My name is Matt Bakes and I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I would like to share a few things that I thought were interesting that I found in my religious studies. Growing up, I never realized how many blessings I had in my life. I had a bed, food to eat, clothes to wear, and an access to an education. As the years went by, I started to notice that i was taking these blessings for granted. One blessing that I especially made sure that I didn't take fro granted was Christ's Atonement. Having access to Christ's Atonement is a wonderful blessing and I make sure that I use it when I need it. The beauty of the Atonement is that not only does it help us overcome our sins, but our everyday trails as well. The enabling power of the Atonement is there for us when we are struggling. In the Book of Mormon, we learn that Jesus Christ's Atonement can strengthen us to overcome the natural man. In Mosiah Chapter 3, verse 19, we learn that " For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." This is saying the Atonement is there for us to be like saints and to overcome the natural man. Sometimes life can seem pretty hard and lonely. Luckily, through the Atonement, we can be lifted up and become stronger. In a talk titled " The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality" given by David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, Elder Bednar said " But we also need to appreciate that the Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to live in us - not only to direct us but also to empower us." With divine assistance, it will be easier to live more like Christ and be obedient. In 1st Nephi, chapter 3, verse 7, it says " And it came to pass that I. Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandents unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish thing which he commandeth them." Knowing that I don't have to go through my trails alone and without help is a wonderful feeling and I hope I was able to convey my message.
