This past week I had a really interesting lesson in my Book of Mormon class. We were in 2 Nephi 2 and talking about the four parts of agency and how they are exhibited in the fall of Adam and Eve. We made a table with three different categories. The first being titled
Spiritual the second
Spiritual/Physical with the last one being
Physical. We talked about the differences between all of them. We don't know a ton on our spiritual existence and about premortal life. We listed as much as we could though and moved onto the spiritual/physical category. My teacher referred to this one as "The Garden of Eden." He talked about how the Garden of Eden is full imagery and figurative speaking. He pointed out how Adam and Eve were immortal and could not die up until the moment that they partook of the fruit. He referenced a talk of a general authority talking about how Adam and Eve's immortality came from the fact that they did not have blood in their bodies. They had physical bodies but were full of the spirit instead, creating that spiritual/physical state. He then talked about the importance of blood. Think about it, blood is everything. It is the thing that makes us mortal. It is the thing most necessary for the human body to function and yet, is the thing which makes it possible to die. This was super interesting to think about. And to think about how perfectly our bodies function with the assistance of blood and all that goes on inside us without us even trying. Blood completely makes us alive and we don't even have to control it! Then we went in on a deeper level and I started to think about the atonement. Is it any wonder that it was Christ's blood that came from every pore? What other symbol could convey so much importance besides his blood. Christ was losing the one thing that allowed him to live so that we could live and return to Heavenly Father through the remission of our sins that was now possible through Christ's actions. His blood was not just precious because he was the chosen son of God, the Redeemer and Savior of our souls. I loved this discovery and went back to ponder it many times. I was amazed at how much more personal the atonement became to me just through that simple eye opener. Then sitting in one of my classes we had our usual song and prayer to start our class. The song that had been chosen to sing was hymn 194,
There Is a Green Hill Far Away. I've sang this hymn many times but never before has the fourth verse stood out to me like it did that day. It reads, "Oh, dearly, dearly has he loved! And we must love him too, And trust in his redeeming blood, And try his works to do." I loved how it referred to his blood and called it redeeming. Blood was such an important factor and they realized it and brought it to our attention. And then to first show Christ's example of loving everyone and talking about how we must love him. Then to show his sacrifice that he made for us and to tell us that we must try to do what he would have us do. I love how this verse really implies that if we love him than we will do the best we can to not only spread the love he has for us but to do all he asks of us. It was a great week full of insight! I was so grateful for it and how because of it the atonement has reached a new level of personalness for me!
Then in Sacrament meeting today we heard a talk on Elder Hales talk, Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple and Sacrifice in Service. I loved how it talked about the prodigal son and that there will never be at any moment, a time when Heavenly Father and Christ will turn you away. No matter what you have done there is hope! No sin is permanent! Through Christ all things can be made whole! He heals all that come unto him and through him is the only way you can receive the blessings of heaven. Like Heleman 5:9 states, "O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world." Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for us. All of us individually! Don't take that for granted! Not using the blessing of the atonement is like mocking Christ and completely disregarding the pain he willingly went through so that you wouldn't have to suffer! Come unto Christ! Allow him to heal your hearts and remember that there is never a point of no return!!! To repent means to turn towards God and that's exactly what happens when you repent. And the moment you take that first step on the journey back to him, like the father of the prodigal son, he will run to you while you are still afar off and welcome you back with open arms! He loves all of us! Don't every forget it! :)
Don't deny yourself the peace of God! You deserve it! And he wants so badly for you to have it! So return to him and give up your burden unto him. He will carry it for you if you will but allow him to and live his will.
