Spiritual Sunday

This is my grandma's favorite picture of Gethsemane.
I am so glad I was able to find it to post here.

I had the opportunity to speak in church today. I don't necessarily love to, but I can whip up a 10 minute talk and do fairly well, so it's not that big of a deal. But I haven't talked in so long, I was SO nervous! Luckily once I go up there my fears were put aside and I just tried to listen to the spirit so I could speak to the congregations heart's.

I was asked to speak on Gethsemane and Jared was asked to speak on the resurrection. There was one other speaker who went before us, and so Jared had about 5 minutes to speak. He was perfectly content with that! :) I wrote down my talk so I am going to put it on here for record keeping sake, more for me than any one else, but you're free to read it.

"Bro. Hokanson called many times to get a hold of us. Once he did, he gave us the two topics and let us decide who does what. He gave us Gethsemane and the resurrection. Both of those are seemingly difficult topics to me. They both represent such HUGE events in the world and the plan. It seemed like either one I chose, it didn't matter because it was going to be difficult. When I was pondering which one to do, I realized I don't know too much about Gethsemane. I have heard it over and over from teachers and in conference, but never actually studied it. That was when I decided to choose that topic. Jared seemed happy to be able to cover the resurrection.

After I made my decision, I went straight to the source and read about Gethsemane in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Learning that John doesn't go over it in the same way. My favorite one was Mark so I am going to read that one to you. Starting with the Joseph Smith Translation and ending in Mark.READ: MARK. After I had read this,I thought, that was it? One of the biggest events in the plan and it is covered in only a few verses? Not only that, but it isn't extremely insightful about WHAT happened in Gethsemane . That is when I learned how important it is to study not only these verses, but the topic. And the topic isn't necessarily Gethsemane, but the Atonement. When I think of Gethsemane, I feel sad thinking about the pure agony that Christ went through. But when I think of the Atonement, I feel pure joy. My mind doesn't immediately go to the pain, but the sacrifice and the gift of being able to return home that we have all been given.

In John 16:32-33 it says:__. In an address to CES educators, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, read paper. (It basically says how sad the apostles were for what was to come with Christ's suffering and death. Elder Maxwell says that it should bring peace, knowing that the plan was to be fulfilled and we can make it back to our Heavenly Father through the atonement. I couldn't find the talk online, but I love Elder Maxwell and his words are so powerful.)

We should rejoice that good wins over evil. I realized while reading the passages of Gethsemane that Satan was ever present. While I was reading it, I thought, how can these apostles fall asleep during such an important time. I worked graveyards and I know what it is to be tired, but this wasn't watching misbehaving teenagers like I did, but being there for Christ. It is unfathomable to me. After reading the verses for the 4^th or 5^th time, I realized the part where Christ says, Watch and pray that ye not enter into temptation. Christ warns them of the temptation and they still succumb to it in a way. It proves how powerful Satan is and can be. What happened had to happen so that the plan could be fulfilled, and I am so glad that Satan was defeated and a way was made for me and you to be able to return to Father in Heaven.

I feel like as important we all know the Atonement was, it can be taken for granted. I'm not saying in the ways of sin now and repent later and all is good. But taking advantage of the fact that Christ is the Son of God, of course he could do it. I admit that I fell into the thinking of, yes it was painful and agonizing beyond all imagination, but there was never no doubt in my mind that it wouldn't be fulfilled.

In Elder Richard G. Scott's talk last week, he gave some great insights to what it was really like in the garden for Christ. During his talk, I actually had the thought of, who wouldn't have done this sacrifice? I would go through anything and death so the world could have the choice to be saved. But I knew that there is so much more to it than that. Willingness isn't enough alone. Remember Satan clearly was present and if he can make apostles disobey, who knows what would happen. It was right when I had this thought that this part of his talk came up. He says that Christ faced three challenges.

1: 'First, an enormous sense of responsibility, for He realized that except it be done perfectly, not one of His Father’s children could return to Him. They would be forever banished from His presence since there would be no way to repent for broken laws and no unclean thing can exist in the presence of God. His Father’s plan would have failed, and each spirit child would have been under the eternal control and torment of Satan.'

It had to be done perfectly. Knowing this, I probably would not volunteer. I know that I would fail and we would all be forever banished from his presence. Christ knew this. Even being the son of God, it was a heavy responsibility for him to carry. This part makes me appreciate his careful sacrifice even more.

2: 'Second, in His absolutely pure mind and heart, He had to personally feel the consequences of all that mankind would ever encounter, even the most depraved, despicable sins.'

Elder Scott says his mind and heart were absolutely pure. With this in mind, I picture my child, my son, not experiencing, but just watching anything horrific in nature and it tears my heart up. I can only imagine Christ's pure heart having to experience not only one instance, but every single awful sin in existence. Christ's pure heart is something I never realized and am thankful to have learned.

3: 'Third, He had to endure the vicious attack of Satan’s hordes while physically and emotionally pressed to the limit. Then, for reasons we do not fully know, while at the extremity of His capacity, at the time the Savior most needed succor, His Father allowed Him to shoulder the onerous responsibility with only His own strength and capacity.'

I have already mentioned the attacks from Satan, but Elder Scott affirms that Christ received them completely on his own. Elder Scott says, “I try to imagine what an intensely poignant moment it must have been for our Father in Heaven when the Savior cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” I don’t believe Father in Heaven forsook His Son on the cross. I do believe the cry was motivated when that Son felt removed the sustaining support He had always enjoyed from His Father. His Father recognized that the Savior needed to accomplish the Atonement totally and completely on His own, without external support. The Father did not abandon His Son. He made it possible for His perfect Son to win the eternal fruits of the Atonement. ”

He goes on to say, “None of us can ever adequately appreciate in mortality the full beneficial consequences of the Atonement. ”

I feel the truth of that statement with all my heart. There is no way for us to understand it without really going through it, and that isn't even close to possible. Now that doesn't mean we shouldn't TRY with all our hearts to understand it. Elder Scott says:

My reverence and gratitude for the Atonement of the Holy One of Israel, the Prince of Peace and our Redeemer, continually expand as I strive to understand more about it. It is vital that we each learn what we can about it. The Atonement is that essential ingredient of our Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness without which that plan could not have been activated. Your understanding of the Atonement and the insight it provides for your life will greatly enhance your productive use of all of the knowledge, experience, and skills you acquire in mortal life. There is an imperative need for each of us to strengthen our understanding of the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ so that it will become an unshakable foundation upon which to build our lives. As the world becomes more devoid of foundational standards and as honor, virtue, and purity are increasingly cast aside in the pursuit of appetite, our understanding of and faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ will provide strength and capacity needed for a successful life. It will also bring confidence in times of trial and peace in moments of turmoil.

I guess my talk today wasn't so much on Gethsemane as much as it was reiterating that it is something that can't be covered in 12 minutes. Our understanding of this sacrifice is every growing as we study through personal scripture study and prayer and pondering. This is the best way to from Elder Scott's talk, “appreciate the incomparable, eternal, infinite consequences of Jesus Christ's perfect fulfillment of His divinely appointed calling as our Savior and redeemer.”

My understanding has grown on this topic, and I am grateful for being asked to speak today. I know that Christ lives. I know that he suffered for each and every one of us. I know that I can repent of my mistakes and be forgiven because of his sacrifice. I am so grateful for the fullness of gospel in the latter days, that we might know more about the atonement and the plan and our purpose on this earth. I love my heavenly father and my brother Jesus Christ. I know that they love all of us so deeply. I hope that I can be a better disciple of Christ and further my understanding each and every day. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

On another note, I have a new teaching companion, and she is so cute! I am so glad to be teaching with her. She also happens to be one of the people I should be visit teaching, so that makes me easier for me to know her. I have some weird anxieties with calling people I don't know. It's crazy, so it was nice to be able to meet her and see what a wonderful person she is. I'm way excited! I love my calling now. The kids are so good most of the time and probably know more than me. But it's fun being their teacher and I hope I am a good one to them.