the first week in December over my mom’s birthday and it was a tradition we looked forward to each year. One year there were so many things going on Christmas was drawing close and we still hadn’t made it up there. My older brother and I pestered my parents until finally on December 23rd we headed up to see the beautiful lights decorating the city. My mom always made sure that was part of our holiday experience. I remember many years the roads were terrible and at least ½ dozen times my dad stating that was the last year he was driving up there, and the following year he’d haul us back up there – searching for the house with the most lights and decorations.

While traditions are important, sometimes we have so many things going on it’s easy to forget about the one true meaning of Christmas. The first Christmas- the star, the angel, Sheppard’s, wise men, Mary & Joseph and baby Jesus, our Savior -born in a manger in Bethlehem.

This past week Mike and I took our kids to Salt Lake and visited Temple Square. It’s one of our favorite things to do at Christmas time, I love the lights and seeing the beautiful temple surrounded by them makes happy. We stopped and listened to the Christmas story and made sure Grace and Max understood how special Jesus is. How the holy man who gave so much started out as a baby, meek and mild, born in a stable – we talked about the gifts the wise men brought and explained that’s why we give gifts at Christmas time. The account of the Saviors birth is heartwarming, miraculous and special.

Throughout Christ’s life he taught, he led by example, he showed us how to live. The history of his life serves as a lit pathway for us to return to our Heavenly Father, but without the one, great sacrifice – it wouldn’t be possible. President Hinckley said “None of us fully understands the Atonement. I think it is beyond the comprehension of any man. But we know something of it, and we know that as a result of it we will be resurrected from the grave, and that those who walk in obedience to His commandments will be given the opportunity of going on to eternal exaltation.

There is a General Conference talk titled The Atonement and the Value of One Soul given by M. Russell Ballard in 2004. His talk references the sudden loss of his grandson, Nathan, in an airplane accident shortly after he was married. He said “The Savior’s precious birth, life, Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane, suffering on the cross, burial in Joseph’s tomb, and the glorious Resurrection all became a renewed reality for us. The Savior’s Resurrection assures all of us that someday we, too, will follow Him and experience our own resurrection. What peace, what comfort this great gift is which comes through the loving grace of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind. Because of Him we know we can be with Nathan.” For those of us who have lost loved ones, the atonement can offer us the same peace as apostles.
Brothers and Sisters, there is no greater expression of love than the Atonement. “Jesus Christ courageously fulfilled this sacrifice in ancient Jerusalem. There in the quiet isolation of the Garden of Gethsemane, He knelt among the gnarled olive trees, and in some incredible way that none of us can fully comprehend, the Savior took upon Himself the sins of the world.”

As a parent I cannot imagine the anguish Heavenly Father must have felt during the time Christ was suffering. Over the 4th of July my son Max fell into my parents brick entry way while we were lighting fireworks– he put his bottom two teeth through his lip and it was evident he would need medical attention. My gut reaction was to hold him, comfort him, and make the pain go away as quickly as possible. I held him tight the whole way to the hospital and while the doctor treated him. The wound had to be cleaned and the doctor and nurse opened the cut several times, each time making it bleed more and more. I wanted to shout “Stop! It’s clean, just sew it up so we can be done with it”, but I knew they were trained to treat these wounds, and to ensure it mended properly and didn’t get infected they had to open and close it several times. I love my son, I’m thankful I could hold him during his time of pain and discomfort. I’m certain Heavenly Father wanted to put his arms around his one, perfect son, to take the pain away – to make it stop. But because both Heavenly Father and Jesus love each one of us- he didn’t stop it.

M. Russell Ballard states – “Even though His life was pure and free of sin, He paid the ultimate penalty for sin, yours, mine, and everyone who has ever lived. His mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish were so great they caused Him to bleed from every pore. And yet Jesus suffered willingly so that we might all have the opportunity to be washed clean- through having faith in Him, repenting of sins, being baptized by proper priesthood authority, receiving the purifying gift of the Holy Ghost by confirmation, and accepting all other essential ordinances. Without the Atonement of the Lord, none of these blessings would be available to us, and we could not become worthy and prepared to return to dwell in the presence of God.

In the same conference talk he spoke of the beatings and agony the Savior experienced before his death – but he highlighted one critical point I’d like to address also. “No one had the power to take the Savior’s life from Him. He gave it as a ransom for us all. As the Son of God, he had the power to alter the situation. Yet the scriptures clearly state that he yielded Himself to scourging, humiliation, suffering, and finally crucifixion because of His great love towards the children of men.”

The Atonement was part of Heavenly Fathers plan for our salvation. “How grateful we should be that our Heavenly Father did not intercede but rather withheld his fatherly instinct to rescue His Beloved Son. “ Why did he do this? Simply because he loves us. You, me, each and every single one us. His love is divine and eternal. It is given freely, no matter our status or our choices.

In Mormon 7:7 we read – And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end. President Hinckley stated, “Of all the victories in human history, none is so great, none so universal in its effect none so everlasting in its consequences as the victory of the crucified Lord, who came forth in the resurrection that first Easter morning.”

In 1820 Joseph Smith saw the two heavenly beings – the first thing the Father said to him was “Joseph.” He called him by name – We are part of his family, he is the Father of our Spirits. He knows each of us. Doesn’t it make sense that if he knows each of us, and loves each of, that he would want each one of us to return to live with him?

In the conference talk I referenced earlier M. Russell Ballard states, “Brothers and sisters, I believe that if we could truly understand the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would realize how precious is one son or daughter of God. I believe our Heavenly Father’s everlasting purpose for His children is generally achieved by the small and simple things we do for one another. At the heart of the English word atonement is the word one. If all mankind understood this, there would never be anyone with whom we would not be concerned, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or social or economic standing. We would strive to emulate the Savior and would never be unkind, indifferent, disrespectful, or insensitive to others.

“If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them. We would do all that we can to help prepare them to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel.

“Brothers and Sisters, never, never underestimate how precious is the one. Remember always the simple admonition of the Lord: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ Always strive to live worthy of the sacred full blessings of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In 2nd Corinthians 9:15 we read- Thanks be to God for this unspeakable gift. President Hinckley may have said it best when he said, “Christmas means giving. The Father gave His son, and the Son gave His life. Without giving there is no true Christmas. Without sacrifice there is no true worship.”

I want each of you to know I have a testimony of the sacred Atonement - I appreciate a loving Heavenly Father who prepared a way for us to return to Him. I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves each of us. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.