Temple & Family History Work: Ministering of Angels and How Close are our Family and Ancestors who Have Died?

We have experienced the loss of my father-in-law, and more recently our 3 year-old granddaughter and my mother. I know they are not gone, but are in the Spirit World. These quotes bring a great deal of comfort and happiness.

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, quoting Joseph Smith, "Temples, Taproots, and Family Trees," Ensign, Feb. 2017.
“They are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith.”

Joseph F. Smith, in Conference Report, April 1916, 2–3

“Sometimes the Lord expands our vision from this point of view and this side of the veil, that we feel and seem to realize that we can look beyond the thin veil which separates us from that other sphere. . . . [And we would understand that] those who have passed beyond, can see more clearly through the veil back here to us than it is possible for us to see them from our sphere of action.

I believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them. We begin to realize more and more fully, as we become acquainted with the principles of the Gospel, as they have been revealed anew in this dispensation, that we are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors, to our friends and associates and co-laborers who have preceded us into the spirit world. We can not forget them; we do not cease to love them; we always hold them in our hearts, in memory, and thus are associated and united to them by ties that we cannot break, that we cannot dissolve or free ourselves from.

And therefore, I claim that we live in their presence, they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than ever. For now they see the dangers that beset us; they can comprehend better than ever before, the weaknesses that are liable to mislead us into dark and forbidden paths. They see the temptations and evils that beset us in life and the proneness of mortal beings to yield to temptation and wrong doing; hence their solicitude for us and their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves.”

Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 435–36

“When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends. . . . 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 to 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.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, The Ministry of Angels, October 2008
From the beginning down through the dispensations, God has used angels as His emissaries in conveying love and concern for His children.

Usually such beings are not seen. Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen they are always near. Sometimes their assignments are very grand and have significance for the whole world. Sometimes the messages are more private. Occasionally the angelic purpose is to warn. But most often it is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times.

I testify that angels are still sent to help us, As Mormon said to his son Moroni, who would one day be an angel:

“Has the day of miracles ceased?

“Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for … it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men. …

“For behold, they are subject unto [Christ], to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.”9

I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He “would fight [our] battles, [our] children’s battles, and [the battles of our] children’s children.” And what do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing[. Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.”


President Nelson, The 2020 Mission Leadership Seminar
“Many of these experiences are not captured in the scriptures, but various accounts indicate that Joseph saw in vision or was visited by approximately 60 angels during his lifetime,” said President Nelson. “Each came as directed by the Lord for various purposes.

President Nelson told the mission leaders that “angels will also surround, prompt, protect, and accompany you.”


Beyond the knowledge obtained over the course of his many heavenly visits, Joseph also “found strength in his intimate association with those beyond the veil,” he said. “When Joseph was repeatedly betrayed by close associates or falsely accused or unjustly imprisoned, he was never alone. He trusted in the Lord and relied on familiar ‘divers angels’ he had come to know over many years.”

In the same manner, “you will never be left alone,” said President Nelson to the leaders. “The Prophet Joseph’s experience can also be your experience, as you seek for — and prepare yourself to receive— heaven’s help. I promise you that this is true.


“I leave you with my witness of the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was foreordained and divinely tutored to inaugurate the Restoration. That Restoration continues to unfold in our day.”

Elder Russell M. Ballard:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-12-22/lds-hasen-family-plane-crash-idaho-funeral-170586

President Ballard shared “wonderful insight” regarding the Resurrection written by President Joseph F. Smith, who lost his own father, Hyrum, when he was five, and his mother when he was 13. During the course of his life, President Smith lost 16 of his own children and grandchildren.

In the April 1916 general conference, the Church’s sixth president — President Ballard’s own great-grandfather — spoke of the thin veil separating the living and those in the spirit world. The principles of the gospel reveal that the connections binding family members and friends do not end with the passage of mortality.

“I claim that we live in their presence,” said President Smith. “They see us. They are solicitous of our welfare. They love us now more than ever. Now they see the dangers that beset us. They can comprehend better than ever before the weaknesses that are liable to mislead us into dark and forbidden paths.”

The Hansens are enduring a great family tragedy, said President Ballard. But the sacred, living connection that binds the Hansen family remains.

“You will feel their presence,” he told Sister Hansen and her family. “There will be times when you will sense that they are watching over you. Don’t resist it, brothers and sisters. Let heaven help you through this. Let those who have passed on help you through this.”

“Will you see them?” he asked.

“Most likely not. Will you feel they are near? Absolutely — and especially if you will find time in this busy, hectic world we now live in to be still.”



More on this topic:

Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, Chapter 50: D&C 130:5


Ensign 1988: Is there any truth to the idea that we have guardian angels who watch over and protect us?

The Atonement: Growing Towards Perfection without Becoming Discouraged.

One of the challenges we face in trying to "be ye therefore perfect" is that we aren't. Often this leads to discouragement and feeling like we aren't good enough to achieve this goal. This is where understanding the doctrine of the atonement and grace becomes important.

I love this teaching by Elder Packer:

"Some worry endlessly over missions that were missed, or marriages that did not turn out, or babies that did not arrive, or children that seem lost, or dreams unfulfilled, or because age limits what they can do. I do not think it pleases the Lord when we worry because we think we never do enough or that what we do is never good enough."

Russell M. Nelson “Perfection Pending”

When comparing one’s personal performance with the supreme standard of the Lord’s expectation, the reality of imperfection can at times be depressing. My heart goes out to conscientious Saints who, because of their shortcomings, allow feelings of depression to rob them of happiness in life.

We all need to remember: men are that they might have joy—not guilt trips! 2 We also need to remember that the Lord gives no commandments that are impossible to obey. But sometimes we fail to comprehend them fully.

Our understanding of perfection might be aided if we classify it into two categories. The first could pertain uniquely to this life—mortal perfection. The second category could pertain uniquely to the next life—immortal or eternal perfection.

President Dieter F.Uchtdorf, “You Can Do It Now!”

There may be times in our lives when rising up and continuing on may seem beyond our own ability.

We can feel so burdened by our failures and shortcomings that we begin to think we will never be able to succeed. We might even assume that because we have fallen before, falling is our destiny.

Raising Resilient Children:

One thing that hinders the development of resilience is a misunderstanding of the commandment to be perfect (see Matthew 5:48). This misunderstanding is the most common factor I’ve seen undermining resilience in new missionaries. They want to be perfect in everything because they love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and do not want to disappoint Them. But they do not understand that the Lord works through weak, simple servants (see D&C 1:19–23) and that striving to be perfect does not mean we never make mistakes but rather that we become fully developed or complete through the Atonement of Christ as we strive to follow Him.

This misunderstanding may also stem from what society teaches our youth: that their worth depends on talent and performance...

The Atonement: The Redeeming and Strengthening Power of the Atonement

After studying the atonement for several months, I wanted to summarize what I had learned so I could better apply it in my own life. The atonement has become much more daily in my life when I remember both the redeeming and the strengthening aspects the atonement offers.

See also: The Atonement: Grace, the Enabling Power of the Atonement,& "In the Strength of the Lord"

Redeeming	Strengthening	Reference
We grow in two ways—removing negative weeds and cultivating positive flowers. 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.	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.	Elder Bruce Hafen, Gen. Conf. 4/04
“Put off the natural man...”	“Becometh a Saint...”	Mosiah 3:19
Clean hands	Pure heart	Psalms 24:4
“I think most of us know that when 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 be made clean through His redeeming power.”	I do not think many of us "get it" concerning this enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement, and I wonder if we 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.”	Elder Bednar
Sins of commission “The sins of commission [are] wrong acts done, wrong thoughts entertained, and so on.” “Once the telestial sins are left behind and henceforth avoided, the focus falls ever more on the sins of omission.”	Sins of omission “The other category of sin, sins of omission, [is] failure to do what is right.” “It is my opinion that in the realm of the sins of omission we can make more major, though quiet, progress than in any other place.”	President Kimball Elder Maxwell

BIBLE DICTIONARY: GRACE -

It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice:

·         that mankind will be raised in immortality.

·         It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means.

o   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.

“No man ought to say, ‘Oh I cannot help this; it is my nature.’ He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts that will eradicate them…He wants His Saints to be perfected in the truth.  For this purpose He gives these gifts, and bestows them upon those who seek after them, in order that they may be a perfect people upon the face of the earth, notwithstanding their many weaknesses, because God has promised to give the gifts that are necessary for their perfection.  If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect.”  President George Q. Cannon, The Millennial Star, Volume 56, p. 260

The Atonement: Grace, the Enabling Power of the Atonement, & "In the Strength of the Lord"

Elder Bednar gave some talks in smaller settings (which means they aren't printed) about the strengthening aspect of the atonement. He encouraged people to get a blank copy of the Book of Mormon and read and look for each time there was a phrase about "the strength of the Lord."

After finishing marking my copy of the Book of Mormon, I loved what I had learned and appreciated how much it applied to me. I tried to group the scriptures into categories, and I have included some of those here. Then I wanted to learn what the other prophets and apostles have said about this principle. Elder Bednar explained that the power comes from finding these verses yourself, not reading someone else's collection, so I have only included a few of the scriptures and quotes I found. 

Studying this topic has impacted my life as one of the greatest gospel experiences I have enjoyed.

Grace [entry in the Bible Dictionary]

A word that occurs frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

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.

“Strength from the Lord”

Elder James E Faust, April 2002

Prayer fills a very important human need. Each of us has problems that we cannot solve and weaknesses that we cannot conquer without reaching out through prayer to a higher source of strength.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, October 1981

We are weak and simple and unlearned. Of ourselves we can do nothing, but in the strength of the Lord we cannot fail. It is his power that sustains and guides us.

Elder Robert D. Hales, Oct 2012

“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.”⁵  For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior has promised that He will make us equal to His work.  As we follow Him, He blesses us with gifts, talents, and the strength to do His will, allowing us to go beyond our comfort zones and do things we’ve never before thought possible.

Elder Henry B. Eyring, April 2004

We need strength beyond ourselves to keep the commandments in whatever circumstance life brings us.

Another simple thing to do, which allows God to give us strength, is to feast on the word of God: read and ponder the standard works of the Church and the words of living prophets.

Elder Bednar, October 2004

  I have pondered the instruction of Jacob as contained in the Book of Mormon:

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

  Please pay particular attention to the word grace as it is used in the verse I just read. In the Bible Dictionary we learn that the word grace frequently is used in the scriptures to connote a strengthening or enabling power:

“The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ. … 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” (p. 697).

Elder Richard G. Scott April 1990

Your exercise of faith permits you to call upon the strength of the Lord when you need it. Obedience to His commandments allows that help to be given. The power of God will come into your life because of your faithful obedience to His commandments.

Elder Henry B. Eyring, "O Ye That Embark," October 2008 General Conference
Most of you have discovered that your priesthood duties will stretch you to the point that you wonder if you can stretch that far. The tough part of that reality, however, is that for Him to give you that increased power you must go in service and faith to your outer limits.

It is like building muscle strength. You must break down your muscles to build them up. You push muscles to the point of exhaustion. Then they repair themselves, and they develop greater strength. Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. 

Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give.

Scriptures

I.          The Lord Strengthened Them

1 Nephi 4:31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much ^astrength of the Lord, therefore I did seize the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.

1 Nephi 17:3 If it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them.

Mosiah 24: 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did ^astrengthen them that they could bear up their ^bburdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with ^cpatience to all the will of the Lord.

Alma 26:11-12 But Ammon said unto him: I do not ^aboast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my ^bjoy is full, yea, my heart is brim with ^cjoy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am ^anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will ^bnot boast of myself, but I will ^cboast of my God, for in his ^dstrength I can do all ^ethings.

II.       The Lord strengthened them for battle

Mosiah 9:17 Yea, in the ^astrength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would ^bdeliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

Alma 2:28 Nevertheless, the Nephites, being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them.

Alma 2:30 And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being exercised with much ^afaith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and ^bspare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people.

Alma 2:31 Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici with the sword.

Alma 43: 49-50 And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from bondage. And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled even to the waters of Sidon.

Alma 56:56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them [Sons of Helaman] fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men know to have fought with such miraculous strength.

III.    Prerequisites to receiving strength/power – Why we receive strength

1 Nephi 17:3 If it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them.

Helaman 4:13 And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.

Helaman 4:26 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become ^aweak, because of their transgression, in the space of ^bnot many years.

3 Nephi 28:11 And the ^aHoly Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me.

IV.             Grace through the Atonement

Jacob 4:7 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.

Mosiah 3: 19 For the ^anatural ^bman is an ^cenemy to God, and has been from the ^dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he ^eyields to the enticings of the Holy ^fSpirit, and ^gputteth off the ^hnatural man and becometh a ⁱsaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a ^jchild, ^ksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Mosiah 5: 2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty ^achange in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do ^bevil, but to do good continually.

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

Grace comes because of the atonement

Moroni 10:30 And again I would exhort you that ye would ^acome unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good ^bgift, and ^ctouch not the evil gift, nor the ^dunclean thing.

Moroni 10:32 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.

The Atonement: What it Means to Me and What it Meant for the Savior

The Importance of the Atonement

Pres. Russell M. Nelson – Study Scriptures about the Savior, 2017

In a coming day, you will present yourself before the Savior. You will be overwhelmed to the point of tears to be in His holy presence. You will struggle to find words to thank Him for paying for your sins, for forgiving you of any unkindness toward others, for healing you from the injuries and injustices of this life.

You will thank Him for strengthening you to do the impossible, for turning your weaknesses into strengths, and for making it possible for you to live with Him and your family forever. His identity, His Atonement, and His attributes will become personal and real to you.

But you don’t have to wait until then. Choose to be one of His true disciples now. Be one who truly loves Him, who truly wants to serve and lead as He did. I promise you that if you will study His words, your ability to be more like Him will increase. I know this is true.

President Ezra Taft Benson, The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 14

“In Gethsemane and on Calvary, He worked out the infinite and eternal atonement. It was the greatest single act of love in recorded history. Thus He became our Redeemer—redeeming all of us from physical death, & redeeming those of us from spiritual death who will obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”

Bruce R. McConkie, “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” Ensign, May 1985

Now, the atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths.  Many of us have a superficial knowledge and rely upon the Lord and his goodness to see us through the trials and perils of life.  But if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived.

May I invite you to join with me in gaining a sound and sure knowledge of the Atonement.  I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.  But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer.

 

Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996

Let us now ponder the deep meaning of the word atonement. In the English language, the components are at-one-ment, suggesting that a person is at one with another. Other languages employ words that connote either expiation or reconciliation. Expiation means “to atone for.” Reconciliation comes from Latin roots re, meaning “again”; con, meaning “with”; and sella, meaning “seat.” Reconciliation, therefore, literally means “to sit again with.”

Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means “to cover” or “to forgive.”  Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning “a close embrace.” References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. “I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.”  I weep for joy when I contemplate the significance of it all. To be redeemed is to be atoned—received in the close embrace of God with an expression not only of His forgiveness, but of our oneness of heart and mind. What a privilege!

D. Todd Christofferson, “Why We Share the Gospel,” Ensign, Aug 2014

Our invitation to the world is to come unto Christ. Coming unto Christ is an abbreviation, a way of describing in three words the plan of salvation. It means to obtain the fruits of His Atonement and Resurrection—ultimately eternal life. Eternal life depends on the exercise of our moral agency, but it is possible only through the grace of Jesus Christ. To come unto Him means to do what is required to lay hold upon that grace—the pardoning, sanctifying, transforming, redeeming power of His infinite, atoning sacrifice.

What the Atonement Meant for the Savior

D&C 19:16–19; Luke 22:44; Mosiah 3:7; Alma 7:11–13

Bruce R. McConkie, “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” Ensign, May 1985

We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane. We know he sweat great gouts of blood from every pore as he drained the dregs of that bitter cup his Father had given him. We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name.

 We know that he lay prostrate upon the ground as the pains and agonies of an infinite burden caused him to tremble and would that he might not drink the bitter cup. We know that an angel came from the courts of glory to strengthen him in his ordeal, and we suppose it was mighty Michael, who foremost fell that mortal man might be. As near as we can judge, these infinite agonies—this suffering beyond compare—continued for some three or four hours.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “Willing to Submit,” Ensign, May 1985

The more we study, pray, and ponder the awesome Atonement, the more we are willing to acknowledge that we are in His and the Father’s hands. Let us ponder, therefore, these final things.

When the unimaginable burden began to weigh upon Christ, it confirmed His long-held and intellectually clear understanding as to what He must now do. His working through began, and Jesus declared: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour.” Later, in Gethsemane, the suffering Jesus began to be “sore amazed” (Mark 14:33), or, in the Greek, “awestruck” and “astonished.”

Imagine, Jehovah, the Creator of this and other worlds, “astonished”!  Jesus knew cognitively what He must do, but not experientially. He had never personally known the exquisite and exacting process of an atonement before. Thus, when the agony came in its fulness, it was so much, much worse than even He with his unique intellect had ever imagined! No wonder an angel appeared to strengthen him! (See Luke 22:43.)

The cumulative weight of all mortal sins—past, present, and future—pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow, too, a part of the awful arithmetic of the Atonement. (See Alma 7:11–12; Isa. 53:3–5; Matt. 8:17.) The anguished Jesus not only pled with the Father that the hour and cup might pass from Him, but with this relevant citation. “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me.” (Mark 14:35–36.)

Jesus’ request was not theater!

In this extremity, did He, perchance, hope for a rescuing ram in the thicket? I do not know. His suffering—as it were, enormity multiplied by infinity—evoked His later soul-cry on the cross, and it was a cry of forsakenness. (See Matt. 27:46.) Even so, Jesus maintained this sublime submissiveness, as He had in Gethsemane: “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matt. 26:39.)

While bearing our sins, our infirmities, our sicknesses, and bringing to pass the Atonement (see Alma 7:11–12), Jesus became the perfect Shepherd, making these lines of Paul’s especially relevant and reassuring: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Rom. 8:35.)

Indeed, we are in His hands, and what hallowed hands!

What the Atonement Means For Me

Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996: 

Eternal life, made possible by the Atonement, is the supreme purpose of the Creation.  Ordinances of the temple symbolize our reconciliation with the Lord and seal families together forever. This is the great latter-day work of which we are a part. That is why we have missionaries; that is why we have temples—to bring the fullest blessings of the Atonement to faithful children of God. That is why we respond to our own calls from the Lord. When we comprehend His voluntary Atonement, any sense of sacrifice on our part becomes completely overshadowed by a profound sense of gratitude for the privilege of serving Him.

Joseph Fielding Smith, The Restoration of All Things

 Whenever we sin, we show our ingratitude and disregard of the suffering of the Son of God. If we really understood and could feel even to a small degree, the love and gracious willingness on the part of Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins we would be willing to repent of all our transgressions and serve him.

M. Russell Ballard, “The Atonement and the Value of One Soul,” Ensign, May 2004

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.  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.

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, October 2013

In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to remember that we are living in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of godliness will be tested and tried again and again. Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.

Blessings of the Atonement

1.   The Savior saved everyone on earth from physical death

“It took the atonement of Jesus Christ to reunite the bodies and spirits of men in the resurrection. And so all the world, believers and non-believers, are indebted to the Redeemer for their certain resurrection, because the resurrection will be as wide as was the fall, which brought death to every man.”  --Elder Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, Oct. 1953

2.    He Took upon Him our Pains, Sicknesses and Infirmities- Alma 7:11-13

Jesus' daily mortal experiences and His ministry, to be sure, acquainted Him by observation with a sample of human sicknesses, grief, pains, sorrows, and infirmities which are "common to man". But the agonies of the Atonement were infinite and first-hand! Since not all human sorrow and pain is connected to sin, the full intensiveness of the Atonement involved bearing our pains, infirmities, and sicknesses, as well as our sins. Whatever our sufferings, we can safely cast our care upon him." Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Not My Will, But Thine"

3.   He Suffered for our sins - The Redeeming Power of the Atonement

 “When we commit sin, we are estranged from God and rendered unfit to enter into his presence. No unclean thing can enter into his presence. We cannot of ourselves, no matter how we may try, rid ourselves of the stain which is upon us as a result of our own transgressions. That stain must be washed away by the blood of the Redeemer, and he has set up the way by which that stain may be removed.”  --Elder Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, Oct. 1953

4.   The Strengthening Power of the Atonement

I suspect that you and I are much more familiar with the nature of the redeeming power of the atonement than we are with the enabling power of the atonement.   I think most of us know that when we do things wrong, when 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 be made 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 and worthy and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully. I frankly do not think many of us "get it" concerning this enabling and strengthening aspect of the atonement, and I wonder if we 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.

In the Bible Dictionary in our scriptures, we learn that the word "grace" frequently is used in the scriptures to connote "enabling power." On page 697, under the word "grace," we read:

A word that occurs frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

Now, please note these next sentences:

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.

That is, grace represents that divine assistance or heavenly help each of us will desperately need to qualify for the celestial kingdom. Thus, the enabling power of the atonement strengthens us to do and be good and serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.  In my personal scripture study, I often insert the term "enabling power" whenever I encounter the word grace.   Elder David R. Bednar, “In the Strength of the Lord”