1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,120 Hey there everybody, welcome to Redeemed Through His Blood. 2 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,160 In this podcast we discuss hope, healing and redemption through the Atonement of Jesus 3 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:22,160 Christ. 4 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,760 My name's Scott Durfee and I want to be the first to welcome you out today. 5 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,120 And as always, it's my honor to welcome my partner in this project, our amazing teacher 6 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,320 and friend, Brother David Durfee. 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:34,480 Good to be here. 8 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:35,480 Thank you. 9 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:43,080 I'm grateful for the blessing it is to review these important points of doctrine and to 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:47,520 celebrate the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our life. 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:48,520 Thank you, Scott. 12 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:49,520 Yeah, it's good to be here. 13 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:56,520 As always, I've really cherished and loved the opportunity to be with Dave, with you, 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:58,720 Dave, as we've gone through these things. 15 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:05,000 I just don't know that I know of anybody and I would be, I think we'd be hard pressed 16 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:12,280 to find anybody that could help us have a more clear understanding of this such important 17 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,920 doctrine, not just in the church, but just this doctrine period. 18 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:17,920 And I'm grateful for that. 19 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,440 It's good to have you with us, Dave. 20 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,640 And gang, we want to thank you all for your emails. 21 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:27,000 Remember our email address is he redeems us at gmail.com. 22 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,720 That is, he redeems us at gmail.com. 23 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:35,240 We again, thank you so much for your emails, your comments, your questions. 24 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,080 We appreciate them very much and encourage you to just keep sending those to us. 25 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:43,840 And when it's appropriate and where we can, we'll do what we can to include those questions 26 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,720 for our listeners and for everybody's benefit. 27 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:53,280 So last week we talked about the, began to talk about the effects of the Atonement of 28 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:54,280 Jesus Christ. 29 00:01:54,280 --> 00:02:01,440 We got into the unconditional, we spent most of our time talking about the unconditional, 30 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,440 the unconditional aspects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 31 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,720 I think we'll have some more to say about that today. 32 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:14,360 I also think that today we'll be moving into somewhat around the conditional effects of 33 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,000 the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 34 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:21,640 So as we do that, you'll remember last week we talked about, Dave shared with us a great 35 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:28,800 story about a, a inmate at the Utah State Prison that had been adopted, so to speak, 36 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:34,360 by his family and had felt the, and the, the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ had 37 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:35,480 many experiences. 38 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:44,240 He also shared with us a story of his son, my cousin, Isaac, who has had similar challenges 39 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,840 in his life and how those things are covered through the Atonement of Jesus Christ because 40 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,900 of the unconditional component of it. 41 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:58,960 So as we start moving now into more of the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, 42 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:05,320 we're going to be looking at again, the unconditional and the conditional parts of it. 43 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,720 We're going to talk about again, more who's covered by it. 44 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:14,560 We're going to probably get into the three powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and, 45 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:20,160 and how they affect and their, their role in our learning and our experiencing it. 46 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,080 So with that, let's get things rolling, Dave. 47 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,400 Where do you want to start today? 48 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:32,000 Well, I think near the, near the end of last episode, I had read this, this quote, which 49 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:43,760 I want to read again, all that is unfair about life can be, and I believe in some situations 50 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:48,880 unconditionally will be, made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 51 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,320 That's from Preach My Gospel, page 52. 52 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:59,440 And we've, we've said this earlier in our podcasts about the fall, Scott, that all the 53 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:09,920 negatives of the fall, which we did not choose are unconditionally covered by the infinite 54 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,520 and intimate Atonement of Jesus Christ. 55 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,520 Think about that. 56 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:20,000 It doesn't matter where you're born. 57 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,320 It doesn't matter what your faith, your religion is. 58 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:34,520 It doesn't matter anything, any negative that has been forced upon you or that came about 59 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:42,600 as a result of, of genetics or imbalance or all of the, all the negatives of the fall 60 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,560 that we didn't choose. 61 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:56,840 And I believe that the outcomes of those negatives, even maybe the behavioral outcomes of those 62 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:06,920 negatives that we didn't choose, all of that is covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 63 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,800 We'll talk about more about that. 64 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:18,960 Senator Renland recently, just a few years ago, said, remember joyfully and reverently 65 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:25,200 that the Savior loves to restore what you cannot restore. 66 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:26,920 He loves to heal wounds. 67 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:28,640 You cannot heal. 68 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:38,320 He loves to fix what has been irreparably broken, irreparably broken. 69 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:44,800 That amazing statement, he loves to fix what has been irreparably broken. 70 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:54,000 He compensates, this is Elder Renland, he compensates for any unfairness inflicted upon you and 71 00:05:54,000 --> 00:06:02,680 he loves to permanently mend even shattered broken hearts. 72 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:07,560 I just think that's an amazing promise and a testimony of the power of Christ. 73 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:08,560 Yeah, I do too. 74 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,560 There's a couple things that kind of jump out at me, if I might, from Elder Renland's 75 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,240 quote there, you know, irreparable. 76 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:22,000 I don't think that word irreparable is in the vocabulary of our Savior. 77 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,040 Everything is repairable by him. 78 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:25,040 Everything. 79 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,920 So irreparable, he has no context there, right? 80 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,760 And then the other one is permanently fixed, permanently. 81 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:33,760 Permanently. 82 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:34,760 Permanently. 83 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,360 Permanently mend. 84 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,560 Permanently mend, that's the phrase. 85 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:40,720 Permanently mend. 86 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,880 My goodness, I would like to have something permanently mended that is flawed. 87 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:50,400 We just don't have, you know, because of the fall, we just don't. 88 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:54,480 When I think of permanently mended, right now I've got some problems with the thumb, 89 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:55,480 right? 90 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,320 It's just, and that's because of the fall. 91 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:58,800 I want it permanently mended. 92 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,720 Well, today it's not going to be permanently mended and I'm probably going to have to deal 93 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:07,160 with this situation for much or most of my life, but that's not permanent, right? 94 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,640 Yeah, and worse is worse than the physical is the emotional. 95 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:12,640 Much worse. 96 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:20,600 Mental, spiritual flaws and inadequacies that we struggle with. 97 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:29,920 So I just, the depths and breadth and the comprehension of the Atonement of Jesus Christ 98 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:38,520 God, if we could just begin to get a glimpse of what is covered by the Atonement of Jesus 99 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:48,120 Christ and who's covered by Christ in all the world, it would just, there's so many 100 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:55,200 people who are upset, anxious about the, I understand, I am too. 101 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:01,360 I think all of us being mortal can't live in this world without having all the negatives 102 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:09,640 of the world affect us, but it makes such a difference with me to understand just a 103 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:17,040 little bit, a glimpse of what the Atonement of Christ covers. 104 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:25,240 And that gives me so much hope, it gives me so, it's so much easier for me to forgive, 105 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,800 to extend mercy and grace. 106 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:36,160 Here's a quote by Elder Cook, Elder Quintenelle Cook. 107 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:43,320 Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer whose Atonement not only provides for salvation 108 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:54,680 and exaltation, but also will compensate for all the unfairness of life. 109 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:56,280 That's an amazing statement, Scott. 110 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:57,880 Yeah, that is. 111 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:03,680 And so when our kids come to us and say, dad, life's not fair, we can say, yeah, life's 112 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:04,760 not fair. 113 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:11,560 But life has been compensated for, those unfairnesses have been compensated for through the Atonement 114 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:13,080 of our Lord and Savior. 115 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:14,080 Yeah. 116 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:18,360 And I just really rejoice in that. 117 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:23,760 And I think thinking about it, I think I think about it every day. 118 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,160 And it really, really affects my life every day. 119 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:35,840 I had another experience several years ago on an Indian reservation, a Crow Indian reservation 120 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,480 up in Hardin, Montana, just south of Billings. 121 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,840 And I had been invited to be there because I was the area director of seminaries and 122 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:51,680 institutes in the central area, in North America central area. 123 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:59,400 And I had been invited to come with several other priesthood leaders to talk about how 124 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:09,120 we can increase our outreach to these Native American members of the church. 125 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:17,280 And I don't think people really understand how many Native American reservations there 126 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,880 are in this country. 127 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:26,520 If you live in the Midwest, oh man, they're in every state in the Midwest multiple. 128 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:32,880 There's so many tribal nations and so many different reservations. 129 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:34,120 And I learned that. 130 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:41,360 And I loved going to visit some members of the church and on those reservations. 131 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:45,520 There's actually lots of members of the church that live there. 132 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,780 The activity rate is quite low. 133 00:10:49,780 --> 00:10:55,040 People might remember back in the 60s and 70s, there were lots of baptisms that were 134 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:58,200 performed on chapels that were built. 135 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:03,040 And anyway, I experienced that living in the Midwest for 13 years. 136 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:08,760 And so we were invited to go to Hardin, Montana, Crow Reservation. 137 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:15,280 Actually we were only a few miles from where Custer met his demise in Montana. 138 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:21,720 And I actually met the family that owns that property, even though the government leases 139 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:22,720 it from them. 140 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,480 And there's a national monument there. 141 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:29,920 I was able to go on the property and kind of get an own personal tour from the family 142 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,160 that owns that property. 143 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:38,480 But Elder Hugh Pinnock was the president of the 70 who was presiding at this meeting. 144 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:43,400 And at the time was the president of the North America Central Area. 145 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:53,760 And in this meeting with about 40 priesthood leaders, Elder Pinnock said something like 146 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:55,480 this. 147 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:05,720 He said, I believe what Alma says that there are different degrees of sin. 148 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:15,320 And I believe, as Alma says, that the worst sin is to deny the Holy Ghost unpardonable, 149 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,040 unforgivable. 150 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:25,720 And I believe the second worst sin is murder. 151 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,560 But I see it a little bit differently. 152 00:12:28,560 --> 00:12:35,280 I don't necessarily completely agree with Alma that the third worst sin is adultery. 153 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:40,200 He said, I think there's a sin worse than adultery. 154 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:46,520 It's the sin of giving up on people. 155 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:56,120 And he said, the minute you give up on someone, the minute you write them off, you are committing 156 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,320 a form of murder. 157 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:08,160 And he said to us, some of you have written off these people. 158 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:15,760 Some of you have given up because of their inactivity. 159 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,240 And he really chastised all of us in the room. 160 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:24,680 He really let us have it that we shouldn't write off anybody. 161 00:13:24,680 --> 00:13:35,540 And he said to us, if you had to walk in their moccasins, some of you would not do as well 162 00:13:35,540 --> 00:13:38,080 as they've done. 163 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,640 And then he said he wanted to read a scripture to us. 164 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:48,080 And he turned to this scripture in Doctrine and Covenants section 46 verse 15, which has 165 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,840 been just life changing for me. 166 00:13:51,840 --> 00:14:00,000 So this is Doctrine and Covenants section 46 verse 15, Elder Pinnock read. 167 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:08,680 And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration 168 00:14:08,680 --> 00:14:16,520 as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will. 169 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:23,880 Then this is the part he emphasized, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of 170 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,440 the children of men. 171 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:32,840 Then he gave us this interpretation of the verse, the application of the verse. 172 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:40,000 And he said, some of you have given up on these people, and he said, the Lord suits 173 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:46,200 his mercies or suits us, Taylor covers us, right? 174 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:57,340 Taylor made the mercies in grace of the Atonement of Jesus Christ according to our conditions. 175 00:14:57,340 --> 00:15:01,840 And he reminds us, if you were born in these Elder Pinnock reminded us, if you were born 176 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:07,760 in their conditions, some of you wouldn't do as well as they've done. 177 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:14,440 Well I was just having an amazing experience sending their listening to this and my mind 178 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:21,120 was just enlightened and enlarged and we were eating lunch and I was sitting across the 179 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:27,640 table from Elder Pinnock and I said, Elder Pinnock, I'm so grateful for what you shared 180 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,720 with us this morning that the Lord suits his mercies according to the conditions of the 181 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:34,480 children of men. 182 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:45,120 But how do I reconcile that verse with Corinthians 10.13, so I sat across the table from Elder 183 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:54,200 Hugh Pinnock at lunch and I said to him, Elder Pinnock, I loved what you taught us today in 184 00:15:54,200 --> 00:16:01,760 Dr. and Covenants 46.15 that the Lord suits his mercies according to the conditions. 185 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:08,720 But I said, how do I reconcile that in my mind with 1 Corinthians 10.13 which teaches 186 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:16,360 us that there hath no temptation taken us but such as is common to man. 187 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:21,280 But with the temptation that we experience, the Lord will make an escape that we may be 188 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,040 able to bear it. 189 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:27,320 So how do I reconcile those two things? 190 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:34,640 And he looked at me and he could tell I wasn't really getting it and he was, you know, he 191 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:45,040 was being kind but he said to me kind of in this tone, Brother Durfee, there's a difference 192 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:50,040 between conditions and temptations. 193 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:57,840 Wow, as soon as he said that, Scott, it was like a thousand lights went on in my mind 194 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:06,160 that there's a difference between temptations and conditions and that all of the negative 195 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:17,920 conditions of life that we experience are unconditionally covered by the atonement of 196 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:27,760 Jesus Christ and that includes, can include where you're born and who you're born to and 197 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,360 what you're born with or without. 198 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:43,040 And I just went through my mind, wow, the mercy, the mercy of God, the love of God, 199 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,080 it was just really affected me. 200 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:56,760 And I just, I don't look at life the same now knowing that all of the conditions of 201 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:05,080 life that are in any way negative that the Lord suits His mercies to cover those. 202 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:10,560 So I have an experience with this scripture and you may remember it, Dave. 203 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:18,240 I don't remember the year but you were living in Minnesota and I was struggling with something 204 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,760 pretty bad, badly with something, that's what I mean to say. 205 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:26,520 It was just difficult for me and that thing had to do with my kids and it had to do with 206 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:31,940 I had not lived my life or made a lot of great choices in my life while they were young and 207 00:18:31,940 --> 00:18:36,480 impressionable that would definitely affect them and it has, it's definitely affected 208 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:37,480 them. 209 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:43,680 And when I was coming back to myself, when I was coming back to the fold so to speak 210 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:49,720 and embracing all of the things that I knew to be true and was even though the conditions 211 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:54,680 of my past, you know, they were now being, they were now being satisfied through the 212 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:59,160 Atonement of Jesus Christ but there was this one thing that was just eating me a lot. 213 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:00,880 I couldn't sleep. 214 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:02,720 Sometimes it was difficult for me to eat. 215 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,040 I couldn't stay focused on my work. 216 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:09,920 And what this thing was was, man, I really have not given my kids a very good chance 217 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,400 in this life. 218 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:16,840 I have not been able to put them or been able is absolutely the inaccurate way to say it 219 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:21,160 but I did not make the choices I needed to make to put them on the path that would lead 220 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:26,440 them to the eternal peace and happiness that I had hoped for. 221 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:31,200 One might be listening to this and thinking, well, way to go Scott, you know, great example. 222 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,880 And you know, touche, that's exactly right. 223 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:34,880 Great example. 224 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:36,480 That was me making that mistake. 225 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:40,560 That was me messing up for which I've paid and will continue. 226 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:45,400 But the compensatory part of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and you when I called you 227 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:50,960 because when I get in a spot where I need advice, there are certain people that I can 228 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,760 call that I know are going to have. 229 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,160 Well there's just certain people that I can call and trust and you've definitely been 230 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,080 one of those for me, David. 231 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:05,840 One day I remember where I was standing, I was at the mall in Sandy, Utah at the South 232 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,440 Town Mall in the parking lot. 233 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:08,440 I was working. 234 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:13,840 I was making calls between appointments and some of my customers were there. 235 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,000 This was eating me up so badly. 236 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,480 I just I prayed and for whatever reason I had the thought called David. 237 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:24,760 So I called you and you answered and I explained to you what was going on and we've had more 238 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:26,160 than one conversation about this. 239 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:27,720 You've helped me a great deal with this. 240 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,760 You gave me that Scripture, D&C 4615. 241 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:35,640 And I think it was shortly after that you had had the time that you had had this experience 242 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:41,320 and what a difference it made to me to have that understanding through your experience 243 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:47,560 that you know what the conditions under which we are all subjected and we are all subjected 244 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:48,560 to certain conditions. 245 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:49,560 We just are. 246 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:50,560 Right. 247 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:55,560 And when we're subjected to those conditions, if they take us away from living our most 248 00:20:55,560 --> 00:21:00,840 perfect life and many of them will, most of them sometimes do to have this promise, to 249 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,040 have this comfort. 250 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:03,040 Right. 251 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:04,040 What a gift. 252 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:08,000 Well, that's that's great application, Scott. 253 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,320 None of us are perfect parents. 254 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:10,320 No. 255 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:11,880 Thanks for reminding me of that experience. 256 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:21,520 I I can't remember that, but I'm grateful that that I was able to be involved in that 257 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:25,640 experience with you because it's affected me so much. 258 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:32,960 And as a priesthood leader, it's I know it's blessed so many other individuals and families 259 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:39,720 to think about this application that because none of us are perfect parents that our children 260 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:47,880 sometimes act out because of our stupidity, our ignorance, our lack of this or our lack 261 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:48,960 of that. 262 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:49,960 And they didn't choose that. 263 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:56,280 Now, again, I know, I know that the Atonement allows us to act and not to be acted upon. 264 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:07,240 But the reality is, is that because of certain conditions that we're born into, it really, 265 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:12,880 it really does act upon us and it really does affect us in negative, in negative ways. 266 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:21,520 And as an imperfect parent, I am so thankful to know that in my failure that the Atonement 267 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:28,880 of Jesus Christ can make up the difference in my lack of doing things that I should have 268 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:35,480 done where others maybe could or should or would have been blessed that that I didn't 269 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:43,000 do, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ can compensate and make up the difference that 270 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:49,920 mercy is always extended according to the conditions of the children of men. 271 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:55,280 And I think it's important that we point out to that, you know, we can't look at this. 272 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,200 None of us can look at this scripture and say, well, because of my conditions, I don't 273 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:00,560 need to try. 274 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:01,560 That's not the point. 275 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:03,520 In fact, it's quite the opposite. 276 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:04,520 Amen. 277 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:08,560 In fact, it's quite the opposite because, you know, as we look at this and we realize 278 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:14,320 the great mercy and love and, you know, over the last 12 or 10 or however many podcasts 279 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,120 that we've been able to publish at this point. 280 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:23,200 So during that period of time, we have established a relationship and knowing him that enables 281 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:28,400 us to fill his love through the power of the Holy Spirit. 282 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,880 And as we fill his love through the Holy Spirit, it changes our behaviors as we've talked 283 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,520 about multiple times. 284 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:38,600 As those behaviors change, I mean, there's a balancing that comes into play here, a reconciliation 285 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,920 of sorts of our own that comes into play here. 286 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,200 One is, is yes, we understand God's great mercy towards us. 287 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:47,200 And it's undescribable. 288 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:52,280 In fact, it's unfathomable to some of us, the mercy, the amount of mercy that he's extended 289 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:57,520 to us through this because it just, and going back to that scripture, DNC 4615, because of 290 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:01,520 the conditions that we're subjected to, born into whatever the case may be. 291 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:10,200 But we all, as we live that life, as we have the spirit in our life, as we try harder to 292 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:16,560 have him there, then, then inevitably we do have a desire to be closer to him and to keep 293 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:17,560 his commandments. 294 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:19,720 We're still going to fall. 295 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,280 And that's where the reconciliation comes in. 296 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,960 That's where it's, at sometimes we need to be hard on ourselves. 297 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:31,520 Sometimes we need to cut ourselves a little bit of slack, but we need to do whichever 298 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:34,480 it is only as directed by the spirit. 299 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:38,240 If I'm too hard on myself and I'm not directed by the spirit to be hard on myself, then that's 300 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,960 not me participating in the atonement. 301 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:45,320 If I, and, and, and, you know, conversely, the opposite is also true. 302 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:52,560 Well, remember, we're talking about the unconditional aspects of the atonement of Jesus Christ here. 303 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:58,760 Here, in a, in a few minutes, short time, probably, on this podcast, we want to shift 304 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:04,040 that and talk about the conditional aspects of the atonement of Jesus Christ, which will 305 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:13,440 require our efforts, our best efforts to exercise faith unto repentance, will require our efforts 306 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:18,000 to receive the Holy Ghost and to be led by the spirit. 307 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,560 Those are all, those are all the conditional aspects and blessings of the atonement of Jesus 308 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:29,520 Christ, but we're, we're still on the unconditional and it's just universal. 309 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:31,440 It doesn't matter what your faith is. 310 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:33,920 Doesn't matter if you repent or you don't repent. 311 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:40,080 It doesn't matter whether you have the gospel or you don't or the opportunities or you don't. 312 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:47,280 The atonement of Jesus Christ affects every person that has been born into this world 313 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:58,680 and covers all of the negative conditions that people suffer in this world and makes 314 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:05,280 it so that they can receive mercy out of all of those negatives that they experience. 315 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:13,680 I, I know that we speak in the church so often of the redemptive powers of the atonement 316 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:20,960 of Jesus Christ, which requires, that's conditional, that requires faith unto repentance, that 317 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:26,680 requires effort on our part to receive the blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ 318 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:29,040 in our life. 319 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:35,080 I know we speak about the enabling powers of the atonement of Jesus Christ, which have 320 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:41,520 been well described by the brethren, which is the, the grace or the strengthening part 321 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,280 of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 322 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:51,200 And yet to kind of today and really last time as well, we're spending a lot of time talking 323 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:59,480 about the unconditional powers, the compensatory powers of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 324 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:06,280 And here's another, here's one of my favorite quotes from Elder Christopherson on this idea. 325 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:15,120 The atonement satisfies the debt justice owes to us by healing and compensating us for any 326 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:19,560 suffering we innocently endure. 327 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:26,160 Jesus Christ's atonement pays for any debt that is the result of anything that we suffer 328 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,320 innocently. 329 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:36,920 So I, I just think that we underestimate the mercy and grace that's available not only 330 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:45,880 to us, not only to our parents, our children, our families, but to our neighbors, to those 331 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:55,960 who have hurt us or offended us, to the world, both good and evil, righteous or wicked. 332 00:27:55,960 --> 00:28:02,080 The atonement of Jesus Christ, Scott, is just so comprehensive and universal. 333 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:10,800 And last podcast, we, we talked about gratitude being the beginning of desire. 334 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:21,680 Well, when I think about the, the blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ and all who 335 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:30,360 are covered by it, then all of the answers that gives us to some of the really hard questions 336 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:31,960 and facts of life. 337 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:40,400 When I think about Jesus suffering for everyone in the world, based on their conditions, that 338 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:47,000 he covers all of those who have ignorantly sinned as taught by King Benjamin in Mosiah 339 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:54,840 chapter three or as taught by Jacob in second Nephi chapter nine, who died without the law. 340 00:28:54,840 --> 00:29:01,400 When I think about all of the individuals, billions and billions who have been blessed 341 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:12,480 by the atonement of Jesus Christ, my gratitude increases and my desires are increased and 342 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,200 influenced by that. 343 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:23,000 And it strengthens me in my faith and in my desire and ability to live the gospel of 344 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,160 Jesus Christ. 345 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:30,440 So I guess that's kind of, I think, the importance and the application of understanding these 346 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,440 things. 347 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:39,360 So maybe, maybe it's time for us to move into some of the conditional aspects. 348 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:40,440 Yeah, I think it is. 349 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,360 So let's just kind of recap real quickly. 350 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:50,080 Last week we talked about unconditionally, remember we talked about those who died unaccountable, 351 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:55,160 children, and how because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, they are unconditionally 352 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,120 saved in the highest degree of glory. 353 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:06,760 We talked about a young man, a man who had been just horrifically abused, beginning at 354 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:12,920 the almost birth, who David had an opportunity to spend a lot of time in getting to know 355 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,720 and loving, who spent time at the Utah State Penitentiary. 356 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:22,920 We also talked about Isaac, Dave's son, and some of the things that he's been subjected 357 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,600 to through no choice of his own. 358 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,360 And so, you know, this unconditional component, we, again, and I just want to reemphasize 359 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:35,320 this, we think of it as being applicable sometimes only to those who have gone through those 360 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:36,320 types of things. 361 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:41,880 We believe there might be something in each one of us that might have unconditional coverage 362 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,760 and application through the atonement of Jesus Christ. 363 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:48,680 And if you're struggling with that, if that's something in your life that you're trying 364 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:54,600 to figure out going back and forth, you know, my suggestion would be stop the blame game 365 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:59,040 and just enter into his rest by coming unto him. 366 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,040 And again, where do we come unto him? 367 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:03,080 We come unto him in the garden. 368 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,080 We come unto him at the cross. 369 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:09,240 We come unto him at the garden tomb. 370 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:15,960 And as we do these things, our love increases, our confusion dampens, and we get a brighter 371 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:20,520 recollection of who we are and whose we are. 372 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,360 And that kind of peace and harmony in our life is unmatched by anything else. 373 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:31,080 So even those of us who may or may not have lived a horrific life, there may be something 374 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,560 unconditionally covered through the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. 375 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:37,800 So as we move into the conditional parts, Dave, where do we? 376 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:44,840 Well, one thought Scott comes into my mind as you're describing that, which is so important. 377 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:56,080 None of us should use the events or conditions or negatives in our life as an excuse to do 378 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,160 any thing wrong. 379 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:04,520 And I know the reality of all that, but we should, as you put it, we shouldn't do that. 380 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:07,640 To be engaged in the blame game. 381 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:16,560 I saw something the other day that really struck me in regards to this. 382 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:25,680 We should strive to be an example, not to be the exception. 383 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:32,680 You know, I think that's really powerful that through the enabling, through the redeeming, 384 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:42,120 powers of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can strive to be an example of gospel living, 385 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,960 of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. 386 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:57,760 Striving to be an example is what we should focus on, not focused on, oh, I'm the exception. 387 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:00,560 Jesus covers me unconditionally. 388 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:08,040 I know there's aspects of that that are true, but to focus on being the exception or a victim 389 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:17,320 or blaming is, I think, really dangerous, can be really negative in a major setback. 390 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:22,760 I love the Scriptures, the verses that talk about us being blameless. 391 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,680 Be blameless. 392 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:26,440 That's a number of times in the Scriptures. 393 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:34,120 And when I read that, I think, okay, that means not only that he can't blame me, that 394 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,520 means I shouldn't blame anybody else. 395 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:43,000 I think that's an important attribute as a disciple of Jesus Christ, that we not blame 396 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:49,720 others for our problems, that we strive to be an example, and through the Holy Ghost 397 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:57,480 and the application of the atonement of Christ that we seek to be an example. 398 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:04,720 So often, most of us, the reason we blame is, well, there's a myriad of reasons. 399 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:12,400 But part of the reason we sometimes blame is that shifts the responsibility, right? 400 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:18,720 But as we, and I understand that, I think we've probably, at some level, most of us 401 00:34:18,720 --> 00:34:23,400 have been that person to some degree, at some point in our lives. 402 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:29,160 But I think that, and this has been the case for me, as I have come to understand his love 403 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:35,400 for me, the important components of the atonement of Jesus Christ, if I've come to understand 404 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,640 that, I feel less victimized and more empowered. 405 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:44,440 And I think that's what the atonement of Jesus Christ does for us is it empowers us 406 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:45,960 to overcome, right? 407 00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:46,960 I love that. 408 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:53,160 To overcome, we have been empowered through the atonement of Jesus Christ to overcome 409 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:55,960 even our victimizations. 410 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,080 There are no victims in God's world, David. 411 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:04,520 And I say that with some hesitancy, because I know, compared to what I've been through, 412 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,800 yeah, some of you have been victimized, and I get that. 413 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:09,560 But let's put it in perspective. 414 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,480 In God's world, are there really any victims? 415 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:18,120 Or are we all participating in life that allows us to come more fully to Him? 416 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:22,920 Well the truth is, because of the fall, because of the choice of Adam and Eve and the fall 417 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,640 of universal fall of mankind, we're all victims. 418 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,000 Well then I guess it's universal, one way or the other. 419 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:29,000 We're all victims, God. 420 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,520 Right, but very few of us are that unique. 421 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:37,520 But because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, this is your point, because of the atonement 422 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:41,240 of Jesus Christ, we don't have to see ourselves as victims. 423 00:35:41,240 --> 00:35:42,240 Ever again. 424 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:45,160 The atonement of Jesus Christ overcame all of that. 425 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:53,680 And for those of us who have been heard or abused or bullied, you know, my son Isaac, 426 00:35:53,680 --> 00:36:00,160 who's in prison, has been through such terrible bullying in his life. 427 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:01,160 And it's hurtful. 428 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:03,240 I know it's hurtful. 429 00:36:03,240 --> 00:36:10,040 But the atonement of our Savior overcomes all of that. 430 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:11,960 And that's what we should focus on. 431 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:19,520 We need to focus on how He suffered for it, how He paid for it, how He paid for the outcomes 432 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:29,080 of it, how He, and as we do that, and our gratitude grows and our faith in the atonement 433 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:36,760 of Jesus Christ increases, and we receive the powers, the empowerment that you're talking 434 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:43,280 about as we receive that, we don't need to be the exception and we don't need to be the 435 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:44,400 victim. 436 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:46,680 And we don't need to go around blaming. 437 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:51,640 Blaming would certainly be evidence that we are not forgiving. 438 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:57,440 You know, not only that we're not being accountable, that we haven't yet forgiven. 439 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:02,720 And we'll spend a whole podcast on this another day. 440 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:11,720 But I think the key to forgiving others who have hurt us in sometimes some really significant 441 00:37:11,720 --> 00:37:22,680 negative ways is to understand the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ unconditionally 442 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:30,240 overcomes any hurt, any abuse, overcomes anything that we suffer at the hands of others, 443 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:41,280 and that we can't judge our abuser or we can't judge the person who has hurt us because maybe 444 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:47,160 they are covered by the atonement of Jesus Christ as well. 445 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:56,280 Understanding the atonement helps me not only to be forgiven, but it gives me the power 446 00:37:56,280 --> 00:38:00,000 and the understanding I need to forgive. 447 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:04,640 And if we understand and truly believe some of the stuff that we've talked about, we began 448 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:10,960 part of our discussions here many weeks ago when we started talking about the fall. 449 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:13,920 And we know that because of the fall, some of us are going to have conditions in our 450 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:16,640 life that are going to be unfavorable. 451 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:23,520 Regardless of to whom we're born, where we're born, under what circumstances, there are 452 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:26,640 still going to be those conditions that are unfair. 453 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:33,680 If we look in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 2 verse 2, now what we're learning here is 454 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:36,680 Nephi's talking to his son Jacob, right? 455 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:41,760 And so he's talking about all the afflictions and trials that Jacob's been through and he 456 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:46,280 says, nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness 457 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:54,280 of God, and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for gain, for thy gain. 458 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:58,840 And that's done only, only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 459 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:03,480 So the Atonement of Jesus Christ not only helps us to understand that because of the 460 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:10,800 conditions I'm born in, I'm going to be okay, but also, but also, but because of those conditions, 461 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:12,760 they can be consecrated for my gain. 462 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:13,760 Yeah. 463 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:17,520 And that's an interesting passage that's in 2 Nephi chapter 2. 464 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:22,240 And Lehi's telling Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, I'm sorry that your older 465 00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:29,400 brothers abused you, I'm sorry that they bullied you, I'm sorry of the, and then he, and then 466 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:30,760 he tells it. 467 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:33,480 But quit feeling sorry for yourself. 468 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:35,440 Stop feeling sorry for yourself. 469 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:40,680 All thine afflictions shall be consecrated for thy gain. 470 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:44,000 Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 471 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,720 That is amazing, Scott. 472 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:49,200 Quit feeling sorry for yourself. 473 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:55,560 You know, I don't know if there's a tougher time in the history of the church than the 474 00:39:55,560 --> 00:40:01,960 saints in Jackson County talking about being victimized and being abused and the unfairness 475 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:11,320 of life is, oh, the accounts of the hardship of the saints in Jackson County, Missouri 476 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:20,440 in 1831, 32 when they were the families, all the families who had gone there to help statuaries 477 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:30,360 Zion and then to be run out of the county and oh, it's the accounts of that are so, 478 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:35,520 so touching and so hard for me to read. 479 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:43,520 But the Lord speaks to them through the prophet Joseph Smith and he says to them, this is 480 00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:46,320 in doctrine comes section 98. 481 00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:47,320 Verse 3. 482 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:49,840 Well, and I even love verse 1. 483 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:50,840 Okay. 484 00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:51,840 It's so interesting verse 1. 485 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:55,560 Here they've been through all this stuff, Scott. 486 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:57,960 And once you read verse 1, you're there. 487 00:40:57,960 --> 00:40:58,960 You got it. 488 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:04,120 It says, Verily I say unto you, my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted, yea, 489 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:08,240 rejoice evermore in everything give thanks. 490 00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:09,240 Thanks for what? 491 00:41:09,240 --> 00:41:10,240 Yeah, right. 492 00:41:10,240 --> 00:41:11,240 Thanks for what? 493 00:41:11,240 --> 00:41:12,240 Yeah, exactly. 494 00:41:12,240 --> 00:41:14,200 I've got my home's been burnt down. 495 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:16,440 My children have been abused. 496 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:25,480 My wife abused a man tarred and feathered, a man Edward Partridge and Charles Allen and 497 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:30,680 how the terrible things that happened in Jackson County. 498 00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:32,160 And then he tells them what? 499 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:37,160 He first he calls them friends, then he tells them to fear not, be comforted and in everything 500 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:39,920 give thanks and rejoice evermore. 501 00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:42,560 And rejoice evermore. 502 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:48,080 The only way I can explain that is, okay, I'd have to be given thanks for the Atonement 503 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:49,200 of Jesus Christ. 504 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:50,200 That's it. 505 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:57,360 I would just have to really be grateful for a Savior and Redeemer and to know that all 506 00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:02,000 of these things will be consecrated for my gain. 507 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:03,600 I'd have to really hold on to that. 508 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:10,040 Well, he tells them to wait patiently on the Lord in verse two and then why don't you read 509 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:11,040 verse three? 510 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:12,040 All right. 511 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:14,720 So this is section 98 verse three. 512 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:20,760 Therefore, he giveth his promise unto you with an immutable covenant that they shall 513 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:22,840 be fulfilled. 514 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:28,280 And all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good and to my 515 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:31,200 name's glory, saith the Lord. 516 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:37,440 An immutable covenant immutable means unchangeable forever and ever. 517 00:42:37,440 --> 00:42:39,560 It can't be changed. 518 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:40,880 Nothing is going to change. 519 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:42,280 Nothing can silence it. 520 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:43,560 Nothing can make it go away. 521 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:50,880 It's an unconditional covenant, really, that all of the things whereby they've been afflicted, 522 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:57,680 wherewith they've been afflicted will work together for your good and to my name's glory. 523 00:42:57,680 --> 00:42:58,840 Wow. 524 00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:06,560 The only way that's possible is by understanding and receiving, you know, the blessings of 525 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:11,080 the Atonement of Jesus Christ through our faith. 526 00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:14,600 And that's, I think I used that verse. 527 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:22,640 I think I read that verse more in my office as a bishop trying to help people who are 528 00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:26,920 hurting and suffering more than any other. 529 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:33,800 I think this passage, Deans, Doctrine and Covenants 98 verses 1 through 3, I read more 530 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:37,680 than any other two individuals in my ward who were struggling. 531 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:44,680 And I'm really grateful that we have these scriptures of the Restoration, Book of Mormon, 532 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:52,280 Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, that gives us a deeper understanding of the 533 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:57,920 powers and blessings, gifts of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 534 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:02,800 You know, Scott, Robert J. Matthews, who wrote the Bible Dictionary, used to always say, 535 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:06,760 the Bible tells us what Jesus did. 536 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:15,360 And the Bible describes largely the events of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 537 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:22,680 But the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants tell us why he did it and the blessings that 538 00:44:22,680 --> 00:44:26,800 came out of it, the powers and blessings that came out of it. 539 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:34,000 And then I'm just really thankful that we have this more complete understanding of the 540 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:37,760 mercy and grace of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 541 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:45,360 So many believe in the Christian world, believe in a quote, limited Atonement. 542 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:52,080 And yet we have this amazing phrase that's several times in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 543 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:58,320 and in Alma 34, we have an infinite Atonement. 544 00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:00,440 It covers all people. 545 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,440 It covers all negatives. 546 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:04,440 It covers all worlds. 547 00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:13,840 It covers, you know, back to the Kfar, the Hebrew, the Atonement covers us. 548 00:45:13,840 --> 00:45:14,840 Yeah. 549 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:15,840 Talk about that for just a second. 550 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:20,960 I think we talked about that in our last podcast, but Kfar, why don't you just... 551 00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:29,160 Just this idea of when I think of it, of the Atonement and I guess I use the word covering, 552 00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:32,080 how it covers us often. 553 00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:36,600 And I think of the Hebrew Kfar meaning to cover us. 554 00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:43,840 Not only covers up for any negatives in our life, but it literally like angels' wings 555 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:50,440 or like a warm blanket on a cold night. 556 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:51,680 It warms us. 557 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:53,000 It covers us. 558 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:54,000 It heals us. 559 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:55,400 It protects us, too. 560 00:45:55,400 --> 00:46:02,880 It protects us from all the conditions and negative elements of our life. 561 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:06,720 That's the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 562 00:46:06,720 --> 00:46:11,960 How grateful should we all be that we're covered? 563 00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:20,440 We are covered, unconditionally covered from all the negatives of the fall and of a mortal 564 00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:21,880 celestial world. 565 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:28,040 If we did nothing else this week, but contemplate that and set our intentional meditation and 566 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:35,360 prayer and communion with our Heavenly Father just on that, how would our lives be enriched? 567 00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:39,680 How would that change your level of gratitude and your level of desire? 568 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:43,040 How would that change your terrible rotten, no good day? 569 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:50,120 How would that change your relationship with not only Jesus, but your relationship with 570 00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:58,760 your family, your husband, your wife, your son, your daughter, others who may be struggling? 571 00:46:58,760 --> 00:47:01,600 How would that change how you see them? 572 00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:06,000 How would that change how you see the world? 573 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:09,000 It completely changes your perspective, Scott. 574 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:13,800 There's so many people who are struggling right now because of how they see the world 575 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:22,400 and all of the negatives of the world, and it can be so discouraging and depressing. 576 00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:27,600 But if we would, as you invite us to do, if we would just focus on that this week, the 577 00:47:27,600 --> 00:47:30,680 Atonement of Jesus Christ and who's covered? 578 00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:31,680 Wow. 579 00:47:31,680 --> 00:47:33,600 We might have a better week. 580 00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:36,520 I got this text late last night. 581 00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:37,880 Well, I got this text. 582 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:43,480 It was actually later yesterday afternoon from a young, just a beautiful man, just a young 583 00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:48,040 beautiful man who is, he's had his struggles like we all do. 584 00:47:48,040 --> 00:47:52,720 Nothing over the top or extraordinary by any means. 585 00:47:52,720 --> 00:47:56,640 And he faces these kind of dilemmas himself. 586 00:47:56,640 --> 00:48:02,240 He says, Scott, I feel a great desire to change and come closer to God, but I'm so overwhelmed 587 00:48:02,240 --> 00:48:08,160 by what's happening in the world, and it may be too late for me to change. 588 00:48:08,160 --> 00:48:12,440 There's not much time left for me, but I know repentance is a process and cannot be forced 589 00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:14,680 or sped up. 590 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:19,800 You know, so to your point, Dave, we do believe that this is an over. 591 00:48:19,800 --> 00:48:21,280 All you got to do is turn on the news. 592 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:22,280 Right. 593 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:23,280 Right? 594 00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:24,280 Turn on the financial news. 595 00:48:24,280 --> 00:48:25,280 I'm privy to that somewhat. 596 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:27,200 You know, we turn on the regular news. 597 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:32,720 You know, all you have to do is just take a look at our world around us, and we can find 598 00:48:32,720 --> 00:48:33,720 reasons to fear. 599 00:48:33,720 --> 00:48:34,720 Again. 600 00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:35,720 Yeah, go to the gas station. 601 00:48:35,720 --> 00:48:36,720 Exactly. 602 00:48:36,720 --> 00:48:37,880 Take out a loan first. 603 00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:42,880 But these are the things that these are the things in our lives that the Atonement is 604 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:43,880 there for. 605 00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:47,640 I mean, we think of the Atonement and so often we think about, OK, I'm going to the bishop's 606 00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:52,680 office and I'm going to I'm going to I'm going to put into action the Atonement because I'm 607 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:54,880 going to the bishop's office and I'm going to repent. 608 00:48:54,880 --> 00:48:55,880 Well, that's part of it. 609 00:48:55,880 --> 00:48:56,880 Sure. 610 00:48:56,880 --> 00:48:58,600 But it's such a small part of it. 611 00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:05,320 Well, you know, we'll get into repentance and how it's sometimes the myths of repentance 612 00:49:05,320 --> 00:49:12,160 and how it's sometimes seen to be through the church and through the Lord. 613 00:49:12,160 --> 00:49:13,160 Right. 614 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:14,160 Right. 615 00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:18,760 Listen to this quote by Elder Anderson, speaking of the world and the challenges of the world 616 00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:25,440 and the promise that Elder Anderson gives us, which is possible through the Atonement of 617 00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:26,440 Jesus Christ. 618 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:32,400 I just one of my favorite quotes and he gave it at BYU devotional, but it's in his book 619 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:35,800 The Divine Gift of Forgiveness, some page 43. 620 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:47,400 He he writes, as evil increases in the world, there is a compensatory spiritual power as 621 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:51,720 the world slides from its spiritual moorings. 622 00:49:51,720 --> 00:49:59,040 The Lord prepares the way for those who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater 623 00:49:59,040 --> 00:50:07,000 confirmation and greater confidence in the spiritual direction they are traveling. 624 00:50:07,000 --> 00:50:09,000 I love this last sentence. 625 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:17,160 The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light in the emerging twilight of the world. 626 00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:19,840 So what a great promise. 627 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:28,920 Only only possible because of our savior and Redeemer as evil increases in the world. 628 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:37,000 Because of God's love for us and for the world and because of his son, our savior and Redeemer 629 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:45,280 as evil increases in the world, there is a compensatory spiritual power that is also 630 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:51,960 in the world for the righteous, for sure, for those who seek it and for those who seek 631 00:50:51,960 --> 00:51:00,480 it and for some for some who ignorantly sin and who who don't have the law as well. 632 00:51:00,480 --> 00:51:01,480 Right. 633 00:51:01,480 --> 00:51:07,120 Well, my gosh, you know, we time just flies when we start talking about these important 634 00:51:07,120 --> 00:51:16,000 things, especially because we have so much great love and just our lives are just so 635 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:20,920 enriched and so much better because we have an understanding of that, which is so real 636 00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:22,520 in them. 637 00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:29,960 Well, maybe I'll just end with one of my favorite quotes from Elder Holland on this topic, which 638 00:51:29,960 --> 00:51:32,040 I'll never forget this. 639 00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:45,040 I think it was a young adult, worldwide telecast, fireside several years ago, 2008. 640 00:51:45,040 --> 00:51:47,320 And it was from Liberty Jail. 641 00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:48,320 Oh, yeah. 642 00:51:48,320 --> 00:51:51,320 It was about Liberty Jail. 643 00:51:51,320 --> 00:51:58,560 And he reviewed the hardship that the prophet and others who were with him went through 644 00:51:58,560 --> 00:52:08,160 in that cold winter, Missouri winter in Liberty, Missouri, in a in a jail. 645 00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:14,760 And in writing about this and in talking about the blessings of a savior and Redeemer, Elder 646 00:52:14,760 --> 00:52:24,960 Holland wrote, it ought to be a matter of great doctrinal consolation to us that Jesus 647 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:32,280 in the course of the atonement experienced all of the heartache and sorrow, all of the 648 00:52:32,280 --> 00:52:40,480 disappointments and injustices that the entire family of man had experienced, not just members 649 00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:49,160 of the church, Scott, but all the entire family of man had experienced and would experience 650 00:52:49,160 --> 00:52:56,160 from Adam and Eve to the end of the world in order that we would not have to face them 651 00:52:56,160 --> 00:53:00,480 so severely or so deeply. 652 00:53:00,480 --> 00:53:09,680 However heavy our load might be, it would be a lot heavier if the savior had not gone 653 00:53:09,680 --> 00:53:17,000 that way before us and carried that burden with us and for us. 654 00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:18,840 End quote. 655 00:53:18,840 --> 00:53:36,200 So I take great consolation and find great joy in what we understand to be the the compensatory 656 00:53:36,200 --> 00:53:44,080 powers and blessings, the enabling strength and powers and the redemptive powers of the 657 00:53:44,080 --> 00:53:54,640 atonement of Jesus Christ that can flow into our life if we will seek to come to know Him, 658 00:53:54,640 --> 00:53:58,200 to follow Him, to learn of Him. 659 00:53:58,200 --> 00:54:07,840 And the difference that can make in my life as a son, as a brother, as a dad, as a granddad, 660 00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:15,720 as a neighbor, as a friend, how it can be life changing if we could just understand it and 661 00:54:15,720 --> 00:54:20,800 focus on it more often. 662 00:54:20,800 --> 00:54:24,320 I love that he loved us first. 663 00:54:24,320 --> 00:54:32,080 I love that he has provided for us a way to get through those things which are so besetting 664 00:54:32,080 --> 00:54:33,800 sometimes. 665 00:54:33,800 --> 00:54:37,520 As we've talked about the atonement, the effects of the atonement of Jesus Christ over the 666 00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:41,520 last couple of podcasts, we've talked about unconditional and conditional components to 667 00:54:41,520 --> 00:54:42,520 it. 668 00:54:42,520 --> 00:54:47,200 We've talked about and really tried to emphasize and I hope that this has been something I 669 00:54:47,200 --> 00:54:51,880 take away for each of us is that there's really basically three powers of the atonement 670 00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:58,200 of Jesus Christ that we've talked about today, the redemptive power, the enabling power, and 671 00:54:58,200 --> 00:55:03,640 the compensating power that makes up for everything that's not our fault. 672 00:55:03,640 --> 00:55:08,020 As we've talked about these things today, surely hopefully the Spirit has helped resonate 673 00:55:08,020 --> 00:55:09,880 something within you. 674 00:55:09,880 --> 00:55:18,000 And oftentimes, and it's always my invitation, I'm a guy of action and I just hope that as 675 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:22,600 we are feeling prompted to do that we will act on those promptings and whether that prompting 676 00:55:22,600 --> 00:55:29,120 be to just develop deeper gratitude, whether that prompting to be to commune with him more 677 00:55:29,120 --> 00:55:35,040 or whatever the case may be, please listen to the Spirit, take guidance from he who loves 678 00:55:35,040 --> 00:55:37,440 us perfectly. 679 00:55:37,440 --> 00:55:44,840 He died for us, he paid, he redeemed, he enables, he compensates, and for us to know that should 680 00:55:44,840 --> 00:55:51,840 add direction and healing and hope and harmony and even in sometimes our struggles, even 681 00:55:51,840 --> 00:55:53,760 peace in our lives. 682 00:55:53,760 --> 00:55:58,880 And I'm just so grateful that we have this and that the gospel has been restored. 683 00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:02,880 I'm grateful that we have the knowledge that we have and David, again, we're grateful for 684 00:56:02,880 --> 00:56:07,200 you and for your teaching us and helping us to get a better grasp on these things. 685 00:56:07,200 --> 00:56:09,760 Thank you so much. 686 00:56:09,760 --> 00:56:13,800 Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, it's been great to be with you once again. 687 00:56:13,800 --> 00:56:18,440 There's probably been a couple of things that you have thought to do, may God enable you 688 00:56:18,440 --> 00:56:19,440 to do that. 689 00:56:19,440 --> 00:56:23,680 May you find the courage and the strength and the wherewithal to make a difference in 690 00:56:23,680 --> 00:56:27,240 your own life for surely he has to. 691 00:56:27,240 --> 00:56:28,240 We love you. 692 00:56:28,240 --> 00:56:29,240 We know God loves you. 693 00:56:29,240 --> 00:56:33,640 We look forward to being with you again next week and until then God bless you and take 694 00:56:33,640 --> 00:56:58,700 care.