The Atonement

In the last few weeks I have been teaching a Sunday School class centered on Family History. Preparing the lesson each week gives me pause to think about the Plan of Salvation and this week, Christ's sacrifice for us. The Atonement paved the way for our eternal salvation. Last week in conference President Hinckley said, "Without Easter there would be no Christmas." I realize I am quoting this out of context, but I think it is a profound statement on its own. I tend to overlook Easter and its signifigance, but this year I am in a different frame of mind. I have watched Jerry make tremendous sacrifices for his students. Some are deeply aware and grateful. Some totally lack awareness. And some just don't seem to care, always keeping the focus on self. It has been a huge lesson for me. Jerry not only sacrifices by flying back and forth every week, but he spends most Sundays, his only day off writing out charts to songs his students have requested to learn.

These seemingly simple charts are like little representations of Christ. Some people are deeply touched by his sacrifice. Some students look at the chart and say, "I decided I don't care about that song" and some people take the chart and say, "I'll work on that at home. Let's work on something else because I want to get the most out of my lesson." That value for dollar approach overlooks the real value in walking through the song, with Jerry teaching the nuances of the piece. Just like showing up at church and reading your scriptures while a speaker is speaking. You are not reading well and certainly not listening to the real message you are meant to receive. The notion that you can kill two birds with one stone is an onerous task. You can try and try and try. maybe once in a lifetime can you kill two birds with one stone. In the meantime you waste a lot of energy for nothing. Walking side by side with Christ with deep gratitude is the only way to truly inhabit a Christlike persona. Focusing only on the person or task in from of you allows the pitiful soul to develop a Christlike attitude. Imagine Christ watching to see who is walking in and out as he heals the blindman. I cannot picture that happening. It invalidates the real beauty of the situation when your fellow conversationalist is looking over your shoulder to see if a better conversationalist might come along. Sorry for the silly analogy, but sometimes that is what it takes for me to get the lesson.

I think about the sacrifices people around me are making every day. Dental students spend a lot of time and a lot of money to become professional and competent. Will they have to endure flaky patients who forget or cancel appointments and then don't pay their bills? Probably! I think of the women I know who go above and beyond with no expectations. To me these people are representations of Christ.

A few weeks ago I was supposed to help after a linger longer and I ended up sitting in the next room while others finished the dishes. I felt guilty, until I came down with the flu about three hours after church ended. I could not figure out why I was being "lazy" but I definitely judged myself. I think the moral of the story is that most people are doing their best each and every day. Christ would wash our feet for us no matter who we are. On this day of ultimate sacrifice I try to remember that in order to be like Christ I have to be Christlike. What that ultimately means to me is:

Judge not
and
Love one another
By this shall men know that ye are my disciples
If ye have love one to another