Proven Strategies on How to be a Better Parent - One of our Highest Responsibilities

 Think about how the world provides unlimited ways we can spend our time. But our relationship to God and the time we spend for our families are really our highest priorities. My prayer today is that Spirit of the Lord can be with each of us, so He can teach us how the Lord can help us with this.

When President Hickley was the prophet, they did a First Presidency letter teaching us that even though other activities might be good, we need to be more intentional on making time to help our families live the gospel.

They said: We call upon parents to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles. We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace our divinely-appointed duties.

So if we want to find lasting joy, the Lord is asking for our Best efforts, highest priority, and not permitting other things to displace the duties of families.

In our recent General Conference, our prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks talked about how

family-centered the gospel of Jesus Christ is. His talk is filled with counsel and the teachings that Jesus Christ is giving to us as parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, and other family members. We live in the information age with more parenting advice, blogs, and podcasts than you could absorb in a year. Instead, ask yourself, what steps can I take to get my parenting advice from the Savior?

 President Dallin H. Oaks, The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ

As the Lord teaches us in Isaiah,

Seek ye the Lord For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.

For example, one of the concerns that President Oaks mentioned is that in today’s society, parents have less influence on their children: QUOTE:

In today’s urban society, few members experience consistent family-centered activities. Urban living and modern transportation, organized entertainment, and high-speed communication have made it easy for youth to treat their homes as boardinghouses, where there is far less parental direction of their activities.

As parental influences diminish, Latter-day Saints still have a God-given responsibility to teach their children.

I have a personal testimony that Heavenly Father is anxious to send promptings on how we spend our time or how to help a child who is struggling because the Lord’s ways are higher. Here is one example of how God’s ways are higher than man’s ways.

One way the Lord helps us become better parents is through the counsel we receive in General Conference. I invite each of us to prayerfully study Pres. Oaks recent talk. For example, he taught:

Parents, single or married—and others, like grandparents, who fill that role for children—are the master teachers. The family circle is the ideal place to demonstrate and learn eternal values, and other essential lessons of life.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is our ultimate role model. We will be blessed if we model our lives after His teachings and self-sacrifice. Following Christ and giving ourselves in service to one another is the best remedy for the selfishness and individualism that now seem to be so common.

Some may say, “But we have no time for any of that.” To find time to do what is truly worthwhile, many parents will find that they can turn their family on if they all turn their technologies off. And parents, remember, what those children really want for dinner is time with you.

President Oaks continues: Great blessings come to families if they pray together, kneeling night and morning to offer thanks for blessings and to pray over common concerns. Families are also blessed as they worship together in Church services and in other devotional settings. Family bonds are also strengthened by family stories, creating family traditions, and sharing sacred experiences.

For most years, my New Year’s goals revolved around being a better parent. There is a magic bullet for this.

Two of the biggest challenges parents face in raising children is first knowing how to effectively teach our children, including having our children follow our counsel, and second is helping our children treat each other with more kindness. One of my favorite parenting quotes that solves these 2 challenges isn’t found on a typical parenting blog. Rather, parts of it have been quoted in General Conference at least 7 times which to me is a witness of how true it is. It promises us that if we read the Book of Mormon, there will be less contention and our children will listen to our counsel.

I first heard it in 1986 when our prophet, President Benson, quoted Pres. Marion G. Romney
who said:

            I counsel you to make reading in the Book of Mormon a few minutes each day a lifelong practice....I feel certain that if parents will read from the Book of Mormon regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein.  The spirit of contention will depart.  Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom.  Children will be more responsive and submissive to that counsel.  Righteousness will increase.  Faith, hope and charity-the pure love of Christ-will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy and happiness.

                                                            (Marion G. Romney, Gen. Conf. Apr. 1960 and 1980)

So your magic bullet for parenting is read the Book of Mormon.

Multiple recent prophets have made great promises that come from reading the B of M daily.

Another way we could improve our parenting is to read the Book of Mormon with a focus on “How could these verses apply to parenting? Let me share two examples that impacted my parenting.

The first was when the Lord asked Nephi to build a boat. Nephi said that rather than building it after the manner of men, he went to the mount often and prayed to know how to build the boat. I think righteous parenting can be more challenging than building a boat, but the Lord can inspire us on what a particular child needs at a certain time.

1 Nephi 18 Nephi said “And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. Now I, Nephi, did not wok the timbers after the manner which was learned by men. And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.” I learned that if I pray oft, the Lord would show me how to parent in a better way.

The second Book of Mormon story that impacted my parenting came from an example of

“Good verses better or best.” When Alma the Younger was serving as both the chief judge and the high priest over the church, the people of the church "began to wax proud" because of their great riches and fine apparel. Their pride was a major hindrance to the Church. Alma felt the best way he could help was to make more time to try the power of the word of God and bear "pure testimony."

So in Alma chapter 4  Alma gave up being chief judge, QUOTE “And this he did that he himself might go forth among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them.” So, I try to continually pray and humbly ask the Lord what I need to give up to make my family my highest priority.

As President Oaks said, “Some may say, “But we have no time for things like family prayer & scriptures or other things the Lord might prompt us to do, but I learned that when I prayed often to know where to spend my time, I would get quiet promptings that became a great blessing to my family.

Pres. Nelson said a similar thing several times: He said If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large & small.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives?lang=eng

In this last conference, Sister Browning taught how parents could use primary songs to teach our children the doctrine of Jesus Christ. ?

President Dallin H. Oaks once taught that “the singing of hymns is one of the best ways to learn the doctrine of the restored gospel.” Those words are true for all of us but are especially so for children. Primary music is one of God’s most tender tools for planting the seeds of testimony in the hearts of the Savior’s youngest disciples. Parents,

A prophet of the Lord, President Russell M. Nelson, taught: “[Music] can exert a continuing influence for good well beyond times when children are small. … [It] has [the] power to provide spiritual nourishment. It has healing power. It has [the] power to facilitate worship; it allows us to contemplate the [Savior’s] Atonement and the Restoration of the gospel with its saving principles and exalting ordinances. Music provides power for us to express prayerful thoughts and bear testimony of sacred truths.”

Some of us make the time to create playlists of music we enjoy. Could we strengthen our family’s testimonies by creating Playlists so they learn the newer primary songs that so beautifully teach the doctrine of Jesus Christ: Like the beautiful song, “Gethsemane” or these lyrics from ” I Will Walk With Jesus,”

I will trust in Jesus. I will hear His call.

He will never leave me, even when I fall.

Jesus gives me power, lifts and comforts me,

Helping me to live and grow eternally.

Chorus: As I walk with Jesus to my home above,

He will bless me with His Spirit and fill me with His love,

Change my heart forever and help me clearly see.

I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me.

Parenting in today’s world feels a lot like trying to build a boat for the first time, but I have seen many times in my personal life and bear witness that the Lord is anxious to open the windows of heaven and pour down blessings on our families when we make time to prayerfully ask for His help.

I am especially grateful for a testimony the through the atonement of our Savior we can receive the strength and help to do things beyond our own ability. “I feel my Savior’s love, and I am grateful that His gentleness enfolds me.”

How Jesus Christ Can Help Me Find Peace in My Life When the World Has So Much Hatred

 

When Jesus Christ visited the America’s after His resurrection, he taught these truths about peace:

3 Nephi 22:10 & Isaiah 54:

For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

3 Nephi 22:13

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

 

Other teachings about finding peace:

1 Nephi 20:18 & Isaiah 48:18

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments —then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.

 

1 Nephi 20:22 and Isaiah 48:22

And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also, there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

 

Mosiah 15:17-18

17. And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!

18. And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people;

 

Alma 7:27

And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus I have spoken. Amen.

 

Mosiah 29:10

And now let us be wise and look forward to these things, and do that which will make for the peace of this people.

 

Helaman 5:47

Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.

 

Jacob 7:23

And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was restored again among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked man.

 

Alma 24:19

And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

 

Mosiah 27:4

That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support.

Through our Trials, the Lord Deepens our Understanding of How the Atonement of Jesus Christ Strengthens Us and Changes Us

Elder Bednar teaches that the deepest power in the scriptures (Reservoir of Living Water) is when we look for “connections, patterns, and themes.” Here are my notes that I review regularly to remind myself that the Lord “customizes our curriculum” (Elder Maxwell), so we can find Him in a way we wouldn’t otherwise.

 In my notes, I bold the parts that I feel help me see the theme, so sometimes I just read the bolded phrases:

  

The Grace of Jesus Christ & the Strength of the Lord - All based on the Atonement of Jesus Christ

• Theme: Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he can ease our burdens by strengthening us.
• Theme: When we know the strength of the Lord is the only reason we made it, we will know of a surety the Lord helps his people and that he is the only reason we can perform miracles.
• Theme: The Lord gives us weakness and trials, so we have to be humble and rely on His atonement.

 

BURDENS: Mosiah 24:14-15 I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. ...Yea the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

 

THORNS 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

 

Job 1:21-22: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. [Theron taught me that Job is thanking the Lord for his trials.]

 

Mosiah 3:19: and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, …willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

 

WEAKNESS Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

 

BURDENS: Alma 33:23 Plant this word in your hearts...nourish it by your faith...And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his son. And even all this can ye do if ye will.

 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

2 Corinthians 4:8–10, 17 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

 

Jacob 4:6-7 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and have the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea. Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

 

Elder Kearon: "1 Peter 4:12–13. Think of those surprises and think of the shocks we are dealt: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice [what a word to use in that context], inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

 

1 Ne. 17:12-13 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;  And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.

 

1 Ne 1:20 I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty, even unto the power of deliverance.

 

1 Ne 3:7 For I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they many accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Francis Webster “Not one of that company ever apostatized or left the Church, because everyone of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.”

 

Elder Patrick Kearon: https://speeches.byuh.edu/commencements/give-me-a-light-that-i-may-tread-safely-into-the-unknown

I would like to share some words written by the poet Minnie Louise Haskins:

“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’
And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day." [1]

What does it mean that Jesus Christ is our Advocate, Mediator, and Intercessor

 Of all these verses below, I love these two that show that not only does Christ advocate to have our sins remitted, He also advocates to bring us blessings to help us with our challenges in life:

Elder Ronald A. Rasband, ““Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up,” Oct 2024

The Savior is not absent from our mortal journeys. Time and again, with His pure love and mercy, He sustains us as we face the drama of life. Nephi describes: “My God hath been my support; he hath led me though mine afflictions. … He hath filled me with his love.”

Elder Patrick Kearon, “Welcome to the Church of Joy,” Oct. 2024

The glorious focal point of our services is the blessing and receiving of the sacrament itself, the bread and the water representing the atoning gift of our Lord and the whole purpose of our gathering. This is “a sacred time of spiritual renewal.”

We may have been conditioned to suppose that the purpose of the sacrament is to sit in the pew thinking only about all the ways we messed up during the week before. But let’s turn that practice on its head. In the stillness, we can ponder the many ways we have seen the Lord relentlessly pursue us with His wonderful love that week! We can reflect on what it means to “discover the joy of daily repentance.” We can give thanks for the times the Saviour entered into our struggles and our triumphs and the occasions when we felt His grace, forgiveness, and power giving us strength to overcome our hardships and bear our burdens with patience and even good cheer.

Doctrine and Covenants 32:3

I myself will go with them and be in their midst; and I am their advocate with the Father, and nothing shall prevail against them.

Moroni 7:26–29

28 wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.

29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.

As Elder Rasband taught:

Elder Ronald A. Rasband, ““Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up,” Oct 2024

The Savior is not absent from our mortal journeys. Time and again, with His pure love and mercy, He sustains us as we face the drama of life. Nephi describes: “My God hath been my support; he hath led me though mine afflictions. … He hath filled me with his love.”

1 Timothy 2:5–6

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

 

Hebrews 7:25

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

Hebrews 9:2-24-26

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

John 14:5–6

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5

3 Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—

4 Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

5 Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 29:5

Doctrine and Covenants

5 Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 32:3

Interesting to note that with Christ as our advocate with the Father, nothing shall prevail against us now and he will plead for mercy in the judgement day.

3 And Ziba Peterson also shall go with them; and I myself will go with them and be in their midst; and I am their advocate with the Father, and nothing shall prevail against them.

 

Moroni 7:26–29

26 Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.

27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.

29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.

 

Mosiah 15:8–9

Book of Mormon

8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—

9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

 

2 Nephi 2:9–10

Book of Mormon

9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. 

 

Dale G. Renlund, Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny, 2022–A:

As often as we repent and seek forgiveness with real intent, we can be forgiven.^{29[See  Mosiah 26:29–30  Moroni 6:8  Doctrine and Covenants 58:42–43]} What a remarkable gift from our Savior, Jesus Christ!^{30 [See  Moroni 7:27–28] Remarkably, our Judge is also our Advocate.}

 

M. Russell Ballard, Hope in Christ, 2021–April

Fifth, our confidence in these assurances is rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ, by whose grace all things pertaining to mortality are set right.^{16[See  Alma 7:11–13]} All promised blessings are made possible through Him, who, by His Atonement, “descended below all things”^{17[ Doctrine and Covenants 88:6]} and has “overcome the world.”^{18[ John 16:33 see also  Doctrine and Covenants 19:3]} He “hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men … ; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men.”^{19[ Moroni 7:27–28]} 

 

Dale G. Renlund, Choose You This Day, 2018–Oct.

In Jesus Christ, “we have an advocate with the Father.”^{7  1 John 2:1 see also Joseph Smith Translation, 1 John 2:1 (in 1 John 2:1, footnote a).]} After completing His atoning sacrifice, Jesus “ascended into heaven … to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men.” And, having claimed the rights of mercy, “he advocateth the cause of the children of men.”^{8  Moroni 7:27–28}

Christ’s advocacy with the Father in our behalf is not adversarial. Jesus Christ, who allowed His will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father,^{9 [See Mosiah 15:7} would not champion anything other than what the Father has wanted all along. Heavenly Father undoubtedly cheers for and applauds our successes.

Christ’s advocacy is, at least in part, to remind us that He has paid for our sins and that no one is excluded from the reach of God’s mercy.^{10 [See 1 John 2:2} For those who believe in Jesus Christ, repent, are baptized, and endure to the end—a process that leads to reconciliation^{11 [See  2 Corinthians 5:16–21  Colossians 1:19–23  2 Nephi 10:24}—the Savior forgives, heals, and advocates. He is our helper, consoler, and intercessor—attesting to and vouching for our reconciliation with God.¹²  [The Greek word for advocate (paraklētŏs) means intercessor, helper, comforter, or consoler (see  1 John 2:1 footnote b; ^{The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible [1984], Greek dictionary section, 55;  2 Nephi 10:23–25  Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5}

Jesus Christ's Atonement Purifies Us by Strengthening Us to Overcome Sin

 In our family gospel study time, we often discuss what the atonement of Jesus Christ looks like in our life. When we say we are purified by His atonement, I usually thought about being forgiven of my sins. But we are also purified because He strengthens us and gives us gifts of charity, faith, meekness, humility, etc.

Moroni 10:32-33 - Book of Mormon

 32 Yea, ^acome unto Christ, and be ^bperfected in him, and ^cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and ^dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be ^eperfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye ^asanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the ^bblood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your ^csins, that ye become ^dholy, without spot.

 Jacob 4:6-7 - Book of Mormon

“Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things” (Jacob 4:6–7).

Elder Bruce C. Hafen, “The Atonement: All for All”, Ensign May 2004

One early Australian convert said: “My past life [was] a wilderness of weeds, with hardly a flower Strewed among them. [But] now the weeds have vanished, and flowers Spring up in their place.”⁸

We grow in two ways—removing negative weeds and cultivating positive flowers. The Savior’s grace blesses both parts—if we do our part. First and repeatedly we must uproot the weeds of sin and bad choices. It isn’t enough just to mow the weeds. Yank them out by the roots, repenting fully to satisfy the conditions of mercy. But being forgiven is only part of our growth. We are not just paying a debt. Our purpose is to become celestial beings. So once we’ve cleared our heartland, we must continually plant, weed, and nourish the seeds of divine qualities. And then as our sweat and discipline stretch us to meet His gifts, “the flow’rs of grace appear,”⁹ like hope and meekness. Even a tree of life can take root in this heart-garden, bearing fruit so sweet that it lightens all our burdens “through the joy of his Son.”¹⁰ And when the flower of charity blooms here, we will love others with the power of Christ’s own love.¹¹

We need grace both to overcome sinful weeds and to grow divine flowers. We can do neither one fully by ourselves. But grace is not cheap. It is very expensive, even very dear. How much does this grace cost? Is it enough simply to believe in Christ? The man who found the pearl of great price gave “all that he had”¹² for it. If we desire “all that [the] Father hath,”¹³ God asks all that we have. To qualify for such exquisite treasure, in whatever way is ours, we must give the way Christ gave—every drop He had: “How exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.”¹⁴ Paul said, “If so be that we suffer with him,” we are “joint-heirs with Christ.”¹⁵ All of His heart, all of our hearts.

 

The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality - Elder Bednar

King Benjamin teaches about the journey of mortality and the role of the Atonement in navigating successfully that journey: “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 3:19; emphasis added). We can increase our capacity to overcome the desires of the flesh and temptations “through the atonement of Christ.”

 

Most of us know that when we do wrong things, we need help to overcome the effects of sin in our lives. The Savior has paid the price and made it possible for us to become clean through His redeeming power. Most of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for saints—for good men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully. We may mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves, through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline, and with our obviously limited capacities.

 

Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains – President Russell M. Nelson

April 2021 general conference

Your growing faith in Him will move mountains—not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth but the mountains of misery in your lives. Your flourishing faith will help you turn challenges into unparalleled growth and opportunity.

 

 Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You - Elder Holland

April 2016 general conference

President George Q. Cannon once taught: “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so]. … He will [always] stand by us. We may pass through the fiery furnace; we may pass through deep waters; but we shall not be consumed nor overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties the better and purer for them.”

  The Gift of Grace - Elder Uchtdorf

But the grace of God does not merely restore us to our previous innocent state. If salvation means only erasing our mistakes and sins, then salvation—as wonderful as it is—does not fulfill the Father’s aspirations for us. His aim is much higher: He wants His sons and daughters to become like Him.

With the gift of God’s grace, the path of discipleship does not lead backward; it leads upward.

 

It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and “be perfect[ed] in Christ.” Though we all have weaknesses, we can overcome them. Indeed it is by the grace of God that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong.

Throughout our lives, God’s grace bestows temporal blessings and spiritual gifts that magnify our abilities and enrich our lives. His grace refines us. His grace helps us become our best selves.

 

Many people feel discouraged because they constantly fall short. They know firsthand that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” They raise their voices with Nephi in proclaiming, “My soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.” I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin. This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.” After all, that is what we can do! And that is our task in mortality!

 

“My Peace I Leave with You” 

Moroni said that when he “heard these words,” he “was comforted” (Ether 12:29). They can be a comfort to all of us. Those who do not see their weaknesses do not progress. Your awareness of your weakness is a blessing as it helps you remain humble and keeps you turning to the Savior. The Spirit not only comforts you, but He is also the agent by which the Atonement works a change in your very nature. Then weak things become strong.

 Grace Bible Dictionary

It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by His atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.

 The Divine Gift of Repentance 

Second, repentance means striving to change. It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23). Perhaps as much as praying for mercy, we should pray for time and opportunity to work and strive and overcome. 

 

“If Ye Had Known Me”

We believe and come to know the Lord as the key of the knowledge of God administered through the Melchizedek Priesthood unlocks the door and makes it possible for each of us to receive the power of godliness in our lives. We believe and come to know the Savior as we follow Him by receiving and faithfully honoring holy ordinances and increasingly have His image in our countenances. We believe and come to know Christ as we experience personally the transforming, healing, strengthening, and sanctifying power of His Atonement. We believe and come to know the Master as “the power of his word [takes root] in us” and is written in our minds and hearts and as we “give away all [our] sins to know [Him].”

 

Holiness and the Plan of Happiness

“Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.

“When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him. When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!”

 There are also quotes where they talk about how the Savior’s atonement can strengthen us to overcome weaknesses. I suppose that means overcome weakness to become purer:

 

Jesus Christ: The Caregiver of Our Soul

As we draw nearer to Him, surrendering ourselves spiritually to His care, we will be able to take upon ourselves His yoke, which is easy, and His burden, which is light, thus finding that promised comfort and rest. Furthermore, we will receive the strength we all need to overcome the hardships, weaknesses, and sorrows of life, which are exceedingly difficult to endure without His help and healing power. The scriptures teach us to “cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” “And then may God grant unto [us] that [our] burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son.”