The Song of Redeeming Love

 The Song of Redeeming Love

“Are we continually grateful for the incomparable Atonement of Jesus Christ? Do we feel its purifying power, right now? That is why Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our salvation, went to Jerusalem [in His final days], to save us all. Do these words in Alma strike a chord: ‘If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?’ [Alma 5:26].”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Hosanna to the Most High God,” Liahona, May 2023, 109–10.

How to Contemplate the Savior’s Atonement

 How to Contemplate the Savior’s Atonement

“Set aside consistent time to faithfully contemplate the Savior’s Atonement. There are many ways to do this in our personal religious observance. However, attending sacrament meeting and partaking of the sacrament are especially significant.

“Equally important is regular attendance in a temple where possible. The temple provides a continuing remembrance of the Savior’s Atonement and what it overcomes.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Atonement of Jesus Christ Provides the Ultimate Rescue,” Liahona, May 2025, 19–20.

Accessing Christ's Power to Change our Natures

 

The Book of Mormon and the Miracle of Easter

By Bradley R. Wilcox

Former First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

Through the doctrine of Christ, we can access His power, and He can change our very natures. Without faith and repentance, there would be little desire to change. Without baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, there would be limited power to change. Without the principle of enduring to the end, the change to our internal landscape would forever be superficial and temporary, without time to sink deep into our hearts and become part of who we are....

the Savior taught, “Blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost” (verse 6). The Holy Ghost is the sanctifier, “the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied to take away our sins and sanctify us (see 2 Nephi 31:17).” With His constant companionship, we become merciful and pure in heart like Christ. The Holy Ghost will help us become peacemakers who can endure persecution just as Christ did. (See 3 Nephi 12:7–11.)

The Holy Ghost can help us change our behavior and lift our desires and motivations to a higher level.

Christ Will Heal Your Wounded Soul

 

The Victory of Our Beloved Savior

By Elder Neil L. Andersen

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

In speaking of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, President James E. Faust (1920–2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “The injured should do what they can to work through their trials, and the Savior will ‘succor his people according to their infirmities’ [Alma 7:12]. He will help us carry our burdens. Some injuries are so hurtful and deep that they cannot be healed without help from a higher power and hope for perfect justice and restitution in the next life. … He understands our pain and will walk with us even in our darkest hours.”

James E. Faust, “The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,” Liahona, Jan. 2002, 22.

The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope

Liahona

President Russell M. Nelson (1924–2025) said: “Jesus Christ took upon Himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches, and your infirmities. You do not have to bear them alone! He will forgive you as you repent. He will bless you with what you need. He will heal your wounded soul. As you yoke yourself to Him, your burdens will feel lighter. If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary. Your afflictions will be ‘swallowed up in the joy of Christ’ [Alma 31:38]”

Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Liahona, Nov. 2024, 122.

Hold Fast to the Iron Rod by Worshipping in the Temple

 President Nelson gave us this remarkable promise: “My dear brothers and sisters, here is my promise. Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing!”

Russell M. Nelson, “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys,” Liahona, May 2024, 122.

Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys

April 2024 general conference

Lay aside your weapons of war

 

The Joy of Our Redemption

By Sister Kristin M. Yee

Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

To truly repent and change, we must first be “convinced of our sins.” A person does not see the need to take medicine unless they understand that they are ill. There may be times we may not be willing to look inside ourselves and see that which really needs healing and repair.

In C. S. Lewis’s writings, Aslan poses these words to a man who has entangled himself in his own devices: “Oh [humankind], how cleverly you defend yourselves [from] all that might do you good!”

Where might you and I be defending ourselves from those things that might do us good?...

I pray we may lay aside any “weapons of war” that we’ve consciously or even unconsciously taken up to defend ourselves from the blessings of God’s love. Weapons of pride, selfishness, fear, hate, offense, complacency, unrighteous judgment, jealousies—anything that would keep us from loving God with all our hearts and keeping all our covenants with Him.

As we live our covenants, the Lord can give us the help and power we need to both recognize and overcome our weaknesses, including the spiritual parasite of pride. ...

Like my painting, the Lord is not done with us when we make a mistake, nor does He flee when we falter. Our need for healing and help is not a burden to Him, but the very reason He came....

The Savior can redeem that which was lost, including broken and fractured relationships....

If you are struggling with a situation you think you should have overcome by now, don’t give up. Be patient with yourself, keep your covenants, repent often, seek the help of your leaders if needed, and go to the house of the Lord as regularly as you can. Listen for and heed the promptings He sends you. He will not abandon His covenant relationship with you.

There have been difficult and complex relationships in my life that I have struggled with and sincerely sought to improve. At times I felt like I was failing more often than not. I wondered, “Did I not fix things the last time? Did I not truly overcome my weakness?” I’ve learned over time that I am not necessarily defective; rather, there is often more to work on and more healing that is needed.

The Doctrine of Christ in our Lives and Hearts

 

The Faith to Ask and Then to Act

By President Henry B. Eyring

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

If your faith in Jesus Christ has led to a heart softened through the effects of His Atonement, you will be more able to feel the whisperings of the Spirit in answer to your prayers....

Revelation comes to us in proportion to the degree to which we have sought to take the doctrine of Christ into our hearts and implement it in our lives....

The more we have the doctrine of Christ in our lives and hearts, the more we feel greater love and sympathy for those who have never had the blessings of faith in Jesus Christ or are struggling to maintain it....

What President George Q. Cannon said long ago is true today and will be until the Savior comes personally to lead His Church and His people: “Obedience to the Gospel brings [people] into very close and intimate relationship with the Lord. It establishes a close connection between men on the earth and our Great Creator in the heavens. It brings to the human mind a feeling of perfect confidence in the Almighty and in His willingness to listen to and answer the supplications of those who trust in Him. In times of trial and difficulty this confidence is beyond price. Trouble may come upon the individual or upon the people, disaster may threaten and every human hope may seem to be overthrown, yet, where [people] have availed themselves of the privileges which obedience to the Gospel brings, they have a sure standing place; their feet are upon a rock that cannot be moved.”

Triumph Over Offense

 Elder Bednar teaches that “through the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you and I can be blessed to avoid and triumph over offense.”

David A. Bednar, “And Nothing Shall Offend Them,” 90.

And Nothing Shall Offend Them

October 2006 general conference

Spiritual Momentum

 

The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ

By Elder Dale G. Renlund

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

By consistently paddling the kayak, I maintained momentum and forward progress, mitigating the effect of waves hitting me from the side. The same principle applies in our spiritual lives. We become vulnerable when we slow down and especially when we stop. If we maintain spiritual momentum by continually “rowing” toward the Savior, we are safer and more secure because our eternal life depends on our faith in Him.

Spiritual momentum is created “over a lifetime as we repeatedly embrace the doctrine of Christ.”...

Repeatedly means that we experience the elements of the doctrine of Christ over and over throughout our lives. Iteratively means that we build on and improve with each repetition. Even though we repeat the elements, we are not just spinning in circles without a forward trajectory. Instead, we draw closer to Jesus Christ each time through the cycle....

Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be nourished daily. It is nourished as we pray daily, study the scriptures daily, reflect on the goodness of God daily, repent daily, and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost daily. Just as it is not healthy to defer eating all our food until Sunday and then binge our weekly allotment of nutrition, it is not spiritually healthy to restrict our testimony-nourishing behavior to one day in the week.

When we assume responsibility for our own testimonies, we gain spiritual momentum and gradually develop bedrock faith in Jesus Christ, and the doctrine of Christ becomes central to the purpose of life. Momentum likewise builds as we strive to obey the laws of God and repent....

As the Holy Ghost exerts a greater influence in our lives, we progressively and iteratively develop Christlike attributes. Our hearts change. Our disposition to do evil diminishes. Our inclination to do good increases until we only want “to do good continually.” And we thereby access the heavenly power needed to endure to the end. Our faith has increased, and we are ready to repeat the powerful, virtuous cycle again....

To be clear, baptismal and temple covenants are not, in and of themselves, the source of power. The source of power is the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Making and keeping covenants create a conduit for Their power in our lives....

As we minister to others, we do not need to ask unhelpful questions or state the obvious. Most people who are struggling know that they are struggling. We should not be judgmental; our judgment is neither helpful nor welcome, and it is most often ill-informed.

Comparing ourselves to others can lead us to make pernicious errors, especially if we conclude that we are more righteous than those who are struggling. Such a comparison is like drowning hopelessly in three meters of water, seeing someone else drowning in four meters of water, judging him a greater sinner, and feeling good about yourself. After all, we are all struggling in our own way. None of us earns salvation. We never can. ...

We all need the Savior’s infinite Atonement, not just part of it.

We do need all our compassion, empathy, and love as we interact with those around us....

As we minister, we encourage others frequently and offer help. Even if someone is not receptive, we continue to minister as they allow....

The Savior’s job is to heal. Our job is to love—to love and minister in such a way that others are drawn to Jesus Christ. ...

I invite you to live the doctrine of Christ repeatedly, iteratively, and intentionally and help others on their way.