Before Jesus Christ came into the world, Adam and Eve were commanded:

But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the time that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. (Abraham 5:13)

Adam and Eve did put forth their hands and partake of the “fruit of that tree” and man fell from immortality and the Garden of Eden into our mortal probation. In previous blogs I have discussed the Garden of Eden and roles of Adam and Eve in the lives of all who descended from them, which is every human being who has ever lived, is alive and will ever live on the face of this earth. It sufficeth me to say that Adam and Eve hold a place of honor, admiration and immense gratitude in my heart.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25)

Had Adam and Eve not made the choice they did we would not be here today. But because they did make that choice, all man born to the world from that point forward were caught forever in their sins because no Savior had yet been born to redeem them.

Enter Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, our Lord and Redeemer.

And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.

 

And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; (Abraham 3:23-24)

And that One who was like unto God was Jesus Christ. Two stepped forward after Heavenly Father presented His plan of salvation, one was chosen and one fell taking a large number of the hosts of heaven with him. (Revelations 12)

From that moment a sacrifice beyond compare was agreed to and Jesus Christ, under the explicit and loving direction of His Father in Heaven, was born into the world in the meridian of time. Thirty years passed before He took up the mantle of godhood and began preaching His Father’s Word.

At the culmination of His great mission where miracle upon miracle was performed, the great and precious truths which had been lost until He taught them again in the synagogues, homes, streets and hills of Israel. Those who had previously been cast aside, those who preached at the pulpit, those who fished in the waters of Galilee, those who carried water from the wells were all taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, His Father’s word.

Then on that night in Gethsemane when Jesus Christ first took upon the weight of all the sins, sorrows and illnesses of all the children of God, no matter where or when they lived it caused even God, the greatest of us all, to bleed from every pore. This painting by artist, Derek Hegsted, shows the moment of greatest despair in the Savior as His robe was drenched in blood and His physical body weakened by the ravages of sin.

Throughout the night as He lived up to His promise to His Father in Heaven and to each of us, wave upon wave of agony was poured out upon Him as He descended below the lowest of us all and paid the price for our redemption. Justice was satisfied and mercy magnified on that night so long ago in a garden of Israel.

Of this astounding and boundless act of godly love Andrew C. Skinner said:

The Atonement of Christ is so great in its effects and so far-reaching in its consequences that it easily qualifies as the most important occurrence in time or in all eternity. Nothing ever has or ever will surpass in its significance. Nothing is greater in the entire universe or in the history of created things than Christ’s Atonement. … “When the prophets speak of an infinite Atonement, they mean just that. Its effects cover all men, the earth itself and all forms of life thereon, and reach out into the endless expanses of eternity.” McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 64) (Andrew C. Skinner, Gethsemane, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2002 11)

This sacrifice beyond compare was, is and ever will be the single most critical and redeeming moment in the history of the children of God.

This article was originally published in February 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Candace

This is not always easy, especially for parents. Lehi, the first prophet we read of in the Book of Mormon, had, at the beginning of the book, four sons. The two oldest were not truly converted to the gospel. When they had to leave Jerusalem because God had instructed Lehi to do so, they complained. They tormented their faithful younger brothers, even to the point of attempted murder. Can you imagine the sorrow Lehi and his wife, Sariah, faced as they watched their sons consistently make poor spiritual choices?

These parents never gave up on their children. They taught, counseled, set a good example, and prayed. In the end, however, Laman and Lemuel, the two oldest sons, had to decide for themselves what to believe and how to live. Lehi and Sariah didn’t give up on their children, and God didn’t give up on the parents.

In 1 Nephi 7, we learn that Laman and Lemuel, along with other members of the party, are complaining about the journey in the wilderness to the new homeland chosen for them by God. Nephi chastises them and tries to remind them of God’s teachings. In verses 16-18, we see that the older brothers don’t take correction well, especially from a younger sibling:

16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

 

17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

 

18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

Soon after this traumatic family crisis, Lehi was given a vision from God. While the content might not have been exactly what he’d hoped for, it taught him an important gospel principle concerning his rebellious sons and helped him to understand he was not responsible for their decisions, having done all he could do for them. In this well-known vision, Lehi sees a man in a white robe who summons Lehi to follow him. He is taken to a field:

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

 

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

 

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

When Lehi looks for his family, he finds his wife, Sariah, and his two valiant sons, Nephi and Sam. He calls them to join him, which they promptly do, and take their share of the fruit. However, Laman and Lemuel refuse to join the rest of the family. They have no desire to enjoy the fruit, which represents the love of God.

When Lehi tells his family of this vision, he shares the sad lesson he has learned. “And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved. But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.”

He came to understand, through this vision, that accepting God’s love into your life and doing whatever is needed to enjoy the blessings that come from this is a choice. It’s a choice each of us must make for ourselves. We can invite others to partake and we can encourage, plead, and pray, but each person has agency and must choose for herself whether or not to accept the gospel, Heavenly Father, and the Savior as the center of our world. Those who accept will receive blessings beyond measure for eternity. Those who don’t often struggle through life without that guidance, and must cope with the consequences of what comes in the eternities.

We have agency, but it’s our responsibility to use it wisely and with an eye toward eternity.

This post was originally published in May 2008. Minor revisions have been made.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

When he was still a teenager, Nephi, the first prophet whose writings we have in the Book of Mormon, was given a vision of the Savior. In 1 Nephi 11:14-21 we read of the birth of the Savior, as seen by young Nephi in the vision:

14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?

 

15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

 

16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

 

17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

 

18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

 

19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

 

20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

 

21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!

Latter-day Saints know Jesus is the literal son of both Mary and Heavenly Father. His birth was indeed a divine miracle. Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“Just as Jesus is literally the Son of Mary, so he is the personal and literal offspring of God the Eternal Father, who himself is an exalted personage having a tangible body of flesh and bones” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:82).

Joseph, a faithful and humble man, was chosen by God to carry out the earthly duties of a father for Jesus: caring for Jesus, teaching Him, and helping Mary to prepare Him for His future mission. He was, essentially, an adoptive father, not the literal, physical father of Jesus.

While there are those who seek to remove the divinity behind the Savior’s birth, we know that to remove the divinity of His birth would also remove the divinity of His life. His mission on earth, to redeem us all, could only be possible if His birth had happened the way the scriptures say they happened—through divine and sacred miracles.

Jesus, like every man who ever lived, must have a father—and that father was God Himself, providing the divinity that made possible the things that Jesus did during His lifetime. While all of us are literal children of God, only Jesus was begotten, with no other father but God. It is because of this, because God was willing to allow His Only Begotten Son to endure the extraordinary trials of the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross, that we can return home and live forever, possibly even in the direct presence of God.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

This article was originally published in May 2008. Minor changes (and additions) have been made for timeliness and clarity.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Let’s look at what the Savior did when He saw the multitude in this account. He noticed their hunger and asked His disciples how their needs could be filled. He asked if there were traditional or expected solutions to the problem, partly to recognize this as a first step and partly to make sure those around Him acknowledged the absence of normal means to solve the problem. When there was not a way for the crowd to feed themselves, He provided divine intervention. He took what seemed a meager offering and fed the five thousand. When it was done, He gathered what was left so that nothing would be lost. There was an abundance left over to gather.

There are two lessons here for the disciple.

The first is the role of the Savior in our lives. He sees our needs. He asks us to look for the normal and reasonable ways to help ourselves, but He doesn’t leave us alone when these options prove insufficient. At that point, His divine intervention is always available. He takes the little we have to offer and turns it into more than enough to fill our needs. His grace and love is unlimited. There will always be more than enough. He’ll never run out of ability and ways to help us if we offer up our part and accept His offering in return. He has more than 5000 ways to succor up His disciples.

The second is our role in following His example. Because we serve and follow Him, our priority is helping and serving our fellow man in His name. We follow the same pattern as the Savior. First, we notice others more than ourselves. Second, we look for normal and available means of helping the person or allowing them to help themselves. When this is not an option, we take our meager offering, the little bit we can do for them, and offer it to the Lord to magnify. Then, there will be more than enough for all. Lastly, we notice what has been accomplished and gather those blessings to us so that nothing is lost and we are sustained until the next time we can be of service.

Just as the Savior’s capacity to love and serve us knows no bounds, this is the attitude we are trying to develop. Start a service record or journal. How long will it take you to provide 5000 acts of service, and what do you think will be left when you and those you associate with have been filled?

Perhaps more importantly, how long will it take before you’ve recorded 5000 ways the Savior has blessed you?

This article was originally published in May 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Alison P

The last single adult to speak began his talk with the powerful New Testament scripture,

“Then said Jesus, Father, Forgive them; for they know not what they do…” Luke 23:34

As I heard these words, my mind immediately conjured up the scene where those words were spoken. I saw the Savior of the world hanging in agony upon a Roman cross. He had recently suffered incomprehensible pain and anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane as He took upon Himself the sins of the world. He had then been betrayed by one of His closest friends for a mere 30 pieces of silver. He was delivered into the hands of those who considered Him their enemy. Here He was mocked, threatened, beaten, and spit upon. Then He was delivered to another to be scourged, mocked some more, and sentenced to death. And having gone through all this, and more, He was still able to utter those pleading words to His father.

I then thought of the many times in my life and in the lives of my close friends and family when someone has hurt one of us deeply. I thought of my dear friend, who is like a sister to me, sobbing in pain over the seeming betrayal of the man she had begun to love and a girl she had considered a close friend. I thought of my older brother silently suffering because of the petty meanness of a girl he had almost married. I thought of the countless times I have been hurt inside by the thoughtless things people say to me about my single status.

The pain caused by the actions of others toward us is real, just as the pain Christ experienced those last many hours of His earthly life were real. Yet what good comes from holding onto that pain? None. All that comes from hoarding that pain and withholding forgiveness is pain that festers inside of us and blackens our lives. However, even knowing this, it still seems next to impossible at times to grant forgiveness to those who have harmed us.

I was taught once by a fellow missionary that the Atonement grants us the power to forgive. As I think of what Christ endured and what He was did in uttering those words of forgiveness at the end of His mortal life, I know that what the young missionary taught me is indeed true. I can forgive. Christ showed me how.

“…Father, Forgive them; for they know not what they do…” Luke 23:34

Those words spoke of understanding, forgiveness, closure, peace, and love — all of which can be ours if we are willing to follow the example of our Savior and make what He has done the standard in our dealings with others.

Julia G

All of us have sinned at least once in our lives, even if we did it in ignorance. Many children are taught incorrect truths as they grow up: swearing, hatred, intolerance, etc. I have known such sweet and innocent children, and even teens and adults, who have come to think evil things to be good, because that’s what they have been taught. Christ took every one of those sins upon Himself. But this is not all.

There are those out in the world who know what the laws of God are, and knowingly break those laws. At some point in their lives, they have been taught what is right or have felt the promptings of the Holy Spirit telling them what they are doing is wrong and have ignored those feelings. Even to the most vile sinners has the Lord offered the chance to be cleansed, by taking upon Him those sins, fully experiencing what they experienced and knowing why they did what they did. But this is not all.

“In Gethsemane Jesus took the full force of God’s overwhelming and retributory punishment. Justice demanded it, and we, who are sinners, deserve it. According to the rules framing the universe, the full consequences of transgressed laws cannot be dismissed or overlooked. They must be borne by someone – the sinner or the substitute. Jesus was that substitute for all of us who will allow him to be so” (Andrew C. Skinner, Gethsemane, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.51).

In other words, when we sin, justice demands a punishment. If we do not repent, we must face the punishment ourselves. However, if we become remorseful, and truly repent of the sin(s) committed, Christ’s suffering in the Garden will be enough to erase the sin. He has already endured the punishment for us. But this is not all.

In the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Christ, we are taught a new truth concerning what the Savior took upon Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. These words come from a prophet by the name of Alma, who lived in the Americas around 80 BC.

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 

“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11-12).

Christ took upon Himself our infirmities. What does this tell us? It means that He knows what it’s like to have cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis, autism, depression, and myriads of other illnesses and diseases we are sometimes asked to endure to bring us a little closer to Him. Not only this, but He understands our pains. He knows what it’s like when we lose a loved one to death, to watch someone suffer needlessly and feel unable to help, to be tempted to the point of aching to give in. He knows and understands everything we will ever go through, whether it’s what God the Father places on our shoulders to endure, what we will bring upon ourselves through incorrect choices, or simply just the trials associated with mortality. He knows. Surely all of this should be enough for us to be spiritually saved, but even this is not all.

There came a point in those awful hours, when He had gone through so much already even to the point of having an angel there to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43), when one more thing had to happen for the Atonement to truly be complete. The Spirit of God was removed from Him. Think for a moment about how terrifying and horrible this must have been to someone who had never been without the light of God the Father in His entire life. In that moment of spiritual darkness, He became subject to the fullness of Satan’s wrath.

Boyd K. Packer, a late apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said:

“He, by choice, accepted the penalty for all mankind for the sum total of all wickedness and depravity….In choosing, He faced all the awesome power of the evil one who was not confined to the flesh, nor subject to mortal pain. That was Gethsemane” (Boyd K. Packer, “Atonement, Agency, Accountability“, Ensign, May 1988).

It was then, divided from the light of His Father, enduring everything we choose and are asked to go through, subject to the worst Satan could inflict, that Christ began to bleed from every pore (Luke 22:44). What did Christ do in this awful moment? He began to pray more earnestly. This man, who knew more about prayer than anyone on Earth could ever hope to understand, prayed even harder.

At last it was done. Can there have been a more achingly glorious sight, unless it be the Resurrected Christ, than the picture of Him rising to His feet. Shaking, drenched in sweat and blood, He arose victorious! How the angels in Heaven must have cried out in joy! I would imagine the most comforting words to Jesus must have come from His Father. “Soon,” He might have said, “you will have rest. Just a little while longer, and we will be together again.”

Christ did all of this for us and for His Father. In taking upon Himself everything, justice has been satisfied. We can repent and become clean again. The light of God can be a constant in our lives. All of these blessing and more, because our Elder Brother descended far below us all.

All of this because He loves us.

This post was originally published in 2013. Minor changes have been made.

Laurie W

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS” (Luke 1: 30-31).

The name “JESUS” is supremely significant. Because the Hebrew name from which it derives means “deliverance” or “I know that Jesus is Jehovah.” Why? Well, first and foremost, because He said so:

Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8: 56-58).

Once of Humble Birth

Born of humble birth to Mary, Jesus of Nazareth is also the great “I AM.” (Exodus 3: 13-14) He was who appeared to Moses and directed that prophet to deliver the children of Israel from pharaoh’s bondage. In 1830, the truth of Christ’s pre-mortal identity was further reinforced as the resurrected Lord appeared to Joseph, His prophet of the “restitution” (Acts 3:18-21):

“Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins; Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer” (D&C 29: 1, 2).

Six years later, in 1836, the prophet Joseph recorded this additional witness of the Savior’s premortal identity:

“The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110: 1-4).

Jesus Christ and the rich young ruler.

Jehovah

In harmony with the truth that Jesus Christ is Jehovah, the prophet Isaiah records that the death and resurrection of the “LORD JEHOVAH” would bring about resurrection for all:

“Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: . . . Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead” (Isaiah 26: 4, 19).

It is important that we come to know the pre-mortal identity of Jesus as Creator of heaven and earth. (John 1: 3, 9) And as Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament.  Yet, it is even more important for covenant Christians to “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” (Matt. 6: 33)  it is of highest priority that we follow Him and heed His precious message of salvation:

 
Alpha and Omega

“Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; The same which knoweth all things, for all things are present before mine eyes; I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me. . . .

I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father . . . [and] the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; . . . I have made the earth rich, and behold it is my footstool, wherefore, again I will stand upon it. . . .

Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a free people, and ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come, for I am your lawgiver, . . . And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practice virtue and holiness before me. . . .

Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land. . . . I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, . . . for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them” (D&C 38: 1-4, 8, 17, 22-24, 29-30, 33).

Redeemer

While some see Jesus as just another wise man, or as one among many prophets.  In contrast, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reverence Jesus as the Christ.  He is the only begotten Son of God, the Prince of Peace, our Savior and Redeemer, even Alpha and Omega. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings who will come a second time to rule and reign on this earth; He is the Mortal Messiah slain for the sins of the world; Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament, the LORD JEHOVAH.

Matt M

No, seriously. I really did. I was fascinated by the power of words. And at one point when I was in junior high, my quiet goal was to read every word in the dictionary I owned.

I’m here to tell you that I didn’t achieve that far-reaching goal. But I did gain a love of the printed word. And guess where that love has benefitted me the most? That’s right — in my scripture study.

I can’t tell you how many times while reading the scriptures that the Spirit of the Lord will prompt me with a quiet impression to look up the meaning of a word. It usually is a word I’ve just barely read.

Originally, when these subtle thoughts came to mind, I’d respond with, “But I already KNOW that meaning!” (Yes, okay, that’s a bit prideful — I’ll admit it — but at least I’m honest!)

But the Spirit of God can work with anyone if they’re willing to hearken. And eventually I became more amenable and willing. And as I followed the subtle promptings of the Spirit of God, an entirely new and richer world of understanding opened to my mind.

For example, one time I was reading in the scriptures about the Lord desiring a peculiar people. Now, in today’s vernacular it’s not real “cool” to be peculiar. So at first blush, being peculiar didn’t seem desirable. I mused on this and an impression came to my mind to look up the term in the dictionary. So I did.

That’s when I learned the other definitions of the word “peculiar.” To be peculiar means to be uncommon, unusual, and distinctive in character. It also means to belong exclusively to a particular person or thing.

I began to catch a much deeper understanding of why the Lord would have a peculiar people. He desires a people that belong to him and that are uncommon and distinctive in character. This is a good thing. I could now see much better and understand much better what the Lord’s prophet was attempting to teach through his record in the scriptures!

All because I used the dictionary to help me in my scripture study! If you’d like to try it, simply click here to begin your study of the scriptures.

Cindy B

Satan’s sole purpose in his life is to make everyone as miserable as he is, and the best way to do this is to battle truth. If he can turn people away from God, the Savior, and the saving doctrines, he can make people miserable and win his battle. He has a variety of methods he employs in this battle. Knowing some of them can help us protect ourselves from him. The Book of Mormon suggests several of these methods for us to evaluate and prepare to fight.

For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good. (2 Nephi 28:20)

Sometimes when I ask people visiting my church why they came, they tell me they attended some classes on “witnessing” to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes nicknamed Mormons) and were taken aback by the rage against our church expressed in those classes. They decided to come and see for themselves if the classes were telling the truth. They felt the church, to inspire such rage, must be truly evil or be so true Satan was afraid of it and trying to keep people away. Often those people convert after visiting a while and realizing the church had been unintentionally misrepresented, which led to a desire to find out for themselves what was true.

In the political field, we see great rage against those who choose to obey God instead of man. They are labeled bigots, old-fashioned, out of touch… anything that might embarrass them into “conforming.” True Christians understand that truth is truth and God’s truth matters more than the fleeting views of a self-centered world.

21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. (2 Nephi 28:21)

Some people don’t need rage to lead them away. All they need to do is put on what is sometimes called rose-colored glasses. They go to church and then wander through their week, not doing anything to help themselves or others. They may see attacks on truth and on God, but trust everything will just go away on its own or won’t really cause any trouble. They tune out the need for good people to work incessantly until the battle is won. When those who know the truth do nothing, Satan wins, and, as this scripture points out, he can win us as well. We can be led carefully away, without even seeing it happen, simply because we aren’t paying attention.

We often focus more on the “Do Not” commandments than on the “Do” commandments. As we read the scriptures, we should note that there are things we are not to do, but there are many things the scriptures instruct us to do. When we neglect those, Satan gains an opening into our lives.

We can’t let those who oppose morality and truth do all the talking if we want God to win the battle for souls.

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. (2 Nephi 28:22)

“Don’t let Satan string you along” —New Era’s October 2010 Mormonad

This particular method seems to be one of Satan’s favorites today. We live in an atmosphere in which self-centeredness is celebrated. We’re told to do whatever we want and expect others to accept and applaud. Whether it involves turning God’s established family patterns upside down, leaving children to explore a world of freedom, or enjoying our favorite sin, many people give no thought to accountability. When we convince people that nothing is really wrong, that God won’t hold them accountable for things the scriptures clearly state are wrong, we let Satan win. After all, if we don’t believe there is consequence nor punishment for sin, most of us won’t bother to avoid it.

I find this verse’s use of the word flattereth interesting. Satan flatters people by saying there is no sin. I’ve heard people (typically people with no faith in God) state there is no higher power than themselves—a scary thought when applied to anyone but God—and I think this might be what the scripture refers to. When we believe we get to make all the rules for our lives without taking into consideration God, our families, or anyone else, we make ourselves the highest authority. That is flattery, and a powerful tool for Satan to employ.

These verses outlined three methods used by Satan to win his battle against us: getting us furiously angry at righteousness, causing us to ignore the evil around us, and convincing us there is no sin. If we stay alert, we can avoid getting caught up in these traps and stay safe.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the supreme act of goodness and grace that only a god could perform. Through it, all of the terms and conditions of the Father’s eternal plan of salvation became operative.

Through it are brought to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Through it, all men are saved from death, hell, the devil, and endless torment. — Bruce R. McConkie, “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” Ensign, May 1985,

The resurrected Jesus Christ finds Mary at the tomb.

The best book I’ve read about this momentous event in the history of Heavenly Father’s children was Tad Callister’s “The Infinite Atonement”.

Several years ago I was drowsing in my bed on an early Sunday morning. As I dozed in and out I was suddenly brought to complete awareness when these thoughts on the Atonement poured into my head.

The overriding principle of the Atonement is an all encompassing, never ending love. The story is quite familiar to all, Heavenly Father granted unto mankind the life of His only begotten Son. This Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah of all creation, was diligent in His constancy in obeying the commandments of His Heavenly Father and lived His live in an exemplary and perfect way.

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Savior knelt pleading with Heavenly Father to release Him from this burden, but bowing in all humility said, “Thy will, not mine, be done.” As he suffered for the sins of countless worlds, Jesus Christ bled from every pore, His very spirit shaking and trembling with the load of sin, pain, illness, weakness and wickedness. For this very pure spirit, this very God of the world, was touched by wickedness weighing His spirit down for the very first time. There are no words in any language on earth to describe the pain our Savior suffered.

The Atonement is for those who weep and sorrow, it is for those who sin, it is for those stricken with illness, it is for pain, it is for all who carry burdens seemingly too difficult to bear. The Savior stands in the heavens, at the side of each child of God who offers a broken heart and contrite spirit. While He cannot personally be with every person, his emissaries are. Each of us is granted ministering angels which provide comfort, love, support, guidance, and protection throughout our lives. President James E. Faust said:

I would like to say a word about the ministering of angels. In ancient and modern times angels have appeared and given instruction, warnings, and direction, which benefited the people they visited. We do not consciously realize the extent to which ministering angels affect our lives.

 

President Joseph F. Smith said, “In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.”

 

Angels tell Mary that Jesus is risen.

Many of us feel that we have had this experience. Their ministry has been and is an important part of the gospel. Angels ministered to Joseph Smith as he reestablished the gospel in its fullness.

In meetings of import, we are not left alone. On the fields of competition we are not left alone. In the halls of governments, we are not left alone. We have only to ask in humility and gratefulness and the heavens will be opened unto us and blessings, inspirations and love will pour out. This does not guarantee success in all endeavors, but guarantees that we will handle trials, obstacles, and failures more efficiently and with more strength.

Prior to the Atonement, mankind was trapped in their sins and in a state that prohibited them from ever gaining the presence of the Father again. Adam and Eve had to fall that man could be . . . Jesus Christ had to pay the price, both in Gethsemane and on Golgotha, so that we could fulfill the measure of our creations, eternal life.

Candace