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(2/4/02)
"The greatest miracle of the Atonement is the power Jesus Christ has
to change our character if we come to Him with a broken heart and a
contrite spirit." — Merrill J. Bateman, "Living
a
Christ-Centered Life," Ensign, Jan. 1999, p. 12-13
(10/29/03)
"Priesthood and priesthood keys open the door to the blessings of the
Atonement. Through the power of the priesthood, people are baptized
for the remission of sins, made possible by the Savior's great act of
mercy. A holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood may confer the Holy
Ghost. Through the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, members are cleansed
with fire, guided into truth, comforted, sanctified, and blessed in
many ways as partakers of the fruits of the Atonement. The sealing
authority may bind a man, a woman, and their children together
forever, making possible exaltations in the world to come-again, a
blessing from the Savior." — Merrill J. Bateman, "Priesthood,
Keys,
and the Power to Bless," General Conference, 4 October 2003
(2/16/04)
"An understanding of the plan of salvation, of premortality, earth
life, and life after death provides perspective that helps one endure.
As stated in the scriptures, the earth was created by God as a testing
ground (see Abr.
3:24-26). Mortal life on earth is a probationary period (see Alma
12:24; Alma
34:32). Opposition, disappointments, pain, suffering, and death
are necessary to protect agency and provide for spiritual development
(see 2 Ne. 11). On
the other hand, if life were limited to our mortal experience,
adversity could not be understood and life would be unfair. Without an
understanding of God's plan, it is natural to define moral standards
in terms of the natural man. Without an eternal perspective, there are
no meaningful explanations for man's inhumanity to man or for
earthquakes, floods, or children with disabilities." - Merrill J.
Bateman, "Living
a
Christ-Centered Life," Ensign, Jan. 1999, p. 13
(4/29/04)
"Following baptism, a commandment-keeping member seeks to 'bear one
another's burdens,... mourn with those that mourn,... and comfort
those that stand in need of comfort' (Mosiah
18:8-9). As we keep the commandments and render that kind of
service, the Lord can 'pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon [us]'
(Mosiah 18:10;
see D&C 20:77).
The reward for obedience and service is not only the gift of the Holy
Ghost but also special gifts of the Spirit. Paul defines the fruits of
the Spirit as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, and meekness (see Gal.
5:22-23). The Holy Spirit blesses us with Christlike attributes
as we serve each other." - Merrill J. Bateman, "Living
a
Christ-Centered Life," Ensign, January 1999, p. 10
(6/3/04)
"Thanks be to God, for He has a plan. Although the polishing process
may be difficult at times, we should be grateful that adversity may
bring us closer to Him and that His plan provided for a Savior and
Redeemer who understands our trials and tribulations. The book of Alma
states that Christ would suffer our 'pains and afflictions and
temptations' and would 'take upon him... the sicknesses of his people'
(Alma 7:11).
Further, the Lord took death upon Himself so that the bands of death
would be broken; and He also took upon Himself our infirmities, 'that
his bowels may be filled with mercy,... that he may know... how to
succor' us in our weaknesses (Alma
7:12)." - Merrill J. Bateman, "Living
a
Christ-Centered Life," Ensign, January 1999, p. 13
(7/18/04)
"The prophet Alma states that the seed planted in our hearts matures
into the tree of life (see Alma
32:41-42). The angel taught Nephi that the tree of life is a
symbol for Christ (see 1
Ne. 11:7, 20-22). If we follow Alma's counsel of planting and
nourishing the seed until it becomes the tree of life within our
hearts and souls, the image of Christ will be in our countenance and
we will have built a Christ-centered life." - Merrill J. Bateman,
"Living
a
Christ-Centered Life," Ensign, January 1999, p. 13
4/24/06
"On numerous occasions the Lord has commanded his disciples to search
the scriptures in order to learn and live the doctrines of salvation.
During his mortal ministry, the Savior stated, 'Search the
scriptures;... they are they which testify of me.' (John
5:39.) During his appearance on the Western Hemisphere following
his resurrection, Christ quoted from the scriptures and then said to
the Nephites: 'Ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I
give unto you that ye search these things diligently.' (3
Ne. 23:1.) In our day, the Lord enjoins his followers to 'search
these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and... shall all
be fulfilled.' (D&C
1:37.)" - Merrill J. Bateman, "Coming
unto Christ by Searching the Scriptures," Ensign (CR),
November 1992, p.27
2/22/09
"As
I listened, the Spirit bore witness of the great miracles of the
Atonement and the Savior's power to mend broken hearts, to heal from
within. The Savior's parable of the ten lepers took on new meaning.
Luke describes Jesus meeting ten lepers. Upon seeing the Savior, they
cried, 'Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us.' Jesus
responded: 'Go shew
yourselves unto the priests.'
As they went their way, they were cleansed. One returned, fell on his
face at the Master's feet, and gave thanks. Jesus said, 'Were
there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? And then the Lord said
to the one who returned, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee
whole' (see Luke 17:12-19). In
becoming a whole person, the grateful leper was healed inside as well
as on the outside. That day nine lepers were healed skin deep, but
only one had the faith to be made whole. The tenth leper ... [was]
changed eternally by [his] faith
in the Savior and the healing power of his atonement."
- Merrill J. Bateman, "The Power to Heal from Within," Ensign
(CR), May 1995, p.13
2/21/12
And yet each person today also has an invitation to “come unto
Christ” (Moro. 10:32), to become His sons and daughters through a
spiritual rebirth. In a different way, we may feel the print of the
nails in His hands and feet and thrust our hand into His side by
experiencing the cleansing and refining power of the Atonement. The
Savior knows each of us intimately through His experience in the
garden and on the cross. Alma states that He took upon Himself our
pains, afflictions, temptations, sicknesses, and infirmities, that
He might know how to succor us (see Alma 7:11–12). Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has pointed out that
the word succor in old French means literally “to run to.” He
suggested that “even as [Christ] calls us to come to him … , he is
unfailingly running to help us.” - Merrill J. Bateman, "Becoming
a Disciple of Christ," Ensign, April 2006
7/7/12
Death teaches
that we do not experience a fulness of joy in mortality and that
everlasting joy can be achieved only with the assistance of the Master
(see D&C
93:33–34). Just as the lame man at the pool of Bethesda needed
someone stronger than himself to be healed (see John
5:1–9), so we are dependent on the miracles of Christ’s
atonement if our souls are to be made whole from grief, sorrow, and
sin. - Merrill J. Bateman, "The
Power to Heal from Within," Ensign (CR) May 1995
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