Brad Wilcox - Continuous Atonement and Conversion: 2-in-1 eBook Bundle

The Continuous Atonement

Wilcox, Brad.

The continuousatonement / Brad Wilcox.

p.cm.

Includesbibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60641-037-0(hardbound : alk. paper)

1. AtonementChurchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 2. RepentanceChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints. I. Title.

BX8643.A85W55 2009

232'.3dc22

2008046940

Printed in theUnited States of America

R. R. Donnelley and Sons, Crawfordsville, IN

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Wendeewho once spoke along with me on this topicat BYU Womens ConferenceandTo Scottwho once needed to remember the hope smiling brightly before us

Acknowledgments

* * *

First, I acknowledge you for choosing to read thisbook. As a mission president, I always found it interesting that after I hadreminded the missionaries of a rule or standard, it was the ones without the problem who would feel guilty, apologize, andcommit to do better. The ones for whom the reminder was intended usuallyremained oblivious to the need for change.

Ive been told the gospel is here to comfortthe afflicted and afflict the comfortable. I can think of times in my life whenI have found great comfort in the words of the Savior and His prophets. I canalso think of times when, like the oblivious missionaries, Ive needed a littleafflicting. One can always locate plenty of scriptures and sermons for bothoccasions.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has written: A call forrepentance that is clear enough and loud enough to encourage reformation by thelenient can produce paralyzing discouragement in the conscientious. The dose ofdoctrine that is strong enough to penetrate the hard shell of the easygoinggroup may prove to be a massive overdose for the conscientious (With FullPurpose of Heart, 129).

Perhaps some could misconstrue the hopefulmessage of this book as a reason to postpone making needed changes, but mygreater fear is that those who are honestly trying to improve will becomediscouraged if no one communicates hope loudly and clearly. I seriously doubtthat many of the lenient and easygoing would take time to read a book likethis. They are probably a bit too busy eating, drinking, and being merry towant to be reminded about the Savior. I choose to assume those reading thesewords are the soft-shelled survivors of many a massive doctrinaloverdose focusing on the Thou shalts and the Thou shalt nots. Lets leavethe afflicting for another day. The purpose of this book is to comfort.

It is said that authors dont choose their topics,their topics choose them. Certainly that was the case for the topics includedin this book, which have filled my mind during every spare moment for manyyears. The concepts expressed here have often been the focus of my personalstudy, prayers, and celestial room conversations. Rough drafts have beenwritten on scraps of paper, in margins of books, and in my mind while drivinglong distances. And thats where they would have stayed were it not for the helpof many dear friends.

Heartfelt thanks to four friends in particularwhose encouragement kept me going: Nancy Bayles, who heard me speak about someof these ideas and said, You need to write a book; Brett Sanders, who alsolistened early on and said, This needs to be a book; Emily Watts, whobelieved in me when I proposed my first outline; and Robert L. Millet, whoreviewed my rough drafts and said, Brad, this needs to be a book.

My family members are always my first editors.Thanks to my supportive wife, Debi, and our children: Wendee and Gian, Russelland Trish, Whitney, and David, as well as Val C. Wilcox and Leroy and Mary LoisGunnell. Robert and Helen Wells, Sharla Nuttall, Kellie Harman, Lorna Stock,Carson Twitchell, Nate Sanders, and Steven Edwards also made significantcontributions. Special thanks to my friends Sharon Black, who pushed me toclarify content as well as mechanics; Eula Ewing Monroe, whose perspective was invaluable;and Bobbi Redick, whose help on this manuscript was truly a labor of love.

It is a joy to serve in the stake presidency ofthe BYU 4th Stake along with Tracy T. Ward, Barnard N. Madsen, William W.Bridges, Boyd J. Holdaway, and Jeffrey G. Jones. I appreciate the dedication ofthese wonderful men and the outstanding young people we serve.

Finally, thanks to prophets, leaders, teachers,and artists who have spoken and written so beautifully about the Atonement.Each explanation, example, and presentation helped me understand more and drawcloser to Heavenly Father and Jesus. The preparation of this manuscript haschanged the way I pray, ponder, partake of the sacrament, and speak about theSaviorall evidence of how the Atonement is slowly but surelychanging me.

Introduction

* * *

Ill never do it again, we sayandthen we do it. Now I really mean it. Ill never do it again, and then we doit. This has got to stop. I swear I will never do it again. And we do it.When we or those we love are stuck in cycles of compulsive behavior, it is easyto become discouraged and feel like giving up. We fast, pray, seek blessings,and still wonder if the needed changes will ever occur. When they finally do,we wonder if the positive changes will last. At low points we want to quitorworse, we just stop caring altogether. Those are the moments when we need toremember there is always hope. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf declared, Nomatter how bleak the chapter of our lives may look today, because of the lifeand sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we may hope and be assured that the ending ofthe book of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations (Infinite Powerof Hope, 2223).

We dont have to pretend there is no God, ordesperately try to find reasons why the Church is not true in order to avoidchange. We dont have to seek out others who are struggling so we feeljustified, or hate those who arent struggling so we can feel better. We donthave to surrender to addiction and hate ourselves, as easy as that is to do.Instead, we have to let faith be an anchor for our souls (see Ether 12:4).

Changes in belief always precede changes inbehavior. Steadfastness and good works come from hope, and hope flows fromfaithbut not just any faith. Many people believe in God. Theyeven like to share stories about God and angels over the Internet. Still, forso many, their professed faith doesnt affect or change them. It rarely alterstheir choices. They believe in a higher power, but without knowing Him, theyare limited in accessing that higher power.

Joseph Smith taught that true faith is more than knowing there is a God. It isknowing Godknowing His attributes and His relationship to us.It is knowing that He has a plan for us and that we are living in accordancewith that plan (see