Day 3 - Tuesday

So It's not really clear what happened on Tuesday. There are several events that may have happened on either either Tuesday or Wednesday, but I have decided to leave those to Wednesday and insert a "day of pause" for Tuesday.

Although we don't have any record of this from the Bible, I like to think that, at some point during his last week, the Savior took some time away from the public light to be with his closest friends and family. He knew that he would be leaving them soon, and I'm sure that he wanted to savor those last few moments he would have with them. In addition, I'm sure he took time for himself to ponder, and spend time in prayer with his Father, about what would happen over the next few days.

Perhaps part of the reason I like to think this is because pondering seems to be a lost art these days. In a world where pretty much any information you could ever ask for is merely a mouse click away, at times it may appear that there isn't much reason (let alone patience) to sit around and think about any one topic for an extended period of time. Yet it is through the process of prayer, scripture study, and pondering that the Lord often speaks to us, and gives us revelation very specific to us. In Last October's General Conference, Elder Richard G. Scott gave an incredible talk about receiving personal revelation titled, "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance." Elder Packer and Elder Nelson also gave wonderful talks on the subject as well.

In honor of this "day of pause" I want to challenge each of you who read this to take a moment from your busy lives and really ponder what Christ and His Atonement mean to you. Maybe evaluate your lives, think about what you're doing well, and perhaps ask Heavenly Father what areas you might be able to improve upon. One of my friends once told me that if, at the end of the day, he got down on his knees and asked Heavenly Father with sincerity what he could have done better that day and what he needed to improve upon, he ALWAYS got an answer. I've noticed this in my life as well.

Possibly the most wonderful thing about the atonement is it's healing power. No matter how far off the beaten path we find ourselves, Christ wants us to return to him. No matter how bruised we feel our souls have become, He is there to heal us. He waits for us with open arms. That path home may not be easy, but he will comfort, guide and uplift us along the way. I know I am not perfect and regularly have to take stock of my life and get back on the path to Him, but I take great comfort in knowing that this is the reason he came to the Earth, not to "condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17).