It was a VERY tough week for me. I’m not sure what it is…maybe the dreary weather, the cold, the lack of sleep (this NEVER helps the week go well), the kids, the cat? WHO KNOWS! I am so glad that I was able to go to church today and to renew my covenants, to partake of the sacrament and feel the healing benefits of the atonement. There were two talks. The first was on the atonement. She likened it to the weekend she and her husband removed a huge tree from the backyard of their home. The tree was HUGE and shaded the yard, and the kids tripped over the exposed roots. They decided the tree had to go. They cut it down and ground the stump down, they leveled the ground and put down top soil in preparation for laying sod. Just as they were about to lay the sod a storm rolled in and started washing the valuable top soil away down the driveway and into the gutter. They rushed and put down the sod. By this time they were COVERED in MUD!! She talked about how they went in and peeled the wet and muddy clothes off layer by layer and then showered to remove the last bits of dirt. The atonement is like that. We can feel THAT clean and fresh. It feels soooo good to be clean. We need only partake and reach out and receive the gift.
The second talk was on the healing benefits of the atonement. It was given by a brother who is what I think of as a diamond in the rough, a steel-coated marshmallow. He’s a good man, but hides behind this gruff and stoic facade. He talked about how he is preparing to enter the Temple. His wife has been waiting a LONG time for this. He told of how he doesn’t forgive himself for past transgressions…so how on Earth could Heavenly Father forgive him??? I can see that. I guess the answer is to repent and start again. To just reach out and partake…
This is why I am grateful for the atonement. For Sundays – for new weeks – for new beginnings and starting over. May this coming week be soooo much better than last.
No comments:
Post a Comment