There is more to it than just what I wrote and if you'd like to you can read it by going to www.lds.org amd reading int the bible dictionary under the scriptures. :)
Now, for me when I was super little I always thought that the Atonement of Jesus Christ was only for those that have sinned. But then one day I really began to listen to the Third Article of Faith "We believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel." Wait, so we're saved? Why do we need saving though? What did we do? Well, if you remember correctly in the beginning there was Adam and Eve. Eve took of the fruit after the serpent beguiled her, and Adam took of the fruit so that man could come to earth. 2 Nephi 2:25 "Adam Fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy" OR The Second Article of Faith "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression." So, the Savior saved us from what happened with Adam, and he is saving us from our own faults and imperfections? WHOA! That's pretty mind blowing! But wait, what if we mostly strive to live a good life? What about us? What about the pains and the afflictions the human body naturally gets? YES, HE SUFFERED FOR THOSE TWO! I know it's hard to imagine, but let me take you on a journey of how I have begun to learn this.
When I was thirteen years old I was sitting at a fireside where our patriarch (a man who can help to give divine direction for your entire life from the Lord) was speaking about how incredibly important it is to get a patriarchal blessing in our church, and that if you felt ready there is no reason you shouldn't get it... Well, the spirit spoke to me at that time and said, "Frances, you need to do this." I immediately told my dad, and afterwards we went up to Patriarch Merrill Blalock who told me to talk to my bishop and we could set up the appointment! Well, My oldest nephew was born on the eighth of February and I received my patriarchal blessing on February 13th... I had no idea what all of it meant 100% back then, but I did know that if I lived the way I should each thing in there would be meant for me. Well, in it there was something about me coming to truly know what the atonement meant for me. I HAD NO IDEA what that meant! Did it mean I would have to go through loads of sin? A loss of a loved one? A loss of a child? Me developing a crippling illness? What did it mean? Well, as I've gotten older I've realized it is possible it meant all of those and none of them at the same time. See, I have suffered from depression for a long time. And one day while sitting in my room just devastated at the loss of my grandmother, and crying my eyes out an overwhelming peace came over me. I stopped crying and said, "everything will be alright"... Well, a few months later I lost my other grandmother and an aunt. Talk about buzzkills... your heart just sometimes wants to tell people you do love them even when you are too depressed to say it. Then the beginning of October I lost my beloved Maria. I still cry over her because it's hard to just go on knowing that for now she's buried in the backyard. Well, here's something else I've learned... the LORD LOVES YOU, and that's why he gives us so many animals, plants, and just beauties in life. Well,in January I went to Colorado with my mom to see if we could begin to finalize things over there. I got sick at some point after we came back... And by sick I mean extremely depressed. I did nothing about this depression except feed it. I didn't want to talk to anyone, and I really didn't care what others thought about me. I got my butt up to go to improv every week, but truthfully inside I was dying... I ended up actually getting physically sick as well. Beginning of March I developed some major pains in my abdomen, but since I am a female I figured it probably had something to do with that time of the month... except those pains did not go away! I ended up telling my parents, and they took me to an instant care here in bountiful. There I discovered that my organs are normal and I didn't have appendicitis. If you are curious as to that entire story please go to the previous post about the medical mystery tour.
Now, here's something people may not know or be might be shocked about. When you are experiencing an illness where you have no clue what is wrong with you as much as you may try so hard to be happy and live joyously... there are days that is impossible! Going to church gets hard. Spending time with friends gets hard. Wanting to be around your own family also gets hard. Now, you may ask... "Frances, what does all this have to do with the atonement?" Well, my dear readers, it is when you are at your lowest point that he can lift you to an all new high! BUT HOW? Well, let me take you back in time again. This time let's go to the Garden of Gethsemane: now, imagine this there is this man with his followers (disciples), and he tells them to wait as he enters this garden alone. In that garden he prays, and He says, "Father, if thou be willing remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." Not my will but thine? WOW! THAT'S POWERFUL! Does that mean what I think it means? That Jesus Christ did not want/have to do it? Well, it was His mission in life. He was God's only begotten son. If He didn't do it none of us probably would have. He knew the hour was at hand. He told His brethren to rest. And He went into the Garden... COMPLETELY ALONE and bore EVERY SINGLE ache, pain, sin, depressive thought, loss, illness, and any bad thing we experience in this earthly state. So, does he know what it feels like to have the doctor's not know how to help you? YEP! Does he know what it feels like to think that no one cares about me? YEP! Does he really know what it feels like to lose someone? YEP! HE
EXPERIENCED EVERYTHING!
So, what does the atonement truly mean you ask? In my humble opinion it is the ultimate gift of love. It is LOVE! Love from an older brother, love from a friend, love from a father, love from a mother taking care of you, and most importantly love for yourself.
The knowledge I have gained on this subject and continue to gain helps me truly understand why a man of flesh and bone would do something so wonderfulfor EVERYONE ! My personal testimony of this grows every single day because I know He cares about me. I know He knows me. And if that takes me getting a billion blessings then I'm okay with that. My Father in Heaven wants what is best for me. I know My Redeemer Lives! And that without what He did I would not enjoy all the things that I do in this life. That is what the atonement means to me. And I would like to personally invite all of you to discover what it means to you.
My Family!
Because everyone needs the blessings that come from the temples.
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