In his first devotional address on the BYU-Hawaii campus, Thursday, 7 June 2007, newly announced president of the university, Steven C. Wheelwright, talked about the blessings of peace promised by the atonement of Jesus Christ, and how individuals may receive those blessing on a daily basis. (watch video clip )
Based on the teachings of Joseph Smith, Dr. Wheelwright said, the atonement is the essence of the gospel. Promised blessings based on the atonement are often labeled as “conditional” and “unconditional.”
Wheelwright quoted Elder Jeffrey Holland in defining three unconditional blessings of Christ’s Atonement: payment for Adam’s original transgression, a universal resurrection, and the salvation of little children, the mentally impaired, and those who have not ever heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“As grand and wonderful as the unconditional blessings are,” said Dr. Wheelwright, “the Savior’s Atonement also offers a host of conditional blessings that are equally grand and glorious.” In order to receive the unconditional blessings we must accept the Savior’s invitation to act. “The Savior extends the invitation,” said Dr. Wheelwright, “and if we will act, the promised blessings will be ours—the blessings of peace, of His companionship, of eternal life, and of receiving the love of God.”
He went on to share four sources of sadness or roadblocks to peace that keep us from receiving the conditional blessings of the Atonement: one, our own sins and their consequences; two, the consequences of the sins and shortcomings of others; three, circumstances that are part of mortal existence; and four, the “myth of mortal perfection.”
No matter our location or time in history, adopting high standards that guide our choices will help us avoid sin. By exercising faith in the Savior unto repentance on a daily basis we can obtain peace because “our life conforms to His will and we are acceptable before Him,” said “Dr. Wheelwright.
When the decisions of others bring sadness or roadblocks to peace into our lives, forgiveness will bring “not only the promised blessings of peace, but it strengthens our faith in the Savior,” said Dr. Wheelwright. This allows us to feel His healing power in our lives.
Along with being in charge of our attitudes, he said, we need to trust the Lord and His purposes when circumstances seem to be against us. Quoting Charles R. Swindoll, Dr. Wheelwright said, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. . . . we are in charge of our attitudes.”
Finally, Dr. Wheelwright said that the idea of “you can do anything you put your mind to; you can have it all,” is simply not true. “You cannot do everything,” he said. “That is not why the Lord sent us to this earth. This myth of perfectionism results in part from the prideful notion of self-sufficiency.”
He went on to say that the grace of Christ is “the enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.” Quoting President Stephen L. Richards, he said that to come to Christ requires that we “forsake the philosophy of self-sufficiency, which is the philosophy of the world, and adopt the philosophy of faith, which is the philosophy of Christ. We must substitute Faith [in Christ] for self-sufficiency.”
He concluded with his testimony of the power the Atonement has in each of our lives, saying that the Atonement was not only an event, but a way of viewing the world and everything in it, which comes when we are converted to Him.
“I know that the Atonement has all power to sanctify us, to lift our burdens and to replace sadness and despair with joy and peace,” said Dr. Wheelwright.
Sister Joann Ottley set the spiritual tone for the devotional with a beautiful vocal rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer.”
(To read or listen to the entire devotional click here .)
