the atonement

Today in church I got to teach the Young Women's lesson. I am absolutely loving the new youth curriculum, Come Follow Me, that the First Presidency of the church came out with starting this year. It is amazing and inspired. I can already tell the girls are more into the lessons and growing so much. The focus for March's lessons will be the Atonement. And today I had the big task of introducing the topic. 

I was a little nervous because the Atonement is such an important part of the gospel, and there is SO much to talk about! But the lesson went well, the girls were SO reverent, and the Spirit was really strong. I shared this story told by Gordon B. Hinckley that I thought was really powerful.

 "(There was) a one room school house in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough no teacher had been able to handle them.

“Then one day an inexperienced young teacher applied. He was told that every teacher had received an awful beating, but the teacher accepted the risk. The first day of school the teacher asked the boys to establish their own rules and the penalty for breaking the rules. The class came up with 10 rules, which were written on the blackboard. Then the teacher asked, ‘What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?’

“‘Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on,’ came the response.

“A day or so later, … the lunch of a big student, named Tom, was stolen. ‘The thief was located—a little hungry fellow, about ten years old.’

“As Little Jim came up to take his licking, he pleaded to keep his coat on. ‘Take your coat off,’ the teacher said. ‘You helped make the rules!’

“The boy took off the coat. He had no shirt and revealed a bony little crippled body. As the teacher hesitated with the rod, Big Tom jumped to his feet and volunteered to take the boy’s licking.

“‘Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?’ the teacher asked.

“After five strokes across Tom’s back, the rod broke. The class was sobbing. ‘Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. “Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”

 

I showed this little video at the end. It is an excerpt from an conference address by Elder Holland. This talk changed my relationship with the Savior. It changed my feelings about General Conference. And as spring and Easter approach, I think everyone needs to see it.

I know you aren't supposed to have favorites when it comes to Apostles, but I admit, Jeffrey R. Holland is my favorite. He just speaks to my soul! Yesterday we had a special fireside about apostles and prophets with the youth to prepare for Elder Ballard coming to our stake conference. I know that apostles and prophets are real today and truly testify of Jesus Christ.

I love my Savior and His sacrifice he made for me. I know he lives and is the key to our happiness!

The Atonement is the supreme expression of our Heavenly Father’s love... It is also the greatest expression of the Savior’s love for the Father, and for us. -True to the Faith