Mary, Mother of Jesus

Dallin OaksMary was the mother of Jesus

Mary was a disciple of Christ
Mary was witness to the Atonement of Jesus Christ

We can all be disciples of Christ as we strive to become like Him

Definition of a Disciple

A Disciple of Jesus Christ is one who gains a witness - through the spirit - of the divinity and mission of the Savior, studies His gospel, incorporates the teachings into daily life by relying on His enabling power, and spreads the news of His gospel to others.

Disciples of Christ are not without weakness or sin but their shortcomings neither paralyze them nor prevent them from selfless service and daily repentance. The goal of a disciple is not to be different from everyone else but to be more like the Master.

We can all access the atonement of Jesus Christ by becoming more forgiving, more loving, and by serving others

What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

The Atonement is the sacrifice Jesus Christ made to help us overcome sin, adversity, and death. Jesus’s atoning sacrifice took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. He paid the price for our sins, took upon Himself death, and was resurrected. The Atonement is the supreme expression of the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
-Church lesson manual

"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people 

according to their infirmities." Alma 7:12

How do we bring the atonement into our lives? 

Latter-day Saints see all people as children of God in a full and complete sense; they consider every person divine in origin, nature, and potential. Each has an eternal core and is “a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents.”

1. Each possesses seeds of divinity and must choose whether to live in harmony or tension with that divinity. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all people may “progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny.”

2. Just as a child can develop the attributes of his or her parents over time, the divine nature that humans inherit can be developed to become like their Heavenly Father’s

Gordon B. Hinkley said of Forgiveness
"The great atonement was the supreme act of forgiveness"

Ezra Taft Benson said of Love
"In Gethsemane and on Calvary, He worked out the infinite and eternal atonement. It was the greatest single act of love in recorded history"

Neal A. Maxwell said of Service
"Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ ... and real hope inspires quiet Christian service"

Who has access to the atonement? 

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy [or, in other words, I bring you the gospel personified], which shall be to all people.  “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Dallin Oaks

"Granted, the human scene includes many individuals who go decently about  life’s labors, untouched by or unexpressive of deep religious feelings, but who,  nevertheless, draw unknowingly upon “the light of Christ,” which to a degree lights every individual" (see D&C 84:46; Moro. 7:16, 18; John 1:9).

-Elder Neal A Maxwell Hope "Through the atonement of Jesus Christ" Jan. 1999

Christ stands ready with outstretched arms as He waits for us to come unto Him and be encircled in the arms of His love (see D&C 6:20). It is here that we can be healed, nourished, loved, enabled, strengthened, and made whole. Although the trial may be hard and the relief may not be immediate, we need to learn to allow God to help carry our burdens. We can do this by turning to Him regularly to seek His enabling power.

May we all forgive, love and serve more as we become more 

like the Savior.

*Lesson taught by Mary Glauser