March 2013 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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18 Ensign Atonement THE ENABLING POWER OF THE By Carolyn J. Rasmus We do not need to carry our burdens alone. Our Savior took upon Himself our pains and sicknesses (see Alma 7:11). Some time ago, while serving as an institute teacher, I discovered that my students would occasionally come to me for comfort when they had problems. Over a period of many months, I became acquainted with a woman who shared with me her life story. It was not pretty. As a child she had often been abused, and this had led to years of therapy—and at times institutionalization— because she could not cope. I remember the day she came to my office pleading for help. I could clearly see her pain, but I was just a teacher. I had had no training in how to comfort people who had suffered such things, and I pled with the Lord to know how I might help. I recommended that she counsel with her bishop, but I also felt impressed to play some recorded Church hymns. After a time, when she was calmer, I seated her in my office chair. On the wall at eye level was a painting of Jesus Christ. I invited her to look into His eyes as I read to her from the scriptures: “Fear not, little flock. . . . Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:34, 36). “The Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. . . . For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? . . . Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” (1 Nephi 21:13, 15–16). “Behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature” (2 Nephi 9:21). “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause” ( Jacob 3:1). As each scripture came to my mind, I felt that I was being prompted by the Spirit to know and do things beyond my natural ability. She later described having felt “an overwhelming feeling of love and peace.” To help my friend, I had called on Heavenly Father to help me in an area of weakness, and He granted me help. This kind of divine assistance, often given through the influence of the Holy Ghost, is one of the gifts of the enabling power of the Atonement. Accessing the Atonement Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “I suspect that [we] are much more familiar with the nature of the redeeming power of the Atonement than we are with the enabling power of the Atonement.” 1 He suggested
CHRIST’S IMAGE, BY HEINRICH HOFMANN, COURTESY OF C. HARRISON CONROY CO. March 2013 19
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Page 5 and 6: A MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS C
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Page 9 and 10: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT CASEY;
Page 11 and 12: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CODY BELL ©
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Page 15 and 16: PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY CRAIG DIMOND
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Page 38 and 39: their faith did not generally share
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Page 47 and 48: JENIELLE BAILEY LIVES IN NEW YORK,
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Page 62 and 63: 60 Ensign Tithing The Blessings of
Page 64 and 65: FOR PARENTS In the story “Just On
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THE PROMISE OF THE ATONEMENT “Sav
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LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES WHAT IS THI
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NEWS OF THE CHURCH Visit news .lds
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Young Women and Relief Society Gene
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