"Let this cup pass from me..."

Elder Huffaker and I set out a couple of days ago on our bikes to go and see some people.  There were a few that thought we may be a little crazy for biking in our suits, but this did not stop us.  While riding we encountered some resistance....

Three dogs started chasing me and I tried my best to out run them but I quick realized that I wasn't going to be able to.  I managed to kick two of them away, unfortunately though as I tried to kick the third one I lost my balance and ended up going over the handlebars.  I was pretty lucky and received only one semi-serious injury and that was a pretty bad scrape on my left hand.

After we got our bikes back home all that was left to do was clean out the wound on my hand.  I began scrubbing all of the dirt and gravel out.  It was quite painful and I really didn't want to do it so I called our fearless district leader Elder Jamsa and asked him if it was really nessicary for me to get all of the dirt out.  His response was somthing along the lines of "Well if you don't want to get an infection I would say it's pretty nessicary."

My experience reminded me of another person who once asked if something was nessicary.  Jesus Christ who performed the Atonement fo us and went through more pain then any other human being has or ever will go through asked his father if he would "Let this cup from me..." (Matt 26:39)  He however submitted to the will of his father so that mankind would not "unavoidably perish" (Alma 34:9)  Sometimes my Heavenly Father has asked me to do some hard things, as he will do to all at some point, but whenever he asks me to do something that I do not want to do I remember the example of my Savior and try to respond, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt."

The Power of the Atonement

  Many people have heard of Jesus Christ and his atonement.  Many people however do not realize to what extent the atonement can play in our lives.  The Book of Mormon teaches us many things concerning the atonement.  One of the first Book of Mormon prophets, Nephi teaches us the importance of the atonement plays in the forgiveness of sins, "Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered."-2 Nephi 2:7  We learn two important things from Nephi here.  First, that it is through the atonement that we are able repent of our sins.  Second, that the atonement applies to all men as long as they humble themselves before the Lord.

  There is another aspect of the atonement that many people do not realize.  Alma, another Book of Mormon prophet, taught this concerning the atonement, "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  We learn from this that the atonement is not only for those who have sinned and need to repent (which we all need at some point) but it is also for those who need comfort and guidance. 

President Boyd K. Packer gave a talk concerning this subject at a BYU devotional:



I love how he says that there is nothing in our lives that the atonement of Jesus Christ can not fix.  I have seen this in my own life and I am grateful to have such a loving father in heaven who gave us the means to return to him and for his son who gave his life for us. I leave my own testimony of the power of the atonement and that it can cause life changes in any who seek out its blessings.