This weeks lesson was on the Atonement in preparation for Easter.
The Greatest Week in History
Sunday
Mark 14-161 Nephi 11:9-24
The Greatest Week in History by Daniel H. Ludlow, Ensign April 1972
Monday
2 Nephi 2 & 42 Nephi 9:5-26
2 Nephi 19:5-26
2 Nephi 25:26
2 Nephi 26:24
2 Nephi 31:20
2 Nephi 32:3
2 Nephi 33:6
The Way of the Disciple by President F. Uchtorf, Conference April 2009
Tuesday
Mosiah 2:41 & 3:1-8Mosiah 14 & 15
Words on Atonement (Prophets)
Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their visions, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace.
Ezra Taft Benson
"The more we study, pray and ponder the awesome Atonement, the more we are willing to acknowledge that we are in His and the Father's hands. Let us ponder therefore, these final things. When the unimaginable burden began to weight upon Christ, it confirmed his long-held and intellectually clear understanding as to what he must now do. His working through began, and Jesus declared, "Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour." Then whether in spiritual soliloquy or by way of instruction to those about him, he observed, "But for this cause came I unto this hour."
"In Gethsemane with the suffering, Jesus began to be "sore amazed", or in the Greek, "awestruck' and astonished." Imagine, Jehovah, the Creator of this and other worlds, "astonished". Jesus knew cognitively what He must do, but not experientially. He had never personally known the exquisite and exacting process of an atonement before. Thus, when the agony came in its fullness, it was so much, much more worse than even he, with his unique intellect, had ever imagined. The cumulative weight of all mortal sins - past, present, and future - pressed upon that perfect, sinless and sensitive soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow, too, a part of the awful arithmetic of the Atonement. The anguished Jesus not only pled with the Father that the hour and cup might pass from him, but with this relevant citation, "He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me." His suffering, as it were, enormity multiplied by infinity, evoked his later soul cry on the cross, and it was a cry of forsakenness. Even so, Jesus maintained this sublime submissiveness as he had in Gethsemane. "Nevertheless not as I will, but as though wilt." While bearing our sins, our infirmities, our sicknesses, and bringing to pass the Atonement, Jesus became the perfect Shepherd, making these lines of Paul's especially relevant and reassuring:"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or feminine, or nakedness or peril, or sword? Indeed, we are in his hands, and what hallowed hands! The wondrous and glorious Atonement was the central act in all of human history. It was the hinge on which all else that finally matters, turned. But it turned upon Jesus' spiritual submissiveness. May we now, in our time and turn, be "willing to submit."
Neal A. Maxwell
In that most burdensome moment in all human history with blood appearing at every pore, and an anguished cry upon His lips, Christ sought Him whom He had always sought - His Father. "Abba" He cried, "Papa" or from the lips of a younger child, "Daddy". This is such a personal moment it almost seems a sacrilege to cite it. A Son in unrelieved pain, a Father, His only source of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night together.
Jefferey R. Holland
"Now, the Atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths. Many of us have a superficial knowledge and rely upon the Lord and his goodness to see us through the trails and perils of life. But if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah, we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived."
Bruce R. McConkie
"Jesus is the Father's gift to all men. In offering His Son as He did, our Father in Heaven has shown us our truest example of pure love. Out of His divine love came a willingness to endure the sacrifice of His son, the incomparable suffering in Gethsemane, the abuse by Romans, and Jews, the mocking of a trial, the pain and horror of a crucifixion. Why? Because our Father in Heaven loves us and knew that we could return to Him only through the Atonement of Jesus."
First Presidency New Testament Manuel
"May I invite you to join with me gaining a sound and sure knowledge of the Atonement. We must cast aside the philosophies of men and the wisdom of the wise and hearken to that Spirit which is given to us to guide us into all truth. We must search the scriptures, accepting them as the mind and will and voices of the Lord and the very power of god unto salvation. As we read ponder, and pray, there will come into our minds a view of the three gardens of God - the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Garden of the Empty tomb where Jesus appeared to Mary Magdelene."
Bruce R. McConkie
In Gethsemane we will see the Son of God ransom man from the temporal and spiritual death that came to us because of the Fall. And finally, before an empty tomb, we will come to know that Christ, our Lord, has burst the bands of death and stands forever triumphant over the grave."
Bruce R. McConkie
"We offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice ... Of Him the Prophet also declared: "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the only Begotten of the Father - That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth ... We testify that He will someday return to earth. "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts. We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles - that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of god. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son"
First Presidency
Wednesday
Alma 7:11-13Alma 33:11-16
Alma 34:13-29
Alma 36:16-27
Helaman 5:12 & Chap 14
Applying the Atoning Blood of Christ by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Conference October 1997
Thursday
Luke 22-24
The Purifying Power of Gethsemane by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign May 1985
This Do in Remembrance of Me by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign November 1995
Words to Handel's Messiah
Friday
John 13-21
D&C 19:18-24
The Infinite Power of Hope by President F. Uchtdorf, Conference October 2008
None Were with Him by Jeffrey R. Holland, Conference April 2009
Saturday
Ether 12:41
Moroni 4 , 5 , 7 & 10
D&C 45:44-52
D&C 122:6-9
D&C 128:19-25
The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles
The Relief Society Declaration
Sunday
Matthew 26-28
Joseph Smith History 1:11-17
D&C 76:22-24
D&C 110
D&C 138
Moses 1:39
O, Divine Redeemer by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign November 1981
Safety for the Soul by Jeffrey R. Holland, Conference October 2009
Charity Never Faileth Thomas S. Monson President Of The Church, Conference October 2010
He Is Not Here, but Is Risen by President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign April 2011
"Trumpeted from The Summit of Calvary is that we will never be left alone nor unaided..."
Jeffery R. Holland
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Notes from Class on 4/12/2011
In that most burdensome moment in all human history with blood appearing at every pore, and an anguished cry upon His lips, Christ sought Him whom He had always sought - His Father. "Abba" He cried, "Papa" or from the lips of a younger child, "Daddy". This is such a personal moment it almost seems a sacrilege to cite it. A Son in unrelieved pain, a Father, His only source of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night together.
Jefferey R. Holland
The anguished Jesus not only pled with the Father that the hour and cup might pass from Him, but with this revelation citation He said, "Abba, Father, all things possible unto thee, take away this cup from me"... His suffering as it were, enormity multiplied by infinity evoked His later soul cry on the cross, and it was a cry of forsakenness. Even so Jesus maintained this sublime submissiveness as He had in Gethsemane. "Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt" ... Indeed we are in His hands and what hallowed hands. The wondrous and glorious Atonement is the central act in all human history. It was the hinge on which all else that finally matters turned. But it turned upon Jesus' spiritual submissiveness. May we now in our time and turn be willing to submit.
Neal A. Maxwell
Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their visions, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace.
Ezra Taft Benson
True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behaviors.
Boyd K. Packer
Jesus suffered for the sins of all . . . also our pains, afflictions, and temptations, sicknesses, death and infirmities so He may know how to succor His people. For many years I thought of the Savior's experience in the garden and on the cross as places where a large mass of sin was heaped upon Him. Through the words of (Book of Mormon) prophets, my view has changed. The Atonement was an intimate personal experience in which Jesus came to know how to help each of us. He learned about your weaknesses and mine. He experienced your pains and suffering. He understands the way in which we deal with temptation. But more than that, He know how to help us if we come to Him in faith. The Book of Mormon has the power to draw all men and women to Christ. Its references to the Savior's Atonement are the clearest on record with regard to its purpose and power.
Merrill J. Bateman
God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.
First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve
"Jesus is the Father's gift to all men. In offering His Son as He did, our Father in Heaven has shown us the truest example of pure love. Out of His divine love came a willingness to endure the sacrifice of His Son. The incomparable suffering in Gethsemane, the abuse by Jews and Romans, the mockery of a trial, the pain, and horror of a crucifixion. Why? Because our Father in Heaven loves us and knew that we could return to Him only through the Atonement of Jesus."
Alma 17-22 - Diane Adair - April 12, 2011 (Audio)
