The Enabling Powers or “Flywheel Effect” of the
Atonement
Dear Elders and Sisters:
It was such a blessing to be with you in Specialized
Training on Wednesday and I trust you were as spiritually uplifted. I know we were. I trust you left changed rather than entertained
and will be more dedicated to meaningful role plays to become better teachers
that we may be prepared to be a greater blessing to those the Lord has prepared
to receive the gospel, many of whom the Members will introduce us to. I will also trust you better recognize the
great work you are doing and ensure you do not "come down" from doing
it. Don't allow distractions and a lack
of focus to deceive and distract you from this great work you are doing. And please do the work required to experience
a "mighty change of heart"! It
will be such a blessing to you and will allow this wonderful mission experience
to "go through you" and forever change you.
I also trust that you will endeavor to increase your
faith and character in order to become enabled by the Atonement of Jesus
Christ. Remember, this requires an
exercise of faith by obedience to commandments, commitments, and covenants
coupled with applying faith to true doctrine and principles of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. And as you learned, this
will increase your righteous character and you will "become" a true disciple gaining greater access to the
enabling powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It really creates a "flywheel
effect" which means a greater energy or force is created from power that
is applied. In spiritual terms, the
Atonement is the Power and the "flywheel effect" are the enabling
powers that make up the difference between who we are and who we need to be;
what we have to offer and what is required.
I am desirous you continue to study and understand this
principle so wonderfully taught by Elder Richard G. Scott. To that end, I am providing the quotes I
built this model from. They are all from
his most excellent talk; "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character, GC,
October 2010). Please study these very
carefully as the truths and doctrines taught are powerful.
Faith #1 The more
your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to benefit from
exercising the power of faith. You will discover how faith and character
interact to strengthen one another. Character is woven patiently from threads
of applied principle, doctrine, and obedience. (Scott, "The Transforming
Power of Faith and Character", GC, October 2010)
Faith #2
"President Hugh B. Brown said: 'Wherever in life great spiritual
values await man’s appropriation, only faith can appropriate them. Man cannot
live without faith, because in life’s adventure the central problem is
character-building--which is not a product of logic, but of faith in ideals and
sacrificial devotion to them' (in Conference Report, Oct. 1969, 105). We exercise
faith by doing. Joseph Smith said that 'faith [is] the principle of action and
of power' (Lectures on Faith [1985], 72). (Ibid)
Faith #3
"Your faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments will
strengthen your character. Your character is a measure of what you are
becoming. It is the evidence of how well you are using your time on earth in
this period of mortal probation." (Ibid)
Character #1
"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to
become each day. Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you
are becoming. Righteous character is more valuable than any material object you
own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have
attained no matter how well lauded by mankind. In the next life your righteous
character will be evaluated to assess how well you used the privilege of
mortality." (Ibid)
Character #2
"The bedrock of character is integrity. Worthy character will
strengthen your capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit and to be
obedient to it. Your consistent exercise of faith builds strong character. A
secure foundation for your growing character is laid by making Jesus Christ and
His teachings the center of your life." (Ibid)
Character #3
"Your happiness on earth as well as your eternal salvation require
many correct decisions, none of which is difficult to make. Together those
decisions forge a character resistant to the eroding influences of sin and
transgression. Noble character is like a treasured porcelain made of select raw
materials, formed with faith, carefully crafted by consistent righteous acts,
and fired in the furnace of uplifting experience. It is an object of great
beauty and priceless worth. Yet it can be damaged in a moment through
transgression, requiring painful, prolonged effort to be rebuilt. When
protected by self-control, righteous character will endure for eternity."
(Ibid)
And other selected, powerful quotes are as follows:
#1 "An axiom we all understand is that
you get what you pay for. That is true for spiritual matters as well. You get
what you pay for in obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent
application of the truths you learn. What you get is the molding of character,
the growth in capacity, and the successful completion of your mortal purpose to
be proven and to have joy." (Ibid)
#2 "You
cannot be passive in life, or in time the natural man will undermine your
efforts to live worthily. You become what you do and what you think about. Lack
of character leads one under pressure to satisfy appetite or seek personal
gain. You cannot successfully bolster a weak character with the cloak of
pretense." (Ibid)
#3 "In
time one who makes decisions based upon circumstance is virtually assured to
commit serious transgressions. There is no iron rod of truth to keep that
person in the right way." (Ibid)
#4 "Neither Satan nor any other power can
destroy or undermine your growing character. Only you could do that through
disobedience. A sterling character is converted into worthless ashes when
eroded by deceit or transgression." (Ibid)
#5 "The
genius of the gospel plan is that by doing those things the Lord counsels us to
do, we are given every understanding and every capacity necessary to provide
peace and rich fulfillment in this life. Likewise, we gain the preparation
necessary for eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord." (Ibid)
#6 "A
testimony is fortified by spiritual impressions that confirm the validity of a
teaching or a righteous act. Often such
guidance is accompanied by powerful emotions that bring tears to the eyes and
make it difficult to speak. But a testimony is not emotion. It is the very
essence of character woven from threads born of countless correct decisions.
These choices are made with trusting faith in things that are believed and, at
least initially, are not seen. A strong testimony gives peace, comfort, and
assurance. It generates the conviction that as the teachings of the Savior are
consistently obeyed, life will be beautiful, the future will be secure, and
there will be capacity to overcome the challenges that cross our path. A
testimony grows from understanding truth distilled from prayer and the
pondering of scriptural doctrine. It is nurtured by living those truths with
faith anchored in the secure confidence that the promised results will be
obtained." (Ibid)
#7 "The
devil will not triumph. Even now he must operate within the bounds set by the
Lord. He cannot take away any blessing that has been earned. He cannot alter
character that has been woven from righteous decisions. He has no power to
destroy the eternal bonds forged in a holy temple between a husband, wife, and
children. He cannot quench true faith. He cannot take away your testimony. Yes,
these things can be lost by succumbing to his temptations. But he has no power
in and of himself to destroy them." (Ibid)
#8 "Humility
is that quality that permits us to be taught from on high through the Spirit or
to be taught from sources whose origin was inspiration from the Lord, such as
the scriptures and the comments of the prophets. Humility is the precious
fertile soil of righteous character. In it the seeds of personal growth
germinate. When cultivated through the exercise of faith, pruned by repentance,
and fortified by obedience and good works, such seeds produce the cherished
fruit of spiritual direction. Divine inspiration and power then
result--inspiration to know the will of the Lord, power to provide the ability
to accomplish that inspired will." (Ibid)
Well, that's a lot of letter and teaching but go and
study it and you'll come to better understand how to access the Atonement more
fully - a requirement of and blessing from this great work we are anxiously
engaged in. I am anxious for you to do this that you may become more than you
are, better than you can imagine in order to more fully participate and keep
pace with the Lord as He hastens His work here in this part of His vineyard.
Sister Clark and I love you dearly and pray for you
earnestly each and every day!
President Clark
Departing Missionary Testimonies
