Growing up, I often struggled to understand the phrase commonly used in the scriptures and church meetings indicating that we should “apply the Atonement” in our lives (see Mosiah 4:2). I recognized that comprehending the magnitude of the Atonement is a feat we cannot fully realize in this mortal life, but I always felt my attempts fell short of even mortal expectations.
It was easy to notice the significance of the Atonement in my life when I considered the fact that, because of the Savior’s sacrifice and resurrection, I would see my grandmother (who died of cancer when I was eleven) after this life. And it was beyond relieving to know that I could be forgiven of my sins--big and small--because of the Atonement. But I could not content myself with an image of the Atonement carefully placed in a glass case with a “Break in Case of Sin or Death” sign.
Perhaps it was because I was raised by two very practical parents, but I felt I could not truly discern the enormity of the Atonement until I found a way to practically “apply” it as the scriptures say into every potential situation life might throw my way. And for a long time I wasn’t really sure how to do that. Yes, I loved my Savior. Yes, I felt and experienced the blessings of the Atonement in my life. But I lacked an understanding of how the knowledge of the Savior’s suffering, death, and resurrection could be an active component of my every-day life.
My testimony of the Atonement continued to grow throughout my first two years of college, but I still felt I was missing something. Elder Bednar once stated that “Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion.” I knew that the Atonement was real and powerful. I had a testimony of it. What I lacked was conversion. How could I be consistently true to the Atonement of Jesus Christ? How could I consistently put it into practice? I was half-way through my mission before I finally discovered how to “apply the Atonement” in my life and turn a testimony of the Savior’s sacrifice into conversion to the Atonement.
At the mention of my mission, it is likely you are thinking my big "aha" moment came as a consequence of an incredible experience with a particular investigator, or an amazing talk by a visiting General Authority (and, undoubtedly, all of those experiences had an impact); but, in reality, my big "aha" moment came after four days of being shut up inside our apartment with a flu so nasty I had lost the ability to speak. The mission nurse had prescribed several medications I could take to get me back on my feet and preaching again; but, for some odd reason, I had left the bottle of medicine and its instructions on my study desk.
Wednesday morning came around accompanied by our regular morning study time. Wednesdays, however, were not really regular. Wednesdays were extra special in my mission because it was the day that our mission president had asked every missionary to specifically study the Atonement. So, despite my shivering, sniveling, shaking body, I sat down at my desk and began to search the scriptures for a greater understanding of the Atonement. I don’t remember exactly what scripture I was reading at the time, but I happened to glance over at my bottle of medicine and the instructions lying next it as I pondered on the meaning of the Atonement--and that’s all it took. In an instant an entire analogy popped into my brain and I scrambled for my scripture journal so I could write it all down before any detail was forgotten. The analogy goes something like this (please keep in mind that no analogy is perfect):
You get really sick so you go to the doctor. The doctor tells you there is a remedy for which he gives you the prescription. You go to the pharmacy at which time the pharmacist asks for the prescription and checks the doctor’s signature before giving you the medicine. Once you have the medicine in your possession you carefully read the instructions which explain how to APPLY the medication. You apply the medication and you get better.
This simple sequence of events takes place basically every day of our lives--only spiritually--and it goes something like this:*
We sin, lose hope, feel lonely, face heart-wrenching trials, make big life decisions, and go through any number of emotions and experiences every day, so we turn to God. God tells us there is a remedy--the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We obtain full access to the Atonement of Jesus Christ through His Priesthood Power. (For example, the words of the prophets of God, both ancient and modern, guide and uplift us along our path. The prophet also holds all the priesthood keys that enable us to receive a valid baptism, be given the gift of the Holy Ghost, make additional covenants in the temple, and be married and sealed to our families for time and all eternity, etc.)
Thus, the priesthood is the proper authority needed to validate access to the full remedy of the Atonement, just like a doctor’s signature on a prescription allows us access to physical remedies. And just like the pharmacy and the pharmacist are there to help us when we need a particularly powerful remedy--or simply need help understanding the doctor’s instructions--we have the Church and church leaders to help us to better understand and apply the instructions given to us by God.
Most importantly, God has provided us detailed and personal instructions in the scriptures about how to apply the Atonement of Christ in our lives. Those instructions can be summed up and practically applied by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As taught in the scriptures, living the gospel includes having faith in the Savior, repenting of our sins, making and keeping sacred covenants with Him, receiving and seeking the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end (see 2 Nephi 31 and 3 Nephi 27:19-21). As we apply these steps to our every-day actions we are literally applying the atoning blood of Christ into our lives and we will be healed.
In essence, to apply the Atonement we must live the gospel Christ taught. His life and ministry were not a mere lead-up to his sacrifice, death, and resurrection. His life and teachings are the way to apply His Atonement. He came and taught us how to make his sacrifice a practical and living reality in our every-day actions and choices. He is the great remedy and His life was the grand explanation of how to apply His sacrifice to every aspect of our lives.
Finally, the word ‘apply’ has two definitions that bring greater light to this analogy. The first is to “bring or put into operation or practical use.” This was the definition I had been trying to understand and implement for so many years. I had wanted to know how to put the Atonement into practical operation and I have finally come to understand how to do just that: live the gospel! Every time I face a trial I look to the “instructions” and I realize that I can more fully live one of the principles and/or covenants contained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, maybe I just need to have more faith in God; or maybe I need to change and repent of certain habits or beliefs; or perhaps I need to remind myself of the covenants I have made and trust in their promises as I better fulfill mine; and it is always likely that I need to more actively search for and use the gift of the Holy Ghost. Doing any one of these things is to apply the Atonement.
The second definition of 'apply' is to “give one’s full attention to a task.” As such, it is no mistake that the final "step" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the task to endure to the end. Indeed, the task of living the gospel by faith, repentance, making and keeping covenants, and receiving the Holy Ghost is a task that we must use over and over again throughout our entire life. This is the process we must use to apply the Atonement for it is the only way that He can enter into our very being and cast out every malady and imperfection. Living the gospel to gain access to the full blessings of the Atonement is the task that requires our full attention. It is why we are here. There is no other task that merits our total application and hard work as does the effort to live the gospel Christ has showed us how to live.
Sickness = Sin/Trials/Decisions/Situations XYZ
Doctor = God
Remedy = Christ & His Atonement
Prescription Signature = Priesthood Power
Pharmacy = Church
Pharmacist = Church Leaders
Instructions = Scriptures
Application = The Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith, Repentance, Making & Keeping Covenants, Receiving & Being Worthy of the Holy Ghost, Enduring to the End).
