Saturday, October 13, 2012
Hello!
Hi everyone! This is Cam's mom. I will be updating this blog with Cameron's letters and other interesting stuff. Cameron heads into the MTC on Wed., Oct. 17th. We are thrilled he will be leaving us for two years--actually we wouldn't want him any other place! I will write more as he continues his work converting all the Okies! :D
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Farewell Talk
Pasted below is the bulk of the talk I gave for my farewell:
My purpose today is to speak about the Atonement, and how it “should” influence our lives daily.
While preparing my talk, I was searching for ways I felt that I could best portray the significance of the Atonement. I had the idea to use an acrostic poem. An acrostic poem is where the word is spelled out and written vertically on a page, and then descriptions of the word start with each letter of that word. So I decided to make my own aCROSStic poem using the word “ATONEMENT.”
“A” stands for Anointed One. This is the most important aspect about the Atonement. For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For us to return back to our Father in Heaven, a sacrifice had to be made. Our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, offered to take upon himself the sins of the world, to be slain by the wicked who knew of him, but knew him not. That great condescension! When Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss, He only need lift a finger to send the man back to his original elements. When the Jews mocked him and scourged and beat his body, He only need a single thought, and the city would be annihilated and leveled with destruction. When He was lifted up on the cross, He only need a single word, and those wicked fiends would be sent through the fiery gates of hell to endure an eternity of misery. But this was not so! At the greatest moment of this Earth’s history, Christ shows his perfect love and humility for His captors with the words, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” It is at the extremity of His suffering, His greatest condescension, that we witness the majesty of his mission. It was at this time of His greatest humiliation and lowest state that He gave the greatest glory to His Father in Heaven and then signaled the completion of His mission by simply uttering the words “Father, it is finished, thy will be done.” His Atonement was a free gift to all mankind- a gift that could be obtained no other way. It resulted from His willingness to descend. He descended not because of obligation, nor for glory, but only for love. His condescension to redeem us through the Atonement was the price He paid to provide salvation and exaltation. As Hymn number 86 rolls on, “I scarce can take it in.”
“T” stands for Time. I have a hard time with this one. I am not usually patient. When I want something, I want it immediately. Perhaps the Lord was teaching me patience this summer while I was waiting for my mission call. I feel the same is true when it comes to the Atonement. When we go through a repentance process, it takes a certain amount of time to complete it. Do not feel discouraged because the end goal seems so far away. With the Lord’s help, your testimony and faith will blossom beyond your capacity to imagine.
“O” stands for Obedience. Repentance is a process which, when done correctly, unconditionally offers one of the best blessings our Father has to offer to us…forgiveness. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to the law upon which it was predicated." Our priesthood leaders are here for many reasons. Perhaps the greatest reason is to help those who have sinned and wronged themselves before God to get back on the right path and press along fervently. If we obey their counsel, not only will we gain forgiveness from our Father in Heaven, but we will continue to live in righteousness and strive to become better.
“N” stands for Never Alone. Loneliness is a tool the adversary uses to make us feel unwanted, unworthy of friendship, depressive, discouraged, etc. I know I have felt that in my life, especially during the repentance process. I have felt like there is nobody on this Earth who can fully and perfectly understand the guilt, pain, and suffering I have had to go through. Turns out, I was right. Nobody ON THIS EARTH understands. However, since Christ suffered for my sins and wrongdoings, and experienced everything I would feel, do, or see, HE understands me perfectly. “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” I was never alone and when I felt the temptation of the devil try to throw me into misery, I knew there was One greater who was rooting in my behalf, and that in itself gave me great confidence and comfort to get through what I had brought upon myself through my own transgressions.
“E” stands for Edify. The words “edify” means to instruct, benefit, and uplift, especially morally or spiritually. I would sure hope that the Atonement of Jesus Christ would edify each one of us! The Atonement makes us want to become better people. When you have that great desire to do things that you know will help your spirituality grow and develop, the Atonement is having place in you. When you can feel the Spirit so strongly, testifying to you that something is true, the Atonement is having place in you. When you choose good over evil, obviously the Atonement is having place in you. This is the edification process I hope each one of us has experienced.
“M” stands for Moving On. Put the natural man away. You are not the natural man. You are a Son or Daughter of the Almighty! Surely he expects each one of us to uphold His commandments and live by His teachings. Forsake the sin. Never do it again as a testimony to your Father in Heaven that your repentance was genuine and true. Forgive others who have wronged you and ask for forgiveness for those you have wronged. If, for some reason that contact is not possible, give it to the Lord. He will offer restitution through your willingness to live His gospel.
“E” stands for Everyone. Just as stated earlier, the Atonement is available to all mankind. If we use this Ultimate Gift that our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us, we may return to live and BECOME like Him. Just think how our Father in Heaven must feel when He sees His children not partaking of this wondrous gift and opportunity to become perfect. He has commanded us: Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. And in modern revelation: Be clean in body. Be clean in mind. Be clean in language. Be clean in dress and manner. We have a sacred responsibility to utilize the Atonement in our lives so that we may one day stand guiltless before God, testifying by the greatness of our countenances, “I am clean.”
“N” stands for Never Ending. The Atonement is infinite. It was “in play” during our Premortal life, and it continues today, just as it will forever and ever.
“T” is for Testify. I have a sacred obligation to go to Oklahoma City and preach repentance to the people there for two years. I will have the opportunity to testify of the truthfulness of this Gospel, that salvation and exaltation ARE possible.
My purpose today is to speak about the Atonement, and how it “should” influence our lives daily.
While preparing my talk, I was searching for ways I felt that I could best portray the significance of the Atonement. I had the idea to use an acrostic poem. An acrostic poem is where the word is spelled out and written vertically on a page, and then descriptions of the word start with each letter of that word. So I decided to make my own aCROSStic poem using the word “ATONEMENT.”
“A” stands for Anointed One. This is the most important aspect about the Atonement. For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For us to return back to our Father in Heaven, a sacrifice had to be made. Our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, offered to take upon himself the sins of the world, to be slain by the wicked who knew of him, but knew him not. That great condescension! When Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss, He only need lift a finger to send the man back to his original elements. When the Jews mocked him and scourged and beat his body, He only need a single thought, and the city would be annihilated and leveled with destruction. When He was lifted up on the cross, He only need a single word, and those wicked fiends would be sent through the fiery gates of hell to endure an eternity of misery. But this was not so! At the greatest moment of this Earth’s history, Christ shows his perfect love and humility for His captors with the words, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” It is at the extremity of His suffering, His greatest condescension, that we witness the majesty of his mission. It was at this time of His greatest humiliation and lowest state that He gave the greatest glory to His Father in Heaven and then signaled the completion of His mission by simply uttering the words “Father, it is finished, thy will be done.” His Atonement was a free gift to all mankind- a gift that could be obtained no other way. It resulted from His willingness to descend. He descended not because of obligation, nor for glory, but only for love. His condescension to redeem us through the Atonement was the price He paid to provide salvation and exaltation. As Hymn number 86 rolls on, “I scarce can take it in.”
“T” stands for Time. I have a hard time with this one. I am not usually patient. When I want something, I want it immediately. Perhaps the Lord was teaching me patience this summer while I was waiting for my mission call. I feel the same is true when it comes to the Atonement. When we go through a repentance process, it takes a certain amount of time to complete it. Do not feel discouraged because the end goal seems so far away. With the Lord’s help, your testimony and faith will blossom beyond your capacity to imagine.
“O” stands for Obedience. Repentance is a process which, when done correctly, unconditionally offers one of the best blessings our Father has to offer to us…forgiveness. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to the law upon which it was predicated." Our priesthood leaders are here for many reasons. Perhaps the greatest reason is to help those who have sinned and wronged themselves before God to get back on the right path and press along fervently. If we obey their counsel, not only will we gain forgiveness from our Father in Heaven, but we will continue to live in righteousness and strive to become better.
“N” stands for Never Alone. Loneliness is a tool the adversary uses to make us feel unwanted, unworthy of friendship, depressive, discouraged, etc. I know I have felt that in my life, especially during the repentance process. I have felt like there is nobody on this Earth who can fully and perfectly understand the guilt, pain, and suffering I have had to go through. Turns out, I was right. Nobody ON THIS EARTH understands. However, since Christ suffered for my sins and wrongdoings, and experienced everything I would feel, do, or see, HE understands me perfectly. “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” I was never alone and when I felt the temptation of the devil try to throw me into misery, I knew there was One greater who was rooting in my behalf, and that in itself gave me great confidence and comfort to get through what I had brought upon myself through my own transgressions.
“E” stands for Edify. The words “edify” means to instruct, benefit, and uplift, especially morally or spiritually. I would sure hope that the Atonement of Jesus Christ would edify each one of us! The Atonement makes us want to become better people. When you have that great desire to do things that you know will help your spirituality grow and develop, the Atonement is having place in you. When you can feel the Spirit so strongly, testifying to you that something is true, the Atonement is having place in you. When you choose good over evil, obviously the Atonement is having place in you. This is the edification process I hope each one of us has experienced.
“M” stands for Moving On. Put the natural man away. You are not the natural man. You are a Son or Daughter of the Almighty! Surely he expects each one of us to uphold His commandments and live by His teachings. Forsake the sin. Never do it again as a testimony to your Father in Heaven that your repentance was genuine and true. Forgive others who have wronged you and ask for forgiveness for those you have wronged. If, for some reason that contact is not possible, give it to the Lord. He will offer restitution through your willingness to live His gospel.
“E” stands for Everyone. Just as stated earlier, the Atonement is available to all mankind. If we use this Ultimate Gift that our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us, we may return to live and BECOME like Him. Just think how our Father in Heaven must feel when He sees His children not partaking of this wondrous gift and opportunity to become perfect. He has commanded us: Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. And in modern revelation: Be clean in body. Be clean in mind. Be clean in language. Be clean in dress and manner. We have a sacred responsibility to utilize the Atonement in our lives so that we may one day stand guiltless before God, testifying by the greatness of our countenances, “I am clean.”
“N” stands for Never Ending. The Atonement is infinite. It was “in play” during our Premortal life, and it continues today, just as it will forever and ever.
“T” is for Testify. I have a sacred obligation to go to Oklahoma City and preach repentance to the people there for two years. I will have the opportunity to testify of the truthfulness of this Gospel, that salvation and exaltation ARE possible.
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