Thoughts on the Atonement// Articles of Faith 3

*The following is from a talk I wrote and gave a while back. I know the Atonement is real and the Savior and our loving Heavenly Father know us and care about us more than we can even comprehend. Please keep this in mind throughout the week! Happy Monday!*

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ all Mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

It was the ultimate expression of love.

The key to peace, joy, and happiness in this life and the life to come.

The Atonement plays such a vital role in each of our lives. “(Alma 34:9).... according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish;  Bruce C Hafen said, “Christ’s Atonement is at the very core of this plan. Without his dear dear sacrifice, there would be no way home, no way to be together, and no way to be like him”

Without the Atonement the gospel is pointless. We can never become like Christ and we can never return to live with our Father in Heaven, so why try? Living the gospel. without applying the Atonement is useless. We will never be perfect on our own, we will never overcome the Natural Man without the guidance of the Spirit we can get when we have repented, and we can never truly repent without Christ’s unimaginable sacrifice of taking our and other’s pain upon him.

The Atonement encompasses so much of our life. There are 3 principles of the Atonement:

1. Love.
1. The Atonement is the ultimate expression of love. The Savior was willing to suffer unimaginable pain and humiliation for our, yes mine and everyone else’s in this room and in the world, salvation. If you feel like no one cares, I want each and every one of you to know that you ARE loved. I know with all my heart that there is a loving Heavenly Father who loves each and everyone of us beyond comprehension. A Father who was willing to send his Beloved Son, who had done no wrong and made no mistake, to suffer.
2. All things unfair can be made right through the Atonement.
1. Many things in this life are unfair. From simply being let down, to terrible shootings the age old saying “life’s not fair” rings true as ever. But why does our Father in Heaven allow this to happen to good people? Dallin H Oaks explains it best, “Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquillity.”7 While we know that unfair things happen for a reason, it doesn’t always make it easier. The precious Sacrifice of The Savior allows us to press forward through trials and forgive those that have wronged us because our Savior has felt our pain and has payed the price for other’s mistakes. "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…..(12) 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) The Atonement allows the Savior to fully comfort us and stand beside us, carrying us when we are too weak to walk, and whispering peace into our hearts when we are worried and overcome; because he knows exactly what we are feeling. The night in Gethsemane allowed The Savior to overcome every unfair thing in this life.
3. You can overcome the natural man through the Atonement.
1. So what is the Natural Man? According to Mosiah 3:19, where King Benjamin is talking, “The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam.” King Benjamin warned that in this natural, or fallen, state, each person will be an enemy to God forever “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, and becometh as a child, submissive, 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.” The ultimate goal of our time on earth is to become more like Christ. But we can’t become like him on our own. It’s simply impossible. We are all human and imperfect beings learning and striving to be our best and we will all slip up and make mistakes at one time or another.One of my favorite scriptures, which happened to be the youth theme in 2014, states, “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32).  This scripture reiterates the fact that we are all imperfect beings that rely on Christ. We can’t do it without his help. We have to depend on the Atonement to overcome the Natural Man inside of us. While it is easy to become frustrated on our mortal journey to our lofty goal of perfection, a New Era article puts it best, "trying to become perfect all at once is like trying to climb up a mountain while riding a unicycle and juggling, Impossible.” But as we learn to apply the Atonement to our lives, day by day, minute by minute, we learn a fundamental truth taught by Quentin L Cook “The enabling power of the Atonement of Christ strengthens us to do things we could never do on our own.”

The Atonement can bring us the peace we so desperately seek in this world of turmoil and contention. Quentin L. Cook said, “The Savior is the source of true peace. Even with the trails of life,  because of The Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living can be rewarded through personal peace.”

The last part of this Article of Faith is key to our Salvation. “By Obedience to laws and Ordinances.”

The Atonement is not a magic wand. It doesn’t clean up and fix everything magically. We must do our part by living Christ’s word and desiring to become clean and pure. We must desire and try our very best to live according to the teachings of the Gospel.

Linda K Burton gave an amazing analogy to The Atonement in the 2012 Conference, “A woman walking along a road fell into a pit so deep she could not climb out. No matter what she did, she could not get out by herself. The woman called for help and rejoiced when a kind passerby heard her and lowered a ladder down into the pit. This allowed her to climb out of the pit and regain her freedom”

Luckily, we don’t have to wait and wait just hoping that someone will throw down a ladder. Christ has already paid the price of buying the ladder, which allows us to climb out of our pit of sin and come unto the vast beautiful world of righteousness and salvation once we truly desire to get out. Then we must do our part by actually climbing the ladder.

I have made too many mistakes to count, do I wish I could redo parts of my life? Certainly. But do I have regrets? No. because I know that once I have repented The Atonement has made it right. I think the key is to feel sorry, make it right, repent, learn from it and move on. Don't spend valuable time regretting your mistakes. They can be made right through The Atonement. I know without a doubt that The Atonement is real. I know that our Savior loved us enough to die on the cross for us, beaten, bruised, and spit upon so we could live again with him by becoming clean of our sins.. He loved us that much. He loves us beyond comprehension. I know that The Atonement makes it possible for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father someday. I know that Christ lives and loves us no matter what. He is your best friend, your biggest cheerleader, your Comforter, and your Redeemer. He knows we are imperfect, and walks beside us, helping us become who we are destined to be and fulfilling our Divine Inheritance as sons and daughters of a living Heavenly Father. Since he has faced such devastating pain we can find peace and comfort knowing that he always stands beside us. He will lift us up and carry us through times of strife, darkness, and hurt. He is there. He loves us. He added purpose to our mortal ministry no other could. I know will all my heart the he broke the chains of death, freeing us from it's bondage. We can have peace and hope and joy and salvation. If we will just believe and accept this glorious truth! It was the ultimate expression of love. The key to peace, joy, and happiness in this life and the life to come.I am so thankful for the Savior's amazing gift to us.

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen,

Increasing your Glow// Guest Post by Eden

Good Morning lovely readers! Nice to see you again! It's been awhile and a lot has happened since we last talked. School has started, I've been on a few adventures, and I leave bright and early each morning for seminary (which I love by the way...). But all of that can wait because for now I have a guest post from the lovely Eden! I'm super excited to have her over here today! I'll be posting over on her blog later this week so be ready for that too! Edens blog is wonderful so you should definitely go check it out! Now... a drum roll for Eden!
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Hello everyone! My name is Eden. I'm the girl behind the blog We Are Worth Saving. I am super excited to be on Shelby's blog today. She's such an amazing writer, and she is so creative and fun! I am 15, a lover of food, and a can't-stop-smiling type of girl. Oh, and teenage bloggers ... UNITE! Shelby is writing a guest post for my blog, so stay tuned for that!

This is me, in the middle with the black shirt. If you're wondering, yes, we are in fact holding crawfish...yum!

So for this post I'll be writing about how we can increase our light. This post is sort of a part 2 to the post on my blog here. I definitely recommend giving it a read to gain a little back-story for this post.

As I was reading some articles online, I found a study that HuffPost did where they looked up various religions using Google autocomplete suggestions. I decided to conduct my own search so it would be more recent. This is what came up:

A lot of non-members of the LDS church have noticed something different about the appearance of Mormons. I was surprised by this, but apparently it's true. These are a couple of screenshots I found online:

This really interested me. There was even scientific studies that proved it. According to several general authorities, someone accompanied by the Holy Ghost glows. It's a SPIRITUAL attractiveness. So, in this post I will share some ways that you can increase your light.

The way to increase your light is to come closer to Christ. This quote perfectly tells you how; "Consecrating one's life to the Savior, Jesus Christ, increases one's light."

Image Source

So, how can we become more like Christ, and come closer to Him?

We can do it by developing our testimonies and having faith in Christ. Focusing on Him will bring us closer. The Lord said, "I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." And guess what? We were created in the image of God. We have the Light of Christ in us, whether it be a small sliver or a bright, blinding light. Our divine worth is so amazing. Unfathomable. We can be bearers of this glorious light. Let the sunshine that is in your heart show in your face.

I am constantly trying to be more like Christ, but it is hard. Temptations arise, and there are a lot  of worldly things out there. Like when I get upset with my siblings, I have to remind myself that I'm not being Christ-like. For me, it is something I work on a lot. Even constantly.

Here are 10 traits of Jesus Christ, and some ways to work on them. I invite you to choose one and work on it. Maybe even use it as a Personal Progress experience!

1. Faithful. We can do this by keeping the commandments.
2. Forgiving. This includes ourselves as well as others. This can be one of the hardest for some people. Thankfully, I am downright awful at holding grudges. No joke. Even if I try.
3. Giving. Try to serve others everyday, even if it is just holding a door open or smiling at someone. It will most likely make their day.
4. Prayerful. Pray daily and give thanks. Really try to communicate with God. He is our Father and He loves us. He wants to listen.
5. Wise. Study the scriptures and be willing to learn.
6. Virtuous. I can't begin to express the amazing thing that virtue is. A virtuous woman's price is "far beyond rubies." It really does shine. Maybe evaluate the entertainment or music you listen to. For me, sometimes I stray from this and listen to music that probably isn't the best thing to be listening to. I'll say, "Oh, but it's catchy." But let me tell you, there are some amazing artists out there with catchy music that doesn't have curse words or suggestive lyrics.
7. Humble. Do His work, and trust in Him. Try not to be prideful.
8. Charitable. Try doing little acts of kindness, and share Christ's pure love.
9. Patient. I have trouble with this one the most I think. This includes others and with ourselves.
10. Obedient. Make good choices and follow His commandments.

Lastly, CHOOSE to be happy and you WILL shine. "Nothing is more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarge the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth."

James E. Faust said, "I see the light shining in your faces. That light comes from the Lord, and as you radiate that light, it will bless you and many others." Check out one of his amazing talks here!

Thanks again Shelby for letting me guest post on your blog! Come and check out some of my other posts on We Are Worth Saving!

Come and Hear

Source

General Conference is coming up and boy can you bet I am excited!!! General Conference makes me as giddy as a 5 year old in a candy shop where everything is free!(is that analogy even make sense?) You will probably hear a lot on various Mormon blogs about this wonderful thing we call conference. It is the opportunity to hear God's word. I loved the above print about why we have conference found at LDS Nest (Follow the link for other printable awesomeness!). So I am here to officially invite you to conference.

Who? Anyone at all.
When? (All times in MDT)   
General Women's: Saturday, March 28, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday Morning: Saturday, April 4, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday Afternoon: Saturday, April 4, 2:00 p.m.
General Priesthood: Saturday, April 4, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday Morning: Sunday, April 5, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Afternoon: Sunday, April 5, 2:00 p.m.

Where? In Utah, OR online at lds.org
How? Go to lds.org it will prompt you to watch it live. If you can't watch it on the original air date or time you can watch the videos that come up a few hours later or read the talks that come out a few days later.

Why? I promise you will leave feeling uplifted and inspired. I know prophets are called of God. I know our Heavenly Father cares about us and wants to bless us. I know he lives! He leads and guides us and wants the best for us! Why would Heavenly Father leave us abandoned and only help those in bible times? He loves ALL his children and would never leave us comfortless. I know these things are true. Please watch or read at least a little General Conference,, do it for me, for yourself, and your Heavenly Father. Thank the Savior for what he did for us by dedicating some time to him. I promise if you have prayed and come with an open heart you will leave feeling inspired and loved as you discover your divine identity as a child of God.

come be inspired

I highly encourage EVERYONE (Mormon or not!) to tune in tonight and listen to the Women's broadcast! I promise you will leave feeling uplifted and inspired! It is amazing!

I admire these women (and men) who speak. I admire their courage and strength and the way they give up parts of their life to serve others. I hope I can be as amazing as them someday!

Busy tonight? That's ok! You can watch it later on lds.org.

Only 3.5 hours! Ahhhhh! I am so excited!
Please watch it, I promise you will be blessed!
-Shelby

I've seen mountains be moved

Picture creds to mom and dad from many years ago......

 I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed.
-Richard C. Edgley

This is one of my favorite quotes from Young Women's a few weeks ago. How true this is! Miracles take place daily, we just have to look for them! 

Motivation on a Monday: #embark

So I know yesterday's post was about embarking and I could have combined these two, but I wanted to really focus on the message yesterday and who doesn't need a lift me up after returning to real life again? Also sorry if another post popped up in your feed (or however you read blogs), I was fixing some labels that were duplicates and it reposted (or I never posted it, not sure).

I love this video. The music is awesome (you can check out more awesome stuff like it at lds.org/youth/music) and I love how it shows simple acts of service. I also like how it relates it to social media and encourages youth to share how they have served. The teenage years are feared by parents, but lets show them how awesome we can be! Sure there are some our age who put a bad face on these years, but lets overpower the bad! How are you #emabarking?

-Shelby

Keep #embarking

Today in church we were asked to write down our best advice to someone who was embarking (is embarking a word?) on their journey to become more Christlike, here is my advice: 

The Savior lives and he loves you. No matter how dark life seems or how imperfect you feel, He is there. It is impossible to be perfect by ourselves, but we can become perfected through Christ. As we strive to come unto him and become more like him we will feel his love and the joy and peace that accompany it fill our hearts and lift our souls. He loves you no matter what. He is your best friend, your biggest cheerleader, your Comforter, and your Redeemer.

Seeing the Beauty

I am absolutely fascinated by sunsets. I love the beauty of the colors and the brightness of the beautiful sun. I'm kind of obsessed with light if you haven't been able to tell:)

 The color in each of these photos is amazing! God has made such a beautiful earth! Isn't it amazing!?!

These girls have blessed my life in more ways than you can imagine.

 It looks like it could go on forever!

 Look at those colors!

I love this picture SO much for a few different reasons. This perfectly explains my sweet little sister. And she wore her wings around for about a week:) Everywhere. Church activities, playing outside, going out to eat, going to the grocery. It was kinda  sorta adorable:)

Have a wonderful day!
-Shelby

Guest Post for Whitney

Hello Blog World!

I recently (it was actually a while ago but I've been behind on blogging ...) had an opportunity to do a guest post on Whitney's Blog!

Remember when she did an amazing guest post here? Yeah..... She's pretty awesome!

Anyways, I'd love it if you went and checked it out!

Have an amazing day!

Just a Little Preview......

#becauseofhim

      

"Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. Because of Him, death is not the end, and life takes on new meaning. We can change, we can start over—and we can live again with God. This Easter, celebrate His life and discover all that’s possible because of Him."

                                                                                         -Mormon.org 

Please, oh pretty please watch this video! It is so true! The atonement is amazing! Because of him so much is possible.

I add my testimony that everything in this inspiring video is true.

-Shelby
PS. While you are at it please check out this page on mormon.org!

Life is Beautiful

I just want to stop in today and say

 

God is great and he loves you.

 

Life really can be amazing and beautiful, its all in how we see it (I know-everyone says that- but its true!)

 

I so grateful for all the many blessings God has blessed me and every one else on this world with. I mean look at the beautiful sunset! Only a Divine Being could create something as beautiful as that!

I know that as we look for the good, we will see it. And as we pray- truly pray with all our souls- Heavenly Father's spirit will be near us always, guiding us and helping us see the beautiful.

I know this is true.

 

-Shelby