Why do I need the Savior?

Well hi there. I know, it’s been ages. I’m not really sure why. Maybe I just haven’t really known what to write about, but I have my institute class to thank for this one! Institute is legit now. I mean, it was legit before, but I LOVE what they’ve done with the program. You don’t just show up to class, put your name on the roll, take a nap, and get credit for it anymore. You have to go to class, do all the reading, and take a test or write a paper or something like that, and then you get credit. It gets you involved and I learned so much more this semester than I have before.

Anyway, one of the essay questions for my class (Christ and the Everlasting Gospel – amazing class all about the Savior and His eternal ministry) asked, “Why do I need the Savior?” I thought this was a particularly appropriate question as the Christmas season approaches and we’re reflecting on and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I invite everyone to ponder this question for yourself. Why do you need the Savior? Share your response in the comments if you want! Merry Christmas everyone!

Why do I need the Savior?

I honestly feel like I could never do this question justice, as my understanding of my need for the Savior has only just scratched the surface, I’m sure. As incomplete as my understanding is, I do have a strong testimony of the Savior’s essential role in our Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. I know that without a Savior the plan would not have worked or been possible. The only way for us to progress was to leave the presence of our Heavenly Parents and learn by our own experience the good from the evil. The only way for us to truly become like them and achieve immortality and eternal life was to come to earth, receive a body, and as Paul says “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This ultimately meant we would make mistakes. Sometimes we would not choose the right or be obedient, and according to the laws of justice that disqualified us from returning to the presence of our Heavenly Parents. Thus we were stuck. The only way to progress was to learn for ourselves, which meant making mistakes, which meant we couldn’t return to our heavenly home. A Mediator, a Redeemer, a Savior, someone who could satisfy the demands of justice was absolutely essential (Alma 34:16; Mosiah 15:9).

I will forever be grateful to Adam and Eve for their courage and faith to take the step into mortality. While they could have enjoyed the peace and comfort of the Garden of Eden forever, they decided that having a family, passing through trials and eventually death, and gaining knowledge and experience were more important. After the fall Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient” (Moses 5:11).

And so we inherit the consequences that Adam and Eve faced. We receive a fallen, mortal body, subject to pain, weakness, temptation, and death. Yet we also inherit the same blessings as our first parents. We have the opportunity to use our agency to learn for ourselves the difference between good and evil, and how to control a physical body. We also have the gift of a Savior who makes it possible to overcome the pain, weakness, temptation, and death we all face. Because of the Savior’s “great and last sacrifice” all shall rise from the dead and receive immortality (Alma 34:9-16; Alma 40:5). This is a gift, free to all who come to the earth, that allows us to keep our bodies for eternity, which bodies are necessary to become like our Heavenly Father. But the Savior’s Atonement enables us to achieve much more than just immortality. It provides the necessary opportunity and power to learn, progress, and exchange our weaknesses for strengths. It allows us to “learn from [our] experience without being condemned by it” (Bruce C. Hafen, The Atonement: All for All, April 2004). It allows us to be cleansed for those mistakes that we have moved forward from and done all we can to correct. It gives us the opportunity to inherit eternal life.

My favorite talk on the Atonement is Brad Wilcox’s “His Grace Is Sufficient”. Truly, no matter how good we are in this life, no matter how righteous or obedient, we could never merit eternal life. It simply cannot be earned by our good works alone. Only the grace of Christ allows us to inherit eternal life. Yet, He still requires us to be righteous and obedient, have faith, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end, meaning have faith, repent, take the Sacrament, receive and keep additional ordinances and covenants, and follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost for the rest of our mortal lives and I’m sure on to eternity. Why put forth so much effort, if in the end our effort doesn’t get us there anyway? Because eternal life is about so much more than us having done something while in mortality. It is entirely about us being something. Being godlike. “The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly (see John 10:10). The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed (see Romans 8). Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God (see Alma 40:26), but, brothers and sisters, no unchanged thing will even want to.... The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there” (Brad Wilcox, His Grace Is Sufficient, July 2011).

Why do I need the Savior? Because I want to go home and I want to feel at home there. I want to be with my Heavenly Parents and my Savior and I want to be like them. I want to be changed. I want to bring them joy and experience that eternal joy as well. Without a Savior none of these dreams would be realized. I have made my share of mistakes and experienced my share of trials and disappointments, with many more to come I’m sure. Without a Savior I would be lost, hopeless, and without motivation to become more than I am. But because I have a Savior He has made those bitter moments sweet. He has helped me to learn from mistakes and overcome weaknesses, turning them into strengths.  He has comforted me and lifted me out of sorrow to the sweet peace only He can provide. He has given me hope, which hope maketh an anchor to my soul (Ether 12:4). And He will continue helping me to become all that He knows I can be.

Sketch by David Bowman.

A HaakLalChip Christmas Production

Welcome to Christmas with the Haakenson-Lallatin-Chipman brood. And you can’t forget about the Bests, Strahans, Cooks, Brintons, and Getzs. We have quite the party every year. There are always new faces to be seen, and all the chaos you could want. You really couldn’t ask for a better time.

Let me just say that I love, love, love Christmas - the atmosphere, the smells, the decorations, the anticipation. All of it. It’s such an exciting, beautiful time of year (not to mention a nice break from school). And this year I got to be HOME! We have such fun traditions that I love being a part of. Although, the drive home was a beast. Not as bad as the drive back to Utah, and certainly not as bad as the drive home for Thanksgiving last year (18 freaking hours!!!). I will not sit in a car for more than an hour at a time for the next three months, at least.

Aside from actually getting there, being there was lovely. I saw my best girlfriends and some other good friends from high school. We played a little Just Dance 3 (we’re a hilarious bunch btw), went “classy” classic roller skating, and went down to the resort like the good old days. My first day back I sunk my teeth into a delicious Huddy burger. I’ve had a lot of good burgers, but none compare to the perfection of a Hudson’s Hamburger. Of course we had cousinpalooza up at the Schweitzer condo and hit the slopes early enough the next day to get first tracks. Dang, I need to brush up on my skiing. I used to be skiing at least once a week. Now it’s like once a year. Unacceptable.

Now for the real reason you are here. How does my crazy family celebrate the most wonderful time of the year? It all begins Christmas Eve. Everyone gathers at either the Lallatins or the Haakensons for Christmas feast number one.  We open gifts from the different families, and we usually have a visit from some character who is acting as Santa’s Helper. Last year it was the Grinch. This year it was the Cat in the Hat (or Kat in the Hat).

Merry Christmas!!

Kat in the Hat and the grandkids.

Christmas morning rolls around and at my house we wake up to stockings filled with chocolate and little presents, gifts from Santa, and gifts from each other. After tearing into those, we have strawberry waffles for breakfast. They’re the best when you spread sour cream all over them and then top them with yummy strawberries. And you can’t forget about the Satsuma oranges on the side. When Christmas falls on a Sunday we go to church for Sacrament meeting, and then head to Sunbar for the rest of Christmas Day. This year, we switched it up and went to serve Christmas dinner at a nearby restaurant for the less fortunate. It was so fun, and I’m not just saying that. I really enjoyed serving and chatting with the people there. They were so friendly and so grateful. It made me realize how incredibly blessed I am. I don’t have to worry about some of the simplest things, like where my next meal is coming from.

We did go to Sunbar (the grandparents’ house) afterward for Christmas feast number two and for round two of stockings. Santa also stops at their house for all the grandkids. We play games and ice skate and eat until we can’t eat no mo. In the past we’ve had some pretty intense games of Cranium. When my Aunt Sneena and I are on a team, we are unstoppable (in any game, not just Cranium). Seriously, we’ve never lost. You’ve been warned.

And now you have officially survived a Christmas with us! Congratulations! There is no better way to celebrate the Savior’s birth than with such amazing people, in my humble opinion, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Although, I could really use some sunshine right about now. Can it be summer already????