WEEKLY KEYSTONE

 May 20, 2012 

“The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of our  religion!”   

                     - Joseph Smith 

Keystone 

Washington D.C. South Mission 

Elders and Sister as I have been thinking of what I can say to help not only you, but myself as a 

missionary, I realized one simple truth. We all need help, and the only true and lasting help comes 

from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

I have had missionaries in the past tell me that they feel like their understanding of the Atonement 

isn’t as strong as someone who has experienced great sins  and found absolute forgiveness 

through Jesus Christ. This could not be more false. Our loving heavenly father would not prohibit 

any of us from coming closer to him because we have not greatly sinned. It is easy to think that 

the only way to feel the Atonement is through finding forgiveness. I myself used to limit the real 

strengthen of the Atonement to only forgiveness. That is until I read the talk, “The Enabling 

Power of the Atonement.” Which was given at a BYU devotional by David A. Bednar. 

This talk explains that the Atonement is there to make bad men good and good men better. Right 

now Elder’s and Sister we are all good. We are servants of the Lord, we have accepted his calling 

for us and we are here. That is good, but it can get better! How? through the enabling power of the 

Atonement. In Alma chapter 31 Alma is grieved at the apostate Zoramites. Alma had not sinned, 

yet he called upon the Atonement. In verse 31 he says, “Wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ.” 

Christ knew what Alma felt because he would soon suffer it in the Garden of Gethsemane.  How 

amazing is it that we have someone to lift and help us in all of our trials. Even to strengthen us in 

our natural weaknesses. 

Elders and Sisters when we fully apply the atonement to make ourselves better, our desire to share 

the gospel will be increased! There is nothing in this gospel more important than the Atonement. 

Study it, apply it, and be strengthened by it, and you will begin to spread the gospel with the true 

power that has been attended for each of us. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Elder Chance Johnson