by Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Every time I read and study about the Atonement I learn something new.
During my study of this talk the Spirit witnessed to me that Christ experienced ALL (not just a few, not just some, but all) of our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, our sufferings. Notice the word OUR. He didn't just experience struggles, heartache, temptations, sufferings, He experience OUR, mine and your individual, struggles, heartache, temptations, etc. He felt exactly what we feel. He went through exactly what we go through. And because he did this, he can relate to us on a personal level and give us the aid, comfort, relief, and peace that we need.
"He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us-to give us the strength to bear it all."
More of my favorite quotes from this talk:
"Because of . . .[the] Atonement, our Savior can provide us the strength we need to overcome . . .mortal challenges."
"James E. Faust taught, "Since the Savior has suffered anything and everything that we could ever feel or experience, He can help the weak to become stronger".
"As President Boyd K. Packer explained: "He had no debt to pay. He had committed no wrong. Nevertheless, an accumulation of all of the guilt, the grief, the sorrow, the pain and humiliation, all of the mental, emotional, and physical torments known to man-He experience them all."
"As Elder Maxwell taught, "Having descended below all things, He comprehends, perfectly and personally, the full range of human suffering." We might say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask."
Everything we will go through in this life, Christ has experienced. He is there for us. Go to Him for advice. Cry on His shoulder. He gets it. He gets us. He has been there. He knows how to help. He knows exactly what we need, and will give it to us. We just need to ask.
"He knows of our anguish and He is there for us."
p,s, I loved this story , The Last Sacrament Cup, shared in the Dec 2015 Ensign
p,s, I loved this story , The Last Sacrament Cup, shared in the Dec 2015 Ensign